The Promised Neverland “Jailbreak Arc” (Chapters 10 through 37) Manga Review
Major Spoilers are included in this manga review. Please read with caution.
Synopsis: The story began in an orphanage called Grace Field. We meet a twelve-year-old girl named Emma, who guides the reader—using exposition—through the orphanage and her typical day there doing chores, taking tests, and playing games—like tag. There are also over forty kids at this orphanage, all taken care of by a woman known as “Mama”. However, once Emma and another kid named Norman learn the twisted dark truth about the orphanage, they make a hasty plan to escape with their friend Ray.
The “Jailbreak Arc”—the second arc of the manga series—centered around Emma, Norman, and Ray making plans to escape from the orphanage. The biggest strength of The Promised Neverland were the plot twists that came with their plans failing and their hope of escaping dwindling. There were also character twists involving a spy among the children, a secret hidden room, a mysterious author named William Minerva, the true nature of Sister Krone and Mama Isabella, and the fates of Norman and Ray.
The twists and turns of the arc had me wanting to read more and more, finding myself horrified for the characters’ circumstances. The Promised Neverland was set up as a series that challenged its characters to overcome the impossible for the sake of survival beyond the Grace Field Orphanage. Emma, Norman, and Ray—all about twelve-years-old—made tough choices for the sake of their well thought out escape plan.
Emma was the optimistic protagonist, not willing to leave anyone behind no matter what. Ray was the loner of the group, who didn’t interact much with others but cared about his siblings very deeply. Norman was the realist and most intelligent out of the three, but he was also hopelessly in love with Emma. This made an interesting trio for the series; the oldest children at Grace Field Orphanage. Eventually, all three had to make a big sacrifice for the sake of the escape plan.
The trio also recruited two other children—Gilda and Don—into the escape plan, but even with their much-needed help, Mama Isabella was able to outsmart them. This made for an exciting read—one step forward, two steps back—until the very end of the “Jailbreak Arc”. Overall, I would recommend The Promised Neverland wholeheartedly. The characters, world-building, plot, suspense, horror, and brilliant plot twists made for an enjoyable reading experience. I will continue onward with The Promised Neverland—both the manga and anime series.