Common Sense Media Review
Fantasy horror anime builds tension with scares, violence.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 15+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
The Promised Neverland
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 8 parent reviews
Based on 26 kid reviews
Kids say the show is a dark psychological thriller with some disturbing themes and moderate violence, making it suitable for older children and tweens who can handle intense content. While many praise the first season as a masterpiece, opinions on the second season are largely negative due to its deviation from the source material and rushed pacing.
- mature themes
- psychological thriller
- first season praised
- second season criticized
- suitable for tweens
- moderate violence
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
THE PROMISED NEVERLAND follows 11-year-old children Emma, Norman, and Ray as they plan an escape from their orphanage home. After Emma and Norman discover the dead body of a younger "sibling," they learn that they're living on a "farm" that sells human children to demons for food. They immediately start working on a plan to escape with the other children before the next "shipping" date. However, tensions rise as they face off against their cold, calculating "mother," Isabella (Laura Post), who knows they've discovered the truth and is trying to keep them from escaping.
Is It Any Good?
This show succeeds as a thrilling horror, with a visual style and plot development that's both unsettling and captivating. It's hard to watch children face such intense peril, but it's easy to root for the young characters who face challenges with wit and strength. However, despite the age of the protagonists, The Promised Neverland may be too intense for young viewers. Violence, though not over the top, is central to the plot and to character development. Most interesting is that the characters' escape from death actually invites audiences to connect the fantasy setting to their own world and to consider what roles they play in their own social systems. Ultimately, fans of stories like The Hunger Games will enjoy this show about youth overcoming impossible odds to change the world.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about different types of violence in media. How does the fantasy setting with demons change the way we view the real-world violence that is shown? How do the characters handle this violence, and what can we learn from their choices?
Several characters (especially the adults) show remorse for their actions and specifically for their role in the violent system. Is their remorse enough? Could they have acted differently considering the circumstances? What would they need to do in order to right their wrongdoing?
Each of the children handles their trauma differently. What are healthy outlets for dealing with intense emotions and harmful experiences?
TV Details
- Premiere date : April 14, 2019
- Cast : Erika Mendez , Jeannie Tirado , Laura Stahl
- Networks : Crunchyroll , Netflix
- Genre : Anime
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic )
- TV rating :
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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