”Are you alive, Lucas?!”
Creative Staff
Story: Kaiu Shirai
Art: Posuka Demizu
Translation/Adaptation: Satsuki Yamashita
What They Say
Life at Grace Field House is good for Emma and her fellow orphans. While the daily studying and exams they have to take are tough, their loving caretaker provides them with delicious food and plenty of playtime. But perhaps not everything is as it seems…
With Lucas’s help, Emma is able to finally uncover the mystery of William Minerva. While their helper may no longer be alive, Emma now knows how to escape the world of demons. However, first they will need to escape Goldy Pond in one piece. And to do that, they’ll have to take down some of the most powerful demons they’ve ever come across!
Content: (please note that content portions of a review may contain spoilers):
Since its initial release, I’ve seen many describe The Promised Neverland as a “modern shonen” in that rather than relying heavily on action through hand-to-hand combat, it pits its characters in battles of wits instead. Decisive moments in the plot rely not on brute strength, or even the idea of who can punch who at the right time, but the idea that one must fight smarter rather than harder. For volumes already, the series has focused heavily on the ragtag kids of Grace Fields outsmarting enemies three times their size, and maneuvering out of danger to literally any other place. It’s less about battle being won, and more about being able to survive another day.
And while such an approach has proved to make for a unique and (mostly) entertaining series thus far, I will say I’m thankful that author Kaiu Shirai isn’t completely averse to the idea of dipping into standard shonen tropes every now and then. Established last volume and continuing throughout this one, the children move forth in the rebellion against their demon overlords, fighting their way out of Goldy Pond. The silent, chilling moments from volumes past have more or less taken a back seat to a more in-your-face means of combat, as all the kids are coming in fully equipped with guns, crossbows and anything else they can get their hands on all to thoroughly kill the demons that have plagued their existence.
This isn’t to say that this sudden shift in tone feels out of place for the series. If anything, it’s been a long time coming, as Shirai has constantly been building up the lack of relations between humans and demons through flashbacks and current plot. And what makes this volume so entertaining is how Shirai lovingly embraces the shonen tropes of old, reworking them for their own story. There are so many elements to this volume that are reminiscent of classic Shonen Jump titles, yet it never feels like a straight copy/paste. From specific moments like Leuvis cockily allowing Emma 10 minutes for her friends to show up, to more sweeping moments like the kids losing their battles only for Norman and the old man showing up in a heroic last-second save, it’s clear that Shirai has a deep understanding and respect for the series preceding Promised Neverland.
My only complaint is that Demizu’s accompanying art continues to be hit or miss. Even looking past their insistence on using tiny paneling more often than should be allowed, their sense of space never makes full use of the varying areas within Goldy Pond. From the carnival-esque outer region, to the more cramped underground, you never feel as immersed in Shirai’s world as you want to. This especially hurt the fight against Bayon, which while it moved to the narrow underground, you never feel like it limits Bayon’s movements until it’s literally written out on the panel. Regardless, there’s plenty to enjoy this volume, even if it is admittedly outside of one’s expectations for the series.
In Summary:
The Promised Neverland volume 10 is unapologetically shonen, injecting the series with the ebb and flow of fight scenes from series prior. And while Demizu’s art still struggles to fully portray the intensity of some scenes, it’s still a thoroughly entertaining addition to the series.
Content Grade: B+
Art Grade: B
Packaging Grade: A
Text/Translation Grade: A
Age Rating: Teen
Released By: Viz Media
Release Date: June 4, 2019
MSRP: $9.99
