Emma, Norman and Ray live at Grace Field House, an orphanage they share with dozens of other children, plenty of food, a big field to play in and a caretaker they call Mom. They take tests every day and they are happy. Then one night they follow a younger child to the gate and discover what the orphanage is really for.

The Promised Neverland is one of the most stocked series in our shop and a favourite among staff. Here is our guide, spoiler-light for the big twists, covering the manga, the anime, the film and the volumes worth owning. Browse our Promised Neverland manga.

Where The Promised Neverland came from

The Promised Neverland was a surprise in Weekly Shōnen Jump when it launched in August 2016. Instead of fights and training arcs, it offered a tense psychological thriller where kids outwit adults through planning, bluffing and logic. Writer Kaiu Shirai built the puzzles, while artist Posuka Demizu, a well-known illustrator, gave Grace Field House its unsettling, storybook quality.

The story: the great escape and beyond

The first arc, set entirely inside the orphanage, is a near-perfect thriller. Emma, Norman and Ray must plan an escape without letting their caretaker, Isabella, suspect them. Every chapter ends on a reveal, and the cat-and-mouse games between children and adults are genuinely nail-biting.

After the escape, the story expands into a dangerous world outside the walls, with new allies, ancient promises and a far bigger conflict than the children ever imagined. It goes in directions that surprise even seasoned manga readers.

From page to screen: the anime and film

The anime's first season ran for 12 episodes from January to March 2019 and was widely praised for capturing the claustrophobic tension of the escape arc. A second season ran for 11 episodes from January to March 2021 but took a very different route from the manga, which is why many fans tell newcomers to read the books past the first arc. A live-action film followed in December 2020.

Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu

Shirai's scripts are full of carefully placed clues, so the series rewards rereading. Demizu's art switches effortlessly between soft, cosy scenes of children playing and moments of real horror. The pair later collaborated on more projects, and Demizu's illustrations for the series have been shown in exhibitions.

Why The Promised Neverland matters

It proved that a cerebral thriller could top the charts in the world's biggest shōnen magazine, and it won the 63rd Shogakukan Manga Award in the shōnen category in 2018. By August 2023 it had sold over 42 million copies. Its success opened the door for more unconventional series in Jump.

Where to start reading The Promised Neverland

Start at Vol. 1, and try not to read anything about it first. The first five volumes cover the escape arc, and we stock several later volumes too, like Vol. 12 and Vol. 16.

The Promised Neverland manga & anime timeline

Key characters in The Promised Neverland

Curiosities collectors should know

The Promised Neverland volumes worth knowing

• Vol. 1

  The Promised Neverland Vol. 1

  2017 · Viz Media

  The children discover the truth about Grace Field House. One of the best opening volumes in modern manga.

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• Vol. 5

  The Promised Neverland Vol. 5

  2018 · Viz Media

  Escape. The thrilling climax of the orphanage arc.

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• Vol. 10

  The Promised Neverland Vol. 10

  2019 · Viz Media

  The story widens into the world beyond the walls.

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• Vol. 16

  The Promised Neverland Vol. 16

  2020 · Viz Media

  The final arc gathers pace.

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• Vol. 17

  The Promised Neverland Vol. 17

  2020 · Viz Media

  Late-series revelations bring the conflict toward its conclusion.

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The Promised Neverland covers through the years

A look at the covers across the English-language run. Tap a cover to find it in our shop.

Vol. 1 Vol. 2 Vol. 3 Vol. 4 Vol. 5 Vol. 6 Vol. 7 Vol. 8 Vol. 9 Vol. 10 Vol. 11 Vol. 13 Vol. 14 Vol. 15 Vol. 16 Vol. 17

The Promised Neverland on our shelves right now

Here are some of the volumes we currently have in stock. Every copy is checked and graded before it is listed.

Vol. 1 Vol. 4 Vol. 8 Vol. 12 Vol. 16 Vol. 20

You can also browse every The Promised Neverland book we stock.

Frequently asked questions about The Promised Neverland

Condition grades on our listings follow our comic & book condition guide. Have The Promised Neverland books of your own you would like to sell? Email us at contact@siomiccomics.com. The Promised Neverland and all related characters are trademarks of Kaiu Shirai, Posuka Demizu / Shueisha. Cover images are shown for reference.