Meeting Date: 1/10/2019
Disclaimer: The Herald Anime Club discusses shows as they’re airing. Naturally, there will be spoilers for a given episode. You have been warned!
Samantha Ferreira: Hi everyone, welcome to the Herald Anime Club! I’m Samantha, and I’m here with L.B. Bryant and, making his big return, Anthony Simpson
L.B. Bryant: Hello!
Anthony Simpson: Hello everyone. It’s good to be back after being away for a few seasons.
Samantha Ferreira: It’s good to have you back.
Anthony Simpson: Its been a roller coaster ride for me in my personal life for most of 2018 experiencing some good highs and some truly terrible low points that I had live through.
L.B. Bryant: I feel your pain there.
Samantha Ferreira: Definitely. Big mood. o_o
2018 was a year where a lot happened, it seems.
L.B. Bryant: Tell me about it, heh
Samantha Ferreira: It’s good to have you back, Anthony. We missed ya.
Anthony Simpson: I missed the Herald family. I’m happy to be back.
Samantha Ferreira: What a good time to return, too – we’re kicking off our new season with a blockbuster, in The Promised Neverland.
Anthony Simpson: In a way, I’m glad that it seems the Noitamina Amazon deal seems to be over, since we got this shows on several different platforms this season.
L.B. Bryant: I’m really excited to discuss this series this season. It’s been getting raves ever since the anime adaptation was first announced last year.
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise!
L.B. Bryant: Now that I’ve seen the first episode, I can see why.
Anthony Simpson: This was not originally on my list of stuff to check out this season but I’m glad I did decide to give it a shot.
Samantha Ferreira: I’m really glad that we picked up on this one, too.
I also want to thank our awesome Patrons for casting their votes for this one – it was an overwhelming favorite with the Patreon crowd.
And, really, this is an incredible start. From the disarming intro, to that ultra-dark turn at the end, it was paced and executed beautifully
L.B. Bryant: I loved the early foreshadowing in the form of the focus being placed on the numbers on each kid’s neck while they were eating breakfast.
Anthony Simpson: That escalated quickly would be very accurate to describe the ending part of the episode.
Samantha Ferreira: Same. Also those little hints like the testing
Anthony Simpson: I was wondering until we got to that point what the purpose of those numbers where. Thinking about the ending and what the purpose of the house is for it makes sense.
L.B. Bryant: I was a little confused by the purpose of the testing. Are dumb kids more delicious to demons and smart kids don’t make as good of stew?
Anthony Simpson: They are being branded as someone would brand livestock.
If I had to make a guess the smarter kids are probably worth more money to the buyers.
Samantha Ferreira: Definitely.
L.B. Bryant: Okies, that makes sense. Thanks for helping to clarify that.
Samantha Ferreira: Smart kids are sold as premium grade
Hence why they were making a big deal about three of them being ready
L.B. Bryant: Ah got it. I didn’t memorize the numbers on their necks so when they were looking at the list towards the end of the episode I couldn’t figure out which ones exactly were being labeled as “ready”
Samantha Ferreira: When they turn 12 they have to leave, so they likely share a birthday
Anthony Simpson: That seems possible.
Samantha Ferreira: I’d wager that Emma was being raised to be a caretaker, though, given the way Isabella works with her, as opposed to the rest of the house.
Anthony Simpson: I kept thinking about why they have to leave at 12 and I have a theory. Usually puberty for children starts at 12 so I was thinking that the children need to be sold before that happens. At least from what we can see so far.
Samantha Ferreira: That makes sense
Anthony Simpson: I could way wrong with my guessing. That is what made most sense to me.
Samantha Ferreira: I was thinking it was part of the pact with the monsters “Once they reach a certain age, they can’t eat the livestock, as it would bestow certain rights”, etc.
Anthony Simpson: Possibly. I was thinking more of the idea that the human body changes once puberty starts and they are probably worthless in terms of food once that happens.
Samantha Ferreira: Both are very possible at this point
Anthony Simpson: True.
Samantha Ferreira: As of now, there are so many questions… and it feels like for every answer, we get two more questions
And, on a presentation level, it seems like we’re in for a treat. This is a beautifully shot and drawn show
L.B. Bryant: Agreed though the constant cuts during the forest scene did kind of bug me.
Anthony Simpson: The show looks gorgeous.
Samantha Ferreira: I kind of liked it.
It helped to build unease
L.B. Bryant: It was just jarring for the focus to occasionally shift to a different character for half seconds during those couple of minutes. It didn’t really detract from the show or the mood it was building, just felt a little jarring to me.
Samantha Ferreira: I can see that
Anthony Simpson: I can see that as well.
Samantha Ferreira: There’s a lot to really digest in this first episode – it’s clear they were straining to give every major plot point some time in the spotlight
L.B. Bryant: I’m really curious how they are going to balance the cast of characters from this point forward. Is this going to be a death spree like Magical Girl Raising Project or Akame ga Kill (with hopefully a touch more subtlety) until there’s only the MCs left or are they going to go in a different direction?
Anthony Simpson: I’m not sure myself. I haven’t read the manga that the show is based on.
Samantha Ferreira: I’ve read up to this point, myself – so I’m not sure.
But if I had to hazard a guess?
I’d say that the remaining orphans will fall away, becoming background characters as the story shifts to focus entirely on Emma, Norman, and Ray
L.B. Bryant: Speaking of Ray, I suspect that kid is going to be the one to watch from here on out. He obviously knows something that the others don’t.
At least that’s the way it seems to me.
Samantha Ferreira: Indeed.
It’s clear there’s a lot beneath the surface with him
Anthony Simpson: I agree. Part of me thinks he knew already knows what is going on with the House and what its purpose me before Emma and Norman knew the truth.
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise. I think he was able to read Mama Isabella better than he lets on
L.B. Bryant: Isabella… it’s been a while since I’ve seen such a well done 180 in presentation from what we got at the beginning of an episode as opposed to what she looked like in those last few seconds holding the stuffed bunny.
Plus according to the OP animation we’re going to get more caretakers coming in at some point.
Samantha Ferreira: True that. The swerve was amazing.
And yeah… that’s Sister Krone
I, ah… learned a lot from covering the news on this.
Aniwho… any final thoughts this week?
Anthony Simpson: Can’t wait to see what comes next week.
L.B. Bryant: This first episode did a pretty damn good job of hooking me in.
Samantha Ferreira: Likewise! I’m genuinely excited to see where this one takes us.
Til next time, everyone, remember: stuffed bunnies are your red shirts in this world.
L.B. Bryant: Later everyone
Anthony Simpson: Goodnight
