#tpn side novels

[unearthedheart]

just finished isabella's story

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Is there an age limit for the Moms/Sisters?

For me it would be reasonable that after 60 Moms either die or become Grandma. But I'm not sure how this system works. 😅

No. It feels like it could be a thing, given the conditions we see the sister candidates in and the violent fates many meet that Shirai purposely brings to our attention.

(Chapter 170 | Chapter 181.2 | TPN Light Novel 2: Moms’ Song of Remembrance - “Searching for the Skies of Freedom”)

But despite the oppressive nature of the farm system easily lending itself to the idea, there's no mention of a hard age or time limit for moms and sisters. Assuming they don't make any grievous mistakes, it seems like they're allowed to live as long as they're useful.

(Chapter 165)

Unless they're set up to take the fall for someone else.

The second light novel goes into further detail about how due to the very limited number of positions outside of headquarters, some sisters choose to retrain and pursue other roles in the system.

But even then, it doesn't seem like they're allowed to pass away peacefully in their sleep due to old age and have that be the end of it. Under this system, their ultimate fate is to become food.

On the flip side of things, Krone specifically mentions Isabella becoming a mom at nineteen is an extraordinary feat.

(Chapter 181.2 | TPN Light Novel 2: Moms’ Song of Remembrance - “Searching for the Skies of Freedom”)

This happens when Krone is thirteen or fourteen, and while we don't know exactly when Sarah became grandma between Isabella entering headquarters at twelve and becoming a mom, I default to her assuming the role when Isabella is around eighteen or nineteen and installing Isabella at plant no.3 being one of her first major actions as grandma that would best serve herself.

(Chapter 181.3)

Though with Isabella's scores she had enough justification to frame it based entirely on merit and beneficial to the bottom line of the farms if she booted out another mom prematurely.

(Chapter 181.3 | Mystic Code Book Chapter 1 Q&A)

[chidoroki]

182 Days of TPN - Day 77

Chapter 77: “The Foolish Weaklings”

Imagine how wild this whole battle would’ve been if there was a raging fire both sides had to worry about. (setting things ablaze is more of a Grace Field kid kinda thing anyway).

It’s moments like this that remind me that I really need to go back and read the light novels (if I can ever find them). I know the third focuses on Gillian & Nigel’s first days at GP a little bit.

Due to my everlasting love for Revy, I am severely weak to any character that is shown to dual wield guns and Gillian is no exception.

Really don’t have much to say about the gunfight other than the typical saltiness I feel that we won’t see it animated. They fired more bullets in these couple panels than all of that stupid season two.

Gotta give credit to all the knowledge Lucas picked up throughout his many years stuck at GP. To pick up how the enemy acts and their defenses, he would’ve had to watch them carefully (somehow..from hiding inside the windmill. the resistance most likely acted as his eyes).

I always praise Emma or Isabella for being great actresses, but the resistance do a pretty fair job too. Sonya mentioned two chapters ago that they all pretended to be weak in order to gather information, so the fact they kept up that act well enough (for several years I imagine) for the poachers to believe it is pretty darn good.

Mmmhhhm this is such a nice panel. She’s got an immense amount of rage just waiting to let loose. Also, for the longest time I thought she just calmly takes off Luce’s mask here, but then he’s shown wearing it at the start of the next chapter? It would make sense if the short upcoming chase scene was a flashback up til this moment, but those pages don’t have the typical black surrounding the panels, so I dunno. Whatever.

Favorite panel/moment:

I mean.. of course?? The very moment I fell in love with this chick! The complete shock on Luce’s face is also hilarious.

[smartie-ya]

Ok aight ok aight I've caught up with Witch Hat Atelier so time to spill out my jumbled throughts past midnight before I pass out:

Art: 10 outta FUCKING 10. Like come on, you've seen the panels, it's just amazing. Character- and costume-designs, creature designs, environments, panelling - everything is top tier. Easily one of the most beautifully drawn manga out there. My only real criticism is that the characters veer a little too much into twink territory, but surprisingly enough there still is some decent variety among side- and background characters.

Characters: mmhhhh 7/10? I'm not blown away, especially by the child protagonists. Agott did grow on me over time but Coco as well as the two other apprentice girlies really aren't doing it for me tbh. The adults def are better, and yes I have become an Olruggio simp (we stan the resting-bitch faced male-wife with a secret soft spot for kids), it has predictably come to pass. Rn I'm still waiting on a proper Orufrey flashback and in general for Qifrey to be fleshed out a bit better. Like yeah we all know he sus as hell but I wanna know what his goddamn deal is.

Story: currently 8/10 with potential in either direction. There is a LOT of stuff being set up and ngl I am a bit worried that not all of it will be adequately addressed. I have been burned by similarly ambitious stories of this overall genre before (experiencing TPN flashbacks) so I am definitely wary.

Worldbuilding: 9/10. Honestly almost perfect! I absolutely love the themes being set up here with the completely arbitrary separation of people into witches and non-witches, the monopolization of power for the supposed purpose of the greater good, the question of how far humanity should be allowed to go in the pursuit of knowledge and progress... there really is some amazing stuff being laid out here. All this is not even to mention how great the magic system is, though sometimes I find it a bit hard to suspend my disbelief at some of the supposedly 'novel' inventions (like you're telling me that nobody before Coco thought of making a water-purifying jug?? And that people would not IMMEDIATELY want to have this kind of thing in their homes unless there's the added flourish of the water making pretty shapes?? Bruh)

Final verdict: I'd overall give the manga a final score of like 8/10 - very solid set-up so far but still too early to judge whether it will actually stick the landing. I'm def gonna keep following along and holding out hope

[technikki]

the only reason im not insane abt olivia tpn is because they knew i would be so they made her a side-story/light novel exclusive character who rarely speaks. girl you got nothing and i still love you

[tutubola-moved-on]

The Essay I Wouldn't Shut Up About Last Month

For english class I had to write a persuasive essay and I knew I wanted to write smth related to tpn cuz it was the end of the year and I was too tired to think too much. My teacher read the first paragraph of the wikipedia summary and said the story was too childish to be analysed and I would only be able to write decent essay on it if the essay was about why 6th graders should study it. So of course I did what every good student does: I ignored him and submitted an essay about gender roles. And then he gave me the max grade so like!!

Disclaimer(s): This was written for my english teacher who ofc didn't read tpn so there's a lot of context. I'm referring to Lambda as a laboratory to make it less confusing (GF is already "the farm").

Also sorry for any mistakes I'm 15 and brazilian but I tried my best

Introduction

The way I would define gender roles correlates with an unavoidable human laziness; people saw the many roles to be fulfilled for society to properly function and distributed them as easily as possible: you’re a woman, you do this; you’re a man, you do this. While it is a straight-forward criteria in which everyone can find their spot, it leads to unnecessary harm and wasted potential. Take Virginia Woolf’s Shakespeare’s Sister as an example: a woman with the interest and skills to act on stage was barred from it and jumped from a bridge. And we’ve seen these situations play out throughout history and in countless stories, from Virginia Woolf to Billy Elliot; stories in which human potential was nearly or completely shot down by the imposition of gender roles.

Having said that, I propose a reformation to the way roles are distributed. Rather than based on gender, a biological condition that affects little more than a person’s reproductive system (a definition that is also contested by the existence of transgender individuals), it would make people happier and more efficient if they were able to take on the roles they have the interest in and the abilities needed to excel at, as shown in Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu’s The Promised Neverland, a graphic novel series in which success is often linked with a disregard towards gender when assigning roles while failure comes from attempts at forcing oneself into a strict definition of what it means to be of either gender.

The Dangers Of Perpetuating Gender Roles

The premise of The Promised Neverland is simple: humans and man-eating demons forged a promise that separated the world in half; one side in which humans could live independently from the demons, and the other where human children were cultivated in farms disguised as orphanages and harvested for demon consumption. Of those children, the only ones who survived were girls who knowingly chose to avoid death by becoming mothers, and the select few that found out the ‘truth’ and managed to escape.

That, by nature, is a catalyst for a gendered system: girls have no chance at growing past the age of twelve unless they go through a competitive selective process and are deemed promising housewives, while boys aren’t given the opportunity to become fathers for the children, both an exaggeration of gender roles in our society. This structure is explored in Kei Toda’s book Reading The Promised Neverland With a British/American Literature Scholar, where she mentions how this system reinforces a “traditional family” in which the “mother takes care of the … house … and the children by herself” while a father’s absence is not “unnatural” as they are often encouraged to “work outside and earn living costs for the family”  (3-4).

Maintaining such a system at the expense of children’s lives undeniably gives it a negative light, while also being a reflection of how far our world is willing to go to preserve that traditional family and its inherent gender roles. Girls and women who are unable or unwilling to adhere to motherhood tend to be shamed, and, in worst cases, beaten and killed, while there’s an ongoing trend regarding absent fathers, which has shown to severely impact a child’s upbringing. Nevertheless, the initial setting for The Promised Neverland mirrors our current society, in which women and men are highly discouraged to divert from gender roles no matter how much they can accomplish on their own, and consequently results in an unhappy, unsafe, and, most importantly, inefficient society.

Disregard Towards Gender Roles Enabled The Escape

In spite of that, the situation changes when the main characters—Emma, Norman, and Ray—are introduced. While, structurally, life at the farm is strongly based on gender roles, the children live as themselves, manifested especially when it comes to their escape plan. Emma had the skills needed to lead the escape, being known for her “outstanding motor skills” and “learning [abilities]” (vol.1, 32), as well as being “amazingly true to herself” (vol.4, 97). These are qualities traditionally associated with young boys—the athletic abilities and self-assurance—and, had she followed gender roles, she would’ve had to suppress them. That could’ve changed the course of their escape; they needed someone who could not only survive in harsh environments but also lead with confidence and determination, and neither Norman nor Ray had the ability to take her spot.

On one hand, Ray was determined to die in the farm, and while Norman was “a genius” with the “best brains” (vol.1, 32), his “weakness [was] physical strength” (vol.2, 38). Although he’s perfect for the evaluation and planning, a leader for an escape cannot be weak; again, they have to be able to endure long hikes and sporadic runs, and help out those who cannot. Norman accepted that, and instead of clashing with Emma’s leadership, he served as the “white horse” for her, “the knight,” supporting her to “move freely” (Sunny). He turned away from traditional male gender roles he wouldn’t be able to fulfill in order to focus on a role within his reach; thus, he filled in where Emma couldn’t, and allowed Emma to fill in where he couldn’t, and that cooperation was what led to a smooth escape from an extremely surveillanced facility.

At its core, the escape was only successful because they allowed Emma to lead it regardless of her gender, and because the boys knew the benefits of her leadership and took the required supporting positions. This is a base example of how diverting from gender roles allows us to wholly put our skills to use, thus reaching full human potential.

Surviving In The ‘Outside’ By Exploring Individual Abilities

The children’s survival on the outside relied primarily on using the qualities and interests they had to best provide for themselves. While the escape from the farm showed the increase in efficiency when gender is discarded, their lives as escapees uncover the physical and mental well-being promoted by it.

Soon after the escape, Emma takes on the role of hunting, while Ray begins to cook. That subverts traditional expectations of gender, but is, once again, a demonstration of their individual abilities—Emma’s athleticism and Ray’s vast knowledge would've made it impossible for gender roles to be followed without the addition of unnecessary obstacles. This is also manifested when they first encounter a wild demon: Ray analyses the situation for a solution but she ultimately shoots it, yet another use of their skills.

Not only is this system effective, but, during a meal, Emma mentions how there’s a lot of “happiness when food is delicious” (vol.6, 113). Had Ray refused to cook in order to follow gender roles, the food might’ve turned out poor, and consequently the meal would’ve been less enjoyable. The children needed someone to cook, and barring him from it simply for being a boy could’ve been, at the least, an annoyance. Although it seems like a small detail, these situations eventually contribute to teaching children gender roles that can harm them and others in the future. In our world, for example, toys are constantly segregated; cooking kits are usually advertised for girls, while action figures are advertised for boys. This inevitably leads to young children being discouraged to pursue what they truly want, which can only lead to so much happiness and satisfaction.

Another main event in which there is clear benefit from the disconsideration of gender is during the Goldy Pond rebellion, in which Emma and nine other children liberate an illicit hunting ground. Of those children, two of them—Nigel and Gillian—stand out, being assigned as partners to take down one of the poachers, but once more inverting traditional gender expectations. Gillian takes the front line as a shooter, while Nigel primarily builds the guns away from the battlefield. When comparing to WWII, when women took over the factories and built supplies for the male soldiers, it seems unlikely that Nigel and Gillian would switch the roles.

However, Nigel openly admits to being weak, couldn’t “count how many times” he was saved by others (vol.10, 33), and recalls how, if it weren’t for Emma, he “would’ve given up” (vol. 20, 170). He wasn’t physically or mentally capable of taking the front lines, and his life would’ve been put in severe risk if he had been forced to. But because he wasn’t, he developed strong mechanical skills and not only preserved his well-being but also greatly benefited the rebellion. Considering the high rate of conscription during WWII, it’s hard to believe all soldiers had the capacity to fight. There were probably so many men who died because they had no interest or skill to fight, but had to enlist because of their gender.

These arrangements, together with Emma’s continued leadership, allowed the children to survive outside the farms for far longer than expected. There’s no doubt that a lot of their safety and happiness wouldn’t have been possible had they stuck to gender roles, and that is a message that should be more prominent in our society.

Submitting To Gender Roles Led To Unnecessary Harm

The story wouldn’t be complete without examples of gender roles leading to character’s downfalls to further stress the harm it can cause. That is, of course, initially represented through the farm system, in which countless women became mothers because it was “the only way to survive,” despite losing full autonomy over themselves (Mother’s, 20). Later on, it is also shown through Norman’s character arc. He never escaped the farm, being shipped to an experimental laboratory a few months prior, and his time in the lab twisted his views of gender.

Two years after the Goldy Pond rebellion, following an enemy attack to their shelter, the children flee to a hideout led by William Minerva, their key ally in the human world who had supposedly been killed. Upon arrival, however, it is revealed that Norman had taken on the name, described by the children of the hideout as “smart and sharp” (vol 13, 180), “cold,” and a child who “looked like a god” (vol 14, 185). That description is so distant to the Norman from the farm that neither the characters nor the readers were able to really associate him with the role of Minerva. He became an exact definition of an ideal, traditional man; someone who’s powerful, emotionless, and an overall perfect leader.

But, as explored during the Grace Field escape, he does not have the qualities for that role. Especially after his time in the laboratory, his physical health deteriorated and his days were numbered, but he couldn’t bring himself to seek help because he “wanted to be a leader [they] could rely on” (vol.18, 35). Norman’s attempt at following gender roles overshadowed his decaying mental and physical health up to a point where it was almost irreversible; he was corrupted by the idea of fitting into traditional masculinity and ended up blinded to the harm it was causing.

Inevitably, Emma eventually confronted him. In that spiral, he planned to wipe out the demons so he could leave behind a free world for the children, while Emma had the arrangements to see Scribbles (their ‘god’) and reforge the ‘promise’ so everyone could cross over to the human world with no bloodshed. But no matter how prepared she was, he shut down her ideas as “fairy tales” (vol.15, 76), implying that he was the rational, wise man, while she was living in her head, unable to process real life---an idea that’s present in several misogynistic manifestos in our world, like Patmore’s The Angel in the House, where women are painted as “passive” and “gentle” (Thackery). He was, undoubtedly, fueled by misogyny and a determination to impose gender roles, and didn’t give Emma an opportunity to act on her own regardless of how well it had worked thus far.

In the end, Norman carries out his plan, and Emma is left with no choice but to forge the ‘promise’ on her own at the cost of her memories and connections to the children. Norman’s actions had massive negative consequences, despite being easily avoidable had he continued to take on roles fit for his skills, rather than his gender. His transformation following his stay at the laboratory reflects on how attempting to fit into a box someone doesn’t belong in can harm not only oneself but others. It further stresses the importance of disregarding gender when it comes to assigning roles, and how much one’s qualities can affect their ability to safely fulfill a gender role.

Conclusion

Although gender roles have always been a clear way to organize society, more often than not they have led to harm and wasted potential. Kaiu Shirai and Posuka Demizu’s The Promised Neverland highlights the negative consequences of following a gender role without having the qualities or interest needed for it, and how much more efficient and healthy we as humans can be when roles aren’t distributed solely on gender.

Works Cited

Shirai, Kaiu, & Demizu, Posuka. Yakusoku no Neverland | The Promised Neverland. Vol. 1-20, SHUEISHA, Inc, 2016-2020.

Shirai, Kaiu, and Posuka Demizu. “A Mother’s Determination.” translated by Satsuki Yamashita.

Sunny. “Shirai's First TPN Manuscript: The Way We Survive in This World.” 1000 Sunny Go, Blogger, 7 July 2021, https://1000sunnygo.blogspot.com/2021/07/shirais-first-tpn-manuscript-way-we.html.

Sunny. "Kei Toda's The Promised Neverland Analysis," 1000 Sunny Go, Blogger, 19 September 2021, https://1000sunnygo.blogspot.com/2021/09/kei-todas-promised-neverland-analysis.html

Patmore, Coventry “The Angel in the House.” William Makepeace Thackery, 2 Mar. 2011, http://academic.brooklyn.cuny.edu/english/melani/novel_19c/thackeray/angel.html.

[alvacchi]

SCENARIO: Drunk

Some light hearted fun!~

Background info for those who don't know Susan:

Susan's from the TPN light novel "A Letter From Norman", Chapter 3. She's an 11 year old girl Ray was close with back then but has been shipped out.

[Spoilers up to Ch 50!]

---

[Sonjuu and Mujika instruct the children in the underground cave.]

Sonjuu: In the meanwhile, you should learn something useful. Mujika and I shall be your tutors.

We'll teach what you need to survive....

The essential knowledge and...

Skills.

[One faithful night, the children sit in a circle eating some food.]

Emma: Ray! Can you go fetch the water? I'll watch over the others here.

Ray: Alright.

Mujika: I'll come with you.

Ray: It's fine. I know my way around now.

[He exits the underground cave to the surface.]

....

Sonjuu: Hey kids. You want some grapes?

---

[Later when Ray returns from the surface, he sees everyone except Sonjuu and Mujika acting strangely with flushed faces. Sonjuu laughs while Mujika stays silent. Ray glares at Sonjuu.]

Ray: WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?! I go to fetch water to come back to this!

Sonjuu: Relax! They're just drunk. No harm done. I got curious to see what a drunk human looks like so I thought I'd feed them some grapes that contain alcohol.

Mujika: Sorry I tried to stop him but the children started eating them.

Ray: Argh! You! We're not old enough to have alcohol!

Emma: [hiccup] Ray~ Come play with us~[hiccup]

Ray: Even Emma is drunk...

Don: I AM GOING TO TALK ABOUT SOMETHING THAT HAPPENED!

Gilda: Ooo! What happened?

Nat: It's got to be about my beautiful nose!

Anna: No no I'm the cute one! It's about me!

Don: Every night Ray's always shouting in his sleep at Grace Field EMMA I LOVE YOU!

Ray: THE FUDGE?! NO I DON'T! THAT'S NORMAN!

Don: EMMA I LOV--

[Ray goes to punch Don in the face, knocking him out.]

Ray: Hah....My gosh...

Emma: I'M GOING TO SING!

Ray: Emma?!

Emma: I DEDICATE THIS SONG TO RAY!

[Emma takes in a deep breath.]

Emma: CAUSE EVERY TIME WE TOUCH I GET THIS FEELING! 🎵

AND EVERY TIME WE KISS I REACH FOR THE SKY 🎵

[Everyone started bursting into laughter, even Mujika giggled a bit. Don was the only one unconscious.]

Thoma: Oh my God they kissed already!

Lani: Maybe sitting in a tree? Like K-I-S-S-I-N-G?

Ray: SH-SHUT UP! None of that happened! Are your guys' teasing about my close death before not enough?!

[The night was long and it took some time before the commotion died down. The children finally exhaust themselves and go to sleep.]

Ray: Finally....I thought that would never end.

[Emma ambushes Ray and glomps him with a grin.]

Ray: Hey!

Emma: Wahhh~! It's Ray's smell~ ♡

Ray: Don't you dare throw up on me.

Emma: I'm hot.

Ray: Eh?

[Emma attempts to take her clothes off but Ray stops her hands.]

Ray: [flustered] WAIT WAIT NO YOU CAN'T!

Emma: Eeeeh? But it's hot Ray....

Ray: No means no! I'd like to keep my sanity please.

Emma: Tch...stingy...

[Emma decides to cling onto him.]

Ray: [sigh] How long are you going to hold onto me?

Emma: Forever~

Ray: You can't do that. Let go.

Emma: No.

Ray: Emma--

Emma: Ray's going to start crying.

Ray: Hah? You're not making any sense. Why would I cry?

Emma: Can you sing that song? The one you were singing in the dining hall when you were going to light yourself.

Ray: Y-you heard me?

Emma: It's a pretty song~!

Ray: Don't want to.

Emma: Heeeeh? Whyyy not?

Ray: ...

Emma: ....Okay then! I'll sing one for you instead!

Ray: You're going to sing again? Don't tell me it's the same one.

Emma: It's noooot!

[She takes a deep breath and starts singing. Surprisingly, she manages to keep her slurring down and holds a stable tune.]

Emma: Pick a red flower to give to her 🎵

Ray:

Emma: In her hair, I’ll place the flower🎵

Ray: Where did you hear that song?

Emma: Huh? I heard it from Susan! Whenever I felt sad, Susan would sing this for me!

Ray:

[Flashback]

Ray: 🎵 🎵 🎵

[Susan sits on top of the tree listening to Ray's humming below. She then decides join Ray and jumps down.]

Ray: ! Susan?!

Susan: Aw! Why did you stop singing? It was really pretty!

Ray: ....

Susan: Hey Ray. Are you sad? When you're down, you sing that melody often.

Ray: ....why do you pay so much attention to me?

Susan: Because I love you silly! I worry because you don't hang out with the others often.

Ray: Tch.

[They sit in silence for a while before Susan breaks it.]

Susan: ....I'm sad too. Tomorrow's the day huh. When I leave the orphanage.

Ray: ....

Susan: I'll sing you my own song! I also have a melody that comforts me.

Ray: Heh.

Susan: 🎵 🎵 🎵

[Ray finds himself relaxing to the sweet melody.]

[Flashback end]

[Tears well up in Ray's eyes and start to drip down his face.]

Ray: What's this....?

Emma: It's okay to let it out Ray.

Ray: Haven't you been acting so tough too?

Emma: I've already let most of it out, though I'm still sad about Norman.

....I've promised Norman to never give up. Never leave anyone behind. Liberate every single brother and sister....for the sake of our family.

[Ray hugs Emma back tightly.]

Emma: Ray?

Ray: Just let me hold you like this for a while.

Emma: ...

[Emma goes on to sing the rest of the melody. She also starts crying a little.]

Red flower, red flower, in her hair 🎵

It will bloom and sway like the sun. 🎵

Pick a white flower to give to her 🎵

On her chest, I’ll place the flower 🎵

White flower, white flower, on her chest 🎵

It will bloom and sway like the moon. 🎵

[The next morning.]

Don: Ugh I have a terrible headache. What happened? Why does my cheek hurt so bad?

[Emma wakes up to the racket. Ray has already left her side.]

Emma: Hmm? I don't remember falling asleep.

Thoma: Oh dang when did we fall asleep?!

Lani: Wait did something happen?! What did I miss?

Ray: You guys are finally awake! Rise and shine!

[Emma gets up and notices a smell coming from her clothes. She sniffs her sleeves.]

Emma: Is this...what is this smell? Ray...last night...

Ray: You got really drunk. All of you did.

Emma: EH?! Did I do something weird?!

Ray: Maybe.

Emma: Raaaay!

Ray: Haha.....Emma.

Emma: ?

Ray: [smiles] Thank you.

[couldnt-think-of-a-better-name]

Hiiiii first of all i really love your tpn theories I’ve been reading!! I would like to know what is the ray x anna peter pan reference you just mentioned? I’m really curious about that bc even tho i like the pair between ray and emma I’m preeeeetty interested on ray and anna but i also think anna is still too young for something to be develop! Either way, I’m curious in your opinion ☺️

Hey! I usually like to try to answer my asks in order, but I will make an exception here since it's relevant to my previous post.

I have made a big post on Peter Pan references in TPN, you can find it in my Theory list page (may not be accessible on the phone app, but definitely there on desktop).

I will also reblog this post with a link to it, but note that I can't put links into posts due to tumblr choosing to remove posts with links from the tags. Reblogs are ok though.

The reference btw is this one in terms of visual representation

Peter Pan was originally a play and a novel back in about 1905. The original writer had 2 dogs, a Newfoundland and a St. Bernard.

The writer referenced the Newfoundland dog in his original play, but later adaptations, like the Disney one used a St. Bernard.

From the images you can see that Anna closely resembles the Disney adaptation of the St. Bernard dog (who was called NANA... the same letters as Anna), and we also know that St. Bernards are often associated with medicine, as seen in the actual screenshot as well... who knows a LOT about medicines in TPN? Anna.

Ray on the other hand looks exactly like the fluffiest Newfoundland, who are fisherman's/ shepherd’s dogs. Ray calls himself a sheepdog in canon...

This is why I said they seem like two sides of the same coin to me.

[grasscorpse]

Isabella is a pitiful character

“If only she could have given them real affection, and treasured and raised them, wanting to see them grow up. Isabella thought about it as though she were dreaming. She had become so used to giving up that she had forgotten long ago how to wish for something like that." 

"I’m glad that in the end, I could help them on their way to freedom, even if it was only in a small way…" "At last, she could answer her 12-year-old self, who had screamed in her heart that night that if Mama had really loved them, she would have helped them escape the demons. " 

 Just finished reading TPN novel : The Starry Sky and Leslie’s List and I’m sobbing like mad. I loved Isabella the moment I started reading TPN manga, even after knowing that she’s the antagonist(or is she?) in the story. I’ve seen many people saying that she gave up too easily or that she didn’t care about Ray at all or how they hated her because she shipped so many children out without caring etc, but please, read the novel, understand her backstory and her character more. There are at least 8-10 pages but please take some time out to read. Please play Isabella’s Lullaby as you read. Link to the novel is below, Thank you ynntranslations for their contribution.

https://ynntranslations.home.blog/2019/12/18/the-starry-sky-and-leslies-list-prologue/

(LONG THOUGHTS BELOW)

"Her time limit was her twelfth birthday, which was so close now that they had marked it on the calendar. While pretending that nothing was going on, she came up with countless plans, then mentally tore them to pieces. She would scream that escape was impossible, yet at the same time, she would grit her teeth and swear that she would never give up." 

Emma have Ray and Norman, who are full-scorers like her and they thought of plans together to escape this cage but Isabella is practically the only one who had full scores during that time. Her time was so limited and nobody was by her side after Leslie was shipped out. She suffered alone while knowing the truth. 

As for Ray, "Why did you give birth to me? Mama. When he called her that, Isabella knew that he wasn’t addressing her as the person who played the role of mother to the children of an orphanage." "There were times when she would suddenly be struck by how Ray resembled her when she was young, a strange feeling. The way he turned the pages of books while he read, the way he moved the pieces when playing chess, the way his hair looked when wet, the shape of his nails. Isabella held no particular maternal feelings for Ray, but she did feel sorry for him because he had known everything from the start."

 I know that when Ray was “burning”, she only thought of saving his brain but throughout his time in the house, Isabella has been watching them, watching Him. "Isabella had recreated the tranquil environment she had lived in alongside Leslie. None of which she could provide for Ray. Despite that, Emma and Norman had been able to bring him with them, to the place they were at. Of course, he wouldn’t be able to forget reality, but at least when the other two would drag him out to play with their siblings, he was able to be happy with them. Isabella had watched them the whole time." 

If you all have read the manga, Isabella sang Leslie’s song to the kids who didn’t escape with Emma and gang. She still does think of Ray. "The children who had just been listening to the lullaby would probably come to love the song. She hoped they would sing it again and again. In the future ahead of them, they would have difficult days and days when they would want to cry. Isabella glanced down at Phil, who had fallen asleep. Would Ray sing this song someday, in the world outside? Would Emma and the others learn it? The image of a boy with a cynical look on his face appeared in her mind, and Isabella smiled wryly. No, he probably won’t sing it…" 

 Isabella is a pitiful character, she hated the system and her Mama but because she didn’t have other choices at that time, she could only cooperate and survive to be the Human the demons can’t eat. "Because she knew about how the headquarters—the farm—operated, she had realized how foolish and ill-advised her argument then had been. There was no way that she could rescue the children from the demons and escape to the outside. If she resisted and flaunted her selfish ideals like that, all that would await the children would be a harsh—and all too short—life. Which option would really be crueler? If she truly loved the children, she ought to give them time to live innocently, as many years as they could." 

True, she has already shipped many of the children out, but is there anything else she could do? If she disobeys her order, not only will she be killed but she will put the rest of the children at risk for they will be sent to other plantations under some other Mamas who will just ship them out in the end. At the very least, Isabella tried to let the children enjoy their life in the house and until now, despite knowing Phil knows more than the other kids who were left behind, she kept this secret even after becoming Grandmother. For she’s still carrying Leslie’s tune with her, I believe she still has Humanity in her. I hope that as Grandmother, she’s smart enough to know that Peter fucker is not trustworthy enough to keep his promise to her and hopefully she will help the children out in some way or another.

[bossnorman]

<spoileeer>

Rereading TPN manga and I find it amusing how comprehensive Norman's plan was. Look at the calccssss. Flex them math skillzzz. (Is he telling them how high and where to throw the rope coz they are escaping in the dark? I noticed Don needed to go first to light them all up from the other side. Knowing Norman, that's prolly it, eh? OKAY FOLKS THIS IS THE TRUTH NOW ALERT THE MEDIA.)

All this mapped out moments before his shipment. I'm jussst...

I was amazed before but I am only noticing all the deets now! WHAT A FLOP FAN AM I??? AND WTF NORMAN THAT DRAWING LOOKS PROMISING. #normangogh

Petition to release an exact same copy of this letter so we can study it. Plus, it is necessary for my survival, thank you.

P.s. Also, english trans of the light novel. My wallet is ready. *drops mic*

[fullscoreshenanigans]

how do you think Emma (post cannon or otherwise) and ashye would interact? I don’t think Ashye would hate her just because she’s Norman’s friends since she gets along with Ray in the side story decently enough

Ayshe definitely wouldn't hate Emma. While being raised by a demon, she's not misanthropic; she just hates a specific group of people.

I talk about this on my Gildayshe musings post and this recent poll, but the first conversation Ayshe has with Don and Gilda has them reacting like this:

(Chapter 139)

After she just told them Norman was behind her father's murder—someone who was her whole world—they're in tears at the thought of not being in conflict with him. Even when considering the possibility that Norman ultimately plans to kill Sonju and Mujika after they bring them to the paradise hideout, if there's a chance of negotiating with him, they'll take it.

It goes even further when Norman betrays them and uses them as bait just like they suspected in chapter 135.

(Chapter 144)

Gilda still pleads with Mujika, after Norman just tried to have her and Sonju—her companion of 700 years—killed, to help them stop Norman before things become irrevocable for him and everyone around him. She still considers him her older brother after all of that. Don looks empathetic and in agreement with her while Ayshe is left in open-mouthed shock, because she could understand if Gilda didn't want anything to do with him at this point.

But she also understands family, and her new companions have made it clear that her father's murderer is still important to them. She doesn't begrudge them for it.

(Chapter 167)

And she doesn't hesitate to save them when they return to Grace Field.

She has known them for ten days.

(Mystic Code Book Chapter 7)

Within the span of four days, she's willing to have this conversation with Ray:

(Chapter 169)

This is after Emma has made it clear how close she and Ray are with Norman:

(Chapter 161)

She's conciliatory to Don and Gilda when she says "it's true that he ate humans, but to me, he was my father" and here. Despite acknowledging that familial connection she feels toward him, she gives all of them an out. 'You don't have to spare my feelings. I understand why humans hate demons.' Knows most demons wouldn't think twice about eating her if given the opportunity. She's downcast and gives a light sigh of resignation because she's aware of how bizarre this would look to another human. They can conceptually see why she feels the way she does, but not how profound that loss is for her, so she'd rather skip the attempt at sympathy.

It's why she's so shocked at Ray's blunt declaration reaffirming her love for her father as valid and gives her full attention to him in earnest. She follows it up by saying their parents were also good people.

Given their prominence in the story since the start, I'm fairly confident the figures on the left and bottom center are Norman and Don respectively so all five of the oldest Grace Field kids are included here and poignantly attached to her sentiment. It's possible she's lying to Ray to be reciprocally kind or mentally separating the kids into differing levels of good with Norman at the bottom to still technically qualify him, but with less reason to lie to him between the validation of her feelings and the intimacy of the setting I'm disinclined to believe the former, and with the latter he's still included regardless.

(Chapter 181)

With all that in mind in addition to how she's willing to let Norman and Vincent hold her dogs' puppies post-timeskip, it would be very bizarre for Ayshe to hate Emma. If anything she'd think Emma's too good for Norman lol

I also imagine there would be a lot of overlap between how she interacts with Emma and Ray.

(TPN Light Novel 4: Films of Memories - “Don and Gilda”)

She reacts this strongly to Don and Gilda even thinking about being burdens in the post-canon. Despite lacking those memories, there are still convictions she holds that are etched into her very being. If she was given a rundown of Ayshe's history, she'd also conclude that her father's species was irrelevant if he saved her and provided her with unconditional love, possibly more forcefully than Ray. It wouldn't come as a surprise to Ayshe, given her interactions with all the other Grace Field children at this point, but it'd be comforting all the same, that reinforcement of why Emma's friends and family cared so deeply for her and spent years searching for her. There was never really tension between them, but it makes Ayshe feel more at ease around her all the same.

I'm also a very big proponent of wlw Ayshe, so I enjoy @dyslexicsponge's take of her having a crush on Emma (intimidating Norman by going to hang out with him because he's so obvious about his crush on Emma and Ayshe's so smitten she doesn't know who else she could possibly commiserate with optional lol).

[chidoroki]

TPN - Isabella one-shot

Okay, so.. I have so many emotions right now it's not even funny. I don't care how many times I've said this since ch169, but I'm gonna say it again: Isabella is a goddamn QUEEN! I thought the side chapter was going to reflect the light novel like Krone's was last week (it was based on that, correct?), so being able to witness Isabella be that dangerous “iron woman” mastermind again was simply fantastic.

As Krone's extra chapter reminded us, every woman in this mother/sister academy is fighting to survive by any means necessary, so seeing these ladies put on a pretty face one moment to praise Isabella on her promotion only to talk shit behind her back the next minute was of no surprise to me. What did make me a little stunned was that these women are unmistakably the same women who stood so proud and confidently behind Isabella once she revealed her wonderful revenge plan to the rest of the facility back in ch170.

So, what changed? Oh, it's quite simple and a complete joy for me to talk about, so allow me. Isabella had a reputation of never making mistakes, as she always received perfect scores on both written and physical tests, so upon learning that she allowed 15 children to escape is a bit jarring, especially to the other ladies. The quality of her loss was such a huge hit to the farm's profit that they couldn't fathom why she of all people would be chosen to become the next Grandma. They believed it to be unfair, that Isabella must have had some sort advantage after working under Grandma Sarah that could've been kept under wraps. They both got rid of Krone with little to no explanation at all, so some rules must have been tweaked. It's no doubt the ladies saw Isabella as a major threat to their own survival, so they kept a close eye on her and waited for the perfect opportunity.. to create a fake lead to raise suspicion on this flawless woman.

Too bad dearest Grandma was already ten steps ahead of them! HAA! Did they honestly think they could take her down? And Jessica, sweetheart, you even spoke about Isabella's training days a couple of pages ago and how “she calmly got revenge on all the girls when they tried to sabotage her.” That literally just happened again so y'all can't really be surprised by this outcome! She knows that Jessica, Sienna, Scarlet & Matilda, are the current top four choices to become mothers, so it was quite easy for Isabella to determine who would go after her and her new position, if anyone were foolish enough to think about such a thing.

Luckily for them, Isabella has no intentions of killing them off. Since they're all quite intelligent and skilled, she decides to recruit them as allies in her pursuit to destroy Grace Field. Their reaction is similar to the other women we see from ch170. Everyone is apprehensive at first, as going against the farm is nothing but a crazy idea, and yet Isabella assures them that there is no bright future if they remain stuck in the system and obey their rules.

They betray each other to give themselves the best chance at surviving, but it'll be an endless hell if you live out your entire life in fear. So if not for each other, what do these ladies have to live for? Oh, just their children they all chose so hard to forget about.

By now it's no secret that Ray is Isabella's son, but ever since ch170 I couldn't help but wonder if any of those women were the biological moms of any of the other kids we know. You can't tell me the lady with that distinguished nose isn't Nat's mother. I also thought the others could be mothers of Rossi, Yvette, Anna and perhaps Don? Sienna might be Emma's, Matilda to Norman's, Scarlet to Phil's, and Jessica.. I'm not sure honestly? I know it could be any of the kids at GF plant #3, not just the 15 that escaped, but it is fun to think about though and I wasn't expecting to learn that their kids were all at the same house.

It's quite convenient that Isabella had the chance to raise their children actually, because after a few more words of encouragement and the knowledge that their children are indeed still alive, the four ladies agree to support Isabella's plan. Well, once she guarantees to not double-cross them, which is reasonable. It's best for them to have some trust in each other in order to work together. Isabella gives them her word and some much better evidence of her mistake in the form of… aaaaahhh Ray's note.

Bro, believe me when I was completely shooketh upon reading this. It's been a question we all had for so long that I was fairly certain we weren't going to get an answer for it after the series ended. Of course the knowledge of Ray being Isabella's true son was the weakness many of us thought the note contained, but I could've sworn I read somewhere, in some interview or whatever it was, that Shirai said it was something else Ray baited Krone with (right? or am I completely going crazy about this trivia). Anyways, I guess a farewell note is different enough but damn.. what a punch to my heart. Not only did he address it as “dear mother,” but the fact that Isabella kept it this entire time. Like wow.. I'm kinda speechless here. No doubt she still loves her son, just look at how fondly she holds it! If anything, I must know the full contents of said note! Shirai, please! I'm begging!

And if that wasn't enough to make me emotional, Isabella's wish certainly had me tearing up. I hope she knows that her precious children are all happy together in a free world living the best life they possibly can. Honestly, if I had any power to change just one thing in this series, it would to let Isabella live. Having Emma keep her memories is a close second, but I've come to accept that inconvenience after seeing how happy she and all the other kids are post-series. Look at this precious family! I love them! (also I wanna see that full photo on top with her and ayshe darn it!)

Seriously though, her death is still something I'm not over. I literally have not listened to her lullaby since ch177 dropped because I'm scared I'll become a tearful mess. Yes, sacrificing herself to protect Emma and that other girl from the demon was very admirable of her and helped with her redemption, but she didn't have to die from it! (hell, if emma could survive being stabbed then so could isabella, right?? damn plot armor! ) To me, I just feel like it wasn't necessary, especially now after learning what we just did from this extra chapter. Not only did she agree to become Grandma to help the children when they eventually returned to GF in two years, but Isabella also decreased the number of shipments in order to produce higher quality goods to make up for those that escaped, which is exactly what Emma believed would happen once she decided to leave the kids four and under behind. I love how Isabella adopted Emma's ideals and spirit in order to go against the system and rally everyone else up to accomplish the impossible. Personally, I forgave this woman the moment she retrieved the ropes in ch37 so the farm wouldn't know exactly where the children escaped from. She didn't have to die to prove she was a good mother who cared and love her children, because she showed that several times over and over again. She literally did everything in her power to help these kids secure a brighter future while remaining in the shadows.

Yeah, it makes me happy that they did at least take her body to to the human world so they all can continue to pay their respects to her, but aaahhh.. how I wish she were still alive. She suffered so much, she deserves to live in peace with her children and love them all normally. Ray especially!! You can't just formally introduce these four brilliant women to me and then be like “oh yeah, they have GF kids too and now they're free in the human world with them” and not have Isabella with Ray! I'm sure their relationship would've been rocky at first, but I still would've love to see them at least give each other a chance to be a real family. Hmmmm.. this chapter, man.. so not good for my heart, but I loved every bit of it. Once again, rest in peace to the iron woman. What a queen.

[technikki]

some side story kids

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Guess who now owns two copies of the art book because she didn’t think they were ever going to translate it back in mid-2021. 🤡

I do appreciate that the English version comes in hardcover though. 👌😩

I’m not going to go over everything in this because @chidoroki​ has already gushed over it lovingly here and @1000sunnygo​ has the interviews translated here along with a lot of the art across various links here, but some initial thoughts and ramblings while looking through this book again.

• I’m slightly puzzled as to why VIZ decided to rearrange the placement of the interviews before the secret gallery Shirai mentions in the William Minerva note at the end

「この本の中に "秘密のギャラリー" がある。そこに未だ見ぬ......」

There is a "secret gallery" in this book. I haven't seen it yet ... (via Google Translate)

Morse Code: Read back from here

but it’s ultimately arbitrary. Since this is removed from the English version, the “secret gallery” Morse is also removed from those portions of the book:

With the replacement Minerva note at the end switched to:

Thank you for reading this art book!

Which is essentially this earlier page:

so it’s kind of 🤷 but I guess they needed replacement filler.

• It’s also kind of :/ that the English version puts page numbers on the art instead of in the margins but they probably didn’t want to shrink them.

• I am happy to have printed translated versions of the official site hidden comics for the trio’s name origins, the explanation for why Smee left the pen for Krone, and Norman’s message as William Minerva to the full scorers on the site’s IQ test:

I’m still unsure of what the exact timeline is for Isabella becoming the Mom of Plant #3, but I like to think the trio were the first children she raised entirely by herself, so I put it at roughly six to seven weeks before Ray was dropped off. (Although I guess she laid off on naming him at least until Norman showed up...? Shirai mentions in the Mystic Code Book that Grandma names the children, so I guess it’s just another 🤷 “you’re putting way too much thought into arbitrary things” moment for me.)

This is still such a crapshoot Smee kljsdfljk

And this is still very funny