“We Were Nothing but Cattle”: Carnism and Power Relations in the Manga Series Yakusoku no Nebārando

Meat consumption and animal farming are subjects of ongoing debates in ethics, animal rights, and environmental protection, in both the media and academic research. The widely popular manga series Yakusoku no Nebārando (The Promised Neverland) confronts its mostly young readers with the controversial topic of meat production by depicting human children as livestock. I combine manga analysis with approaches developed in the field of human-animal studies to explore the portrayal, negotiation, and legitimation of carnist practices such as animal farming, meat consumption, and hunting in the manga series. My analysis shows that reading the series as a mirror of real-world animal farming is a valid approach, despite the authors’ denial of such an intention. I argue that the manga series brings the horrors of the meat industry to light by reversing the usual roles of oppressor and victim but does not condemn the consumption of meat per se. Instead, it uses the profit-driven meat industry as an example to criticise all forms of capitalist exploitation. Finally, it encourages readers to reflect on their consumption habits and stand up against social injustices.