Heavenly Delusion or Tengoku Daimakyō is originally a manga series created by Masakazu Ishiguro. Serialized in Kodansha’s ‘Monthly Afternoon’ since 2018, it received an anime adaptation in 2023. Another Kodansha serialized manga is getting an anime soon, Yakuza Fiancé.
Considered one of the best anime of 2023, Heavenly Delusion is an Adventure, Sci-fi Mystery. The 10th Anime Trending Awards voted it Best Anime of 2023.
Synopsis of Heavenly Delusion
Heavenly Delusion is an anime series set in a post-apocalyptic world where civilization has collapsed. The story follows two stories at two different timelines.
The present follows a young man named Maru and his companion, Kiruko. They journey through this devastated world in search of a mysterious place called “Heaven.”
Along the way, Maru and Kiruko encounter various characters, monsters and face numerous challenges. The anime delves into the mysteries surrounding the existence of “Heaven”. As well as, the true nature of the world they inhabit.
The storylines shifts back and forth fifteen years. We follow a school of children at Takahara Academy, they possess special abilities. In addition, they are walled from the outside world. In this isolated facility, scientists watch them while they know nothing of the outside world.
These two timelines look like they do not have anything to do with each other. But as you watch the anime, you come to realize that the two might not be so far off as you once thought.
What I enjoyed
Visuals
The visuals by director Hirotaka Mori and Production I.G. were phenomenal. This makes sense, as Production I.G. has a history of working on projects like Terminator Zero.
The art style is unique enough to separate it from other anime, it has a semi-realistic look to it. It’s a style you’ll either like or hate.
The animation is movie-like quality. The fight scene in the first episode hooked me to watch the entire series. The downside about this is that there are rarely any fight scenes. Nevertheless, they do not cut corners with the animation.
The Inspiration Behind the Anime
At Anime Central 2024 in the United States. At a Production I.G. panel, Hirotaka Mori revealed the inspiration behind the visuals. He revealed that the video game The Last of Us was a major inspiration for the series’ art style. He purchased the art book for The Last of Us and even requested the artists to draw inspiration from the video game.
The Last of Us is a critically acclaimed video game developed by Naughty Dog. After learning this information you definitely will begin to notice the similarities between the two. If you have ever played the video game.
Throughout the series you can see the parallels between the two. The destroyed cities and the overgrowth of nature give the overall world a similar appearance. The color palette used creates a more lonely scene.
Heavenly Delusions Story
As mentioned the audience follows two storylines, the two travelers and Takahara Academy. The overall story was interesting. This entire anime feels like an introduction to the whole story. None of the mysteries get solved.
In fact, the anime leaves the audience with more questions than answers.
For many others, watching a 13-episode anime and ending up with more questions may feel like a waste of time. However, I think that’s what makes this anime great. The vagueness and mystery of the two storylines makes it a fun watch. As a watcher you can create your own theories and speculation, which is the best part of mystery shows.
This vagueness also creates a feeling like you are experiencing this post-apocalyptic world with the characters. Of Maru and Kiruko at least.
Kiruko and Maru
Even the character relationship and dynamic of Maru and Kiruko seem heavily inspired by Joel and Ellie. The main characters of The Last of Us video game.
Kiruko and Joel are the more experienced and mature characters. Meanwhile Maru and Ellie are the ones with no experience.
The main character’s journey through a dangerous world, while forming a strong relationship. They have to fix any issues they have with one another, because all they have is one another.
Kiruko is the more interesting character of the two. Her backstory is a little confusing at first, but it’s a major plot twist in this introduction to the story. The flashback episode where they reveal her backstory answers a lot of questions. Such as, ‘why is she so good at fighting?’ or ‘why does she have a split personality?’
On the other hand, Maru is just full of mysteries. He possesses this power that can kill the monsters that roam this apocalyptic world. No one knows how he has this power. He can fight just like Kiruko, but is still inexperienced and he lacks critical thinking.
All we know about him is that he hired Kiruko to escort him to the place called “Heaven”.
Takahara Academy
This is the storyline that is confusing. As mentioned, Takahara Academy walls itself off from the outside world. Scientists monitor the children inside, who have no knowledge of the outside world. Think of this place like the X-Mansion from X-Men.
This academy adds another batch of characters that I could write speculation and theories on. However, I’ll just write about the academy as a whole.
Similarly to Maru, the children at this academy have powers as well. The Director of the academy is like Professor X of this place. However, she is hiding something from the children, and the reason they truly are in this place.
What I thought could have been better
One of the Subplots
If you have already watched Heavenly Delusion, you already know what subplot I’m about to discuss.
Without spoiling anything
It is one of the subplots that fans reacted poorly to, and with good reason. This subplot revolves around Kiriko and Robin, a father figure to her when she was at an orphanage. One day suddenly disappeared.
Kiruko has been trying to find him since. Once she did, she learned he was a monster. It was a ‘don’t meet your heroes’ moment for Kiruko. Someone who she has been trying to find for the longest time ended up being completely different from her memories.
This happens in the final two episodes, and personally I think there should have been a trigger warning at the start of the episodes. Just so people are aware that something is coming up.
All in all, this would be my only gripe about Heavenly Delusion.
Would I Recommend Heavenly Delusion?
Overall, I would recommend Heavenly Delusion. It won Best Anime in 2023 at Anime Trending Awards for a reason. I would recommend both the anime and manga.
However, will this mystery sci-fi anime fulfill your mystery needs? No, definitely not. As mentioned, the ending will leave you with more questions than answers. This may turn people away from watching this, and as of writing this there has not been an update on a second season.
If you are someone who needs to have a concrete explanation when watching a series, this series is not for you. The story is too vague, there are no satisfying answers for you.
Furthermore, the inspiration of The Last of Us gave this anime a new perspective. Seeing anime take inspiration from a video game is amazing. As an avid fan of both anime and video games, I hope there will be more of this. If you have never watched anime, and are a fan of the video games, this anime is for you.
Exploring the World of Heavenly Delusion
The Tengoku Daimakyō anime stands out as an anime that has captured the imagination of its audience. With its dual narrative structure, the series intertwines the journeys of Kiruko and Maru and the mysterious Takahara Academy. The series’ art style adds a unique and immersive visual dimension to the storytelling.
The Last of Us being an inspiration for the anime may broaden it for a wider audience. It can be an easy recommendation for video game fans who have not watched anime before. The apocalyptic world feels similar to the one of The Last of Us, making it a familiar style.
While the anime leaves many questions unanswered and the mysteries of both storylines remain largely unsolved. The viewers may create their own theories, and perhaps read the manga to catch up to the story. This is the fun part of watching mystery anime or any TV show in general.
Ultimately, Heavenly Delusion offers a compelling experience for fans of adventure, sci-fi, and mystery genres. Its award as the Best Anime of 2023 at the Anime Trending Awards reflects its fanbase. For those who appreciate a series that challenges conventions and provokes thought, Heavenly Delusion is a must-watch.
