Spring 2023 Anime: Heavenly Delusion

Synopsis

Within the safety of the walls, youths are raised in a nursery-style setting by robots. While life there may appear stale on the surface, the children are full of potential and curiosity. In many ways it is like a slice of heaven. The outside world is a hell-scape. It is almost entirely void of anything mechanical and is now inhabited by bizarre, yet powerful super-natural beings.

Maru, with the aid of Kiruko, is out there crisscrossing what was once Tokyo for heaven. But after searching for so long, maybe heaven is more of an untenable dream than a potential reality. (Source: denpa)

Comments

Caesar E.S. (The Indonesian Anime Times)

Heavenly Delusion is one of those manga that, once you heard that it was going be adapted into anime, makes you think “how are they going to adapt this?”.

The original manga by Makasazu Ishiguro (And Yet the Town Moves) is an excellent post-apocalyptic slow-burner, jumping back and forth between different viewpoints as two groups of characters try to survive and slowly piece together the situation they’re in. It’s both gripping in the mystery that it presents to the readers as they figure out the connection between the two stories, as well as the ongoing situation the characters have to go through. It’s also delightfully tense- our protagonists casually proceed about their post-apocalyptic lives in the journey to reach their respective goals in such a laid-back manner, yet you know that unknown dangers always lurk around the corner, ready to strike at any time. So how does the anime adaptation fare, with a story that has to tread between multiple fine lines?

Surprisingly, the first episode is excellent by all accounts, with exceptionally strong production values that feel rare for TV anime nowadays. The desolation of the post-apocalyptic Japanese countryside is depicted in such a beautiful way, most evident in the gratuitous amount of background shots in the first episode alone. That Heavenly Delusion is a gorgeous anime to look at alone makes it worth watching, but the intriguing questions it sets up for the viewers to ponder should also be enough to hook them in for the remainder of the show. Heavenly Delusion is definitely one of this season’s top contenders that’s not to be missed.

Heavenly Delusion is currently streaming on Disney+

Facts and Figures

Screenshots and Trailer

The Indonesian Anime Times