Heavenly Delusion

Episode 10

Manga and anime are related, yet ultimately vastly different mediums. What works well in print doesn't necessarily translate into 20-minute chunks of the motion picture, nor does it have to. The onus is ultimately on the adaptation to put in that legwork, which only becomes more difficult as the industry stretches itself to accommodate more adaptations, while producers and audiences alike gravitate towards safety and familiarity. Truly transformative adaptations are rare. A decade ago, Flowers of Evil aired, and its rotoscoped boldness spurred me onto this winding path of writing professionally about anime. More recently, Mob Psycho 100 embraced experimental psychedelia, while Chainsaw Man spoke in the visual language of cinema, to complement their sources instead of regurgitating them. And now, it's safe to say that Heavenly Delusion has carved out its spot in that pantheon of exceptionality.

The name to know this week is Kai Ikarashi, a talented and idiosyncratic animator who first came to my attention when he storyboarded the best episodes of both SSSS.Gridman and SSSS.Dynazenon. Last year, he boarded the landmine sixth episode of Cyberpunk: Edgerunners—arguably the best piece of anime to come out of 2022—and now he's back boarding, directing, and key animating this tenth installment of Heavenly Delusion. His touch is obvious within seconds when the first of many excellently cartoony Kiruko expressions graces our presence. This kind of character design deformation and angularity is Ikarashi's bread and butter, and that expressiveness saturates both the comedic and dramatic highlights this week.

There's an interesting wrinkle to consider in Ikarashi's resume: this is the first time he's been in charge of an episode of an adaptation, versus an original work. His voice can be overpowering, and that introduces the potential for friction when he has to consider how to factor in the intent of the original work and author. I wouldn't have been surprised to see him stumble here. Thankfully, however, that's not the case. Heavenly Delusion, above all else, has been an incredibly smart adaptation, so it's no mistake that Ikarashi was given this episode in particular. Like the Usami-focused story two weeks ago, Juichi's journey creates a conveniently self-contained narrative that opens a window for Ikarashi's idiosyncrasies. He transforms this tale of tragedy and intrigue into something all his own, and he even manages to improve on the original.

Ikarashi's work with those Trigger productions indicated a strong grasp of poignant motifs, and he applies that technique deftly here. The centerpiece is Juichi's keychain, which anchors his path visually and thematically. On the surface level, it's the thing that ties him to the couple who were executed, and in turn to his child. That's why he hangs it from his rearview mirror; it's his guidepost. It's our guidepost too, as the only splash of color in Juichi's memories. The color is no coincidence either; red recalls his bloody escape, and red also portends the vengeful conclusion to his part in Heavenly Delusion's story. And that keychain is an anime-original invention. It's one of many flourishes that make Juichi's story hit a lot harder for me here than in the manga. While I don't have enough space to get into all of the details here (and I'm sure I'd notice more upon a rewatch), you should pay attention to the first and final shots of the episode. Both focus on his rearview mirror, but the differences framing the two tell his entire character arc in miniature.

The layouts in this episode are even busier and more beautiful than Heavenly Delusion's already high standards. Kiruko and Maru's exploration of the ruined Walled Town is a smorgasbord of urban decay. No two scenes arrange our protagonists in the same way, yet they always feel impeccably placed amidst the clutter. They're a part of the fresco, but they're fighting against it too. And Ikarashi's take on those fight scenes pops with compositions that instantaneously engrave themselves into your brain. Kiruko's never looked more badass wielding their dopey little toy laser. They and Maru have never looked sillier in the episode's lighter moments either. I think Ikarashi went a little too far with the bounce in the one scene (you know which one), but that's his only major indiscretion, and overall the moment is silly enough to avoid serious offensiveness. You can take the animator out of Trigger, but you can't take Trigger out of the animator.

Mystery-wise, this part of Heavenly Delusion is surprisingly straightforward, although it still requires a critical examination of the events. Juichi, for instance, believes that the couple who attempted to smuggle him out were executed, but that's only partially true. Considering how his son's ice powers match those of the Hiruko they find in the compound, we can conclude that Jugo's mom is the maneater who destroyed the Walled Town. Hiruko cannot be killed by normal means, even in their human forms, so when she "died," it likely triggered her transformation into the spider monster (i.e., the fate Usami was trying to save Hoshio from). It's a tragic story, though it provided a fitting end for the people who created that town. Their brutality became their undoing.

Unfortunately, despite escaping with his life and reuniting with his son, Juichi could not escape the legacy of brutality. The cycle of violence takes another turn as he stains his and his son's hands red. These legacies have nothing to do with human experimentation or apocalypses. They are specters that haunt humanity in every age. Juichi doesn't drive off into the sunset as a victorious hero. Instead, he leaves us feeling emptier than when we first met him, bidding farewell to more than just his comrades. However, leaving his car with Kiruko and Maru, he gives them a chance to go further than he ever could. They still might be able to carve heaven out of this hell.

Rating:

Heavenly Delusion is currently streaming on Hulu as Tengoku Dai Makyō.

Steve is on Twitter while it lasts. He wants to try Kiruko's cooking. You can also catch him chatting about trash and treasure alike on This Week in Anime.