Heavenly Delusion Episode 9 explored the show's worldbuilding through the storytelling of a charismatic though somewhat hard-to-believe narrator named Juichi (literally, "11" in Japanese). But this week, this seemingly comical character took on new depth in an adventure that felt like an escape from the norm in an already abnormal series, and it's one that will stick with you.
Back when Cyberpunk: Edgerunners premiered, I wrote about the creative leads behind Episode 6 of that series, in which a great deal of time was spent discussing the visual style of one Kai Ikarashi. Ikarashi served as the animation director, as he has done with several notable episodes across the industry bearing his name, except for Heavenly Delusion #10, where he finally took the director's chair.
A Very Special Episode
What often comes to mind when putting Ikarashi's style into words is how different his episodes feel - not just compared to the series in question, but in the industry. The episodes are fascinating, off-kilter, and unforgettable, but they also feel as if they were constructed in a different room from the rest of the series like it needed to be cultivated separately.
Everything feels more extreme. The characters can emote with such lifelike expressions one minute and then become rounder, softer, and far more cartoony. The clash of styles should be more of a problem considering just how often the visuals change gears, and perhaps it might come off as egregious to those unfamiliar with Ikarashi's style.
With that said, it's impressive that the show nails it as much as it does. There were so many screen-cappable movements this week that at a certain point, it became troublesome to figure out which images would best convey this episode's strengths in this feature alone. It's an episode that really needs to be seen to be believed. The below thread by @Yuyucow on Twitter does a phenomenal job of showcasing the beauty, but be mindful of spoilers.
"See You, Byebye"
Ikarashi's superb visual direction is not merely a fancy dressing, but the primary vehicle through which the storytelling carries a new weight. Similar to Episode 8, it excels in its quiet moments, but it's more accurate to say that the visuals speak for themselves to build tension. When the viewer sees blood but has no idea where it came from, their sense of dread is unmatched.
Juichi's story about being kept as a breeding pig was certainly a creepy horror story in the previous episode, but by the end, it was implied to be somewhat fake. Then, with this episode, suddenly he has another tattoo just like the previous one, but for real this time. It's a strange, almost cyclical way to progress a story, and possibly the episode's weakest point.
But beyond the arguably flimsy framing, Juichi is easy to empathize with. He is clearly used to people not believing him considering he's made a business as a teller of stories that may or may not be true. His efforts to prove his trustworthiness out of desperation to meet his child again hit hard thanks to visual storytelling and a solid performance by Shunsuke Sakuya.
The despair over the unknown fate of a child that is more often portrayed by mother characters in similar dramas is gender-swapped here in a refreshing way. It's a powerful episode that itself is a potent reminder of what creativity is possible in an episodic narrative structure. Whereas films and shows can typically be attributed to a single director, "The Walled Town" is one artist's vision within a larger framework that is all the stronger because of this episode.
Heavenly Delusion is approaching the end of its first 13-episode season and continues to be perhaps Production I.G.'s most exciting science fiction anime since Psycho-Pass in 2012. With any luck, it will continue strong, and we might even get more unique episodes like this one, helmed by talented artists with seemingly boundless creativity.