Heavenly Delusion was a highlight at the start of the Spring anime season and with half of the thirteen episodes in the bag, it's safe to say it's one of the best shows this season as well. As if it couldn't get any better, the English Dub has been going strong and is definitely worth a listen for anyone yet to get into the series.
The dub is being produced by Dubbing Brothers U.S.A., and directed by Felecia Angelle, with an adapted script by Madeleine Morris and Emily Fajardo. The cast stars Anjali Kunapaneni, Jonathan Leon, Brittany Lauda, Madeleine Morris, A.J Beckles, Tia Ballard, Hao Feng, John Choi, McKenzie Atwood, and Eric Vale, among others.
The Dub's Release
It has been understandably frustrating being excited about Heavenly Delusion in the U.S., not least of all because it is exclusively on Hulu, whereas it is available on Disney+ worldwide. To add insult to injury, the premiere was delayed by one day thanks to a mishap on Hulu's part and while every current episode is available in English on Disney+ right now, only the first four are up on Hulu.
For many, this alone may be a reason to opt for the original Japanese to keep up with the show weekly without missing anything. After all, the trouble with keeping up with most English dubs is being one or two weeks behind on the main story. This is especially a shame because the dub is very good and possibly one of the best-acted in recent memory.
A Winning Duo
After seven weeks, it's clear that the heart of the story rests in the chemistry between the two leads, Kiruko and Maru, between their banter, strategic coordination, or just how silly the two can get. That chemistry can make or break a pair of protagonists and the English VAs are frankly perfect for the role.
Anjali Kunapaneni has been around the block with some video game voice roles and some bit parts in anime over the years, and more recently voices Sushang in Honkai: Star Rail. She captures Kiruko's confidence and tomboyish attitude exceptionally. At times her voice reminded me of Ashley Johnson's performance as Ellie from The Last of Us but if her older self was a bit less world-weary from her experiences.
As for Maru's VA, Jonathan Leon is one of those up-and-comers where all it takes is one scene listening to their voice to tell that he's going places. He starred as one of the leads in 2022's Goodbye, Don Glees and even voiced the teen version of Tomoichi in Masaaki Yuassa's Inu-Oh from the same year. He's getting noticed quickly and there's good reason for that.
Leon's voice has this distinctly adolescent twang that adds a lot of instant legitimacy to his roles, almost all of which are younger boys. Playing Maru, his voice effortlessly tows a line between theatricality and naturalism, leaning heavier towards the latter. When he laughs in amusement or whines about an annoyance, it sounds so genuine.
Striking a Balance
In our review of Chainsaw Man's English dub, there was a discussion of theatricality vs naturalism and how small creative liberties can yield better performances. In the case of Heavenly Delusion, there's a healthy addition of slang terms, and the casualness of the tone between Kiruko and Maru absolutely nails the tone of the original.
Something the actors do really well is conveying exertion, especially during action scenes. You can hear them catching their breath after being chased or Maru's breathless exasperation at one of Kiruko's crazy plans. Some of the show's best moments are when their banter and on-the-fly strategies lead to tense and fast-paced chases, and just like in the original, it's both a source of tension and comedy.
On the whole, the supporting cast is also well done, although Brittany Lauda's performance as Tokio could be argued to sound a bit too mature for the character. Other than that, Heavenly Delusion's dub is frankly a blast to listen to and may satisfy fans who would normally opt for subs. It's just a shame that Hulu isn't releasing the dubbed episodes as quickly as they are in other territories.