Episode 2 of Tengoku Daimakyo: Heavenly Delusion is now out and if you’re anything like me, you probably (not patiently) waited for it to drop. Last week ended on somewhat of a cliffhanger and while this episode answered some of the questions posed in it it also further deepened the mystery.
First off – Man-Eater Hiruko. Kiruko and Maru got to fight the monster but they also witnessed a horrifying death, which led them to question everyone’s intentions. Maru seems to be more naive of the two and he has more trust in people than Kiruko. The two continue their journey end finally find the tomato heaven, which turns out to be a commune of sorts. Kiruko’s secret past also partially comes to light after a resident points out striking similarities between her and a racer (Kiriko Takehaya) who was involved in her brother’s death. Maru probably knows that this is true but that doesn’t stop him from trying to confess his feeling to Kiruko, who ends up dropping a bombshell. “My body is a woman’s, but in here, my mind is a man’s. So… I’m a man.” Kiruko says, leaving Maru in shock.
Although this points to Kiruko being transgender, I have to say that I have a feeling that the situation might be more complex than that. The way it was phrased and the way Kiruko acts, we will definitely be seeing more layers to this character’s story. For now, I think it’s fair to use they/them pronouns and see how the situation plays out.
Meanwhile, at the mysterious institution the children are at, things are also going down, albeit more slowly. There is definitely something weird with the place and I am going to guess that the facility they’re at might have some sort of reproductive/repopulation goal. We’re not sure how old the kids are but the oldest of them look to be in their late teens – still, in Mimihime’s case, it seems unlikely that she would send explicit images of herself to someone. Or maybe she is plotting something.
Her clairvoyance powers are intriguing, and it seems like she already predicted Kiruko and Maru’s arrival. Does she know more than the others or does she really have a superpower? It’s worth noting that one of the kids Tokio talks to and Mimikura seem to be affected by the same disease.
Another great episode of Tengoku Daimakyo is behind us. Everything from music and animation to the plot just adds to the experience. The anime seems to be fairly popular in anime circles – well deserved as it had one of the strongest premieres of the season. I can’t wait to see where the story will take us, but it definitely seems like we’re in for pain and suffering.
Episode 2 of Tengoku Daimakyo is now streaming on Disney+.
© Tengoku Daimakyo Production Committee
