The latest episode of Heavenly Delusion, “Kiruko and Haruki,” dives deep into Kiruko’s backstory and sheds light on why she’s travelling across Japan. But what’s most impressive is how the show handles body horror, whether it’s through Kiruko’s dark past or gruesome deaths.

Check out our review of Episode 2

Speaking of Kiruko’s past, last week’s episode left us on the edge of our seats when Kiruko revealed to Maru that they were actually a man. It’s not a simple case of being transgender, though. Turns out, Kiruko used to be Haruki until a scary encounter with a man-eating creature and a mysterious doctor’s intervention led to Haruki’s brain being transferred to Kiruko’s body.

Haruki

When it comes to man-eating creatures in fiction, not all of them are considered body horror because it’s a specific sub-genre that involves a certain level of emphasis on the mutilation or alteration of the body. Heavenly Delusion is a great example of this sub-genre, using the visuals, narrative, and action scenes to create a terrifyingly organic atmosphere between the threat of the man-eating creatures and the characters.

The speed of the kills is also significant. Episode 2’s most shocking moment is the inn proprietor’s sudden and unexpected death. Her head is cut in half, which is more unsettling than if she were simply beheaded. The audience sees her being chopped up into pieces and absorbed by the creature slowly. This slow process reinforces the organic nature of the monsters and makes them all the more frightening.

In Episode 3, when Haruki faces the monster, the absorption is even slower, with the monster’s pale white flesh seeming to creep out and absorb Haruki’s limbs. It’s terrifying because there are no visible teeth or biting, just the slow absorption of matter. When Kiriko intervenes and frees Haruki, the visual direction is intentional. The flesh is ripped up close, but there’s a haunting sense that Haruki hasn’t necessarily been pulled out, but merely torn off.

Heavenly Delusion can be explicit, but it also understands the power of imagination. This episode was directed by Kazuya Nomura, who has a long history with Production I.G. and did a fantastic job creating a body-horror sub-genre that is truly terrifying.

The beauty of body horror

In the latest episode of Heavenly Delusion, the horror doesn’t end with just one terrifying moment of body horror. The latter half of the episode takes place in a hospital, which, although a place of healing, can make for an effective setting for horror. The creative team does an excellent job of showing the realization of invasive bodily change, and the use of mirrors adds a chilling effect to the scene.

The transformation of Haruki into Kiruko is nothing short of a horrific miracle. Despite the odds, Haruki survives an attack from a man-eater, but at the cost of their life, they end up in the body of Kiruko, a loved one. The acute and specific horror of the situation has several layers to it, and the episode’s payoff is all the more impressive given the build-up.

As the episode draws to a close, it becomes clear that Heavenly Delusion is laying a solid foundation for the series, setting up all the right questions before starting to solve them. Kiruko and Maru now have a better understanding of each other, and with their goals established, the real adventure can begin. The series promises to be an engaging and thrilling ride, keeping audiences on the edge of their seats in anticipation of what’s to come.