Heavenly Delusion Reading Order: All 8 Volumes

Heavenly Delusion is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masakazu Ishiguro. The series has been published since January 2018 in publisher Kodansha’s Monthly Afternoon magazine. Heavenly Delusion was voted best manga of the year by the Kono Manga ga Sugoi! magazine in 2019. An anime television series adaptation produced by Production I.G studio under the name Tengoku Daimakyo was announced and premiered on April 1, 2023, on Disney+ and has been received well by fans and critics. This article will be your ultimate guide to the narrative units of Heavenly Delusion manga, as we will tell you everything you need to know about them.

How many Heavenly Delusion arcs are there?

Although it is a manga series, Heavenly Delusion does not seem to be divided into narrative arcs, as manga series generally are. Building on that, we have to confirm that Heavenly Delusion currently consists of eight collected volumes, with more than 50 chapters as of the time of writing. This is why we are going to talk about the volumes of the Heavenly Delusion series in this article rather than narrative arcs, as we usually do.

Heavenly Delusion manga volumes in order (at a glance)

In this section, we are going to bring you an overview of Heavenly Delusion manga volumes at a glance:

In the next part of this article, we are going to tell you how you should watch the series in chronological order.

In what order should you read Heavenly Delusion?

Fans of Heavenly Delusion will need to start with the first volume of the manga series, but they will then have to follow the release order of all the chapters and volumes in order to normally follow the evolution of the plot. It’s a lot of material, but the best way to approach it is to simply follow the release order, as it coincides with the evolution of the plot, which is not yet finished, and that means that there is a lot more to come.

Heavenly Delusion volumes explained

1. Volume 1

Within the safety of the walls, teenagers are raised by robots in a kindergarten-style environment. Even though life seems boring on the surface, children are full of potential and curiosity. In many ways, it’s like a slice of heaven. The outside world is a hellish landscape. Almost entirely devoid of any mechanical element, it is now inhabited by strange but powerful supernatural beings. Maru is there with the help of Kiruko, crisscrossing what was once Tokyo for the sky. But after such a long search, perhaps paradise is more of an unsustainable dream than a potential reality.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

2. Volume 2

Maru and Kiruko ride a “ferry boat” to return to Tokyo after traveling south to explore the location known as Tomato Heaven. However, one of the man-eating Hiruko monsters ambushes them at sea. Due to its amphibious nature and ease of concealment in the water, this specific species is particularly lethal. Meanwhile, with the aid of her friend Kuku, Tokyo learns a terrifying secret at school. Maybe things aren’t as they seem in life. Maybe heaven isn’t for those inside the walls. And perhaps the walls are there to contain them all.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

3. Volume 3

Kiruko and Maru are back in Tokyo after a dramatic chase through the desert of Kanagawa, where they encounter a small but active refugee settlement. They now have to turn to kill monsters and odd jobs in order to survive in the large metropolis because society brings politics and economics with it.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

4. Volume 4

Kiruko and Maru are entrusted with eliminating several cannibals after coming across the Liviemen, a cult. She would eventually meet the people who were behind the Immortal Order thanks to her project. The two must choose whether to continue their quest or settle for “civilization” because there are many opposing ideologies vying for their attention and few operating machines in the heart of Tokyo.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

5. Volume 5

Although Kiruko and Maru have discovered the meaning behind the enigmatic bird symbol, this knowledge by itself just creates more issues that need to be resolved. Even worse, they might need to cross the entire country to conduct additional research. They come across a different type of cannibal along the route, which makes them wonder if they are prepared to exterminate them.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

6. Volume 6

Finally, Kiriko has located Robin. The reunion is not all smiles, though. They both recognize that this is a relationship between three individuals, and one of them currently has no say in this meeting. Therefore, it’s really nothing more than a trauma.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

7. Volume 7

The hint that will help Maru and Kiruko find the Takahara Institute and get Kiruko closer to achieving one of her goals will be a mark made on Kiru’s ray cannon. Aoshima will become vice principal at Eden School in the meantime after being used as a scapegoat for reporting an abnormality in Tokyo, but this promotion will also come with the duty of managing an emergency under a newly constituted order.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

8. Volume 8

This volume has not been published outside of Japan, so we don’t have an official synopsis. As soon as it arrives, we are going to update the article.

Chapters and Episodes included in the volume

Uncollected chapters

These chapters have been published but have not been collected as of the time of writing:

• Chapter 50 – Michika 2
• Chapter 51 – Michika 3
• Chapter 52 – Michika 4
• Chapter 53 – Sakota Teruhiko