Heavenly Delusion is a post-apocalyptic anime that has quickly swept across the otaku community with a vengeance, taking over the hearts and minds of all who watch it! This unique anime is undoubtedly one of the most popular releases of 2023, but it’s definitely not the only one of its kind.
Heavenly Delusion may be a notable outlier in the genre, but it’s hardly the first post-apocalyptic anime to make headlines. So buckle up, anime fans, as we dive into our curated list of the best anime like Heavenly Delusion! Brace yourself for post-apocalyptic landscapes, mysterious messages, and quests for a better tomorrow!
The Promised Neverland
The Promised Neverland is an emotionally eviscerating anime whose subject matter is exceedingly reminiscent of Heavenly Delusion. Following the journey of 11-year-olds Emma, Norman, and Ray, The Promised Neverland depicts their efforts to escape from their seemingly perfect orphanage.
Upon the unsettling discovery of their deceased younger “sibling”, the harsh truth of their existences emerges—they, along with all of their siblings, are inhabitants of one of many horrifying “farms” where human children are commodified and sold to demons as a source of sustenance.
Made in Abyss
Anyone even remotely familiar with Heavenly Delusions is sure to see the parallels in Made in Abyss. Made in Abyss follows the story of a young explorer, Riko, and her partially-robotic companion Reg, as they venture into the mysterious and perilous depths of the Abyss.
As they navigate its layers, encountering strange creatures and unveiling hidden truths, the anime weaves a spellbinding tale of wonder and heart-wrenching revelations. Join Riko and Reg on an emotional rollercoaster as they explore the uncharted territories of the abyss and the human spirit!
Ergo Proxy
Ergo Proxy is the perfect psychological thriller to go toe-to-toe with Heavenly Delusion. Ergo Proxy beckons viewers into a post-apocalyptic future where androids and humans coexist in “peace”. As Inspector Re-l Mayer investigates a series of strange murders, she unravels a web of secrets that challenges the very fabric of their reality.
The anime explores themes of identity, consciousness, and societal control as it follows Re-l’s quest for truth in a world dominated by uncertainty. Ergo Proxy delivers a dark and atmospheric narrative that keeps audiences on the edge of their seats, blending philosophical depth with gripping mystery.
The Beast Player Erin
The Beast Player Erin is admittedly a bit of a stretch, but it’s still one of the most immersive anime like Heavenly Delusion ever made. It invites audiences into a rich fantasy world where Erin, a young girl with the ability to communicate with mystical creatures, becomes entangled in a complex web of political intrigue and ecological challenges.
Set against the backdrop of a society deeply connected to magical beasts, the anime follows Erin’s journey as she navigates the complexities of war, loyalty, and the delicate balance between humans and fantastical creatures.
Texhnolyze
Texhnolyze is a bit older, but it masterfully immerses viewers in a bleak and atmospheric anime eerily similar to Heavenly Delusion. As protagonist Ichise finds himself embroiled in a power struggle within a dystopian underground society, the series delves into themes of transhumanism, existentialism, and societal decay.
The narrative follows Ichise’s journey as he grapples with the consequences of technological augmentation and the complex machinations of a city, and species, on the very brink of collapse. (it’s almost more of a pre-apocalypse anime if you think about it)
From the New World
Although it may not look like it on the surface, From the New World is one of the absolute best anime like Heavenly Delusion. This anime introduces audiences to a dystopian, post-apocalyptic future where all of the remaining humans possess psychic abilities in the aftermath of a cataclysmic event. It follows the story of Saki, a young girl from a seemingly idyllic village who has just “received” her psychic powers.
After befriending many like-minded children at Sage Academy, a school that helps people focus and strengthen their psychic powers, Saki and her friends slowly begin to uncover terrifying secrets about their school and the world they live in; their “school” is nothing more than a tool to evaluate the powers of the masses, while also consistently getting rid of students that are deemed “underperforming” and erasing memories of them from society. The deeper they dig into their history and the origin of their powers, the more horrifying the world they grew up in becomes.
Girls’ Last Tour
Don’t let the cutesy animation style fool you, the premise of Girls’ Last Tour is a lot darker and reminiscent of Heavenly Delusion than you’d think! Girls’ Last Tour follows the journey of two girls, Chito and Yuuri, as they traverse a desolate, post-apocalyptic world destroyed by war.
The anime explores their day-to-day survival in a world that has been largely abandoned and is filled with remnants of a once-thriving civilization, searching for food, fuel for their vehicle, and purpose in a war-torn world that’s lost its vibrancy. It’s surprisingly not as emotionally eviscerating as some of the other entries on this list, but it’s still a good series to get into if you’re looking for something like Heavenly Delusion.
Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind
Anyone familiar with Studio Ghibli’s classics will remember Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind! Directed by Hayao Miyazaki in 1984, Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind is set in a post-apocalyptic world where humanity is struggling to survive amidst toxic jungles and giant insect-like creatures.
As Nausicaä, the princess of the peaceful Valley of the Wind, explores the dangerous outside world, she discovers the key to coexistence between humans and the toxic ecosystem. Though she strives for peace between the warring forces of mankind and nature, her journey won’t be an easy one, and her pursuit is constantly bombarded with dangers far beyond mankind’s understanding.
Casshern Sins
Casshern Sins’s narrative unfolds in a world where robots have subjugated humanity following their ascent to self-awareness. The story centers around a mysterious girl named Luna, summoned by the remnants of humanity in a desperate attempt to restore salvation. However, Luna’s fate takes a tragic turn when she is pursued and ultimately slain by three relentless cyborg warriors, with a cyborg named Casshern being the one to deal the fatal blow.
This event triggers a cataclysmic chain of events, expediting humanity’s imminent demise. A few hundred years later, the world’s atmosphere has become poisoned, with the majority of the surviving population facing the inability to reproduce. Casshern, who had vanished after Luna’s assassination, re-emerges with a blank slate of memories and embarks on a profound journey to unravel the truth about his identity and the apocalyptic, near-dead world around him. Though he was once built to kill humanity’s last hope for survival, he now strives to bring mankind back from the brink!
Coppelion
Coppelion is the very definition of an “oldie but goodie”. This anime is set in a post-apocalyptic Tokyo, which has become a radioactive wasteland due to a nuclear catastrophe. The Japanese government deploys genetically engineered human clones known as Coppelion (hence the name) to the city to investigate and assist any remaining survivors.
The series follows three Coppelion high school girls—Aoi, Ibara, and Taeko—as they navigate the hazardous environment to rescue survivors and uncover the mysteries surrounding the disaster. As they encounter mutated creatures and face the harsh consequences of radiation, the Coppelion trio grapples with ethical dilemmas and strives to bring hope to the desolate landscape.
And that’s it for our comprehensive list of all the best anime like Heavenly Delusion! Whether you’re yearning for the unraveling secrets of From the New World or the poetic melancholy of Girls’ Last Tour, let these post-apocalyptic anime fill the Heavenly Delusion-sized void in your heart. For more great anime recomendations, check out Twinfinite’s “Most Underrated Anime of 2023” and “Best Psychological Anime of All Time“!
