Review by Dennis D. McDonald

Post-apocalyptic tales involving backstory-laden main chracters roaming the countryside have become commonplace. Nevertheless, the 13 episode anime series Tengoku Daimakyou is exceptional both in terms of its convoluted manga-based story and its superior production values.

As with Bubble, games — but only at first — play an importat role in the story line. But that’s where the similarity ends. The game element in Tengoku just sets the stage for an explanation of a key plot point related to an important sexual identity theme. That by itself could have been the basis for an entire series, but it’s just one of many story elements that interrelate in an very sophisticated way.

Blood, gore, and body horror abound and the viewer is challenged by competing emotions, intersecting timelines, and fundamental mysteries that are never completely resolved.

Dramatically this series is one of the best anime series I’ve seen, if not the best. I doubt whether a live action version could improve the storytelling given the excellent direction, artwork, voice acting, and subtitles. But be prepared for some complex and hard hitting sci-fi and horror elements as you get to know the main characters as their relationships and backstories evolve.

Review copyright (c) 2023 by Dennis D. McDonald

Some ROAD TRIP films