Episode 5

Everyone's Reactions

Just seeing "Parting" in the title of Episode 5 was enough to make my chest flutter before I even started watching. Jess casually ordered them to investigate the opposing army, and as a result, Joi defected, and so did Lady Annabel... that twist really caught me off guard. If you ask me who's to blame, I feel like the root cause lies in that order itself. I was a bit confused watching Kage being presented as an important character, only to find out he was an anime-original addition. Joi becoming Luca's subordinate was likely a brave decision to protect his precious Riju and the others. But the official description—"the desire to believe in Joi versus the reality right before our eyes"—really hit home, and I felt my own heart ache along with them. It seems like we'll continue to watch over their path in the next episode too. I'm more than just excited; I'm almost a little scared to see where this "parting" leads them.