CITY The Animation continues its unique blend of surreal comedy and slice-of-life escapades with Episode 5, delving into a multi-layered narrative that expands the chaotic yet charming world of City. This installment sees protagonist Nagumo thrust into an unexpected game of survival within the luxurious confines of the Tanabe Mansion’s hospitality towers, while various other characters navigate their own interconnected misadventures across the city. The episode has been lauded for its ambitious simultaneous animation and an enthusiastic embrace of the medium’s creative possibilities.
Nagumo’s High-Stakes Hospitality Escape
The central plotline of Episode 5 picks up directly from the previous episode, with Midori Nagumo being transported to the opulent Tanabe Mansion. She finds herself in the Mansion’s hospitality towers, initially as a “reward” for catching Officer Tanabe’s umbrella in an earlier incident. However, the reward quickly turns into a series of “Game of Death”-style challenges on each floor, which Nagumo must complete to escape.
Joining Nagumo in her perilous descent are familiar faces. She encounters the “Nice Man,” another individual previously pursued for a reward, and, unexpectedly, Wako Izumi, one of her main companions, who climbs the tower to assist in the escape. Their journey down the tower is filled with humorous encounters, as various floor bosses hilariously surrender or are undone by surprising developments. For instance, a magician’s own birds turn on him after he realizes his mistreatment of them, and a karate master is unable to fight due to a pre-existing broken arm.
The Interwoven Lives of City’s Inhabitants
Beyond Nagumo’s central struggle, CITY The Animation Episode 5 expertly weaves in several other simultaneous happenings across the city, highlighting the interconnectedness of its quirky residents. These parallel storylines add depth and further chaos to the narrative:
- Niikura’s Locket Chase: Ayumu Niikura continues her pursuit of a missing locket, which the mischievous cat Mimineko has absconded with. This chase leads her into further complications, as Mimineko takes the pendant, with Matsuri and Ecchan also getting involved. It’s later revealed that the locket contains the first picture Niikura ever took of Nagumo, adding a touching, “queer-coded” element to their relationship.
- The Hunt for Mimineko: Ecchan and Matsuri are also on their own hunt for Mimineko, intertwining their story with Niikura’s.
- Tatewaku and the Tsuchinoko: Tatewaku and his soccer team make a peculiar discovery, encountering the mythical and somewhat goofy Tsuchinoko.
- Adatara Family Deliveries: The Adatara family, who own a liquor store, are seen delivering beer to the very hospitality towers where Nagumo is trapped.
- New Guests and Infiltrations: Additional guests, including the manga artist Kamaboko Oni and editor from previous episodes, are invited to the hospitality tower. In a comedic twist, Nagumo’s landlady also infiltrates the towers, determined to collect unpaid rent from the young woman.
Animation and Reception Highlights
Episode 5 has garnered significant praise for its ambitious animation, particularly Kyoto Animation’s decision to present multiple simultaneous on-screen animations. This approach, though potentially challenging to comprehend in anime form, is seen as a stylistic choice that effectively conveys the bustling, chaotic nature of the city and its inhabitants, mirroring similar stylistic elements found in the manga source material. Reviewers have expressed immense admiration for the studio’s dedication, noting the creation of a real-life model of the Tanabe Mansion and hospitality towers, with nearly every exterior shot animated using images or videos of this diorama. This “extra mile” in production quality has been highlighted as a testament to the animators’ passion and the show’s overall “zest for life.”
The episode concludes with Nagumo and her companions successfully escaping the hospitality towers, emerging into a massive party outside the Tanabe Mansion, where many of the simultaneous storylines converge. This sequence is celebrated for its ability to capture the charm, scope, and sense of community that define CITY The Animation. The episode also encourages viewers not to skip the end credits, which feature a unique painting-stylized montage and a surprising revelation about the hospitality towers’ origins.
Overall, CITY The Animation Episode 5 stands out as a highly engaging and masterfully animated installment, pushing the boundaries of storytelling in the series while delivering both humor and unexpected emotional beats.
