‘To Be Hero X’ Episode 5 review – “One Actor”

It would be a stretch to say that, by Episode 4, we begin to understand what To Be Hero X is about. But, at the very least, with Ling becoming a hero in his own right as The Commoner, we at least seemingly understood the story’s rhythm. Of course, that is torn to shreds after the death of Moon and is further thrown into disarray in To Be Hero X Episode 5 as the story pivots to a new character.

What’s notable and not immediately apparent in Episode 4 is that the figure who kills her looks a lot like E-Soul, the ninth-ranked hero. This is crucial in “One Actor” where the hero plays a pivotal role in the story of the protagonist, Yang Cheng. To Be Hero X Episode 5 opens with the death of Cheng’s parents.  E-Soul, a hero who refuses to remove his mask, saves him. The episode jumps 16 years into the future, where we learn that now, Cheng works as an E-Soul actor at a children’s theater to be a part of the E-Soul hero anniversary presentation.

What’s surprising about “One Actor” isn’t any shocking plot developments. It’s how much we immediately care about Cheng. After four episodes of getting to know and love Ling, the shift initially seems extreme, thrusting us into an entirely different story. But Cheng’s narrative brings additional layers to the story as another character on the outside of hero society looking in and as a means to further explore the nuance of the “trust value” the world operates on.

The world expands with new details of ‘trust value.’

We’ve seen how heroes are hurt based on having too much trust value, with fans dictating their obligations. Fans who only know them based on their icon status rather than as fellow humans. Here, we realize that this system strips people of their humanity on both sides of the scale. With his family gone, he struggles to make connections, and he has zero trust value, making him an afterthought. Despite carrying the essence of E-Soul in his demeanor and making it to the top three, he’s passed over for the hero presentation anniversary because he doesn’t have anyone who believes in him.

That changes with the arrival of Pomelo, the younger brother of his crush, Xia Qing. She hires him while he’s in his E-Soul costume to act as Pomelo’s personal entertainer, believing he needs some guidance and attention. What begins as a reluctant job opportunity ends with a genuine bond between the characters. This is most crucial when two men kidnap Pomelo, and Cheng lurches into action without thinking of his wellbeing.

To Be Hero X Episode 5 doesn’t find room to blend animation styles like in the past, but it doesn’t need to. The direction of the chase scene is hypnotic, masterfully capturing the whirlwind and breathless speed at which Cheng pedals to save Pomelo. The camera careens with every turn and feels the momentum surge and lag, his desperation evident in each beat. Similarly to Episode 4, the series doesn’t hold back in the head-on brawl once Cheng catches up.

Cheng puts everything on the line to save a friend.

There’s no glory in this fight or easy win. Instead, Cheng gives it everything he has to stand. He fights dirty and from the ground when his assailants beat him down. It’s a bruising, intensive sequence that gives the impression that he might not return from it. Instead, in a genuine moment of euphoric triumph, Pomelo’s belief in him gives him the power to win the fight, that small amount of enthusiasm allowing him an advantage at the last possible instant.

The series continues a trend where the ranking heroes aren’t what they appear to be, as a judge from the competition approaches Cheng at the very end. For what we don’t know but the series makes it clear that we aren’t to trust the images these heroes create. They’re tailored towards the desires of the people. Nice seemingly had the perfect life but ended up dead by suicide. E-Soul is a well-respected hero with a decades-long career who might’ve murdered someone. There’s no ideal hero; there are simply those who try to overcome personal obstacles to save the people they care about. And there forth their image dictated by the masses.

To Be Hero X Episode 5 is yet another standout installment to a series that continues to accelerate. Cheng offers a new, compassionate outlook that helps expand the world while subtly introducing more mystery. Who is E-Soul, and what part will Cheng play in developing the character who lives behind a mask?

To Be Hero X Episode 5 is out now on Crunchyroll. 

Images courtesy of Crunchyroll/BeDream

Allyson Johnson

Based in New England, Allyson is co-founder and Editor-in-Chief of InBetweenDrafts. Former Editor-in-Chief at TheYoungFolks, she is a member of the Boston Society of Film Critics and the Boston Online Film Critics Association. Her writing has also appeared at CambridgeDay, ThePlaylist, Pajiba, VagueVisages, RogerEbert, TheBostonGlobe, Inverse, Bustle, her Substack, and every scrap of paper within her reach.