The summer 2026 anime season brings another round of supernatural comedy with Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life. Episode 5 is scheduled to arrive this weekend, continuing the chaotic story of a former demon king and the hero who refuses to let their rivalry end.
Episode 5 Release Date and Time
Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life episode 5 releases on Sunday, August 9, 2026. The series follows a weekly Sunday broadcast schedule.
The anime airs in Japan on ABC TV and TV Asahi’s ANiMAZiNG!!! programming block at 2:00 AM JST. This effectively means late Saturday night for Japanese viewers. For international audiences on Crunchyroll, new episodes are expected at the following times:
- Pacific Time (PT): 10:00 AM (Saturday)
- Eastern Time (ET): 1:00 PM (Saturday)
- UK Time (GMT): 6:00 PM (Saturday)
- Central European Time (CET): 7:00 PM (Saturday)
- India Standard Time (IST): 10:30 PM (Saturday)
- Japan Standard Time (JST): 2:00 AM (Sunday)
- Australian Eastern Standard Time (AEST): 3:00 AM (Sunday)
Note: These times are estimates based on the Japanese broadcast schedule. Crunchyroll typically releases episodes shortly after the Japanese airing.
Where to Watch Episode 5
Crunchyroll streams the anime in North America, Central America, South America, Europe, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East, CIS, and India. The series is available with both English subtitles and an English dub.
In select Asian regions, Aniplus Asia also airs a simulcast of the series. Japanese viewers can watch on AT-X starting July 12, 2026, and on BS NTV from July 13, 2026.
What Happened in Episode 4
Episode 4, titled “Those Who Can’t Be Forgiven,” aired on August 2, 2026. The episode introduced a new character called a Returner—a human from the modern world who was taken to another world over the summer and returned with magical abilities.
The Returner used her ability to charm people into doing her bidding, including trying to charm Ryusei. He managed to deflect her attempts and keep his identity hidden. However, Meteor Hanaori and the witches took action against the Returner, leading to some consequences.
The second half of the episode explored the relationship between Ryusei and Hanaori through what appeared to be a dating counseling session. This segment revealed more about their shared history. It turns out Ryusei’s “Demon Lord” persona was somewhat exaggerated by nobles who used him as a scapegoat—he was actually reacting to nobles abusing the land. Hanaori, as the hero, was tasked with defeating him and succeeded, though Ryusei views it more as a mercy killing than something to be bitter about.
The Story So Far
Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life (Japanese: Hanaori-san wa Tensei Shite mo Kenka ga Shitai) is based on the manga by Hekiru Hikawa, which began serialization in Kodansha’s Morning Two magazine in August 2021.
The series follows Ryusei Narukami, a NEET who spends his days playing video games in his apartment. He is secretly the reincarnation of a demon lord from another world. One day, a high school girl named Meteor Hanaori shows up at his door—she is the reincarnation of the hero who defeated him in his previous life.
Things get complicated when Ryusei gets a job as a teacher at Meteor’s all-girls high school. Now the former demon lord must deal with lesson plans, faculty meetings, and a persistent hero who wants nothing more than to continue their battle.
The anime is produced by Liden Films and directed by Hideyo Yamamoto. Yukie Sugawara handles series composition, Yousuke Okuda is the character designer, and Yukari Hashimoto and R.O.N. compose the music.
The main voice cast includes:
- Jun Fukuyama as Ryusei Narukami
- Akira Sekine as Meteor Hanaori
- Seena Hoshiki as Mako Satsuki
- Hitomi Ueda as Marika Nagamori
- Sora Tokui as Mana Kuraishi
- Nene Hieda as Minto Takigawa
- Rie Takahashi as Ayame Takanashi
Also Read:
Why You Should Watch
The series takes the classic isekai formula and turns it on its head. Instead of a grand fantasy adventure, the conflict plays out in the most ordinary setting possible—a Japanese high school. The comedy comes from the absurdity of a former demon king trying to live a quiet life while his former nemesis, now a high school girl, constantly challenges him to fights in the school hallways.
The dynamic between Ryusei and Hanaori is the heart of the show. They are not bitter enemies in the traditional sense—Ryusei holds no grudge against Hanaori for defeating him, and Hanaori’s obsession with fighting him comes across more as playful rivalry than genuine malice. The series has drawn comparisons to The Devil is a Part-Timer for its reverse-isekai premise of powerful beings trying to navigate ordinary life.
The English manga is set to be released in omnibus format by Seven Seas Entertainment in October 2026, giving viewers a chance to explore the source material after watching the anime.
The series is expected to run for multiple episodes throughout the summer season, with new episodes dropping every Sunday.
Also Read: Kagurabachi Chapter 127 Release Date: What We Know So Far
Keep checking VvipTimes for more updates on summer 2026 anime and release schedules.
Leave a Reply