The summer 2026 anime season continues with another eventful episode of “Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life.” Episode 5, titled “Much Ado About Nothing,” aired on August 8, 2026. The episode brings Ryusei face-to-face with a new threat and pushes his relationship with Meteor Hanaori into uncomfortable territory.
The series follows Ryusei Narukami, a former Demon King now living as a NEET (Not in Education, Employment, or Training) in modern Japan. His quiet life got turned upside down when Meteor Hanaori, the hero who defeated him in their past life, showed up as a high school girl. Things got more complicated when Ryusei became a teacher at her school.
Episode 5 Recap: The Returner Arrives
Episode 5 opens with Ryusei confronting a Returner. A Returner is a human from the modern world who was taken to another world, went through an isekai journey, and came back with magical abilities. In this case, the Returner is a classmate of Hanaori’s who had her own adventure over the summer.
Other students think she simply went through a typical high school glow-up. But the two witches who are friends with Hanaori see through the act. They uncover her ruse, and Ryusei also figures out the truth when she uses her ability—charming people to do her bidding.
The Returner has a crush on Ryusei and tries to use her powers on him. Ryusei deflects her ability and keeps his identity as the former Demon King hidden. The situation escalates when Hanaori and the witches take action and hospitalize the Returner.
The episode uses the Returner character to make Hanaori jealous and show parallels between the two women. The Returner even has the same hair color as Hanaori to drive that point home.
Dating Counseling and Shared History
The second part of the episode focuses on something unexpected—a dating counseling session. Ryusei and Hanaori get confronted about a rumor that they may be dating. The situation is awkward because Ryusei is a teacher at an all-girls school and Hanaori is his student.
The counseling session reveals more about their shared history. It turns out that Ryusei’s “Demon Lord” persona was exaggerated by nobles who used him as a scapegoat. Those nobles were abusing the land, and Ryusei was reacting to that. Hanaori, back when she was a hero, was tasked with taking him down. She succeeded, but Ryusei is not bitter about it. He views it as more of a mercy killing.
After the session, Ryusei looks at Hanaori and has a montage of good memories with her. This suggests he might be developing deeper feelings for her.
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Episode 5 Air Date and Streaming Details
Episode 5 premiered on August 8, 2026, at 17:00 (5:00 PM). The episode is available for streaming on Crunchyroll and Prime Video. In Japan, the show airs on ABC TV, TV Asahi, BS NTV, and AT-X.
The episode title “Much Ado About Nothing” references the Shakespeare play, which fits the episode’s theme of misunderstandings and rumors.
Episode 6 Release Date and Streaming Information
Episode 6 of “Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life” is scheduled to air on August 15, 2026, at 17:00 (5:00 PM). The episode will be available on Crunchyroll with both subtitled and dubbed versions. Prime Video also streams new episodes.
In Japan, the episode airs on the same networks—ABC TV, TV Asahi, BS NTV, and AT-X. For viewers in Asia, the show is available on Aniplus Asia.
The series premiered on July 12, 2026, and is produced by Liden Films. The anime is directed by Hideyo Yamamoto with scripts by Yukie Sugawara. The original manga by Hekiru Hikawa has been serializing in Kodansha’s Monthly Morning Two magazine since August 2021.
The show’s voice cast includes Jun Fukuyama as Ryusei Narukami and Mauricio Ortiz-Segura in the English dub. The series has a total of 12 episodes planned.
Episode 6 does not have an announced title yet. The plot will likely continue the ongoing storyline, following Ryusei and Hanaori as they navigate their complicated relationship while dealing with the remnants of their past lives.
Also Read: ‘Rich Girl Caretaker’ Episode 6 Airs: What Happened and When to Watch Episode 7
For more updates on “Hanaori-san Still Wants to Fight in the Next Life” and other summer 2026 anime, stay connected with VvipTimes for the latest news and episode guides.
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