The latest episode of the new anime Sanda has arrived, bringing the intense gymnasium fight to a head and revealing major secrets about its characters and world. Episode 4, titled “Textbook Breakthrough, Zeus,” began streaming on October 25, 2025, on Amazon Prime Video and other regional platforms.
Episode Recap and Major Reveals
The episode picks up immediately from the cliffhanger in Episode 3, where the main character, Kazushige Sanda, was shot by Santa Claus hunter Saburo Yagiuda. After being shot, Sanda’s blood stains his clothes red, triggering his full transformation into the powerful, adult Santa Claus. A fierce battle erupts in the school gymnasium during the funeral of the missing student, Ichie Ono.
Initially, Santa is frightened by his own dangerous abilities and struggles to fight back effectively. However, Yagiuda’s own words become the key to turning the tide. The hunter taunts Santa by saying, “Santa is someone who gives dreams and hope to children.” This statement reignites Santa’s confidence, allowing him to stand and fight with renewed purpose. During the intense clash, the force of Santa’s punch smashes through the gymnasium’s roof. This leaves the towering, fully nude Santa Claus exposed in front of the entire student body, creating a moment of chaos and awe.
A Deeper Look into the World and Characters
This episode does more than just advance the primary fight. It uses flashbacks to explore the relationship between Shiori Fuyumura and the missing Ichie Ono. These scenes reveal that the two girls shared a deep romantic connection, a fact that recontextualizes Fuyumura’s desperate mission to find her friend.
The flashbacks show Fuyumura and Ono as they begin to explore their feelings of sexual attraction and intimacy. In one poignant moment, they nearly kiss but pull away, with Fuyumura leaning on a lie told by adults in their society: that kissing as children will give them cavities. This moment highlights the extreme ways in which the adult world represses and controls the children in this futuristic Japan.
The society in Sanda is built on strict control, where children’s lives are entirely preordained. Their education, future careers, and even marriage partners are assigned from birth. The government enforces rules that limit physical contact between genders and actively discourages any belief in higher powers, all in a stated effort to manage the population crisis. The sudden appearance of a mythical figure like Santa Claus, who encourages dreams and rebellion, directly challenges this controlled system.
How and Where to Watch
Sanda Episode 4 released on October 25, 2025. Japanese audiences can watch the show on television networks like MBS and TBS. For international viewers, the series is available globally on Amazon Prime Video. In some regions, the anime is also streaming on Crunchyroll. The English dub, produced by Bang Zoom! Studios, releases on the same day as the original Japanese version.
The anime is based on the manga by Paru Itagaki, the acclaimed creator of BEASTARS. The adaptation is produced by Science SARU, with Tomohisa Shimoyama serving as director.
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