Vertex Force returns with Episode 5, titled “That Is the Answer,” on Saturday, October 31, 2026. The original mecha anime from director Kazuhiro Takamura and studio SMDE has spent its first four episodes building a story about two siblings, a hidden power called Engine, and an alien threat named EDVA that is hunting something far more dangerous than either of them expected. Episode 5 shifts the focus toward Lala Zudenstein, who stays up all night trying to decode the enemy machine the group captured.
Episode 5 Release Date and Exact Streaming Times for Every Major Region
Crunchyroll streams Vertex Force worldwide outside Japan, China and Korea. New episodes arrive every Saturday at 9:00 a.m. Pacific Time with English subtitles. Episode 5 lands on October 31, 2026 at the following local times. Daylight saving changes in the UK and Europe mean several regions are one hour earlier than they were for earlier episodes.
- Pacific Daylight Time (PDT), USA and Canada West Coast: 9:00 a.m.
- Mountain Daylight Time (MDT), USA and Canada Mountain states: 10:00 a.m.
- Central Daylight Time (CDT), USA and Canada Central states: 11:00 a.m.
- Eastern Daylight Time (EDT), USA and Canada East Coast: 12:00 p.m.
- Brasília Time (BRT), Brazil: 1:00 p.m.
- Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), United Kingdom, Portugal and Ghana: 4:00 p.m.
- Central European Time (CET), Germany, France, Spain, Italy and Poland: 5:00 p.m.
- India Standard Time (IST), India: 9:30 p.m.
- Japan Standard Time (JST), Japan and South Korea: 1:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1
- Australian Eastern Daylight Time (AEDT), Australia: 3:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1
- New Zealand Daylight Time (NZDT), New Zealand: 5:00 a.m. on Sunday, November 1
Where to Watch Vertex Force Episode 5
Crunchyroll is the main international platform for the series, covering North America, Europe, South America, Africa, Oceania, the Middle East and most of Asia. The show is part of Crunchyroll’s Fall 2026 lineup. An English dub has been confirmed, though its premiere date has not been announced.
Japanese viewers have a different schedule. Tokyo MX, BS11, Gunma TV and Tochigi TV air Episode 5 at 11:30 p.m. JST on Saturday, October 31, which is earlier than the Crunchyroll release in Japan. Domestic streaming services U-NEXT, Anime Hodai, d Anime Store, ABEMA, Hulu, Prime Video and others carry the episode after the television broadcast.
What Happened in Episode 4: The Siblings Learn to Fight Together
Episode 4, titled “Older Sister and Younger Brother,” placed the five main characters on an uninhabited island after riding Alan in his transformed transport mode. Lala devised a plan to capture one of EDVA’s Batonoid machines by using Akira as bait. The idea was to study the captured unit and finally learn what EDVA actually is and why it is targeting Earth.
The survival setup produced some light comedy early on. A sneeze from Lala’s small animal companion sent supplies into the sea, leaving the group with little more than bananas and coconut juice. The mission itself grew more serious when Haruka broke away from the plan on her own. She had spent years believing her only job was to protect Akira, a promise she made to their father. Her solo charge put the capture operation at risk, and Akira had to step in to help her finish the fight.
The episode ended with the siblings fighting side by side rather than one protecting the other. Japanese viewers responded strongly to that shift. Social media summaries described the episode as the moment the pair moved from a “protected and protector” relationship to a bond where they fight together. A silver-haired woman appeared in the final scene and spoke a single line before the episode closed, tying directly into the EDVA mystery.
Where Every Main Character Stands Before Episode 5
Akira Todo started the series believing he inherited nothing from his father. He felt inferior to Haruka and resented needing her protection all the time. Episode 1 changed that when he manifested a power of his own. Episode 2 revealed that his power is not an Engine at all. It is called ENIA, the ultimate weapon built on the planet Theia and stolen from EDVA. By Episode 4, Akira is no longer a bystander in fights, but he is still learning what ENIA can do and why EDVA wants it back so badly.
Haruka Todo carries a standard Engine inherited from her father. She can summon a giant machine and fight, but her instinct has always been to keep Akira away from danger. Episode 4 forced her to accept that Akira is a combat partner, not a child she has to shield. That emotional shift is the backbone of the season so far.
Eleanor Northbrook arrived in Episode 2 as a hostile figure. She is half-Theian and half-Native American, an 18-year-old warrior who inherited an Engine from her father and came to Earth to destroy ENIA. She initially pointed a gun at Akira, believing the weapon had to be eliminated. The group’s uneasy alliance has softened her stance, though she remains the most mission-focused member of the team.
Lala Zudenstein is the group’s planner and researcher. Episode 2 introduced her as Eleanor’s partner. Episode 4 put her capture strategy at the center of the story. Episode 5 makes her the emotional focus. She is the one staying awake to analyze the Batonoid, and the other four characters rally around her.
Yoko Nishina joined in Episode 3 after Akira was separated from the group on the way to Hokkaido. She is a 17-year-old high school student with a Gluon Engine and a painful past. A childhood incident in the snow left her isolated after her power frightened the people around her. She understands what it feels like to be treated as a monster, which gives her a natural connection to Akira.
Alan is not a human character. He is a high-performance assist module developed on Theia, voiced by Kazuki Ura. He supports Akira and the team with transport and combat functions, including the transformable vehicle mode used in Episode 4.
EDVA, voiced by Nana Mizuki, remains the central threat. EDVA was built on Theia, rebelled against the planet, destroyed it, and then traveled to Earth in pursuit of ENIA. Episode 4 framed EDVA as something closer to a cosmic order-keeper than a simple villain, which makes the question of what EDVA wants with Akira even more complicated.
What Episode 5 “That Is the Answer” Covers
Episode 5 keeps the story on the island and focuses on the captured Batonoid. Lala works alone through the night to break down the machine’s data. The other four decide to make substitute coffee for her as a small gesture of support. The title suggests that the analysis produces a real answer about EDVA’s nature, and the episode appears to be a quieter character chapter before the next major battle.
The Team Behind Vertex Force
Kazuhiro Takamura, known for Strike Witches and Vividred Operation, directs the anime and designs the characters at SMDE. Gorō Kuji is the assistant director. Kanetake Ebikawa handles Engine design, and JNTHED is in charge of ENIA design. Masashi Suzuki oversees series scripts with Takamura, Masahito Onoda is the chief animation director, and Nobuaki Nobusawa composes the music.
ClariS performs the opening theme “Synchro Blue,” and Hashimero performs the ending theme “Emerald”.
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The main cast includes Makoto Koichi as Akira Todo, Kaede Hondo as Haruka Todo, Ami Koshimizu as Eleanor Northbrook, Megumi Han as Lala Zudenstein, Rie Takahashi as Yoko Nishina, Kazuki Ura as Alan and Nana Mizuki as EDVA.
Vertex Force is streaming on Crunchyroll every Saturday, and VvipTimes has the episode-by-episode release schedule, recaps and cast details for viewers following the series worldwide.
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