My Home Hero – Season 1 Episode 5 Recap & Review

Are You Happy?

Episode 5 of My Home Hero begins where we left off in episode 4 with a gunshot. The man who was going to shoot Tetsuo and Kyoichi ends up shot instead. Kubo approaches Kyoichi and Tetsuo, and he has his men grab Kyoichi. Kubo inflicts punishment on him for betraying him and next, he has his men film Tetsuo admitting a crime to a murder he didn’t commit.

Tetsuo arrives home and explains where he’s been to his wife (Kasen). Kasen tells him to inform her about the truth for his protection, so Tetsuo tells Kasen that members of Nobuto’s organization are monitoring him. Tetsuo confirms he has three days left to find Nobuto otherwise the organization will kill Tetsuo. Tetsuo plans to fabricate evidence pointing toward Nobuto being alive. He’ll recreate him in a video clip and although Kasen is unsure how Tetsuo can do this, he suggests they get a friend named Tabata involved.

In a flashback dating 21 years into the past, Tabata meets Kasen at the Drama Club. At the same time, Tetsuo is writing a script and Tabata asks him for a big role to help score his debut as a rookie with the Japan Action Group. However, Kasen and Tetsuo notice Tabata has an Audition Result Letter from the agency and suggests he read it first. We learn this was his third attempt at auditioning and that he failed to impress the agency.

At present, Tetsuo plans to access Nobuto’s account in between work, so he asks Kasen to handle things with Tabata. In Tabata’s vehicle, Kasen tells Tabata they’re filming a short, fake documentary they plan to play at an acquaintance’s wedding and thanks Tabata for his help. She tells him their lead was injured, so they need Tabata to be a stand-in for the lead. Kasen tries persuading him to take the role, but Tabata lacks interest and wants to chat with Tetsuo about it more. While their conversation is occurring, we receive brief flashbacks of Tetsuo telling Kasen how to handle the situation with Tabata.

Kasen tells Tabata to accept the deal, but he’s not having it because he deems himself a professional and feels drones would work out better for them. Tabata goes over his payment with Kasen, upsetting her since she wants him to give them a better discount. Tabata asks Kasen if she’s living a happy life with Tetsuo. Kasen argues their relationship wasn’t smooth, but she’s satisfied with what she receives. Meanwhile, Tetsuo’s sitting somewhere and trying to get into Nobuto’s private account. He has his email address, but he can’t figure out his password.

Kasen and Tabata reach their destination, and Kasen explains what she wants Tabata to do for the film. While waiting at a train station, Tetsuo receives texts from Hibiki (Nobuto’s woman). She tells him she found Nobuto’s old cell phone, but it doesn’t include his SIM card. Tetsuo tells Hibiki he needs the card and tells her where he’s at. He asks Hibiki to put on a disguise and she hands him the cell phone. In the restroom, Tetsuo plans to reset Nobuto’s password by using the power of the cloud and Nobuto’s former phone’s email history.

Unfortunately, Tetsuo runs into a dilemma, and he must figure out Nobuto’s pet’s name to bypass the security question. Suddenly, he receives a phone call from the men watching him and they tell him to not try anything funny. Tetsuo leaves and asks the man monitoring him for a lift. Tetsuo tries squeezing information about Nobuto’s pet from his monitor. The man tells him he doesn’t know if Nobuto had a pet. Tetsuo wonders if this “pet” was from Nobuto’s childhood. Tetsuo’s monitor drops Tetsuo off in Shinjuku and says he has to attend to urgent matters.

Tetsuo uses the opportunity to ask Hibiki for any leads to places Nobuto would visit in this area. Tetsuo visits a bar to speak with the bartender about Nobuto. Tetsuo unknowingly converses with Nobuto’s father Yoshitatsu. They discuss work, life, and their children. Yoshitatsu asks Tetsuo what he’d do if something terrible happened to his daughter. Yoshitatsu says he’d kill his son’s assailant and their family. Yoshitatsu goes on a tangent, revealing how his life with his son and wife spiraled into darkness. He wanted to pursue change and give his son a better life, but with how things are going he’s unsure.

Both men formally introduce themselves, but Tetsuo uses Tabata’s name. At the same time, Kasen thanks Tabata for his help and waves goodbye to him. After Yoshitatsu leaves, Tetsuo shows the bartender a photo of Nobuto and asks if he’s seen him before. The bartender tells Tetsuo that Yoshitatsu is his father. Tetsuo leaves the bar and can’t believe he encountered Nobuto’s dad. The episode closes with Yoshitatsu realizing Tetsuo lied to him about his name.

The Episode Review

Although the animation could’ve been better in certain scenarios, this episode brings back the motherly and fatherly crime duo into the mix. Although it’s a bummer that Kyoichi may not be assisting Tetsuo anymore, many will find the parental couple to be the preferred pair. The ways the anime handled flashbacks could’ve been neater though.

In some segments, flashbacks tend to interrupt the episode’s narrative flow even though the information was vital. On the other hand, the way the anime handled the back-and-forth texts between Tetsuo and Hibiki was neat. It shows that Hibiki will be a great ally to lean on if Tetsuo finds himself in a tight pickle with the organization.

At the same time, many will appreciate seeing Yoshitatsu and Tetsuo conversing in the bar about family. Although we haven’t received much intel about Yoshitatsu’s past life, it’ll be intriguing to compare the two fathers down the line. The whole sequence involving these two will make anyone feel uneasy and mildly compassionate. Overall, this was an interesting follow-up to last week’s episode.

Many may ponder if Tetsuo plans to get closer to Yoshitatsu, as he’d know who Nobuto’s childhood pet’s name would be. Judging by Yoshitatsu’s response during the episode’s conclusion, it might be in Tetsuo’s best interest to look elsewhere for it. Regardless, I’m excited to see what Tetsuo plans to do to get the data he needs.