REVIEW: ‘Synduality Noir’ Episode 5 — “Drifting the Maze”

A trip to the market for Kanata (Takeo Otsuka) and Noir (Aoi Koga) is interrupted by the surprise appearance of Claudia (Ryôka Yuzuki). She’s in Rock Town to sell the ore she swindled out from under Kanata in the last episode, but before she leaves town, she gives Kanata a bit of advice. To become a better drifter, he must become one with his magus. To do this, she recommends going through the Maze of Fes together. But what does it mean to become one? That question may be an even bigger challenge than the maze in Synduality Noir Episode 5, “Drifting the Maze.”

Synduality Noir Episode 5 does a great job of splitting its core narrative in half, frontloading the episode with some charming humor as Noir tries to gain a deeper connection with Kanata and the back half when the duo heads out to the maze and is confronted by the unexpected trouble that awaits within its ruined paths. It is a good approach to incorporating both elements of the series, as it allows for both playful fun while not getting in the way of the more serious moments that build in the back half of the episode.

The episode’s opening humor comes through due to Claudia’s ambiguity when she tells Kanata and Noir they need to become one. While Kanata’s brain jumps to a particular physical connection that could one day exist between them, Noir doesn’t come to this conclusion. When she presses Kanata about wanting to become one with him, the young man panics and throws out ways the two could become closer while avoiding what he assumes Claudia meant with her advice.

The innocent misunderstanding works well as a humor device, despite the obvious out to the situation that Kanata never takes. He could alleviate the discomfort of Noir’s well-intentioned efforts to bond with him if he simply took a moment to explain how some of her actions were affecting him. But of course, if he did that, it wouldn’t be funny anymore, so the show allows it to play out as is.

Frustrated by what feels like a roadblock to their deepening relationship, Noir comes to push for the duo to run the maze suggested to them by Claudia at the beginning of the episode. Kanata eventually agrees, and the duo heads out. Unbeknownst to them, Claudia had ulterior motives for sending them out to the maze, and the pair faced a dangerous trap.

The best part of Synduality Noir Episode 5 is how it deepens Claudia’s character. Her role in both drawing Kanata and Noir to the maze and the events that take place there set her up to be a complex character with a lot of growth potential as the series moves forward. She feels like the classic antagonist who does bad things because she cannot get what she needs, but if shown a better way, she’ll happily take it. The final interactions she has with Kanata in this episode sets up the potential for mutual growth between the two characters. Kanata will gain from her experience, while she will gain from his character quality.

I look forward to seeing this interplay continue through the season.

Once Kanata and Noir arrive at the maze, the episode goes hard into the dynamic style of action it has delivered in the past. There is a good mix of scale in the battle, as both larger group fights are showcased and more personal one-on-ones that allow the episode to keep the sequence fresh throughout.

The other important element here is the introduction of a new group that feels likely to pop back up in the future. While little is said about them, it feels likely that they share an association with other characters who have popped up in the past, given what their motives seem to be.

Synduality Noir Episode 5 is a thoroughly enjoyable episode that balances its charm and action while continuing to build out its world passively. With Noir bringing tons of heart and Kanta being a solid driver for humor and character growth, the duo continues providing the perfect center to build a world around.

Synduality Noir Episode 5 is streaming now on Hulu.