REVIEW: ‘Metallic Rouge’ Episode 5 — “Carnival Dances With Lost Memories”

Metallic Rouge Episode 5 delivers the strongest installment of the series to date due to rousing technical achievements. Episode 4 ended with the carnival arriving, Rouge Redstar (Yume Miyamoto) unconscious, and significant questions lobbied her way. In “Carnival Dances With Lost Memories,” Naomi (Tomoyo Kurosawa) works to reunite with Rouge. At the same time, the latter endures a hallucinogenic trip through a medley of half-dreams and half-memories, all of which are twinged by her recent guilt. Directed by Takanori Yano, the episode infuses a palpable sense of unease, engulfing the viewers and characters.

A significant factor that continues to be a blessing and a curse to the series is the ability to pack so much into a mere 23-minute episode. The density of the narrative is impressive, even if it takes a while to submerge into the series rhythm. Rouge and Namoi remain central, even with new and supporting characters continuing to pop in and out of episodes. Eden Vallock (Kazuyuki Okitsu) and Jean Yunghart (Shunsuke Takeuchi) received particular mention this week. Eden runs into Naomi and helps her infiltrate the carnival base to retrieve Rouge. He’s an enigmatic figure who, we learn, is more than he appears. He dons a mech suit late in the episode dubbed “Gladiator.”

Meanwhile, we learn Jean has greater ties to Rouge than we realized. The leader of the Ministry of Truth, which creates Neans, is Rouge and Namoi’s superior. He’s the one who tasks them with hunting down the Immortal Nine. Jean, too, was raised by his father alongside Rouge as siblings. The episode dives deep into Rouge’s subconscious as we learn about their upbringing and close relationship. These sequences effectively drive home Rouge’s mounting unease in her missions. It’s the second week in a row where freedom is the emphasis.

Held captive by the head of the carnival — the puppet master, so to speak — he focuses on her agency. “Are you really you? Are you truly free,” he asks. Rouge is still figuring herself out by the episode’s end, dizzied and mildly haunted by her enforced dream scenario. But she’s taken a step towards finding her answers and owning her destiny. Here, it’s to save Namoi when she’s caught up in trouble. Later, it’s sharing her chocolate bar, split in two. As she questions her participation in killing Nean and her relationship with Jean, she’s making efforts to ascertain her own will.

A few key components propel the episode to its tremendous heights. The voice acting by Yume Miyamoto and Tomoyo Kurosawa continues to excel, adding layers of youthfulness to characters embroiled in wars. They continually chip away at one another. It’s fresh and realistic, bearing strong chemistry in their interactions. Their stories and their relationship remain the heart of the series.

The score by Taisei Iwasaki, Yuma Yamaguchi, and Towa Tei is of similar significance. The music has been a major component since the very start, but it has become a key player in Metallic Rouge Episode 5. Leaning further into its science fiction elements, the music matches the mood with eerie clarity. Playing with large swathes of rattling dissonance and clashing noises perfectly encapsulates the sense of foreboding that the episode chases.

But for all the disturbances that take place as Rouge struggles to find meaning in her line of work, there’s a necessary optimism, too. She saves Naomi because Naomi’s saved her in the past. They lay in a sprawling field, arms spread. Their current battle is over, even if there’s a long line of mysteries before them. It’s a beautiful note to end on. Just two young women trying to make sense of their place in the world while enjoying the company of the other, no matter the wreckage it wreaks.

Metallic Rouge Episode 5 is a stunning, reflective episode that focuses on science fiction elements. The story finds greater heights as Rouge grapples with her role in the ongoing drama. There are still some issues with the overall pacing, but an episode like this makes it worth it for the artistry at hand.

Metallic Rouge Episode 5 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.