REVIEW: ‘Fire Force’ Season 3 Episode 5 — “A Chance Meeting with an Archenemy”

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5, “A Chance Meeting with an Archenemy,” sees Captain Obi (Kazuya Nakai, Xenoblade Chronicle X: Definitive Edition) hold off the infernal creating insects as his comrades try to reach him. But when a White Clad named Dragon steps into Station 8’s path, Arthur (Yûsuke Kobayashi, Go! Go! Loser Ranger!) seems destined to take center stage. But just because he’s the Knight King doesn’t mean this dragon will roll over for him.

Before Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5 settles into its focus point, it takes a moment to address the last episode’s big finale moment. As it came to a close, we saw Obi get exposed to one of the infernal insects. Once the insect enters his body, he will be transformed. However, despite the anguished screams we heard from the captain as the insect made contact with him, it turns out it cannot enter his body.

Obi’s obsessive exercising has hardened his body to the point where he can keep the bug from completing its deadly goal, so long as he continues to flex. This revelation leads Obi to pose in a classic bodybuilder style, as Station 8 encourages him with loud and humorous cheers.

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5 struggles with its sense of urgency.

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5 uses Obi’s predicament not just for humor, but also to try to put pressure on the story. After all, no one can flex indefinitely. If someone doesn’t remove the bug before the captain relaxes, he’ll still be transformed into an infernal. This urgency is, unsurprisingly, betrayed when a new foe takes the field.

The White Clad, calling himself Dragon, appears, challenging the heroes to battle. Arthur insists on fighting him alone as he is the only “knight” present, and therefore the only one qualified to slay the foe. Arthur’s imagination kicks into overdrive at the presence of the Dragon, promising new levels of power for the hero.

Spanning the bulk of the episode, the opening shots of this confrontation leave a lot to be desired. The vast majority of the battle is Arthur flailing around with his sword as his opponent simply ignores his strikes. Occasional pauses for brief exchanges between the characters pepper the stale fighting, but they don’t deliver much interest. Mutual respect for each fighter’s power is expressed in largely unmemorable ways. Nothing bad in these exchanges, but nothing you haven’t seen done with far more flavor and character built in either.

Eventually, the battle ramps up when Dragon reveals his full power, complete with an infernal transformation. This moment, however, comes at the end of Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5. It leaves this entry feeling like a sacrificial offering, one made to summon a big finish at the expense of poor pacing.

The conflict with Burns seems set up for a fiery Episode 6.

Another thing holding back the action in this episode is the visuals. Despite action weaving throughout the runtime, there is little that pops. Even Dragon’s transformation feels uninteresting. This is disappointing, as visual flair is one of the more consistent elements the show has always managed to hang its hat on. The fact that Arthur and Dragon’s confrontation is devoid of flashy moments makes it feel like a sideshow that doesn’t warrant attention.

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5 only has a visually impactful moment at the very end. Deciding they can no longer wait, Shinra and Joker renew their attack against Captain Burns. Shinra’s clash with Burns as he drives him through the building they were standing on top of brings all the fiery presentation fans expect. Between the renewed assault against Burns and Dragon’s transformation, Episode 6 likely should bring far more excitement than this episode manages.

The final element of this entry is a brief cutaway to some of the side characters as they continue to puzzle over the mysteries of what’s going on. Burn’s subordinates at Station 1 and Princess Hibana (Lynn, Oshi No Ko) are all still trying to unravel the truth behind dooplgangers, infernals, and human combustion. Despite its brevity, the moment builds anticipation, as if the investigators are just shy of locking in the final piece of the puzzle.

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5 delivers brief quality moments amongst a largely unengaging entry. Arthur and Dragon’s opening exchanges largely fall flat due to the need to drag the battle across multiple episodes and underwhelming visuals. Hopefully, the next installment can deliver a big payoff, making this episode worth wading through.

Fire Force Season 3 Episode 5 is streaming now on Crunchyroll.

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