Summary
Episode 5 feels like a filler before it moves on to the latter stages of the Netflix series.
This recap of Netflix anime series Japan Sinks: 2020 season 1, episode 5, “Illusion” contains significant spoilers.
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How does Japan Sinks: 2020 season 1, episode 5, “Illusion” open?
With Shan City welcoming the group — it’s a community of people, and according to Daniel it’s not really a religion. They are led by a leader called Mother who can apparently speak to the dead. Episode 5 starts a run of a couple of episodes where the story sidetracks a little.
Mother
They watch the mother perform her rituals and talk to the dead. People give her mementos that help her zone in on the spirits. In order to talk to Mother, you must be chosen — she can only talk to three people a day.
Grow up
The group seems to be settling into the city and getting used to the community. At night, Go uses his torch to Morse code to his father in the sky. Ayumu tells her mother she wants to hear her father’s voice. Mari doesn’t see the point and Ayumu accuses her mother of wanting to forget him and move on. Mari tells her to grow up. The mother/daughter frustrations continue as they both struggle to grieve.
Weekend party
There’s a weekend party at night with plenty of drugs. Meanwhile, Daniel gets Mari out of her slump as she seems depressed. She suddenly cries and states she needs to stay strong.
Why didn’t you leave Japan?
Kite and Haruo are loving the party and enjoying the crowd. Haruo takes over the DJ deck. A boy at the party tells Ayumu that if she gets off with him, she can see Mother. As he forces himself on to her, Ayumu headbutts him to the floor. The next morning, Ayumu asks Kite why he didn’t leave Japan like the other rich people. He claims it is because he found it interesting but you can tell that is not the full truth. Mari cuts Ayumu’s hair and while she does it, she cries over her dead husband. The pair finally mourn together.
How does Japan Sinks: 2020 season 1, episode 5, “Illusion” end?
Suddenly, the elderly man walks around the community killing people with arrows and then he kidnaps the boy that Mother was taking care of, referring to himself as “Grandpa”. Meanwhile, Mother is having sex. The elderly man crashes his car as he leaves the premises. Episode 5 feels like a filler before it moves on to the latter stages of the Netflix series.
