Chäos;HEAd - Episode 5

After messing with my mind for much of its four episodes thus far, the fifth instalment of Chäos;HEAd finally starts to explain things... Although by explain, I mean mess with my head all the more.

There are really two big set pieces contained within this episode to get you thinking about where the series is headed. The first is regarding a fish burger... Wait, no, I'm not sure that was one. The first is a monologue given to Takumi by Sena (she of the penchant for ice lollies and the cause of Takumi's first encounter with a Di-Sword) which has distinctly Matrix-esque undertones - In essence, she asks whether the world Takumi sees around him is the real world in which he appears to live, and suggests that someone or something is controlling not only what people see, but even their movements to some unspecified end.


This philosophy is taken further in the episode as Takumi bumps into Ayase while on the run from the police (or possibly a delusion that the police are chasing him) after Yua corners him and once again tries to persuade him to let her help him, as she's convinced that he's responsible for the New Gene killings. Ayase produces a Di-Sword virtually out of thin air, while also suggesting that Takumi's delusions are, perhaps, anything but, and are in fact the product of some kind of other dimension or domain that he has the power to tap into. It still makes it no clearer to Takumi how to obtain his own Di-Sword of course, but it's intriguing stuff, which is topped off with Takumi being sent a YouTube... sorry, "MewTube" link showing some more New Gene related deaths - But who was recording the video?...

While there can be no doubt that I've very much enjoyed Chäos;HEAd so far, episode five of the series has really kicked things up a notch. Okay, so the Matrix parallels already feel a little tired and dated, but putting that to one side this particular instalment of the show was a little slice of genius, which somehow managed to explain so much while still explaining nothing, and actually letting me enjoy being thoroughly baffled in the process. Once again, I'm left entirely without a clue as to where things will head with this series next, but I truly can't wait to find out after the masterful qualities of this particular episode.