Episode 5 of To Be Hero X , released on May 3rd, introduces another hero who is part of the top ten strongest group. The episode focused on the characters Yang Cheng and E-Soul, the hero who occupies the 9th position in the ranking, signaling a shift in focus and moving away from Lin Ling.
The introduction of E-Soul doesn't seem to be accidental, since, in addition to the anime presenting the heroes in order of ranking, he was apparently responsible for attacking Xiao Yueqing. Therefore, despite changing the main character, the narrative seems to be connected to the end of the previous episode.
To Be Hero X introduces a character with the same purpose as Lin Ling
Like Lin Ling, all Yang Cheng wants is to become a hero. However, since his parents died, his self-confidence is at zero. The boy dreams of being like E-Soul, since the hero saved him as a child and became a role model for him. Therefore, he starts impersonating E-Soul in a children's theater in the hope of one day meeting him.
During one of his performances, Yang Cheng meets a little boy who, despite his strong temperament, helps him improve his performance as E-Soul. The child, nicknamed Pomelinho and also the brother of the girl the protagonist likes, begins to spend more time with the actor.
Furthermore, in the episode, while trying to improve his uniform for performances, Yang Cheng vents about the difficulty of living without points of trust in a world where recognition from others is everything. This theme is quite recurrent in To Be Hero X, since points are directly linked to the acquisition of powers.
After putting some of the boy's advice into practice, Yang Cheng participates in a contest where the best interpretation of E-Soul will win. However, lacking any confidence, he doesn't win the competition. Frustrated with the situation, the character gives up trying to find E-Soul or be like him. However, something unexpected happens, and Yang Cheng, who thought he would never be a hero, is forced to act like one.
Yang Cheng gains the powers of E-Soul through Pomelinho's trust
After two deliverymen, who worked for Yang Cheng's boss, receive a call asking them to deliver a person in exchange for a large sum of money, Pomelinho is kidnapped. Therefore, the protagonist, who was saved by a hero in his past, decides to rescue the child.
With zero trust points and no apparent power or physical strength, Yang Cheng chases after the kidnappers, pedaling at high speed on his bicycle. This moment is reminiscent of episode 4, where Lin Ling, even without trust points, fights to save the one she loves.
The encounter between Yang Cheng and the kidnappers is the highlight of the episode. The scene of the real E-Soul going on stage for his speech blends with the moment when the protagonist, dressed as the hero, fights for the little boy he met at his presentation. However, this is no longer a performance; Yang Cheng is no longer acting. Now, he truly needs to become a hero.
The kidnappers don't easily give up on taking the child; they beat the protagonist without a shred of compassion. The scene combines moments from Yang Cheng's past and lines from E-Soul's speech with the fight between the character and the two men. The high point is the exact moment when Pomelinho calls the protagonist E-Soul and places his trust in him. Consequently, Yang Cheng seems to acquire the hero's powers.
The animation in this scene is impressive, especially when Pomelinho's confidence, manifested as a lightning bolt, travels through and fills Yang Cheng's body. The soundtrack, combined with the hero E-Soul's speech, makes the fight even more extraordinary. In the end, to make the episode even more exciting, the little boy hugs the protagonist and says that this was the best performance he has ever seen.
The open mysteries of To Be Hero X
To Be Hero X knows how to capture the audience's attention. The series leaves some questions unanswered, but these will likely be explained later on. One of them is the death of Xiao Yueqing, since, as far as we can tell, the culprit is E-Soul himself, the hero introduced in the current episode.
Furthermore, who hired the two delivery men to kidnap Pomelinho? Is there someone behind it trying to motivate Yang Cheng to become a hero? There's also the protagonist's transformation. Will he ultimately be the real E-Soul, and will the anime deal with time travel, or did he simply inherit the hero's powers because Pomelinho wished, during the fight, that Yang Cheng would be like E-Soul?
There's still a lot to explore in the narrative. To Be Hero X is following a very interesting path where, despite the change of protagonist, everything that has happened so far likely connects to the upcoming episodes.
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