EPISODE CONTEXT

Sitting just before the halfway mark of a 12-episode run, episode 5 directly inherits the fallout from the male beauty pageant chaos that defined episode 4, turning campus notoriety into a full-blown social minefield for Iori and Kōhei. The introduction of new characters here is significant — it broadens the ensemble heading into the season's second half and plants seeds for evolving relationship dynamics. This episode serves as a pivot point where early-season setup transitions into longer-running comedic threads that will carry through the remaining episodes.