Akiro Shiroyanagi's power to make his power whatever the opponent thinks his power is (you may have to reread that sentence a few times for it to make sense) is an interesting one that allows for a lot of mind games during fights that feature him. With such a confusing ability, it would be easy for the viewers to become lost but the showrunners at Battle Game in 5 Seconds had an expert plan to ensure they could get their point across.

The first true fight of Battle Game in 5 Seconds sees Akiro pitted against Madoka Kirisaki and his "turn a stick into a sword" skill. This fight acts as a great introduction to the world of Battle Game in 5 Seconds and the types of magic we are likely to encounter from here onwards. As Akiro is hunted down relentlessly by Madoka, things seem bleak only for Akiro to reveal he possesses the same "turn your hand into a cannon" power that Mion wielded. Knowing his sword is no match, Madoka forfeits the fight. Afterward, a lengthy exposition dump of Akiro's functionality is given and we learn exactly how he works. It was great seeing these powers in action beforehand and then having them explained to us.

Yuuri Amagake's fight was expertly choreographed and gave us a great insight into her character. We first see her pitted against an insatiable pervert who desires nothing more than to make Yuuri his plaything. During this time, we learn of Yuuri's tragic backstory of trying her best to provide for her sibling while her mother galavants with random men. We also learn of Yuuri's stalker who, after deciding one day to end his life, drags Yuuri down with him from the top of a building.

Yuuri has grown to loathe the idea of random chance. Everything in her life has happened supposedly due to such chance and she hates the idea that she has no control. During the fight, she finally snaps, revealing her ability to quintuple her physical strength. From there on out, it's a good old-fashioned pervert beatdown as Yuuri kicks him to the proverbial curb! This fight was great as it mixed exposition and action perfectly without either one overshadowing the other.

This fight may not seem particularly enthralling to some. Truth be told, many of the fights in Battle Game in 5 Seconds are over and done with after one singular punch! However, this fight in particular sets the tone for how truly terrifying this death game really is. After being forced into their first team game, Akiro and several others are introduced to Sawatari. Sawatari's lackluster fighting prowess leaves much to be desired but the team forges a cunning plan that will hopefully snag their victory on the battlefield.

Pit against the beautiful Kashii, she attempts to seduce Sawatari. We, as an audience, see the tired cliché of being seduced about to transpire but Sawatari surprisingly resists her charms (for the most part…). The two, after much discussion, agree on a coin flip to decide the winner. Unfortunately, it was all a bluff on Kashii's part as she quickly dispatches him before the coin hits the floor. Here, we learn just how devastating some powers can be and how no one is truly safe in this battle royale.

This fight is a great representation of the culmination of events so far. Here, we see our three secondary protagonists all teaming up to take down the unbeatable demon that is Hajime Oogami. Yes, the CG animation here is absolutely appalling to look at but those who have made it to this point in the story have surely gotten used to it by now.

Regardless, the fight features all the things you'd want to see in a team battle. We see excellent tag-teaming maneuvers, everyone fighting to the best of their ability, and we also get a nice little expository flashback to Hajime and Masaya's childhoods. Yuuri in particular connects with Hajime's origin and believes that, perhaps, he isn't as bad as she first thought.

Masaya's ability is a very unique one in that he collects debt from people who feel they owe him something. This debt is repaid in the form of an irrefutable command (a la Code Geass) issued from Masaya himself and only lasts for one action before the debt is repaid and the ability's effects wear out.

Akiro finds himself surrounded by Masaya and a horde of people he has enslaved nearing the end of the series. After being beaten up pretty badly, things look bleak for Akiro. However, Akiro has managed to keep his true ability a secret all this time and makes sure to use this to his advantage. We see the full extent of Akiro's planning and cunning on display here and it's great to see play out!