Erased Season 1 Episode 5 Recap

A man receives a phone call from an unknown caller, but when he answers the phone, no one answers on the other line. The man goes to the park and meets Satoru. He introduces himself as Sawada, Sachiko’s former coworker at TV Ishikari’s News Division. He tells Satoru he’s not the one who killed Sachiko. Airi wakes up in the hospital. When she opens the door, she hears the investigators talking about her. “We found her fingerprints on the weapon used to kill the mother,” says one investigator. They suspect Satoru wants to kill Airi to keep her silent about the crime. Sawada tells Satoru that Sachiko thinks she might know who the real killer is, but she hasn’t told Sawada because she isn’t sure about the name. He hands Satoru the reports he compiled 18 years ago. He says the footprints found near the storage unit matched the rubber boots used at Yuuki’s workplace. Sawada adds that Yuuki took Kayo to an industrial freezer and sprayed her down to freeze her quickly. Satoru believes Yuuki is innocent, but Sawada reminds him Yuuki didn’t have an alibi.

Satoru meets with Airi under the overpass. Airi confesses she saw the killer’s face and feels like she had already seen him at their workplace. While they talk, the police come and arrest Satoru. Airi admits she has led the police to Satoru even when she has promised to come alone. While the police and Satoru get in the police car, Satoru sees the killer watching them. He still can’t see his face clearly because of his cap. Satoru pushes the police holding him to chase the killer, but a revival suddenly happens.

February 29th, 1988 — he’s back in 5th grade, and Kayo is still alive. Kenya approaches Satoru and asks if he’s done reading the book he lent him. Satoru replies he hasn’t finished it yet. Kenya tells him he never lent Satoru any book. “Who are you, exactly?” Kenya asks. “I’m a defender of justice,” Satoru replies. He tells Kenya that Kayo will be killed, but he will stop it. Satoru and Kayo celebrate their birthdays on March 2nd, but Satoru has a different plan this time. He tells his mom he’ll return to school to get something, but he goes to Yuuki’s workplace. Satoru throws a rock wrapped in paper with the message: DIE. Yuuki calls the police to ask for help. “Now the police will be able to give Yuuki an alibi for tonight,” Satoru tells himself.

He’s holding a stun gun he made from a disposable camera. He follows Kayo’s mother, but before he stuns her, Kenya stops him. The birthday celebration ends, and it’s time to go home. Instead of walking Kayo home, Satoru brings her to an old bus that used to be a club room for an ice hockey club. Kenya helps set up the stove and lights inside to keep Kayo warm. Before they go home, Satoru tells Kayo he will be back the next day. “We promise we’ll protect you,” Satoru says. The next day, March 3rd, Kayo is absent. After classes, Satoru and his friends visit Kayo to play cards with her. When night comes, and Kayo is alone and sleeping, a man wearing a pair of rubber boots comes. He enters the bus where Kayo is staying and throws a bag. Kayo looks so scared as she holds tight to her blanket. The man doesn’t see her because of the curtains dividing them.

Our Thoughts

We know Satoru cares so much about Kayo. But is staying on an old bus better than staying inside a house? He could’ve just told his mother about his plan so that she could help him. Sachiko saw how Kayo was being treated at home. I don’t think she would’ve minded if Kayo had stayed with them for a few days. Anyone could go inside the bus, just like the man with the rubber boots. Who knows what he could’ve done to her had he known Kayo was there? But did he know? Was he simply trying to scare Kayo as if to say she couldn’t hide? Kayo’s mother should’ve gone to the police or the school when Kayo didn’t come home, but we didn’t see her looking for Kayo.

Also, we didn’t expect Airi to lead the police to Satoru. What was she thinking when she did that? As for Kenya, he seems like a very good friend of Satoru. He offers to help and is smart enough to know something is going on. Will they manage to save Kayo this time?