This article contains spoilers for
Astro Royale Chapter 5, “A Book Launch”,
by Ken Wakui, available in English at
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Ken Wakui Astro Royale has been a solid series since it premiered on April 14, 2024, and Chapter 4's cliffhanger set up what was supposed to be the first official showdown in the Yotsuguri family rivalry. Hibaru and Terasu arrived in Ikebukuro to meet with their adopted brother Kuran, only to discover that he was no longer in charge of the Sanmenroppi, the diligent ones tasked with protecting the city. To their surprise, Kou was now the leader, and as the chapter came to a close, Hibaru challenged his eleventh adopted brother to a showdown with the Yotsugiri.

Chapter 4 of Astro Royale does a lot of the heavy lifting effortlessly, as it not only introduces Kou and Kuran in an engaging way, setting them up as big, complex characters, but also a whole new city and culture from the first three episodes. The cliffhanger at the end of the chapter promised readers an epic showdown between Hibaru and Kou. Unfortunately, instead of delivering another spectacular chapter, Chapter 5 feels like a typical character standoff.where not much happens out of character dropping generic phrases and expressing rivalry.

What is Yotsugiri Throwdown according to the Family Code?

Hibaru and Kou face off in Astro Royale Chapter 5 and each sets a prize if they win

If I win, I get Terasu. That's fair, isn't it?

-Kou Yotsugiri, Astro Royale, Chapter 5

From the beginning, it was clear that the Yotsugiri family had their own family code to follow. With each chapter, readers got a little peek into the code and Chapter 5 really puts the element of releases on the table. According to the Yotsugiri Family Code, when any of the brothers disagree, they have to settle the matter with a face-to-face fight and absolutely no one can contest the declared winner.

As Hibaru and Kou stood face to face, they each declared what they would want if they won. Hibaru claims his brother Kuran, and Kou demands that Hibaru give up Terasu.. With the demands set, Hibaru predictably lunges towards Kou and the fight begins. Almost immediately, Kou shows his strength and, using his extendable Astro arms, grabs Hibaru's fist, stopping his attack before Hibaru has a chance to increase his power.

From there, the battles continue, but they feel lacking in terms of emotional weight or even stakes. It plays out like a pre-fab shonen fight with Kou acting as a fairly generic antagonist, attacking his brother’s ideals, while Hibaru embodies the idealistic protagonist who takes a hard beating before getting back up and gaining the upper hand. This is rather unfortunate given the character setup and world-building that has emerged in the previous chapters.

Astro Royale Chapter 5 does not match previous chapters

Hibaru versus Kou in Chapter 5 of Astro Royale looks like a beat by Beat Generic Fight

I didn't stand a chance against him either…His Star is Asura, the God of Destruction.

– Kuran, Astro Royale, Chapter 5

Hibaru and Kou's fight doesn't match up to what came before in Astro Royale. Not only is the fight resolved quickly, but it also doesn't carry the emotional weight that Hibaru and Terasu's fight did. Where the short-lived confrontation between Hibaru and Terasu shined and was earned, the confrontation between Hibaru and Kou simply fizzles out and fails to deliver or improve upon the fight in Chapter 3.

What makes the fight worse is the lack of any sort of strategy or intelligence. The fight begins with Hibaru lunging towards Kou without a second thought, only to be grabbed by Kou's noodle arms and thrown across the room more than once. The fight ends up feeling repetitive and the dialogue is devoid of thoughtful consequences or even characterization.

Kou Yotsugiri is so far the least interesting brother and while Wakui tries his best to give Kou some complexities, he fails to hit the mark. The eleventh foster brother comes across as a two-dimensional antagonist with an ego problem, who spouts bland threats without any real stakes. This is unfortunate, especially considering the fact that Kou's Astro is quite unique and could have offered the battle some very interesting choreography and strategies.

What does Astro Royale need to do next?

Astro Royale Chapter 5 Could Take the Manga Down a Dangerous Path

Botan protected a child who was dragged into the action and died in the process.

Unnamed Sanmenroppi, Astro Royale, Chapter 5

While Astro RoyaleThe first four chapters of have been effective and well presented in every aspect, the fact that it didn't take long for it to stumble is a rather worrying turn of events. It's not just the journey that's concerning, but how much the chapter stumbled. The way Chapter 5 is structured and the failure to deliver on the promises set by Chapter 4 doesn't bode well for the manga as a whole. The fact that all the elements were there and ready to be used to their best advantage, but weren't, is quite unfortunate.

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The little backstory that Wakui gives Kou to somewhat justify the character's behavior is the chapter's saving grace. Kou's hatred of ideals, especially those similar to Hibaru's, is due to the fact that his older biological brother, Botan, upholds the same ideals. Before Kou joined the Yotsugiri family, there was a major territorial war in Ikebukuro, and in the midst of it, Botan protected a young boy who was dragged into the violence and was killed as a result.

Kou’s hatred of “good people” comes from a place of utter cynicism. To him, anyone who lives the way Hibaru and Botan do will just end up dead anyway, despite the good they do while they’re alive. Kou wants to live in what he believes is a smarter way, a way to utilize his strong Astro to gain power. While this may seem like a justified mindset, it also feels a bit cliché.

The confrontation between Hibaru and Kou has yet to come to an end, and while Chapter 6 may yet salvage the mess caused by this episode, it will be a challenge to rise from the rubble. Ultimately, Chapter 5 was not the worst chapter of a shonen manga, but when compared to the standard set by the previous chapters of Astro Royale, doesn't hold up. With the first release complete (at least for now), Wakui has a chance to correct course and put the story on a more solid path.