Westworld season 2 episode 5 live stream: Watch online

Westworld trades gunslingers for samurai in a secrecy-shrouded Shogun World hour. Culturess has everything you need to know about the episode.

Last week, Westworld aired the best episode of season 2 — and possibly the show — so far. “The Riddle of the Sphinx” followed Bernard and the Man in Black as they visited places from their pasts, learning about themselves. Elegantly directed by showrunner Lisa Joy, it included twists, revelations, mysteries, a shootout and an acting masterclass.

Can tonight’s episode possibly top that?

Even by Westworld standards, the official synopsis for “Akane No Mai” is cryptic. You can read it below, courtesy of the show’s Wiki:

"ショーグン・ワールドへようこそ (Welcome to Shogun World)"

Back in the season 1 finale, Shogun World provided our very first glimpse of the world outside of Westworld. The second of six parks owned by Delos, it derives its aesthetic from Japan’s Edo period. Spanning more than 200 years, Edo was defined by a strict social hierarchy, isolationism, economic prosperity, and the rise of popular art, including kabuki and ukiyo-e.

On one hand, “The Riddle of the Sphinx” ended with a killer cliffhanger, and I resent having to wait two weeks for more. Still, Edo is such a rich (and, in Western fiction, under-explored) era of history; I can’t wait to see Westworld’s take on it. The trailer for “Akane No Mai” certainly looks action-packed.

Plus, Rinko Kikuchi! The Oscar-nominated actress plays Akane, and judging by the episode title (which roughly translates to “Dance of Akane”), her role is major.

"Date: Sunday, May 20Start time: 9 p.m. ESTEpisode: “Akane No Mai”TV Channel: HBOLive Stream: Watch live on Fubo TV. Sign up now for a free seven-day trial. You can also watch on HBO Go or HBO Now."

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Craig Zobel directs from a script by Dan Dietz.