Ep 5. Stairs - Die Treppe

In Rozen Maiden season 1 episode 5, titled "Stairs - Die Treppe," we witness the aftermath of the previous episode's cliffhanger. Jun, the main character, had just fallen down a set of stairs while holding the fifth Rozen Maiden doll, Shinku. We see Jun regaining consciousness, confused and disoriented. Shinku is also alright since she can't be hurt, being a living doll.

We then move to a flashback where the audience learns of Suigintou's backstory - one of the other Rozen Maiden dolls. We find out that Suigintou was the first Rozen Maiden doll to be created, but due to some defect, she was tossed away and left incomplete. Her desire to become complete and be loved by her creator, Rozen, fuels much of her actions throughout the show. The flashback ends with Suigintou coming to terms with her fate as an incomplete doll, cursing Rozen's name before vanishing into the night.

Back in the present, Jun is thinking about his encounter with Shinku. He starts to question his own sanity, wondering if he was dreaming or hallucinating. He eventually puts his doubts away as he sees Shinku lying next to him. However, he's not the only one in the room. His sister, Nori, enters and starts to question him about what's been going on. Jun avoids telling the truth, stating that he fell asleep and fell down the stairs. Nori doesn't believe him, seeing that he's clutching Shinku's hand tightly.

Jun goes to school, feeling uneasy about what's going on. He's afraid of running into Shinku again, but he can't seem to shake off the feeling of wanting to see her. In class, he has a run-in with Tomoe, a classmate who is smitten with him. However, he doesn't return her feelings, and she becomes irritable. She then spots Shinku on Jun's person and becomes fixated on the doll. She tries to take it away, leading to a confrontation between the two.

The show then switches back to Suigintou, who is visited by another Rozen Maiden doll, Kanaria. Kanaria is a mischievous doll who loves to play pranks. She tells Suigintou about the other Rozen Maiden dolls that have been contacted by their "masters." It becomes apparent that Rozen is using them to compete against each other. Suigintou comments that she doesn't care what Rozen's intentions are and that she only wishes to complete herself.

The episode ends with Jun visiting a store that sells dolls. He's looking for Shinku's signature phrase, "Desu," but can't find anything. The episode leaves off on a cliffhanger as the audience is left to wonder what other secrets will be revealed in the next episode.