New Game! Episode 5

"That's How Many Nights We Have to Stay Over?" (そんなに泊まり込むんですか？) is the fifth episode of the New Game! anime.

Synopsis
Aoba and Hajime are sent on an errand to buy a replacement tablet pen, only for both parties to end up forgetting their wallets. The next day, Hajime and Kou end up having a secret war over the thermostat, with Yun also getting herself involved in the hopes of losing weight. Later, Aoba hears from Hifumi and Rin about what Kou used to be like.

Plot
Hajime is adding animations to Aoba's model and discusses possible animations with Yun. This piques Aoba's interest, and Yun takes advantage and teases her for a reaction. Aoba asked Hajime if she can see the animation, though the latter says it's nothing special. Aoba denies this and praises Hajime's work, making her feel sheepish. Rin's tablet pen starts to malfunction so Kou sends Hajime and Aoba to buy a replacement.

Arriving at the store, Hajime tries to act as a good senior. After choosing a tablet pen, Aoba realized she forgot her wallet. Hajime comments on her clumsiness, but then notices she does not have her wallet too. Thinking she may have lost it, they search the store, but to no avail. Hajime suggests Aoba return to the office and pick up her wallet while Hajime heads to the customer service counter, calling herself a useless senior. While waiting for Aoba, she watches an anime with a character that reminds her of herself.

Aoba returns after a while, with Hajime's wallet in tow. It turns out Hajime forgot her wallet as well, and remarks that they are both scatter-brained. While walking back, Hajime mentions Aoba's cuteness; Aoba states Hajime is cute too, causing Hajime to act cute. After returning, they gave the pen to Kou, who notices something off with Hajime. Yun butted in laughing at Hajime's force cuteness and the latter ran away.

After the break, Hajime is seen cycling to work and comments on the heat. Aoba greets her with a frozen drink to her cheeks. She asks if Hajime lives nearby, seeing her cycle to work. She replies that she lives five stations away, believing it is necessary to exercise as they sit around all day. Seeing Hajime's body, Aoba notes her body is a bit pudgy. Hajime recommends she leaves one stop early to travel to work. Aoba then asks for a bike recommendation; Hajime suggests she walks instead.

Entering the office, they note how cool it is inside. Yun greets them, and Aoba notices her long sleeves. In truth, Yun has gained weight and conceals her pudgy arms with long sleeves. While she worries about it, Hajime and Aoba continue their conversation about weight loss. Hearing this, Yun asks if they are thinking about a diet. Aoba replies, thinking she may need to lose weight. She then asks if Yun is the type of person who secretly diets all the time; Yun rebuts this claim.

While they continue their work, Hajime becomes more uncomfortable with cold, and tries to increase the temperature on the thermostat. Thinking nobody will notice, she turns it up by 4 degrees. Meanwhile, Kou feels the heat and turns the temperature down by six degrees. Hajime observes the lower temperature and turns up the thermostat by eight degrees. Yun also feels the heat, but endures it as she thinks it will help her sweat, thereby losing weight. Kou notices the temperature has risen again, and turn it down eight degrees. She hides in a corner to catch the person responsible for raising the temperature.

Yun notices the cooler temperature, and worries she will not lose weight. She head to the thermostat and increases the temperature by eight degrees. Kou catches her in the act, and asks if she was the one raising the temperature all this time. Hajime pops out and claims responsibility for the temperature. She and Kou argue about messing with the thermostat, but stop when Rin intervenes. She wants the three to compromise, lest they are banned from touching the thermostat. Seeing her actions, Aoba plans to act like Rin.

A new day begins, and Aoba arrives at the office. She notices nobody has arrived yet, and checks Kou's seat, which was also empty. She takes a seat and pretends to be a character designer, and is discovered by Hifumi, who encourages her to do her best. Aoba notes how messy Kou's desk is, and takes a peek at her drawings. She remarks that she made many revision, although the difference is minor. Hifumi comments that Kou is often seen struggling. Aoba looks at Rin's desk and notes their contrast.

Aoba spots a picture of Rin and Kou with a copy of the first Fairies Story, and sees that she looks different than usual. Hifumi revealed that she did not talk much in the past. She made an effort to talk to Hifumi a few months later, as they were sitting next to each other. Aoba remarks that Hifumi is also talking more than when she first joined. Hifumi claims she finds it easy to talk to her.

Soon, Rin arrives and they ask what Kou was like in the past. She mentions that Kou was quite frank and a hard worker, but lacks communication and had poor relationships with her coworkers at the time. Rin states that Kou cannot lead like that so she is working hard to improve, and is glad everyone is getting along well. Hifumi also wants to change, but dreads the thought of doing so. After a while, Kou arrives with a big bag, planning to spend more nights in the office. Aoba assumes she still does not like interacting with people and roots for her. At home, Hifumi asks Sojiro if it would be better if she changed.

Adaptation Notes

 * This episode adapts Chapter 6 of Volume 1, followed by Chapters 13 & 14 of Volume 2.
 * When Hajime hears Yun's criticism, an extra piece of dialogue is added where she says that she doesn't want to overdo the cuteness.
 * When Yun makes a pose for Hajime to follow, in the anime she says it seems to see serious whereas in the manga she asks if it seems too flirtatious.
 * In the anime, when Kou calls Hajime and Aoba they ask what she needs, this i snot in the manga.
 * Aoba is wearing her purple suit in the manga, in the anime she is just in her white shirt and bow.
 * In the manga, Aoba comments that there are thick and thin pen tablets, whereas in the anime she says she did not know there were so many pen sizes.
 * When Aoba explains that she left her wallet at the office, she turns to the left to look at Hajime, in the manga she turns in the opposite direction.
 * Hajime is shown watching a cartoon while she waits for Aoba as she laments about not being responsible enough, this is not in the manga.
 * Hajime glows when Aoba presents her wallet.
 * Kou thinks about what is going when she sees Hajime has completely changed, this is omitted in the anime.
 * Hajime says "Oh, me?" in the anime, in the manga she says "E-eh?".
 * Aoba looks at Hajime's physique before commenting on her weight, she does not in the manga.
 * The weather was said to hit 30 degrees on that day according to Aoba, this line is changed from Aoba saying that it is July.
 * The anime shows her deadline for models when Aoba thinks Yun is motivating herself.
 * Mozuku is shown suffering in the heat.
 * The anime adds in Yun's decision to turn up the temperature, in the anime it cuts straight to Kou spotting Yun walking to the thermostat.
 * When Yun denies that she was messing with the thermostat, she waves her hand in front of her in the anime, in the manga she has her hands to her clothes.
 * When Aoba does to work, she comments she's been an early riser.
 * In the anime, Hifumi says that Kou is often stretching her head, in the manga she says she is often holding her head.
 * In the manga, the photo of Rin and Kou seems to be longer horizontally, in the anime it is longer vertically.
 * In addition, the two are in the centre of the photo, in the manga they are on the tight side.
 * In the manga, when Hifumi talks about her surprise of Yagami talking to her,
 * In the anime Aoba thinks about how Hifumi seems to not have changed much.
 * Multiple flashbacks of Kou were shown as Rin talked about how she was in the past.
 * When Rin finds out about Hajime, Yun, and Kou messing with the temperature, her reaction is far less extreme and more realistic in the manga.
 * In the manga, Kou praises Aoba for her work as she enters. In the anime, she simply says "Good Morning" to Aoba. Additionally, Kou's reason for staying overnight is because she doesn't have to watch over everyone. In the anime, the reason is because she's a night owl.
 * The final scene is changed, it is set at night in the manga and Kou comes in to stay overnight and work, in the anime it is the morning and Kou has brought in her bag because she plans to stay overnight working.
 * The scene with Hifumi and Sojiro after the ending is anime original.