Ganbare Doukichan, Episode 5: Maids and White Day Gifts

Episode 5 – “A Coworker Who Was Looking Forward to a White Day Gift…”

Hmm.

Two things struck my curiosity bone in this week’s Ganbare Doukichan. The first was how conscientious Doukikun was about Doukichan’s White Day return gift. The dude knew about Doukichan’s love of tanuki, so he gave her a tin of raccoon dog cookies. That’s cute! It’s also a sign that Doukikun knows his colleague well and pays attention to her details. He must favor Doukichan, and Kouhaichan is already playing second fiddle. That’s the surface take from what we saw. But what if Doukikun is like that with all the girls in the office? He prepared a return gift for Kouhaichan too. It was smaller than Doukichan’s bag of cookies, but that doesn’t mean it was less expensive or had lower sentimental value. There could have been diamond earrings in there! That’s doubtful, though, because the gift was in a tiny paper bag. But you never know!

The other thing that surprised me was where the heck Kouhaichan popped out from when Doukikun came back to the office. Ganbare Doukichan presented an empty, darkened office with Doukichan closing things down for the evening. Kouhaichan was not there. But there she was to bother Doukikun for her White Day gift. That’s suspicious! Doukichan appeared surprised that her junior colleague was still at work. What was she doing? Did she go out to dinner and then come back? Well, she declared her intentions in the last episode, so I wouldn’t put anything past her.

Heh.

Hoho. Kouhaichan knows how to keep Doukikun awake when he’s working late at the office. Naughty maid costume pics will perk him right up. Doukichan’s coffee is just not the same. Sure, it will keep him focused on work, but will it motivate him? These scenes match up with the second volume of Yom’s Ganbare Doukichan. Kouhaichan’s texts explain that the girls from the office will dress up as maids for another coworker’s wedding reception. Does that mean Doukichan too?

Ah. It’s been a month already since the events of the last episode. Doukikun is out of the office. Will he make it back in time to give Doukichan his return gift? He does have until 11:59 PM… Doukichan gave up staying late. But look! Just as those elevator doors close, there’s Doukikun! Ouch. I do not recommend stopping elevator doors from closing with your forehead. Ooh. Doukichan got a decorative bag. What’s in there? Ack! Where did Kouhaichan come from? Ganbare Doukichan did not show her computer still open at her desk. Kouhaichan loves using her advantages on Doukikun’s arm. He got her something too. Much smaller. Did Doukikun come back to the office to put the girls’ gifts at their desks? No wonder the girls like him so much. Back at Doukichan’s home, we see what was in the gift bag. Doukikun gave her a tin of tanuki cookies. Her favorite cute animal. Her phone charger is a raccoon dog holding the connector. He knows her well.

Epilogue time for Ganbare Doukichan. Doukichan will be wearing a maid outfit too! She models it for her cat, but he does not look impressed. If she’s too embarrassed to wear that sexy costume in front of her cat, how can she find the courage to wear it for Doukikun? I mean, for her colleague’s wedding…

Jun, the artist behind TabeGirl, illustrated the end card this week.

Ganbare Doukichan streams weekly in multiple subtitles on Crunchyroll and VRV.