English Dub Review: The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague “Sleepover in the Storm!!”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
When a storm stops the trains from running, the boys decide to spend the night at Katori’s while the girls get a room at a business hotel.

Our Take:
At the end of the previous episode, Himuro receives a discomforting fortune that his overall luck will be like a violent storm. That may seem like it’s written as a metaphor at first, but it turns out to be the real deal, thanks to this week’s episode. Considering that we’re days away from Fuyutsuki’s birthday, the odds are definitely not in the ice guy’s favor. On the bright side, the co-workers get to spend more quality time together outside of work, but not in the way Himuro wanted it to go.
In the eighth episode, Himuro originally planned to give Fuyutsuki the snowflake earrings as a Christmas gift. Instead, he gave her a nice kitten blanket when he realized the earrings were too personal for co-workers. Fortunately, Fuyutsuki’s upcoming birthday gives Himuro an opportunity to give her the earrings. However, the severe weather changed those plans, as it caused the trains to cease functioning. As a result, the men and women stay at different locations for the night.
The episode’s first half consists of Fuyutsuki, Komori, and Otonashi staying in a hotel room, while Himuro, Katori, and Saejima stay in Katori’s apartment to play video games. During their stays, both Himuro and Fuyutsuki confess to their friends about their feelings, with Fuyutsuki admitting that she has never been in love before. The first half is another example of how endearing and humorous the characters’ chemistry is throughout the series. While the boys have their share of moments, including Katori getting a cold, the scenes with the girls were more enjoyable regarding their personalities. One of the reasons is when Fuyutsuki comforts Komori when she’s scared of thunderstorms, showcasing Fuyutsuki’s kindhearted nature. The other is Komori and Otonashi teasing each other over Saejima and Katori.
The second half then sees Himuro attempting to give Fuyutsuki the earrings at work before she spends her birthday with her parents. However, he couldn’t find the right time to do so, with Fuyutsuki being distracted by work-related issues. Thankfully, Himuro was finally able to give her the earrings when he accidentally froze the river and trees during their walk home. So Fuyutsuki got two birthday gifts from Himuro: a pair of earrings and a winter wonderland.
The ending was a splendid way to cap off an episode like “Sleepover in the Storm”, mainly because the show continues to represent Himuro’s relatable personality. He wanted to give Fuyutsuki the earrings, but he was also concerned about being embarrassed or making her uncomfortable with his gift. It’s another showcase of Himuro’s struggles to make Fuyutsuki happy in any way he can despite his ice magic and his concerns. Everyone who’s been in this situation before would definitely relate to Himuro, minus the ice magic, making this one of the reasons for the show’s success.
Regarding the characters’ chemistry in the first half and Himuro’s attempt to give Fuyutsuki her birthday gift, “Sleepover in the Storm” is one of the series’ best and more endearing episodes. In addition to its wholesomeness, I would credit the animation team again for displaying the beauty and vibrancy of Himuro’s winter wonderland and Fuyutsuki wearing the earrings. That alone deserves another chef’s kiss from me. Sadly, our time with the cool colleagues is nearing its end, as we only have two more episodes left in the season. Hopefully, Himuro would find the courage to tell Fuyutsuki his true feelings before then.