The famous Seven Mysteries that every school seems to have are a staple of Japanese urban legends. One of the most well-known of these tales is that of Hanako-san: the ghost of a young girl who haunts the school's bathrooms.
Kamome Academy has its own version of Hanako-san's legend. Rumors claim that if one successfully manages to summon Hanako-san, she will grant her summoner any wish. Lured by the gossip, many people have tried to call upon her, yet every attempt has failed. However, when Nene Yashiro, a girl hoping for romantic fortune, dares to summon Hanako-san, she discovers that the rumored "girl" is actually a boy!
After a series of unfortunate events involving Yashiro's romantic desires, she is unwillingly entangled in the world of the supernatural, becoming Hanako-kun's assistant. Soon, she finds out about Hanako-kun's lesser-known duty: maintaining the fragile balance between mortals and apparitions.
[Written by MAL Rewrite]
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Stark700
With all the negative news about the coronavirus going on this year, I figured there’s bound to be at least one or more shows to relax and indulge myself in. When I saw the English version of the title, it reminded me that people have been hoarding toilet paper. But upon finishing this supernatural gem, I found myself eager for more. Sometimes in life there comes a surprise that hits you out of nowhere. Sometimes, there’s a show out there that doesn’t seem what meets the eye. And to say that in a positive light, it’s something we need about now. Based on the manga ofthe same name, Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun is a supernatural school story detailing events at Kamome Academy, a school shrouded by seven mysteries. Among these mystery is about an entity named Hanako, where a rumor goes around that they will grant a wish for the right price. A plot twist reveals that Hanako is actually a boy after being summoned by a girl named Nene Yashiro. And that’s not all. She becomes his personal assistant! Sounds like a strange character duo paired up together, right?
That’s because Hanako is a social animal, the type with a curiosity around the world and loves being mischievous. Like a prankster, he often sees situation as games for fun but does grow serious under circumstances when needed. For what he represents, Hanako is essentially the supernatural poster boy of the anime. This is somewhat in contrast to Nene, a sweet natured girl who is unaware of the true nature of the outside world. Like most teenage girls of her age, she wants a boyfriend and is one of the main reasons why she took the chance to summon Hanako in the first place – to wish for her feelings to be returned by her crush. However, this anime does not tailor to a romantic comedy but instead takes on the path of a supernatural adventure. Each episode reveals more mystery and fictional lore about the school and hidden truths. What started as a ‘be careful what you wish for’ soon becomes a maze warped with strange abnormalities.
A curious question revolves around what you should really expect from the character cast. To be frank, the characters are what collectively carries the anime together. Sure, the plot itself has a lot of potential with the various arcs but it’s the characters that plays out their roles. Obviously, you have Hanako and Nene together as the main pair and the amount of development we see is evident from the beginning. As time goes on, Hanako begins to truly care for Nene and isn’t hesitant to resort to violence to protect her. Similarly, Nene’s fragile shell begins to open up the more she experiences her newfound life with Hanako. It’s a type of character bonding that naturally plays out by itself and very simple to understand. They’re not the only ones hoarding the attention either as we also have Kou Minamoto, another student that becomes an ally and friend to Hanako and Nene. Being somewhat airheaded, Kou exemplifies the personality of a teenager of his age and sometimes gets himself into trouble. That doesn’t stop him from taking risks to help others and showing acts of courage. Other cast in the series possesses a wide range of personalities such as the unpredictable Mitsuba, popular Aoi Akane, or prideful Sakura Nanamine. They fall short compared to the main cast but still gets enough screen time to be worthy of being watched.
Divided into story arcs, the show typically follows each volume entangled with some of the various supernatural gimmicks of the premise. Most of them deals with the seven mysteries at school but sometimes, we also discover hidden truths from what you’d least expected. But because it’s composed of just 12 episodes, I knew the directors had to omit some content. It doesn’t negate the enjoyable of the series altogether but it’s still an unfortunate reality to accept with a pace of 12 episodes. Fortunately, the anime’s overall comedy excels at delivering quality character chemistry. Every expression has charisma and isn’t shy to be overdramatic. Character gags is also evident especially with the main cast by showing how they react to different situations. It’s easy to fall in love with the humor of the show when every episode does its best to entertain the audience.
One of the show’s trademarks is the unique style of the artwork. It pays tribute to the manga by taking it straight out of its pages and making it come to life. Watching the show feels like jumping right into the anime’s world fiction with its colorful settings. The comic book art-like style is also faithful in adapting the character designs to make them as crisp as possible. By that, I mean the characters look larger than life but enough to be believable for a supernatural comedy. Let’s also not forget the delicate features of Nene and malicious deeds of Hanako. Their actions follows them with the art style every step of the way. And if you ask me, this show has potential to be one of the most eye catchy OP theme songs of the year.
Perhaps Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun attracts more of a niche audience but in the modern world today, this is a safe recommendation that I can suggest to anyone. For a supernatural comedy, the show knows its intentions from day 1 and isn’t afraid to be over the top. But at the same time, it’s confident enough to be right where it feels comfortable. If you’re having a stressful day and wants to catch a break, this anime is your remedy. This world needs one right about now.
kirei_tsuki
Mind me, this is a biased review, so you may not agree with what rating I gave this. Although, I will talk about why this anime, in my eyes, is a masterpiece, so at least take the time to read it. At first glance, Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun seems like a normal comedy show, but when I started watching it, I was amazed. It is actually really funny, but it does have a lot of cool character writing as well. When you see the word 'toilet' in the title of an anime you may be inclined to think it's odd, but this is entirely wrong. Story: 'Oh, Hanako's aboy! What a boring plot twist,' is what some people would think. Actually, this isn't a very important factor in the story, but this does affect Hanako and Yashiro's relationship, which I will not talk about here. The story is fantastic, as every episode, you learn more about the seven wonders, the character's personalities, etc. Unfortunately, to say, nearing the end of the 12 episodes, the show fails to give us much more information about Hanako-kun, why he died and other spoilers. Fortunately, though, this isn't a major flaw, and you'll still enjoy the story, up until the very end.
Art:
Now I think this is a category everyone will agree on. The art was extremely aesthetically pleasing, especially with the way the characters were drawn. Sometimes it looks a bit like manga panels, which I would usually consider bad quality, but it matches the style of this anime perfectly. Another nice addition was the red flowers that appear occasionally on the side, to match the mood.
Sound:
Every anime has it's own unique sound effects, regardless of whether the anime is good or not. This show's soundtrack gave off a mysterious and sad vibe, which perfectly fits in.
The OP was catchy, kind of like a rock song. The ED though was wonderful. There would always be a bittersweet scene at the end of an episode, and the lovely ED would start playing, and it would provide a feeling that doesn't have you screaming for the next episode but looking forward to it.
Character:
This was the part I was really excited to write, but then I realised it's really hard to discuss characters without giving spoilers. I'll try my hardest.
Hanako-kun could be considered sadistic, but he's also kind, which is exactly what I like about him. Some anime have a character who's completely sadistic, which makes them one dimensional. Although not all is revealed about Hanako yet, I believe there may be a second season, so it'll probably be told by then.
Yashiro is someone I wouldn't personally be friends with, but I still think she's a well-written character. She represents us as humans. She's desperate to have the status of 'girlfriend', but she doesn't actually truly love the boys she has had crushes on since she doesn't even remember their full names. This sounds like a brat, but she isn't, because she truly works hard to care for people. When she meets Hanako, she does realise some things about love, though.
Kou is probably a less detailed character. He doesn't have a particularly obvious personality but we do learn that he ALSO cares for people, so it's nice to know we have three caring main characters. Kou learns about friendship a bit later in the show, and it's pretty sad, as well.
Other characters will not be discussed due to spoilers.
Enjoyment:
From this review, it's easy to tell that I enjoyed this anime a lot. It's obviously not flawless, but I believe that sometimes flaws make an anime more enjoyable, whether that makes sense or not.
Overall:
I hope Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun is noticed more, as it's severely under-watched. If you're reading my review and haven't watched it yet, go ahead, I can't guarantee you'll enjoy it as much as I have, but hopefully, this review helped you watch the anime with a hopeful mindset, instead of a negative one, since that ruins the entire anime for me.
Thank you for reading!
Skarvalin
It’s bold to try and balance tense and dramatic scenes with comedic ones. It could easily backfire and make a show less than engaging. With that said, here we have Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun, to showcase the worst outcome of this very problem. A perfect example of how not to do tonal shifts. It’s presented as a fun, light-hearted adventure. Yet it also chooses to delve into topics such as loneliness and death. Doing so in a tonally much grimmer and dismal way. That is until it remembers that it set itself up as a comedy first and foremost and throws in some of its titularslapstick humor in the mix for good measure. The humor doesn't serve to build on the characters, it’s there just for the sake of it. It’s this forced humor that pulls one out of any potential engagement, in service of a cheap laugh. And if the show itself treats its heavier subject matters like a joke, then why shouldn't the viewer? It's a shame because the show has some genuinely good qualities to it.
The artwork for one is absolutely gorgeous. Beautifully detailed backgrounds filled with a warm color palette emits a feeling of comfort and excitement. The character designs are fun and distinct, and come to life thanks to the voice acting. Whoever decided to let Megumi Ogata voice Hanako deserves a raise. He's a fun character to watch which is amplified immensely by Ogata's acting. The other cast members also delivered a solid performance and seemed to have fun with their roles.
Hanako himself was another saving grace that made the show much more watchable. But I grieve over the fact that they only scratched the surface of his character. Giving the show more time to flesh him out could've been very engaging. Sadly a lot of the focus was shifted towards other characters like Nene and Kou instead, who frankly shouldn’t have been main characters at all. Their effect on the story is rather minuscule as Nene's existence revolves around being the person who gets all the exposition dumps, as well as a damsel in distress for white knight Hanako to rescue. Kou's purpose is even smaller as he's often just one of many comic relief characters. They did set a character arc in motion for him which sadly didn't lead anywhere. With this in mind I think that they should've been taken out of the spotlight to instead shine brighter on other characters, like Hanako. The show could've been more focused and serious by doing that which I think would've been beneficial to the show overall.
The animation was also a letdown as it’s basically nonexistent most of the time. Still shots take up the majority of each episode, and when it doesn’t it’s quite stiff and lifeless. It doesn’t take away how good the show still looks otherwise, slightly on par with the manga I would presume. I do however think it's unjustified to make an adaptation if the animation is only as good as the comic it’s based on.
It’s a shame to see a show with a lot of potential ultimately throw it away when the goal was right open. Nevertheless it did have gorgeous art and solid performances to back it up somewhat, and there were a few jokes that admittedly worked fine. Still, it’s not enough to make this worth recommending. Though it seems to be enjoyed by many despite its shortcomings. So give it a go if you want, but I’d recommend you flush that thought away.
Snapshot426
No doubt, the thing that probably caught the eye of many of us towards this show was that art style. It looked unique, stylish and intriguing. That is certainly how I felt when seeing this show. Now an anime or manga would use this as a launch point to get people into your world and story that you are trying to tell. What we get a show that carries that unique art style and expands on it into something I didn’t think I would enjoy this much. Sit back relax, knock on the bathroom door and say “Hanako-san, Hanako-san, are you there?” As I presentto you the anime review for Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun. Let begin.
Story: 7.5/10
Our story begins in Kamome Academy where Nene Yashiro is attempting to summon Hanako-san in order to to grant her a wish despite many trying and failing to summon Hanako-san. However, she manages to successfully summon Hanako-san and wishes Hanako-san to help her with her romantic desires. But, due to some unforeseen circumstances, she is dragged into the world of the supernatural and becomes Hanako-san’s assistant to maintain balance between humans and the apparitions that seem to want to mess with them and disrupt the balance.
Out the shows this season that deal with supernatural rumours and apparitions (e.g, In/Spectre and Magia record), Hanako-kun probably does it in the most enjoyable and satisfying way on how to deal with the apparitions and how they came to be. Mainly because the world building is really good. How the apparitions take form, how they get stronger or weaker through word of mouth and how they get easily influenced by humanity. The show does as much showing as it does telling us without relying on over-exposition to explain it to us how world of apparitions work. This is especially true with how the “Seven Wonders,” the head apparitions that have taken a foothold in the school, work and how they get their strength as well as their own world in which they manifest. It’s all genuinely interesting and is presented in a way that is both chilling and charming but never at the same time.
Now the show carries plenty of mystery to it with the apparitions, the Seven Wonders and Hanako-san himself. Are they deep mysteries? Not really. They are more or less self contained mysteries, that exist to help with the world building and character depth, which to be fair, does help out the show quite a bit to help give it that depth that it needs, but it doesn’t help develop this one big narrative that this show is trying to develop with the help of its main antagonists. The focus is clearly on the relationship on Yashiro and Hanako-san and how they work together to stop the apparitions from disrupting the balance. Yet it felt like there was some missed potential to make the situation more dire than it seemed because the threat didn’t feel like the a threat as it was treated like a causal, nonchalant problem that they will eventually solve.
Characters: 8.5/10
Yashiro is what I would describe as a more capable damsel in distress. While she does rely on Hanako-san help save her from other apparitions since she has no way to defend herself, but she does do things that Hanako-san isn’t capable of doing. So she isn’t entirely useless as she does have her uses to make the partnership between Yashiro and Hanako-san more justifiable. But she does make for a good character due to her innocent and caring personality. Although she is full of herself, it’s nice to see a character like her be not a total airhead which they could have clearly done.
Then there is Hanako-san, a mischievous, childish, s**tsterer who loves nothing more than maintaining balance between worlds and constantly teasing Yahsiro. But there is clear chemistry between the two characters in a way that you actually care for them and hope they ship. It is one of the main factors why I like this show as they both bring an emotional factor within all the comedic stuff and of course, due to their chemistry, they do have some of the best comedic moments in the show.
Then there is Kou Minamoto, who has his own arc throughout the show. First and foremost though, he is an exorcist, trained to exorcise all apparitions, but he is a novice at it. So when he encounters Hanako-san, he is a bit shell shocked that not all apparitions are evil. Unlike his older brother Teru, Kou becomes more open minded about what is a good apparition and a bad apparition and we see him grow throughout. It’s not deep character growth but it is enough to be noticeable as we see his character understand the world of apparitions through the eyes of an apparition and how his perception of the world of apparitions changes. The last few episodes is where he truly shines as a character and became very likeable in my opinion.
Animation: 8/10
Now here is the most interesting part of the show. The animation for Hanako-kun is very unique with its art style and presentation. So first things first, this art style is GOD DAMN GORGEOUS. I love how this show looks because of that unique feel to it to help give this show its own identity. Everything about the art style works as it also enhances the quality of the show very well. It makes the characters very expressive as you can really get a feel for their emotions, it improves the comedic moments and makes the show’s more thrilling moments that more intense. It makes every scene in this series that more engaging because of its more unique look. Is it perfect though? Not really. The actual animation is lacking as it more or less still images and sliding panels but the show presents it in a way where I can overlook that. It’s not a problem that I will knock the show for, but it’s one of the more lacking areas of the show.
Sound: 9.5/10
If the animation enhances the show, then the ost compliments it with tracks that sound haunting and tracks that sound sweet and light hearted. It definitely adds to the mood with violins, pianos and a bit of the banjo to give that youkai feel to it. It gives that extra sense of immersion to it to get you engrossed into what you are watching. Definitely a high point in the show.
Then there is the opening which I absolutely love. Titled, "No.7" by Jibaku Shounen Band, this really embraces quirky, supernatural side of the show while maintaining the style and presentation of the show’s animation style. I also love as it slightly sounds angrier as it goes on as you hear the vocals and instruments sounding heavier as it goes on as we get closer to the chorus. Definitely one of the best openings this season.
The ending, "Tiny Light" by Akari Kitou is very symbolic with Yashiro walking among the living and Hanako-san walking along the world of the dead and supernatural until they meet each other. It’s nothing remotelty complex but it is clever with how some characters are related to the world of the supernatural and is showcased here. Definitely a good ED.
Conclusion
You should never judge a show by how it looks and judge it as a whole. Because it’s not just that art style that makes this show enjoyable, it’s how the world is structured and how our characters interact with it and each other. This revelation as it were, lead me to the conclusion that Toilet-bound Hanako-kun is a great supernatural show with plenty of thrills, comedic edge and heart that made me want to continue watching this show throughout. It was much better than I thought it was going to be and the animation was only an enhancer for what we were shown as a whole. It doesn’t rely on over-exposition (unlike In/Spectre) or background knowledge of the franchise to make sense of it (unlike Magia record). So yeah, if you haven’t watched this series already, WATCH IT.
My personal enjoyment: 9/10
Overall score: 8.5/10 Recommendation: Watch it
aripiprazole
I've noticed that those who read the manga before the show tend to have a more critical outlook on this anime's shortcomings. No spoilers here, though. I'm glad Lerche did take the time to be as faithful as possible in adapting the unique art style and visuals, though at the cost many have pointed out, animation. The main thing about this anime is that the adaptation is a play by play high-budget animatic of the manga. A good adaptation should add onto the original, but it follows it to a T; there's no new shots, no new content to really balance out what was removed andmake the anime worthwhile over the source material. It's like it was terrified of making adaptive choices other than rearranging several arcs.
Speaking of the cut arcs, it's something many manga readers have been harping about. Some choices are necessary occasionally and all you can do is trust Lerche to consider the new story layout, but it removes a lot of the nuance the manga did have in handling its character development and story arcs.
To name a few:
- Young Exorcist is an important arc. Without it in its natural place, Kou's development gets axed, Teru no longer has plot relevance nor is he ambiguously scary or morally gray, and Hanako seems invincible, cutting down everything in his way with one slash of his knife.
- Little Mermaid arc is less important and ended up added in later, but as a natural consequence of this:
- Tsukasa's introduction, with something removed as a direct tie-in to the Little Mermaid, does not have the baseball-bat-to-the-stomach feel it did in the manga. It was really the best way possible to introduce right off the bat so many things about how scary his character can be.
- Without going into details, the ambiguity and buildup surrounding Mitsuba's character is lost since Hell of Mirrors was rearranged to be much, much sooner.
But between the lack of animation and cut story arcs, one of main things that didn't sit right with me just comes to the pacing itself. Hanako is a dialogue heavy show, so for the characters to just be standing in place and occasionally panning to an environmental shot while nothing's really going on on-screen half the time... felt very, very slow paced, almost a drag to get through.
It also creates a freezer burn effect, however, because the story pacing nearly felt breakneck as it like they were rushing to get to revealing Mitsuba and Tsukasa as fast as possible, at the cost of others' development. It feels a bit like Lerche wasn't confident in the show doing well and sought to cram in important parts without the proper buildup necessary that made these reveals so impactful in the manga.
Voice acting is fitting, sound is nice and atmospheric. Only one OST used for scene transitions is particularly memorable, but that's about standard for anime.
I've read a few comments stating episode 12 didn't feel like much of a ending, and that's because it wasn't; there was only about one place to end off naturally, but it wasn't possible since the Clock Keepers arc was moved to a potential season 2.
I really appreciate the exposure Hanako has received in being brought to a wide audience, but it all feels a bit rushed. Though considering the pandemic going on right now, I'm well aware we're lucky to be receiving something like this. Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun is one of my favorite mangas of all time, and I do wish for it to be treated with the care it deserves. Perhaps we'll be getting more quality in the inevitable next season?
I do wonder if I would have fallen in love with it the same way if I hadn't read the manga first. It's just one of those scenarios where if you have the patience to sit down and read the manga, just do it.
NisemonoDesu
Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun created high expectations at the start of the Winter 2020 anime season, and didn't deliver. Instead what we got was a dry, formulaic show with little characterization and even less animation. To start with, the most immediately eye-catching thing about this show when scrolling through seasonals is the art style. Mayuka Itou and the rest of the staff clearly faced a decision when trying to adapt the extremely detailed source material: simplify the designs so that they're easier to animate, or stick to the level of detail of the original manga. Unfortunately, they chose the latter. While it's interesting to see a showwhere every individual frame is so detailed it could be a desktop wallpaper, it comes at the cost of actual animation. Simply put: the characters barely move. The show is so stiff to look at that it makes me wonder why someone wouldn't just go read the manga.
The problems don't end with the animation. The story is a bland Monogatari-series style haunted-school affair, although where Monogatari was creative and had interesting characters, Jibaku has none of those. Our main antagonists are causing supernatural shenanigans, but their motivations for doing so are never clearly stated. Characters are flat and impossible to imagine existing outside the world of the show. The tone of the show also fluctuates constantly; it's like the show doesn't know if it wants to be creepy, funny, or dramatic, so it tries to be all three, sometimes within a single scene. This mish-mash of emotions makes the show come off as tone-deaf. Each episode follows a very repetitive formula: Nene gets into trouble with a ghost, Hanako saves her, repeat. The only real props I can give are to the voice acting. Megumi Ogata (Shinji Ikari from Evangelion) brings her buttery voice to give a fantastic performance as Hanako.
Overall, if the premise of Jibaku seems interesting, maybe read the manga. As it stands, this is an anime safe to skip.
Marinate1016
Hanako-kun is one of the shows that on the surface seems like it has no substance or actual plot. In reality, it’s got some really good writing and underneath its cutesy first few episodes, has a darker interior. Story wise, Hanako-Kun follows a young girl who struggles to make friends at school. One day she has a chance encounter with an apparition(Hanako) and forms a contract with him. The story follows their subsequent adventures to keep the school safe from rogue apparitions. The first few episodes cover a lot of fluff cases and keep a rather lighthearted tone. A little over a third of the waythrough, we get a general tone shift in which the show goes from being a mindlessly fun show, to one where there’s actually pretty big stakes involved with some unnerving scenes. It doesn’t become Evangelion, but it takes a pretty big shift nonetheless which I felt enhanced the experience and kept the story interesting.
I went into this showing nothing about the manga at all. What really attracted me was the unique art style. Artistically, the show is one of the most unique anime I’ve ever seen. Lerche truly must be commended for their work with that. The few fights in the show are also extremely well done featuring a very unique animation style which I found visually pleasing. If you enjoyed the art-style of Kimetsu no yaiba, you will most likely also enjoy this one as they have very similar vibes.
Hanako-Kun is one of the 4-5 really fresh shows that we got this season and easily finds itself in my top 5. I was consistently entertained throughout and constantly laughing from the well written humour and gags. It’s not a deconstruction of a genre or a masterpiece by any stretch, but it is a very very fun show and one that I found great. I highly recommend giving it a try and being patient, the first couple episodes may be slow for some people. Once it gets going, it really gets going.
Hanako-Kun gets 9 fat ankles out of 10.
Cdynamo
When you're looking through the seasonals and you see a title like Toilet-Bound Hanako Kun then you can have no expectations except it's going to be really weird and in a lot of cases, Hanako-Kun exceeds at that idea of weirdness it's title promises and a little bit more that genuinely surprised me in more ways than one. It's weird like I've stated but it also giving you wonderful characters and genuinely striking moments that come out of nowhere and yet sticks the landing 90% of the time. Toilet Bound Hanko-Kun mostly centers around Hanako-Kun, a spirit that appears in the girl's bathroom and grants peoplewishes, Nene, a sweet, girl with daikon on her head that she calls "hair" with what she calls "fat legs" and a pretty infectious personality, in that she's very likable and Kou, a very goofy idiot that hunts spirits but ends up taking a liking to Hanako and just like Nene, is extremely likable. By the way I'm writing about these characters you can already tell the main strength in this show is the characters and their interactions. They are goofy, eccentric and even at their worst, they are all extremely likable and bursting with personality. Even with the villans and one, in particular, you don't really see much of them personality-wise in the beginning but by the end, they end up being pretty likable too and end up being way harder to root for. For example, Best Boy Hyuuga is complete and total dumbass and he would be frustrating no doubt, but the actor and his whole personality just makes him come across as a dumb lovestruck puppy with the confidence and charisma of a man who doesn't know what he's doing. He's fascinating and just brings the show together in a weird way.
Now while the characters do play a huge role in the show's success, I do believe the aesthetic of the show is another big part of that success. It's just so unique and easy on the eyes. It reminds me of that church glass that's multi-colored but more full in overall backgrounds and designs. It also leads to some trippy visuals that I'm all down for. it also adds to the character designs and they all speak so much to their personalities and it's refreshing to see that in an anime with Kritio #3224. It's just a nice change of pace.
Now that we've gotten the standout parts of the technical side of the show, there's another thing that has to come up with this show: it's lack of animation. Yes, while I did say visuals, I didn't mean the animation, which had a lack of animation or just stuff moving. There's this thing the show does constantly with certain scenes almost looking like manga pages and while that seems like a cool directorial choice, you slowly start to figure out that it's mostly used to put multiple shots into one single shot so they can use less animation and less movement. It becomes painfully obvious in certain episodes like Episode 11 where the second half is mostly the characters staying in the same room with nothing happening and then the whole thing just ends with everyone leaving. The second half has nothing and does nothing. It sucks because it's supposed to build up the finale and doesn't do that.
What this lack of animation reminds me of is Food Wars, specifically the latest season. Not in terms of quality but the lack their of in movement. Both shows have multiple moments of characters not moving and even when something feels epic, it doesn't feel like it. But there is one thing that separates these two: storyboarding. With Food Wars' storyboarding, it's uninspired, full of generic backgrounds basically used more of a template than actually drawing down the events that happen. Hanako-Kun gives time with its' storyboarding and while the manga-like images lose it's charm as the show goes on, with the help of the great visuals and directorial work, the lack of animation isn't really an issue. It also helps that the story is interesting for the most. Yes, it is still a flaw with the show and I will count as that, but it does have some things that make it less obnoxious as a flaw.
The story is, for the most part, your monster (or apparition of the week) and our motley crew of idiots helping them or making them disappear and it's pretty fun. We first get the Mokkis which are adorable and I would buy a plushie of them instantly if I could and there's one involving stairs that's probably the show's best two-parter and then there's Mitsuba, which the best episode and probably gives the best dramatic stakes to the show and I loved it. Hanko-Kun is at it's best when it's a mixture of its supernatural weirdness and genuine heartfelt character moments and when the show nails it, it hits it out of the park.
In terms of negatives with the show, I would say there was wasted potential for some of the things the show does. For example, in the first episode, Nene gets turned into a small fish because of something she drank and it's revealed that she gets turned into a fish when she gets splashed by water. This comes up maybe three times within the series and the times that they do it, you could've done it a different way and it wouldn't have mattered. Her whole fish thing ends up feeling like a waste. There are some weird pacing issues like in one episode they decide to do the first half be a monster of the week and then the next half do a bunch of character moments. While I did state that I like it when the show mixes the weird with the emotional, I don't like it when it decides to split the two off like they can't be intertwined together. Besides those, there were some jokes that didn't land and they would repeat them sometimes which was obnoxious and the show can be a little slow on the occasion, but that rarely comes up.
In the end, I got what I wanted out of Toilet Bound Hanako-Kun. It's weird, got some cool visuals and left me feeling satisfied. I wouldn't call it something explosive but I did enjoy its goofiness and the way it can shift from that to having great character moments that hit hard. I would be so excited for a second season as long as they can fix some of its issues and I believe that they can.
If you're looking for a show to take your eyes off the terrors of the world that has fun with a lot of goofy and supernatural elements with the possibility of making you cry, I would say give this show a shot. So instead of looking at the weird title and not expecting much, maybe see what it offers. You may not be disappointed.
Anaxii
Great show, even though Nene Yashiro is absolutely the stupidest anime character ever from A to Z - why is she like this, I wanna punch her so bad every time she's being idiotic Apart from that, the story is quite interesting knowing the fact that there are a lot of references to Yokai , which made me want to finish the anime. The style is also cute and straightforward. Characters are usually cool or silly (except Nene, she's just a dumb little daikon) and it's good to see their relationships evolving as episodes go by You will like this if you like horror and relationships!
Gatsu-chan
So to get started, I have no prior knowledge about this series before watching. I just got done watching this series and I found it to be interesting, however it is not quite for me. I think i will keep up with the series though.This series is goofy and very amazingly drawn. The art is very unique and lovely. While watching this, I did not quite enjoy the story very much. I found the story to be a bit boring and slow at times. The concept is interesting, and I hope it gets more intriguing from here on. I am mostly into action anime andsuch, but I heard great things about this and wanted to check it out. Finally, I do think this show is worth a quick watch, and I am sure everyone will have a different take on it. I can say I am glad to have experienced this cool anime.
natsumina
At the time when I watched this anime, I hadn't read the manga. As I write this, I have caught up with all manga chapters and finally feel entitled to having a say in explaining my opinion on this anime. !!!!!!!!!!Minor spoilers ahead, but nothing that should be too big of a concern. (Mainly evoking characters that are revealed later in general.)!!!!!!!!!!! CHARACTERS: Pros: -Characters are pretty rich, and their interraction are very enjoyable to witness. Whether it be because Kou's antics are hilarious or because Nene is working herself over boy troubles again, it's very pleasant to witness, and as someone who enjoys character and specifically dynamics-driven stories,this was very nice.
Cons:
-The characterization only comes very remotely close to what the manga offered. For example, the whole physical fight between Teru and Hanako where Kou intervenes is simply skipped, and that's a pity: overall, secondary characters like Teru lose a lot of their interest. Another example would be how Mitsuba is more of a plot asset than a deep and complex character like in the manga.
-Some of the dynamics lose intensity, due to things being left out (but then again these are two different media so it is naturall not to be able to recreate the same exact atmosphere).
Plot:
Pros:
-A wholesome no-brainer, able to pull laughs out of you and nearly bring you to tears at the same time. Some elements do hit more deeply, and are more though-provoking. Just a nice way to unwind and spend some time with a show that makes you smile.
Cons:
-Pretty shallow, and it just feels more like a collection of oneshots than a continuous, coherent story. This might be due to the slow pacing and reorganization of the chronology in comparison to the manga.
Art & Animation:
Pros:
-Art fits the ambience well, and is objectively appealing. It's got its own thing that makes it particular, and is founded on a very appealing aesthetic.
-Character designs also suit them, and are inventive as well as just pretty.
Cons:
-I couldn't think of any major cons in this regard, my apologies.
OP & ED:
Pros:
-The ending is quite nice, and is a good soothing alternative to the opening. It either allows relaxation after a hyping emotion-charged episodes, or allows a direct continuation of feelings elicited from sadder episodes.
-The ending theme well explores the duality between living and dead in its depiction and animation, showing clearly that specific pathways between the two are created and by who they are.
Cons:
-The opening music is just disagreable. It's more sound than music. I know music is objective, but this is made of unpleasant frequencies regardless.
-Overall, the opening was a major let-down, and as that is often the public face of the anime, doesn't serve a purpose of boosting enjoyment when watching the show.
Voice acting:
Pros:
-The cast is clearly invested, and their performances are nothing short of outstanding. As an aspiring voice actress, this is clearly something I look up to.
Cons:
-Some of the voices DO work, but are initially unsettling and you do spend a few episodes thinking it doesn't suit them. In fact, this is one of the rare occasions on which I wasn't a huge fan of Megumi Ogata's performance despite her being my idol. Her VA in itself is incredible, but it didn't feel fitting, and didn't either feel like an agreable surprise where one might think 'I hadn't imagined that but it works'.
Overall:
The anime in itself is nothing special for the genres it ties to, but remains very enjoyable to watch.
Siaksx
Starting off with the art of "Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun" because, honestly, it's BEAUTIFUL! The vibrant color palette, the collage-style animation, and the eye-catching scenes are all so lovely (?). It's something I'd want to capture with a camera or have as a wallpaper on my phone ..going to Pinterest to find good ones.. The OST is another 10/10 in the anime. The opening is now one of my favourites. I also really enjoyed the humour in the show. Yes, the setting might feel a bit childish. No wonder, since it's high-school. But the jokes are absolutely at their peak. "Chotto eroi" made me giggle a lot oftimes, maybe I need some help.
HOWEVER, when it comes to the characters and the whole storytelling, I was left wanting more. The anime kind of felt like an introduction that left a lot of questions unanswered. It made me curious enough to want to read the manga, not because the anime was complete in itself, but because I felt like there was so much more to the story that I was missing out on.
Same with the characters. They all have their own charm and catchy traits, but I felt that the anime didn't show enough about them.
So, would I recommend "Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun"? Of course, especially if you're looking for some stunning art and a bit of light-hearted humour. Yet don't expect something deep and/or flashy. As for me, I'm starting reading the manga. The anime stroked my nerve enough to make me want to find out more about Hanako, Yashiro, Minamoto-twins and others.
tadanoKanashimi
I'll make this a short review, since I just want to note why I'd give this anime an 8.4 or 8. So without any summary, I'll just get into it Story: 7/10 It does not give any goal for the anime, or where it was going. It just solved some mystery that the viewer might have. Nevertheless, in each encounter with different apparition has their own story. Where in every story has their own unique and dark, appealing way. And I enjoyed and some of them sympathize with every story that is given. Art: 10/10 What eager me the most to watch this anime it is its animationor art style. Since I think it seems very intriguing and unique. And when I watch the anime, it is indeed flawless in a way, where I think none of the scene has any awkward or somewhat errors in the animation nor art. I'd dare to say every aspect that relates to art or the animation is practically 10/10.
Sound: 9/10
Seiyuus from this anime are awesome, great, wholesome fits how each character should be as well it makes the character much more appealing. As for the opening and ending of this anime seems nice as well. And OST or such as background music from some scene, really complies it scenes, and made the scene 10 times better in my opinion.
Character: 8/10
I would say the character from this anime are unique and appealing in its own way. And loveable, mysterious in some ways.
Enjoyment: 8/10
The first few episodes wasn't that intriguing, it was somewhat kind of bland, since the setting of the anime was at school only. But then it gets better and better, where my enjoyment for the anime as well gets better.
Dakara in conclusion, I'll give this anime
8/10
Kami-O
The 2020 anime experience has been 50/50 so far. My next conquest is Kyokou Suiri. Jibaku Shounen Hanako was a bit of a disappointment. I came in expecting to give it a 7 or an 8 and up to episode 9 I probably would have. It definitely started to lose its luster earlier though. For starters it is a comedy that is trying too hard to have a story. Its not bad for there to be a plot in comedy anime, but the approach this takes is pretty bad. It was extremely confusing as to whether I should take the story seriously or focus on thatcomedy tag. The tone and music is so out of place for some of the comedic scenes, yet because of the attempts to be funny I couldn't really get into the serious scenes because I would always think "that character is probably gunna say something stupid and ruin the moment". It would ruin the suspense for comedy which in turn destroyed the comedic aspect almost entirely.
The characters did not even belong in this anime to be honest. Nene was a waste of space. Her liking hot guys and having fat legs is her whole character. She also comes off as pretty selfish and, honestly, a bit dumb. We get she likes good looking guys, but then what makes her so special after that? Nothing. She doesn't seem to take most situations seriously and lets herself be led on just to be saved by Hanako.
Hanako is basically Superman Casper. Friendly ghost that's super powerful. An obvious exaggeration, but honestly fitting. He is very powerful and is honestly the best character in the show. Its always in shows like these that never show the interesting characters off. This season felt like an introduction of sorts, but they never introduced us to the boss of the sauce, Hanako-sama. We know what we can infer and whats been told, but they barely ever showed anything. He is the titular character, but daikon is the thing you will come to remember if you decide to watch.
The other character aren't even worth mentioning. Kou thinks Nene-senpai is cute and he wants to save his ghost friend who doesn't remember him. Kou's older brother is just that. Aoi tells Nene about the Wonders. The Wonders are mostly assholes.
All in all I was expecting a comedy and got a drama/fantasy thing. It tried too hard to be a comedy in a drama and fell flat. It wasn't the worst thing ever, but it was a bit annoying (especially Nene with the hot guys thing. THAT gets old REAL fast). I do not really like asking "but why" every 5 minutes because of dumb or strange decisions. However, I would watch if there was a second season. I have enough interest in Hanako and I am hoping I can get more of him. Weirdly enough with this anime you have to ignore the "comedy". Also I think Lerche should change a bit. Art is great. Animation is wonky. They should focus on it a bit more
SimplyMizuki
This particular anime was honestly amazing! It was beautiful! But, There were many things about this show that shook me. The first episode was an amazing work of art, The manga was the best I've seen other than naruto & fullmetal alchemist! Everything was ok 👌 at first!, But, only at first, The 2nd episode got my attention through lack of art, I thought this was just a minor bug, but it became worse!Then they began skipping all these chapters!
Other than that I don't have any other complaints about this anime.
But,
I still can't deny this is still my favorite manga😑
MoonSpider
The art style, the humor, and the plays on different supernatural elements are the real appeal with this show. The background of the male Hanako, especially. I can't say that I was particularly captivated by the ongoing plot, but I very much enjoyed the dynamic between the characters. The little budding romance between the main character is such a sweet and (mostly) innocent thing. Mitsuba is also a character I grew to really like in later episodes. The play-like or comic-like art style was such a fresh look too. And such adorable creatures. It's something cute and funny to relax to most times. Can get a littleintense and action-y, but the variety works really well.
Superyio123
Story: Personally, I didn’t really get into the plot that much at first since nothing really happens and the pacing is kind of slow as well, but trust me, it gets a lot more interesting about halfway through the show. The general plotline of the show seems to be pretty lighthearted in the beginning but the show gets increasingly more serious and interesting as the plot progresses. How the show progresses is that our main heroine and Hanako-kun goes around the school to solve apparition problems and mysterious in an episodic fashion. Although this is the case, there are many hints and reveals that occurs duringthe problems that stay and contribute to building the overall general plot. The pacing and development of the plot are decent and they do a pretty good job of creating suspense and raising curiosity about Hanako-kun’s background story. I wasn’t satisfied with the ending but I guess there’s nothing much that they can do with only 12 episodes to spare. But in terms of attracting viewers to the manga, they certainly did a great job as I will probably be heading to the manga soon. Overall, I enjoyed the story the show presented.
Art:
As other reviews have commented on, the art is really unique in its own right and stands out as quite the highlight for this show. However, for me personally it was slightly tricky to adjust to the unique art style, and I thought that the art was kinda “off” for me, although I did eventually learn to appreciate and enjoy the nice art. In particular, I really enjoyed the colours that were chosen and the overall colour palette scheme. Another thing is that due to the unique art style, the backdrop and background art is just absolutely stunning. A downside is that the art might seem a bit childish to some people because a lot of the things portrayed in the show will seem dollish or toy-like but I thought the art does adjust when needed such as when things take a serious turn. In terms of animation, I wouldn’t say that it’s good quality, but most of the time it isn’t bad to the point that you will notice and be bothered by it. Personally, however, I was very irked whenever there were parts with lights/lanterns/fire and I can’t exactly put my finger on what was bothering me but it just looked completely wrong and offputting. And that’s basically my only complaint about the art/animation.
Sound:
Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun is one of the few shows that has made me actually notice and appreciate the beautiful soundtracks while I was watching the show, and I think that just shows how stunning the music is, to be able to catch my attention as I was focused on the show. I had to search for the OSTs afterwards and I immediately added my favourite ones to my playlist. I think that the background music is quite unique to the show as well, giving it a mystical, mysterious and fantasy-like feel which matches the show perfectly. On top of that, I really enjoyed the ED as well. Now, the voice acting was decent as well, and I really have to applause the voice actors because they genuinely sounded like they had fun in this show, especially Hanako-kun’s voice actor. What was surprising to me was that Hanako-kun’s voice was by a female rather than a male, but she did a great job that I didn’t notice at all, and although I found out in the middle of watching I honestly just ended up admiring her even more as I finished off the show. All in all, the sound aspects of this show was wonderful and enjoyable.
Character:
The characters are wonderfully designed and they each have cute distinguishing characteristics to them and they are honestly just so cute and pleasing to the eye. I thought that our main heroine was a pretty well-rounded character and she has her own strengths and flaws that bring the show together. The more interesting character is Hanako-kun though because as the show progresses we are given snippets of the past and also hints of a dark background with the later half of the show is almost completely dedicated to Hanako-kun and his past. Hanako’s character really piqued my interest the more I watched, and although I didn’t get the answers to my questions at the end I still appreciate the suspense and mystery that his character provided through the show. Also, for a fourteen-year-old Hanako-kun really knows how to flirt and his interactions with the heroine are just so cute and wholesome! On the other hand, the third “main” character Kou was unfortunately not as interesting, and in fact, was slightly disappointing in my opinion. It didn’t seem like his character provided any significant role to the plot and storyline and there was really no need for his character besides the comedy relief that he provided. They gave Kou an arc of his own but it didn’t really have the impact that the directors probably wanted due to his shallow character development up to that point. Therefore, I honestly think that they should have used the time and budget that they spent on Kou to flesh out and develop Hanoko’s character even more instead. In the end, I think the most valuable thing in this show is the interaction between the characters.
Enjoyment:
I genuinely enjoyed this show since it was like a breath of fresh air for me with the unique art and soundtracks combined with the lighthearted storyline and cute interactions between the characters. It’s a nice break from watching intense action or heavy drama shows, and overall I thought that it was a well put together show that has clear intentions for its audience. Although it has it’s slight flaws, I still thoroughly enjoyed this show and believe that others can find enjoyment and entertainment within this show as well so please don’t be afraid to give this show a chance!
Lastdeadn1
This anime is using the same recycle theme of Seven wonders but seems to not go for any character growth, meaningful lessons or feeling of progression towards a goal. This is a slice of life with tint of humor, horror and some supernatural. The only memorable aspect was the unique art style of the show. A unique color palette and style of framing was the only salvation of the show. The animation is very limited and subpar, the character are quite forgettable and their goals or motivation are absolutely weak. The movement are very stiff, they put a lot of still frames which are okay but when yourshow is half still frames, I am watching a visual novel or manga with some little tit-bit of animation.
We are presented with Nene the main protagonist which has a desire to be in a romantic relationship but her way to judge a person is pure superficial and it won't change or progress. They are stuck in a trope, she will remain the naive, innocent, and superficial character she is from the beginning to the end.
The antagonist will cause mayhem but never gave a clear reason for doing so, the resolution of those are also very un-satisfactory.
I would define this anime as the void, being neither earth or heaven. You are stuck in the void with no progression, low story-telling, bland characters and just nice art style to drive the show. The sound design is not memorable.
If you are bored, it could help you pass time. I've seen worse show.
For those reading the manga, you might just be happy to see it "animated" or mostly colored.
feltries
I was actually really excited to get into this anime and that’s why I waited until the very last episode to rate it. I was hoping something outstanding would happen at the end that could change my slightly unfavorable approach but sadly, my opinion on this show remained pretty much the same and here’s why. (I’ll try to keep this review spoiler-free.) STORY – 5.5/10 Firstly, the story. Personally, I feel like the premise is actually quite neat – each episode Nene gets to know a different school apparition, accompanied by Hanako-kun and Kou. The other thing is how this plot is actually executed. A quite commoninstance in TBHK is how the show can get really serious pretty fast, but still keep the slapstick comedy elements. I didn’t really enjoy that reoccurrence since it gets tough to both laugh at the jokes and experience the thrilling moments, which leaves you with a feeling of numbness or indifference. And may I add, the show gets pretty gruesome at times. It irks me how the characters exhibit really similar emotions and expressions when they’re embarrassed and when their lives are at risk but maybe it’s just the art style. Sadly, this anime fails to compel any sense of danger whatsoever – all encounters with apparitions are pretty similar. Hanako always comes right in time to save Nene and while at first it may seem like the heartwarming climax of the episode, it gets pretty repetitive and leaves you hoping that maybe next time, Nene will go through some sort of development. The show also left me with lots of unanswered questions about how the apparitions work (especially the mermaid’s curse) but it may get explained later on (that’s what I’m counting on, at least).
CHARACTERS – 7/10
Now, about the characters. There certainly isn’t much to discuss, since TBHK revolves mainly around the main three, Nene, Hanako and Kou.
I know lots of people didn’t click with Nene and I can absolutely see why, during the 12 episodes she gets little to no development apart from taking to Hanako. However, I genuinely liked her as a protagonist and that made me overlook all the issues with her flawed character writing. She’s relatable, charming and has a lot of potential but depends on Hanako-kun way too much – I hope some things change about her soon enough.
Hanako-kun is a pretty interesting character and at that, probably the best one in the series. It’s truly a pity the pacing kept slowing down so as to prevent the audience from learning his backstory. What we got are small chunks of his past – I doubt anyone was satisfied with this measure to keep his character mysterious as long as possible.
Kou is mostly used for comic relief but that does change later on – I really liked the arc with Mitsuba even if it felt kind of rushed. (I’ll refrain from saying anything else due to spoilers.)
The side characters like Aoi, Teru and Sakura haven’t really had the chance to catch my eye yet. Most of them appeared only a few times and barely anything was explained or revealed apart from their sole presence and the fact they might be significant later on.
ART – 9/10
What really fascinates me about this show is the unique art style and excellent use of colors. Every palette is like eye candy and don’t even get me started on the backgrounds and design of spaces the characters visit. That aspect of the show really lived up to the manga – you should really check out the volume covers. The art is absolutely fantastic.
ANIMATION – 4/10
Unfortunately, it seems like this is where the budget had to be cut. Although the janky lip syncing and recurrent lazy animation didn’t bug me that much, I know it was a huge problem for lots of people. Frequently little movement happens in various scenes and manga-like panels are used instead which by itself is an interesting choice but knowing how limited any animation is, it’s probably to curb the costs.
SOUND – 7/10
While no part of the soundtrack caught my attention, the opening song is incredibly catchy. (Though that does not apply to the part I’m discussing right now, I really appreciated the subtle changes in the opening after more characters get gradually revealed in each episode.) Aside from that I have to admit the voice actors turned up trumps, especially Megumi Ogata, Hanako’s seiyuu.
ENJOYMENT – 7/10
I ended up getting invested in the plot, that’s for sure. That wasn’t enough to stop me from looking at this show from a critical standpoint, though. I really wish so much of the comedy wasn’t forced where it shouldn’t have appeared in the first place. Don’t get me wrong, the jokes did make me smile a couple of times and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with mixing comedy and drama. It’s still a huge letdown that TBHK refuses to treat itself seriously.
OVERALL – 6.4/10
I really tried my best to give this show a higher rating but I couldn’t bring myself to do so. Perhaps the manga really is better – I might even start reading it. All I can say is that hopefully the second season (if it comes out) doesn’t make the same mistakes the first did. Would I recommend Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun to anyone? Yes, but as long as they can acknowledge all the inconsistencies in the story execution and unsatisfactory animation but still somewhat enjoy the show as a whole.
