Anime Reviews ⇢ Toilet Bound Hanako-kun
Toilet Bound Hanako-kun
Jibaku Shounen Hanako-kun
Average Rating: 8 / 10

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Content Overview
Violence: 4 / 10
Nudity: 3 / 10
Theo Theme: 6 / 10
Neg Theme: 2 / 10

Brief Description:
The famous "Seven Wonders" 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 it's own version of Hanako-san's legend. Rumors claim that if one is able to successfully 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 the rumored "girl" is actually a boy!

After a series of unfortunate events involving Nene'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. (Source: MAL)

https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/encyclopedia/anime.php?id=21983

US Release Date: 2020
US Licensor: FUNimation Entertainment
Suitable For Ages 13+
Toilet Bound Hanako-kun is complete at 12 episodes.
User Reviews
08/07/2021: Rose Faerie [ Already Rated ]

Violence: There is some violence, though it is mostly between ghosts. I don't recall much blood, if any at all. Spoiler: There is something later on, which may allude to one of the ghosts having committed suicide in the past. The manga is still going and I haven't read it, so I could be wrong. It just seems that way from the information the show provides.

Sex and Nudity: There is no nudity, and the only fan service is in the form of what we can presume are dirty magazines. They are portrayed as negative, as they make Nene's self esteem issues worse, resulting in a gag involving an oversized bra. (I personally didn't read that scene as fan service, though others might.) Another character is clearly uncomfortable with them and makes a conscious decision to avoid them. These magazines appear about twice. The only other thing worth mentioning is a male character accuses another male character of trying to take advantage of him and use him in pornography. This is an obvious lie to rile him up. This incident is also shown again in a flashback.

Theological Themes: It's about ghosts and supernatural occurrences. The only way ghosts can maintain their existence is through rumors about them. The ghosts have their own realms inside the school. Two characters are exorcists. One of them wants to exorcise all ghosts, while another starts out hostile only to eventually warm up to and befriend them.

Problematic Themes: There is minor swearing. I don't remember much, though I probably filtered it out.

Overall: I watched this one on recommendation and I probably wouldn't have otherwise, especially since it has toilet in the title. My friend was really into it, so I figured I'd eventually give it a shot, despite my misgivings. It was actually pretty good. I'm actually seriously considering giving the manga a shot, as well (though I do have to get through quite a few series on my bucket list).

The art style was one of my favorite parts of the series. It's very unique and it has a very beautiful color palette. It's very cute with a pastel Halloween vibe going on, which contrasts with the slightly creepy atmosphere. The whole show is a delightful mix between cute and creepy. The theme song was actually really good, too.

The characters were likable or at least relatable. Strangely enough, more of the human characters were compelling than the ghost characters. Nene in particular was really relatable for me as an insecure freshman in high school. Hanako, her co-star is more chaotic with darker undertones beneath his sweet and teasing demeanor. Kou, who rounds out their trio is genuinely a nice and innocent guy, despite initially coming off as a brash rival character.

I did enjoy the story, though I was hoping for more detective work, though the supernatural occurrences were interesting. There is so much left to explore. I hope a second season airs, since the first one did so well, and there are so many potential story-lines that are hinted at. I also like the show's sense of humor. It made me laugh more than a few times.

I recommend this for teenagers and older, mainly for the dark themes and occasional suggestive joke.

Added: July, 2021