Although the title of this anime is bizarre, Toilet Bound Hanako-kun is not a ridiculous series with foolish jokes. It is a very intriguing story about how a high school girl, Nene who is into supernatural stuff meets a ghost Hanako-Kun with a hidden past whose job is to keep balance between the humans and the rest of the ghost in the school while carrying his kitchen knife. After getting a favor from him, she is bound to become his assistant and takes on the job of helping him resolving issues that arise due to the ghostly rumors in the school, while keeping her friends and classmates safe from the naughty ghosts and discovering more about Hanako-kun. This anime has been underrated and this anime is all about why it should not be missed by all the anime fans especially supernatural fans.
Inspired from the manga itself the art and style of this anime is eye catching and unique, all credit goes to Studio Lerche which is the same production house that brought us Kanata no Astra and Assassination Classroom. The bright color variation with dark lines make the chibi kind of characters look different compared to actual simple chibi characters. Even the background look delicately dreamlike and every character has given a great design even the unimportant characters like the friend of Nene, Aoi. The most intriguing part and attractive part of this animation which brilliantly complements the artistic style of manga is the sound effect, editing techniques including transitions, and stylish enclosed frames that gives the unique vibe of a comic or a mystery storybook.
It almost seems like an impossible thing for a ghost to be so enchanting that he can make the viewers and the main character adore him the most. From his voice to his playful behavior and impressive personality that make him look like a bad boy you can’t hate especially when he fights against any other ghost, we can’t stop loving this character and neither can the protagonist. Hanako doesn’t seem to know Nene’s feeling for him (which even she keeps denying), but when he falsely propose her to trap a match maker spirit, and she starts to sobs due to having high expectation regarding the proposal, Hanako genuinely feels bad about it and hugs her as an apology till she calms down. Nene is a very innocent, adorable and relatable character and we all are rooting for her. Hanako and Nene is one of the best couples so far.
The world building is phenomenal in this series. Nene’s high school is full of ghost and supernatural beings and usually these creatures gain the powers due to the rumors that are being circulated in the school among the students and adapt accordingly to act the way they have been described in the rumors. Every ghost has a past and a different nature which is associated with the school environment. Of course, Hanako and Nene has to keep track of them in order to pacify them. Apart of ghost and supernatural beings there are also exorcists that roam around the school who seeks to get rid of all spirits and supernatural beings including Hanako-kun. They also seem to know a lot more about Hanako-kun than what have been revealed to us so far. The past history of the spirits blended with the existing mysteries and the bizarre environment of the school in general offers a great detailed world that keeps exciting us with something new in every episode.
The anime seems unpredictable and we can’t guess how the story of this series will unfold. But that’s what makes us even more excited in each episode. This series is highly recommended to all. Don’t miss out on a thrilling and fascinating Toilet Bound Hanako-kun.
