English Dub Review: Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun “Hanako-san of the Bathroom”
Based on the Yen Press-published manga by Iro Aida, our story begins in the Japanese school of “Kamome Academy” where seven known mysteries/wonders plague the school. However, the seventh and most famous one of all is a ghost nicknamed “Hanako-san of the Toilet”, whom much like “Moaning Myrtle” from the Harry Potter franchise is said to reside/haunt one of the school restrooms, and is said to have the ability to grant a single wish for something of equal value.
Nene Yashiro, a first-year student, approaches the cubicle intending to wish for a happy romance with her crush on a popular student named Teru, only to realize that the “Hanako-san” of these rumors isn’t whom she imagined. It’s a fun introduction, but the rest of the episode is spent on comedic hijinx as Yashiro and Hanako work together, consulting tips and tricks from an oddly-specific self-help book, only to fail every time. As Yashiro laments Hanako’s lack of ghostly magical items to help her, she discovers a pair of mermaid scales from him that are traditionally used in match-making: the people who swallow these will be cursed greatly, but tied by an “unbreakable bond”.
Out of impulsiveness and desperation, Nene swallows the scale but inadvertently overhears Teru revealing that he likes a girl. Without anyone to share the curse with, she turns into a fish – the servant of a monstrous mermaid. Nene then apologizes for her previous behavior and attains the wisdom that she’d be ok with any person as long as someone actually loved her back. As Hanako defeats the mermaid monstrosity when it comes to collect its new “servant”, Hanako agrees to do the unthinkable to save Nene from her curse which also puts Hanako through quite a significant change in the process. The episode ends on a more interesting note that both of their lives are now forever changed.
Our Take
Some comedic moments are hit & miss, but most of the music is full energy and quite atmospheric when the plot calls for it. I’ll have to check more works of the director of this series Masaomi Andō because I think he has a unique directing style, as well as the color palette and stylistic choices because it helped in terms of leaving a lasting impression.
With the first episode like this, I’m curious about what direction it’ll take next.
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