The popular anime series Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun is getting a reboot.
After a week’s worth of teases, the series’ creators announced Hanako-Kun’s “Anime Project Restart” on Dec. 21 with a short trailer, which Twitter user @MangaAlerts shared. Aidalro, the creator of the original manga, also drew a piece of celebratory promotional art to commemorate the project, which can be seen on @hanakokun_info’s Twitter. Although reboots are not uncommon for anime, some Hanako-Kun fans expressed disappointment that the creators opted for a reboot instead of a second season.
Lerche’s (Assassination Classroom, Classroom of the Elite) Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun anime ran for 12 episodes from Jan. 9, 2020, to March 6, 2020. Adapting Aidalro’s manga of the same name, its story begins when a heartbroken girl named Nene Yashiro decides to investigate what is thought to be a haunted toilet stall at her school. According to legend, if one knocks on the door of the third stall of the girl’s toilet on the third floor, a female spirit named Hanako-Kun appears to grant a wish. Nene discovers for herself that the legend is true, (except that Hanako-Kun is actually a boy), and asks him to grant her wish, a request that initiates the start of a close friendship between the two. Later on, they meet Minamoto Kou, the son of a renowned family of exorcists who is tasked with exorcising Hanako-Kun.
What Is Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun?
Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun was directed by Masaomi Ando, while Yasuhiro Nakanishi (Kaguya-Sama-Love is War) wrote the script. Daiki Kuribayashi handled the series’ Art Direction, while Mayuka Itou did the character designs. Hiroshi Takaki (Dragon Ball: Episode of Bardock) composed the series’ music. Megumi Ogata (Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Akari Kito (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba) star as Hanako-Kun and Nene Yashiro, respectively. Shoya Chiba plays Kou Minamoto. Kou’s older brother, Teru Minamoto, is played by Yuma Uchida.
Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun has amassed a large fanbase since its debut. At the Winter 2020 Anime Awards, the series took home the “Anime of the Season” Award and the “Favorite Supernatural” award. The titular Hanako-Kun also won in the “best male character” category, while Nene X Yashiro won “Favorite Couple/Ship. Yen Press publishes the series’ manga in English and revealed at Anime NYC that it would release a special box set called Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun: First Stall, which contains the first ten volumes. The collector’s box replicates a Japanese toilet stall and is decked out with iconic logos and charms from the series. This set will hit shelves on May 23, 2023.
Those interested in checking out Toilet-Bound Hanako-Kun before the reboot comes out can stream the series on Crunchyroll.
Source: Twitter
