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Hanako-san is a popular urban legend in Japan that follows the spirit of a young girl of the same name who haunts the girls’ washroom. The story has been there for decades and has been adapted into movies, video games, manga, and anime as well. The most popular adaptation is Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, created by Iro and Aida.
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun first premiered in January 2020, with Masaomi Ando as its director and Lerche being the animation studio. However, they slightly changed the story, making Hanako a boy who is seen to have friendly behavior towards the protagonist. The Hanako from the urban legend is the opposite of it.
What is story of Hanako-san?
There are several theories regarding the birth of Hanako-san’s urban legend, but no one knows which one is the original one. Few claim her to be a victim of the Second World War, few say she was murdered by her parents, and others believe that she committed suicide inside the lavatory of her school due to bullying. Due to her unnatural death, Hanako is believed to have taken the form of a Yokai, even though she has a human-like appearance, wearing a red skirt and bobbed haircut.
However, there are also stories about there being a specific method to summon Hanako-san. To summon her, one must go to the girls’ toilet on the third floor of their school, stand near the third stall, knock three times, and ask whether Hanako-san is there or not. If she is present, she will confirm it by saying some variation of “Yes, I am.” Since this is an urban legend, there are various versions of it.
Some say that after confirming her presence, the individual who summoned her will see a bloody hand come out, which is believed to be Hanako’s hand. In some cases, instead of the hand, she might come out and drag the individual to Hell or let them get consumed by a three-headed lizard, all because they invaded her privacy.
How is Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun different from the urban legend?
Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun is based on the urban legend of Hanako-san, but instead of the ghost being a girl, they changed it to a boy, which is visible since the creators used “kun.” It was not the only change that the anime made to the story. Rather than coming off as a scary ghost, Hanako-kun is quite friendly, and with Nene Yashiro summoning him, she was spiritually bound to him and became his assistant.
Nene Yashiro wanted a boyfriend, but for that to happen, she needed to work hard and help him destroy evil spirits, rectify false rumors, and keep a balance between the human and the spirit world. While Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun follows the supernatural genre, it gives off a lighter vibe thanks to its comedic side.
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Cover image: AI-generated
Priyanko is currently pursuing his Master’s in Economics. He loves to read manga or watch anime in his spare time. He is a massive fan of One Piece, Naruto, and Haikyu. Amidst the Great Pirating Era, he wishes to become the greatest Hokage, even though he is short.
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