Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun Season 2

Episode 24

It took five years for us to get the sequel to 2020's Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun, and looking back I can see it was absolutely worth it. The second season of Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun upped the ante in every possible way—it was twice as long, more emotionally impactful, and somehow even more stylized and beautiful than its predecessor. That said, this was a terrible place to stop! So many things are up in the air, from characters' next steps, to their loyalties—and for some, even their lives. With a prior half-decade gap between seasons and certainly no announcement of a season three, I'm not optimistic this anime will get wrapped up anytime soon. I'll have to look at “Wishes” as the best conclusion we will receive for a while.

This finale was extra long, bypassing the usual opening sequence in order to pack in as much as possible. But this show is so beautiful, it can be hard to tell. With that color-soaked sunset sky in the Boundary world, Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun's average frame is as pretty as another show's opening. It's against this stunning backdrop that Teru and Kou choose, as Akane aptly puts it, the worst possible time to work out their sibling rivalry. Having seen Teru kicking back during the Severance, it's so obvious that Teru gave up his entire childhood in order to shield his little brother from having to do the same. Now that Kou wants to put down his cleaning supplies and become a powerful exorcist like his brother, it's no wonder Teru sees it as a betrayal. Unfortunately, the two chose to exhaust themselves fighting each other right before Number Six showed up. Once again, it's Teru shielding Kou, and here's a burning question I've got: is Teru still alive? The episode ends without any evidence one way or the other.

As Number Six fights off Teru, Akane, and then finally Kou with Aoi's life in the balance, Number Six appears more intrigued than anything that these boys would sacrifice everything, even their own lives, in order to protect Aoi. I'd think that Number Six, whose human-shaped yorishiro is his precious Sumire, might be just a tiny bit more sympathetic. Kou got lucky when, of all people, Natsuhiko popped up out of nowhere to finish off Number Six. But is “luck” really the right word after Natsuhiko's ominous comment? Previously I saw Natsuhiko as the least important member of the broadcasting club, sort of a comic relief character with that silly 3-shaped grin. But the truth is, he's working with Tsukasa and I should have paid more attention to that detail. What evil scheme is hiding behind Natsuhiko's smile?

But the most critical part of this episode, that really makes it a conclusive finale, is Hanako and Nene's kiss. This show can be spooky horror and goofy comedy, but the third part of its secret sauce is its tender portrayal of young love—and this finale hammers that home. For me, this scene is less about the kiss and more about our leads getting a rare chance to sit down in a quiet place and actually be direct about their feelings (though it takes a little time as Nene can never resist an opportunity to fish for a love confession). And after they both lay their cards on the table, it's not only the kiss. It's Hanako wiping Nene's tears. It's Hanako getting down on one knee. It's them looking each other right in the eye. Even as Nene realizes her plan to pack a puzzle and stay in the Boundary with Hanako is naive, and even after Tsukasa shows up to crash their little party (and steal their puzzle! How could he!), the emotional resonance of this moment stuck with me.

In the end, it was a beautiful, moving episode—with no conclusive ending and no season three announcement likely. Where do we go from here? Luckily, I've got good news: we can all read the Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun manga for free on a legal app: Square Enix's Manga Up. No, Manga UP! is not paying me to say any of this; I just get excited when I find a new way to read legal manga for free. This finale animated roughly up through chapter 90, so you can start reading from there—or go all the way back to the beginning and relive the story in a new form. And hopefully, we won't have to wait another five years for another season of anime.

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Lauren is a freelance journalist with a focus on anime fandom. Both of her kids are named after Gundam characters.

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