So this is something me and @daikonsenpai had just realized as we were talking about the new art.
Isn’t it interesting that AidaIro likes to draw Nene with her eyes closed, but Hanako with his open? Looking into it a bit more, you could say there’s actually some symbolism going on here.
Nene has her eyes closed because she’s part of the nearshore, which is supposed to be “blind” to the creatures of the far shore. She’s also “blind” in this new world she has stumbled across, and thus is almost always leaning heavily against Hanako because he’s supporting her in the supernatural world.
I also want to point out Kou in the image above, he has 1 eye open and one eye closed, which symbolises his status as an exorcist and as someone who can technically exist in both shores without being close to death.
Hanako is dead and part of the far shore, so his eyes are fully open at all times, but what I find interesting is where his eyes look in all these arts 🤔
In the same clock-keeper’s art, Hanako is looking up— most likely towards the moon. It’s long established that going to the moon was Hanako’s dream while he was alive, and it wouldn’t be impossible to think he also thinks about the moon while dead
However his gaze starts to change as the story advances
I’m not sure when this was made, but here Hanako is still looking towards the moon. However, his eyes are now more drawn to Nene’s side, which can symbolise she’s becoming important to him.
Here he looks ahead as he carries a sleeping Nene on his back, which could symbolise he’s carrying her through the supernatural world to safety.
His eyes are still drawn up towards the moon, but they’re more centred now.
Here Hanako isn’t looking towards the moon anymore, but he’s completely turned his gaze away from Nene.
I think this is symbolising how he didn’t want to become anymore attached to her, since at this point the PP arc was happening and he wanted to leave her behind to save her— which we later find out he didn’t want to do at all.
So he looks away from her to avoid wanting to stay.
And then finally here, Hanako is no longer interested in the moon and his sole focus is on Nene. He’s likely burning the image of her sleeping face into his mind, knowing it’ll be one of the last times he’s ever going to see her 🥺
This is also the first one where Nene isn’t leaning against Hanako, and he’s actively stopping himself from reaching out to touch her by keeping his hands behind his back. To me, this just further symbolises the coming chapters where Nene is saved and is no longer afflicted with the supernatural world– she doesn’t need to lean on Hanako to support her through it anymore.
Idk these are just some of the thoughts I came up with after gushing over the latest HanaNene art. I just think the hidden symbolism of Hanako’s feelings and priorities shifting over time is just beautiful.
yousharknotpass
vaporwave
theartofmadeline
tangentwithtanner
amandla
baratheonpilled
stormborns
jacobvanloon
