omg im so glad i found your jshk liveblog, your analyzations of the characters is FANTASTIC and u always make sure to notice small details and i rlly rlly love ur enthusiasm for the characters & story, it was such a joy reading thru the liveblogs youve done so far and im really happy youre doing them
Omg you’re so sweet ಥ‿ಥ ಥ‿ಥ Thank you so much!!!
Sometimes I worry that I overanalyze certain things, like when I get caught up in the colour pages or when I ask 10 different questions about a piece of dialogue, but I’m glad to hear it is fun to read! And I feel like it would be hard not to be enthusiastic while reading this manga, both the characters and the story are very engaging and intriguing! ^u^
Again, thank you for your kind words and I hope you enjoy the following chapters as well!
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Chapter 21: The Tea Party (Part 1)
Previously: we went on a very stressful and very emotional trip. We finally learned Hanako’s brother’s name: Tsukasa and he continued to unsettled me like he does every single time he appears. Mitsuba actually passed away, this time for good, it seemed and it made me tear up a bit ngl. After that, the chapter decided I hadn’t suffered enough so it punched me while I was down and showed us how Hanako feels about the existence of the dead as ghosts in general and how that reflects in his own sense of self. We also got another glimpse of the mermaid and she said some real ominous shit :)))) if anything happens to Nene istg :)))))) Sigh And last but not least, Natsuhiko went to see Nene at her classroom and I’m,,,,concerned,,,,
Now onto the next chapter!
Personal update for the 50 (holy shit?) of you that still follow this blog: Well…..hi there, it’s been a while ^^;; Looking back on it, quarantine really hit me like a bag of bricks and burned me out. It’s not the first time that has happened, and what it means to me is that I just can’t bring myself to consume new content; I might have loved it so far but my brain is like “nope, we’re not doing that today” and well, this time it happened for almost two months. Also, one of my cats went missing for a little over a week (he’s home now, thankfully) and that just added to the general distress I was feeling. But over the last week I actually wrote small fics for another fandom and it finally pushed me back into a creative state, so I went back to re-read the last couple of recaps I did for JSHK and it made me realise that I miss my babies and I really want to know where the story goes, so here I am c:
Ohhhh that’s right, we’re starting a new volume with this chapter! Our main trio is front and center and judging by the colorful pastries and the tea, it is a reference to the tea party that was alluded to in the preview of the last chapter. Also, I see the ropes are back again, but this time Kou also has some around him! Nene and Hanako seem to be tied together with pink, blue and yellow ropes, Nene and Kou seem to be tied together with an orange rope and both Hanako and Kou seem to have another rope each that it’s not connected to neither Nene nor each other. Hanako’s is red and considering the way in which we’ve seen him tied up before, I would guess this represents his connection to Tsukasa. Kou’s is pink and considering everything that just happened, could his rope represent his connection with Mitsuba? Like, I know he’s dead dead now and their actual friendship was short-lived but I would also like to think that even though he’s gone, his memory will live forever with Kou, hence the rope. But I’m speculating and I already went on a long enough tangent for the cover page so let’s move on.
The next color page has the main trio again as the central focus in what seems to be the inside of a place that has a clockwork-like mechanism. On the corners of the page we have who I assume will be important character during the following arc(s): Aoi, Akane, Yamabuki and Teru (the latter one worries me slightly ngl).
Ohhhh okay, the content page says that one of the arcs is called “the three clock keepers” so the art on that page now makes more sense.
……….I really don’t trust him hhhhh please be careful, Nene, please don’t let your weakness for pretty boys cloud your judgement.
Ohhh it could be because of Nene’s dress and the bunny ears (and the twins) but the title page gives me strong Alice in Wonderland vibes. It’s a cute picture but Tsukasa is there and Nene is tearing up so I’m,,,concerned
Okay so Nene followed Natsuhiko outside and
Are you reciting her your dating profile or something? also “call me Natsuhiko-senpai ♡” omfg he’s one of those, huh? Like, it could all be an act but he’s looking less and less threatening by the minute lol
Nene, bless her, has the common sense of asking him why he wanted to talk to her all of the sudden and he says it’s because “someone wants to meet her”. Gee, I wonder who that could be :)))))
…………….oh, oh no. Nene, sweetie, I need you to run and to run fast because this boy is up to no good and you’re not gonna like what’s gonna happen. (Edit note: also this brings up a question: how did the chaotic trio know that Nene turns into a fish when she touches water? Like, I know they had been keeping tracks on her and Hanako for some time, so maybe they found out that way? Oh, maybe they use the Mokke? Because the Mokke were there in Yako’s boundary when Hanako pushed Nene down the waterfall)
Hhhhhhh and to the surprise of no one, there’s Tsukasa here to make Nene’s day more difficult.
asdasgdjash please do not make my daughter share the same fate as the puffer fish, she doesn’t deserve it (ﾟдﾟ；) (ﾟдﾟ；)
Nene fainted (can’t say I blame her jfc) and now she’s waking up in what seems to be the tea party and the floor is wet! so she thinks she could be on another boundary. Interesting, I wonder which number would this one be? Because the boundaries are assigned to the seven mysteries, right? So one of them should be in control of this place. Could Tsukasa be in control of this one? But that wouldn’t make much sense because he managed to get his “physical” form only recently, right? However, Hanako also spoke of a traitor that was changing rumors and we know that these three are responsible, so if they’re not the owners of the boundary maybe they somehow managed to manipulate the mystery that does control it? Oooor it could also be that there’s another boundary that managed to go under the radar and in turn the other mysteries don’t know about it.
sjdgjjasd she’s so done with them lol I know I call them the chaotic trio but it’s really the chaotic duo + Sakura. I’m so curious about how this whole *gestures wildly towards them* arrangement came to be.
Ohhhh this great! So Sakura got everything under control and from her introduction to Nene we now know that she’s a third year and we have confirmation that she became Tsukasa’s assistant in the same way that Nene did, in exchange for a wish. B U T, again, that brings up even more questions because Tsukasa said that while Amane granted the wishes of the living, he granted the wishes of the dead. So like (⚆.⚆) what’s up with that?? Is she an exception? Is she dead? Another supernatural? Or, maybe, even though it should be impossible considering what we know so far, could her wish have something to do with her being ‘alive’ in the school right now? Mhmmmm…...suspicious.
Okay but like, I actually really want to know how he fits in all of this because okay, Sakura and Tsukasa are linked together by the wish she made, but why is Natsuhiko here? Who is he? How did he end up working with these two? He seems silly and completely whipped for Sakura, so maybe they knew each other before she made her “contract” with Tsukasa? Hhhhh idk let’s keep reading.
Sakura says that she wanted to meet Nene because they’re in similar positions and she thought they could be good friends. And like, that’s a fair point…...but I don’t trust like that, no sir. Even if she didn’t want the boys to be so rough when they brought Nene here, the fact remains that they still kidnapped her so if this was just a friendly meeting, why would they need to do it in such a convoluted way?
Okay good, Nene is suspicious because of their methods and the amount of knowledge they have about her.
………………...sigh, I shouldn’t be surprised but bby no please don’t trust them so easily. She’s venting to Sakura about Hanako’s unpredictable behaviour and Sakura says that she can empathize with most of her struggles while Tsukasa is sitting on top of her shoulders and wrapping his arms and legs around here…...I can definitely see why she said he was cat-like because my cats do things like that when I’m sit down to write at my desk. But again, I know he’s technically a kid but I really need him to stop acting so cute because it unsettles me a lot.
Even he can see the romantic chemistry between those two. Well, thinking about it, that’s probably why they dragged her here, because she’s important to Hanako.
(;;⚆.⚆) NOPE, no, no thank you, I need you to back tf up please jfc
Nene snaps out of it and realizes that she let herself be drawn in by girl talk. She thankfully knows it was a stupid thing to do but she was just relieved and happy to have found someone who seems to understand what she’s going through, so I’ll cut her some slack. And she mentions that they don’t look like bad people but like I did, if they had innocent intentions, they wouldn’t have had to bring her by force.
………………...I feel like I’ve mentioned this before but I really hate it when either of them does this fucking face, it’s so creepy >n< also, Nene, sweetie, once again I’m asking you to run, run far and don’t look back because that look doesn’t spell anything good, especially paired with Sakura’s scared/resinged look (which makes me think that maybe her own intentions had been more innocent that I had originally given her credit for)
Hmmm. This is concerning; like, yes, Nene has to help Hanako with whatever he needs as his assistant as part of their deal and he does threaten to turn her into a fish when she pouts but I never got the feeling that it was malicious. On the other hand, Sakura’s wording (especially calling Tsukasa “Master” and saying she “can’t” disobey) and the look Tsukasa gave her make it seem like her punishment for not following his orders would be much more severe. hhhhh I really don’t like where this is going
Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) WHAT THE HELL THIS THAT THING WHAT THE EVER LOVING FUCK OH MY GO D
“We’re gonna have you disappear now” okay so, yeah, he’s doing this specifically to upset his brother. the room is fucking sinking though and omfg what even is this room?? is it really a boundary? Since this happened at this very moment, it looks like they do control it so my questions from before remain, the biggest one being “how”. Also I’ve just noticed that the eyes all over the place are very similar to the ones in the broadcasting room and now this tells me that those weren’t an artistic choice and that is terrifying.
…………………..excuse me, w h a t??? why? hello??? “she’s like this sometimes” ????? Sakura what???? I have….so many questions, the main one being why do you let her treat you like this??
……………………………………...oh…..y’know, I hate the term simp with a passion because I feel like it’s been memed to death but wow.
Hhhhhhhh it looks like she can’t stop sinking and that (and the fucking eyes) tell me that this is not normal water (since she would have turned into a fish already). She’s yelling out for Hanako and that’s how the chapter ends. I’m still :)))))) concerned :))))))))
I just wanted to say I always really love reading your jshk liveblogs. Thank you very much for posting them, keep it up :)!! (at whatever pace is convenient for you ofc)
Awwww thank you so much!!! I know I'm going at a really slow pace, so I'm really glad that my ramblings make you smile! I'll probably have a new chapter up this week 🤗😣
Previously: the feels came and hit me like a train. Mitsuba’s story was heartbreaking and I wanted nothing more than give him all the nice things he deserves and never got to experience ;; We also had another chapter of Kou being a Very Good Boy ™ and their friendship made me smile so much…...well, until he arrived…...and that happened…….and the angst also hit me like a train. Oh yeah, we also had some great exposition regarding plot-related stuff which made me ask a lot of question (but that’s not new with me lol). Hanako is coming to the scene right now and I’m :)) scared :))))
Now onto the next chapter!
Guess who’s really late again??? I really have no excuse other than me having a really bad attention span (also A3! has taken over my life pls send help)
Anyway!
Oh wow, this cover page has A Lot to disect.. The main thing my eyes were drawn to is Hanako’s expression and the fact that he’s holding the bloodied knife. He looks shocked and sad, and he’s gonna go face his brother (that he killed) and I’m terrified ahhhhh Another thing! The ropes that are tying them together: now, from what I see, the ropes are tying all of them up except for Kou; like, the main connection I always associate with Yashiro and Hanako is their bond, but then the connection between Hanako and Mitsuba is that they’re both dead. It looks like all the ropes are interconnected though and I...I don’t like the implications that my brain is coming up with right now………...Yashiro baby please be safe, okay? Like, it could also mean that Mitsuba is gonna form some sort of bond with Hanako, but let’s be real, what would bring the biggest amount of angst? Exactly. From what I’ve seen so far, the covers have elements that are relevant to the plot and I feel like there’s a lot of things here that could be concerning :))))
Ahhhh okay let’s keep going
So we’re back with Not-Hanako and Kou after Sakura changed Mitsuba’s rumor and turned him into THAT. And you guys remember how I mentioned that it unsettles me when Hanako smiles creepily and his eyes turn dark? Well
I’m incredibly unsettled right now.
Okay so Mitsuba’s wish was too vague for Not-Hanako to turn him into something more than a “half-done supernatural”. He didn’t know what he wanted to do but he knew that he wanted people to remember him. But thanks to Kou, now he knows his actual wish: friends. Mitsuba just wants to stay with his friends and oh, can you hear that???? that’s the sound of my heart breaking (again).
Kou is understadably pissed but Not-Hanako is ignoring him, and he mentions that the more people Mitsuba gets to remember him, the longer he will be able to stay there. And yeah, it checks out with what we know about supernaturals since Tsuchigomori mentioned that it’s easier for him since he can spread his own rumors.
Oh………...oh no………...Mitsuba baby no pls (;;⚆_⚆)
Yeah, this ties to what he said before about “if that’s enought to break the world then it’s better off broken”. It seems like he just wants everyone to let go of their morals and see where that lead them. Also “the price of this wish is your mind”, does he mean like, his conciousness? his ability to discern right from wrong? Because if he can strip him from that with just his touch (and the rumors) then that’s horrible. Well, I guess that’s what happened with Yako and the Mokke, right? They started killing/stealing/kidnapping people after their rumors changed.
(ﾟдﾟ；) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) OMFG THAT’S TERRIFYING MAKE IT STOP
oh no, oh no, he’s grabbing Kou and it seems like he’s choking him oh no Mitsuba baby please, I know you’re still there, come on, the power of friendship ™ can bring you back pls
Aw, Kou, sweetie, you weren’t wrong. You gave Mitsuba a good memory and the friend he had always wanted, it’s not your fault that this little shit fucked everything up.
Ahhhhh Hanako is finally here! Oh geez, he cut Mitsuba clean in half ;; But like, he should be fine, right? He also stabbed Yako and she was okay. So Mitsuba should return to his previous form…….right? Please? (;;⚆.⚆)
I really need Not-Hanako to stop being cute, I’m trying to be mad and he unsettles me
!!!!! We finally have a name!!!! I can’t stop calling him Not-Hanako, bless
Awww baby, Hanako is shaking so much :cccc This looks like it’s so hard for him, oh dear
“Back when you killed me” ………………………...ok so that makes it sound like he pushed Hanako to do it, at least in some way………….those wounds and bruises and…..rope marks…….little Amane had when he was alive really aren’t looking good under this lense, I don’t li k e t h i s
(ﾟдﾟ；) (ﾟдﾟ；) (ﾟдﾟ；) fucking hell, that’s just. yikes. Like, Amane seemed like such a sweet kid, you really have to wonder what was it that made him finally snap, especially in such a way
It really looks like he’s just teasing him even though Amane clearly finds the whole event (and even his brother’s mere presence) traumatizing. It’s weird, Tsukasa seems like he’s doing all this on purpose but he also doesn’t realize that it doesn’t make his brother happy. It has the complete opposite effect, in fact. Even the way he’s standing on his tiptoes, it can just be a cute habit but it also makes him tower slightly over Amane.
Sigh okay, he’s gone, thank you. But!!! Kou is calling out to Mitsuba!! Is he okay??
…………………….oh no. His face says it all, he can’t, he wants to but he can’t
(TдT)(TдT)(TдT) this is so fucking sad. This poor child just wanted a happy (after)life with his friends and he tried, he tried so hard, but every time his chances was snuffed out.
“...we have have no future”
Hmmm…...the way that he’s wording this and what he said during the young exorcist arc gives me the idea that he actually doesn’t like being a supernatural, he thinks there’s really no point to existing after death since he doesn’t grow old nor he can pursue his old dreams. But he HAS to do it; he hates it, but he has a mission so that he can repent for his sins, and his sense of obligation is strong enough that he pleaded for his “life” to Teru, knowing that, in his own eyes, he shouldn’t be here in the first place, And he really did thought that Kou could help Mitsuba in a kinder way so that the ghost would be able to pass on happy but it backfired spectacularly. Living on after you die seems like a truly heart-rending existence.
And there’s only the camera left behind…...No, this-this is fine, I’m fine, this is……. (ಥ﹏ಥ)
Oh dear, and now Kou is blaming himself for not being stronger, strong like his brother, strong enough to save Mitsuba. I should have seen it coming, considering we know very well how Kou views his brother as a kind of ideal and, in turn, views himself as not good enough, but it still hurts. And I know it’s because he’s grieving, but he really shouldn’t do this to himself right now.
“I’m pretty sure destruction is the only salvation for the dead.” At first I thought this was a contradiction to what he had said before (about himself) but it really isn’t. He thinks it’s best when the dead are able to disappear from this world, but he doesn’t want salvation for himself, he wants an opportunity to atone. And I wonder if because of that, he sees himself as someone who’s past salvation.
I’m glad that Kou immediately cuts him off and says that’s ridiculous. Because even if Kou is saying it for Mitsuba, I’m pretty sure Hanako also needed to hear that.
Also, it looks like this is the beginning of a very strong grudge against Tsukasa on Kou’s part and I get it but also I’m :))) scared :)))
I mean, I think he’s got a point there. Yeah, the world has rules that the average people can’t change but he has a power not many others (?) have, so him being able to change things in regards to supernaturals doesn’t seem out of the question.
AHHHHHHHHHHH HE FOUND HIS PICTURE
(ಥ﹏ಥ) (ಥ﹏ಥ) (ಥ﹏ಥ) take a shot every time I wanted to cry during this chapter
Oh!!! we’re at sea with the mermaid and her people! Mr pufferfish died but the other fish survived so he reported back to her.
Oh. So she really did have good intentions by trying to kidnap Yashiro. Not the best method, but her heart was in the right place. BUT ALSO!!! I’m now even more worried about my girl :)))))))) please don’t let anything happen to her ;;
PFFFFFFFFFFFFT why is this me with A3! omfg Yashiro sweetie we could totally bond over mobile games
Yashiro was summoned by an upperclassman?? Who-oh, wait
Of course, of-fucking-course, hi Natsuhiko, please don’t endanger my daughter, she’s done nothing wrong.
And that was the end of the chapter. It felt shorter than usual but also incredibly long because it was emotionally taxing ;; that was such a rollercoaster, oh dear
Ohhhhh there’s extras this time around!!
Awwwwwww the ten-times game panels are so precious ;u; especially the parallel between Kou-Teru and Kou-Hanako. The character sheets with the little bits of info are pretty cute as well!
Judging by the preview of the next volume, it seems like Yashiro is gonna have a tea party with the chaotic trio (Sakura doesn’t seem chaotic so far but the other two do so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ sorry not sorry). If they hurt my child istg….
Awwwwwwwwww the middle school entrance pictures are so cute! (Amane’s and Tsukasa’s not so much in context but…...yeah)
I once saw some commenting on a video about Hanako and they claimed that Yashiro was a useless, selfish girl, who always required the assistance of Hanako. I hope that they are aware Hanako would be the first to pull out a knife in Nene’s defense lol. From what I have seen thus far, she has been nothing but sweet and kind.
I think I talked about this in one of my recaps but yeah, I think that criticism is too harsh (at least considering what I’ve read so far.)
Is she selfish? Yes, she was, and she admitted it herself and has grown from it.
Does Hanako have to save often? Yes, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with it. She’s just a regular high school girl who was thrown in ridiculous (not mention highly dangerous) situations and she has no previous training as to how to deal with all of it, why is it so wrong for her to rely on someone to help her?
Is she useless? Hell no. She provides emotional support and stability that allows Hanako the chance to give himself an opportunity to open up and trust someone after lord knows how long. As you said, she’s been sweet and kind and she just wants to help others. Also on the more physical side, let’s not forget that she was ready to throw hands when Kou and Tsukasa first appeared lol Lesson one: don’t mess with her ghost (boy)friend
Lol I search up “daikon legs anime” and poor Nene was the first result on images. Additionally, I saw an article in the results insisting that “daikon legs” would become fashionable in the future. At least, Yashiro can have that as consolation lol.
Omfg 😂😂😂 our poor girl can't catch a break, her daikon legs will follow her forever. That would offer some consolation but I just hope that she can learn to love that part of herself because there's really nothing wrong with her legs, the characters in the story are just really rude 😣
Previously: we started a new arc! We shifted the focus to Kou and his new ghost friend, Mitsuba. He’s a new-ish ghost and not at all what I expected (but I’m honestly kinda living for it). Together they’re trying to work out what Mitsuba’s unfinished business is so he can move on. They seem to work well together (in a very chaotic type of way). It started out very cute and then it got real angsty real fast, and I suspect it’s only gonna get worse this chapter :)) I can’t wait :)))
Now onto the next chapter!
You know when you say you’re gonna upload more regularly but then life happens and you get sick (AGAIN)........yeah, don’t know what that’s like or anything……..sigh
Anyway, time to finally keep going with the feels train from last chapter. And omfg
Only the first page and I’m already feeling all the feelings ;n; Look at them!! They were so precious! I know it’s not rare for people to stop being friends when they change classes but still :C
He’s saying that he tried to reach out to everyone he considered a friend but none of them recognized him. I know I said it last chapter but god, this is so heartbreaking, this poor child. Kou looks speechless, and I can’t say I blame him, it’s a lot to unpack.
Awwww baby he was bullied in elementary school for “looking like a girl” and being “cocky” :( I know not everyone is like that, but people like these are the reason I was so glad to be over with high school (not elementary school because I went to school with basically the same people since I was five). Kids can be so unnecessarily mean :/
Ah, okay. So when he started middle school, he decided to change things up.
Oh, sweetheart ;; He tried, he tried so hard because he just wanted to have friends and be happy but it backfired. I can’t even imagine how that must have felt. Like, what was the point of locking away his true self if no one cared about him either way? “A boring guy who barely stands out from the background” I really resonate with this line (and I’m sure a lot of people do as well). I’m quite shy nowadays but I was extremely shy when I was younger; I only really had two close friends in class (they’re thankfully two of my best friends to this day) and I knew everyone else didn’t particularly cared about me unless they needed something. I didn’t really get bullied but I was made fun of a few times because I was a bit overweight, and that, inaddition to my anxiety, really dealt a blow to my self-esteem. I only started to really open up during my second year of college when I met a lot of people who had interests and personalities similar to mine. What I’m trying to say with all this is that it can take a really long time for you to be comfortable in your own skin and to be comfortable sharing who you are and what you enjoy; hell, I still have a hard time doing it. But it gets better, even if it doesn’t seem like it will, it does, and it breaks my heart to see that Mitsuba didn’t get the chance to experience that, that he didn’t get the chance to find friends that loved him for who he was when he was still alive.... Oof, okay, that got sad fast. Let’s keep reading.
In his own clumsy way, I think he’s trying to lift Mitsuba’s spirits. Since he’s one of the people who forgot about him, he probably feels guilty, so this is his way of saying “I didn’t remember the fake you, but I will do my damn best to remember the real you and I’ll let the others know as well”. And yeah, it’s brash, but I like it, I see it as a way of preserving Mitsuba’s actual memory, who he really was and not the persona that just made him unhappy.
Ah, good, he apologized for not remembering him and he also explains that the reason he didn’t recognize him was because he was so different from when they first met. Fair tbh, there’s quite a gap between the seemingly soft spoken boy and Mitsuba’s actual teasing nature and colorful vocabulary.
Kou is such a good kid. Like, I know Mitsuba is already dead but I’m so glad someone told him this. And hey, it could help him move on as well. OH! HANG ON. Okay, so, Mitsuba said that he thinks his regret has something to do with taking a picture he couldn’t when he was alive, right? If we take into consideration what we’ve learned so far, it seems like Mitsuba’s biggest regret centers around the fact that he couldn’t form long-lasting friendships. So like, is the picture he wanted to take one with his friends?? Because that’s- that’s so sad but also so sweet I think I could cry. Kou, in his own way, tells him that he’s a pretty alright guy and Mitsuba says “a lot of good that does me now” but hey, it actually does, because I think he really needed to hear that.
Ahhhhhh Mitsuba asks him if they could have been friends if he were still alive. Of course you could have, sweetie! Come on, Kou, tell him!
ಥ‿ಥ ಥ‿ಥ ಥ‿ಥ ಥ‿ಥ ಥ‿ಥ ಥ‿ಥ
He’s taking a picture of Kou!!!!!!!
(TдT)(TдT)(TдT) my heart oh my god I love them so much look at these babies.
Kou is being oblivious but Mitsuba tells him not to worry about it and that he thinks that once they develop the pictures, he’ll be able to move on ;; (Or at least I think that’s what he means.)
(⚆.⚆) (⚆.⚆)
(;;⚆_⚆) Oh…………..there he is……..oh dear
But ALSO, hello?? do they know each other?? how? when??? (also imo the stylistic choice of making that speech bubble black is incredibly effective because you can just feel the malice behind it)
Oh, I’m so glad that Kou realized so fast that he isn’t Hanako. Like, yeah, the clothes are a big help but I feel like this boy’s aura is so different from Hanako’s (well, from regular Hanako, since he does have some moments when he smiles creepily).
Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) (ﾟдﾟ；) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) HOLY FUCKING SHIT W H A T
What is he doing???? what??? did he like, kill him off, like, for good??? wha t????
Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) OH GOD, IT KEEPS GETTING WORSE
………………….oh? So he does work as a “Hanako-kun” like Amane? That’s interesting because when I first came up with that I thought it would be possible if “Hanako-kun” was one spirit that split itself depending on who summoned him. But now that I know that he’s actually Amane’s twin, I have to wonder how and why did this happen. Like, why is it that both of them ended up with this role? Is it because they are twins and since they look the same the rumors then would consider them to be just one entity?
Mitsuba’s wish was “I want to stay in everyone’s memories” and I just ;;;;;;;;
(ﾟдﾟ；) (ﾟдﾟ；) (ﾟдﾟ；)
First: please let the child go omfg. Second: that’s not your decision to make. If Mitsuba thinks that having Kou remember him is enough, then that’s it, there’s nothing more to argue. And I repeat: ple a se let go of the child. Why is he trying to interfere? Like, yes, Hanako helped Yashiro as much as he could when she made her wish(es), but he only kept interfering because she still wasn’t happy with the outcome. Mitsuba seems to be okay with it, so he shouldn’t have a reason to meddle.
“Don’t you lay a hand on my friend!!” I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Kou is such a good kid, we don’t deserve him. But also he’s being reckless and it fills me with worry ;;
Ohhhhhhh okay. I didn’t consider that before. Whether Hanako could only grant wishes to living people or not, I mean. I assumed he did, so it’s interesting to know that there’s someone who can grant the wishes of the dead. That brings up a couple of questions, though. Like, what are the limits of his powers? What does he take in exchange? Are the wishes of the dead similar to Mitsuba’s or do they have a bigger range? Is any spirit able to summon him or are there restrictions like in Amane’s case (even if we still don’t know what the conditions for summoning him are yet)? Also, again, it seems like he’s more “pushy” than Amane is in regard to his wish granting.
…...oh, oh no. they’re gonna forcefully change his rumor so that his wish comes true (even though Mitsuba was happy before and ghost boy here doesn’t like to listen to other opinions, apparently)
[also now I feel really bad about the crooked man joke I made last chapter. I didn’t think it would come back to bite me in the ass like this;;]
Oh god, that’s some horrifying imagery. There’s nothing gruesome but the way that it’s drawn conveys the despair he’s feeling so well.
“If you can’t tell him his name then he’ll break your neck to make you look like him” jfc that’s just cruel ;; to turn his sincere and desperate wish into a weapon, to turn him into a mindless weapon (because we know that he’s gonna have to do it unless Yashiro is able to change it or unless Hanako takes matters into his own hands). Also it just hit me that Mitsuba is not dead dead so like, why the fuck did Hanako n°2 put a hole in his chest???? what was the point?? just to be a piece of shit?
…………………..I-
Yes. that, same. Wh-what the fuck
OH! Haku-joudai went to report to Hanako what happened! Oh boy, oh dear. He looked shocked and slightly afraid and I’m :)) terrified :)))
So, he’s on the side of chaos, basically. Like, he clearly does whatever the fuck he wants, and he wants complete and total freedom to do so, without a care about how that might affect others. Lovely :))))
Previously: we wrapped up the little mermaid arc. Hanako and Yashiro’s relationship continues to evolve while they figure out where they stand and how they want to move forward. In relation to that, Hanako confirmed that the person he killed was his younger twin brother and he promised to tell Yashiro the whole story in the future. We also met what I assume will be our complete group of antagonists (at least for the time being): Natsuhiko, Sakura and Hanako’s brother. Their dynamic so far seems to be (surprisingly) quite playful and lively, but also Hanako’s brother murdered the puffer fish with such glee that I just (;;⚆_⚆)
Now onto the next chapter!
Welp, I didn’t intend to take another long break but life happened and I have the attention span of a goldfish. As a way to also make myself stick to a schedule, I’m gonna try my best to do these recaps as regularly as possible. We’ll see how that goes.
This time we open with Kou and his friends talking about a rumor that says that the entrance to the middle school is haunted. I’m guessing this means that this arc will be a little more Kou-centric? Especially since he and Hanako were the ones in the cover of this new volume. I wonder if he’s gonna do his own thing with Hanako and/or Yashiro chiming in like in The Young Exorcist Arc, because that would be cool.
Okay, so apparently the ghost grabs you when you’re changing your shoes. And judging by the ominous “Hey” speech bubble, I’m guessing this rumor is true just like the others, then (not like I was expecting anything else, but still) Also Kou’s friends are very cute, they look like they deserve hair ruffles.
(ﾟдﾟ；) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) JFC that’s much more terrifying that I thought it would be. Also!!! does that head angle give anyone else crooked man vibes? no? because it’s giving me some horrible flashbacks to that game.
The chapter cover page here is that image (from ch 16) that has our three babies looking ready to tell some ghost stories. I wonder if it’s something that this site did or if the volume itself repeats this page. Nevertheless, I still love this page, they look very very cute.
The title this time is “Mitsuba”, which sounds like a name and I’m only saying that because I think I might have heard of another character with that name. Then again, my japanese is very limited, so I could be completely wrong. If it IS a name, I’m guessing it’s gonna be our crooked man’s over there since most chapters so far were named after the different supernaturals.
Moving on, Kou shows the ghost that he decided to mess with the wrong guy by promptly throwing them against the shoe lockers. RIP ghost (again).
Oh! Kou says that the ghost is wearing a school uniform, so he was possibly a student here. Interesting! Now, we don’t know when this boy died, but this means that Hanako isn’t the only ghost that has an attachment to this school. The question then would be why this boy is here specifically and not somewhere else.
OH!!!!!! There he is!! He’s the pink-haired boy, right?? Okay, so, it’s been a while, but I mentioned that I had seen two spoilers when my instagram feed decided to betray me. One was Hanako’s brother and the other was this boy here! I saw him two times in two pieces of fanart with Kou. I didn’t know he would appear so soon! Ohhhhhh that’s exciting! I’m guessing he must be important in some way, right? He looks really cute! and now I feel bad about the crooked man comment (even though his neck really looked kinda funky in that one panel). Are they gonna become friends?? Is Kou gonna expand his friend list to two (2) ghost friends?.......oh, god, I hope Teru doesn’t object to this one too. Well, no, I don’t think he would; he wants to exorcise Hanako because he considers him a danger to the school (and I’m not saying that Hanako doesn’t have the power to hurt others but like…….his brother really seems like the bigger threat right now ngl……...Although, do they even know about him? Because we know that Kou’s grandmother (?) was the one to seal Hanako away and his family knows that he killed “someone”, but do they know about his twin?)
Hey, there’s my other two children! So they are gonna be involved in this arc as well, cool.
OMFG KOU! Sweetie, no! Like, I get it, he’s a ghost that tried to grab you and he could have hurt someone but he looks so helpless, like a scared puppy! I get tying him up but was the duct tape on the face really necessary? I mean, no one else besides the other supernaturals and Yashiro and Teru would have heard him, right? I can’t even be mad at him tho, look at how excited he is about catching a ghost ಥ‿ಥ
Anyway, it seems like he went to Hanako to check how he could deal with the ghost. And awwww!! It’s because he doesn’t want to exorcise him, either! He’s really committed to this new path, huh? Good on you, Kou, I’m so proud.
Hanako gives the boy a long silent look and tells Kou that since the ghost is there probably because of some unfinished business, that means he should help him solve whatever they are. I mean, if countless movies have taught me anything, it is that this plan should probably work.
Omfg Kou just keeps yanking this little ghost boy around. Please be careful with the ghost child. Yashiro shows her concern over the idea (understandable, Kou can be overly enthusiastic and we don’t know anything about this new boy). Hanako says it’ll be fine and he also confirms that the boy is not really dangerous now (the “now” is kinda concerning, though (⚆.⚆) …..but then again, since I saw him and Kou in fanarts, I’m guessing things will turn out okay), and that if things take a turn for the worse, it’s just more work for him because he’s the mediator. Hmmm, that’s quite a solemn look on his face. I think he mentioned this when we met the mokke as Yousei-san, but he wants to avoid killing/getting rid off apparitions whenever possible, right? That’s why having Yashiro as his assistant works in his favour. So that means that he probably doesn’t want to have to “deal” with this ghost, but since that’s the nature of his role, he has no other choice if push comes to shove.
(ALSO, this is a side note but it just hit me: since Hanako doesn’t seem to know this ghost, that means that he’s new? or maybe that he recently acquired the ability to manifest? could it be because of the rumors? like, he was just doing his own thing and suddenly the rumors forced him to haunt the entrance?)
Anyway, we cut back to Kou and ghost boy.
Omfg this poor child. Kou, please untie him before he starts crying.
……………………………...oh my god. I- well, I expected many things but this was not one of them. Like, he has every right to be angry but wow this child has a mouth on him. But also it could be because of the way it’s translated but it’s very funny to me that his insults range from “i hope you drop dead” to “dummy head” pffft.
I-..... He’s really nothing like I expected omg what. Sweetie, breath, trust me when I say Kou would be one of the last people to even think about doing something like that.
OMFG I JUST SCROLLED
Pffffffffft why is that so funny?? I can’t be the only one that read that in the spongebob narrator voice.
But yeah, it looks like he got it all out of his system. Now Kou is trying to maintain his “cool guy facade” so that ghost boy will respect him (I think it’s gonna take more than that to achieve it, but we’ll see). He also tells him that he comes from a family of exorcists but that backfires spectacularly because the boy basically calls him an otaku. RIP Kou, he really can’t catch a break pffft
Ghost boy keeps being sassy and that makes Kou threaten him with his staff. Good thing he doesn’t know that it’s sealed and that it doesn’t really work.
Hey! His name really is Mitsuma (thank god, I can finally stop calling him ghost boy). He really isn’t the cooperative type, huh? Also what’s that bottom left face omfg Please just let Kou know, he just wants to help.
Like, I know they’re brothers but wow Kou looks so much like Teru right here, scary face and all. But yeah, anyway. A picture? Like, he lost a picture that he treasured? Or maybe he wants to take one? Or he wanted to take a picture with someone else?
Ohhhh, okay. So he was part of the photography club and there was a picture he wanted to take before he died. Or so he thinks. So like, do you lose part of your memories when you die? If so, could it be because of the passage of time or as defense mechanism of some sort? If his camera is still at the club, then that probably means that he was a student here not too long ago.
We cut to Kou helping Mitsuba take some pictures (and being attacked by birds in the process), And from the looks of it, it’s all on purpose and Mitsuba is having way too much fun with the power he has lol Kou, in turn, keeps zapping him with his staff when Mitsuba gets too cocky. Boy, these two already have quite the dynamic, I can’t even imagine how chaotic they’re gonna get in the future.
Kou then points out that Mitsuba has taken pictures of scenery and animals but none of people. Mitsuba admits that pictures of people are better if you want to win awards but then cuts himself off. Hmmm. Does he like to take pictures of nature better because of his artistic style or could there be a deeper meaning behind it?
Here’s your reminder that I really really love Kou ಥ‿ಥ He’s such a good boy I just ಥ‿ಥ ಥ‿ಥ
“I’ll pass” PFFFFFFFFFFT these two give me whiplash, I swear. Mitsuba is freaking brutal (and I’m kinda living for it ngl).
Hey, one of Kou’s friends, Yokoo, is back!
Oh????? Did Mitsuba went to the school recently? Were they in the same year??? Kou didn’t look like he recognized him, so maybe he was in a different class?
Ah, they actually were in the same class during their first year. Is Kou in his last year of middle school? So….they were in the same class two years ago?
Oh no. Mitsuba died sometime last winter in an accident. It looks like he has a big scar on the back of his neck; if that’s how he died, it seems like it was quite painful. This poor child ;; Yokoo mentions that they weren’t really that close to him (and that’s very clear considering Kou’s reaction). I wonder why Mitsuba didn’t say anything. But then again, Kou didn’t really give him any signals to work with, I guess he just decided to keep quiet.
Oh! It looks like Kou is remembering something now that he’s been reminded.
oh my god…...look at them…….babies ;;; they look so young ;;;;;; what happen??? why did they stop talking?? just because they were in different classes?
Oh, that’s…….that’s heartbreaking. To desperately reach out, again and again, and to come out empty handed every time. And I feel like it’s such a common fear too, the possibility of being forgotten by everyone you care about. That would be such a hit to your own self-worth. Oh, sweetheart….This poor baby needs so many hugs.
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Chapter 17: The Little Mermaid (Part 2)
Previously: we started a new arc and things get complicated for both Yashiro and Hanako. We met “the other Hanako” and with that, we got a glimpse of Hanako’s backstory (if his reaction is anything to go by). After being so shaken by the encounter, Hanako starts to avoid Yashiro and it couldn’t happen at a worse time since the Mermaid’s followers found her and now are trying to get Yashiro to sever her bond with our ghost boy and to go with them instead. The chapter also brought up the concept of trust and how Yashiro views her relationship with Hanako so far (with Tsuchigomori putting in his two cents and talking a little about how Hanako probably feels), and I really really love how the author is handling it so far.
Now onto the next chapter!
Ohhhhhh!!!!! That’s the image from the anime opening!!! The one that I think made every anime-only go “wait….what???”. This image was pretty disturbing without context, but now knowing that the shadowy figure could represent his brother, it adds another layer of yikes ngl
Ah, right, when we last left off, the fish had forced Yashiro into the water when she declined their invitation. A great way to get her to trust you, guys. Truly a phenomenal job.
………..
I want to be where the people are, I want to see- want to see 'em dancin'~~
Again: that’s fucking rude! Don’t you go dissing my girl like that, she’s a bit ditzy but she’s wonderful!!
I was gonna say “how do you expect her to come with you after trash-talking her like that?” but that’s probably the angle they’re going for. They’re trying to crush her self esteem so that she has no choice but to think that going to their world would be the best thing she could do. Clearly, they’re not above using dirty tactics.
…………..sigh Yeah I was afraid of that. Like, the way I see it, Yashiro’s concern with popularity stems from her own desire for people to like her (it goes hand in hand with her romantic personality), so if these fish tell her “Oh, you’re nothing more than a walking disaster as a human, no one will love you if you stay here. but if you come with us, you will be loved by all”, it doesn’t surprise me that she would be tempted by the idea.
Oh, is Hanako finally here?
There he is!! And as always, he arrives just in the nick of time and rescues her with great dramatic flair. Also, there’s something about fish!Yashiro’s expression that is just really funny to me.
He says “your world may be kind to her...this one my be cruel...but it doesn’t matter”
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh ಥ‿ಥ you tell them, Hanako! They have no right to try and take Yashiro away from this world and him. Also, this page is beautiful holy shit, it’s simple yet detailed where needed. “Are you gonna praise the art style every recap?” you ask……...yeah, probably
ಥ‿ಥ I love them so much ಥ‿ಥ
You know? Sometimes I forget how scary Hanako can look sometimes. But then his eyes go all black and he smiles like that and I remember. The threat seems to be enough to send the fish packing, though, even if they do say that they won’t give up on getting Yashiro to go with them.
Ahhhh, this makes me so happy! They’re clearly still learning to interact in a more “serious” manner around each other. It’s a slow process but they’re communicating more effectively (Yashiro with her speech to him when she gave him the donuts and Hanako apologizing not only now but also after the confession tree incident) and it’s really nice to see. And just look at how happy that made her! That’s all that she wanted, for him to reach out to her after he avoided her for a while. Another thing that I really appreciate is these rare moments where we get Hanako acting sincerely, no jokes or cheeky smiles, just him laying out his genuine feelings; especially here, since it proves that what the fish said was wrong.
I feel the need to point out that she’s not denying it. Like, yes, she meant it as friends, but the implications are there and don’t think for a second that I don’t see the “badum, badum, badum” and the blush. The romantic chemistry they have is very apparent and I’m living for it.
OH! There it is! Well, I’m glad that the reveal didn’t take very long (even if it was a pretty important thing to be spoiled on).
That’s a nice detail. He’s trying to act naturally but this is clearly a sensitive topic for him……..which makes me think that Yashiro’s assumption last chapter will be right.
……………..yeah, there it is. Can’t say I’m particularly surprised but it’s still a hard pill to swallow. I talked about it last chapter (and maybe during some of the other chapters as well) but with the clues we’ve been given and considering Hanako’s behaviour, the theory that makes the most sense to me so far is that Hanako probably killed his brother in self-defence. Then again, this is still pretty early in the story, so there’s probably a lot we still don’t know. Like I mentioned earlier, Hanako also has moments where he looks/acts scary, so there could be something more to that. It could also just be a side effect of him becoming a supernatural but ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Hanako asks her if she really wants to get to know him after learning that, and tells her that if she does, he will tell her everything someday. And this is a great step in the right direction. Not only it puts Yashiro’s concerns ("does he trust me?”) at ease, but also it shows his current feelings ("i’m not ready to share yet, but i need to let het know that) and his willingness to open up and be vulnerable in the future. Character development, gotta love it.
(TдT)(TдT)(TдT)
OH!!!! Are we shifting perspectives to the suspicious girl?? Because I remember that in the anime she was always the one that spread the rumors over the radio, or, well, the intercom, I guess. And since we now know that she’s Hanako’s brother’s assistant, there’s a very high chance of seeing him again. I’m both excited and terrified by the prospect. ALSO what the actual fuck is that on the left. Why are there body parts seemingly floating around??? is this just an artistic choice or are they actually there?? Either way, it’s creepy as hell.
Oh, god, it looks like those things are actually there in the room and just imagining being there gives me goosebumps. But yes, anyway, there she is! And Natsuhiko, too! Gotta say, kinda missed our suspicious person 1 and suspicious person 2. He’s worried about letting Hanako’s brother run off but she says that he wouldn’t have listened to her if she had tried to stop him anyway. Which is interesting, since while Hanako does march to the beat of his own drum, he still seems to take what Yashiro and Kou say into consideration (even if just a little bit).
Oh? “boundaries within cities”? Like, not just within the school? We know that she has knowledge of the boundaries thanks to her conversation with Yashiro in the library but maybe she’s expanding her search to reach a bigger scope?
Natsuhiko is worried about the chance of our wonder trio finding out they’re the ones behind the changes in the rumors. And that’s a valid concern, since Hanako is in charge of maintaining the relationships between humans and supernaturals, and he obviously would have to intervene.
………...I-I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t this omfg. She certainly has him wrapped around her finger, huh?
(⚆.⚆) Oh boy, there he is, oh boy.
I’m sorry I just have to point out how utterly done she looks. Like, since she slapped Natsuhiko for touching her hand, I’m guessing she’s not a very touchy-feely person, so this must be quite bothersome for her. Still, her expression is wonderful lol Also! It looks like not caring about people’s personal bubbles is something that runs in the family……….oh, is that why she called him a cat? Possibly.
Okay, so he says that this is not his usual outfit (and that explains the more Japanese-style outfit I saw him wearing in the spoiler) but he wore it because he “was seeing Amane for the first time in ages.” So there’s the confirmation about the fact that he hasn’t been at the school for a significant amount of time. And, again, that’s very suspicious.
Okay. Listen. He looks very cute. But Hanako’s terrified expression keeps reappearing in my mind when I think that. So I’m gonna wait and see what’s the deal with this boy because for now I mostly feel….unsettled.
“He looked happy to see me,” he says, while floating around in a childlike manner. I, uh, um. Are you sure about that, honey?? Because it sure didn’t seem like it to me.
Also: “But I still can’t move around that well yet. They chased me off.” So that’s what happened on the rooftop. He said that she had helped him get here, so maybe his spirit form hasn’t fully “materialized” enough for him to move around comfortably.
(⚆.⚆) (⚆.⚆) Remember how I said that I felt unsettled? Well, this really isn’t helping the matter jfc
Wow he’s really clingy, like, even more than Hanako by the looks of it. He’s like my cats when it’s time for me to feed them. Also! Sakura! I’m guessing that’s her name, right? I can finally stop calling her suspicious girl lol
But yeah, quite the trio we have here. Now that Hanako’s brother is here, I’m guessing that their little ensemble is complete since they would work in direct opposition to Yashiro, Hanako and Kou.
Oh! I feel like I’ve said “oh” so much this chapter….oh, well. The fish are back! “We’ve found him” Are they talking about Hanako’s brother? Do they know who he is or maybe they are mistaking him for Hanako?
Ah, no. They saw what happened in the rooftop the other day; they recognize him and they remember how shaken Hanako looked at the time so they want to win him over to be able to fight against Hanako. I mean, it’s not a bad plan. Hanako’s brother doesn’t seem to want to hurt him but by that one interaction they had, we can see that their relationship definitely has some complicated layers.
So what’s been happening with the rumors has reached even the mermaid’s kingdom? That really makes me wonder exactly how interconnected the different worlds are since information seems to travel quite fast.
Natsuhiko spotted the fish and…
*me, remembering his comment about wanting to see how the fish are on the inside* (⚆.⚆)
(;;⚆_⚆) (;;⚆_⚆)
(ﾟдﾟ；) yeah, I don’t think he’s gonna listen to you, Sakura. jfc that’s a face that’s gonna appear in my nightmares
Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) (ﾟдﾟ；) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||)
……………………don’t get me wrong, I wanted the fish to stop interfering but. not like This. I-Well, that’s certainly a way to end a chapter omfg. The fact that Sakura and Natsuhiko, seem to be used to him doing this kind of thing is…...concerning, to say the least.
@2daisy2 I'm sorry it took me so long to answer this! I hope you're feeling better. I have a pretty crappy immune system and I tend to get sick very easily if there's a sudden shift in temperature. In fact, it's autumn here now, and now I have caught yet another cold :)))) which is just :) great :))
@ayanarts-01 same here! And with the drama of the recent chapters, I just want them to finally have a nice afternoon so they can eat some donuts ;n;
About chapter 12:
@awesome-milkshake-blog from what I've gathered, the parts I've seen have barely scratching the surface of his backstory and I'm not excited and terrified of where everything is going.
About chapter 14:
I think we all needed a collective hug as a fandom after that.
Toilet-bound Hanako-kun Chapter 16: The Little Mermaid (Part 1)
Previously: as one of you guys said last chapter, we “went from good boy hours to sad boy hours in a flash”, and I honestly couldn't have said it better myself. Yashiro and Kou are both very good children that just want to look after their new ghost friend (and each other) and I just（*´▽`*) love them very much. But yeah, the last chapter started with an incredibly wholesome and emotional premise and by the end that happened. I’m both excited and terrified to delve back into the story.
Now onto the next chapter!
[You can ignore this but if you’re interested, here’s a small update of where have I been lately: as I’ve mentioned before, around the moment the quarantines started to take effect where I live, I caught a cold and later I found out that I had laryngitis, so all that with the additional anxiety regarding the state the world is in right now, I really wasn’t feeling well enough to take the time to read and write the recaps for the chapters. I’m fine now, I started to feel better by last week. I’m a very anxious person by nature and while my family and friends are doing well, being quarantined this long really didn’t leave me in the best headspace since I tend to worry too much (both of my parents are over 60 years old and two of my best friends each have a family member who underwent heart surgeries recently). Also, I wasn’t sure if posting these recaps would be a good idea with everything that’s going on in the world right now. But I’ve come to the conclusion that everyone would probably welcome a distraction and if these recaps can provide that for someone besides myself (since writing them will give me something to do), then I should go right ahead. So.....yeah......If you’re reading this, please remember to take care and follow the steps that your region has implemented to stay healthy and stop the spread of the virus.]
Okay so before we begin, I have a confession to make: I ended up seeing a spoiler (well, two, but I will mention the other one when it becomes relevant). I’m honestly surprised that it didn’t happen sooner considering how quickly Instagram knows when I start a new series, but yeah, it was bound to happen since I’m pretty behind with the story. I saw a screenshot of one of the anime episodes (idk which one since I stopped watching it when I picked up the manga after watching episode 4) and I saved it so I could put it here:
sooooooooooooo..........yeah.........it’s kind of a bummer. But hey! At least I know one of the theories I threw out there was right. Although, it also brings up a lot more questions regarding their home life because..........why was Amane so beat up when (it seems) he had at least one family member around when he was alive? where does this other child fit into the story? Did he also go to the same school? Does Tsuchigomori know him? Also he looks real cute???? But Hanako looked so terrified when he appeared at the end of last chapter that it makes me not trust him immediately???? You all are probably saying in your heads “well if you just start the fucking chapter you will get some answers” and you know what???? You’re right, I should, damn
Ohhhh right! This is the start of another volume and it looks like our two main boys are on the cover this time.
are you really gonna post the cover page again? you ask. And yes, yes, I will. It’s not my fault that the art style is so good. Things I noticed: it’s silly but I love how Hanako’s disregard for personal space it’s an ongoing factor even on the cover with how he’s grabbing Kou’s face; I really like the contrast between their expressions (how cheeky Hanako looks vs how serious Kou looks); and since they both look like they’re ready for a fight, I’m guessing that this particular volume will possibly present challenges for these two.
The next coloured page is also wonderful. My babies look so cute and ready to tell some ghost stories. I just wanna ruffle their hair, they’re so precious.
Then we have the index and by the looks of it, this volume will focus on two arcs.
And here’s the cover page for this chapter! ...........god, I’ve barely reached the beginning of the chapter, why do I ramble so much.
Anyway, “the little mermaid”, huh? Judging by that title and by the art here, I’m guessing that title refers to Yashiro. Also, there’s a big ass claw on the left side of the page, so does this mean that the mermaid from the first chapter is coming back? Because Hanako said that he had only managed to drive her away momentarily, right? That would be really interesting!
Now directing our attention to the right side of the page...... (⚆.⚆) ......I’m guessing that this is directly related to last chapter’s cliffhanger, if Hanako’s terrified expression is anything to go by.......oh boy, this is gonna be so much f u n
Huh, that’s interesting. “She helped me make it here.” Does that mean that he wasn’t able to be in the school for some reas- wait wait a second. Idk why I’m just now putting two and two together but this boy is also dead, right? So where was he? And he honestly looks just like Hanako, so does that mean they died at around the same time? Did he also go to this school? Because Amane’s attachment to this school is clear (even if he had to take the role of “Hanako-san”) and well, there was also that thing Kou said about his grandmother sealing him away but we don’t know much about that. Would his brother also have a reason to be at the school, and not only that, but also to then have to leave the place? And a big enough reason that he needed someone else’s help to get back, at that?
Another interesting thing: so now we have the confirmation that the suspicious girl is actually his assistant. That brings up the following questions: does Amane’s brother also fills in for “Hanako-san”? Like, is it like a gatcha where you can get either of them when you summon them and lucks decides your fate? Also, with Yashiro and Amane, she became his assistant as an exchange for her wish to become human again? So, I’m thinking that if he also serves as “Hanako-san”, then she could have become his assistant in exchange for a wish, and the question then would be: what did she wish for? And that is tied to other questions that surround her such as: who is she? what are her goals?
Is this recap mostly questions and no answers? yes, that’s how it be, if you’re here expecting me to give you good answers, I’m sorry in advance lol
(ﾟдﾟ；) Σ(ﾟДﾟ|||) ahhhhhh he looks so shaken and ready to cry omg please back away and leave him alone. What is their story??? It’s clear that it is tragic but what could bring about such a reaction? Spoilers: it’s probably gonna destroy me :))))
OHHHHH!!!! LOOK AT MY GIRL GO! Hell yeah, protect your boy!! but also the fact that Hanako was so startled that he couldn’t even react fast enough to protect himself even though he had his knife in front of him is very concerning
Oh? I thought the bottle only had tea/water. Why did it do that to him? Because this doesn’t happen to all apparitions, right?
(⚆.⚆)
And just like that, he’s gone. Well. that was certainly a way to make an entrance.
........................okay, listen. I know I said that their story was probably tragic but I was trying to avoid thinking of this possibility because there’s something incredibly heartbreaking about the prospect. And the fact that Hanako looks so terrified only adds a layer of unease to the whole thing. If Hanako did kill him, then it shines a different light to one of the questions I asked before: “why was Amane so beat up when (apparently) he had at least one family member around when he was alive?” because........yikes. I think I had also asked before where would his parents be in the story (since it was still possible that the injuries were inflicted by bullies) and with this development, I’m even more concerned. Since, again, if Hanako killed his own brother and we take into account the rest of the information we’ve been given so far, it’s very possible that it was done in self-defence. And since Hanako was so reluctant to tell Tsuchigomori anything regarding the person who did that to him (going to the extent of saying he forgave them), the culprit being a family member is not farfetched at all.
(ﾟдﾟ；)(ﾟдﾟ；)(ﾟдﾟ；)
Oh, no, sweetie-pie (ಥ﹏ಥ) He looks so distraught! It seems like he had a flashback of some sort judging by him snapping out of it at the end. The evidence just keeps on piling up against his brother and i’m very stre s s ed
Ahhhh and he’s all wobbly while apologizing to her and he leaves and they’re just alone and sad and the donuts are ruined. I’m :c sad :CC
............................is that a fish? because it doesn’t look like the mermaid, so maybe she sent her “minions”? Hanako said that the fish work for the mermaids, right? I’m assuming she’s sending someone to spy on Yashiro since she most likely isn’t ready to give up Yashiro yet (even if Hanako has lessen the effects of the curse).
Next, we see that Yashiro is still thinking about what happened with Hanako while Aoi looks worried about her. Yashiro says “I guess people from different species really can’t understand each other” and “Maybe it would’ve been better if I were a supernatural too” and I mean, I see where she’s coming from. But at the same time, that’s not all there is to it. Yes, it’s obvious that they are gonna have different mindsets, not only because Hanako is a ghost but also because of what he experienced when he was alive. However, I think Hanako’s reluctance to share his past has more to do with personal walls he has probably built around himself than with him being a supernatural. Like, yes, we know that he has had contact with other apparitions in the school, but who knows when was the last time he had the chance to interact with someone as a friend? Even when he was alive we know that he didn’t have friends from his class. Anyway, what I’m trying to say is that while I understand Yashiro’s sentiment, her becoming a supernatural wouldn’t really help the situation.
Well, it looks like someone is conveniently ready to grant that wish and judging by the bubbles (?) around the dialogue bubbles, I think it’s the fish from before. And to that, I say no, thanks, chief.
Also
I feel so bad for Aoi, she must be so worried about Yashiro’s ongoing track record of talking to the air.
....................god, everyone is gonna think she’s off her rocker if they don’t think so already
Pfffffffft I love her so much, she’s so silly
But anyway, yes, the fish claim that they are here to “release her from the clutches of that loathsome school mystery” which sounds like a convoluted way to say that they want to take her away. “Our law states that those who have eaten the flesh and blood of our master will eventually become our next master” ohhhhh okay so that’s why they were being so polite, I had thought that they were just trying to butter her up.
Yashiro, no! Don’t fall for it!! I’m not saying that they’re lying about her new status, I’m just saying that she needs to consider the fact that the “men” are most likely not actual men if the fact that the mermaid was a fish with a face is anything to go by. Also, my girl is way too weak in front of the promise of ikemen oh boy please don’t fall for it
They say that they’ve been watching Yashiro these past few days and they think that the way Hanako treats her is “far too barbaric”.
Okay, I’m gonna stop you right there. 1) The donut incident: Yes, Hanako shouldn’t have treated her like that, but it’s obvious that he was going through some serious stuff at the moment. 2) He doesn’t speak about himself: I think I mentioned this even during the 4pm bookstacks arc, but that’s Hanako’s choice. It’s his own life story and he gets to decide when to share it. While it would be good for him to open up more to Yashiro since she clearly wants to be his friend and get to know him better, that doesn’t mean it’s gonna be easy. 3) He takes advantage of her: well, he has been quite reckless at certain points (like when he threw her down the waterfall at Yako’s boundary and when he unknowingly played with her feelings during the confession tree arc), he’s always done his best to protect her from harm. 4) Hanako thinks nothing of her: now that’s just plain wrong. As I’ve just mentioned, he always tries to protect her and we’ve seen in subtle ways that he’s clearly grown fond of her over time. He’s a teasing little shit, but he’s not a bad guy that would string her along without a care in the world. Granted, they can’t possibly know all this, but still. Don’t go dissing my boy like that.
So, they give her a vial with the mermaid’s blood and if she drinks it, her bond with Hanako will be overwritten and her bond with the mermaid will be made official. Oh, and they also say that she then “will cease to transform in reaction to water”................doesn’t- doesn’t that mean she will just be a fish all the time? right??
Okay so they gave her one day to give them an answer.
!!!!!
There he is!! Update: still hot
Yashiro went to him to get him to stop her but he’s really not being helpful. He asks her if he talked with Hanako and Kou. Yashiro says it would be too awkward to talk with Kou after the donuts were destroyed and like........I get it, but still, he would completely understand. Kou is one of the most wholesome boys in existence, he would not hold that against you AND more importantly, he would love to help you in anything you needed. And oh! she says she tried talking to Hanako but she hasn’t been able to find him lately. I’m a bit surprised but also really glad that she realised that this was something that Hanako needed to be aware of. It sucks that Hanako is (most likely) avoiding her, even if it is understandable.
Yashiro points out that Tsuchigomori has known Hanako for a long time and asks him if he could tell her anything about his past. And again, I feel the need to point out that he’s probably gonna tell her when he’s ready to and going about it behind his back is not the best idea.
I’m glad to see that Tsuchigomori is on the same wavelength as me. Hanako obviously carries a heavy burden on his shoulders and it’s best for the truth to come out from his own mouth.
Awww, no, sweetie, it’s not that. I think he does trust you but he’s shielded himself from other people for so long that he has a hard time opening up to anyone. And yeah, Tsuchigomori tells her he’s probably afraid of her finding out (which, again, is understandable) and that, at any rate, she should make her own decision and to make sure that decision is one that she won’t regret.
Oh
Well, speak of the devil. Look who was eavesdropping! I’m actually okay with this since Hanako really needed to hear all that (not only what the situation itself is but also how she feels about their relationship).
(ಥ﹏ಥ) someone please give this sweet boy a hug, he needs it (ಥ﹏ಥ)
Atta girl, Yashiro. She’s been having a slow character development as the story progresses and it’s honestly great to see. To me, this shows a good contrast between how easily she jumped from crush to crush and how dedicated she is to stick with Hanako and learn more about him. Yes, they are just friends, but the chemistry they have is undeniable, so I still think it’s a fair comparison.
..................I said they would be fish but still omfg. This manga really is a treasure pffffft
Hey! They snatched her against her will! So much for respecting her answer, huh. Fucking rude. Well......let’s hope Hanako knows how to fish.
Okay, so the fishes are listing her beautiful qualities in her fish form and
Again, fucking rude.
Oh, that’s the end of the chapter..........that felt short. Still a solid chapter, though. I like the slow buildup we’re establishing with Hanako and Yashiro and their relationship and I’m really excited to see how they develop it.
Small update: I've been having a small cold during the past few days. It's nothing serious, but I really wasn't feeling up to reading another chapter and the writing my notes (since they take time to write and edit). I'm still resting but I'll probably update later during this week.
i normally find live-blogging things a lil annoying but i came across your tumblr and honestly youre so cute and you look like youre having a lot of fun. ily i hope your day/week/month/year is amazing 💞 (also cant wait until you get to the later chapters in hanako)
Thank you so much!! Live blogging is not for everyone but I'm happy that you're having a good time reading mine, you're very sweet~
The story is very engaging so far and the cast is full of colorful personalities so it's easy to feel excited each chapter hahaha I'm glad that my excitement is conveyed through my writing I also feel like the emojis help a lot
I know my pace had been quite slow, so now that I have a bit more time before I start looking for a job now that I've graduated I can't wait to move forward with story!
I hope you have a wonderful day/week/month/year too~
@ayanarts-01 that's a great way to sum up that chapter. It escalated very quickly and I was left with a bunch of thoughts and feelings
@ineedglassesalways thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying my ramblings hahaha
@2daisy2 they are my babies. I was talking with a friend the other day and she mentioned that I have a tendency to adopt fictional children way too quickly and yeah, she's right I can't even be mad lol I just
Wholesome character: *is wholesome*
Me: I'm adopting a baby
Character: really? That's gre-
Me: *slams adoption papers on the table* it's you, sign here
