The official page for the anime adaptation of AidaIro's Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun has announced that the project will "restart". A new teaser trailer and key visual were posted, with further details on the project to follow at a later date.
The original anime adaptation of Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun started airing in January 2020, lasting 12 episodes. The official Twitter account for the series started a countdown to some sort of announcement on December 14, with this restarted anime project being that ultimate reveal. At the same time, AidaIro posted a celebratory drawing for the announcement.
What exactly this restart means for Hanako-kun is unclear. The teaser's use of footage from the 2020 adaptation would suggest that the "restart" will be connected to the original, rather than a reboot of sorts. Given the unanswered plot points from the original, some kind of continuation would be appropriate.
The series tells the story of Nene Yashiro, assistant to the titular Hanako, a spirit haunting the girls' bathroom. The anime series teased at the pasts of both protagonists but ended without going into full detail.
The original Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun anime was streamed in English, both subtitled and dubbed by Funimation at the time of airing. Hanako-kun became omething of a cult hit for the season, even netting a physical Blu-ray release. The manga regularly appeared on the NPD BookScan ranking of graphic novels alongside hits like Attack on Titan and Demon Slayer.
Given the past success and knowing the anticipation of the restart announcement, fans hopefully won't have to wait long for more information on Hanako-kun's return. There have already been many high-profile announcements regarding 2023's anime lineup so Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun will have some competition in the new year.