Ghosts, spirits, apparitions; some may acknowledge their existence, while some don't. Some are well acquainted with the other world, while some remain blissfully unaware of the invisible forces. The main protagonist of this series seems to be the former, though she seems a bit too acquainted for a regular human...

2019 was the year where I discovered this lovely manga series (if I'm not mistaken). Up in a book store by my city, a certain manga cover caught my eyes. Its eyecandy art style and coloring tugged at my heart, and I was immediately head over heels for it's visuals. The unique style urged me to read the synopsis and take a peep by the first volume. Soon enough, I returned home with two volumes in hand. It was a not so long read, and it was my first step into a longer journey with this series.

The story starts off with Yashiro Nene, who built up the courage to call on the infamous girls toilet dweller in her school, Hanako. The ghost was rumoured to be powerful and can grant any wish with a price, of course. She successfully summoned the spirit, only to be shocked that Hanako, despite haunting the girls toilet, was not a girl. Yashiro asks Hanako to make her crush fall in love with her, only for his attempts to fail multiple times. He confesses that he does not have the tools to help her with her crush, but not long after Yashiro finds a small pouch filled with mermaid scales. Hanako explains to her that mermaid scales can bind two people by soul, and she immediately swallowed a scale.

Yashiro failed to give her crush a mermaid scale to bind their souls together, but instead she was binded to the mermaid, which turned her to a fish. The mermaid tried to take her, only to be defeated by Hanako. The ghost then swallows another mermaid scale to bind their souls together, therefore breaking Yashiro's curse of becoming a fish. The story progresses from there on, with an additional of Kou Minamoto, the little brother of Yashiro's crush.

The story centralizes between the three of them; Hanako, Yashiro and Kou. Hanako, with his past regrets and attempt to wipe his sins away so the gods would forgive him. Despite the cheerful demeanor he puts on, there was a constant heavy burden placed on his shouldersfrom his past. He's mischievous and playful, but when the conversation starts pointing towards about his past, he closes himself off immediately, refusing to give answers or giving out ambiguous ones. When upset, Hanako often isolates himself to a quiet place, like the rooftop. He was been labelled as "perverted" by a lot of individuals with how casually he brings up sensitive topics or crude jokes.

Hanako shows great respect and care towards his friends, even his human friends, albeit not fully understanding humans at times. Often he denies the fact, but his actions speaks louder. Even with his caring nature, he can be apathetic to others he views unworthy, doing anything in his power to ensure the safety of those he cherish, including harming others.

Next up is Yashiro Nene. She was born as someone who couldn't see ghosts and such, despite her love for supernatural stories and urban legends. Ever since her soul was bounded together with Hanako, she has the ability to see, to be seen, and sometimes interact with the supernaturals loitering around her school. She is seen as a cheerful girl, often falling for handsome boys and supernatural traps. Her insecurity of her big ankles is often brought up and used as a joke. Like Hanako, Yashiro shows great care and appreciation for the people that she loves, even sacrificing herself for others.

The last member of the trio, Kou Minamoto. He wasn't as popular as her brother, Teru Minamoto who always has guys and girls fawning over him. But he was a multitalented individual, skilled in any kind of house chores. Kou has a strong sense of justice and empathy, turning into the drive for his passion as an exorcist (in training). His brother had mentioned that Kou was too soft to be an exorcist, proven that he ended up befriending Hanako instead of exorcising the ghost. His heart is pure, and his intentions are always good, but he could be a little gullible and emotional at times. One trait that he shares together with Hanako and Yashiro is his love and dedication for those he cares about, viewing self-sacrifice as something he must do when it comes to the ones he cherishes.

TBHK starts off as a somewhat laidback, slice of life story with sprinkles of mystery in it. Yet as the story progresses, more and more things unfold, making every single story connected with each other by a thread. One story/arc might be left out for a while, only to be brought up again and play an important part for the development of both the plot and the characters. The story only gets darker, twisted plots and mysteries thickening by the chapters and arcs, slowly reminding the readers that yes, this has comedy but the true nature of this series is supernatural, in which isn't always about rainbows and cupcakes.

Each character becomes an essential role to the plot, with each one having their own sick secret that they keep, adding the appeal of the story with the uniqueness of each character. With the progression of the story, it becomes clear that this series is a very character-driven story, explaining why every single character in TBHK is so well-written, and sometimes you can't help but relate to some of their moments or statements.

Though one thing that has nagged me for a bit ever since I started this series was the protagonist herself, Yashiro Nene. She is a good character overall, but not as well-written as the other characters. Atleast to me, her personality seemed shallow, centralized in wanting a boyfriend and her insecurities. While I do understand those things can really dominate someone's life that it is only a few inches away from being their whole personality, it can feel off and not stand out as much. Don't get me wrong, of course I am fond of Yashiro, but I can't seem to get her charm. I do acknowledge that she has other redeeming qualities and had major development within herself as the story continues. In the beginning of the story, she was always in dire need of help, especially from Hanako. Yet as the chapters go on, despite needing saving here and there, she starts to get used to the absurdity of supernaturals and tries to solve problems by herself. Not everyone is perfect, and so are fictional characters.

Of course, the most iconic and beloved trait of TBHK; art style. Something about Aida's art style comforts me and is addicting to the eye. I would always stare in awe at every new chapter, looking down to the nooks and crannies of the drawings, paying attention and trying to figure just what makes this certain panel look so appealing to the eye. Not only the art style, but the coloring style too. Oh god, I could gush about how great TBHK's art and coloring style is. The bright, contrasting colors with the unique yet still anime-esque art style creates the most satisfying combination, a tasty treat for the eyes.

Overall, I love TBHK and it has been my favourite manga series of four, nearly five years. I highly recommend this to everyone. It's a great story overall with great characters, really focusing on the depth of each character that the writer brings into life. Props to AidaIro for being such talented creators!