Jibaku Shonen Hanako-kun is an enjoyable read, with fun characters, new twists on urban legends and tropes, and beautiful art.

Story - At the beginning of the manga, it might seem like the story will be somewhat episodic or nonlinear. Rest assured, though, a plot does come in to play. Yashiro Nene, a human girl, meets Hanako, a ghost, and the two wind up supernaturally linked to one another and must figure out the mysteries of the school the manga takes place in together. It's not a terribly unusual premise, but the writing makes it fun and interesting nonetheless. As the story progresses, there are hints towards a larger narrative and nicely placed hints as to what may ultimately be taking place. I think, personally, that the real draw of this manga's story is less held by the plot itself and more within the characters. This is in no small part due to the fact that the plot is intrinsically linked to Hanako and company.

Characters - I think this is a very character driven series. Due to that, it makes sense that the characters in this manga are, for the most part, very well done. There isn't a single reoccurring character in this series that I am not at the very least intrigued by. The main trio, which is comprised of a human girl, an exorcist boy, and a ghost are the standouts of the cast. They are the ones we spend the most time with, and both Hanako and Kou are very enjoyable to read about. Hanako in particular is very interesting, as more facets of his character come to light as the story progresses and relationships develop. Even the antagonists of the series are interesting, and I find myself wanting to learn more about them, even when they cause serious trouble for the main trio. I also want to mention that the dynamic of the main trio is super cute. Like, really super cute, yknow?

Character interactions are also very well done, especially within but even outside of the main trio.

One of the only issues I have with the characterization in this series is that Yashiro is a little bit underwhelming as a protagonist. She isn't a bad character, and she is endearing, but she is very centered on the traits of wanting a boyfriend (yes, romance does come in to play) and feeling upset about her ankles. She is also generally in need of rescue in pretty much every situation where there's major conflict. It is worth it to note though that characters do develop within the story, so it's possible these could be changed later on.

Art - The art in this series is amazing, point blank. The cute but flexible art style lends itself well to the setting and doesn't feel like a constraint even in dramatic moments, since it can shift to a more serious version of itself depending on the mood. The characters are adorable and the backgrounds and settings are gorgeous. The black and white pages are clean, crisp, and fittingly detailed or simple depending on the moment, and the rare colored pages are stunning. This manga is honestly worth at least trying out for the art alone.

Enjoyment - As you can probably tell by the text wall, I really enjoyed this series. I read it all very quickly and will probably read it again, too! My favorite aspects are definitely the characters and the art. I went in with basically no expectations or prior knowledge about the series, and ended up finding a new favorite. I'm definitely looking forward to seeing where the story goes from here.

Overall, it's a series that's definitely worth trying out. It's got great characters, an enjoyable plot, and cute art all with mysterious and sometimes melancholic undertone. If any of the premise, characters, or art intrigue you, you should give it a shot and see if you like it. For me, it's a solid eight at least, and could probably go up depending on how the series continues in the future.