Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun fans eagerly awaited the release of Season 2 Episode 11, which premiered on March 23, 2025. This penultimate episode delves into the history of School Wonder Shijima, contrasting her with Nene, and sets the stage for the season finale.
Nene’s Encounter with Mei Shijima
After being trapped by Hanako in the make-believe world, Nene encounters Mei Shijima, the past self of the supernatural entity Shijima. Nene learns that Mei, like herself, was a girl facing her impending death.
Mei’s Determination
Despite knowing her fate, Mei refuses to give in to despair. Instead, she channels her energy into creating art, clinging to the hope of a future where she can attend art school with her parents’ support. She speaks to her painted self, asking if life is fun on that side. Determined to recover, she entrusts her other self with completing the painting until she gets better.
The Return of Shijima
As Mei clings to her passion, the supernatural Shijima reappears. The episode explores Shijima’s motives for wanting to eliminate her past self, as well as how she might assist Nene in escaping the fabricated world.
Shijima’s True Story
Episode 11 unveils the truth about Shijima’s past, revealing that everything Nene thought she knew was a lie.
- Supportive Parents: Contrary to rumors, Mei’s parents were incredibly supportive of her artistic endeavors.
- Hospitalization: Shijima was hospitalized due to an illness, not suicide.
The episode highlights how gossip and rumors can twist reality into something ugly and dark. The underlying message is “Be careful what you say, because words have meaning.”
The Tower as a Symbol
The strange tower at the center of the “Picture Perfect” arc is revealed to be Shijima’s final work of art before her death. In her painting, the tower serves as a studio where a healthy, “what-if” version of herself happily paints to her heart’s content.
Parallels Between Nene and Shijima
Episode 11 draws a direct comparison between Nene and Shijima.
- Both girls are on the brink of death.
- Both are being preserved by a protector who means well but is unwittingly hurting them.
Just as Shijima wants to protect Mei, Hanako wants to keep Nene locked up in a fake world rather than face her fate in the real world. In both cases, the protector doesn’t want the protected to face reality.
Kou and Mitsuba’s Role
In the final moments of Episode 11, Nene wakes up in the painting world to find Mitsuba and Kou by her side. Kou reveals that the flying paintbrush, a failed copy of Shijima, led them to Nene.
The Many Shijimas
Episode 11 reveals that Shijima can split herself infinitely, sometimes unintentionally.
- Deliberate Cloning: Shijima creates a double when Tsukasa asks for her time and talent.
- Subconscious Creation: The invisible Shijima who wields the paintbrush was created subconsciously.
Nene’s Choice
With Mitsuba and Kou by her side, Nene admits she is still undecided about returning to the present and facing her fate. However, she is certain that she wants to confront Hanako.
Final Thoughts
Episode 11 humanizes Shijima by drawing her in direct comparison to Nene. The episode gives Nene all the cards she needs to accept her own future with her eyes open. It remains to be seen whether Nene will get a happy ending to her story and whether she can convince Hanako to go along with her plans.
