BE@RBRICK Series 36 Artist "Masumi Hara" (100%)

Since the 1950s, almost every Japanese schoolchild has known this story: Hanako-san, also known as "Toire no Hanako-san" (Hanako of the Toilet), is one of Japan's most famous urban legends. The story varies regionally, but the core remains the same—a ghost girl with a pageboy haircut and a red skirt who haunts the third-floor restroom, specifically the third stall. Anyone who knocks on her door three times and asks, "Hanako-san, are you there?" receives a quiet "Yes" in response. What happens next differs depending on the version: sometimes a bloody hand appears, sometimes the caller is pulled into the toilet, and sometimes Hanako asks to play. The legend's popularity peaked in the 1980s and 90s, when elementary school children challenged each other to summon Hanako—much like Western children shout "Bloody Mary."

The origins of Hanako-san are as varied as they are gruesome: some say she died during an air raid in World War II while playing hide-and-seek. Others tell of a bullying victim or a child murdered by a stranger. What all versions have in common is that she died in a school toilet, and her spirit remained trapped there. Since the 1990s, Hanako-san has become a fixture of Japanese pop culture—from horror films and manga series like "Toilet-Bound Hanako-kun" to anime adaptations.

Masumi Hara offers a surprisingly poetic interpretation of this dark legend for Medicom Toy. Instead of focusing on horror, the artist transforms Hanako-san into a work of art reminiscent of traditional Japanese porcelain painting. The creamy white base is overlaid with hand-painted blue floral motifs—stylized plum blossoms (ume), which symbolize resilience and hope in Japanese culture. The blossoms are applied in a watercolor-like style reminiscent of sumi-e ink painting or Arita porcelain. Particularly noteworthy is the color gradient (bokashi technique) on the arms, legs, and ears, which transitions from light sky blue to deep indigo—a technique commonly used in Japanese ceramic art.

This Bearbrick from the Artist category of Series 36 (June 2018) demonstrates the versatility of interpreting pop culture phenomena. Instead of a creepy depiction, Hara chooses an approach that combines beauty and melancholy—a typically Japanese aesthetic that transforms the uncanny into something contemplative. For collectors, this Bearbrick is a fascinating fusion of urban legend, traditional craftsmanship, and contemporary designer toy culture.

• Manufacturer: Medicom Toy
• Release: June 2018
• Height:
• Weight (incl. packaging): 30 g
• This Bearbrick is part of Series 36.
• Assortment rate: 4.16%
• Item number (EAN): 4530956240503
• New in original packaging

Learn more about this model on the official Medicom Toy website.

This product is an officially licensed collectible by Medicom Toy.

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