[Bakemonogatari] Introducing the busty class president, Tsubasa Hanekawa!

2025.07.29

Bakemonogatari is a popular anime series written by Nisio Isin, depicting episodes surrounding the supernatural phenomena that possess the girls that Araragi Koyomi meets. In this article, we'll be introducing Hanekawa Tsubasa, a classmate of Araragi Koyomi and the class president among class presidents.

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Who is Hanekawa Tsubasa?

Hanekawa Tsubasa Promotional Image
Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

Bakemonogatari, a popular anime series based on the original work by Nisio Isin, is divided into five episodes and tells the story of the supernatural events that occur to the girls encountered by the protagonist, Araragi Koyomi. Hanekawa Tsubasa plays the heroine of one of the episodes, "Tsubasa Cat."

Top Grades

As the class representative of Araragi Koyomi, she is the picture-perfect honor student, always reigning at the top of her grade. Growing up in a complicated family environment, stress built up, leading to supernatural occurrences... She is a key character in "Bakemonogatari."

Complicated Family Environment

The identity of her father is unknown. After the deaths of her biological mother and her new husband, she grew up with unrelated parents—her stepmother, who was her new wife's wife, and her stepfather, who was also her new wife—without ever knowing parental love.

Accumulated Stress

Hanekawa Tsubasa grew up in such a complicated family environment that it was normal for people to not have their own rooms at home. The stress that had built up over the years manifested itself in the form of supernatural occurrences.

Touching Cat

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

Her accumulated stress over the years manifested itself in the form of a supernatural phenomenon. Originally a low-level supernatural phenomenon, her intelligence elevated it to an incredibly vicious monster. On the first day of Golden Week, Araragi discovered Hanekawa's complicated family situation, triggering the manifestation of the "touching cat" phenomenon, also known as Black Hanekawa. It's said to appear when stress reaches a critical point.

Araragi is a One and Only

The first time was because of his parents, and the second time was when Araragi and Hitagi Senjougahara started dating. Ever since the spring break incident, Araragi has come to regard Hanekawa as his "savior," but Hanekawa also felt that Araragi was a one and only.

Black Hanekawa

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

Born and raised in a special environment, Hanekawa Tsubasa always imposed upon herself the duty of being a good child. By acknowledging the existence of Black Hanekawa, the embodiment of desire, and incorporating him into her body, the situation was resolved.

Tsubasa Hanekawa in Kizumonogatari

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

The film series "Kizumonogatari" was released in three parts starting in January 2016. This prequel to "Bakemonogatari" details the events of spring break, including how protagonist Araragi Koyomi became a vampire and his encounter with Hanekawa Tsubasa.

Driven

Araragi Koyomi offered his blood to the female vampire Kiss-Shot Acerola-Orion Heart-Under-Blade and was resurrected as a vampire. After transforming into a blood-sucking monster, he was driven to a mental state where he even considered suicide.

Attracted

Araragi's classmate, Hanekawa Tsubasa, supported and encouraged him. In order to return to his human form, Araragi engaged in a fierce battle with three vampire hunters over a part of Kiss-Shot's body. Hanekawa Tsubasa was caught in the crossfire and lost her life. However, she was somehow revived by being exposed to the immortal bodily fluids of Araragi Koyomi. This incident sparked Hanekawa's intense attraction to Araragi.

A Big Change

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

Hanekawa Tsubasa, who used to have a typical good student look with glasses and braids, undergoes a major transformation in the second anime adaptation, "Nisemonogatari." She trades her glasses for contact lenses and cuts her hair short.

Broken Heart

The reason for her transformation was quite simple: her broken heart was with Araragi Koyomi. In her first karaoke booth, Araragi Koyomi himself cut her hair with scissors in order to let go of his feelings.

Two People with Short Hair

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

Incidentally, Araragi Koyomi's girlfriend, Senjougahara Hitagi, also cut her hair short around the same time. Apparently, her reason for this was to break away from the past and draw a line under the circumstances. Coincidentally, two of the women close to Araragi Koyomi also decided to cut their hair short.

Monster "Karatora"

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

A monster suddenly appears before Hanekawa Tsubasa after the summer vacation. Its true identity is a new type of monster created by her, following Black Hanekawa. It controls Hanekawa's "jealousy" and acts by burning down any being or place she envies.

Burning the Flames of Jealousy

After learning his true identity, Hanekawa transforms into Black Hanekawa and confronts Irakko, who is trying to burn down Tamkura Manor. True to her "burning the flames of jealousy" origins, her entire body is covered in flames, making her a terrible match for Black Hanekawa, who uses contact-based energy drain as a weapon. Combined with her power differential, she overwhelms him.

Black and white tiger-striped hair

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

However, he was successful in stalling for time, and was impaled by Koyomi's demon sword, Shinwatari, which he used to rush over from his battle with Shishiruiseishiro, and he was sent back into Hanekawa's body. After completely fusing with Black Hanekawa and Irakko, Hanekawa's hair now has black and white tiger-striped patterns.

Hanekawa Tsubasa in "Monogatari: The Final Chapter"

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

"Monogatari: The Final Chapter" depicts the world five years after "Bakemonogatari." The first thing that catches your eye is the beautiful image of Senjougahara Hitagi in her white wedding kimono on the cover. Five years have passed since graduating from high school, and Araragi Koyomi and the other characters are now 23 years old.

Each Path

Araragi Koyomi, who passed the National Civil Service Examination, is pursuing a career as a police officer, while Senjougahara Hitagi is active overseas as a financial trader. Hanekawa Tsubasa, who went overseas after graduating from high school and worked for an NGO in a conflict zone, is...

War Arbitrator "Tsubasa Hanekawa"

While providing relief to victims, he began to mediate wars and even became involved in ceasefires and treaty signing. As an activist for eliminating borders, war arbitrator "Tsubasa Hanekawa" is now considered a threat around the world.

Their voice actors are also popular!

Source: Bakemonogatari ©Nisio Isin/Kodansha, Aniplex, Shaft

Hanekawa Tsubasa is voiced by Yui Horie, a voice actress affiliated with Vems. Since her debut in 1997, she has been a popular veteran voice actress active for 20 years.

Influence

Her influence extends beyond the voice acting world. She has many fans in the entertainment industry, including Yuka Iguchi, who plays Araragi Koyomi's younger sister, Tsukihi, and Ayana Taketatsu, who plays Azusa Nakano in "K-ON!", as well as AKB48's Mayu Watanabe and Nogizaka46's Sayuri Matsumura.

Famous Quotes by Tsubasa Hanekawa

I don't know everything. Only what I know

This is a catchphrase frequently used by Hanekawa Tsubasa. It's become a classic. This is the response when Araragi praises Hanekawa's vast knowledge by saying, "You know everything."

If I can't die for someone, I don't call them a friend.

This line is spoken to Araragi Koyomi in "Kizumonogatari." The person he's talking to is Araragi, and the paradoxical expression is that since Araragi is his friend, he would die for him.

I love you guys, and I love myself.

Hanekawa finally accepts Irakko and Black Hanekawa. By accepting her, she has become one with Black Hanekawa and the others, and her hair color resembles a mesh of black and white. Hanekawa's new, gyaru-like appearance is also incredibly cute.

Just because someone thinks they're happy doesn't mean they're happy.

I certainly agree. It's the same for abused children. However, it's difficult to say whether a child is happier living with their parents or if they'd be better off being adopted by someone with financial means. It's hard to generalize whether someone is happy or not, so this line is both difficult and troubling.

"Nyanyame nyanyanyajunyanyadonnyarabi de nyakunyakui nyanyakunyanyahannyanyadai nyanyakunyarabete nyanaganyagame"

The actual phrase is "I'm lined up at a 77-degree angle, weeping and groaning as I effortlessly line up seven 750cc motorcycles and watch them." But when Black Hanekawa says it, it's so cute!