If Hanako's scars looked like this...

[Xanatos]

The worst scar I've got is one the back of my leg where it's been repeatedly cut open to extend the heelcord. Though a few people did once threaten and nearly attempt to give me a very different type of scar...

[Hisao&Hanako<3]

I notice how a lot of those lower images had nearly the entire face burnt, while only half of Hanako's is scarred. Also, most of the front of her body is undamaged, most of the damage is her back areas and shoulder.

Also, replying to what others have said, and restating something I said awhile ago...

I really feel Hanako is beautiful. To me, her scars represent a serious injury, nothing more. I would be shocked only momentarily upon first seeing her, but the shock wouldn't last long. Just this past weekend I saw a guy that apparently was missing an eye, or it was at least pretty badly injured. What did I do? I looked at him for about two seconds as I was walking by and then I turned away like, ok cool, his eye is injured, no problem. I didn't reel back in fright or disgust, I didn't yell out and call him something obscene, or anything. I'd react to Hanako pretty much the same way if I really saw her.

I'm a bit biased cause I think most Japanese girls are absolutely beautiful, but still. All those "Her scars still interrupt my train of thought when I see them" wouldn't happen in my case. Momentary one or two second shock, that's all I would get, and even then it wouldn't show that much on my face. If anything I'd look into her one good eye cause her bangs are down in front of the other, and I'd think "What pretty eyes, what beautiful hair."

I enjoy doing things just to spite those that aren't strong enough to do them. Treating Hanako as a normal person while many others are disgusted, for example. I'd take her right hand in mine and give it a kiss. Not upon meeting her for the first time of course, but a bit later. Maybe during the "Paint By Numbers" scene.

[Sgt_Frog]

The scarring isn't too horrifying (well, the thin, sticklike legs were pretty bad) in my opinion (maybe I'm just desensitized), but the eyes are the worst. Did they HAVE to use small circles? Couldn't have they used rectangles or something so it doesn't look like the people in the pictures look like they've had their eyes removed?

[Dream]

The scarring isn't too horrifying (well, the thin, sticklike legs were pretty bad) in my opinion (maybe I'm just desensitized), but the eyes are the worst. Did they HAVE to use small circles? Couldn't have they used rectangles or something so it doesn't look like the people in the pictures look like they've had their eyes removed?

I felt they were demons at first

[ArazelEternal]

Yes, some of those are pretty disturbing, Ill agree. However, 2 out of 3 arent enough to drive me away. I try to keep my mind and heart as open as possible, but as a human there are things I just cant get past. As far as how Hanako looks, if thats really all the worse her scars would really look, hell, it wouldn't even be a question if I would be with her.

[muliebrity]

Though a few people did once threaten and nearly attempt to give me a very different type of scar...

Believe it or not, you're not alone in that.

I notice how a lot of those lower images had nearly the entire face burnt

RAR I'M ONLY TALKING ABOUT THE ONE I ACTUALLY LINKED TO RAR

I'd react to Hanako pretty much the same way if I really saw her.

Same here. I think maybe people are better than Hanako gives them credit for.

Couldn't have they used rectangles or something so it doesn't look like the people in the pictures look like they've had their eyes removed?

Probably, but in my opinion they should have just obtained permission to show the patients faces uncensored, blocking out the eyes accomplishes nothing.

I felt they were demons at first

So clearly, if her burns were worse, Hanako would have to worry about the revulsion of others. Even I have trouble with the really bad ones, and I've had to study neurological birth defects.

[emmjay]

When I play KS, I usually find myself focusing on the unscarred side of Hanako's face, and I'm not completely sure why. Maybe because her left eye is more visible due to the hair covering her scars; people do tend to focus on the eyes when looking at a human face, after all. Or maybe I'm being considerate of the feelings of a fictional character, I dunno.
My point is, I daresay I would do something similar were Hanako real and standing in front of me. And it is possible that the scars on Hanako's face weren't that bad compared to elsewhere. (The ones on her back look particularly nasty.) After all, as has been pointed out, she seems to still have all her hair follicles. (Unless she has a rather unusual comb-over from the back of her head or something.)
Regarding this picture, I have to say I got a chuckle due to the way the girl's post explaining her scars is formatted. It looks like she's saying, "I was burned in a fire, about an hour ago."

[Selim Bradley]

When I play KS, I usually find myself focusing on the unscarred side of Hanako's face, and I'm not completely sure why. Maybe because her left eye is more visible due to the hair covering her scars; people do tend to focus on the eyes when looking at a human face, after all. Or maybe I'm being considerate of the feelings of a fictional character, I dunno.
My point is, I daresay I would do something similar were Hanako real and standing in front of me. And it is possible that the scars on Hanako's face weren't that bad compared to elsewhere. (The ones on her back look particularly nasty.) After all, as has been pointed out, she seems to still have all her hair follicles. (Unless she has a rather unusual comb-over from the back of her head or something.)

You may be right. Her mother sacrificed herself to save Hanako, hence why she's alive and her right side and front aren't burned, but perhaps a few flames lapped at her left face, damaging enough to leave permanent scars but not enough to permanently destroy hair follicles or ear.

[Jobriq]

I saw the pictures and I was like "that doesn't even look that bad," then I scrolled down and I was like *gag* DX

[Warwise]

Ive seen a bunch of scars in the hospital I study, but Im not an expert.

First, this is a game, so the girl is suposed to look pretty, not realistic. As people said here, if her head had a second or third degree burn she probabily would be bald in the affected areas. Her ear might have been destroyed too.
Second, Hanako is very pretty, scars or not. IMHO she has the best looking body of all the girls and looks very cute too.

Now, about the burns. If she had third degree burns in all that area, she probabily would have died. First degree burns only destroy the very superficial skin, only the epidermis, meaning it usually dont leave scars and dont destroy any of the skin appendages. Second degree burns go beyong and affect the dermis, where we have nerve endings and hair follicles. If this area is affected, you will probabily have sensitivity problems and will be bald in the area.
Deep second level scars and third level scars, that go beyond the dermis and can affect muscles, bones and other deep tissues.

IMHO, considering the characteristics showed in the characters, you could say that Hanako didnt had any third degree burns. That would mean she would probabily lose some limb function (due to the destruction of the muscle) or would have some amputation (like the ears). She would also have retractions, where the skin becomes smaller and drag surround tissues into a smaller area. There are no indications that Hanako has lost any part of her body, any function or has any assymetry due to retractions.

So, I would say that her scared areas suffered superficial level 2 degree burns that made her scared but werent so bad to make the areas retract. She did also suffer first degree burns, maybe over her head, ear and most of the body, but these healed without leaving scars.

I dont think she would look as bad as those pictures we have seen before. If it was really bad she probabily would have assymetries, lost limb fuctions and no ears. Also, its important to remember that Hanako problems arent really her scars, but her personality. Even most of us when we are teens are not very confortable with some part of our bodies. Some think they are too small, too fat or too ugly.

[Guest Poster]

Even most of us when we are teens are not very confortable with some part of our bodies. Some think they are too small, too fat or too ugly.

Hanako's problem wasn't just that SHE considered her disfigurements hidious (though she probably did), but the fact that the rest of the world did...and made that very clear to her...for an extended period of time. Extended scarring is quite a different case than merely believing yourself to be too small or too fat.

[pandaphil]

Even most of us when we are teens are not very confortable with some part of our bodies. Some think they are too small, too fat or too ugly.

Hanako's problem wasn't just that SHE considered her disfigurements hidious (though she probably did), but the fact that the rest of the world did...and made that very clear to her...for an extended period of time. Extended scarring is quite a different case than merely believing yourself to be too small or too fat.

Altough it only makes a few passing references to it in the game, all that abuse and mistreatment early in her life has really destroyed her self-esteem. To the point where she has a hard time trusting people and is convinced that she's ugly.

To be fair, a child being told that they're too fat or too short or whatever for most of their lives could have the same effect.

[Selim Bradley]

@Warwise:
I have third degree burns that look like her's over half my body, so surviving it is possible. As for the impaired body functions, that's a good point. Most burn vistims aren't really active after the event for the reasons you described as well as others like temperature regulation. Hanako isn't very active in the VN, so it can be assumed she suffers what you listed like limited limb function and retracted skin limiting dexterity.

Even most of us when we are teens are not very confortable with some part of our bodies. Some think they are too small, too fat or too ugly.

Hanako's problem wasn't just that SHE considered her disfigurements hidious (though she probably did), but the fact that the rest of the world did...and made that very clear to her...for an extended period of time. Extended scarring is quite a different case than merely believing yourself to be too small or too fat.

Altough it only makes a few passing references to it in the game, all that abuse and mistreatment early in her life has really destroyed her self-esteem. To the point where she has a hard time trusting people and is convinced that she's ugly.

To be fair, a child being told that they're too fat or too short or whatever for most of their lives could have the same effect.

Exactly. At least being too fat or too weak can be worked on through diet or exercise, but the things she was shunned and abused for are permanent. And unlike the others, which are just kid between kids, everyone judged her for her scars, both kids and adults alike. When the whole world seems to think you're a freak, disgusting, or whatever else, you tend to believe it yourself.

[YZQ]

Again, hopefully she can scrape together enough dough to ask a cosmetic surgeon's opinion on how much reconstructive surgery can help her.

[BlackWaltzTheThird]

Selim, would it be inappropriate to ask about your experience? You seem like a nice enough chap, or, at the very least, less lacking in the self-esteem department. How do you think Hanako's character/situation compares to, you know, real life? Of course, you're free not to answer if that's too personal to share.