Date Everything’s Hanger Himbos Are Secretly One Of The Game’s Most Heartwarming Stories

Date Everything’s many stories and routes range from the hilarious to the heartwarming, the simple to the complex, and the horrifying to the outright bizarre. On the surface, the Hanks – Date Everything‘s hivemind of handsome hangers – seem like their story will be a silly, light-hearted one, centering around the player joining them for various extreme sports. However, if their Love or Friendship route is pursued to its end, the Hanks’ story is actually a deeply tragic and emotionally resonant meditation on the nature of identity.

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The Hanks Are More Than Himbo Hanger Hunks

Consisting of five characters sharing a single slot in the Date-a-Dex, the Hanks – all voiced by Date Everything co-developer Robbie Daymond – are a group of adrenaline junkies who love extreme sports. At the whims of their sponsor, Red Bowl (a company that makes red bowls, NOT an energy drink), they perform stunts such as “Hank Gliding,” toilet-surfing, and more. The player can choose to accompany them on each outing, and doing so is the best way of earning their affection.

During the player’s first few encounters with the Hanks, they may seem a simple lot without a single brain cell between them. They pepper their dialogue with slang like “gnarly” and “broseph,” refer to the player as “House Homie,” and are revealed to get on the nerves of several other Dateables, such as Harper the hamper. However, if the player continues to visit the Hanks, a deeper story gradually unfolds – and it’s one marked with surprising tragedy.

The Hanks eventually reveal that there used to be many more of them – presumably referencing how hangers are typically sold and purchased in bulk – and several were permanently “lost” during various stunts. In particular, “Hank number 6’s” passing seems to have been recent, as the remaining Hanks frequently reference him with sorrow. Daymond, who stepped into the five-part role when the original Hank actor became unavailable, imbues their dialogue with pathos and reflection while never losing the high-flying spirit that makes the Hanks so memorable.

Date Everything Uses The Hanks To Tell A Story About Individualism And Identity

As the player gets to know the Hanks better, they can help the group realize that their sponsor, Red Bowl, does not care about them as individuals, and is only interested in their group gimmick. This causes the Hanks to begin thinking for themselves and questioning what they truly want out of life, and whether it’s something more than jumping off Stella the staircase (Nancy Linari) or riding the “waves” produced by toilet Jean-Loo Pissoir (Max Mittelman).

Date Everything is a 10/10 game packed to the brim with surprisingly emotional moments, but few hit quite as hard as Hank #5 – generally the shyest and most reticent of the four – admitting that he wants to be a father. It’s a touching, low-key moment from a group of characters who initially seemed to be born from nothing more than a joke about bulk hangers and the need for the game to have at least one “himbo” love interest.

The Hanks never truly lose their love for extreme sports – finding Love with them involves taking a very literal leap of faith – but they are able to begin to see themselves more as individuals and admit they have dreams and goals outside existing as a hunky hivemind. Their story is just one of Date Everything’s many triumphs, which range from nightmarish moments straight out of a horror game to deep examinations of abusive relationships, healthy polyamory, and more. Date Everything players should definitely spare a Dateviator charge or two to get to know the Hanks – their beautifully written story is absolutely worth it.