Dandadan S2 Pulls No Punches (and the Fight Scenes Hit Hard, Too)

Dandadan S2 is here, and it’s going straight for the nuts. Or a golden ball. Whatever. Delicate assets are in danger!

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Dandadan, Season 1: Your Quick Recap

Momo Ayase made a stand for justice and won otaku hearts when she rescued Okarun from the Magnified Paper Ball of Flying Doom. Five seconds of screen time! Did we need to see her in her undies? No. She became the girl-next-door — desirable and just beyond reach — by doing a nice thing for Okarun.

The intro worked because we instantly pitied Okarun, as nobody likes injustice. But Okarun wasn’t cut from the same manga page as many isekai main characters. There was more to him than a thin pity trait serving only to draw in a harem. He was obsessed, and we could identify with his cryptozoology obsession because we devote substantial time to fixating over waifus. Sometimes monster waifus. Not pointing fingers or anything, but it was easy for us to get behind “Otakurun.”

Neither character is perfect. Okarun can be arrogant and shy, but he has his brave and chivalrous moments. Momo is loud and obnoxious, but she is all heart. Their flaws and strengths made them believable. And desirable in Momo’s case. She was the girlfriend every boy dreamed of.

Dandadan S2 Goes for the Heartstrings

Dandadan S2 came in swinging. There’s no wasting time on recaps, and we get to the action faster than you can say “Like, This Is the Legend of the Giant Snake.” (Which is roughly nine seconds if you prefer metric).

I don’t recall worrying that Momo and Okarun would find their end in season 1, but the stakes felt real so far in season 2. We’ve only had two episodes at the time of writing, but the odd couple both took hard blows. Jiji took a beating, too, and my nerves need to hold up for ten more episodes! I have no idea if we’d lose anyone, but Dandadan S2 made it clear it won’t be pulling punches. Someone might die.

Speaking of Punches…

I’ve always loved Dandadan’s animation. It’s edgy, raw, and the animation lends itself to frenetic action. In that respect, Dandadan S2’s animation looks ready to top the first season’s hard-hitting offering. The fights are an entertaining, bone-crunching, and dynamic spectacle. If nothing else, I’ll stick around for more “Jennifer Lopez Anaconda” moments.

The famous your-knee-in-my-face technique.

Dandadan S2 and If You’re Not Already In…

There are plenty of valid reasons to avoid watching Dandadan S2, and we can safely assume you’ll give the second season a miss if you skipped the first season. For the rest of us, I’m happy to report that Dandadan S2 is a satisfying reunion with Momo and Okarun that delivers the frantic occult antics we hoped for. And, it has fans more invested than ever before.

Watch Dandadan S2 on Crunchyroll with English or Japanese audio. Dandadan S2 earns five round golden Chibi Megumis. Them’s not dragon balls.

Which is your favorite Dandadan monster? The Flatwoods Monster was a clever combination of cryptozoology and Japanese culture, setting a precedent for the series; we’ll never be able to predict a monster’s powers and weaknesses. That’s how Dandadan keeps monsters fresh each week. Do you have a favorite monster from season 1 or 2? Tell us in the comments!

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