Do you smell the fresh air? Dandadan is the exciting, gritty, no-holds-barred anime shaking up boring anime trends like a new J-List customer rocking their bed with their first onahole. Read on for why you don’t want to miss this edgy masterwork.
Dandadan (ダンダダン, also styled Dan Da Dan) has the paranormal vibe of Stranger Things set to the punk-rock pacing of FLCL. Momo Ayase (voiced by Shion Wakayama) sought condolences after breaking up with her dirtbag boyfriend. She finds, instead, a UFO nerd (voiced by Natsuki Hanae) who practically has “be careful what you wish for” tattooed across his zitty forehead. Hold onto your banana because Momo and “Okarun” are in for a rough paranormal ride.
Raw, Emotive Animation
Squash and stretch. You should be familiar with the exaggerated movements of Bugs Bunny and his friends if you’ve spent any time watching Loony Toons. Dandadan uses the animation medium well, squashing and stretching characters like gum. The exaggeration doesn’t come across as cartoony but imbues Momo and Okarun with vitality. It’s fun to watch. Science SARU did fantastic work.
The opening theme shows off the animation’s energy. The rest of episodes 1 and 2 go just as hard, choosing a rougher finish in exchange for vivid motion and energetic color.
Well, I Appreciate Your Honesty
I appreciate the need for censorship and age restrictions. We’re not built to decode what we see on screen. You should maybe leave some shows for when you’re older and wiser. When we’ve acquired the skill to read a work beyond its surface message. That’s why adding a commentary to a potentially dangerous work like Adolf Hitler’s Mein Kampf (how did we get here?) is a sensible route to helping the reader decode the truth behind the words such a work uses.
Unfortunately, and possibly particularly in the West, we see creators avoiding “triggering” issues. Japanese creators aren’t immune to the sensible avoidance of provocative content, which might lead to the shutting down of their projects. How much did Passione lose when Interspecies Reviewers was pulled off the air? However, watering down a story to make it palatable, changing details to soften the emotional blows, or avoiding sensitive subjects creates a wishy-washy wasteland of drivel.
Dandadan lit up the internet when episode 1 threatened to show aliens probing Momo. She’s a high schooler! However, as shocking as the scene might have been, it gave the aliens credibility. Dandadan deals honestly with its content at every turn. It’s refreshing.
Watch Dandadan If… You Have a Pulse
Dandadan stands out from the crowd for good reason. I’m not saying it’s the best or the only anime you should watch this season. But fans will talk about those banana-grabbing aliens and Turbo Granny for the years ahead. Don’t miss this chance to be in the know.
The ongoing Dandadan manga (currently at sixteen volumes) was adapted by Science SARU under the direction of Fūga Yamashiro. Hiroshi Seko wrote the anime, with Kensuke Ushio writing the music.
Dandadan streams on Crunchyroll and Netflix. It streams on Hulu and GKIDS in the US and Muse Communication in Southeast and South Asia. Dandadan easily earns its Megumi rating of five for being inventive. Every second was an entertaining adventure I won’t soon forget.
Let’s Chat
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Having friends who share our intense love of fringe topics, like UFOs or anime booba, is liberating. Can you relate to Okarun and his need for a buddy? Do you think Momo’s hard exterior hides a marshmallow-soft kindness that will eventually envelop Okarun? Tell us in the comments below. Or join us on social media because Your Friend in Japan understands your intense love for fringe topics, like anime booba.
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