DanDaDan is a series that focuses on the paranormal and occult like topics while focusing on this high school romance sub plot at the same time and it is amazing!
While it may seem like we’re getting many series that focus on demons and curses and the sort such as “Ichi the Witch” “Demon Slayer” “JJK” and many more. DanDaDan has bit more crude humor than the previously mentioned series, given how many shows tend to stray away from more adult topics it is a rather refreshing change of pace. The first episode hits us square in the face with attempted SA via aliens which is a huge thing to open in a pilot episode and while we definitely had allusions to it in other shonen IPs, Having it be a clear cut scene is rather uncommon at least in my opinion.
Down to the pacing to the character designs is very much a treat for the viewer. Starting off we get thrown into those previously mentioned adult themes as never have I ever seen an Anime start off with a girl attempting to take her dirtbag boyfriend’s head off with a kick so massive props to Momo! I enjoyed this scene because of two reasons 1) Badass leading ladies are always cool and 2) I too hate scumbags! Either way moving on we see that Momo has a very strong sense of justice and what she believes to be right and wrong, From standing up for Okarun to taking hits from the sumo alien later on in order to achieve the needed depth in the wall to light it on fire. She has always been rather absolute on her morals and it seems like this is indeed going to be a strong part of her character and one I hope to see get challenged.
Keeping it moving we get the cutest rom-com moments ever. The scenes shifting from Okarun and Momo saying how badly they wanna hangout is just straight up adorable and they get that sense of longing in an innocent manner so good, then the whole searching for one another scene is honestly not overdone in my opinion and very realistic in manner. Sure they survived a life or death event together but they also seem to have gotten an understanding of one another that Momo doesn’t even bother to look for Okarun in the cafetira meanwhile Okarun looks for her at the school store as while she can read him like a book, due to his loneliness Okarun is a little slow on the uptake as to where she may be.
When they do eventually see each other the little teeth crash/kiss is honestly rather well done as both characters deep in their thoughts to hangout end up getting mad at the other now that their lunch break is over and they don’t get to hangout. Now where I take issue with this is in the following act where Momo acts all high and mighty and mad at Okarun and he does the same. Like what the actual hell, They survived an alien abduction, killed off an evil spirit and got his Ken Jr back! There is no reason for there to be this like petty anger to one another just talk to one another!
After revealing that he no longer had the Takatwins it was a really interesting episode mainly because it sort of pseudo explains how Turbo Granny works, See Turbo Granny wants to protect young girls from harm and in doing so will attack and curse men who wish to do harm to them. The reason this is important to how he loses the Takatwins is that well that’s where Granny strikes, by removing Granny from Okarun they managed to transfer the soul of Granny out of him. Now as to how she was able to lose the Takatwins is kinda weird because if her soul was the only one to be removed then how? Now while I understand that she was still living inside of him and that’s how she was even able to “gobble” them how would she lose them? If it was just the soul transferring? That is one thing I don’t think they quite explain as I left off on episode 4 and haven’t seen much afterwards yet. All in all I have enjoyed the show and while it is still in its infancy there is more to it!
