Dandadan is damndadan good!

Written by Ross Locksley on 27 Oct 2024

We have a habit of breaking reviews down into chunks on UKA, we don't do the whole single episode review thing, but occasionally a series turns up that's just good enough to deserve an article so we can share how much fun we're having with the rest of you.

I was first exposed to Dandadan through the manga which I enjoyed, the unconventional art style used on the spirits and aliens really marked it out as something quite special. The idea of two classmates sceptical of each other's belief's - Ken being a UFO nut, Momo believing in the spirit world - and challenging each other to brave a challenge with disastrous results and off-kilter encounters is pure genius. Ken gets possessed by an evil granny that steals his manhood and Momo is abducted by aliens that want to breed with her. It's hard to describe how punk-rock the whole thing is, but it feels like a fusion of FLCL and Gantz, being bot hyperactive and weird at the same time.

The designs are amazing - I want this on a skateboard!

The first four episodes form a perfect introductory arc, with the pair getting to know and care about each other as they battle the supernatural and try to regain some sense of normalcy. Admittedly this opening arc leans heavier into Momo's spiritual world than Ken's alien obsession, but that'll come down the line. The sheer exuberance of the animation from studio Science Saru (Lu over the Wall) really has to be seen to be believed, coupled with a thumping soundtrack from Kensuke Ushio (Space Dandy, Chainsaw Man), it really leaves an impression.

Disturbing.

It helps that the leads are likeable - Momo is obsessed with cinema action hero Ken Takakura, dating boys she thinks are just like him (unsuccessfully). She also has inherited spiritual powers, though dislikes using them because they isolate her from others. Her grandmother is a very young looking, foul-mouthed TV medium with whom she shares an antagonistic relationship. When Momo meets the alien obsessed Ken, she's dismayed that his family name is Takakura, as such a nerd surely couldn't share a name with the studly man on the screen she has such a crush on. As such, she nicknames him "Okarun" and the two form a bickering partnership with a hint of mutual respect and maybe even attraction buried (very) deeply between disturbing encounters, battles and abductions. The chemistry is absolutely bang on and I love watching them bounce around the screen like energetic puppies.

Okarun and Momo are genuinely funny, violent and endearing - they're my favourite anime couple right now!

By the end of episode four, the series has made the introductions for our central characters, fleshed out the world and given us a sense of everyone's worldviews. It's a skilfully concise form of storytelling with pitch-perfect timing, the end of each episode feeling like a rush followed by the disappointment that another 7 days have to pass before you get the next hit. 

All of which is to say that Dandadan is an anime you should absolutely be watching. Drip-fed weekly via Netflix, the series comes subbed and dubbed (the latter being surprisingly good) it's one of the three series now on my regular watch list along with Ranma 1/2 and Magilumiere.