October is considered the spooky season, so Dandadan is perfect for the vibes. It’s a good mix of comedy and horror that you don’t get too often in anime. The animation quality was super unique and I really like what was presented!
The story is about two people named Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura, commonly known as Okarun. Momo is a girl who likes guys like her celebrity crush Ken Takakura (an olden day Japanese actor, sort of like Clint Eastwood), but she has a good heart when she defends Okarun from bullies in his class. However, Okarun believed she likes occult things like UFOs and extraterrestrial phenomena. While Momo does believe in the occult, she doesn’t believe in aliens but in ghosts. However, Okarun doesn’t believe in ghosts, so the two decide to challenge the other to see which supernatural existence actually exists by going to occult hotspots. Little do they know that both exist.
The premiere was super quirky in the sense that we get character building first from Momo and Okarun and then all the action and supernatural stuff happens at the end. I like that, honestly! It’s nice to learn who these two are. Momo has extremely high standards in men due to her ideal type being her celeb crush, but still has a good heart in that she defends Okarun and also hates people insulting her grandmother. Okarun may seem meek, but he does come around at the end saying that he wants to protect Momo as she was the one who stood up for him when no one else did.
Now for the action and supernatural part…that was crazy. Man, it’s nice to see a supernatural show where both ghosts and aliens exist. I feel like this story is one where they explore the existence of other paranormal creatures and not stick to a specific type. I like that! Though, it was sort of scary seeing these creatures move around! The Turbo Granny was by far the scene-stealer. Who’d ever think that you’d actually meet a lewd granny in a tunnel saying that she’d let you suck her t*ts in exchange for your balls. Then, there are very creepy aliens wanting to r*pe females because their species cannot reproduce. They even have a grotesque form underneath their default form. However, it was interesting that the person who believed in aliens got entangled with the ghost and the person who doesn’t believe in aliens got entangled with them.
I really like the animation! It’s really floppy in the sense that the characters are always moving around. I haven’t really watched a Science Saru anime, but if this is what they produce, I should reconsider and start watching more of their stuff. Even for mundane stuff like Momo walking towards Okarun is fluid in movement. The action scenes were also well animated in that it goes really fast. This anime feels like a roller coaster in a sense in that it slows in the beginning and then goes fast after a certain point. If the premiere is this good, I do wonder what will transpire for the rest of the show.
I love the music! The OST was amazing and I loved the opening! Creepy Nuts had a hit song with the Mashle opening in Winter, but I think they hit another home run. The song for this show is a lot different from the Mashle dance, but it’s really good and hits the vibes of the show! My favorite part is Momo doing the shimmy with Okarun and another guy doing the Carlton in the back. The ending song is good too! Though, I do wonder who that cat is…
The voice acting cast was really good! Like I mentioned in my Blue Box review that Jump title animes usually cast new faces for their animes at times, but like Demon Slayer, Dandadan uses a plethora of big names for their production. The only “new face” in the cast list is Shion Wakayama. Well, I wouldn’t call her a new face, but more of a rising star in the sense that I’ve seen her in other stuff before this. I usually associate with her with soft-spoken girls because of her roles in The Girl I Like Forgot Her Glasses and Pokemon Paldean Winds where she played characters who are reserved. This is the first time I’ve seen her with a more ‘boyish’ and talkative role. I actually like this voice she’s using for Momo! It feels natural and there’s so much emotion. Natsuki Hanae voices Okarun. Given his track record, Hane never has a bad role. I honestly think this role is perfect for him because of the amount of screaming. If you watch Demon Slayer and seen how many times Tanjiro screams, then you know Okarun is perfect for Hanae.
There are super big names in this anime too. The one role that shocked me the most was Mayumi Tanaka as Turbo Granny. The one and only Mayumi Tanaka is known for her roles as Krillin from Dragon Ball and Monkey D. Luffy from One Piece. Yes, Turbo Granny and Luffy are voiced by the same person. I remembered an episode where Luffy didn’t want to give his balls to the Amazoness Tribe and now Tanaka is playing a granny ghost that bites others’ balls. Luffy would be shocked to see this like how he was shocked with how Robin got Franky to join the Strawhats. The aliens Momo encounter are all voiced by Kazuya Nakai. If you’re a One Piece fan, he’s the fan-favorite Roronoa Zoro. Yes. It’s hilarious how Luffy and Zoro are playing roles completely different from their One Piece roles and even their usual roles! It’s really nice to see that even at the prime of their career, they try new things! Another surprise was Nana Mizuki as Momo’s grandmother. Another One Piece voice actress in this anime! Mizuki voiced Hiyori from the Wano arc. Momo’s grandma isn’t seen much, so I can’t wait to see what sort of person she is later on.
The English dub cast is crazy too! Momo and Okarun are voiced by Abby Trott and AJ Beckles, who are both good rising stars in the English dubbing world. However, the name that shocked me the most was Kari Wahlgren as Momo’s grandma. Wahlgren is a union voice actress, meaning that she doesn’t appear in anime all that often nowadays with the last time I’ve heard her in anime was in Durarara as Celty. It’s crazy how she made her big anime comeback in a big show like this! If you like English dub, then this is one you shouldn’t miss out on!
I honestly can’t wait for what happens next. Will Okarun get his balls back? The fact that the plot progression is due to his missing balls is funny in itself. I hope he can get them back… If Momo has psychic powers, what will Okarun have? I want to know! What are your thoughts about the premiere?
