Dandadan Review: The Anime That Made Me Forget Everything I Thought I Knew About Shonen
I’ll be honest with you. I almost skipped Dandadan.
The thumbnail looked weird, the premise sounded like someone threw five genres into a blender and just hit “pulse,” and my watch list was already embarrassingly long. I had just finished a rewatch of Spy x Family and was honestly in the mood for something calm. Dandadan is the complete opposite of calm.
A friend kept sending me clips in our group chat, the kind with no context, just Momo punching something horrifying while Okarun screamed in the background. I caved on a Sunday night planning to watch one episode before bed.
Three episodes later I was prying my eyes open at 2 AM telling myself “just one more.”
That is the Dandadan experience.
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What Even Is Dandadan? (Seriously, It's Hard to Explain)
Here is the thing about trying to explain Dandadan to someone who has not seen it. You will sound insane.
The setup is deceptively simple. Momo Ayase is a popular gyaru girl who believes in ghosts and spirits but thinks aliens are fake. Ken Takakura, nicknamed Okarun by Momo to avoid getting flustered since he shares a name with an actor she loves, is a quiet nerdy guy who believes in aliens but thinks the supernatural is nonsense. They argue. They make a bet. Each of them goes to a place haunted by the other’s belief to prove the other wrong.
Both of them encounter exactly what they believed in.
Within the first episodes, they are thrust into the world of the supernatural and discover that both spirits and aliens are genuinely real, so they use their newfound special abilities to fight these evil creatures while also learning to grow closer to each other. Geeks Of Color
That sounds manageable, right? Here is what they do not tell you upfront. Okarun gets his body possessed by a legendary ghost called Turbo Granny who runs at terrifying speeds. Momo awakens some kind of ancient power tied to her lineage. And the two of them spend the rest of the season fighting increasingly unhinged supernatural and alien threats together, slowly and awkwardly catching feelings for each other in the middle of all the chaos.
It is a supernatural action comedy romance. With aliens. And yokai. And a ghost who runs fast. It is completely unhinged and somehow it works on every single level.
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The Manga Background You Actually Need to Know
Dandadan is based on a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu, serialized in Shueisha’s Shonen Jump+ since April 2021, with its chapters collected into 17 volumes as of late 2024. IMDb
What makes Tatsu’s background interesting is that the manga’s author was a former assistant for Tatsuki Fujimoto, the creator of Chainsaw Man and Fire Punch. Geeks Of Color If you have watched Hell’s Paradise or Chainsaw Man, you know that lineage means something. It means you are getting wild creativity, visually ambitious storytelling, and characters that feel genuinely alive rather than just types filling roles.
Dandadan absolutely carries that DNA. The humor is absurd but precise. The emotional beats land harder than you expect because the writing earns them. And the character dynamics feel refreshingly real even when the situation around them is completely surreal.
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Science SARU Changed the Game With This Adaptation
Okay so this is where I need to really give credit where it is due, because the studio handling Dandadan is not just any anime studio.
Science SARU’s recent lineup before Dandadan included Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Devilman Crybaby, and Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken, all of which match the zaniness and vibe of Dandadan. The studio’s founder Masaaki Yuasa is one of the most respected directors in the entire medium. IMDb
When I saw Science SARU was attached to this project, my expectations shifted immediately. These are the people who made Devilman Crybaby feel like a fever dream you could not stop watching. Of course they were the right choice for Dandadan.
The opening theme “Otonoke” by Japanese hip-hop duo Creepy Nuts is a perfect fit for the tone of the series with its upbeat vibe, while the ending theme “TAIDADA” by Zutomayo is a catchy and memorable track that leaves a lasting impression. sportskeeda
I genuinely cannot count how many times I sat through the full opening instead of skipping it. The animation sequence during “Otonoke” is one of the best opening sequences I have seen in years. It tells you everything about the show’s energy in 90 seconds.
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Let's Actually Talk About the Characters
This is the part most reviews rush through and I think it is the most important part.
**Momo Ayase** is the kind of female lead that I wish was more common in shonen. She is not a side character or a prize. She is genuinely one of the strongest people in the show, emotionally and physically. She makes decisions. She leads fights. She has her own complicated feelings and she expresses them directly rather than waiting for permission. The show takes her seriously and it shows.
**Okarun (Ken Takakura)** is the classic nervous awkward protagonist but played with genuine warmth rather than making his nervousness the butt of every joke. His transformation after getting Turbo Granny’s power is handled cleverly. He does not just become cool suddenly. He becomes more capable but stays himself, which is actually much more interesting to watch.
**Turbo Granny** as a character is one of the show’s best surprises. What starts as a pure antagonist slowly becomes something more complicated and genuinely funny. The way the show handles her relationship with Okarun by the time episode 5 rolls around is the kind of storytelling that makes you realize the writers planned this from the beginning.
And then there is Jiji, Momo’s childhood friend and third wheel of this group who becomes increasingly important as the season progresses. The second season’s story begins with Momo, Okarun, and Jiji heading to Jiji’s house in rural Byakuja Village to investigate a supposed curse hanging over the house, where the trio is soon confronted by the eerie Kito family. Fandom So Jiji’s role grows significantly going forward.
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The Animation Quality Is Not a Meme, It's Actually That Good
I have watched a lot of anime. A lot. And Dandadan’s animation genuinely surprised me even knowing Science SARU was behind it.
Dandadan is celebrated for its humor, action, and supernatural themes, featuring standout animation and creative designs. Critics praise its innovative art style, vibrant animation, and exceptional sound design. IMDb
What makes the animation special is not just the budget or the fluidity, though both are excellent. It is the choices. The way the show uses color shifts during supernatural moments to make you feel slightly disoriented along with the characters. The way the fight choreography has weight and consequence rather than just looking flashy. The alien and yokai designs are genuinely creative in a way that feels like the artists were given permission to go completely weird, and they took that permission seriously.
Science SARU’s production delivers a well-rounded narrative that combines comedy, action, and romance with themes of the supernatural and aliens. sportskeeda
If you have a bigger screen, watch it on a bigger screen. This is one of those shows where the visual experience is actually part of the point.
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What Makes the Tone Work (And Why Most Shows Can't Pull This Off)
The most impressive technical achievement of Dandadan is the tone management.
Mixing horror, comedy, romance, and action is something a lot of anime attempt and most get wrong. Either the comedy undercuts the horror too much and nothing feels scary, or the action is so intense that the romantic moments feel jarring, or the whole thing collapses into tonal incoherence.
Dandadan somehow threads all four of these together almost every episode without it feeling forced.
The show earns this by never treating any of its elements as secondary. The horror genuinely creeps you out. The comedy is actually funny rather than just references. The romance is awkward and sweet and progresses at a realistic pace. The action sequences have real stakes. Because the show commits fully to each register when it is in that register, you trust it. You stop second-guessing the tonal shifts and just ride them.
The romance between Momo and Okarun does not rush. It simmers under all the madness, making it feel real in a world that is anything but. Analytics Insight
That sentence describes exactly why the show’s emotional core holds. If the romance felt rushed or convenient, the whole structure would collapse. Instead the feelings build slowly and believably, which makes every small moment between them hit harder than big dramatic declarations would.
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Where to Watch It Right Now
If you want to watch anime online, Dandadan Season 1 is available on Netflix and Crunchyroll internationally. Both platforms have the series with subtitles and most regions have dubbed options too.
For more anime recommendations and updates, check out the 9anime-tv.pro blogs section which covers a wide range of current and seasonal anime to help you figure out what to watch next.
The dubbed version for season 1 holds up well if you prefer English audio, though I personally watched it subbed first because the Japanese voice cast is excellent. Shion Wakayama as Momo and Natsuki Hanae as Okarun both nail the balance between the comedic and genuinely emotional moments their characters need.
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Season 2 — What You Need to Know
Dandadan Season 2 premiered globally on July 3, 2025, with 12 weekly episodes streaming on Netflix, Crunchyroll, and Hulu. The season adapts the Cursed House, Evil Eye, and Kaiju arcs, introducing new threats and emotional storylines. Analytics Insight
According to Filmarks, Dandadan Season 2 was ranked as the most anticipated anime of Summer 2025. Analytics Insight That is a significant statement in a season that includes major titles.
Season 2 features even sharper animation, wild supernatural battles, and an emotional core that keeps fans hooked. If Season 1 was all about discovering a strange new world, Season 2 throws the characters directly into it with tighter pacing, higher stakes, and even more jaw-dropping visuals. Boh
The new opening “Kakumei DÅchÅ«” by Aina the End and the ending theme “Doukashiteru” by WurtS give Season 2 an even bigger feel than its debut. Boh
The Evil Eye arc in particular is something manga readers had been looking forward to seeing animated. Fans can’t wait to see Momo and Okarun deal with the Evil Eye, who has taken over their friend Jiji’s body. FandomWire This is the kind of arc that requires the emotional groundwork the first season built, and from what viewers have reported, Season 2 delivers on it.
Co-directors Fūga Yamashiro and Abel Góngora revealed they took references from both classic Japanese science fiction films and the horror genre to give the series a darker, more dynamic tone this season. El Output
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Common Mistakes Fans Make Going Into This Show
**Dropping it after episode 1.** The first episode is strong but it is not the peak of the show. Episode 3 in particular is where it really clicks for most people.
**Expecting a traditional shonen structure.** Dandadan does not follow the typical power level progression tournament arc formula. If you go in expecting that, you will be confused by the pacing. Embrace the chaos instead.
**Sleeping on the soundtrack.** Kensuke Ushio’s score for this show is genuinely brilliant and people do not talk about it enough. The music during intense supernatural sequences adds an anxiety layer that elevates those scenes significantly.
**Reading spoilers before watching.** Some of the funniest and most horrifying moments in this show work entirely because you do not see them coming. Go in as blind as you can.
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Is It Worth Watching?
Look. If you like anime at all, the answer is yes.
Dandadan is the exact type of shonen battle action series that manages to be an amalgamation of everything great about the subgenre. Geeks Of Color It respects your intelligence, it moves fast enough to stay exciting, it builds characters you actually care about, and it delivers some of the most visually creative animation that has aired in the last several years.
It is also just fun. Unashamedly, completely, enthusiastically fun. Not in a shallow way but in the way that the best entertainment is fun, where you feel the creators genuinely loved making this and that energy transfers to the watching experience.
If you are looking for what to watch anime online right now and you have not started Dandadan yet, start it tonight. You already know what kind of person you are. You will watch one episode, tell yourself you are going to bed, and then watch three more.
I told you this was going to happen. I am just here to confirm it was worth it.
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Dandadan Final Thoughts
Dandadan continues to stand out among modern anime. Fans of Dandadan often praise its creativity, while new viewers discover why Dandadan became so popular so quickly. The unique blend of action and comedy makes Dandadan memorable. Whether you are starting Dandadan for the first time or revisiting Dandadan after finishing the season, there is always something new to appreciate. For many viewers, Dandadan is one of the most entertaining anime releases of recent years.