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Dandadan is a Strange Show (In a Good Way)

 

Overview

     I've been hearing about Dandadan for at least the past 3 years as a manga. I had zero clue what the story was about or what a Dandadan even was (still have no idea what the name means). What I can say is that after watching this first season I can understand what all the talk was about, for better or worse. Dandadan is the story of two friends and their experiences with the supernatural. Momo Ayase is a popular highschool girl, and Ken Takakura (nicknamed "Okarun") is nerdy loner. After meeting each other for the first time, they have a bet about whether or not ghost and aliens are real, with Momo believing the former and Okarun believing the latter. This bet consists of Okarun visiting a well-known "haunted" place in Japan and Momo visiting a spot where aliens have been sighted. They each have their own encounters with paranormal beings at those locations, resulting in Momo activating latent  physic powers and Okarun becoming cursed (also comes with powers). They go on adventures to fix Okarun's condition with a dynamic cast of characters.

The Cost of a Real Friend

    Do you know how much it sucks being lonely? Ken Takakura did before meeting Momo Ayase. A social reject met one of the school's most popular girls and built a connection talking about his nerdy interest, aliens. Momo Ayase also knew about being lonely, in a different way though. Momo is a popular girl with a not-so-regular granny. Her grandma, who is a self-proclaimed psychic, is very involved in the spiritual world and the beliefs that come along with it. These sorts of beliefs had caused for her to get bullied as a child, leading for her to reject her grandmother and ignore that part of her life. Upon meeting Okarun, while he disagreed about ghosts being real, he entertains the idea and even takes the dare with her. You might be able to see what I'm getting at here, but essentially Okarun was lonely in the traditional sense of having no friends to talk to. Momo, however, was lonely in the sense of having nobody she could be her true self around. 

    The friendship that they share quickly grows with both characters multiple times throughout the season admitting, internally at least, that the other person is who they really want to talk to and enjoy spending time around (in a nutshell). When they are not together, they miss each other greatly, more than Momo misses her other friends. The story is showing us the makings of a true friendship that is based in accepting the other person fully, their weirdness and all. The price of this friendship, I'd argue, is facing your fears. The protagonists of Dandadan are by no means invincible, they're highschool students just with little powers added on top. The creatures they face do indeed frighten them, but they get to face them together. Them working together is what they truly enjoy about these adventures, and although it is frightening, I'd argue that they know it brings them closer together. Ironically enough although they encounter the supernatural almost every day, the thing they seem to fear the most is losing each other. This makes them willing to fight for each other and face those other fears. I belive that the big takeaway from Dadadan is that a real friendship not only allows for you to be your true self, but also makes it so that you inevitably will face those things you are afraid of, internally or externally, for the sake of those that you hold dear. 

Why Should You Watch This?

    If a traditional action shonen is what you watch exclusively, I can say that this show might not be for you. The action takes a backseat, with most conflicts resolving with not too crazy of displays of strength. What I will say, is that this anime is perfect for those who are looking for something funny, with high emotional peaks, and a little weirdness sprinkled in. Emphasis on funny! I prefer my anime subbed, but the dub for this show makes those jokes hit way harder. The animation and general style of this show is also great. I can guarantee that watching this show is far from a waste of time. Though there are a few strange moments, 90% of people I can say will leave this anime having a positive experience.

Final Thoughts

    Dandadan is a fun adventure of two high school students facing their fears and growing together. The action blends seamlessly with the comedy and emotional moments, and overall makes for a pleasant experience as long as you go in with an open mind. The character moments are great, and every episode leaves you guessing what will happen next. I never even mentioned that a huge part of this story is Okarun getting his balls back (yes, his testicles get stolen). I would recommend this story to whoever wants a new anime to watch without too much commitment.

8.8/10


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