Dandadan Series Premiere Review: All Hell Breaks Loose

Despite the progress of science, several strange phenomena around the world remain inexplicable. Scientists, researchers and academics often agree that they have only scratched a fraction of Earth’s secrets. But many detractors are quick to drink the Kool-Aid that an invisible hand is guiding their course, with one school of thought believing it to be supernatural and the other finding solace among the stars. Yet sometimes the two worlds collide, and that is where Dandadan stands — at the conjunction of two immiscible Venn diagrams, where ghosts curse your phallus and aliens want to exploit it.

Dandadan may be the latest kid on the block in this fall’s anime lineup, but by the looks of the episode, one would hardly think this is the series premiere. Beautifully crafted and deftly paced, there is a restraint in the energetic outbursts that shows a hint of maturity from up-and-coming director Fuga Yamashiro as he adapts a screenplay by Attack on Titan veteran Hiroshi Seko. Two high schoolers, one a firm believer of the occult and the other a UFO enthusiast, challenge one another to prove the verity of their claims. What starts on a simple wager soon gets out of hand, shattering known reality and opening the door to a swashbuckling adventure that is nothing short of bonkers.

Dandadan Episode 1 Embraces the Awkwardness of Its Premise

Emotional Outbursts Liberate the Story

Viewers going in blind will think Dandadan Episode 1 is a rom-com because of the way the story starts. At the center of it is a young girl named Momo Ayase, who has all the delinquent tendencies one can imagine from a gyaru. Then there is Ken Takakura, showing all the textbook signs of an otaku anime protagonist. The story begins with Momo breaking up with her abusive boyfriend, which puts her in an awful mood until she sees Ken getting bullied in class. In a moment of gender-swapped chivalry, for lack of a better word, Dandadan casually introduces its protagonist duo early in the tale even before the viewer gets to know their names. Incidentally, the same boy Momo saves is the only one in school to start a conversation. But who knew a guy who could not stand up for himself could have the gall to disparage his savior for believing in ghosts?

From that moment on, it’s on. Instead of lifting its foot off the gas, Dandadan Episode 1 carries the momentum forward with a high-spirited squabble between the two kids. With the stage set, the story cuts to two different locales. While Momo goes to an abandoned building allegedly infamous for its alien abductions, Ken takes a test of courage by walking through a supposedly cursed tunnel alone. In their quest to prove each other wrong, the duo unwittingly brings spooky suspense to the tale. Sometimes, it is the story that pushes the characters into action. In Dandadan‘s case, it is the overzealousness of the characters that pushes the story toward the unknown, and the audience is here for it.

Dandadan Episode 1 is a three-act play. The first act goes into forging an unlikely friendship, and the middle act goes all out to settle a bet. But that does not mean there are no somber moments in between to tug at the heartstrings of the viewers. Episode 1 sticks to Momo like gum under the shoe, even going far into the past to unearth some bitter truths about her past. For a tale that hinges on doing the unexpected, this sudden flooding of emotions makes Dandadan something more than the trippy misadventure it looks like. To top it off, Episode 1’s final act is nothing but unchecked, unsupervised action that increasingly gets chaotic for everyone involved — even the viewers.

Dandadan Episode 1 Sows the Seeds of a Character-Centric Journey

Momo Takes Point in the Story

There is nothing wrong with a girl who loves all things supernatural. From believing in ghosts to having a soft spot for psychic mediums because her grandmother is one, Momo is different from other girls, and not just in appearance. The same goes for Ken. Although named after a famous Japanese actor, Ken’s hobbies are niche and his interest in alien conspiracy is borderline obsessive. Notnhing about it is out of the ordinary as it feels more like the start of a slice-of-life, boy-meets-girl story between a shy, reticent Ken and a wild Momo, except it could not be further from the truth.

That fateful first meeting sets the anime on a path from where there is no return. The episode begins with all fun and games. Momo and Ken are two people who cannot be more apart in personalities, and yet they find a common ground in their fanatic love for the uncanny. It is funny how Momo seems like a regular high school girl and acts nonchalantly around everyone. But when it comes to the occult, she is no better than Ken. The subject brings the goofiness out of her as her memories of her grandmother mix up her feelings, ending up giving the tale a melancholic tune. The episode finds its emotional core in the past. Momo regrets of her attitude toward the only parental figure in her life, and the viewer feels it when she starts reminiscing. Even Ken gets to air some pent-up feelings that echo his loneliness. However, once the action gets going, these high schoolers turn into the protagonists they were born to be.

In the context of the aliens versus ghosts discourse, the friction between Momo and Ken leads to some hilarious outbursts, and it gets a hundred times more out of hand when the voice actors get involved. Shion Wakayama voices Momo like the delinquent she is. Speaking in a tone and accent that sounds defiant, Wakayama does her best to make her character sound strong and independent. But that does not mean she does not get to show a speck of emotion, especially when the fomenting events remind her of her childhood. The real revelation here is Natsuki Hanae as Ken Takakura; from a meek attitude to nerdy taunts, Hanae’s voice makes Ken go through a rollercoaster of emotions. He sounds weirdly confident when talking about his beloved UAP but is also quite insecure, which Hanae captures perfectly.

Dandadan Premiere Breaks All Expectations

Science Saru’s Animation Is Exactly What the Anime Needed

In a Fall season where anime like Bleach and Re:Zero go head-to-head for the best-looking anime crown, Dandadan is a serious contender, if not the winner. Yes, the colors are flat, and the shading is suspect in some frames; ut, at the same time, there are scenes where Momo’s blushes or the reflection on Ken’s glasses are too well-crafted, which leads to the belief that it is more of an artistic choice. The flat colors almost always appear in comedic scenes when the duo go at each other’s throats. In contrast, the final act is a spectacle of vivid colors and dazzling special effects, showing that the anime is prepared to trick the audience to get the mood right.

Dandadan comes at a time in Science Saru’s history when the studio has established itself as the industry leader for trippy animation. It is why the Dandadan anime comes with many expectations. And from the looks of it, Episode 1 manages to exceed them. From the faithful character arts to psychedelic psychic battles, the episode makes a slow start on the animation front before making the most of it at the climax. But what really stands out the most is the beautiful backgrounds. There is almost a cozy, hand-drawn aesthetic in it that pulls the audience into the screen. Even in the aforementioned flat-colored scenes, the background remains stoic and intricate, housing the anime in a world with its own personality.

Dandadan Episode 1 has everything. It has raging emotions, tragic protagonists, oddball humor, swashbuckling action, and eye-melting animation. But above all, it is fun. It is the dream start any show could hope for— enthrall audiences and create an invigorating storyline that keeps them on the edge of their seats, either clutching their hair in anxiety or their belly in laughter. Although the mature themes are used for comedic effect — to make the ghosts and aliens the out-and-out perverted bad guys, the casualness of the suggested imagery is just another addition to fan service masked as adult humor. Either way, Dandadan Episode 1 has the potential to turn any casual viewers, who had simply tuned in out of curiosity, into regular fans, and that is a rare accomplishment for any series premiere.

Dandadan Episode 1 is streaming on Crunchyroll.