The X Files for Freaks: Dandadan Season 1 Review

SUMMARY

• Dandadan excels in its balance between chaos and calm, blending supernatural action with teenage romance in a fascinating way.

• In many ways, this is a show about divorce, none more obvious than the romance between Momo and Okarun.

• Outstanding voice acting and animation elevate Dandadan to new heights despite the embarrassing cliffhanger of the (mercifully) upcoming sequel.

It is difficult to summarize the quality of the show as Dandadan in every way that he has not revealed in the first few minutes of the first release of the bomb, it is cute and it works well. Of all the delights of 2024 in the world of anime, few shows have been as anticipated as this new season shōnen that's full of spirit and heartfelt romance, and it's not to anyone's surprise, it was a blast.

Animated by Science Saru and directed by Fuga Yamashiro, Dandadan is the story of a boy who believes in aliens and not ghosts and a girl who believes in ghosts and not aliens. When they both dare to travel to a paranormal hot spot, they realize to their chagrin that they are both right and find themselves targeted by entities beyond their strange beliefs.

Soon the boy's penis is stolen by a ghost and the girl's mental powers are accidentally awakened by an alien, causing the two to give each other the strength to fight and save the former's womb. It's an absurd idea, but it's too inspired and interesting to ignore, and that's what makes it so appealing. The hook is a bit deeper.

Understanding Dandadan's greatest power

At first glance, this is the kind of story that stands out for its twists and turns, and that's a result of how unashamedly strange this story is. It's a love letter to the supernatural and – in equal parts – the excitement and suspense attached to such a subject. Visually, the animation and artwork work as boldly as possible, few studios can do better than Science Saru. But all this, Dandadanthe magic quickly wore off.

The secret to this story's success is its command of pace and tone, and it's hardly a secret. Ask the creative staff behind the anime, as we did, and they'll emphasize this as one of the most important elements in adapting writer Yukinobu Tatsu's plot. Dandadan nervous and bombastic, but it must also be quiet, to allow the emotions of its characters to remain and turn the script that is crazy into one that is also often relatable and sometimes real.

Opposite, and that's the attraction

Dandadan it's all about dichotomy. Chaos and peace. Ghosts and aliens. Supernatural action and romance for teenagers. Big-headed girls and nerdy guys; Momo Ayase and Okarun. She is a gyaru who speaks her mind but has a romantic side, looking for a reliable man who reminds her of her favorite actor, Ken Takakura. On the other hand, Okarun is a shy nerd with occult interests who looks to the sky in search of the missing company in his daily life.

They couldn't be more different and they couldn't be more perfect together. It's an awareness that may not come to them quickly, but it's obvious to everyone else and most importantly, the audience. Dandadan feeding off of the first arc, the two stick together as they come to a new power in the midst of confrontations with aliens, ghosts, and Momo's innocent spirit medium grandmother, Seiko, while to name a few.

Performance is everything

It's an effective opening salvo that forces players to feel their power increase as they go along, without getting lost in the show. If there is a break in the action, the script prefers it to bring these characters closer together, either through jokes, arguments, or pregnant silence with a quick and embarrassed look. Presentation is only one half of the equation – the other is voice acting.

Natsuki Hanae and Shion Wakayama are the heart and soul of the series, and their chemistry is reflected in their understanding of the story's tonal abilities. Hanae's portrayal of Okarun, for example, has a lot of duality. She is shy at times but can also burst into manic rage, which makes her banter with Momo all the more captivating. The same praise is due to the English players. Abby Trott as Momo, AJ Beckles as Okarun, and the famous Kari Wahlgren as Seiko all understood the role. You can't go wrong with any dub.

Hats off to Science Saru

Praise the animation of Dandadan is a bit similar to praise shows like Mob Psycho 100the presentation is so consistently impressive that words fail to describe it in a new way. If anything comes to mind easily, Fuga Yamashiro has done a fantastic job. Whatever he does next deserves attention – whether it's the next season of this or something else entirely.

Coming from someone who has worked closely with Masaaki Yuasa on many of his past projects, this shouldn't be surprising, but it's exciting. In the past, Yamashiro has emphasized the importance of preserving the exciting rhythm of the source material, and while manga readers will be the best judge of his success in this matter, the answer is speak for themselves.

Rarely, if ever, is a shot boring or not emoting the actors in a dramatic or simply funny way. In fact, the character design of Takeru Noda and the animation director Naoyuki Onda look great and it looks better if there is a director of the division or AD with special freedom to increase the impressive performance. This brings us back to history, where Dandadan from the great to the extraordinary.

The Hill of Dandadan

Across the board, this season is very strong, balancing action and comedy with warm romance and a short but powerful note of real history. However, episode 7 is the peak of the season, and then it's like a plateau – not in a bad way, mind you, but because it doesn't have time to reach the same level. It's the kind of episode that makes people feel like, “Oh, so this is the show Right barren.”

Does not harm anything, Dandadan proved himself to be in the middle by showing how raw and real he can be despite all the nonsense that led there. Likewise, it's a microcosm of every aspect of the production that makes this show just so addictive… check it out. For a comprehensive assessment of everything that makes anime “good”, you only need to watch this episode, to see how dynamic the action sequences are, how alive the characters feel, and more.

I was a little disappointed with the finale, but only because it didn't feel like a real season finale. There I cliff, but it seems strange. It felt like just another episode, which by the standards of this show isn't bad at all, and thankfully fans won't have to wait long for a second season. If anything, I would suggest that new viewers might consider waiting until the release of season 2 to confirm the series.

… There is so much more this series has to show us, and knowing that alone is gratifying. Science Saru has surpassed himself.

Even on the steep slopes, Dandadan it was always fun. This review hardly touched the face of the player, such as Seiko, Turbo Granny, Aira, or Jiji, which are all treated in the same way, and all of them are growing rapidly in the audience, regardless some of them may start. Even though I haven't read the manga, I can tell that there is so much more to this series, and knowing that alone is rewarding. Science Saru has surpassed himself.

Dandadan available on Crunchyroll and Netflix.