REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ is Pure Excellence In GKIDs’ First Encounter

GKids released DanDaDan episodes 1-3 as DanDaDan: First Encounter, and it’s great. On paper, DanDaDan looks like a chaotic mess of genre-bending elements thrown at the wall. The occult, UFOs, yokai, aliens, two teenagers who kind of have a rom-com vibe to them? It’s a lot, and if you try to describe DanDaDan to someone, well, it’s just as hectic. I mean, how do you explain to someone that one of the central conflicts is that the yokai possessing one of the main characters stole his… banana? But in reality, DanDaDan’s originality and vibrance are unbeatable and mark one of the best anime opening premieres this year.

Based on the original manga by mangka Yukinobu Tatsu (who you may know as one of Chainsaw Man mangaka, Tatsuki Fujimoto, assistants), DanDaDan is brash, eclectic, and a damn good time. Animated by Science SARU (a studio that deserves as much attention as possible for its immaculate track record), the story centers on Momo, a girl who believes in ghosts, and Okarun, a boy who believes in aliens.

The joke? Neither of them believes in the other. That is, until they dare each other to go to locations known for sightings of their respective otherworldly beliefs, and then everything goes sideways.

On the surface, DanDaDan is an unabashed love letter to genre film, particularly the b-horror and b-science fiction of the past. Tastsu brought that spirit and excitement to the manga, and in animation, somehow, Science SARU makes those choices of homage even bolder. As a director, Fuga Yamashiro captures the camp and tension of the series expertly throughout the three episodes, culminating in one of the most dynamic episodes of television with episode 2, and Hiroshi Seko’s script pulls off the adolescent humor without ever becoming grating.

DanDaDan Episodes 1-3 always work, even when it’s tackling tough subjects.

Truth be told, I initially stopped reading DanDaDan after aliens tried to sexually assault Momo in the very first volume. With her clothes stripped, I didn’t want to once again with stories about a young girl almost being violated continuously played for laughs. In the manga, it felt like nothing but a moment to insert fan service, even if Turbo Granny was telling Okuran about obscenities.

Regarding the anime, I knew what to expect in episode one. But imagine my surprise when Science SARU actually managed to keep the scenes humorous dialogue by keeping it feeling like a threat instead of a joke. Sure, the lines of dialogue, when matched with the scene, make an uncomfortable joke, but the discomfort and keeping that is where the anime succeeds.

Momo isn’t treated like a character meant to be harmed; she is one who is scared of losing her agency. The moment isn’t played for fan service, and while it may be a moment that some bounce off from the series because of, the tasteful handling feels noticeably different than it did when reading Tatsu’s original work.

It’s a small improvement but one that opens the door for someone like me, who is sensitive to the use of this particular kind of violence in media, to stick with the series. In fact, it shrinks the moment and makes Momo’s triumphant invincibility the true takeaway from her role in DanDaDan Episode 1. Momo shows that gyaru girls are just as fierce as any shonen male protagonist. She fights everyone she can, doesn’t know how to quit, and her abrasive personality is refreshing in a female shonen character.

Gyaru girls can me more than the butt of a joke.

But Science SARU doesn’t just nail adapting a serious (even if the egghead aliens are deeply unserious) subject matter, they nail Tatsu’s art style by mixing animation hyperstylized animation and simple outlines, using both to highlight the intensity of the action sequences.

Science SARU’s ability to consistently create vibrant and saturated sequences is captivating, to say the least. The animator’s ability to work in monochromatic and eccentric aesthetics lends to creating a fantastic atmosphere and expertly matches the series’ intensity.

While MAPPA and ufotable have received notoriety for their shonen anime over the last few years, Science Saru’s notable ability to blend animation styles makes them stand out. This is true across their filmography, from a vignette in Star Wars Visions that captured cute droids to the chaotic evil Devilman Crybaby revival, their take on the iconic Scott Pilgrim, and, of course, 2022’s best-animated film Inu-Oh, the studio keeps audiences on their toes.

With DanDaDan, they take on a familiar shonen sensibility and use the yokai and aliens to expand their repertoire. From the character and creature design by Naoyuki Onda and Yoshimichi Kameda, respectively, to the color design by Satoshi Hashimoto and Art Director Junichi Higashi, DanDaDan is animation excellence.

DanDaDan: First Encounter highlights how far Science Saru is pushing anime boundaries.

The depth of the animation across the first three DanDaDan episodes is clear. Knowledge of how to use blank space, grayscale, and expert compositing creates the most beautifully animated series of 2024. Anime watchers have been excited for DanDaDan episodes on the big and small screens, and the series warrants every ounce of it.

With comedy, excitement, action, aliens, yokai, a hot grandma, a gyaru badass, and a boy taken by a curse that can’t help but be depressed at his absolute most powerful, DanDaDan episodes one through three are an exciting introduction to what’s to come.

Even though DanDaDan Episode 1 introduces the characters and their eccentricities, it doesn’t stop at set-up. Instead of explaining how the Momo and Okuran see the world and why the former believes in ghosts but not in aliens, the latter is the reverse, and Science SARU shows the audience. Coming away from the series premiere episode, audiences can understand exactly who our protagonists are and how their extreme differences complement each other.

In DanDaDan Episode 2, we see what it looks like when the two work together. Momo is able to wield her psychic power for aggression and protection, but she’s also the only reason Okuran can keep Turbo Granny’s curse at bay. As Momo learns how to let Okuran’s curse loose while still keeping his head clear, the episode’s grayscale palette offers intensity. With a yokai larger than a house and two teens just trying to both outsmart and outlast it, the series stakes are set. They may not be world-ending, but they are life-changing.

Somehow, just 3 episodes of DanDaDan feels whole.

To wrap up the three DanDaDan episodes released as a theatrical event, the third captures the future and the danger that Okuran’s curse poses to Momo, her granny, and everyone around Okuran. It also captures Okuran’s simplicity and how different his expectations and love of aliens are from his encounters with yokai. Okuran is endearing, Momo is charismatic, and Granny is just great.

While I don’t necessarily think the three packaged episodes warrant being treated like a feature film (a trend I’m starting to question more and more), I can’t say I wouldn’t pay to see this level of animation on screen. While you’ll have to wait some time for more DanDaDan episodes when the series releases on Crunchyroll and Netflix in October, making it to the theater to watch what stands as the frontrunner for anime of the year can make a great night out.

The first three DanDaDan episodes are a stellar opener. With some light pacing issues that keep it from true perfection, DanDaDan is one anime that stands to offer the most with its genre-bending narrative and darkly comedic story. Science SARU has raised the bar for animation with their work in this series, and I absolutely can’t wait to see what comes next.

DANDADAN is streaming now on Netflix and Crunchyroll this October.