REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ Episode 12 — “Let’s Go to the Cursed House”

Jiji’s entrance into the series has added a new layer for Okarun to deal with, especially now that the gang is headed to Jiji’s house to discover what is happening. DanDaDan Episode 12, “Let’s Go to the Cursed House,” sends the gang on a new adventure with plenty of twists and turns to wait for them.

DanDaDan Episode 12 starts with Okarun, Momo, and Jiji at Momo’s house, begging her grandma to keep the anatomy model Hana. Hana is a key character in the last episode, and her relationship with her partner, Taro, helps Okarun realize how he feels about Momo. Using this as the start of the episode allows it to explore more of their relationship before the mysterious parts of the story take place.

Okarun is a sad little boy who is head over heels in love with a girl he isn’t sure feels the same way. Most of that doubt is in his head, but watching Momo and Jiji interact makes him feel like the odd man out. DanDaDan Episode 12 does a great job of helping viewers understand how Okarun feels. It all builds up to a confession of love, or that’s what the episode wants viewers to think.

DanDaDan continues to nail emotional beats

What DanDaDan as a whole has done really well is prepare for serious, emotional moments and turn them into comedy. Okarun bursts into a weird rendition of a song in which he confesses his love, but it is not obvious to Momo. Jiji joins his song and dance, making for an incredibly awkward scene.

It keeps the mood light before diving into darker material later on. It also does not take away from the emotion behind what is happening. If anything, it enhances it by making it feel more natural. Teenagers acting like teenagers is a refreshing approach that helps give the story more impact.

There is a fun little interlude with Hana and Taro before the story really ramps up. Hana is waiting outside for Taro to visit her, and Momo decides to wait for her. It is a beautifully emotional moment between two anatomical models, a pretty impressive feat. But what it really shows is how caring Momo can be. She sacrifices her own comfort to wait outside, even sleeping on the ground. Momo has always had a bit of a caring streak about her, but she hides it beneath her brash exterior. Seeing her show her heart, even in small moments, is always appreciated.

A good chunk of DanDaDan Episode 12 is spent with the trio on the train to Jiji’s house. This is a perfect time for Okarun to get to know his rival better if they are going to be competing for Momo’s heart. It turns out the two have way more in common than Okarun thought. This makes it tough for him to hate Jiji, and he starts developing a real friendship. Okarun asks why Jiji is not more despicable since if he were, it would have been easier for Okarun to beat him. This dynamic is interesting to watch unfold as the two realize they are more alike than they think.

This journey also allows us to learn more about Jiji’s life. We learn about what his parents do and why they live in the town they live in. This allows viewers and characters like Okarun to better understand who Jiji is and what makes him tick. It is handled naturally, too, so it never feels like forced exposition.

DanDaDan Episode 12 ends on a perfect cliffhanger.

There is a much bigger problem than they previously thought. By the time they reach Jiji’s house, a horde of creepy-looking citizens lurks nearby. The trio does not notice these at first. Instead, they explore the house and even have some fun. It is a calm moment before the storm. Viewers know things are about to get more intense, but the characters themselves don’t quite know what to expect.

Momo separates herself from Jiji and Okarun and heads to the hot springs bath. There, she encounters some creepy men who join her in the water. This is in keeping with the series’ theme of sexually weird moments, and the scene ends with one of the men pinning her underwater. This sets her up for a serious situation that she’ll need to be rescued from in season 2, but her fate is unknown for now.

The last cliffhanger is the hole in the wall that Jiji and Okarun discover. It leads to a massive empty space that creeps the two of them out. What this hole means and how it will affect what happens next is a mystery, but it is clearly set up to be crucial.

DanDaDan Episode 12 is the perfect cliffhanger ending, leaving unanswered questions that will have viewers desperately wanting more. There is plenty of great character development and fun moments to help break up the seriousness of the situation, but in the end, the stakes are higher than ever before.

DanDaDan Episode 12 is airing now on Netflix and Crunchyroll.