REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ Season 2 Episode 9 – “I Want to Rebuild the House”

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9 refuses to pump the brakes even when the story allows for it. While “I Want to Rebuild the House” doesn’t possess the same zany energy as Episode 8 (one of the series’ best episodes, period), it manages to, on all accounts, stay the course. Great action? Check. Hilarious jokes and sight gags? Check! Character-driven moments that highlight distinct personalities and the growth the protagonists have undergone? Check, check, check. The Science Saru adaptation shows no signs of slowing down and uses the more understated moments to continue reminding us of why we invest time and energy in the series. 

Granted, in the case of DanDaDan, those “understated” moments involve Evil Eye going to High School for the first time and causing a general ruckus. There’s not a dull moment in this bonkers and lovable series. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9 picks up immediately where Episode 8 left off, with a transformed Okarun (Natsuki Hanae) engaging in battle with the Evil Eye (Kaito Ishikawa). Taunting him, really. The fight is swift and brutal, as Okarun uses all the tools he’s acquired to defeat the Evil Eye in the first round. With stunning animation that beautifully captures the magnitude of Okarun’s increased speed, the dexterity and skill of both the artists and the character are highlighted through this breathless sequence. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9 highlights how Okarun has grown.

Triumphant and blistering, the fight is contained and cohesive, letting the world around him blur as Okarun gains momentum. It’s one of those notable moments in the series that remind viewers of the caliber of talent behind the scenes. Because it’s one thing to create a visually enticing action sequence, another altogether to make us feel the acceleration. There’s physicality to each fight – a sinewy musculature that makes every blow land with greater impact. 

Further helpful is the constant reminder that these characters, despite their spiritual powers, are human. Turbo Granny (Mayumi Tanaka) rightfully points out Okarun’s wobbly knees the moment he transforms out of his yokai form. This brief fight pushed him to his limit. He may have trained, and he’s stronger, but he’s not at the point where he’s untouchable or even unbeatable. The only reason he’s able to win the fight is that he doesn’t just rely on his strength, but also on his empathy and intellect. 

Crucially, he remembers what Jiji has said in the past about the fact that the Evil Eye is really just a lost soul—a wandering kid who has equated fighting and killing with playing. Okarun latches onto that psychological note and pulls, provoking the Evil Eye. The Evil Eye, who, after having so much fun fighting Okarun, is belligerent when Okarun tells him he can’t keep fighting such a weak opponent. 

The Evil Eye gets a personality shift.

The sequence is hilarious, both due to how it lets the Evil Eye stomp and rampage, throwing a full-throttle tantrum. But also because it shows the sly way in which Okarun has adapted to his surroundings. He tells the Evil Eye that he’ll fight him only once a week and that Okarun is the only one he’s allowed to fight. And, suddenly, it works. The Evil Eye gives him an unfortunate token to show his respect and honor the pact, and Jiji is back with us. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9 is bookended with high-octane hilarity and action, yet finds a dollop of sweetness right at the center. As everyone leaves now that Jiji is back in control, Momo (Shion Wakayama), Seiko (Nana Mizuki), and Turbo Granny take in the mess their house has become.

At first, they simply decide to let it be, splurging for a day at the hot springs to ignore that their home is in literal pieces. But it becomes clear that despite Seiko’s posturing, they could use help, and the small community of misfits they’ve helped and housed arrive, ready to repay their kindness. 

DanDaDan is about found-family. 

As much as the series looks to shock and dazzle with celestial threats and spiritual beings, the greatest thread of the story is a human one. Our human capacity for empathy and our desire to surround ourselves with people we hold dear. The natural inclination to share space and food and cohabitate, helping not because it’s easy but because it’s simply what you do when you actively take part in a community. 

And somehow, this silly little show with its absurd premise and initial driving force captures that. There’s a reason the story continually returns to the Ayases’ dinner table and how it continues to grow. Okarun notes that he’d begun to think of the Ayase abode as his own, so he felt a stronger inclination to fix it. 

That he does so with the help of Mr. Mantis Shrimp and his nanoskin only makes it better. Because it’s the perfect blend of science fiction and relatability. Everyone, from Aira (Ayane Sakura) and Okarun to Mr. Mantis Shrimp, Jiji, and his parents, is willing and happy to help rebuild somewhere that has come to represent a home away from home. 

The series continues to strike a balance between heart and hilarity. 

And this sweetness is punctuated by the continued burgeoning relationship between Okarun and Momo, something that Jiji drives home later when he asks Momo if she’s in love with anyone. The moment is quickly pushed away in favor of Evil Eye taking over Jiji’s body, but it’s no less potent. She doesn’t confirm it, but her shocked silence is enough to convey the message. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9 ends on a wonderful cliffhanger as Evil Eye rides out the day, trying to acclimate to school life while being overly verbally hostile to fellow classmates. But the big reveal comes with the fact that other students have begun to see a mysterious, golden ball floating in a nearby residence. And it’s a big reminder of a crucial story element that’s been forgotten during the Evil Eye escapades – Okarun is still on the hunt for a missing part of himself. 

With a fantastic balance of tone and pacing, DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9 is yet another winner. It might not reach the spectacle heights of previous installments, but it doesn’t need to when the foundation is so tight. The show is firing on all cylinders and yet refuses to rest on easy and instead continues to find ways to elevate the source material through clever animation, infectious voice acting, and hilarious editing. It’s an absolute blast. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 9 is available now on Crunchyroll and Netflix. 

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