REVIEW: ‘DanDaDan’ Season 2 Episode 11 — “Hey, It’s A Kaiju”

One of the many delights of DanDaDan is its refreshing eagerness to play with the unexpected. DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 defies expectation not necessarily in the story – though it does go to some wild places – but in the animation itself. As the narrative unfolds and the world expands, facing increasingly absurd threats, the team at Science Saru brings a unique style to match or counter the chaos. And, in the case of “Hey, It’s a Kaiju,” it’s the contrast that wins out. 

The majority of DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 exists on an epic-scale playing field. With the city in an empty space, as Momo (Shion Wakayama), Okarun (Natsuki Hanae), Aira (Ayane Sakura), Jiji (Kaito Ishikawa), and, now, Kinta (Daichi Fujiwara) must face off against the titanic kaiju attacking them, the show has a massive arena to play with. The scale is limitless in possibilities as they all race through the city streets and find higher vantage points to go toe-to-toe with an otherworldly beast. 

It would be so easy for the series to default on big, momentous animation sequences that deliver all impact and no finesse. Yet “Hey, It’s a Kaiju” instead goes into the granular details. Through these immaculate fight sequences, the series finds greater details and precision in how the battle is shot, adopting low angles and angular animation to help demonstrate the stakes and the overwhelming, imposing nature of the kaiju. 

Aira, as Acrobatic Silky, highlights some tremendous animation. 

Take, for instance, Aira in her Acrobatic Silky form as she charges the kaiju. DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 makes sure the camera stays glued to her motions as she hurtles towards the attack. First, through the tendrils of her hair as they sweep her up into the aerial battle, and then, immediately after, through her sprint ascending the kaiju’s arm. It’s a ten-second sequence that counts the beats of each step, giving it a dynamic fluidity and necessary coherence. 

Aira’s character is the focal point for many of the penultimate episode’s greatest animations. Later, as the kaiju captures her, we watch as her Silky form momentarily breaks before a rush of willful confidence allows her to recapture it. It’s an explosive sequence of elongating forms and bursts of color that warp and tangle as her form shifts due to the grip of the monster. More than anything, what stuns is the brevity. For such a brief sequence that acts as a momentary turning point, the artistry astonishes. 

That level of care and attention to detail is what defines the series. The laborious efforts are clear. There are so many anime, films, and series today that overlook the importance of their impact and weight. There’s a reason why the Hong Kong martial arts flicks of the ’80s are so immensely satisfying – each punch, each throw, and each landing has weight to it, creating a bruising, visceral experience. The best action today in any medium can do that too, and DanDaDan consistently makes sure that the sense of gravity is present. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 showcases the growth of the core cast.

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 excels beyond the action as well. Or, rather, excels in the evolving character dynamics taking place within it. Despite their open animosity, Momo and Aira form a strong team, and there’s something satisfying about watching them and Okarun work together.

It makes the found-family nature of the story all the more effective because it doesn’t go out of its way to force-feed us the thematic underlining but instead shows it through these interactions. 

And the family is growing with the inclusion of Kinta, who, while being rescued by Jiji, inadvertently causes the latter to shift into his Evil Eye form. It being the Evil Eye who must help pilot the nanoskin-built, Buddha Gundam is just another hilarious little detail that adds to the chaos of the series storytelling. 

Science Saru understands that beauty is found in the details. 

The entire sequence of them tumbling into the Gundam allows for a fun expansion from the manga, as their long night of fighting throws them another curveball. It also gives Kinta another opportunity to shine as the main reason they can figure out this method of fighting. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 finds subtle beauties while delivering these high-impact and destructive battles. One element of particular note in Season 2 has been the show’s use of color, which plays a significant part as we see the characters race through the night. From the sickly, alien green that takes over the city while facing off against the kaiju, to the early dawn, bruised purples that welcome them to the new day, and the peaks of sun as the Buddha Gundam rises, time is tracked through the color of the sky alone. 

It might seem repetitive at this rate to sing the series’ praises, but DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 is yet another exemplary piece of storytelling through its artistry and narrative. Every piece works, and while it may not be as thrilling as previous installments or as visually daring, it is so consistently surefooted and possesses such evident exuberance for the story that it doesn’t matter. DanDaDan is a blast and, thankfully, shows no sign of slowing down as it nears the end of its second season. 

DanDaDan Season 2 Episode 11 is available now on Crunchyroll and Netflix. 

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