The Fall 2024 anime season is right around the corner, and fans couldn’t have asked for a better catalogue of shows to bookend an absolutely explosive year for anime. Thanks to Crunchyroll, we were able to take a look at the first three episodes one of the seasons upcoming series, DAN DA DAN, an off-beat paranormal/sci-fi romantic comedy based on Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga series of the same name.
Produced by Science Saru, DAN DA DAN boasts an expressive, highly stylized art style courtesy of character designer Naoyuki Onda, alien and monster designer Yoshimichi Kameda, color designer Satoshi Hashimoto, and lead series director Fuga Yamashiro.
While its over-the-top plot might not work for everyone, DAN DA DAN has plenty to offer anime fans, especially those who like to see the medium pushed to extremes – making it a worthwhile add to almost every anime fan’s watch list.
DAN DA DAN Hooks Into Its Audience & Refuses To Let Go
DAN DA DAN‘s initial plot summary is pretty to the point, following a self-described gyaru named Momo after getting dumped by her boyfriend on her way to school. Annoyed and somewhat dejected, she comes across a young man from a neighboring classroom getting picked on. After sticking up for him, he follows her and begins gushing about all things related to the occult – particularly, his vehement belief in aliens. Dubbing him “Occult-kun”, Momo tells him that she doesn’t believe in aliens, in fact, she’s hold a deep-seeded belief in ghosts – which, obviously Occult-kun (or Okarun), doesn’t believe in.
The two decide to have a challenge to see if they can prove the other wrong, which subsequently leads them to discovering that, not only are they both correct, but Okarun has been cursed by a malevolent spirit called Turbo Granny, and Momo’s newfound psychic abilities are the only thing keeping him from transforming into a ghoulish beast.
Obviously this is a lot of information for a first episode, but DAN DA DAN manages to execute everything extremely well while maintaining just enough mystery lurking beneath the surface to keep its hooks in its audience. The end of episode 1 also features a stunningly animated fight sequence featuring Momo and Okarun being pit against a troupe of alien invaders that left us begging to see what episode 2 had in store.
That isn’t to say the the story is without its faults, however, as something that may put off potential fans of the series is a pretty glaring plot point that very unabashedly makes itself very clear. DAN DA DAN gets pretty raunchy in its first episodes, with not only Okarun suffering having his manhood stolen from him by Turbo Granny when he got cursed, but Momo being threatened with a pretty dicey scene that had terrifying implications if Okarun hadn’t have swooped in to save her. Neither of these moments are drawn out past a visual threat and verbal confirmation, but for those sensitive to this kind of content, its something to keep in mind when going into DAN DA DAN.
Episodes 2 and 3 easily matched the same quality and energy of the first, following Momo and Okarun’s misadventures as they head back to the shrine Momo resides in with her grandmother, a spiritual medium. Episode 2 in particular shows off an incredibly unique sequence that shifts the anime to a monotone color palette with occasional pops of color to exemplify truly gorgeous action sequences.
It’s so easy to find oneself completely enamored by all the eccentricities in the anime, and DAN DA DAN succeeds in wearing its heart fully on its sleeve. DAN DA DAN isn’t just a love story, its a love song to all things weird. Science SARU, known for its successes with series like Devilman Crybaby and films like INU-OH, was a perfect choice to embody that specific brand of wild. The anime’s soundtrack, produced by Kensuke Ushio (Devilman Crybaby, Chainsaw Man) makes the already lively animation feel even more put together. The series was clearly a labor of love, and despite its one questionable plot point, is the perfect series to put at the top of just about any anime fan’s watch list.
Be sure to catch the official release of DAN DA DAN on Crunchyroll when it premieres on October 3, 2024. Special thanks to Crunchyroll for providing Attack of the Fanboy with advance screeners of DAN DA DAN episodes 1-3.
- DAN DA DAN boasts an expressive art style that brings its main character's occult obsessions to life.
- While eccentric, DAN DA DAN is a rom-com at its core, and the chemistry between Momo and Okarun is almost perfect.
- Science Saru, as always, excels in delivering some of the industry's best and most unique animation quality.
- The story's infamous plot hook in episode 1 might put off some viewers.
- The series' rapid-fire pacing might not be what some anime fans are looking for.
Published: Sep 23, 2024 12:38 pm