Dandadan and How to Throw a Great Premiere

Key recommendations

• Dandadan is an action-packed occult romantic comedy featuring two actors with supernatural encounters.
• The dynamic characters, visuals, and pacing of Dandadan's season premiere make it an anime standout.
• The balance between chaos and calm, character chemistry and stunning visuals in Dandadan made for a promising series.

Warning: The following contains minor spoilers for Dandadan Episode 1, “That's How Love Begins, You Know!”, streaming now on Crunchyroll.

The wait is finally over and Science Saru's adaptation after Yukinobu Tatsu's Dandadan has begun — and with one of the most frenetic, fun, and stylish season premieres of all time. From the standout performances of the two leads to a methodical command of pacing, this eclectic mix of supernatural and sci-fi will be the easiest series to become addicted to all year.

Dandadan is an action-packed occult romantic comedy that follows the misadventures of a boy who believes in aliens but not ghosts and a girl who believes in ghosts but not aliens. When they realize they are both right, their lives change forever and supernatural encounters become commonplace as they grow closer and discover the powers within them to fight back.

Dandadan wastes zero time

It is often said that the end is paramount, but this can be just as true for the beginning. After all, the journey might be what's really important, but you have to be compelled to take it first. Creating a good season premiere is an art and there is no such thing one the right way to do it, but Dandadan it certainly grips it more than most, and it's not just because of how much is crammed into it. Agreed, that it is part of it, but it's more that the episode feels like a stand-alone short.

It comes full circle in such a clever and charming way, all while telling viewers everything they need to know about these characters. Before all that, though, the opening theme, “Otonoke,” by Creepy Nuts kicks things into high gear with an aesthetic sampler of the madness that follows. There's no time for cold openings around here – this show has little time to waste and will use every second to make you fall in love with this story.

Looking for love in all the wrong faces

As quickly as the opening theme assaults the senses, the story just as briskly jumps to introduce Momo Ayase (Shion Wakayama), just as she is being dumped. Momo just wants a tough guy who reminds her of famous Japanese actor Ken Takakura, but as her friends are quick to remind her, that kind of guy is gone. Maybe her ex looked the part, but otherwise, he was a jerk, and now Momo despairs of her futile search for love.

Her boyfriend takes her to a boy who is being bullied, and after she helps him, the boy (Natsuki Hanae) strikes up a conversation about aliens. This turns into a fight as their aforementioned disagreement about aliens versus ghosts escalates until they dare each other to visit opposing paranormal hotspots to prove the other wrong. The story moves quickly and the banter fails to keep up, but this quick introduction only paves the way for what really makes the premiere so special.

It started with a dare

As discussed in our review of the theatrical screening of the first three episodes, there is a balance between chaos and calm that – if absent – would probably make for a much less gripping story. The crazy action—of which the premiere climax certainly has plenty—makes such an impact because of the time spent getting to know Momo and the boy, nicknamed “Okarun” later in the story.

Momo is an immediately fascinating part with a lot of dimension to her character that only appears after five minutes. She's fierce and doesn't hesitate to speak her mind, but she's also a romantic, and above all, there's a kindness beneath her sometimes imposing exterior. Okarun is equally dynamic, in that his shyness quickly evaporates the more time he spends with Momo, revealing a rather manic personality and a tendency to be a bit wild at times as well.

To call their chemistry “good” doesn't do it justice. Just as they talk on the phone to keep each other from losing their tempers, the tension in their creepy surroundings is similarly defused. They talk about why they believe in ghosts/aliens and the anecdotes are charming and even a little sad. Kensuke Ushio's score complements the sentimentality of this scene as beautifully as the action that follows.

When spirits and aliens collide

It's difficult to know where to start an image assessment other than pointing to trailers. Science Saru is no stranger to expressive and diverse animation, but their work with this adaptation has so far exceeded expectations. Director Fuga Yamashiro may be making his feature directorial debut here, but he's been assistant director to studio founder Masaaki Yuasa for years on many of the studio's biggest projects.

As such, Dandadan it's a nice set of expectations, especially in terms of camera and character animation. The whole scene with Momo exploring the abandoned hospital is a great example of working in tandem to enrich the vocal performances, build the atmosphere, or create as many cool-looking shots as possible. It achieves all this while maintaining the manga style and dramatic pace, which was a big priority according to Yamashiro.

Episode 1 ends on a high note

Even in the midst of the chaos, there remains a seriousness to the character writing that makes Momo and Okarun feel that much closer by the end of a single episode.

The climax of the premiere is sheer perfection as Momo and Okarun's unrelated brushes with the unknown converge in a riotously colorful battle. The pace picks up once again, and between the spirit that is strangely fixated on Okarun's penis and the equally perverted aliens interested in Momo, the weird factor is at its peak. The more disturbing implications are cushioned by the humor, if not by the breakneck speed with which he introduces so many variables.

Even in the midst of the chaos, there remains a seriousness to the character writing that makes Momo and Okarun feel that much closer by the end of a single episode. Their deepest beliefs were challenged and simultaneously validated, new powers were forcibly awakened, and a quest was set upon them. Combined with one last hilarious curveball that brings the episode full circle, this is a great start to one of the most anticipated anime of 2024. So far, Dandadan it was worth the wait.