Dan Da Dan Review (Eps 1-3): Stunning surprise that offers an entertaining mix of genre fun

As strange as the name is, Dan Da DanThe first three episodes live up to all bizarre expectations. The Science SARU production, directed by Fuga Yamashiro, is based on Yukinobu Tatsu's original manga. The first episodes of the series, which will be released on Thursday, October 3rd, promise a lot of fun. Regardless of your favorite anime genre, Dan Da Dan is hailed as an all-rounder in the entertainment industry that has something for everyone. Although some of the standard tropes – which have stuck with shounen anime for years – only drag the series down ever so slightly, the dual protagonist arc reminds you that if one of them were removed from the equation, the repercussions would be felt would immediately fall behind the savage. Awe-inspiring antics unfold on your screen.

Official summary of Dan Da Dan: “When high school student Momo, from a family of spirit mediums, meets her classmate Okarun, an occult freak, for the first time, they argue: Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts. When both phenomena are revealed to be real, Momo awakens a hidden power and Okarun gains the power of a curse. Together they must challenge the paranormal forces that threaten their world.”

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Dan Da Dan review (spoiler free)

It was so easy for a genre-mixing anime Dan Da Dan fail. Once you grasp the initial sparks that fuel the dramatically unlikely meeting of opposites like Momo (Shio Wakayama) and Okarun (Natsuki Hanae), you'll likely be overwhelmed by a powerful sense of déjà vu. At its core, the latest premiere combines familiar visions of characters falling in love with the paranormal aspects of a story. Still, it quickly takes you on a ride that both shocks and delights you.

The successful pace of the first three episodes shapes the plot with a committed and unrestricted focus on the two protagonists and their individual quirks. For a show that's about otherworldly nemeses like ghosts and aliens, Dan Da Dan The best is based on a humane foundation. Rather than abandon ship and devote the introductory episodes to the expository process of world-building, it consciously professes its loyalty to the human foundation and the dynamic between Momo and Okarun – the heart of the story.

What's even better is that neither is neglected during the course. The anime adaptation makes it clear from the start that one would make no sense without the other.

However, Dan Da Dan fails to break new ground with the friendship between the female and male characters. The generally accepted romantic roots are immediately sown as the shounen anime format once again returns its viewers to the old idea that there can only be one type of relationship between a boy and a girl – always without platonic love. It's not necessarily always a lousy meddling, especially when the characters are as compelling as these two. Still, you can't turn your back on this idea because it says more about the heteronormative cage that limits the mainstream shounen anime format to a restrictive understanding of love and romance.

Still, the series escapes some other stereotypical treatments of its protagonists. Although Momo and Okarun are at eye level and are on equal terms, it is noticeable that Momo is one step higher than Okarun. This is a pleasant surprise considering that a large portion of shounen anime series are focused on starring female characters as supporting characters. However, Dan Da Dan overturns this gender game without portraying either one with one-sided care.

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One awkward way the show drags itself in, in another rare move, is by focusing the typical anime gaze on the female body, which can be a bit jarring, especially if you're watching it for the first time in a long time getting back on the anime train. It makes for a particularly jarring introduction because the first episode gives you that annoying, trite point of view.

Over and beyond, Dan Da Dan offers an explosion of colors on the screen and celebrates itself as a visual animation treat worth seeing. It gives us enough space to enjoy its spontaneity. In the first three episodes, Momo and Okarun act as anchors and give the plot its focus.

His art style quickly extends a friendly hand to you. It's no surprise that the animation studio is behind it Scott Pilgrim takes off Anime is going all out for this brand new title. Science SARU pushes the boundaries of what the 2023 Netflix anime has already offered its audience and bridges the gap between every thematic shift it will offer next.

Be it the cartoon comedy that actually makes you laugh or creates a touch of fear with its horror themes, Dan Da Dan does its best to serve you a platter full of entertainment. As a hearty action series, the graphics impressively awaken the anticipation of what comes next.

It could have fallen apart as a mish-mash, but it didn't. At the end of the first three episodes, the character-driven approach always leaves you wanting more. Despite the few stereotypes that persist in the series, Momo and Okarun are not prominent archetypes. They are given a relatable life, as is their budding friendship, which could eventually develop into something greater.

Dan Da Dan Epis on Crunchyroll. At some point it will also be available on Netflix.