Review of Dan Da Dan
Dandadan gained attention for three main reasons. First, its animation. Second, the manga was written by one of the assistants of the creator of Chainsaw Man, another popular title. And finally, there simply was not much else to watch in that season. The anime is eccentric and random for most part of the time, mixing different elements like occultism and science fiction, which doesn't really mean anything, as most anime are a mix of many elements. It is very straightforward, the problem is that there is not much going on, like plot progression or thematic exploration. It is often about mundane school life and teenage romance.The real spectacle is when something unexpected appears and then the characters need to deal with it. It looks very random for the sake of being random. Also, it is filled with sex jokes, misunderstandings and shouting here and there, which is annoying sometimes, but it is for comedy sake.
As for the characters, there are two protagonists. The nerdy boy who believes in aliens and was cursed by a spirit. The gyaru girl who believes in ghosts and was abducted by aliens. They find what they were looking for in each other. Nonetheless, they are mostly remembered for their powers, which is part of the empowerment fantasy aspect of this show, teenagers receiving super powers and fighting weird stuff, it is easy to relate and self insert. Besides them, there is the grandmother, who is noted more for being hot. The yokai sealed inside the cat doll, which is like the mascot of the series. The pink haired rival girl, who is just another waifu. The childhood friend, who is very forgettable. They don't really go much further than that and the story doesn't seem really concerned about this as well.
The most remarkable feature is the animation. The show is very colourful and expressive. There are action scenes with different uses of colours and exaggerated expressions during humorous moments, which fits in the weird nature of this show. This style is also seen in other works by the same studio. Dandadan's success is not a surprise. It is a popular manga that got an attractive adaptation. Unfortunately, this kind of quality is often fleeting, and it will likely be overshadowed when the next well animated title comes out. Also, it increases the expectations for next seasons, which can be disappointing if it ended up being inferior in comparison to the animation of this season.
The anime is highly regarded, but it seems undeserved. It is a notable modern title, but this seems to be partly due to the lack of competition. Furthermore, it is mostly remembered by its animation and its randomness, nothing really new in anime. Don't watch it with high expectations, it probably will disappoint. It is not really special in any way. However, it is entertaining for what it is: an action driven show with juvenile jokes and eye-catching visuals as its main appeal.