Review of Dan Da Dan

𝙄𝙣 𝙩𝙞𝙢𝙚𝙨 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙞𝙨, 𝙄𝙩𝙨 𝙗𝙚𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙡𝙤𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙣𝙘𝙞𝙖𝙡 𝙥𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙧 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙨. Grannies, Ghosts, and aliens are already a bunch to gather your mind around, the whirlwind of absurdity, wonder, and a pinch of strange beauty is what adds spice to this anime. At first look, the show appears to be unserious—because its foundations are bizarre, its subplots even more so, and its characters are chaotically brilliant. Still, as the story progressed, I understood the chaos was meaningful, even significant. By the time I finished the show, I was convinced this series can’t go wrong. It is that good. I wonder how are they going to topit by the 2nd season.

I have seen some SS studio's work. I was fascinated by Science Saru's unapologetic choices. Everything, from the framing to the odd angles to the movement, felt alive. The effective use of creative license casts the world of Dandadan as an authentic and vibrant place. The voice acting, especially of the Japanese actors for Ayase and Okarun, provided a surprising depth to the performances. The sound design and OST choices were on point. It was effortless switching between intimate slice-of-life, supernatural action and heartfelt drama. That versatility gave the show its dual nature, an eccentric comedy and a philosophical story. Jeez guys do something bad in the next season so I can yap about it.

What amazed me most, however, was how Dandadan made meaning from its madness. Peering through the eccentric antics and wacky events, there is a reflection on the absurdity of life. It faces awful things, both real and not real, with a kind of tenderness that dignifies even the ugly. The crude humour, instead of taking anything away, reminds us how messy and funny life is.

It's been so long I giggled and grimaced at a short anime full of bursting colors and "auras". To all the anime lovers (former too) and non-lovers. Do give it a watch.