Dan Da Dan review: A genre-bending good time

The search for the next big anime hit is on. The juggernaut that was Attack on Titan ended its run last year; Demon Slayer And My Hero Academia are quickly approaching their finale; and the Jujutsu Kaisen Manga is officially over. And fortunately, the first three episodes were screened for critics Dan Da Dan I have what it takes to be a strong contender for the big shonen anime hit we’ve been longing for. This is a show that has something to offer for every anime fan – and even those who are just dipping their toes into the medium.

Based on the manga of the same name by Yukinobu Tatsu, Dan Da Dan It’s about Momo, a gyaru with a family history of the occult who doesn’t believe in aliens, and Okarun, an introvert who loves anything related to UFOs but doesn’t believe in ghosts. After a simple bet leads to the two high school students gaining supernatural abilities, the two form an unlikely friendship and must regularly face and fight both alien creatures and ghosts.

If that sounds like one too many genres, then you’ve come to the right place Dan Da Danwho manages to combine several of them into a deliciously exciting and fun smoothie. This is a show for fans of demons and the occult as well as fans of science fiction, aliens who want to steal people’s genitals, and genre-bent romantic comedies. It’s a testament to how everything comes together so well in the writing of this anime, as the show goes from creepy to disgusting to hilarious to cute in a matter of minutes without ever feeling intrusive. A big reason for this is that everything is based on the characters, who have unique and distinct personalities. Okarun is more than just a shy guy who is afraid to talk to girls, and in his adventures with Momo he finds his strength and courage. Meanwhile, it’s refreshing to see Momo’s tough personality and gyaru style in a female shonen anime character. Watching the two react in completely different ways to the various creatures they encounter, each with specific knowledge and specialties, is a pleasure that doesn’t grow tiresome and instead leaves you wanting more from these two.

The other ingredient that makes the genre mix successful is comedy. Between this show and Chainsaw ManIt’s a good time for anime with a thoroughly millennial sense of humor, with Dan Da Dan It often feels like the anime answer to a 90s Nickelodeon cartoon. This is, after all, a series that begins with a character becoming possessed by a yokai demon who steals his “banana” – and the story only gets more bizarre and funnier from there. It’s a work by an author who stares clearly at the despair and darkness of the world and decides to confront it with fart jokes and heartfelt character drama.

And thanks to the exquisite work of animation studio Science Saru, it looks stunning. The artists there are no strangers to experimenting with images to tell larger-than-life stories (just look at the contrast between the dark and the often grotesque). Devilman crybaby and the disrespectful Scott Pilgrim takes off), and they seamlessly capture the humor, fast-paced and kinetic action, frightening images and emotional moments of the story. There are fight scenes in which the colors simply stand out in the middle of a busy landscape, but also those that are completely grayscale in empty space. Even the horror fits this art style beautifully, with drawn-out moments that stoke anticipation and fear of what’s just out of sight, a rare feat for an action show that needs to constantly keep moving. These first three episodes give a great picture of that Dan Da Dan has to offer and what the rest of the season will be, establishing the characters, formula and relationships well – while creating a unique world with its own lore that doesn’t overwhelm the audience with exposition.

Dan Da Dan Premieres October 3rd on Netflix