Atheneush

I see Hase as a terrible person, but I firmly believe he'll have a redemption arc, and the deeper he digs himself, the harder the blow will be when everything explodes.

My glass of wine and I will be savoring every moment of that story if it ever comes to pass.

This is my favorite episode of the entire anime. I've rewatched it countless times, and it still gives me butterflies. I'm really sorry if anyone was expecting more frequent recaps—I was too—but adult life has completely consumed me. Now, I finally have a few days off and can get back to writing the recaps. My only consolation is knowing I won't catch up with the anime before it ends, hahaha.

A cool detail at the beginning of the episode is that the greetings are Easter eggs referencing Vamola and Kinta.

Okarun is still dealing with the anxiety of making and keeping new friends and his inferiority complex. So, even though he spent all night practicing, when it comes time to approach Momo, he decides to keep going.

Actually, the point is that it's acceptable for him to greet her, but it's too much that she wants to interact with him and have a long conversation. I feel like Okarun managed to put Momo in the "acquaintance" category, but not the "friend" category. That's why he feels so overwhelmed when she waits for him and engages him in conversation.

For her part, Momo understands Okarun quite well and knew that the only way to make this friendship work was for her to push him.

Although things seem to have improved for Okarun, his classmates bring him back to bullying. I love the detail that Okarun is so engrossed and happy about having made a friend that he's looking at his magazine upside down.

Although the scene is essentially the same, the mirror detail isn't in the manga.

Okarun is being excessively hard on himself so he doesn't lose Momo… T^T He needs to be kinder to himself. This whole episode feels so real and natural in terms of school life. It's one of the things I love most about this series: how you can believe they're real people going through real things, at least when magic and guys in underwear aren't attacking them. No cheap plot devices or hollow personalities. People with problems, who mess up, fix it, and then mess up again…

I think we all went through an emotional rollercoaster with this scene. In other stories, we've already suffered through the typical 'misunderstanding' used to lengthen the plot, and Tatsu played incredibly well with the stereotype before breaking it and giving us the most satisfying ending, while also reaffirming the promise that Okarun and Momo are destined to be a couple.

Again, when you listen to their internal monologue, you see the two main characters' defining traits. Momo's intensity and impulsiveness lead her to realize her mistakes too late, while Okarun shrinks at the slightest inconvenience.

ABSOLUTE CINEMA

Up until this episode, I thought their relationship was platonic or that it was going to happen a very, very distant future. Although I was fascinated by the scenes of accidental physical contact and moments of connection, it's in THIS episode that it becomes clear that they are going to have romantic scenes and develop as a couple.

Not only could they have put the misunderstanding to rest after meeting, but they also talked about it and resolved it.

The CEOs of Momokarun: The Origin. They not only intervene here but then spread the rumor throughout the class. Please, Tatsu, bring them out more; they're the best. No one has pushed this couple together more.

Just like in the Flatwoods Monster episode, one of the things that fascinates me most about their relationship is that Okarun, who has always suffered bullying and silently endured it all, is able to insult, tease, or annoy Momo. It's a very good thing because it means they trusted each other from the beginning.

The conversation is a little painful. Let's not kid ourselves, but I think it's pretty obvious that Momo has been in love with Okarun since the tunnel and is struggling to deal with it, not to mention that her friends are teasing her about it. Okarun being so honest about his feelings makes her feel incredibly embarrassed and attacked, which is why she responds so rudely. For Okarun, it's a different story. He's still processing the fact that he has a friend and losing her so quickly hurts a lot.

Queen Aira enters the scene. I know many consider her a hindrance to Momo and Okarun's relationship, but from the beginning, she's been more of a catalyst for bringing them together than driving them apart. She's always forced Momo to confront the threat of someone else taking him away and to act accordingly. She also helps Okarun reaffirm his feelings by comparing them to those of another girl who, on the surface, seems like a good match.

I know Aira isn't right to speak ill of Okarun behind his back, nor to be false and superficial with him, but I can let it slide. He never meant to hurt him.

Aira needs to mature, to understand many things about the world around her and who she wants to be. Until now, she's only been driven by competitiveness, by excelling in her grades, extracurricular activities, and by being popular. No one has ever been a priority for her other than herself, so please, give her some time…

I think it's the only real example of bullying that Momo sees in the entire story towards Okarun and I wish I had seen more because heads were going to roll…

As the third member of the team, she comes in making a bad impression, getting along badly with the rest of the members and this is a hilarious pattern throughout this whole damn show. I simply love them.

Superficial misunderstandings between these two usually last very little. One of the two always makes the effort to redirect things and say them honestly. Even if like Momo, this is the part that costs him the most. But, when we talk about deeper levels you realize that both always understand the conversations the way they want. Momo almost always thinks and talks to Okarun as a romantic interest while Okarun only speaks in terms of friendship. Things may still be starting now but as things progress and Okarun realizes those feelings, he still thinks that they always talk about their relationship in terms of friendship. And we're not just talking about Momo, he acts exactly the same with Aira. Treating her as delusional, even if she is declaring her feelings to him directly.

5 chapters to make sense of the outro. As an antagonist it was impossible to hate her, but as a turbocat it is even more so. I could spend hours talking about turbo or its dynamics with Seiko, but I think it's better to put a picture of Seiko hitting turbo with a fan.

First time we see Okarun's transformation without a mask and the first time he can control it by himself. One of the most relevant things is that this first time we see how the transformation alters its height very clearly. It is a question that has been on my mind for a long time and I would like to know why it is, given that it is the only one that happens to it.

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chapter 161.

HANAKOOOOO!!! FINALLY!!!

Wait a minute...

Chapter 161.

Again, I apologize for the delays. I'm in the middle of my term finals and it's been really tough. It's not that I've forgotten or don't want to keep doing it, it's just that I'm finding it hard to find the time. I'm so sorry.

This scene is priceless in my mind. These two quickly develop a protective dynamic with each other. But they came from this… from teasing each other, from trying to get the other to take risks, and from being terrified of confrontations.

One of the things I find most fascinating about this first part of Dandadan is how it plays with stereotypes. They tell you that the protagonists have powers, but they don't quite know how to use them and their bodies aren't prepared, so they have to train. The dreaded training arc is quite typical in shonen anime and is often rather tedious. It justifies the characters' ability to do incredible things later on, but for entire chapters we see them fighting minor opponents, doing stupid things like standing under waterfalls, doing housework, or any repetitive exercise the author can think of. Seiko tells them it's time to train, only for Turbo to tell them two seconds later that they don't have time for that.

But why does everything that happens in this fight feel organic? First, because we know the basics of Momo and Okarun's powers. Momo has aura control, limited but very versatile, and Okarun possesses super speed, with a two-charge limit for sprints.

To this we must add three concepts that have been previously introduced:

Barrier amulets, which are relevant at the end of the fight and are the finishing blow.

Momo's power works through all her senses.

Yokai can associate with other spirits.

Tatsu didn't need a convoluted and overly specific monologue to get us to this fight with all the pieces of the puzzle.

This is when things get interesting. The plan goes awry more than once, and they have to improvise countless times. This is where the fight becomes more complex, but also more interesting. The premise was simple: lure Turbo out of hiding by challenging her to a race. Drawbacks: All of them.

First, Turbo removes Okarun's curse, leaving them powerless and without their main strategy: running. Momo improvises a new plan, appealing to pride, and here comes the second setback: Turbo cheats and follows the rules in her own way. The protective suit is the only thing that prevents Okarun from being attacked and forces Turbo to possess him. From here, the fight changes completely, and the boys' luck turns around. The initial plan is revived, and the bound spirit tries to take over Turbo again.

Here, Momo mentions that the bound spirit takes the form of a crab to cross the Sanzu River. According to Japanese mythology, to reach the afterlife, the dead must cross this river, and depending on their sins, they do so in three different ways: the good cross the bridge, the neutral cross a ford, and the wicked cross the river. I think this doesn't mean that the girls who make up the crab were bad in life, but the hatred and resentment they accumulated after their deaths made them unworthy of crossing over. On the other hand, their taking this form is a way of telling us that they didn't want to continue wandering the earth and wanted to rest in peace. So, I feel that the end of the episode wasn't bad for them. On the contrary, I feel that they departed in peace, since that's what they had been waiting for years.

Okarun isn't the bravest person in the world, but rather than ask her to get down, she prefers that they both fall from the curve in the road. Also, the way she catches it before it hits the ground… Well, a shipper is a shipper.

Again, at this point, the fight takes another turn. It stops being strategic and becomes more physical. They need to use everything they have if they want to survive, and that means using up Okarun's last charge. The only thing that matters is getting to the train somehow, and this disorganized way of planning their escape is what gets them into their final trouble. Momo accidentally releases the Turbo, and it takes advantage of the situation to knock Okarun out of the fight. Momo had a huge problem and an added burden: Okarun himself.

I love this fight, not only because it's satisfying, easy to follow, and has many twists and turns, but also because it lays the foundation for everything we're going to see from now on. Momo is the key player in 90% of the fights, and not because she has massive power, but because she's incredibly intelligent. And I don't know about you, but it's very, very rare for a woman to have such an important and prominent role. Even when they try to put a girl in important positions in shonen manga, she ends up relegated or her power is diminished. Momo is simply perfect, and Okarun's willingness to forgo fighting for that position makes it just as incredible.

On the other hand, the fights in Dandadan, as crazy as they can be, always have a strong strategic element and aren't so much about powers undergoing incredible and visually stunning level-ups. It took Okarun hundreds of chapters to achieve a third charge of his power, and we're still only scratching the surface of the level-ups in the manga.

Now, I'd like to talk about something I think is really important in Turbo's story. Even though we haven't had any flashbacks of Turbo, we've had this episode to understand why she does many of the things she does. She's not only respected by other yokai for being very powerful, but she's also won the hearts of other lost souls and ghosts by comforting those who can't leave.

Knowing the tragic story of the girls in the tunnel, I think it's easier to understand why she makes lewd references at the beginning of the story and why Okarun teleported to the UFO. As the guardian of the spirits of some teenage girls who were raped, every boy who crosses her tunnel ends up losing his penis. It's a very specific and random curse without any context, but it would be a perfect way to discourage humans from entering that tunnel, make the girls feel safer, and, at the same time, exact revenge.

We know that Okarun doesn't know how to cross telephone lines on his own until much later, so how did he cross them from the tunnel to the UFO in the first episode? Because Turbo overheard the call. She knew Momo was in danger, and not just any danger—she was under threat of rape. Momo was a potential victim, like the girls in her tunnel. Although the fight gets out of control at some point, Turbo's first action is to rip off a Serpo's mechanical member and attack all the aliens. Later, she gets angry because Momo expels her from Okarun's body, triggering the threats and fights that conclude this episode.

During this same episode, she also makes lewd advances toward Okarun. These comments don't quite fit with the Turbo we'll later come to know. I feel that meeting Okarun and the rest of the gang has helped her overcome her resentment toward men, even though she still empathizes with the souls she used to care for. Although Turbo can be quite blunt and a bit of a tsundere, her essence throughout the story is caring. She becomes deeply involved with everyone she chooses to protect, even risking her own life and accepting the loss of her powers. I would love to see a flashback of her because I know it would break our hearts in the best possible way.

After the fight, Okarun can't eat dinner, not because he feels bad for the girls, but because he truly believes this will be the last time he sees Momo. With the problem resolved, there's no excuse for them to continue interacting, and he doesn't feel they're friends or that Momo would ever be interested in maintaining a friendship with him. Momo understands the situation, and that opens the door to hope. My heart warms.

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I'm still processing this week's chapter. It has nourished my soul and cleared my skin.

But for now, I'll tell you that this creature is Tonkaraton, and it's based on a yokai/urban legend. Its name comes from the onomatopoeic sound of a rusty bicycle. The story is about a boy trapped on a cursed bicycle. The mummy and the sword are also part of this story.

I'm sorry I didn't do a recap last week. I've started studying again after 10 years, and it's been a difficult week, but I hope to keep up the pace of a weekly recap from now on.

When I saw Seiko's first introduction, I immediately thought of Reigen from Mob Psycho 100. At the beginning of the series, she seems like a fraud and a storyteller. If you haven't seen Mob, and although it lacks any romantic elements, I highly recommend watching it. At least to get over the Dandadan blues. You'll find many parallels between both stories. In any case, Seiko is someone who is competent in supernatural matters, and it seems very karmic to me when they show us on the news that everything she said was true.

The first time Turbo and Seiko see each other and confront each other is another clue that these two are meant to be a duet (not necessarily romantic) [duos in Dandadan].

I find the pencil bat to be one of the most original weapons in all of Dandadan. Yet I still feel like we've seen very little of Seiko's true power and how it works. Despite several long arcs and many well-explored aspects, the characters still have significant unknowns surrounding their potential or their backstories.

Criticisms I'll never understand: Seiko's appearance and Tatsu's inability to draw old women. I understand that Seiko isn't a typical old woman, but I think it's just another one of the 80 references he makes. I still remember Masamune's mother, who was a tiny loli. Still, Seiko is the only old woman who doesn't look like one, and maybe in the future we'll get an explanation related to her powers [Seiko and the flattery]. The turbo, Naki Kito, and Vamola's three mothers all look like old women. Seiko is an exception, but she makes up for it by having an attitude that corresponds to her age and tastes from another era.

Seiko tests Momo because, among other things, it's clear that Okarun and she have had a previous conversation. Especially when it's implied in the following conversation that she already knows Okarun's name is Ken Takakura.

Momo apologizing is the first sign of character growth. We know that before the story begins, Momo used to be more of a troublemaker, getting into fights, arguing with her bosses, being proud and prolonging her anger for years… Now, she feels the urge to help someone else and is able to swallow her pride and apologize to her grandmother, which she should have apologized to long ago.

When Momo hasn't yet accepted her feelings for Okarun, she thinks she's lost him. It's very similar to the ending of The Cursed House [2x04], only there she's actually aware of her feelings for him. She also reacts in a way she won't in the future when she fully realizes how insecure Okarun is.

Another one where we get information about her and her past in dribs and drabs. The day we get a flashback to Turbo's story is probably the day Turbo dies. I don't even want to think about that possibility. She's a beloved character, and I'd hate to see her disappear.

I feel like Seiko is testing Momo by telling her to just let it go. It's not your problem, is it? Go on with your life. But Momo can't ignore anything she considers unfair. She never has been able to, even if it puts her in a dangerous situation. Seiko knows that then she'll take the matter more seriously and not do anything stupid.

For his part, Okarun also makes a big change in this episode. Whereas before he would have blamed Momo for provoking him or making him feel bad, now his first impulse is to apologize and be completely honest about his feelings. He knows that Momo has saved him twice, and if she wanted to abandon him, it would be very easy, and she wouldn't have to bear the consequences of a confrontation with the turbo. But instead, he's already planning how to help him. He thinks he's a coward and useless when he was willing to let himself be devoured by the curse in the two previous confrontations if it meant saving her. That doesn't seem cowardly to me at all. But it's clear that he's so desperate to maintain this friendship that he doesn't know what to do.

It's the first time someone has complimented Okarun, and he doesn't know how to react. He's not happy with what he's done, yet someone still thinks he did well. He wants to say something, but he can't put it into words because he doesn't know how to feel about it either.

One of my favorite details: Momo with Okarun's glasses. bdvmnxbcvcjnx

Is that you Gojo?

Just when we thought a training arc was coming… Turbo: No, no way, you have to improvise. I love that Dandadan skips the padding.

In my head, it's wedding clothes, not priest clothes.

Seiko's gesture… This woman is so good for the kids and Momo. She's spectacular as a teacher, and as a father figure for Momo, too. She knows how to set boundaries, lets them make mistakes, takes responsibility for things so they can grow as children… I love you so much, Seiko.

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Of the fight episodes, this is one of my favorites. I love the fight with the turbo too, but this episode introduces a lot of basic concepts, and it's ONE fight-episode, which makes it much easier to process. On the other hand, it also establishes the main dynamic between the main characters. I don't even know how many times I've watched these episodes, and I can't get enough of them; I enjoy them as much as the first time I saw them.

Momo is trying to process her crush on Okarun in her own way. Now that they've both accepted that they're linked for the time being, they both seem to act like friends. They've gone from the constant bickering they had until they arrive at the tunnel/hospital to joking around and having casual conversations very naturally. This relationship feels healthy and real because it grows naturally, and that makes it seem so great.

The anime does its best to make Okarun's glow-up very evident in just a few chapters.

"My grandmother is a little strict with boys. She almost killed my ex when she met him." Seiko almost killed him from a distance before she met him.

Foreshadow.

Our first glimpse of Momo's room. Her Ken Takakura posters, her taste for fashion and the color pink, her television and game console.

This conversation is cheff kiss

Momo asks him about his penis. There's nothing in her head that makes her think she likes him, even in the early episodes she still calls him generic names like 'boy' or 'lad'. So she's not ashamed to talk about it, but later on in their relationship, Momo becomes more reserved about even sillier details like talking about Okarun's penis.

The tone of the conversation changes dramatically when Momo mentions that she's not interested in conspiracies or aliens. Okarun thought that's why she approached him, and now he feels that everything that's happened since is just because he didn't stay away like he always does. He's always behaved that way, and being alone and bullied doesn't seem as bad as being cursed and losing his penis, but more importantly, dragging Momo into that situation.

Momo, unlike anyone else, confronts him. She holds a mirror up to him and says, "Stop running away." Something inside Okarun's head clicks in this scene. Okarun cries, and his pride forces him to blurt out another silly remark that serves as comic relief. The scene makes significant progress without being dull at all.

I don't know if it's because this fight is from the beginning of the manga and there were a lot of things that developed over the chapters, or if I'm just really lost. But the fact that the Flatwoods Monster (an alien) reacts to Seiko's spirit protection amulet makes me wonder a lot of things. It's mentioned in the conversation Momo and Okarun have that maybe aliens and spirits have some relationship, but that's all the information we have so far. At no point in the future do we see that barrier amulets or similar being used against the aliens have any effect on them. Any theories on this?

This fight lays the foundation for combat dynamics. Okarun is the encyclopedia and Momo the strategist. Okarun is the muscle and Momo is the ability. This is the most chaotic fight in terms of communication between the two, but they soon manage to reach a most interesting level of symbiosis. Okarun blames himself a lot for not being useful during the fight and thinking only of himself, when he is the first to volunteer to fight and release the curse, even if it causes him physical problems.

Okarun's transformation makes him shine in a spectacular way. The true potential of my son. Bringing to light all his insecurities and his true pessimistic and depressive personality due to years of constant bullying. If you're interested in the topic of personality enhancers, I have a post [here] on the subject. The first time I saw it, I felt like it was a mix between Doctor Stone and Tokyo Ghoul, while parodying the main characters or antagonists of shonen series with their depressive and dark nature.

The fight has two key moments: When they resolve the alien's internal logic (it's following the sumo rules), and when the alien breaks the logic and they have to improvise with an element that we've been told how it works from the beginning: The Barrier Amulet. I think it wasn't easy to find a logical and not over-explained strategy for the situation, and the resolution with the Barrier Amulet and the Tori Gate is everything it should be: Simple to understand but difficult to imagine. It really bothers me when the characters understand every detail of their rivals with a single glance, and you know it's just the author explaining the situation. It's very anticlimactic.

I won't deny that when these two hugged, I thought, Are they doing what I think they're doing? No, it can't be… It's an anime; they'd never have such an obvious romance from the start, right? But on the other hand, there's always so much hype surrounding physical contact between characters, and here it comes so naturally…

The episode is so well measured that it even ends with a cliffhanger.

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When I started Dandadan, I had no idea how amazing it would be, and I hadn't even started the manga yet. But halfway through the episode, I had so much FOMO that I had to turn to the manga. I read almost the entire thing in a couple of days, even though it had over 150 chapters at the time. I think the things that initially impressed me most were the presentation of Momo as a strong, relevant female character and the human relationships between the characters, which were so realistic. Anime and manga have a bad habit of exaggerating personalities, making them too nice, too loud, too perverse, and turning relationships into plastic transactions where physical contact or tasteless jokes don't seem to be allowed. Dandadan gives me more on a relationship level than shonen fighting or general plots, and I say this without in any way disparaging either aspect.

The only thing this character had from the original Ken Takakura was his appearance. Momo still didn't understand that what she really liked about that actor was the personality he had in his films. It's pretty obvious that if her erotic myth ia a dead actor, it's because Seiko loves DVDs of old TV shows and movies from another era.

I miss Muko's makeup. She hasn't had it back, and I really liked having a real ganguro in the group. She's not just a cool girl; she's a girl with personality who aligns herself with an urban tribe. As someone who has always moved on the fringes, it's refreshing. Much more so than having the thirteenth gyaru protagonist because that's the only thing an average anime viewer can tolerate and still find attractive.

I find it very ironic how Momo begs for her own serious, formal Ken Takakura, and that's exactly what they gave her. The universe is wise. The teenage drama and the change in drawing are also something that has fascinated me since the beginning of Dandadan. Many good artistic decisions have been made with this anime. At times, I admit that the color filters bother me a little, but everything else is incredible. Transitions in techniques, changes in drawing types, perspectives…

Okarun's first scene. I won't lie, Okarun is the kind of character I start anime with. I really like stories with nerdy, shy male characters. Although I was very skeptical about his development during the first few episodes.

The theme of bullying is central to Dandadan. Not just Okarun; all the main characters in the story are linked to it in one way or another. It's pretty obvious with Kinta and Okarun, but they're not the only ones. Momo becomes protective in this scene because she herself knows what it's like to be laughed at. She took it very hard when Jiji and other classmates laughed at her for performing Seiko's spell. Aira was ostracized by her classmates after the events of Acro-Silky, Rin was ignored when she skipped rehearsals for the performance, Zuma also doesn't tolerate bullying because her brother was bullied, and Kouki has been ignored and mistreated for much of her school life. I suppose the only ones who are spared from this are Jiji, who has actually learned his lesson for having mistreated Momo in the past, and Vamola, who never really had a real childhood but had a rather complicated relationship with Momo at first.

Hase. This guy is a problem… He's the main bully and the only one with a name. I still think he'll become prominent in the manga no matter what, and I'm open to seeing what idea they present me with him. I know he doesn't come from a good background, but if I can forgive a murderer, I think I can remain receptive to redemption.

The way Okarun speaks and moves in these episodes… He's so used to being mistreated that he ignores it as if it weren't happening. He doesn't rebel or protest; he simply accepts it silently and wishes they'd quickly forget about him. His inferiority complex is so strong that he can't even imagine that Momo came into the class to save him; it could only be because she was interested in his occult magazines. It was the first sign that he had something in common with someone else at school, and he doesn't hesitate to try to take advantage of the opportunity with his poor social skills.

Although Momo may not seem that way, she's also evolved tremendously. It's incredible how little she held back when it came to speaking or getting into fights. She beats up her ex-boyfriend, she also assaulted her former boss, and she says one of the worst things anyone could have said to Okarun himself. I think Okarun teaches her to be more sensitive to other people's feelings, given that he's the kind of person who can't hide it when someone really hurts him.

This scene is heartbreaking. If it weren't for the comic relief of the fight, she would have had an internal conflict with Momo. But she's able to reconsider, and Okarun enters the fray very naturally. I'm surprised by how differently Okarun has behaved with Momo from the beginning compared to the rest of her classmates. At another time, she would have left and been afraid of the consequences, but here she's able to show some character and stand up to Momo. They have something very special about their dynamic from the start. They're simply two cogs who fit together perfectly.

Momokarun's CEOs from the start. Muko is simply in from the start, but I feel like Miko doesn't begin to consider this dynamic until she finds out that Okarun is defending Momo from the rumor that spread around the school.

There's usually a lot of hype in anime about exchanging phone numbers, and these two have already given it to each other long before they even introduce themselves. LOL.

On another note, Okarun is just too cute.

Okarun has changed a lot, but I think more mentally than physically. He was a very fearful person, with moments of explosive rage and strange behavioral traits caused by bullying and isolation. But when conversations become serious or when he relaxes, his true character, responsible and calm, begins to shine. Even Momo herself realizes that when they truly connect, Okarun stops behaving that way and simply shines.

Mini-Jiji.

THE SCENE. Many people abandoned the anime because of this scene. I understand why and respect that decision. The connotations aren't very good, and trying to explain the context of all this without having advanced in the story is too complicated. I've always had the feeling that this scene served more as a sieve to eliminate people who might see Dandadan as a strange and meaningless story and leave behind those who truly connect with the initial idea. I would have preferred it not to exist, but at no point did it deter me from continuing to watch the anime. I'll come back to this scene when I'm in the episode 4 recap and we have more context on the turbo and her history.

RIP to Momo and Okarun's phones. There's a post about it [here] if you want to know more.

These aren't the only and exclusive flashbacks of the protagonists, but they're very rare, and we still lack a lot of context for both Momo and Okarun, even today. We've barely seen the back of Okarun's father's head in the daizukan, and as for Momo, we know nothing about her parents. Another interesting thing about these two flashbacks, and as I mentioned above, is that they directly address the bullying they've both experienced, and that, in a way, is what has brought them together. Momo chose the path of violence, and Okarun chose to become invisible, but both suffer the consequences of having gone through this as children.

One thing I really like about Okarun is that we've never been given any indication that anything in his story is extraordinary and that he's secretly the son of someone powerful. He's just an ordinary boy in every sense with a tragic backstory. He wasn't planning on confessing his entire story to Momo. If he had, he would have told her all this over the phone when she asked him why he was so interested in aliens. But he's doing it here because he thinks he might not make it out of the situation alive, and if so, at least he wants it to help save the only person who's been kind to him.

And… He gave up LOL. At times like this, I thought maybe Okarun was going to be the kind of protagonist I hate, the one who's always complaining and making excuses about his own role in the story. My little baby is just too used to giving in and not fighting for anything, just letting it go.

Momo's potential power is endless…

Momo's exorcism is a power that, to this day, we don't know if she can use again. Likewise, the curse is an incredible excuse to have the two of them forcibly connected. Couldn't the turbo be another Momokarun CEO?

Okarun assumes no one will help him and simply thinks about how to cope on his own, even though he knows the situation is beyond him. He blames himself for having interacted with Momo when the challenge proposal was a joint project, and he's the one who's really suffering the worst consequences. He even lends her his uniform, with no ulterior motives, as many have suggested. He doesn't even believe he deserves Momo's help when she offers it.

Momo isn't used to someone kind and altruistic like Okarun and tries to fool herself into thinking it's because he reminds her of Ken Takakura. But what she really likes about him, and what makes her appear to be her idol, isn't his name or his catchphrase; it's his character.

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[Recap 1x04]

[Recap 1x05]

I'm busier now than before, but I was wondering if you'd like me to continue doing recaps. In this case, of the first season. That way we'd have a blast together. I'm not committed to doing more than one a week, but if you like the idea, fill out the survey. If not, you can make it clear that you don't like the idea. Best regards.

These two are never going to kiss.

Last recap of the second season. It's been a pleasure sharing impressions with all of you, and I've thoroughly enjoyed this season. At least we're leaving knowing that production for the third season is now confirmed, with a very complete episode and the long-awaited cliffhanger. Anyway… sheds a tear

Remember when I said Momo was the best strategist? Forget that. Her idea of ​​hitting random buttons was the stupidest thing ever, hahaha.

Joking aside, there are quite a few very interesting details in this part.

Kinta even imagined the robot's instruction manual. Later, he realized he didn't even need one because its operation depends on the pilot's imagination. But the fact that he even thought of a manual adds even more detail to the fact that Kinta has been pondering what he would do if he were allowed to board a robot and how he would learn to operate it in record time.

On the other hand, there are the buttons, all of which have connotations related to the protagonists and react accordingly, given that the nanoskin reacts to all of them and the robot is a reflection of the collective imagination. Aira's is heart-shaped and activates a useless cuckoo clock. Okarun's ejects him from the robot, possibly because Okarun could think about running away. Evil only thinks about destruction, and the arm he's holding detaches from the robot. Momo, who is completely lost in this situation, only manages to get the robot to stick out its tongue. The only one who thinks logically and competently is Kinta, and that's why his button manages to land a punch that makes some kind of sense.

I can understand why they cut Evil and Okarun from the narrative. It was a way of not making the robot even stronger, because by adopting the powers of its wielders, they would have gained attack power and speed that the kaiju wouldn't have been able to combat. On the other hand, and I'll always wonder, would the robot have been able to use Okarun's speed, or would having used up both of its attacks just a few minutes ago have made it unable to transmit anything to him?

Evil Eye, unrestrained in this fight, would have been able to take on the kaiju perfectly. He's able to knock him down twice, the first time with his backpack and the second time here. Another reason to continue believing that Evil has a much stronger attack power than Okarun. Even though Evil isn't very useful during the fight and is more of a hindrance than a help, the truth is that he does listen to the kids. He makes an effort to follow the rules and behave. He's a baby, and I love him very much.

I need to look into the globalist arc more thoroughly, but is the kaiju able to channel electricity after this fight? I don't recall any scenes where we see it used again. I won't add any further comments to avoid manga spoilers, but it seems Dandadan has a tendency to nerf some characters after their initial fights. We can talk more about this in a post if you'd like.

My only logical explanation for the kaiju being unable to use its electric powers again is that Kinta destroyed one of its horns and the combined power destroyed the second. But I don't know if this makes any sense.

Ayase and… the others… PRIORITIES.

This image made me laugh too much.

Kinta's biggest fans. And then they're the most ignored by him. How ironic, hahaha.

The anime substantially expands and improves Kinta's story. In the manga, there's a brief flashback very similar to this one, but it's more of a personal reflection. After that, we haven't had any further information about Kinta. But it's never clarified what kind of bullying she suffered. All this new information delves much deeper into the character, making her more profound. Let's hope the anime continues this trend, because it's very enjoyable and refreshing.

We see Hase again. 👀

EYES EYES EYES DESTRUCTION EYES EYES EYES

First combined transformation. Yes, the robot itself is already a combination of all the kids' imaginations, but this is a combination of several powers. We've seen Aira, Okarun, and Momo collaborate on many occasions, but this is the first (but not the last) where two or more characters combine their attacks to create larger, more powerful ones. And it looks incredible. I would have liked to see what Okarun and Evil could have brought to the mix…

For those of you who are coming from the manga and possibly this part of Jiji and Okarun in the city recovering the Kaiju catches you off guard, it is part of the omake of volume 9. What is new are the strange transformations that the house takes before returning to its original form.

THE KEN TAKAKURA POSTERS ARE CLEARLY SEEN. Okay, okay… So, we can confirm that Momo has decided to take down her Ken Takakura posters to put up the alien ones. Okay… Okay… Interesting…

The color of the stripes was quite a bit off from what I had imagined. I also don't rule out the possibility that the color could change depending on the situation, but I thought the facial stripes were characteristic of many of the Dandadan characters, like the facial stripes of Okarun, Great Kinta, Zuma, and Rokuro, which are generally red.

Well, Kinta's jealousy toward Jiji doesn't improve throughout the chapters. I understand that they don't know each other very well right now. On top of that, any prejudices Kinta might have toward him are quickly proven to be untrue and merely envy due to his physical appearance and popularity. The way Kinta views the people around him is worrying, and I truly hope he has some role models in the future because I think that would help him relate to his surroundings in a more balanced and positive way.

And finally, we get our first glimpse of Vamola. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH rolls on the floor She's beautiful and her antennae are glowing.

We all already had a good idea where the season was going to end, and I don't know how people who don't read the manga are going to wait to find out how it continues. The added parallel with the first episode is incredible, but WHERE IS AIRA? DID MOMO BLOW HER UP OR WHAT?! I need answers, and we won't get them for another two years or so.

[All the recaps of season 1]

[Recap 2x01]

[Recap 2x02]

[Recap 2x03]

[Recap 2x04]

[Recap 2x05]

[Recap 2x06]

[Recap 2x07]

[Recap 2x08]

[Recap 2x09]

[Recap 2x10]

Jiji is so worried about having devastated the city xDDD I notice how Jiji and Aira ALWAYS seem to orbit each other. You can always see them in the background interacting or meeting up to go home. lkjdskjhdsls

I don't give spoilers in the recaps, but the perspective of this fight with a little more context is just too hilarious xDD

The pony boyfriends. xDD

I love watching Aira fight. When I say Aira is a tank, I mean precisely this. She always has the longest and most demanding fights and blocks enemies until the rest of the group is safe or has a concrete plan of attack she can execute. During Globalists, she's the last warrior standing (not the only one, but she's the one fighting from the beginning to the end of the main arc's fight), which I find incredible.

We see Aira and Momo once again repeat the coordination issues they showed us during their fight with the Serpos, Penny Wise, and Nessie. Both fights become more complicated than they should be because they shout at each other and compete for the spotlight. I think Aira is the one who starts this conflict, but Momo is also unable to put aside her differences. Because of this, they suffer much more wear and tear than they should. I don't agree that Aira doesn't know how to work as a team; I think she has a VERY hard time doing so with Momo, whom she considers her friend-rival.

Small reminder that Momo FEELS her psychic hands.

Jiji has suffered more prejudice for being handsome and popular among his friends than anyone else. THE IRONY. Joking aside, Jiji is a very good person and falls into the stereotype of a popular person who looks down on nerds. Okarun thought they'd have nothing in common and that he'd look down on him. Now Kinta misinterprets his words, which says very little about Okarun and Kinta's classmates. We don't have a ton of information about Kinta's school life, but I've always sensed that he was the "ignored" outcast, while Okarun was the "bullied" outcast. The anime is making it much clearer in this regard, giving us a flashback. If Kinta didn't make a move on Okarun before, perhaps it's because he considered being "ignored" to be slightly better than being "bullied." There's a very nice fight in the manga involving Okarun and Kinta that touches on the physical and visceral rejection that Kinta (and Okarun) suffer daily. "Do I disgust you? Fine, I'll use it as a weapon."

Kinta makes it clear that he SEES JIJI'S AND OKARUN'S YOKAI FORMS. He also has entered the void space. This has always made me ask countless questions. Later in the manga, there's a perspective on that first contact in the apartments where the target wasn't Kinta. He was nearby, but for some reason he was taken into the void space, and on top of that, he has the power to see Yokai forms. According to the rules Dandadan has given us so far, either that means Kinta has an innate power or a history linking him to the supernatural, or… it's a mistake. And the theory that he was touched by the Kaiju doesn't work for me because there's no indication that that type of technology unlocks psychic perception on its own. Any times the boys unlock their perceptions are usually through contact with Okarun's ball or with Yokai directly. And on the other hand, 'this kaiju' will be accessible to many people accidentally touching in the future, and no one other than the characters we know has ever entered the void space or been able to see the supernatural. So, I'll keep waiting for an answer that leaves me more satisfied.

The group's DPS has entered the chat.

As the philosopher Zuma once said: "The strong girl."

I love her.

Poor Evil is so disappointed. Meanwhile, Okarun and Momo are acting as responsible parents even when they're being chased by a giant kaiju. Guys, you can leave the baby yokai's education for another, more peaceful day, hahaha.

Episode 1x02.

Another curious detail: the doll in the initial entry was the maneki neko that Turbo is on, and now it's been replaced by a tanuki.

Okarun isn't a great combat strategist, but he's an encyclopedia with legs, and when it comes to resources or knowledge, he'll never let you down. Finally, we can freely talk about Kinta's power: HIS IMAGINATION. I think we have a little of everything: a pure strategist like Momo, a good reader of enemies and terrain like Aira, and an out-of-the-box imagining machine (Kinta). The entire cast of Dandadan blends so well…

THE SCENE OF THE EPISODE. ​​What a parody of traditional mecha anime transformations. Ridiculous entrances of all kinds and the best-worst form for the Great Kinta. Kinta, please don't put Okarun in the toilet again, loooool.

Episode 2x09

Damn Momo, who only thinks about the same thing over and over again.

Additional information on Great Kinta and the communicator's names (Jashi is other name for Evil Eye).

[All the recaps of season 1]

[Recap 2x01]

[Recap 2x02]

[Recap 2x03]

[Recap 2x04]

[Recap 2x05]

[Recap 2x06]

[Recap 2x07]

[Recap 2x08]

[Recap 2x09]

[Recap 2x10]

I'm going to throw out some unanswered questions that are tormenting me. This way, I share the pain.

Chapter 175.

Who is the original owner of the Pygmies? According to Nurse Queen, it's a student who's currently searching for them. I have a theory, but I'm afraid to let it out into the world.

How did this student lose the Pygmies in the first place? Yes, with the knives, but I need more context.

Chapter 176.

Who has Kouki's black knife right now?

Chapter 175.

Can the status of the pygmies be reversed?

Chapter 171.

Why is Okarun, without powers, able to enter void space? Turbo's membrane? Did she become sentient like Queen? Is there something about him we don't know?

How is it that the pygmies, not being aliens, summoned an empty space? Are they aliens?

Chapter 200.

Will Hase, Nurse Queen, and Aira have any interactions at the hospital?

chapter 174.

Nurse Queen has powers, but besides her sensitivity to seeing spirits, is there something else?

Chapter 179.

Is Kamishato currently at Izumo Taisha Temple? Will he have the knowledge to perform the ritual without Seiko?

Chapter 191.

Does Jiji remember Momo because he's a genie or because he's possessed by the Evil Eye?

Episode 9 & Chapter 176.

What does the symbol on some characters' clothes mean? What kind of association are they, and why does it seem to encompass aliens, humans, and other creatures?

Chapter 121.

Could the Count be neither an alien, a yokai, nor a cryptid? Why is he able to cross the gates of hell and wield the Asura sword?

Chapter 179.

How long does the Count have left to live?

Chapter 187 & 191.

Will the policeman gain the dropper's powers after the mini-battle against the orchestrator's henchman?

Chapter 201.

How is Okarun's new weapon supposed to be activated? Will the ogre bat give Okarun a new look, or will it just be a superficial version of the dark one?

Chapter 185.

When will Mai have the decency to upgrade Rin's costume? (Shit, that costume is garbage.)

Omake vol. 20.

Is Turbo clinging to hatred to avoid fading away as a Yokai?

Chapter 190.

When will the kids find out Okarun is being bullied?

Daizukan.

Is Zuma preparing to transfer to another school?

Chapter 181.

How old is Daiki exactly? We know they spent four years in the basket, but not how old he was when he entered.

Chapter 199.

Do we know more about Toru, the classmate Daiki bullied?

Chapter 181.

How much actual time has passed since the start of the series? I know it's quite short, but there are likely time jumps after each arc that we're not counting on.

Chapter 67.

Why was Kinta able to see the yokai versions of Okarun, Jiji, and Aira from the beginning?

Chapter 56.

My favorite anime episode of all of Dandadan is episode 5 of the first season, so this was a huge surprise for me and made me very happy. I will say that in the manga we don't have this part of Kinta following Okarun everywhere. We just start with the conversation where Kinta starts talking to Okarun, and shortly after, Momo enters the classroom and interrupts the conversation. I think this little flashback gives us much better context and helps us understand the character more quickly.

I was especially amused by the part where it seems like Kinta is chasing them around the cafeteria and the food stand. It almost seemed like Kinta also had a crush on Okarun, and that would have been way more hilarious than reality…

I really understand Kinta's vision throughout this whole episode. I can see parallels between him and Okarun, and the only way to understand why he seems to have relationships with popular and interesting people is to approach him directly. They both have specific interests that could be comparable; they're both marginalized in class and don't relate to anyone else. Kinta wonders what the difference is between the two, so that Okarun is in this position now and he isn't. At first, he tries to show up around him, getting him attention because he simply has trouble relating. I find it very sweet, and I suppose it must be an act of courage to approach Okarun and ask him directly.

On the other hand, there's the issue of character and personhood. Something we already saw with Aira: the difference is that Kinta uses his character to protect himself from the outside world and bolster his self-esteem. He has this kind of narrative where he believes he's the protagonist of his own story, and that's fine. I mean, no one wants to talk to him, no one has ever approached him. The only way to avoid sinking into depression is to think that everything revolves around him. A kind of "the universe is conspiring in my favor to reaffirm my story."

But all of this doesn't excuse his flaws. His way of seeing women is something I can't ignore. And it's not because he makes off-color comments, as I've read. Those are things I can really ignore and, as others have pointed out, may be the result of a misunderstanding in these early conversations. But it can't be that his entire motivation for being part of the group is to meet girls, that he's constantly forcing physical contact even with Nurse Queen, and that when one of the guys offers to do it in his place, he either rejects it or gets angry. The point is so obscene when he doesn't even care which of the girls gives him a chance as long as one of them wants to get close. It makes me wonder A LOT if Kinta actually considers his female companions friends or just targets. I have my issues with his male friends too, but I'll talk about that later in the story.

I'm really open to giving Kinta a chance, but Tatsu is determined to keep him as comic relief, and that's really annoying. He has the potential to grow and shine, and instead, we'll just keep having dirty jokes.

Okarun's reaction when one of his classmates speaks to him for the first time makes me so sad. No one has ever approached him before and genuinely thought it was a bad thing. Kinta is going to attack him somehow.

This conversation also caused a lot of damage in the fandom when Kinta describes Okarun as not handsome and short, opening an unnecessary debate about Okarun's appearance. I honestly think it was a way for readers to initially get angry at Kinta for comparing him, when what it actually achieved was for people to infer that Okarun was ugly. Anyway… Obviously, Okarun isn't canonically beautiful; he's an average guy in every sense. That's the point: he has a normal family—probably with limited resources—he has an average appearance—which doesn't improve with his initial style or his physical condition—and he doesn't stand out for his personality or intelligence. He stands out for being weird, for his interests, and for his trouble relating to others and standing up for himself. And without changing those initial aspects of himself, he manages to see himself better, learn to relate to others, and build a reputation as a kind and trustworthy person. Everything he achieves is based on effort and facing his personal fears, and THAT'S what makes him attractive.

Momo is so happy to see that Okarun has made friends… It won't be long before she regrets being so nice to Kinta xDDD

I'm surprised by Rin; she looks so much better than in the manga. It's a very cute design. One of my favorite theories about why Rin doesn't intervene in real-life bullying situations with Okarun, but does right now, is because whenever he's being bullied, the classroom is usually almost empty, and she doesn't seem to be around. It seems like Rin does feel responsible for everyone's comfort in the classroom, but with so many obligations, she's unable to control everything that happens around her. On the other hand, she's likely seen abusive behavior toward Okarun before, and that's why she's more wary than ever about who gets close to him. Even if these two don't seem to have interacted directly, Rin has always had a protective and hardworking personality that wouldn't fit with the idea of ​​simply "having a crush on Okarun." And, let's face it, being approached by Momo, who has a reputation for violence, and Aira, who slanders other classmates, doesn't help. Plus, the fact that all three of them appeared naked in the hallway not long ago, giving rise to a ton of rumors.

The whole Rin scene is a huge misunderstanding. Each of them is figuring out what they want. Rin is worried about Okarun, Momo is jealous, Okarun doesn't know what's going on and no one lets him explain himself, and Kinta just wants attention.

Episode 1x10.

My heart is going to explode with these two. It's clear that this conversation is a direct continuation of the one they had in the infirmary. Momo clearly wanted to tell Okarun that she thought he was still a cool guy, but her difficulty in speaking clearly about her feelings, along with Muko and Miko's interruption, prevented her from saying so. She knew how important this was to Okarun, so despite how embarrassing it was to tell him, Momo made the effort to do so.

I've always wondered why Kinta is able to enter the void space. Yes, I know It's controlled by the kaiju, but still… Shouldn't he have been rejected for not having spiritual power? We'll talk more about this when the Globalists arc comes out and It will add more information about what's happening right now.

Oh man… The only one here who will kiss to her WITH THE UTMOST RESPECT will be him. What a blow, Okarun… You've left him in shambles. Hahahaha

Episode 1x05.

Okarun is tiny. Or, at least, smaller than he usually is when he's in this mode. It's very clear how his dark version is taller than his normal version, and I've always wondered why he's the only one in the gang who seems to have this substantial change. Jiji maintains his size, and although Aira seems more mature, but she remains just as tall. Even the next characters who are yet to come seem to maintain their height. I don't know if they're trying to tell us something about their inner world or it's a foreshadowing...

Episode 1x06 & 1x11.

The way Kinta butts into the fight and torpedoes it is just like the rest of the gang. Aira tying up Momo or Jiji tackling her when Taro appered.

But what a baby Okarun is.

The little stripes around his eyes… 👀

[All the recaps of season 1]

[Recap 2x01]

[Recap 2x02]

[Recap 2x03]

[Recap 2x04]

[Recap 2x05]

[Recap 2x06]

[Recap 2x07]

[Recap 2x08]

[Recap 2x09]

[Recap 2x11]