Ways I can think of that βDanDaDanβ differs from other shonen series:
* Female MC is as important as male MC
* Canon romance gets consistent development through the series. I think thatβs part of the reason why the MC ships with the rivals (Aira, Jiji) arenβt as popular with the fandom for once. The main ship is actually getting good development, so the fanbase doesnβt have to make up headcanons to fill in the space.
* Flips the found family trope on its head by having the main group despise new people whenever they show up and they even actively try to kick them out. The new people only end up staying because they keep lingering around to the point that the main group just gives up and lets them stay.
* The rivals arenβt emo or angst-ridden. Aira is a delusional tryhard popular girl while Jiji is a himbo drama queen. Iβd even go as far to say that the MCs are the ones who are emo and angst-ridden.
* Supporting cast is more than just important, they become integral to the story. Iβd say that the further you read into DanDaDan, the more it becomes an ensemble cast where everyone is a protagonist in their own right.
* World-building is all over the place, but in a good way. Most other shonen are pretty consistent with what kind of world their characters live in. MHA is superhero-based, Naruto is ninjas and magic, Bleach is spirits, and so on. DanDaDan feels like the author just throws whatever cool shit they can think of into the story. Thatβs actually the reason why I wrote in a different post that DanDaDan reminds me more of Marvel/DC than any other shonen series, it manages to capture the catch-all insanity of those comics.
* Doesnβt rely on hidden power-ups. The main characters either have to outsmart the villains or they have to train to get better with the powers they already have.
* The pervert comic relief guy is actually endearing for once. Not because of his pervert tendencies, but because heβs so oblivious to how socially inept he is that itβs kind of funny. This is gonna sound strange, but he sorta reminds me of Thor in Thor Ragnarok. Full of himself and oblivious to how dumb he can be. Heβs Thor without the good looks lol.
* Flips the βnerdy outcast loser somehow gets a haremβ trope. Instead of making Okarun cooler than how he actually is, the story emphasizes that the women who fall for Okarun are as weird as him. Momo is a weird outcast, Aira has main character syndrome, Vamola doesnβt understand how to human because sheβs literally not one, Rin thought Okarun was a vampire (and wanted him to be).
* Flips the βelderly figure in charge of the teenagersβ trope. I donβt really get motherly figure vibes from Seiko Ayase, I get more βcool wine aunt who is stuck with her nieceβ vibes. In fact, there was the arc where Okarun showed up to her in spirit mode to get her help with fighting off the alien invasion and Seikoβs response was, βWell, Iβm not in the area and I have other shit to do, so you kids figure it out.β
* The series takes the piss out of the trope of mystical/magical items that the group acquired to get their powers. I meanβ¦the main mystical MacGuffin in the series are Okarunβs balls.
* Okarun was about to go into an βIβm weak / I wish I was stronger / I want to get stronger for my friendsβ breakdown, but Turbo Granny told him to shut up and keep fighting.
* Not afraid to put the βcool girlβ in as many funny situations as possible. Off the top of my head, the series built up Momo as this cool, tough girl who doesnβt take shit from anyoneβ¦then several chapters later, Okarun found out she got a job at a maid cafe.
(Feel free to add to the list!)
