Dan Da Dan episode 1 review: "One of the anime fall season's first must-watch shows"

GamesRadar+ VerdictDan Da Dan is an unapologetically weird and effortlessly stylish sci-fi anime that blends together Science SARU’s eye for style with mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu’s keen sense of charm and personality as two diametrically opposed teenagers – ultra-nerdy alien fanatic Okarun and prickly ghost-chaser Momo – grow closer GamesRadar+ Verdict GamesRadar+ Verdict Dan Da Dan is an unapologetically weird and effortlessly stylish sci-fi anime that blends together Science SARU’s eye for style with mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu’s keen sense of charm and personality as two diametrically opposed teenagers – ultra-nerdy alien fanatic Okarun and prickly ghost-chaser Momo – grow closer Dan Da Dan is an unapologetically weird and effortlessly stylish sci-fi anime that blends together Science SARU’s eye for style with mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu’s keen sense of charm and personality as two diametrically opposed teenagers – ultra-nerdy alien fanatic Okarun and prickly ghost-chaser Momo – grow closer Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Why you can trust GamesRadar+Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about our reviews policy. Those with their ears close to the ground will have heard the rumblings of Dan Da Dan, an adaptation of Yukinobu Tatsu’s million-selling oddball manga. Thankfully, the premiere episode of thenew anime– heading to Crunchyroll and Netflix – doesn’t disappoint, with studio Science Saru delivering an unapologetically weird, stylish, and anarchic opener that marks it out as one of anime’s first must-watch shows in the Fall season. Even a cursory glance at the premise alone should clue you in to just how bizarre Dan Da Dan is. After violently breaking up with her first boyfriend, hotheaded Momo encounters the bookish Okarun (his real name is a brilliant full-circle moment that acts as the premiere’s best punchline) being bullied. Inevitably, he mistakes the basest of interactions for true love and, after a quick talk, each realizes they’re into slightly ‘out there’ interests. Momo believes in ghosts, while Okarun is mad for alien conspiracies. The kicker? They’re both completely dismissive of the other’s beliefs. That delicious setup, when coupled with the opening credits overflowing with color and energy, makes an immediate impression – and it only snowballs from there. Close encounters (Image credit: ©Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee) To prove themselves right, they set a challenge: Momo is sent to an abandoned hospital known for UFO abductions and Okarun heads to a dark tunnel, a supposed hotspot for paranormal activity. The Serpoians (from the planet Serpo, naturally) holding Momo captive are then quickly dispatched. A good thing, too. Their creepy stretched smiles combined with their emotionless stares and unhealthy obsession – to put it mildly – for reproducing with women and extracting their ‘banana’ means these aren’t the sort of happy-go-lucky characters you want to outstay their welcome. They also offer a window into some of the episode’s more unsavory elements, namely the uncomfortable sexual scenes. For such a fiery and layered character, (the schoolgirl-aged) Momo sure spends a lot of time trapped in chains and laying on her back in various states of undress. At least the conclusion means Momo gets her own back in satisfying fashion, as she escapes, awakening her latent telekinetic powers, and soundly defeats the Serpoians. (Image credit: ©Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee) Dan Da Dan’s opening episode then sets up the story to come, for those who may still be on the fence after this paradoxical premiere of gleefully immature, yet charming, action: Momo is the only one who can stop Okarun’s powers from controlling him (a clever narrative trick to keep the pair bound together), while Okarun is heading back to lift the curse from Turbo Granny. Most intriguingly of all, there are seeds of a love story planted amid the chaos. Deeply protective and unashamed of it, Momo stands out from the wave of more one-dimensional protagonists who are quick to anger and even quicker to lash out. If anything, it’s a shame that the quieter moments are lost in a cacophony of sound and mayhem as the first episode hurtles towards its breakneck conclusion – and leaves me wondering whether Dan Da Dan has crammed a little too much in to ensure fans return next week. With a relentless pace and the sort of LSD-infused imagery that demands to be watched on a big screen (indeed, Dan Da Dan first premiered in cinemas last month), Dan Da Dan is a joy from start to finish. While some of the medium’s rougher edges in regards to sexuality and objectification still remain, this is a glittering debut that should prove to be a gateway drug for many into the weirder, wilder sides of anime. Dan Da Dan is now streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix. For more, check out theDan Da Dan release scheduleand our guides onJujutsu Kaisen season 3andBleach: Thousand-Year Blood War part 3. 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