Dandadan Season 2 is Peak

We are so back!

Season one of ‘Dandadan‘ was one of the biggest surprises I’ve gotten from anime in a long time. I haven’t been so quickly hooked on a show in a long time. Charming characters, a delightfully strange and creative plot, killer presentation, it had it all.

Except for a satisfying conclusion. That cliffhanger was nothing short of sadistic. I was half-tempted to read the manga just to get the blue out of my balls. But season two was only a few months away, so I waited.

Then season two ended on another god damn cliffhanger. So, unless season three is coming out next week, it’s off to the manga I go. It wouldn’t hurt so bad if season two weren’t somehow even better than the first.

Things pick up right where they left off: with Momo drowning in the spa, and Okarun and Jiji discovering a cursed room behind the walls. Turns out, the family renting the house out to Jiji’s have been ritualistically sacrificing their tenants to their god in order to prevent volcanic eruptions. And our trio of lovable goofballs have fallen into their clutches. Now they must find a way to escape and end the cycle of death and sacrifice. But things only get more complicated when Jiji is possessed by a different spirit: the Evil Eye.

I thought season one was crazy. You had weenie-gobbling ghost grandmas, incredibly tragic and depressing backstories, anatomy dummies in love, giant sumo-aliens, and more. Surely there was no way things could get even more insane.

Oh, what a sweet, naive fool I was.

Heavy metal exorcisms. Orchestral battles to the death. A god damn kaiju fighting a mecha Budha! Even more tragic and depressing backstories! Incredibly compelling character growth! Every single episode is a roller coaster!

Yet at the same time, the pacing is a lot slower than in season one. Which is to its benefit. There are still a ton of fun and insane moments in every episode. But the main focus is a deeply emotional character story. There are a lot of somber, more serious scenes to balance out the wild antics.

First, I’ve got to rant about Ayase and Okarun. Because god damn, if these two don’t fill my dead heart with joy! These two were already the cutest couple in Shounen. Yet somehow, someway, they just keep getting sweeter and more adorable! That tunnel scene in the car practically had me cheering like we won a war!

In terms of growth, Ayase more or less stays the same this season. The same cannot be said for Okarun. My boy may only have one ball, but that thing is made of solid steel! Seeing him grow more confident and comfortable with those around him makes for an absolutely incredible character arc!

One of my big concerns leaving season one was Jiji. He was pretty annoying, and he didn’t get the screen time I needed to get attached to him. Luckily, he gets plenty of time to shine now. And he’s quickly become one of my favorite characters. While he’s over-the-top and silly to the point of being somewhat obnoxious, beneath that performative personality beats a heart of solid twenty-four karat gold.

Making him the perfect target for Evil Eye.

This dude is such a fun spin on the usual Shounen rival. While he and Okarun have some really cool fight scenes, their dynamic is less Goku-Vegeta and more like an older brother trying to tame their spoiled little sibling. It’s just that the older brother has confidence issues, and the younger is a sadistic murderer. Evil Eye is a great character, and I can’t wait to see more of him.

But both Jiji and Evil Eye pale in comparison to the newest member of the cast. The man, the myth, the mecha king: Sakata Kintaka!

While it took me some time to warm up to Jiji, I fell in love with this dude straight away. You get everything you need to know in just one scene. Strutting down the street, dancing and singing his heart out, only to curl in on himself and go silent the instant he steps within school grounds. Kid is literally me!

Although I never shouted “Ten gallon wiener,” in front of every girl in my class. Thank God.

The story and characters are all vastly improved from season one. An impressive feat, considering they were already masterfully written. But how’s the presentation? I have to say: it’s a bit of a downgrade. A very small one, to be clear; we’ve basically gone from an A+ to an A-. But I wouldn’t be an internet critic if I didn’t have petty nitpicks.

Science Saru is home to some of the best animators in the industry. And they certainly flex their muscles more than a few times. The heavy metal exorcism and musical spirit battle in episodes 18 & 20 respectively are downright gorgeous. But there are a few valleys in between the peaks. Particularly during the Okarun VS Evil Eye battles. It’s never ugly, but a few shots are noticeably clunky.

Credit where it’s due: that Full Throttle moment in the second fight is absolutely insane. If you’ve seen it, you know what I mean.

I have no such complaints regarding the music. Granted, most of it is just carried over from season one. But all the new tracks are just as incredible as those. I mean, come on, there’s a full length heavy metal song, and it’s fucking amazing! If you tell me you didn’t bang your head during that scene, I’ll know you for a liar!

The new OP and ED are also bangers. ‘Otonoke‘ was an incredibly tough act to follow, but my god, ‘On the Way‘ by AiNA THE END holds its own! While I really liked ‘TAIDADA‘, I do think that ‘Doukashiteru‘ is an enormous upgrade. It certainly helps that both are as much a treat on the eyes as the ears.

While I have a few small complaints, I absolutely loved season two of ‘Dandadan‘. This is one of the best shows in anime right now, full stop. And from what I’ve gathered via the manga reader pipeline, things are only gonna get better from here!

When season three drops. In… *checks notes* 2027.

Off to the manga I go, then.