Dandadan brought a breath of fresh air to the Shonen genre with its quirky characters and bizarre concept. Often, series either focus on yokai and ghosts or aliens if they fall under the Supernatural genre. However, Dandadan decided to prioritize them both, making it a stand-out anime/manga.
While the concept of Dandadan might seem very unique, this isn’t the first time that monsters and aliens were featured together. A 2009 animated Hollywood masterpiece stands as proof of the fact that Dandadan has a very underrated predecessor.
Dandadan is Uncannily Similar to Monsters Vs. Aliens (2009)
The 2009 animated film Monsters Vs. Aliens by DreamWorks Animation grossed $381 million with a budget of $175 million. Almost every 1990s and early 2000s kid remembers this film from the depth of their hearts. The adorable characters with the quirky plot made it a memorable watch. This film suggested that when Earth is under attack by extraterrestrial creatures, the ones who could save the day are the very own monsters that were kept hidden from the public eye.
The movie features an alien invasion on Earth, and the only shield of defense Earth has against them is a bunch of misfit monsters. The plot is oddly similar to that of Dandadan‘s. In the anime/manga, aliens attack the Earth for various reasons (mostly to destroy the planet and its population), and the ones who can fight against them are Yokai and those who can use the powers of Yokai.
Just like Monsters Vs. Aliens, Dandadan also has a ragtag team who are ready to save the day. It is an ill-prepared bunch at first, but they all learn to communicate and work like a team in order to defend the world against some lousy intruders. Not to mention, the aliens also have high-tech technology, much like Dandadan. Monsters Vs. Aliens had a surprisingly strong cast, with Reese Witherspoon voicing Susan Murphy and Seth Rogan voicing B.O.B., an indestructible gelatinous mass.
Dandadan Features a Strong Female Protagonist Just Like Monsters Vs. Aliens
The lead character of Monsters Vs. Aliens is Susan Murphy, who is 50 feet tall. No, it isn’t a genetic problem; she was exposed to radiation, whose energy made her grow to an absurd height. Momo Ayase, the protagonist of Dandadan, also realized her latent spiritual powers quite late. It was only when she was kidnapped and attacked by aliens that she realized she is extremely powerful.
Susan Murphy, also known as Ginormica, is an independent woman who is intelligent, sarcastic, and sympathetic. All of these traits are mirrored by Momo, a dynamic character who is often called a genius due to her battle strategies. She is extremely sarcastic and brash and does not hold back any of her scathing comments. However, she is also extremely sympathetic towards those who need help.
Momo Ayase is a female protagonist, the likes of who has rarely ever been seen in the Shonen genre. She is extremely strong and does not need rescuing by a guy in shining armor. Her no-nonsense character has wooed fans already, as people are swooning over her personality.
Dandadan manga is available to read on Viz Media, and the anime is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.
