After the ending of modern shonen like Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer, fans had their eyes set on DanDaDan due to its immense potential. With the anime’s premiere, one thing has become clear: it can easily become the next big thing. DanDaDan takes the shonen tropes and blends them with many other themes, giving it an overall refreshing feel. What stands out about the anime is that it introduces all its cards right from the beginning and juggles them quite well throughout the series.
There’s one thing that could easily beat Jujutsu Kaisen, the execution of the horror element. So far, the anime has given us a great feel of what the spooky aspects are going to be like and there’s undoubtedly a lot of potential. If the execution lives up to the standard, then DanDaDan might turn out to be the new Jujutsu Kaisen.
DanDaDan Does Right What Jujutsu Kaisen Fumbled With
Jujutsu Kaisen has always been quite dark. Introducing a villain who had no sense of morality made it easy for Gege Akutami to introduce brutal twists. The curses and the atmosphere were the primary sources from where the creepy energy emerged. Akutami ensured that the imagery as well as the mood conveyed the darkness of their world. As the series progressed and the story became more fight-focused, the plot was complicated with complex attacks.
In the process, the horror element was completely ignored and never focused on again. DanDaDan has started on a similar note, and it’s evident that the horror aspect is a huge priority. From Okarun’s movements after being possessed to the duo’s supernatural encounters, DanDaDan’s execution of the horror hits the mark. The spirits that we see are strong, unhinged, and eerie in both appearance and their actions.
What’s interesting is that it isn’t the sole focus either, there are comic and exciting bits as well with the relationship between Okarun and Momo. The animation style does justice to the extremely detailed manga panels and also brings out their whole appeal. If the anime progresses on the same path, then DanDaDan can easily surpass Jujutsu Kaisen with a refreshing twist.
Jujutsu Kaisen isn’t the Only Anime DanDaDan can Surpass
While the manga has an established a fanbase that is well-versed in all things DanDaDan, the anime has also started strong. The plot juggles between various elements and honors the shonen tropes without following them exactly. It’s not just the horror that’s interesting but even the fights and the characters are excellent in their own ways. The anime is a complete package, from spectacular and fluid animation to compelling characters.
For instance, the transformation that Okarun undergoes near the end of episode 2 encapsulates both the creepy and the other elements. The distortion in his body is followed by his confused voice, as he struggles to understand what’s going on with him. After everything they go through, it perfectly ends the episode on a curious note for fans. The fight scenes also establish the menacing strength of the villains as they callously throw around the two high school kids who confront them.
All in all, the anime’s execution of most themes is phenomenal and keeps the audience hooked throughout. It needs to maintain the momentum set by the first few episodes and keep the switch between them seamless to follow. And it won’t be long before the seasonal highlight surpasses both it’s contemporaries and it’s predecessors.
DanDaDan is available to stream on Crunchyroll.
