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Key Takeaways
- Dandadan is exploding in popularity with its viral theme song and insane first episode.
- The anime balances multiple genres in a single episode, creating a unique visual experience.
- The voice actor for Momo Ayase faced challenges in voicing a loud character, but enjoyed the fast-paced bickering scenes.
Dandadan has exploded onto the scene faster than Turbo Granny can run. The anime has taken over social media with its viral theme song and reviews of its insane first episode. Even Megan the Stallion posted on her Instagram story, letting her fans know she was watching the supernatural action comedy. To say the anime is already rooting itself in the anime industry is an understatement; hype this big is reminiscent of when Demon Slayer or Jujutsu Kaisen first hit the scene. Whether the anime will keep the hype going long enough to earn the same level of recognition as the previously mentioned anime can only be told with time, but it won’t be shocking if Dandadan is greenlit to adapt the full manga.
Recently, an interview from MyAnimeList was released featuring comments from director Fuga Yamashiro as well as Shion Wakayama, who voices Momo Ayase in the Dandadan anime. They go over the challenges of balancing so many genres in one show, their favorite characters, first impressions, and their experiences in working on the anime during its production.
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Their Experiences Working On The Anime
So Many Genres, So Little Time
Both Yamshiro and Wakayama reported that something they loved about the Dandadan manga is how many genres there are to balance in a single episode. Director Yamashiro said, “I felt it is a very lively work, one that jumps back and forth quickly between genres and features a vividly-realized cast of characters”. They further went on to explain what made this so much fun to translate into an anime; Director Yamashiro used this to create unique color palettes and visuals for the aliens and yokai to differentiate the supernatural and action parts of the show from the comedy and romance sides of it.
“I put a lot of effort into giving each of the aliens and yokai their own visual personality. My goal was to create visual effects that made you feel like these creatures had different values, a different culture from us. They’re living authentically in their own ways, but to us, they look strange and mysterious. That’s what I aimed for in the direction.”
Wakayama also agreed with this sentiment. “Despite including a variety of genres such as the occult, comedy, romance, and battle, it was very easy to read, and I finished all the volumes in no time,” she said, also noting the art style along with this variety made it easy to get into when she was studying for the role. She also notes that she feels as though the genres still blend well to make a unique reading experience she was able to immerse herself into quickly.
Wakayama’s Challenges in Voicing Momo Ayase
A New Style Of Voice And Unique Interactions Between Characters
Momo Ayase’s voice actor also mentioned how different this role is from her previous roles. In the past, she’s voiced quieter and more reserved characters like Takina Inoue from Lycoris Recoil, Maria Renard from Castlevania, and Aoi Aoi from Her Blue Sky. These characters are known for saying little words, speaking in soft or monotone tones, and overall not shouting anywhere near as much as Momo Ayase does. She notes that voicing such a loud and confidently brash character like Momo is new for her, saying “There are many lines where I have to raise my voice, so it was difficult to speak clearly enough that it would be understood even just by listening”.
“I pushed myself to the limit, sometimes even causing headaches, as I tackled the work with all my strength” she further said. She did, however, note that she loved filming the fast-paced bickering between Momo and Okarun though and felt a “sense of accomplishment” being able to voice such quick and witty scenes at that pace given her previous track record of characters.
Directing As Faithfully As Possible
Director Yamashiro On Adapting The Manga Accurately, While Keeping Things Exciting
One thing particularly noted in the interview was the changing of pacing between arcs in the Dandadan manga. When asked how Director Yamashiro handled this, they said “I think tempo is a matter of life and death for Dandadan”. Balancing so many genres, characters, and plotlines means rapid changes in the pacing, or tempo, of the show, and this was something that Yamashiro kept at the forefront of their mind when trying to create a consistent energy while adapting the manga.
“With jokes, and with comedy, tempo is king; the tempo being off by only a little bit means something loses the intended effect. I did my best to make things wouldn’t turn out that way.
Generally speaking, outside of where they were absolutely essential, I trimmed pauses and downtime as much as I could. But I also made sure to include space when it was really necessary—creating a feeling of difference, a “gap” that makes those pauses stand out even more.”
When asked if there was any specific requests from the author of the Dandadan manga, Yukinobu Tatsu, Director Yamashiro said that the author trusted them to adapt things faithfully. Despite the difficulty in adapting the manga into the anime, they confirmed it was fun despite the challenges in “adapting the unique atmosphere and aura of the manga” that came up during the production of the Dandadan anime. We here at Game Rant are thankful both of these talented individuals had as much fun creating the anime as we have watching it, and can’t wait to see the first season of Dandadan in its entirety.
Source: MyAnimeList
You can watch Dandadan on Netflix, with new episodes premiering on Thursdays until December 19th, 2024.
Based on Yukinobu Tatsu’s popular manga that debuted in 2021 on Shonen Jump+, Dandadan blends action, comedy, romance, and supernatural thrills to create a unique and satisfying adventure. Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura believe in the extraordinary, although the former believes in ghosts and the latter believes in aliens. Determined to confirm their side’s existence, they set out to find their proof.
- Release Date
- September 13, 2024
