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ダンダダン, also written as Dan Da Dan, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu. It has been serialized in Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ app and website since April 2021, with its chapters collected in 20 volumes as of July 2025. The series follows two teenagers with supernatural powers fighting and aliens with help from multiple allies.
An anime television series adaptation produced by Science Saru aired from October to December 2024. A second season premiered in July 2025.
The rest of the story follows Momo and Okarun as they ally with fellow students, friends, family, and new acquaintances to combat supernatural entities, including spirits and extraterrestrial beings, while also navigating the evolving romantic tension between Momo and Okarun. Initially, a central plot focuses on Okarun's quest to retrieve his castration (). After succeeding, the story then shifts to Momo when she becomes afflicted by a mysterious curse that gradually diminishes her physical size and erases her presence of those around her. This development drives the latter half of the plot, as the other characters work to undo the curse and restore Momo to her original state.
When discussing Tatsu's propensity to have meal scenes after major scenes, he stated that they were inspired by multiple factors, including the belief that people who work hard deserve to eat well. He cited a quote from the manga Jarinko Chie about how the worst thing to be is hungry and alone, as well as the familial intimacy of eating scenes in Hayao Miyazaki films like My Neighbor Totoro and Porco Rosso. He also discussed his struggles as a poor manga assistant, receiving 1000 yen from his teacher to treat himself to stir-fried pork and a can of coffee after work. He added that, because it is entertainment, he wants readers to feel hopeful.
The series is simultaneously published in English on Shueisha's Manga Plus platform and on Viz Media's Shonen Jump website. In February 2022, Viz Media announced that they had licensed the series in print format; the first volume was released on October 11 of the same year.
Crunchyroll is streaming the series outside of Asia, including the Middle East and CIS, while Netflix is streaming the series globally alongside Hulu in the United States and Animation Digital Network in several European territories. Muse Communication licensed the series in Asia-Pacific. In June 2024, GKIDS announced that it had acquired the theatrical, videogram, and digital transactional rights to the series. The English dub of the series made its broadcast television premiere in the United States on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block on July 27, 2025.
In August 2024, prior to the premiere of the English dub, the first two episodes of the anime were leaked alongside many other anime productions that were localized by Iyuno. Episodes 3–6 were later leaked prior to the anime's premiere.
After the airing of the first-season finale, a second season was announced and premiered on July 4, 2025. Abel Góngora co-directed the season with Fūga Yamashiro. Crunchyroll and Netflix announced that they would stream the season worldwide, while Hulu and ADN is streaming it in the United States and several European territories, respectively. The season's first three episodes were released in theaters outside of Japan under the title on May 30 in Asia, June 6 in North America, and on June 7 in Europe. The opening theme song is , performed by Aina the End, while the ending theme song is , performed by .
In North America, the volumes of Dandadan were ranked on Circana (formerly NPD) BookScan's monthly top 20 adult graphic novels list since October 2022.BookScan's ranking for each month:
The 13th volume also ranked tenth on The New York Times Graphic Books and Manga bestseller monthly list for July 2025.
Mike Mamon of IGN praised the first three episodes of the anime for its animation, storytelling, visuals, direction, characters, and voice acting, concluding that " Dandadans first three episodes manage to stick the landing by focusing more on the anime's lovable protagonists and less so on the absurdity of the occult and extraterrestrial world they inhabit." Toussaint Egan of Polygon praised the adaptation for its animation and character designs, while complimenting the studio's decision of elevating the visuals and color design in combining with art direction to the anime's action sequences. Vulture named Dandadan as one of the best anime series of 2024. Kambole Campbell praised the series for its humor, animation, colors, art direction, and Kensuke Ushio's musical score. The anime ranked second in Anime News Network's "Top 10 Anime of 2024". Furthermore, James Beckett applauded the series' premise, humor, action, production values, characters, and the chemistry between Momo and Okarun.
In 2025, in reference to Texas Senate Bill 20, which creates new criminal offenses for those who possess, promote, or view visual material deemed obscene, which is said to depict a child, whether it is an actual person, animated or cartoon depiction, or an image of someone created through computer software or artificial intelligence, Vanessa Esguerra of The Mary Sue argued that viewing Dandadan, falling under the Texas law's provisions, might put "people behind the slammer."
| 2024 | Abema | Japan Anime Trend Award | Dandadan | ||
| Opening Animation Award | "Otonoke" | ||||
| 2025 | Best Work Award | ||||
| 9th Crunchyroll Anime Awards | Anime of the Year | Dandadan | |||
| Best New Series | |||||
| Best Action | |||||
| Best Animation | |||||
| Best Background Art | |||||
| Best Character Design | |||||
| Best Director | Fūga Yamashiro | ||||
| Best Main Character | Ken "Okarun" Takakura | ||||
| Momo Ayase | |||||
| Best Supporting Character | Seiko Ayase | ||||
| Turbo Granny | |||||
| "Must Protect At All Costs" Character | Ken "Okarun" Takakura | ||||
| Best Score | Kensuke Ushio | ||||
| Best Opening Sequence | "Otonoke" | ||||
| Best Ending Sequence | "Taidada" | ||||
| Best Anime Song | "Otonoke" | ||||
| Best Voice Artist Performance (Japanese) | Shion Wakayama | ||||
| Natsuki Hanae | |||||
| Best Voice Artist Performance (English) | A.J. Beckles | ||||
| Best Voice Artist Performance (French) | Jaynelia Coadou | ||||
| Best Voice Artist Performance (German) | Franciska Friede | ||||
| Best Voice Artist Performance (Spanish) | Alicia Vélez | ||||
| 5th Astra TV Awards | Best Anime Series | Dandadan | |||
| Japan Expo Awards | Daruma for Best Anime | ||||
| Daruma for Best Action Anime | |||||
| Daruma for Best Original Soundtrack | Kensuke Ushio | ||||
| Daruma for Best Opening | "Otonoke" | ||||
| Daruma for Best Ending | "Taidada" | ||||
| 47th Anime Grand Prix | Best Theme Song | "Otonoke" | |||
| 20th AnimaniA Awards | Best TV Series: Online | Dandadan | |||
| Best Director | Fūga Yamashiro | ||||
| Best Studio | Science Saru | ||||
| Best Anime Song | "Otonoke" |
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