Lesson 1: The Strange, Dark, and …Granny?

Look, I’m just going to come out and say it. Dandadan is your new best friend. 

​​Not the kind you’d let your mother know about, but rather the one you call up whenever you want the perfect combination of fun and bad decisions. This manga is all you need to forget about your troubles. Instead, you’ll be wondering why you haven’t read it all in the first place.

The story in Dandadan begins with an introduction to our main duo. Momo Ayase, a boisterous and reckless high school girl who believes in spirits, with an unhealthy obsession to guys that look like Ken Takakura (hard-boiled Japanese actor); and Okarun (real name coming soon), a shy glasses-wearing boy who lives for the occult. Their meeting starts off innocent and sweet as Momo protects him from bullies, but things take a turn for the chaotic once they find out each other’s beliefs. Momo makes fun of Okarun’s love for the occult, which upsets him… To make him feel better, our heroine tells of her background with ghosts and spirits. To which Okarun responds in kind with a hilarious rejection of Momo’s beliefs. Our two leads butt heads(literally) and decide there’s only one way to settle their dispute.
Naturally, this means that Okarun goes to a haunted tunnel where the spirit of something called “Turbo Granny” resides, and Momo finds herself in an abandoned hospital with multiple alien sightings. Like a shot of adrenaline spiked with caffeine, Dandadan turns the madness dial up to 11 as the spirit of Turbo Granny possesses Okarun while coining the show stopping line:
 “I’LL LET YOU SUCKLE MY TEETS IF YOU LET ME GOBBLE YOUR SCHLONG.” 

While Okarun protects his family jewels, Momo is undergoing her own set of ridiculous trials as she’s abducted by baby-crazy aliens with robot sex appendages (or BANANA ORGANS as they call it). Now, there’s no sugarcoating the implication of sexual violence on display here. The insinuation is clear as to what the aliens’ intentions are, but the manga never takes it too far. 
The opening to Dandadan culminates in an epic battle sequence between Okarun (possessed by Turbo Granny) and Momo, with newly awakened psychic powers, against the aliens. There’s crotch chomping, sliced banana organs and general ass-kicking or psychic hand smacking for days here. Being a Shonen and all, ending in a bombastic fight sequence is par for the course, but Dandadan gives us a nice little zing at the end when Momo asks her new friend for his name.
Ken Takakura. 
Momo’s heart skips a beat… That’s how love starts ya know!
Oh, and Turbo Granny took Okarun’s balls, and they need to get them back. 
Now we’ve got a story on our hands!

There’s a lot to like with Dandadan, and the one that stands out right from the first couple of pages is the distinct style that the author uses to bring the world to life. Being heavily stylized but packed to brim with details, it sure is nice and easy on the eyes. Our main pair also do a fantastic job at keeping us engaged with their constant bickering as their opposing personalities cause them to clash, while simultaneously bridging the gap between them.
Dandadan’s humor is wild, vulgar… And to top it all off, the action sequences are killer. The first sequence with the aliens is one thing, but future adventures see our lovable duo chased by a giant spirit crab across the city or dueling with a baboon alien that tosses cans around with a bat. 
That’s not to say it doesn’t have its faults. More sensitive readers could be put off by some of the more intense sequences that play around with sexual violence, although never taken too far, and the vulgar sense of humor of the series isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
That said it’s only a matter of time before it becomes a mega hit (if not considered that already) and reaches even bigger heights. ​

Grade: A+
Extra Credit:
Dandadan is a series made by Yukinobu Tatsu.
He’s worked as an assistant to other popular titles such as Chainsaw Man and Jigokuraku (Hell’s Paradise).
Other works by Yukinobu Tatsu include “Seigi no Rokudou” and “FIRE BALL!”