Dandadan May Already Be the Best Anime of 2024

Dandadan is finally here, and it is making a bid for Best Anime of 2024.

By Megan Peters

Dandadan is here, and the world is not ready. For months now, the hype surrounding the eclectic series has grown, and that thriving excitement has come to a head. If you did not realize, today marks the grand premiere of Dandadan, and the Science Saru series has struck gold. It has arraigned a captured audience in a single episode, and if we are being honest, Dandadan may just be the best anime of 2024.

At just one episode in, Dandadan is rousing netizens across the anime fandom, and there is more goodness to come. After having watching the first few episodes, ComicBook knows Dandadan has what it takes to become the top anime of the year. From its quality to its accuracy, the anime just does not miss. So if you are on the fence about Dandadan, lend me your ears.

Or well, lend your eyes. You are reading this after all.

What in the World Is Dandadan?

For those unfamiliar with Dandadan, the series goes back a few years thanks to Shueisha. The story began in April 2021 under Yukinobu Tatsu, and the artist dug deep into their love of Ultraman to birth Dandadan. Labeled a rom-com, Dandadan can only be described as the love child of X-Files and Scooby-Doo with an anime twist. After the occult series made way at Shonen Jump, it did not take long for Dandadan to amass a fanbase, and it began petitioning for an anime quickly.

After all, Dandadan thrives with both its story and its characters. The manga tells the story of two high schoolers, Momo Ayase and Ken 'Okarun' Takakura. The pair became an unlikely duo after they discover their conflicting beliefs. Momo believes in spirits while Ken is all in on aliens. While trying to prove the other wrong, the teens learn they are both right as aliens and ghosts both exist. And before long, the two are roped into a wild supernatural adventure before they know it.

You Cannot Afford to Miss Dandadan

From the outset, Dandadan has an appealing story that fits any shonen. It dabbles with action, and characters like Ken get some seriously cool powers to fight aliens with. Momo is also a very present figure as the heroine taps into her own esper gifts to fight. Even at a surface level, the action and choreography of Dandadan are enough to keep fans entertained, but there is so much more to this tale.

For one, Tatsu has created a complex supernatural world that Momo and Ken lay out for fans. We meet some very recognizable aliens as the series progresses, but they are presented in ways we have never seen before. Beyond their stunning art style, Tatsu brings incredible depth to his characters. Momo and Ayase are equal partners in their occult adventure. And as the series explores the pair, the bigger theme of Dandadan emerges.

At its core, Dandadan may be cool but it puts its focus on outsiders. Momo and Ken are not understood by their peers regardless of how popular they may be. As Dandadan grows, the story leans into the weird and the inexplicable. The fringe topics it explores are interesting, and they mirror the kind of people Dandadan rallies behind. It supports the people on the edge of society and empowers them in incredibly fun ways. In its first few episodes, Dandadan nails this focus with ease, and Science Saru manages to adapt Tatsu's art style with colorful ease.

From top to bottom, Science Saru treated Dandadan as a passion project, and that work shows. The anime has one of the industry's best premieres in ages, and that quality is consistent as season one continues. With Tatsu helping oversee the production, Dandadan could easily become the best anime of the year. And if its cards are played right, Dandadan might just become one of the decade's top releases.

How to Watch Dandadan

If you want to watch Dandadan, you are in luck. Science Saru is streaming the occult hit one a number of sites. You can find Dandadan's simulcast on Hulu, Netflix, and Crunchyroll if you are in the United States. The anime's subbed and dubbed versions are available for streaming. And as season one continues, Dandadan will drop new episodes on these services weekly.

Have you checked out Dandadan yet? Do you plan on watching the new series? Give me a shout at @meganwpeters with your take! You can also let us know what you think over on X (Twitter) and Instagram.

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