Dandadan’s Hiroshi Abe Reference, Explained

Dandadan‘s anime always balances out the intense action with its fair share of hilarious scenes. The fight with the Serpos ends in a rather awkward situation after Momo, Okarun, and Aira are seen by their schoolmates. Once the situation dies down in Episode 10, Momo impersonates Hiroshi Abe because of Seiko’s challenge. While Seiko easily agrees to buy school uniforms for Okarun and Aira, she can’t help but mess with her granddaughter. What follows is Momo’s hilarious attempt at mimicking Abe.

She ties up her hair and makes a serious expression – or at least she tries to. The episode ends when Jiji arrives in the house. Even in Episode 11, she continues her bit for a few seconds. The episode then moves on to Jiji’s introduction and the prologue of the Cursed House Arc. The next episode will be the season finale, where the story will move on to a new and dangerous adventure. Japanese fans are already familiar with Hiroshi Abe, but this name is new to global fans.

Who Is Hiroshi Abe in Dandadan?

Hiroshi Abe is a Japanese model and actor best known for his roles in TRICK and Godzilla 2000: Millennium. While impersonating him, Momo keeps saying, “Rocket Engine Valve.” It’s a popular dialogue from his TV drama Downtown Rocket. Abe plays the role of a former researcher at the Aerospace and Science Exploration.

Anime and manga series often reference real-life celebrities. Such a tactic keeps the fans more invested in the story, and Dandadan is no different. Even the name of the main lead, Ken Takakura, is inspired by a famous Japanese actor and singer. Momo is introduced as a fan of Ken Takakura. She’s even willing to date a guy with a terrible personality just because he shows some resemblance to Takakura. Since Momo refuses to address Okarun by his real name, she comes up with this nickname.

The First Season of Dandadan Anime Is Near Its Finale

Dandadan Season 1 is listed for 12 episodes so that next week will be the grand finale. The fourth arc, the Cursed House Arc, has already started with Jiji’s introduction. He is temporarily living at Momo’s house because his parents are hospitalized. Jiji apologizes to Momo for making fun of her when they were young. He can now see spirits, and there’s one inhabiting his house.

Not to mention that the spirit is causing all sorts of misfortunes in his family. He has even asked for help from several exorcists, but they all fail to drive away the evil spirit. Seiko is the last person who can help him, but her powers only work in Kamigoe City. So, she entrusts the task to Momo and promises to buy her uniform if she succeeds. The final episode of Season 1 will shed more light on the Cursed House and Jiji’s past.