Dandadan‘s seventh episode, is, without a doubt, the series’ best so far, boasting an impressive 9.8 on IMDb and is ranked 56th in their list for the best anime episodes of all time. The episode is an absolute gut punch that broke away from the series’ comedic, rapid-fire pacing to instead explore the backstory of one of its most recent – and most terrifying – antagonists, which ended up being one of he most impactful moments in the series so far.
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While the internet is filled with outrageous reactions for Dandadan Episode 7, one of the most notable comes from Hideo Kojima, a legend in the gaming industry who loves to take to his X (formerly Twitter) account to talk about his favorite films, TV Shows, and of course, anime. Though brief, Hideo Kojima tweeted out that: “Episode 7 of “Dandadan.” Acrobatic Silky by Kikuko Inoue was awesome. Brilliant. It surpassed The Boss”. His high praise for the episode shouts out Kikuko Inoue, the voice actress that portrayed Acrobatic Silky in the episode. The actress has an incredibly impressive portfolio working in the anime industry, and has previously voiced characters like Kasumi Tendo in Ranma 1/2 (2024), Akemi Kujo in Alya Sometimes Hides Her Feelings In Russian, and Adara Gotokuji in Astro Note.
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Dandadan Beautifully Blends Paranormal Comedy With High-Stakes Drama
Dandadan is a series that hooks audiences in with its otherworldly sense of humor and characters. The series is extremely clever and manages to keep those invested up to speed with everything the ghostly spirits and alien threats are doing at all times without necessarily feeling like anything is happening “just because.” Because of this, Dandadan‘s world manages to keep itself grounded without ever feeling ridiculous, and does a surprisingly good job at taking itself seriously where it counts.
That’s precisely what made Episode 7 such a home run with anime fans. In the episode, audiences finally get to see why Acrobatic Silky was so convinced that Aira was her daughter. It wasn’t because Aira was literally her child, rather, Aira had become the spirit’s tether to remain on a physical plane of existence. As Silky mourns Aira and tells Momo that she would sacrifice her Aura in order to bring her back, the anime reveals her full backstory.
In a gorgeously tragic sequence, Dandadan thrusts its audience into the life Acrobatic Silky once had before her death – a struggling single mother doing everything she can to care for her young, unnamed daughter. It shows that the dress Acrobatic Silky now dons was originally a sentimental present she had bought for her daughter by scraping together as much money as she could. The moment takes a horrific turn when two men Silky owes money to begin physically assaulting her and take her daughter away. The moments following are absolutely brutal, and the sequence ends with Silky giving one final dance performance as she falls to her death. The episode then cuts to a moment where Silky is wandering the streets as a spirit until she’s grabbed by a young Aira, who calls her “Mommy”. The moment reminds Silky what she died for, transforming her in the Acrobatic Silky audiences see in Episodes 6 and 7. The sequence is distressing, emotional, and impactful beyond words – proving that Dandadan is so much more than a supernatural comedy shonen.
