Dandadan‘s penultimate episode is hot off the press. Episode 11, titled “First Love,” kicked off with a surprisingly spooky opening, included even more nudity (or partial nudity in the case of Taro), and teased the romance between its two leads: Momo and Okarun. But, on top of all that, the endlessly entertaining Dandadan still left room to introduce the most annoying character in the franchise (so far).
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Based on the manga by Yukinobu Tatsu, Dandadan follows Momo and Okarun, two teenagers who slowly become friends at school due to their joint love of the occult and extraterrestrial. Momo is a staunch believer in spirits, while Okarun tracks UFO sightings. When they each head out to disprove the other’s theory, Momo unlocks dormant psychic powers. At the same time, Okarun inherits the powers of the spirit Turbo Granny, but not before losing his crown jewels. What follows is a desperate race to retrieve them while the pair discover their true feelings for each other along the way.
Jiji Brings Even More Bonkers Humor to Dandadan
After the character was set up in Episode 10, Dandadan‘s latest introduces Jiji (Aleks Le) to the group. Jiji and Momo go way back, with the latter admitting she used to have a major crush on the new character. As a result, Okarun sees him as competition and assumes he’ll be a cool, suave, athletic rival. But, the moment Jiji opens his mouth, the facade comes crashing down.
To say Jiji is the most annoying character in Dandadan so far probably isn’t hyperbole, as the character was designed to be intentionally cringy. Similar to Aira’s self-infatuation, Jiji adores himself more than anyone else and cannot acknowledge anyone (especially Momo) not liking him. Like Turbo Granny in the show’s closing credits, Jiji cannot keep still, especially when he talks. His physical movements feel like an animator’s fever dream, as he combines crazy dance moves with outdated pop-culture references — like a single-frame long dab — to tremendously irritating and entertaining effect. When Jiji does speak, it’s to praise himself or to hit on Momo and/or her friends, and it’s often in an over-the-top voice.
That’s not the only reason Jiji is irritating to fans. For ten episodes, audiences have been desperate for Okarun to confess his feelings to Momo. Right as he feels comfortable opening up to her, in walks Jiji to put another emotional barrier between them. While the introduction of the loved-up spirit Taro re-solidifies Momo’s emotional strength, anime fans want the pair to hurry up and confess their feelings.
Much like Aira, Jiji becomes a major character in Dandadan. With his long-running ties to Momo and Seiko, Jiji is quickly accepted into the fold and helps Okarun on his journey to recover his Kintama. Jiji is also granted his own unique powers. Given his love of pop-culture references, Jiji can unleash his stored-up Ki into a devastating “Ha Wave.” By dropping into a lunging stance, and stretching both of his palms out, the “Ha Wave” looks suspiciously like Hadoken from Street Fighter.
[RELATED: Dandadan Star Deletes Social Media After Fan Backlash]
Fans Refuse to Hate Jiji
Despite being an intentionally vexing character, fans cannot get enough of Science SARU’s interpretation of Jiji. Fans flocked to social media in the minutes following Episode 11’s release to share their thoughts and reactions to his full introduction. While new fans had no preconceived notions about Jiji, manga readers knew exactly what to expect. “JIJI HAS FINALLY ARRIVED. I’m sorry but I can never hate him, he’s just too funny,” wrote @Picsking2, before describing him as the “GOAT.” As more audiences tune into to the new episode, social media is slowly being flooded with an outpouring of love for Jiji.
Only one episode of Dandadan is left before Season 1 draws to a close. Episode 12 releases next Thursday. Titled “Let’s Go To The Cursed House,” the Season 1 finale will expand upon Jiji’s terrifying description of his family home. So far, the show has only dipped its toes into the horror genre. But, with Jiji now introduced, the story is expected to get far darker. It is expected that the final episode will end right as they enter Jiji’s house, meaning the “Cursed House Arc” will likely be withheld until Season 2.
H/T: @Picsking2 and @thebeav20 on X
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