Dandadan

Caught the first three episodes in the early theatrical run and was blown away but the animation and general quality of the story.

Dandadan is an action packed comedy adventure series with a little bit of everything.

Following the manga of the same title released weekly by shonen jump which has received a major following thanks to incredible artwork and consistent weekly releases.

This new anime adaptation has been Long wished for by fans of the Manga and lived up to my expectations

The studio did a great job with the animation and stylization. The characters in the story are very easy to root for and there episodes were all really funny.

Being a manga reader first, I was quite skeptical at first, because I adored the writing and art-style of the manga, and I thought an anime adaptation for a manga this ambitious and genre bending would be watered down in both art and animation, especially when I saw the first looks (very skeptical of their being less details on characters) but all those worries soon dissolved away when I finally heard it's Science SARU doing it, not to mention their recent line-up Scott pilgrim, Devilman crybaby and keep your hands off Eizouken all match the zaniness and vibe of DandaDan, also studio founder Masaaki Yuasa is one of my favorite anime directors/animators of all time, worked on shows such as Ping pong, Tatami Galaxy and again Devilman.

Ever since the first episode drop, I've been anticipating the next week after week, as it does not pale comparison to the manga, sometimes even better. I was mainly worried because this was the first anime I read first, but now I know Dandadan not only cemented itself as a phenomenal manga but also a great anime.

I'll consider this an all-rounder anime, every aspect of this anime is on point like animation, character development, humour, everything.

I personally think that this anime stands out because of its unique blend of action, comedy, and supernatural elements. The way it connects the concepts of ghosts and aliens makes it truly different from other shows, giving it a fresh and original vibe. That's the main reason it's receiving so much love and appreciation from the audience.

The emotional moments really elevate the story and give more depth to the characters. The Acrobatic Silky Arc was definitely the highlight of this season.

At this moment, the intro song has become a popular meme - it's super catchy. The music production team has done a fantastic job overall.

Overall, I was unable to find any major flaws in this anime. Everything was on point, and I would definitely love to watch the second part of this season.

I've watched the first two episodes so far. The first one totally blew my mind! The second one wasn't as strong, but still good. If the anime stays this good until the end, it's easily gonna be one of the best of the year.

The visuals are amazing. I legit shouted when Ayase was walking down the hallway all upset-it was both super real and at the same time just hyper-exaggerated. The animation quality is off the charts: emotions, movements, everything is done so well. There's some clever perspective play, kind of like Return to Treasure Island, but done more subtly.

I don't know much about school life in Japan (never been there), but for some reason, I believe this is how it actually is. (Sorry if I'm wrong, Japanese friends, but you guys keep making anime like this, so what can I say?)

The characters are super vibrant. Ayase kind of reminds me of Eris from Mushoku Tensei (miss her a lot). She's just as wild and impulsive, but also kind and caring.

Ken Takakura reminds me of Zenitsu from Demon Slayer.. He's shy and lacks confidence. I'm curious to see how his character evolves by the end of the season-hoping for some growth, but who knows. And yeah, it's funny that he shares the same name as the legendary actor Ken Takakura.

The humor is solid, and there's a lot of it. Some of it's a bit edgy. I'm sure I missed some references, so if you catch any, feel free to share, even if they seem obvious to you!

Oh, and did you know that in Japan they use sea creatures as insults? I had no idea. But let's be real, "brainless shrimp" hits way harder than "stupid ram," right?

This is a bit different than the animes I am used to and like. Yet, somehow I enjoy it. The animation is quite good especially the coloring which is beautiful in fight scenes. The plot may seem absurd at first, the combination of aliens and ghosts, but the love factor helps it make sense. In fact, the drama of the show is very powerful, proof of which is the sensational episode 7.

The characters are likable and easy to connect with. They don't look shallow which makes me excited for their future reveals and developments. The voice actors are brilliant, as well.

Moreover, the comedy works really good because it doesn't happen all the time, the jokes or situations are actually funny, and nothing is forced. Overall, the show has a lot of potential, if it doesn't fall off the wagon. The pilot is neither slow nor too fast; it provides enough information and build up for a fight and then it delivers beautifully. Afterwards, the show doesn't bore you with irrelevant and uninteresting subplots. It just follows the main path with a smooth pacing. All in all, I believe Dandadan is so far the best anime of 2024 and may even go up against the greatest of all time in the upcoming years.