Would-Be Love Triangles and BIG Misunderstandings

Warning: The following contains minor spoilers for Dandadan, Episode 8, “I’ve Got This Funny Feeling”, now streaming on Crunchyroll.

For the first time, I was apprehensive about a new episode of Dandadan, not because there was any reason to doubt its quality, but because the previous episode was just that good. After such a raw and emotional story – and one that raised the bar for what this series is capable of, how was it supposed to follow that up? As it turns out, it did so with patience and the trademark levity fans have become accustomed to.

Last week, we called Episode 7 a “masterpiece”, praising not only the animation for its sublime and unrelenting character acting but a story that utilized it to hit the viewer right where it hurt. It explored the tragic story of the spirit, Acrobatic Silky, and singlehandedly made everyone who watched it not only want to forgive Aira Shiratori but also give her a well-needed hug.

Related

Dandadan: Why Do Aliens Want a Person’s “Banana Organ”?

In an anime full of absurd plot points, aliens wanting a person’s “Banana Organs” is definitely one of Dandadan’s weirdest. So why do they want it?

One Big Misunderstanding

Episode 8 takes the necessary step of easing back into the regularly scheduled silliness with an awkward dinner filled with the sound of slurping soba. The characters are stewing in the aftermath of the previous episode much the same way the audience has, but it doesn’t take long for the writing to remind the viewer how to laugh again. Dandadan comes back strong with great, snappy banter, setting up Aira’s continued involvement in the story.

Aira is now privy to a world of occult nonsense just like the others, but her interpretation of every detail surrounding her circumstances is just laughably wrong. She’s convinced that Ayase is a demon who has put Okarun and Seiko under her spell, and worse yet, she’s fallen in love with Okarun and promises to save him. The love triangle warning signs are blaring on high alert, but Okarun and Ayase are quick to defuse it by mutually commenting on how misunderstood she is.

Sometimes it’s tempting to call this story a critique of rom-com tropes, but perhaps that’s just my way of projecting my apprehension toward seeking out the genre more often. The evidence points much more clearly to Dandadan being an earnest interpolation of the rom-com genre into the realm of sci-fi and the supernatural. It’s merely that this story’s pacing and tone are well-equipped to appeal to those who might not engage with that genre a lot.

An Even Bigger Misunderstanding

Case in point, the central tension of the episode revolves around misunderstandings. First, Aira’s critical failure of a vibe check, and second – far more crucially – Ayase finding Okarun in a compromising position with Aira. The directing does a great job of connecting both perspectives of the event, but the writing is where the scene soars, as Okarun objects to Aira’s advances and points out how weird her behavior is.

Dandadan gets to have its cake and eat it too. It eschews any notion of a love triangle yet simultaneously sets up a circumstance just absurd enough to make Ayase think that Okarun lied to her. Furthermore, the fact that he did lie to her – but not for the reasons she thinks – muddies the waters even more. Dandadan isn’t afraid to give in to the temptation of certain genre tropes, but only because it knows that its audience isn’t immune to liking them.

It’s called romantic comedy for a reason, and as the saying goes, “Comedy is tragedy plus time.” This is nothing if not a series that delights in never giving its protagonists a break but it’s hardly egregious in its torment either. The central misunderstanding of this episode hits hard because up to this point, it didn’t seem like anything was getting in the way of Okarun and Ayase’s romance.

Dandadan Sets Up Its Next Dazzling Battle

It’s been some time since the Serpoians graced the screen, but their return comes at the worst opportunity, right when Okarun and Ayase are divided, both emotionally and literally. And now that Aira’s spiritual energy has been unlocked, she’s there too. Everyone else in the school has disappeared, the building is filling up with water, it’s pitch black outside, and two new aliens are roaming the halls.

With this as the setup, this week finishes strong, demonstrating that Aira is no mere observer in the fight to come. Just when it seemed like Okarun’s turbo form couldn’t be outdone, Aira gave him a run for his money. Episode 8 might not reach the same emotional highs as the week previous, but seeing a bit of Acrobatic Silky rub off on Aira and imbue her with power wasn’t just awesome, but pretty emotional considering how the last episode ended.

Dandadan gets bigger every week, and with Okarun and Ayase firmly established, it will be exciting to see the cast expand, especially seeing what’s been done with Aira. When she first appeared, many viewers were understandably annoyed by her, but it’s a testament to this script just how quickly that all turned around.

More

Dandadan Is More Popular Than Dragon Ball Daima on Netflix

Both Dandadan and Dragon Ball DAIMA are streaming on Netflix since October, bu the first one is surprisingly getting more views.

Release Date

September 13, 2024

Seasons

1