The Turbo Granny Arc, Explained

Key Takeaways

• Turbo Granny’s backstory involves protecting young girls who were victims of evil acts in the tunnel.
• Okarun gains Turbo Granny’s abilities after being possessed, needing help to control his powers.
• Taunting Turbo Granny and luring her out of Shono City is an effective strategy to defeat her.

Dandadan is a Japanese manga created in 2021 that was adapted into an anime in October 2024 with the same intense supernatural encounters with enemies like Turbo Granny. Turbo Granny eventually becomes an integral part of Dandadan, regularly appearing as both an antagonist, and a character that occasionally aids Momo and Okarun.

Turbo Granny had a big impact on the main characters of the series in the first season. There is a lot to explore about her character, and where exactly she comes from, and even her motivations. She is much more than just a simple villain for Momo and Okarun to defeat.

What Is Turbo Granny’s Background and Motivations?

There’s Much More to The Character Than Just Being an Antagonist

Although Turbo Granny initially appears as a Yokai villain that Momo and Okarun must defeat, there’s much more to the character than meets the eye. Eventually, it is revealed why Turbo Granny has decided to reside in the tunnel. Momo’s grandmother reveals that the tunnel is where a bunch of young girls were taken against their will and killed by evil men. Soon after these passings, Turbo Granny moved into the tunnel as a way to bring the spirits peace before they moved on.

Many fans noticed when Turbo Granny saved Momo in the first episode, taking her out of the Serpoian UFO that was close to performing horrendous acts just like what happened to the girls in the tunnel. This proves even further Turbo Granny’s need to protect young girls who might be vulnerable in a situation where they can’t fight back. Despite Turbo Granny’s good intentions, however, she also ends up attacking innocent people who enter the tunnel.

Meeting Turbo Granny In The Tunnel

Momo and Okarun Attempt to Explore The Spirit World

When Momo and Okarun first meet in the Dandadan anime, they both wish to prove to the other that their interest exists. Momo believes in spirits, while Okarun believes in aliens. As they begin their journey together, they explore a tunnel where Turbo Granny apparently lives. Eventually, Okarun runs into the Yokai spirit, and tries to run away, but is unsuccessful due to Turbo Granny’s immense speed. He is then possessed by the spirit, and arrives to save Momo from the Serpo aliens who wish to kill her.

Though this initial encounter results in Okarun being possessed by Turbo Granny, it is also when Momo is able to awaken her psychic powers against the Serpo aliens, and allows her and Okarun to work together with their abilities to stop their enemies. Turbo Granny was able to possess Okarun by stealing his “banana organs“, however, which ultimately leads to the overarching Turbo Granny arc to retrieve Okarun’s belongings. Although Turbo Granny seems to hold a grudge towards Okarun, she seems to have a soft spot for Momo as she protects her and is there when she awakens her powers.

Okarun’s Possession and New Powers

Okarun Gains Turbo Granny’s Abilities

Although Okarun’s “banana organs” are now missing, he possesses a lot of Turbo Granny’s powers and abilities, allowing him to fight alongside Momo. However, she must hold back his curse to prevent him from spiraling out of control. Whenever she is not around him, such as after their defeat of the Flatwoods Monster, Okarun begins to lose control of his Turbo Granny abilities, and even attempts to eat Momo at one point before being stopped by Momo’s grandmother.

While cursed, Okarun’s abilities include swift speed and reflexes, and he is also able to go All-Out to increase his strength and charge at enemies. He is also able to endure intense attacks and survive his own launching abilities. When paired with Momo, who can hold back Okarun’s curse and allow him to bring out his powers at will, the two become unstoppable against just about any enemy, including Turbo Granny when the final battle comes.

Defeating Turbo Granny In a Game of Tag

Taunting Turbo Granny Is The Best Way To Go

Turbo Granny is not without her weaknesses, and one of the easiest things that can be done to control the powerful Yokai is to taunt her. Momo learns this from her grandmother, who suggests they stop her by luring her out of Shono City, which is where she is most powerful. This is due to the fact that she has fused with a location-bound spirit. These are spirits that are attached to a specific location, and the minute they leave that space, they become much weaker. Luring these spirits outside of Shono City, therefore, makes it much easier for Momo and Okarun to defeat them.

As Momo’s grandmother suggested, Momo and Okarun are able to easily lure Turbo Granny out of her area by taunting her and challenging her to a game of tag. This is due to the fact that Turbo Granny is incredibly fast, and always follows the rules. Despite a few initial mishaps, Momo and Okarun are able to take her out of Shono City, and they watch her collapse in front of them.

After her defeat, the two friends notice that the spirits of the young girls who were found in the tunnel are released as well. This most likely means that they are now able to move on, and no longer have to live as evil spirits, despite Turbo Granny initially providing them with comfort inside the tunnel. Soon after Turbo Granny is defeated, however, she makes a return as a possessed maneki-neko, eventually becoming a character providing support to the main characters. This is due to the fact that Turbo Granny always had good intentions to protect young girls, and now can help Momo and Okarun take on other evil forces.

Dandadan is currently streaming on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix.