The Empty Space Phenomenon, Explained

Key Takeaways

• The Empty Space Phenomenon serves as an alternate dimension for battles, activated by aliens targeting humans.
• It acts as a plot device to allow supernatural encounters and suggests the existence of parallel dimensions.
• The phenomenon impacts the world of Dandadan, providing aliens with a tactical advantage and unique world-building.

With so many unexplained phenomena in the world, some people believe in various forms of the supernatural, whether it be vampires, ghosts, or aliens. In Dandadan, Ken Takakura, and Ayase Momo have different beliefs about the existence of both ghosts and aliens, but they both turn out to be correct, as their long fantasized supernatural creatures exist.

However, that doesn’t mean they’re on their side. Suddenly finding themselves facing ghosts and aliens, Ken Takakura (Okarun) and Momo experience supernatural phenomena like the Empty Space Phenomenon which separates them into another dimension, but what are the true workings of this phenomenon, and how does it impact the various battles the protagonists must now fight in Dandadan?

What Is The Empty Space Phenomenon?

A Battleground Beyond Reality

• Manga Debut: Chapter 2
• Anime Debut: Episode 2

This phenomenon is nothing short of a battleground separated from but highly similar to reality, making it in essence an alternate dimension. The Empty Space phenomenon is activated by aliens, where their prey—humans whose banana organs they want to harvest —cannot escape them. As a sort of means and precaution, the aliens can tweak their empty space to allow only humans with a high spiritual attunement to be trapped in it, making it easy to segregate those with supernatural abilities and ordinary humans. Typically, only aliens have been seen to be capable of activating the phenomenon. However, aside from their personal capabilities, it seems they can also use it through advanced alien technology as the Serpo wrongly suggested that their device had malfunctioned as it also included Aira into the empty space when they used it against Momo and Okarun in their school, believing Aira to not have any remarkable spiritual awareness.

What and how exactly the Empty Space phenomena are created has been largely unexplored in the series, whether it be through alien technology or the personal abilities of the aliens. However, as a site for battle and capture, the phenomenon is perfect in that it leaves no traces to ordinary humans, something which has undoubtedly contributed to few knowing about the existence of extraterrestrial life and serves as a “place” for which aliens’ prey cannot escape them.

The appearance of the empty space phenomenon isn’t the same all around as it depends on the original site of where it is activated, that is, where the aliens seek to catch their prey. During the second episode where it was introduced, the Flatwoods Monster alien that attacked the Ayase residence used the residence’s layout as the foundation for the empty space but with tweaks such as walls here and there to make Ayase and Okarun incapable of escaping.

The Role Of The Empty Space Phenomena In The Plot

A Catalyst For Supernatural Encounters

For fans of Jujutsu Kaisen, when dissecting the empty space phenomenon, veils (curtains) come to mind. In Jujutsu Kaisen, veils are used to prevent ordinary humans outside from seeing any supernatural activity going on wherever the veil is cast or to trap sorcerers inside a veil, which is the same function the empty space phenomena serves in Dandadan. Aside from the primary role of preventing the alien’s prey from escaping and preventing ordinary humans from discovering their existence, the empty space phenomenon serves as a plot device to allow earth-shattering battles to take place but without any actual damage to the surroundings or reality. This helps maintain the whole structure of segregating normal humans from the supernatural.

While serving as a catalyst for supernatural encounters, the empty space phenomenon also hints at the existence of parallel dimensions in concordance with alien technologies. While the ghosts in the series take on a fully supernatural approach, the empty space phenomenon by aliens incorporates both the supernatural and science fiction. However, it also begs the question as to why all supernatural beings, aliens and ghosts alike, are unable to use the empty space phenomenon and why it’s limited to aliens only. This is most likely because, unlike ghosts which can only be seen by those with sufficient “spirituality,” aliens can be seen by all humans. After all, aliens are simply beings from outer space and not ghosts, which are in general manifestations of the resentments the living once had.

Impact Of The Phenomenon On The World Of Dandadan

Tactical Advantage Of The Empty Space

The empty space phenomenon is one trope that allows Dandadan to progress widely and in various ways. Particularly for aliens, with the empty space, they, in essence, become a God over whatever space they create, putting their enemies at a great disadvantage. This also ties into Dandadan’s world-building as it’s one of the things that separate ghosts and aliens. They each have unique fighting styles, different ways to hide themselves, different wants, and different ways to get their wants.

Due to the existence of an actual empty space phenomenon in reality, many wonder if Dandadan’s version is connected to a real-world occurrence. Unfortunately, that is not the case. The empty space phenomenon in Dandadan is simply a plot device explained by Dandadan’s science. In real life, the empty space phenomenon has to do with atoms and that’s not how Dandadan’s version is used.

Over time, fans are expected to see more of the empty space phenomenon as Okarun, Momo, Aira, and various new characters battle aliens. The way the empty space is used and adopted could affect a wide variety of outcomes and so it’ll be interesting to watch.

Dandadan is now available to stream on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix.