The Title Origins of Dandadan, Explained

Dandadan is a manga and anime that has a strong fanbase and following, with many enjoying the mixture of comedic moments with the supernatural. The show features quite a few popular characters as well, including Okarun, Momo, Seiko Ayase, Aira, and many more. These characters form a team as they work to stop aliens and Yokai from getting into human society and hurting others.

However, one thing that remains elusive to a lot of fans is the origin of the title of Dandadan. There aren’t immediate hints towards what it means, and it isn’t as simple as just naming the anime after a character. So, what exactly does the title mean, and how does it relate to the show?

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The Story of Dandadan

What Is Dandadan About?

In order to understand what Dandadan‘s title potentially means, it is crucial to know what the story of the anime is about, and the importance of the relationship between the characters. Dandadan follows Momo Ayase and Okarun, two high school students who believe in ghosts and aliens respectively. The two of them come together, eventually seeking out the occult and extraterrestrial, only to find that both exist. Soon after their meeting, Okarun is possessed by Turbo Granny, and has his personal “belongings” taken from him.

Momo develops psychic powers, while Okarun uses his possession by Turbo Granny to awaken his own abilities. The two work together to take down any aliens and Yokai they come across, bringing along a few other friends as well, such as Jiji and Aira. As the group spends their time searching for Okarun’s golden balls, eventually, Momo and Okarun begin to form a strong bond, developing romantic feelings for each other.

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What The Title Dandadan Possibly Means

Hints We’ve Received In The Story

While the title origins of Dandadan have not officially been revealed, there have been a few hints given to fans through the manga, in particular chapters. Specifically, Chapter 163 depicts the character Count Saint-Germain asking a Yokai if they are familiar with the ‘Dandadan’. Just after he mentions this, the manga shows a few panels depicting the Womb Realm Mandala, specifically the Center Eight Petal Hall found in Esoteric Buddhism. While this is all we get in the manga, as it is not mentioned again in the following chapters, there’s a lot that can be deduced from this small piece of information.

For one, fans can take the information known about the antagonist Count Saint-Germain and use it to deduce the fact that the Dandadan that he mentions is most likely a powerful object or ability that he is attempting to get his hands on. He is known to collect many different cursed objects and ancient relics, so it only makes sense that he would be looking to add another item to his collection. We can also deduce from the meaning of “Danda”, which is a powerful scepter in Hinduism, that he could be looking for an incredibly powerful weapon.

What is the Womb Realm Mandala?

As mentioned previously, readers get a glimpse into the Womb Realm Mandala in the last two panels in Chapter 163. So, what exactly is the Womb Realm Mandala? It is one of the two mandalas of Esoteric Buddhism, with the other being the Diamond Realm Mandala. It comes from the Mahavairochana Sutra and represents the fundamental principle of the Universe, the Dharma Body of Mahavairochana Buddha. In the mandala, we can see twelve great halls, with the court of the eight-petaled Lotus in the middle. Mahavairochana Buddha is sitting in the middle of the Lotus, with four other Buddhas and four bodhisattvas seated on the other petals in the surrounding area.

The Mahavairochana Sutra is an important scripture in Buddhism that, in summary, says that followers will be able to obtain Buddha wisdom once they are able to observe the true nature of their mind. There are three stages that must be followed, including:

• Preliminary
• Application
• Accomplishment

Once accomplishment is reached, this is when the follower has been led to enlightenment. It is likely that Count Saint-Germain is particularly looking to reach enlightenment, and might use the Dandadan as a way to achieve this feat. So, it is highly possible that the title Dandadan could be referring to some type of power or object with supernatural abilities that Count Saint-Germain could be after, and it could be used to stop powerful Yokai or aliens from being unleashed onto the world.

However, some fans have also speculated that Dandadan could be related to the Center Eight Petal Hall and the Danmanra card, and how they both depict nine characters, which is the total number of kids that Seiko Ayase takes in to join the team. Each of these characters is connected to the occult or aliens in some way, with all coming together as some piece of the Dandadan, whatever it may be. There’s still a lot more to uncover in the series, with the meaning of Dandadan most likely being a large part of the manga’s eventual finale.

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

Based on Yukinobu Tatsu’s popular manga that debuted in 2021 on Shonen Jump+, Dandadan blends action, comedy, romance, and supernatural thrills to create a unique and satisfying adventure. Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura believe in the extraordinary, although the former believes in ghosts and the latter believes in aliens. Determined to confirm their side’s existence, they set out to find their proof.

Release Date

September 13, 2024

Main Genre

Animation

Seasons

1

Character(s)

Ken Okarun Takakura , Momo Ayase , Seiko , Aira Shiratori , Jin Jiji Enjōji , Turbo Granny , Serpoians , Miko , Muko , Momo’s Boyfriend , Male Student A , Male Student B , Elementary School Boy , Flatwoods Monster