Dandadan first aired in October 2024, and consisted of 12 episodes following the paranormal and alien adventures of Momo and Okarun. Though there were only 12 episodes, a lot of content was packed in. From fast-paced chase scenes to witty humor, did you catch every detail?
If not, then don’t worry! Here, we are going to go over some details from Dandadan that you may have missed. Although Dandadan has a manga, we will only be covering details from the anime. If you haven’t seen all of the first season yet, this will contain light spoilers; nothing too serious though.
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Turbo Granny
Turbo Granny appeared in the very first episode of Dandadan. After confronting Okarun in the tunnel, we learn a bit more about her. This isn’t the first time Turbo Granny has appeared in media though. In addition to being a real yokai in Japanese folklore, Turbo Granny has appeared in things like Shin Megami Tensei, Persona 2, and Mob Psycho.
Interestingly, her appearance in Mob Psycho is incredibly similar to her introduction in Dandadan. Both shows had a long tunnel with a protagonist who encountered Turbo Granny (or Dash Granny). While these are both based off of her real-life lore, it’s still cool to see two interpretations of the same character.
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Okarun’s Transformation
When Okarun transforms due to Turbo Granny’s spirit, his appearance changes. With tall white hair and a mask, this transformed Okarun has a slightly tweaked outfit and no shoes. We see this transformation happen on the screen, but did you know it’s not actually visible?
To the average person, Okarun doesn’t look any different. His posture does change a bit though, so others may just see him start to slouch a bit. Thankfully, we can witness how cool the transformed Okarun looks.
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Okarun & Jiji’s Slam Dunk Song
Jiji is a central character in Dandadan, but he only appears at the tail end of the anime. Still, his large presence is immediately established. While in Momo’s house, we witness this rival pair face off in a song that comes out more like a screaming match.
What is this song though? Fans of Slam Dunk should recognize the tune that they are (trying to) sing. This is actually the opening song for Slam Dunk! This is a basketball anime from the ’90s that is immensely popular. It’s also worth noting that the hair colors of Okarun and Jiji match the hair of the two main characters in Slam Dunk.
5
Mr. Mantis’ ABBA Song
Speaking of songs, let’s talk about Mr. Mantis. This character first appears midway through the show. Overall, he is packed full of references, but one unique reference is the song that he sings. While facing down Okarun and Momo, Mr. Mantis attempts to sing the song Chiquitita by ABBA.
Sure, he isn’t the best singer. If you don’t know the song, then you probably have no idea what he was trying to sing. Who knew that Mr. Mantis was a fan of ABBA?
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Seiko’s Sleeping Mask
Dandadan references a lot of other media. One possible reference we found is to Gintama. Momo’s grandma (Seiko) is seen wearing a red sleeping mask that has two cartoonish eyes drawn on it. While it may just be a common mask, it could also be a reference to Sogo’s mask in Gintama.
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Sogo is a recurring character in Gintama, known for his exceptional skill and unique personality. While watching Gintama, you can also catch him wearing the same exact sleeping mask as Seiko.
3
Taro’s Voice Actor
Because of this detail, we believe that the previous entry is a reference rather than a coincidence.
Strap in for another Gintama reference; this one takes some explaining. Gin in Japanese means silver, while Kin means gold. The word Kintama is sometimes used as a slang word for testicles, with ‘tama’ meaning jewel or egg. The word can be interpreted in a broader sense, even being taken to mean ‘soul’. When paired with kin though, it becomes a slang word.
Gintama isn’t the main character’s name; it’s actually Gintoki. On top of this, Gintoki is based on the Japanese folk hero named Kintaro. So basically, Gintama is a play on the slang word for testicle, and Gintoki is a play on the hero Kintoki.
Now for the Dandadan explanation. In episode 11, we meet an anatomical model named Taro, who Momo thinks has Okarun’s kintama. This model is voiced by none other than the voice actor of Gintoki from Gintama. Taro doesn’t actually have the real kintama of Okarun though, it’s actually just a Christmas ornament.
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Otonoke Sampling
The opening of Dandadan is phenomenal. It sounds quite different than many other anime openings, and once you listen to the full version of Otonoke, you may even feel inclined to check out the rest of Creepy Nuts’ discography.
In the opening, you’ll hear a high-pitched voice that many people initially thought was a Pikmin. Somehow, Reddit user DankidyDan discovered that this is actually a sped-up sample from the 1915 song called “I’ve Been Floating Down the Old Green River”. The fact that the Reddit user discovered this is amazing.
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Turbo Granny’s Voice Actor
Last but not least, let’s circle back to Turbo Granny. If you feel like you recognize her voice, it’s for a good reason! Turbo Granny is voiced by the iconic Mayumi Tanaka, who is also the voice of Luffy. When we first meet Turbo Granny in the tunnel, she doesn’t sound too similar to Luffy.
When Turbo Granny is in her Maneki-Neko form though, you can hear the similarities. This version of the yokai sounds like Luffy, specifically when he shrinks down after using Gear Three.
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