It’s been a while since I watched something with quite the odd premise. Typically, shows like Dandadan can go either one way or another depending on the presentation and the characters. Shows that are propped up by their characters but have a non-sensical story typically fare better than those that try to have a story with characters along for the ride. Which one of these is Dandadan and does it do enough to justify the hype it has been getting online?
Let’s go!
First Episode Synopsis
Momo got dumped by her oh-so-wonderful boyfriend. You know, one of those charming gentlemen who only wants sex and won’t hesitate to kick a girl in the stomach when she’s had enough of his crap. In other words, a dime a dozen in this day and age. The only reason why she dated him was because he looked like someone she admired, someone famous by the name of Ken Takakura. While she’s sulking around and hoping people will console her, she spies a nerdy otaku getting picked on by his classmates as they’re throwing wadded-up pieces of paper at him. She steps in and gets them to knock it off then leaves.
The boy mistakes this gesture as her being into the occult, so he follows her and tries to get her to be interested in things like UFO…. *ahem*… excuse me, UAPs. Momo goes off on him and hurts his feelings; however, she feels bad about it and confesses that she likes ghosts. The boy instantly makes fun of her by saying ghosts aren’t real so they make a wager. Momo must go to a place known for alien abductions while the boy needs to go to a place known for spiritual activity. If either one can prove that one or the other is real, then the loser will become the winner’s gofer.
Well, the things they thought weren’t real were and the boy ends up getting possessed by a spirit called Turbo Grandma…. Yes…. You read that correctly. She’s interested in the boy’s weenie… yes, you read that correctly, too. Meanwhile, Momo gets abducted by a race of male-exclusive aliens who have to reproduce by cloning so… they want to impregnate her, take her uterus, and her “banana.” Yes, you read that correctly as well.
The boy fails at escaping Turbo Grandma and she claims his weenie. This possesses him and allows the boy to travel to Momo’s location by coming out of her cell phone screen. (I swear I am not making any of this up). Momo then awakens psychic powers inside of her thanks to her grandmother being a spirit medium and teaching her about chi, and ends up beating the aliens. The boy comes to his senses but Turbo Grandma challenges them so it’s off to the tunnel. The episode ends when Momo asks what the boy’s name is… he says it’s Ken Takakura.
Worth Watching?
UH – I’m not sure what kind of rating to give Dandadan because I’m still processing everything that I have just seen. The only thing I can say for sure is that no matter how out there this show was, I want to see more of it. I don’t know what it is about the show but consider me hooked. The only complaint that I have about the show (and this is from a personal taste standpoint) is that there is too much screaming done by the characters. One of the things I loathe is the usage of screaming in an attempt to generate comedy. Plus, with my sensitive hearing, too much of it annoys me and makes me want to turn the show off.
Thankfully, the plot was interesting enough to keep me watching to where I disregarded the over-the-top attempts at humor. I can see the potential for some great and memorable moments… and I’m not talking about tender sweet moments but rather moments that will make us yell WHAT THE and tag an expletive at the end of it. I know I’ve already had a few of those in this first episode.
Either way, I may have given this a UH rating as a joke but the true rating is YES. Despite my personal issues with the over-the-top attempts at humor, there’s a lot more to love about Dandadan if you just want to turn your brain off and have some fun.
In other words, yes… it was reflective of the hype.
