After the cliffhanger conclusion of Dandadan‘s ground-breaking first season, fans everywhere are eager to know more about the mysterious world of the supernatural in the story. The Serpo Aliens who first appeared in Episode 1 are positioned to remain primary antagonists of Dandadan; however, far less has been revealed about the final yokai teased at the end of the second season, making their limited appearances in Season 1 a vital l
From the series premiere of Dandadan, yokai play a central role in the story, and once Turbo Granny’s spirit possesses Ken Takakura, the series’ cast becomes increasingly familiar with the world of the supernatural. Together, Okarun and Momo Ayase encounter several strange yokai with unique abilities and origins, each of which adds to Dandadan‘s supernatural setting and reveals more about spirits that is certain to be explored in more depth as the story continues.
5 A Dangerous Mountain Yokai Terrorizes Jiji’s Family
Episodes 11 & 12
According to teasers announcing the production of Dandadan‘s highly anticipated second season, the yokai teased in the penultimate episode of Season 1 is positioned to be a significant threat in the next part of the story. After Jiji arrives at the Ayase residence in Episode 11 to seek help with an exorcism, he recounts his terrifying experiences with a yokai in his family’s home in the mountains to Momo. Through a series of flashbacks, Jiji’s horrific encounters with the evil yokai living in his home are laid out for fans to see.
The yokai’s terrifying appearance is plenty unsettling on its own, and the harm it has caused makes it even more sinister. Three talented spirit mediums were pushed to suicide because of interacting with the dark spirit, leaving Granny Seiko as the last resort to save Jiji’s parents who have become increasingly ill since moving into the home.
After discovering what appears to be the source of evil energy in Jiji’s house, Okarun and Jiji are primed for a full-fledged encounter with the yokai as soon as season two follows up on this cliffhanger finale sequence. That said, for the time being, the unfinished nature of this yokai encounter means it ranks as the worst of Dandadan‘s first season.
4 Taro the Anatomy Model Rivals Turbo Granny’s Speed
Episodes 11 & 12
One of the best chase sequences in Dandadan‘s first season happens in Episode 11, “First Love,” when a sentient anatomy model suddenly appears on Momo and Okarun’s school campus. Turbo Granny, the spirit who empowers Okarun, is renowned for her incredible inhuman speed. However, the sentient male anatomy model, Taro, keeps up with Okarun’s pace effortlessly, leading to the absurd chase that leads them all to an incredible discovery: the female counterpart to Taro buried in a trash heap.
Momo, Okarun, and Jiji team up for the first time to chase Taro from their school to the junkyard where Hana (the female anatomy model) has been discarded. The long-winded chase doesn’t fail to entertain before culminating in a heartfelt reunion between the anatomy models, revealing their romantic bond. While it’s not yet clear what sort of supernatural power sparked their existence, Taro and Hana are highly reminiscent of the beckoning cat that contains Turbo Granny’s spirit. If a yokai is behind their existence, as it seems, Dandadan anime fans will have to tune in for season two to get a full explanation of these strange beings.
3 Okarun Desperately Tries to Outrun Turbo Granny
Episode 1: That’s How Love Starts, Ya Know!
One of the most iconic yokai encounters of Dandadan‘s first season is the one that starts it all. Episode 1 follows Momo and Okarun as they attempt to disprove each other’s beliefs in the supernatural, only for them to confront exactly what they set out to disprove. While Momo defends herself against a trio of aliens, Okarun fights to outrun the insanely fast Turbo Granny in the tunnel she’s made into her domain — and the consequences of losing the race set Okarun’s character arc into motion. Turbo Granny announces herself to Okarun in the tunnel with a vulgar proposition before threatening to consume his male organ. Okarun’s best effort at running never stood a chance against the physical prowess of Turbo Granny’s powerful spirit, meaning he was fated to lose from the moment he entered the tunnel.
The fates of Momo and Okarun appear to be sealed with a death stamp before Turbo Granny suddenly takes possession of his body and travels through Momo’s cell phone to fight her alien would-be abductors. The encounter introduces Turbo Granny’s immense power, which becomes Okarun’s to wield as their zany journey to reclaim his body parts unravels.
Momo Ayase’s tremendous spiritual gifts also manifest for the first time during this sequence, giving her the strength to make short work of the aliens who were trying to extract her female organs moments earlier. Were it not for a pair of other yokai encounters later in Season 1, Dandadan‘s opening sequence would rank as its best by a considerable margin.
2 The Earthbound Spirit Crab Meets Its Demise
Episode 4: Kicking Turbo Granny’s Ass
The first season of Dandadan covers a lot of ground, and with each passing episode, it becomes more and more clear that Momo Ayase and Okarun share a legitimately meaningful connection. In addition to the pair’s seemingly immense spiritual potential, the duo also show the telltale signs of a budding romance, and as almost any fan of the series would agree, their will-they-won’t-they dynamic is the primary throughline of the entire series. While only time will tell what the future holds for Momo and Okarun’s romance, their battle with the Earthbound Spirit Crab in Episode 4 of Season 1 is a clear indicator of what the future holds for them as fighters: raw destruction.
In a sequence that would be at home in a high-stakes, action-heavy series like Jujutsu Kaisen, Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura use their newfound powers to go all-out against the location-bound spirit that initially boosted Turbo Granny’s strength. Their efforts in this sequence push both characters to the limit, and in the end, they go toe-to-toe with the Earthbound Spirit Crab for long enough to lure it and Turbo Granny into a trap created by Seiko, resulting in its exorcism once and for all. Overall, the outstanding action of this fight, as well as the way it serves as the culmination of Momo and Okarun’s opening arc, make it one of the best yokai encounters in Season 1.
1 Acrobat Silky Willingly Sacrifices Herself to Save Aira
Episodes 6 & 7
From its opening moments (which see Momo Ayase rudely propositioned by her deadbeat boyfriend), Dandadan makes it quite clear that it’s not going to take itself too seriously. The show’s entire first season is filled with humor and levity, and mostly, it rarely deviates from its comedic formula.
However, in between bouts of juvenille humor and over-the-top action, there are some legitimately touching moments in Dandadan‘s first season, and none of them are handled with more poise and precision than the entire narrative surrounding Acrobat Silky and Aira. Although Acrobat Silky initially appears in the series in her horrifying yokai form, her battle with Okarun, Momo and Aira eventually leads to the reveal of what is undeniably one of the most unexpectedly poignant backstories in recent memory.
As a human, Acrobat Silky was a hard-working single mother who struggled to navigate her growing debt, eventually leading to a heartbreaking assault that not only left her bruised and battered but also without her only daughter, who was taken as payment for her debt. In a tragically touching display, Acrobat Silky spent her last moments performing one last dance — a hobby of hers — before leaping to her death. Ultimately, it is Aira who gave the grieving mother’s spirit a chance at peace, which Silky achieves at the end of her battle with Dandadan‘s main characters.
While Aira and Silky aren’t the protagonists of the series, this fight shows how transformative the anime adaptation process can truly be, and even to non-anime fans, it’s a wistful sequence that does a shockingly good job of putting its finger on life’s most traumatic experiences. For this reason, as well as many others, the clash with Acrobat Silky is the best yokai encounter in Dandadan‘s breakout first season.