Dandadan is shaping up to be one of the biggest anime of the year. With Science Saru joining the cast, the show is set to expose a whole new audience to the world of the paranormal. From ghosts to aliens, Dandadan does it all with the perfect blend of horror and comedy. And in a recent interview, series creator Yukinobu Tatsu said his manga came about after adapting stories from Junji Ito and Ultraman.
The inspiration behind Dandadan
In a recent interview, Yukinobu Tatsu mentioned the inspiration behind his work: “I sometimes look at Junji Ito’s work. I think to myself, ‘Why is this drawing so scary?’. I find his drawings very detailed and have a lot of strange lines. But he has scenes that make me laugh and wonder, ‘Isn’t this a joke?’. I think fear and humor go hand in hand.”
Tatsu then says that he looked at Ultraman when sketching the aliens and monsters of Dandadan. “I really like Narita Toru, who is most famous for his Ultraman designs. When I was in elementary school and watched Ultraman reruns during summer vacation, I thought it was just a superhero story. But when I looked at Toru's designs when I was older, I discovered… a raw, creepy element that I really liked.”the author added.
From Ultraman to Junji Ito, the story of Dandadan hardly exists by accident. Tatsu looked at the successes that came before him and created his own.
If you're unfamiliar with the name Dandadan, take some time to check out the manga before the anime premieres this Fall.
Contents of Dandadan:
“Momo Ayase begins an unusual friendship with a UFO fan at school, whom she nicknames “Okarun” because he has a name she's not allowed to say. While Momo believes in spirits, she thinks aliens are nothing but nonsense, while her new friend thinks otherwise. To solve the problem, the two set out to prove the other wrong. Momo goes to a UFO hotspot and Okarun goes to a haunted tunnel! What follows is a beautiful story of young love… aliens and strange spirits.”
Dandadan is a shonen manga of the science fiction genre combined with demonic elements. With its uniqueness, Dandadan has become a phenomenon since its debut. Up to now, the story is still maintaining its necessary form and expanding the world more and more.
