This article contains a brief discussion of sexual assault.
Warning: Contains spoilers for Dandadan episodes #1-#3. While Science Saru Taste won't be coming to Crunchyroll and Netflix until October 2024, GKIDS is giving everyone a sneak peek at the series with its theatrical release. Dandadan: The First Meeting.First Encounter covers the first three episodes of the anime and also features an interview with the voice actors for Momo and Okarun, Shion Wakayama and Natsuki Hanae, director Fuga Yamashiro, series author Yukinobu Tatsu, and Tatsu's editor, Shihei Lin.
It's rare for an anime to get as much hype and attention as Dandadan, and based on Dandadan: First Encounter, it's well deserved. Between the incredible plot and action of the source material and the way it's been effortlessly adapted to animation through Fuga Yamashiro's smart direction, Dandadan: First Encounter shows that The anime adaptation of Dandadan will perfectly capture the essence and charm of the manga to deliver an even better experience than the original.. First Encounter alone is enough to be a strong candidate for the title of best anime of 2024, and the rest of the anime will follow that path.
Dandadan has some of the best anime of 2024
One of Science Saru's most beautiful projects to date
As for what makes Dandadan: First Encounter great to watch, the first element to highlight is the animation. The Dandadan manga is known for its gorgeous illustrations and dynamic fight choreography, and sure enough, Dandadan: First Encounter perfectly captures the appeal of manga with incredible artwork and the way every fight is filled with smooth animation and creative camera work. The trailers for the Dandadan anime made it clear that it was going to look amazing, and the finished project is even more amazing to behold.
Of course, the animation in Dandadan: First Encounter is even better when it's not focused on the action. While the action scenes are the highlight of the film, Dandadan: First Encounter always takes the time to add a lot of fluidity and general flair to all of its animation, no matter how insignificant it may seem, resulting in a lot of dynamic energy from the cast in every scene. Science Saru is known for having some of the best animation of any studio, and their talent is on full display in Dandadan.
A Few Things About Dandadan: First Meetings Can Be Turning Someone Off
Dandadan: The Very Minor Flaws of First Encounter
While Dandadan: First Encounter is great, there are some parts that might turn people off, both as a movie and as part of the overall Dandadan story. As a theatrical release, while the first three episodes build a cohesive story from start to finish, Dandadan: First Encounter ends with the conflict with Turbo Granny still unresolved, makes it feel more like an advertisement for the anime than the product itself. GKIDS probably didn't want to release too many episodes before the anime officially premiered, but it still ended strangely anyway.
There are also a few aspects of Dandadan that can be frustrating beyond the presentation. First, while much of the art and animation is great, Dandadan has a bad habit of using clumsy CGI to represent aliens and monsters in its stories.and like other anime, it's always annoying whenever it happens. This doesn't happen often in First Encounter, and the CGI isn't the worst one can find in an anime, but that doesn't stop it from detracting from the overall experience, even if just a little.
However, the biggest problem people might have with Dandadan is its sexually explicit plot. It's one thing for a shonen anime to have fanservice and dirty jokes, but Dandadan's sexual content is taken to a much greater and more disturbing level than other anime of the same genre.with the majority of Dandadan episode #1 revolving around the alien wanting to rape Momo and the general plot revolving around Okarun losing her genitals.
Even if it's important to the plot, having too much sexual content can easily turn people off, but hopefully the series won't be defined by that kind of content.
Dandadan: First Encounter's Director Perfectly Shows How Great Anime Can Be
Anime directed by Fuga Yamashiro
One thing about Dandadan: First Encounter that also deserves praise is its directing. One thing is that the art and animation look so beautiful, but between the great soundtrack, the way the colors always change to match the mood, and the many small but impactful changes like the way the scares are executed and an explosion that emphasizes Momo's love for Okarun, Director Dandadan always does wonders when it comes to showing the power of anime from every angle..
It's clear that Dandadan is an anime that's both compelling and stylish, and future episodes are sure to be even better. Of course, all of that comes from the incredible direction of series director Fuga Yamashiro, a veteran of Science Saru who's directed works like Ride Your Wave and Inu-Oh. Based on a pre-screening interview, Dandadan director Fuga Yamashiro understands the importance of preserving the original manga while still tweaking everything to fit the animation. From First Encounter alone, it's clear that there's no better director for this anime, and that will definitely show in the sequels as well.
The cast of Dandadan delivers the story in both action and comedy
Dandadan is nothing without a great cast
However, the biggest selling point of Dandadan: First Encounter and Dandadan anime in general is the cast of heroes and villains, alike. Whether it's comedy, drama, or one that does both, Dandadan's characters are always written to be as interesting as possible.even if they only appear in one scene and there is no indication that they will return to the plot. Some of the best parts of the series are the characters interacting with each other, and the anime does a great job of showcasing that.
Dandadan's strong character writing is most evident in the dynamic between its two main characters, Momo and Okarun. Dandadan always does a great job of showing their chemistry as supportive friends and as two kids in the midst of a budding romance, so whether it's a comedic moment or a romantic moment, Dandadan is always at its best when it focuses on the relationship between Momo and OkarunDirector Fuga Yamashiro said it was important to maintain the friendship between Momo and Okarun, and from just the first three episodes, this relationship has been handled perfectly.
Putting aside a few issues with presentation and plot, Dandadan: First Encounter sold Dandadan perfectly through its amazing animation, directing, and character building.and that clearly shows that the anime will more than live up to the hype it has gathered since it was first announced. Dandadan is sure to be one of the biggest anime of fall 2024, if not 2024 in general, and for anyone who wants an early preview of what to expect, Dandadan: The First Meeting is the perfect place to start.
