’Dandadan’ review: “Let’s Go to the Cursed House”

Dandadan Episode 12 brings the electrifying debut season to an abrupt halt. One of the best things that the series consistently successfully executes is its ability to catch viewers off guard. It’s a mainstay in both the manga and the anime adaptation, playing on this unpredictability throughout the notes of the Season 1 finale, “Let’s Go to the Cursed House.” While the episode doesn’t reach the same visual highs as some of the more notable installments of the series so far, it works to develop these characters further while setting the stage for the recently announced Season 2. The cliffhanger is brutal, but we only have to wait until July 2025. 

That signature screwball energy announces itself loud and clear in the early moments of “Let’s Go to the Cursed House.” Dandandan’s few moments of peace don’t come with the following quiet. The three teenagers beg Seiko (Nana Mizuki) to allow Hana to stay at the house, promising that her lover, the fellow sentient anatomical model Taro, will meet her that night. Any sequence within the walls of Seiko’s laces itself with charm and subtle brilliance. Early in the series, it was Aira (Ayane Sakura) and Momo (Shion Wakayama) verbally duking it out while consuming copious amounts of food and circling the ever-expanding dinner table. Now, it’s Okarun (Natsuki Hanae) and Jiji (Kaito Ishikawa) squaring off while enacting, to a degree, the opening of Slam Dunk. It’s absurd but also the strongest reminder that these are teenagers. And these lovable doofuses are loud. 

While the Taro story is a bit of a momentum killer between the Mantis Shrimp fight and the story that will open up Season 2, it does allow for one hilarious gag. Taro runs through the streets to be with Hana, only for a truck to plow him down mid plight. He still arrives, road torn and messy, but the image of him sprinting through the streets and calmly taking the bus is easy comedy. Funnier still is the image of an exhausted Momo promising Hana she’ll wait with her, only to pass out. 

Jiji continues to be a welcome addition in Dandadan Episode 12.

But the bulk of Dandadan Episode 12 finds Momo, Okarun, and Jiji traveling to the latter’s family home to exorcize whatever spirits possess it. The travel allows for a few notable things to happen. The first is Okarun’s further realization of his jealousy regarding Jiji and Momo’s relationship. Dandandan refuses easy solutions or tropes, however. Okarun is jealous, but he isn’t bitter towards Momo about it. He’s angry with himself over his feelings, mainly due to how much he cherishes Momo as not just any friend but his first friend. It’s yet another example of how Momo and Okarun buck traditional archetypal roles.

Okarun’s jealousy also hits a hurdle because he finds Jiji likable, especially when Jiji expresses curiosity over Okarun’s interests. Sure, they eventually squabble by trying to one-up each other about what they like about Momo, but it also happens while kicking a soccer ball back and forth. It’s low stakes, and seeing the friend group expand is heartwarming, even amongst such sinister settings. 

This brings us to the most notable character beat of the episode, which is the realization that Jiji isn’t relatively as carefree as how he presents. His over-emoting and heightened expressions create a stark visual contrast between our two leads. But Episode 12 shows him behind closed doors, beholden to insomnia and plagued by hallucinations of the spirit likely responsible for his parent’s illness. The shot to the spirit is suitably eerie and is just one of the unsettling beats of the episode. Because of all of the terror that these characters have faced, Episode 12 might be the creepiest in terms of the dread that imbues the setting. 

Dandadan’s worst aspect rears its ugly head once more in the finale.

Sequences such as the ominous townspeople who loom large over these kids as they travel to Jiji’s home help craft an otherworldly atmosphere. Their grayish pallor, and perpetual grins, along with the otherwise vacant streets, is decisive and plays into greater horror undertones. We’re moving out of the strictly science-fiction and spiritual into something much more haunted. 

It’s impressive that even when the action is nonexistent, the direction still creates dynamic shots. The team at Science Saru is exemplary, creating apprehension as Momo travels to an onsen on her own. While she didn’t detect any spirits at Jiji’s house, something was clearly amiss. Suddenly, a group of men bombard Momo, surrounding her in the onsen. Their cadence and physicality suggest something otherworldly about them while also demonstrating the real threat that Momo is up against, especially as the heat of the onsen makes her dizzy. 

One of the biggest hurdles in getting into Dandadan is the first chapter/episode where Momo deals with a threat of sexual violence. It’s tasteless and fails to serve the plot. For the most part, it’s a one-and-done example, especially as Momo repeatedly proves herself the most formidable member of their party. It’s a shame, then, to see her up against this type of threat again. At the very least, the camera isn’t as leering as it was in Episode 1, but it’s a low bar. And to end it as she’s in peril, being held underwater, is skin crawling and not in the way the story necessarily hopes to achieve.

 A necessary, but abrupt, ending.

At least this time the show isn’t playing it for humor. These men, their lewd comments and predatory gazes are seen rightfully repulsive. But for a manga that often manages to escape the trappings of its first impression, it’s a shame the season is ending where it began in that regard. 

This makes Okarun and Jiji’s final moment all the more palatable in its creepiness. The shot of the two realizing there’s an extra room in Jiji’s house is a fantastic sleight of hand. It puts it in clear sight after introducing the house earlier, waiting for us to catch up. Their discovery of the secret room and its many scattering talismans is the perfect way to kick off the upcoming arc. 

It’s a shame that Science Saru couldn’t swing for a full 24-episode season. Because while it’s a solid way to leave things in limbo and keep viewers engaged, it’s a clumsy pivot point for an arc pivotal to the series. 

Regardless, Episode 12 is another example of the series’ do-it-all mentality. Dandadan is one of the best anime of 2024 because of its ability to blend genres while keeping viewers guessing. Momo and Okarun remain the sweet, wholesome heart of the series as endlessly dizzying mayhem surrounds them. Its abundance of camaraderie and compassion makes for an engaging story. The visuals and grandiose animation perfectly tap into the kinetic energy of the manga. Episode 12 might not be a satisfying ending for manga readers, but it will ensure those just tuning into the anime return to see what’s in store for them next. 

Fabulously bold, with evident artistry in every frame, Dandadan continues to clear its own bar. 

Dandadan Season 1 is out now on Crunchyroll and Netflix. 

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Images courtesy of Science Saru / GKIDS / Crunchyroll.