Dandadan Story Explained: The Wildest Anime of 2024
Dandadan is a story about two high schoolers who make a bet to prove each other wrong—and end up discovering that both aliens AND ghosts are real. Momo Ayase, a girl who believes in spirits but not extraterrestrials, and Ken Takakura (nicknamed “Okarun”), an occult fanatic who believes in aliens but not ghosts, are thrust into a chaotic world where supernatural forces collide. Momo awakens psychic powers after being abducted by aliens, while Okarun gets possessed by a turbo-granny spirit. Now they’re fighting supernatural threats, navigating high school drama, and trying to find Okarun’s missing testicles. Yes, you read that right .
If you haven’t watched Dandadan yet, you’re missing out on one of the most refreshingly insane anime in years. It’s a show that blends action, comedy, romance, and horror into a cocktail so potent it shouldn’t work—but somehow does. Science Saru’s fluid animation and the banger opening by Creepy Nuts only add to the chaos .
Here’s everything you need to know about the story so far.
The Premise: A Bet That Changes Everything
Momo Ayase is a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums. She believes in ghosts, not aliens—mostly because her grandmother Seiko raised her in that world . Okarun is a shy, friendless nerd who believes in aliens and UFOs, but denies ghosts exist .
They meet when Momo defends Okarun from bullies. A conversation spirals into a bet: Momo will go to a UFO hotspot to prove aliens don’t exist, and Okarun will go to a haunted tunnel to prove ghosts aren’t real.
Both are spectacularly wrong.
Momo is abducted by the Serpoians—an all-male alien race from the planet Serpo in the Zeta Reticuli system. They want to harvest her reproductive organs because they can’t reproduce naturally. But in a moment of crisis, Momo taps into her latent psychic abilities—a power her grandmother always told her she had . She gains psychokinesis, aura detection, and impressive durability .
Meanwhile, Okarun encounters the Turbo Granny—a legendary yokai from Hyogo Prefecture that haunts highways and tunnels . He can’t outrun her, so she possesses him. Okarun gains her powers: super speed, the ability to travel through telephone wires, and a terrifying demonic form . But the possession comes with a side effect: Turbo Granny takes his testicles as compensation for using her power. Yes, his kintama .
Together, they escape. Now they’re bonded by trauma, a weirdly specific quest, and the slow burn of mutual attraction.
The Main Characters: Who’s Who in This Chaotic World
Momo Ayase (The Ghost Believer)
Momo starts as a loud, stubborn high schooler who’s tired of looking foolish. She used to walk around with her finger over her head, channeling chi like her grandmother taught her—and got bullied for it . After awakening her powers, she embraces them. Her abilities include:
- Psychokinesis: She can grab objects with invisible hands and use them to defend herself.
- Aura Detection: She can locate hidden spirits and curses.
- Intelligence Under Pressure: She stays calm when Okarun panics .
Momo’s also crushing on actor Ken Takakura, so she nicknames her classmate “Okarun” to avoid getting flustered by his real name . Underneath all the bravado, she’s fiercely protective and growing closer to Okarun.
Okarun (The Alien Believer)
Okarun is shy, awkward, and desperate for friends. Momo is his first real friend in years . He’s humble despite his incredible power—when he transforms, he’s super fast, durable, and surprisingly suave. But in his normal form, he’s still the nerd who can’t talk to girls.
His powers, inherited from Turbo Granny:
- Super speed and reflexes
- Bite attacks from his demon mask
- Telephone wire travel
- Astral projection
His main goal? Getting his testicles back. This quest drives most of the early plot .
Turbo Granny (The Yokai)
A legendary Japanese cryptid who haunts abandoned tunnels. In folklore, she’s an elderly woman who chases speeding cars and either causes accidents or warns drivers of danger . In Dandadan, she’s an antagonistic spirit who possesses Okarun and steals his kintama. She’s later exorcised but continues to be a presence in the story.
Aira Shiratori (The Delusional Girl)
Aira is a classmate who becomes possessed by Acrobatic Silky, another yokai. In life, Acrobatic Silky was a woman who worked multiple jobs to support her daughter, was beaten by loan sharks, and died by suicide . She latches onto Aira because she resembles her lost child. Aira eventually gains Acrobatic Silky’s powers and joins the crew.
Jiji (Momo’s Childhood Friend)
Jiji is an old friend who shows up seeking help with a haunted house. The curse turns out to be the Evil Eye, a powerful yokai that gets sealed inside him. He becomes another member of the ever-growing chaotic family.
The Plot So Far: What’s Happened in the Story
The Turbo Granny Arc (Chapters 1-8)
Momo and Okarun’s first adventure. After their initial encounter with the Serpoians and Turbo Granny, they team up with Momo’s grandmother Seiko to exorcise Turbo Granny from Okarun. They defeat her—but not before they realize that Okarun’s testicles are gone, and they must find them .
Why It Matters: This arc introduces the core dynamic: Momo and Okarun fighting both aliens and ghosts while navigating their growing bond.
The Acrobatic Silky Arc (Chapters 9-17)
Their search for the first kintama leads them to Aira Shiratori, who has one in her possession. Before they can get it back, Acrobatic Silky attacks. The team defeats the yokai, and Aira inherits her powers—becoming a valuable ally .
The Tragic Beat: Acrobatic Silky’s backstory is heartbreaking. She was a mother who lost everything. It’s a gut-punch moment that shows Dandadan’s emotional depth .
The Serpo Arc (Chapters 18-27)
The Serpoians return with new allies: Nessie the Loch Ness Monster and a Dover Demon. They want Okarun’s Turbo Granny powers. Meanwhile, Aira awakens her own abilities. The team bonds further while fighting extraterrestrials .
The Cursed House Arc (Chapters 28-50)
Jiji, Momo’s childhood friend, asks for help with a haunted house. The curse turns out to be a powerful yokai called the Evil Eye, which is sealed inside Jiji . This arc introduces new layers of supernatural threats and shows Okarun’s determination to protect Momo.
The Evil Eye Arc (Chapters 51-62)
Jiji refuses to exorcise the Evil Eye because he’s bonded with it. The team must keep him under control. Okarun decides to get stronger by seeking help from Turbo Granny again .
The Kaiju Arc (Chapters 63-73)
Momo and Okarun track down what they think is another missing kintama—a golden sphere. It turns out to be a mobile, evasive object. Then a kaiju appears. The team (now including Aira, Jiji, and new ally Kinta Sakata) must fight a giant monster. This arc is pure peak chaos .
The Space Globalists Arc (Chapters 74-120)
This is where the story expands massively. An alien invasion threatens Earth. The Kur, a militaristic race of octopus-like aliens, are the villains. They’ve already destroyed Vamola’s home planet, Sumer . Vamola, a Sumerian survivor, crash-lands on Earth wearing a kaiju exosuit and attacks—but she’s actually looking for a strong husband to protect her .
Vamola’s Backstory: She’s the sole survivor of Sumer, a planet that was the “ancestor” of Earth. The Kur invaded, killed the men, enslaved the survivors, and fed them to a “Big Mama” alien to create exosuits . The women formed a resistance and sent Vamola to Earth to survive.
The team defeats the Kur with the help of Reiko Kashima, the Slit-Mouthed Woman, one of Japan’s most terrifying urban legends . Vamola joins the crew and becomes a beloved character.
The Onbusuman Arc (Chapters 121-128)
A smaller arc where the team helps a class representative named Rin Sawaki deal with a yokai called Onbusuman. Also, Okarun discovers another kintama has been handed in as lost property .
The Danmara Arc (Chapters 129-165)
The second kintama is in the possession of Unji Zuma, a young man who needs it to conquer a cursed diorama called Danmara . Momo is accidentally sent inside, while Okarun and the others work to rescue her. This arc goes even deeper into the series’ mythology and explores Unji’s tragic past.
The Current Status: Where the Manga Stands
The manga is currently in the Ultimate Yokai Saga, where Count Saint-Germain and his associate Vlad are hunting for the crew’s powers. More critically, Momo has been afflicted by a curse that is gradually shrinking her physical size and erasing her from existence .
In the Shimane Arc, Momo, Unji, and Daiki rush to use the Uchide-no-Kozuchi (a mythical hammer) in Shimane to lift their curses before it’s too late. After the trip, Momo returns home with amnesia—she’s forgotten all her past encounters with the paranormal, including her bond with Okarun .
This is the current emotional core of the story: Okarun is determined to create new memories with Momo and rekindle their relationship from the ground up . Their romance, once slow-burn, is now the central narrative drive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Dandadan about?
Dandadan is about two high schoolers, Momo and Okarun, who discover that both aliens and ghosts are real. They gain supernatural powers and fight threats while navigating romance and high school drama .
Why is it called Dandadan?
The title is the sound of supernatural chaos—aliens, ghosts, and everything in between colliding. It’s also written as “Dan Da Dan” .
Is Dandadan funny?
Yes, absolutely. The show blends humor with action and horror, creating a unique, absurd comedy style .
What are Momo’s powers?
Momo has psychic abilities from her grandmother’s lineage: psychokinesis, aura detection, durability, and super strength. She can also see hidden spirits and curses .
What are Okarun’s powers?
Okarun is possessed by Turbo Granny, gaining super speed, reflexes, telephone wire travel, astral projection, and a powerful bite. He’s the speedster of the group .
Is there romance in Dandadan?
Yes. Momo and Okarun are slowly falling for each other. Currently, Momo has amnesia, and Okarun is trying to rebuild their relationship from scratch .
What is the “kintama” quest?
Okarun lost his testicles when Turbo Granny possessed him. The early story is about finding them, with each one being held by different characters .
What are the Serpoians?
They are an all-male alien race from Planet Serpo in the Zeta Reticuli system. They clone themselves and need human reproductive organs .
Who is Turbo Granny?
A legendary Japanese yokai from Hyogo Prefecture. She’s an elderly woman who chases speeding cars. In Dandadan, she’s a cursed spirit who steals Okarun’s genitals .
Why does Momo have amnesia?
She was cursed in the recent manga arcs. After using the Uchide-no-Kozuchi to lift the curse, she lost all memories of her time with Okarun and the others. This is the current plot focus .
Is Dandadan ongoing?
Yes. The manga is ongoing in Shonen Jump+. The anime’s first season aired in 2024, and a second season premiered in 2025, with a third season announced .
Final Thoughts: Why Dandadan Works
Dandadan is the most chaotic, hilarious, and surprisingly heartfelt anime of the year. It’s not afraid to be absurd—it embraces it. Turbo Granny stealing testicles. Aliens wanting “banana organs.” A girl in a kaiju suit looking for a husband. It’s pure madness.
And yet, underneath all the insanity, there’s genuine emotion. Acrobatic Silky’s tragedy. Vamola’s loneliness. Momo’s insecurity about her powers. Okarun’s fear of being alone. The characters feel real because they deal with real problems—even as they fight giant monsters from space.
That’s the secret to Dandadan’s success. It’s a show that remembers that the most powerful storytelling comes from making us care about the weirdos on screen.
What’s your favorite moment in Dandadan so far? Let me know in the comments.
About the Author
A passionate anime analyst who loves chaotic, genre-bending stories. Dandadan is everything I want from modern anime—bold, funny, and emotionally resonant. If you share that passion, feel free to reach out. The conversation never ends.
Keywords: Dandadan, explained, story, Momo, Okarun