Dandadan - More
Thoughts On: Dandadan (ダンダダン)
Two teens stumble into chaos upon the discovering that aliens and ghosts truly do exist.
Dandadan, season 1, has me convinced I probably need to be trying more anime than I do as it was surprisingly good; I knew this within a minute or so of the opening credits (the theme tune being a straight banger). Quite reminiscent of FLCL, it blends incredible visuals with brilliant characters that melt into the thematic plot-lines quite poignantly. Staged, like FLCL, around the lives of developing teens Dandadan animates adolescent anxieties through plot and symbology. In such, this is simply a story about a boy who needs to find his balls and a girl who learns to respect her grandma. Through their collision, they expose and confront their own emotional shortcomings as developing teens. Perhaps not overtly articulate on a more grand scale (therefore not immediately easy to write a lot about), but incredibly charming, impressively imaginative and staunchly expressive of its thematic heart, I couldn't pull away from Dandadan for a moment of the 4 hours that make up season 1. Eagerly awaiting the next.
