The TV anime "Dandadan" is based on the popular manga by Ryu Yukinobu, which is currently being serialized in Shueisha's manga magazine app "Shonen Jump +". It began airing in October on the late-night anime slot "Super Animeism TURBO" on MBS and TBS, and has been a hot topic for its innovative visuals, including powerful battle scenes, psychedelic color usage, and breathtakingly fast-paced development. The division between parts A and B, which is unique to anime, and the ending of each episode are exquisite, making you wonder "What will happen next!?" We asked Koji Seko, who is in charge of the series composition and scriptwriting, about the attention to detail in the production.
◇ "Dandadan" is filled with love for the occult; its charm makes it look good in anime
The story of "Dandadan" is about Momo (Ayase Momo), a girl who doesn't believe in aliens, and Okarun (Takakura Ken), a boy who is obsessed with the occult and doesn't believe in ghosts, who encounter an overwhelming mystery. Okarun, who encounters Turbo Granny in a haunted tunnel, is given the ability to transform through a curse, while Momo, who comes from a family of mediums, awakens her hidden psychic powers after being attacked by a Serpo alien. The two activate their special powers and face the mysteries that appear one after another. The anime is directed by Yamashiro Fuga, who has worked on Inu-oh, The Tale of the Heike, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, with music by Ushio Kensuke and produced by Science SARU, the studio behind Inu-oh, Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken! and The Tale of the Heike.
Seko read the original manga and was strongly impressed by the author Ryu's love for the occult.
"First of all, I thought it was interesting that UFOs, aliens, unidentified flying creatures, and ghosts all coexist as equal beings. I was also very happy to see that Ryu-sensei really loves the occult, and doesn't mock it or make fun of it, but takes it seriously. When I was in middle school, there was a boom in ancient civilizations, and I loved 'Fingerprints of the Gods' and read it with excitement. The occult is often ridiculed or looked at with a half-laugh, and recently there's been a lot of talk about 'actually that's fake' or 'that's just nonsense'. That's often said, and while it may actually be fake or nonsense, I think it's boring to dismiss everything like that with an air of understanding. In that context, I thought it was really amazing that "Dandadan" faced the occult head-on, and instead of using it as a mere gimmick, it organically incorporated it into the work and elevated it. I felt like it reignited the fire in my heart as a boy."
He also said that he felt that "it would look great on screen."
"When I write a script based on a manga, not just for "Dandadan," I always think about how to maximize the fun of the manga when it is turned into a film, and in that sense, "Dandadan" was very easy to work with. The incredible detail in the original work made it easy to imagine it as an anime, and I thought the dialogue between Momo and Okarun would look great on screen."
The romantic comedy element of Momo and Okarun's faint love story is also a unique charm of "Dandadan."
"Gyaru and otaku may be a common combination these days, but I feel that the interaction between Momo and Okarun makes it not so common at all. The dialogue between the two is really lively, and the exquisite distance between them, wondering if they will get together or not, is also very effective as a horizontal axis of the work. Just as aliens, UMA, and ghosts coexist, the impression is that the battle action and romantic comedy elements coexist perfectly."
◇The secret of a satisfying "end"
The TV anime "Dandadan" is also comfortable to watch because of the good "end" such as the division between parts A and B and the end of each episode. Seko explains that when thinking about the composition, he is conscious of "ending at a satisfying point."
"The end of each episode may match the end of the original story, or it may change, but for example, episodes that depict the night will end at night, and I may not want to go the next morning. Of course it depends on the length of the episode, but I feel like it's weird to order a full course meal and then have dessert, and then have another dessert, or rather, I personally don't want it to happen. Of course, there are people who want three more desserts, and I think it's fine for some people to not want dessert at all. It's all a matter of personal preference."
Regarding the "pull-out," he says he also takes inspiration from overseas dramas.
"I love foreign TV dramas, so I try to keep that "breath" in mind. Sometimes it makes you want to watch the next one, and other times it ends sadly at a good point. It's important to find the balance, because ending every episode at an interesting point can get boring, so if it ends in a pinch twice, I'll end it at a nice point where one episode has just ended. Whatever the way, I try to end it in a satisfying way."
◇The starting point is respect and love for the original work
When writing the script for "Dandadan," he said he placed importance on the tempo, and often added lines from the original work. He said that adding lines that were not in the original work was quite nerve-wracking.
"When I create original lines, I pay the utmost attention to making sure that people don't say, 'This character wouldn't say that.' If they say something like that, it will tarnish the whole work, so I pay the utmost attention."
When thinking of lines, Seko says, "I have no choice but to read the original work," and even when thinking of a line, it has to be an accumulation of what the character says in other scenes.
Seko, who has written many scripts for anime based on popular manga such as "Jujutsu Kaisen" and "Chainsaw Man," says that the most important thing he values when working on a work based on an original is "respect and love for the original work."
"Because of my job, I often meet manga artists, and I can tell that they literally put their body and soul into drawing manga. I think that for them, their work is like their own child, and since we are entrusted with the work that was created in this way, it is the minimum etiquette and the starting point to have respect and love for the work. So even if we change elements of the original work, we do so based on a reason that we can think carefully and understand, and if the change is the optimal solution for the film, we should do it. Of course, we won't do it if the original work side says it's no good... In any case, if the staff, such as the director or scriptwriter, were to make an anime while thinking, 'This original work is not interesting,' that would be unfortunate for everyone. I don't want to be like that, and I don't think it should happen." Seko says that the ideal is for everyone involved in anime to work with love for the original work, and he says that "Dandadan" is "full of the director's ideas, and just as Ryu-sensei enjoys drawing it, it is very clear that the director is enjoying making it." The anime "Dandadan" was created by staff and cast with love and respect for the original work, in order to maximize its appeal. I'm sure it will continue to excite us in the future.
