English Dub Review: Dandadan “To a Kinder World”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

Momo and Okarun manage to weaken Acrobatic Silky but make a shocking discovery regarding Aira.  Acrobatic Silky suggests a surprising way to help.

Our Take:

Momo and Okarun are facing a new and even deadlier yokai whose bark is as bad as her appetite.  However, unlike Turbo Granny, Acrobatic Silky has more of a connection with one of the characters, notably Aira.  As suggested in the previous episode, Acrobatic Silky is after Aira because the latter unintentionally called her “mother” when she was a child, satisfying her desire.  But that satisfaction didn’t last long when Aira denounced the yokai, which was one of the biggest mistakes when confronting a vicious spirit.  However, that doesn’t mean she was willing to give Aira up without a fight.

Regarding the animation, “To a Kinder World” delivered an exhilarating showdown between the protagonists and Acrobatic Silky, known to be very flexible and swift in her movements.  However, that’s not the only thing that elevates this episode to the highest degree.  While Dandadan is known for its animation style and flashy action, “To a Kinder World” showcased a surprising amount of emotion within this seemingly straightforward series about spirits and aliens.  

This is mainly due to Acrobatic Silky, whose pursuit to claim Aira as her daughter was driven by her pain and sorrow.  The yokai was once a single mother and aspiring ballet dancer supporting her real daughter through her odd jobs.  Unfortunately, her life came to a tragic end when her pimp kidnapped her daughter and assaulted her to collect the payment.  This distressing flashback explains why Aira mistook Silky as her real mother, who passed away, but it also drove her to be a “better mother” by “protecting” Aira, but then realized what she had done after killing her.  Fortunately, Silky managed to make peace with her regrets and pain by resurrecting Aira before disappearing into the afterlife.  

I never expected Dandadan to have this much emotional heft until watching “To a Kinder World”, which successfully proved otherwise.  It reflected Acrobatic Silky’s humanity through its direction, Amber Lee Connors’ compelling performance, and Kensuke Ushio’s poignant score.  More importantly, it also showcased Science Saru’s ability to enhance a show’s emotional core in its unique presentation outside the action scenes.  This is another episode that should be enough to convince audiences of the potential this show is delivering.  If not, then I’m not sure what to tell them.