English Dub Review: Dandadan “Like, This Is the Legend of the Giant Snake”

Overview (Spoilers Below):

As Momo fends off an attack in the outdoor hot spring, Okarun and Jiji panic over how to handle the mysterious room.  Just then, the doorbell rings.

Our Take:

The finale of the show’s first season concluded on a somewhat questionable note, with Momo being surrounded by a group of mysterious men, hinting at their supposed attempt at sexually harassing her.  Thankfully, the season two premiere showed that she’s been spared for now.  Regardless, I was amazed at how entertaining and visually striking Dandadan turned out to be.  Regarding the animation, characters, unique storytelling, and blend of action, comedy, and heart, the series successfully set the stage for even more bizarre shenanigans with the “will they, won’t they” duo.  This was the case for their investigation of the rural Byakuja Village, where Jiji’s cursed house concealed a dangerous supernatural secret: a room full of talismans.  

The show’s latest compilation film, “Evil Eye,” released last month, provided viewers with a clear idea of the danger and life-threatening nature of Momo and Okarun’s latest mission.  The most notable case is that the talisman-filled room is part of a ritual by the Kito Family, who plan to sacrifice people to a “snake god” to protect their village from a volcanic eruption.  However, it’s later revealed that this “god” is actually a Mongolian Death Worm known as the “Tsuchinoko,” pitting the duo, Turbo Granny, and Jiji against a seemingly formidable ancient god beyond their confrontations against demons and aliens.  I did manage to watch “Evil Eye” in the theater in its original Japanese dub last month before the season premiere, but, of course, I couldn’t talk about the first three episodes until the English Dub version of the season started.

Considering my enjoyment of the show’s latest compilation film, I was thrilled to reexperience the first three episodes in English, particularly the characters’ encounter with the Tsuchinoko and an even greater entity later on.  Unsurprisingly, the season two premiere is just as fun and visually stylized the second time around, especially with the stunning animation by Science Saru, particularly in Momo’s confrontation with the Kito Family.  It would surely be interesting to see if the other two episodes could replicate this success in the English dub.  Until then, I’m happy to say that the second season of Dandadan has gotten off to a great start.