English Dub Review: Dandadan “You Can Do It, Okarun!”

Overview (Spoilers Below):
Aira and Okarun battle the classical composer spirits.  As Okarun struggles to avoid their attacks, Turbo Granny orders him to feel the rhythm.

Our Take:
The appearance of the Hayashi was only the tip of the iceberg regarding the second season’s musical elements.  Regarding the direction for the visual kei band’s metal music-esque energy and color palettes, the episode “We Became a Family” further demonstrated the show’s chaotically enthralling premise through its score, classical or otherwise.  This week’s episode continues that trend with Okarun’s encounter with ghostly doppelgängers resembling famous composers, led by Ludwig van Beethoven.  If you’re wondering why we’re now facing the ghost of Beethoven, chances are you haven’t been paying attention to how overly crazy this series gets.
The first season has been known for providing classical tunes as background music to emphasize its action sequences.  This episode has them playing a crucial role in Okarun’s search for his own rhythm, particularly in “Symphony No. 9”, which takes him and Aira to an expansive concert stadium.  The result is a breathtaking and impeccably animated showdown that not only highlights Science Saru’s distinction in presentation and art design but also Okarun and Aira’s cooperation against the bobble-headed ghouls.  Utilizing its black-and-white color palettes and artistry, the sequence places the characters inside the classical yet dangerous spiritual realm that’s epic in scope and vibrant in its seamless color blends and stylization.  This is another example of the show relying on animation and music to evoke the thrilling stakes of its action while retaining the fun in its bonkers premise.
Fans eager for this sequence to be adapted into anime will surely appreciate “You Can Do It, Okarun!”—a visually chaotic and constantly entertaining musical piece that highlights the show’s absurdity and unique art style.  It may sound like I’m sugarcoating it just a little bit, but that’s only because of how invested I am in season two, notably with its all-out action scenes.  Unsurprisingly, it seems we’ll be getting another thrilling action sequence in the next episode, with Okarun taking the fight to Evil Eye once more, thanks to the rhythm he found from listening to Hayashi’s song.  Here’s hoping it will be enough to tame the raging spirit for good.