Dandadan Episode 7 Is a Heartbreaking Masterpiece

Fans received Dandadan warmly and with raucous laughter since the day it aired. And why not? The anime has almost everything. From a wacky premise to equally bonkers characters, the stage seems set for Momo and Okarun’s weird adventures. But one thing that Dandadan has only scratched the surface of is the dark origins of the ghosts that haunt the world. The story now stands at a crossroads, and the only way out of the current nightmare is plunging deeper into the darkness.

Unlike the anime’s previous outings, Dandadan Season 1, Episode 7, “To a Kinder World,” does not take the usual humorous approach when it comes to storytelling. Director Fuga Yamashiro and series composer Hiroshi Seko take the anime down a different road, away from the hullaballoo of spooky teen drama. Finding Okarun’s family jewels takes a backseat as more pertinent issues grab the story by hand. What began with breakneck action turns into a melancholic tale of heartbreak, loss, and despair. Dandadan has never looked so grimdark in its narrative. From terrifying ghosts to flawed human beings, Episode 7 explores people at a baser level. And yet, there lies a tenderness that transcends flesh and soul. It tugs at the heartstrings of poor, unsuspecting viewers who have no inkling of the tragedy in store.

Dandadan Season 1, Episode 7 Acts Bridges the Past & Present

The Episode’s Crux Are the Characters’ Backstories and Nonlinear Writing

Dandadan Season 1, Episode 7 begins in medias res, specifically from the point of view of a person running frenetically through the streets. This is the kind of hook, line, and sinker that’s tailor-made to create a suspenseful atmosphere, and it does just that in this episode. Almost immediately as this opening begins, the story cuts to another frantic scene of Okarun and Momo running from Acrobatic Silky. The transition alone is enough to catch the audience off-guard, but there is more of that coming later. For now, Episode 7’s first act basks in the nerve-wracking thrill of a supernatural fight. Both Momo and Okarun go all out, taking a no-holds-barred attitude. That is, until the bombshell drops: the self-proclaimed beauty queen of Kami High, Aira Shiratori, is dead. This is the start of an avalanche towards melancholy that opens up old wounds and makes new ones.

The second act turns the episode into a non-linear narrative due to its elaborate flashback scene. Since Acrobatic Silky’s arrival, the anime has treated her as an antagonist. She seemed like the first of what would be Dandadan’s many monsters of the week. Worse, Acrobatic Silky had a direct hand in Aira’s death, making it easy for the audience to see her as a truly evil. But behind every villain is a tragic story, and the episode delves deep into it. It begins with a young woman waking up, going to work, and returning home at the end of the day. On the surface, it may not mean much, but once she opens the door, the story is doomed. The woman is a doting single mother of a toddler daughter who loves everything about her mom. The audience gets sucked into the daily life of a mother-daughter duo whose struggles, happiness, and ultimate tragedy are worse than a punch to the gut. As if that was not enough, Dandadan Episode 7 shows the moment that little Aira met the spirit who will go on to become Acrobatic Silky. What’s more, Aira calls her “mother.” The waterworks that well up do not seem to stop until the episode ends.

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The third act returns to the present day and diverts the audience’s attention at once to the dire situation at hand. Good stories always have a definite beginning, middle, and ending. Dandadan Episode 7 goes a step further and turns a supposedly tragic tale into a redemption arc, all in less than half an hour. Memories of the past and emotions of the present bind the threads of the narratives as they almost start to unravel before the characters. While Turbo Granny gives exposition here and there, every word of dialogue carries a sadness that hurts every time the audience hears it. Episode 7 did not have to go this far, but the hard truths make the episode all the more memorable.

Dandadan Season 1, Episode 7 Connects Two Lost Souls

The Episode Successfully Turns the Anime’s Newcomers Into Tragic Figures

Acrobatic Silky’s backstory plays out in the absence of dialogue, accompanied only by the serendipitous melody of a piano. The tunes are not haunting on their own, but along with the bittersweet visuals, they add to the shock value. Episode 6 never went that deep into Acrobatic Silky’s obsession with Aira. A ghost attaching itself to a living, breathing human was a surprising twist that ended said episode on a cliffhanger. Fortunately, Dandadan Episode 7 makes time to reveal the real reason behind the anime’s newest Yokai. People often say families don’t need blood ties to come together, and the same can be true for Acrobatic Silky and Aira’s relationship. While even thinking about it can be frightening for some, theirs is not a demented connection between two individuals, but a symbiotic mother-daughter relationship – the root of which lies in loss.

The most damning thing in the entire episode is how the story turns the audience in Acrobatic Silky’s corner before the end. And before long, even Aira becomes a sympathetic character. Episode 7 breaks all preconceived notions based on the first impressions of the characters. Acrobatic Silky is proof enough that human aspirations do not die with the death of the body, most importantly, the strong feelings of love. When Okarun and Momo vanquished the Earthbound Crab Spirit, Granny Seiko revealed to the duo how they were actually trapped souls of young girls killed unjustly. Something similar happens with Silky as well. Her love for her daughter turns her into a vengeful spirit. Her once-human talents of ballet that she tried to impart to her child became her modus operandi while killing. For Aira to bring out her humanity again makes the episode a real tearjerker.

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While Momo and Okarun have come far in their journey, nothing could have prepared them for episode six’s Acrobatic Silky.

Kikuko Inoue appropriately voices the ballet-practicing, Aira-obsessed Yokai like an overbearing mother. Since all of Acrobatic Silky’s spoken dialogue is in her spirit form, Inoue does all the emoting in a terrifying voice. It is both scary and heartwarming to see the spirit’s disposition change over the course of the episode. Inoue starts with a rough voice, reprimanding Momo and Okarun for taking her supposed daughter away from her. Then, she mellows out into a softer one filled with regret and remorse. Shion Wakayama, as Momo’s voice actor, also does an excellent job in her conversations with Acrobatic Silky. As a medium, she feels both Aira and Silky’s pain, and Wakayama brings that out naturally in her character.

Dandadan Season 1, Episode 7 Sways Hearts With Its Animation

Science Saru Shows the Dichotomy of Life and Death in Their Art

Dandadan‘s animation (courtesy of Science Saru) remains its strongest suit. Where most contemporary anime stick to their visual styles, Dandadan keeps pushing boundaries and creating a dialogue with the audience. The frantic etched lines in the opening scene and the highly detailed fight scene that happens next are so visually distinct from each other that anyone can mistake them for two different anime. Yet, Dandadan Episode 7 has several such examples where the animation changes its tone to match the mood of the characters. The striking difference between the colors when a woman is doing menial jobs to those when her daughter welcomes her home makes the episode a union of contrasts.

Science Saru deserves praise for their work, but especially in this episode. There is never a dull moment because of the amazingly talented animators on board. Either something intriguing happens with the story, or something interesting springs up in the animation, keeping the audience always on their toes. The montage where a human Acrobatic Silky plays with her kid when she was still alive employs many a cinematic technique. From the camera rotating 360 degrees inside a small room to the sunlight acting as the single source of bright lighting, the animation helps convey the warmth these characters felt in their lives. Similarly, when the story turns dark, the artwork becomes garish as well. Dandadan still has lively action, which deserves mentioning. But sometimes, it is the little nuances that liven things up.

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Momo and Okarun run riot in Dandadan Season 1, Episode 7. But when it comes to the story’s emotional core, they willingly take a backseat to letting Acrobatic Silky and Aira flourish as well-rounded and even beautiful characters. Their sacrifice gives the anime a depth that has been missing since the start. So far, Dandadan has been all about perverted aliens and ghosts. But for the first time, a story comes along that talks about human connection as unabashedly as mentioning Okarun’s family jewels every passing minute. Dandadan Episode 7 ends another story arc on a high note, leaving behind only tears.

Dandadan Episode 7 is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Dandadan Season 1, Episode 7: “To a Kinder World”

A ghost-believing girl and an alien-believing boy are thrown into a wild adventure following a supernatural encounter that confirms the existence of both ghosts and aliens.

Main Genre

Supernatural

Studio

Science SARU

Main Cast

Shion Wakayama and Natsuki Hanae

Pros

• Dandadan’s lively animation sways with the emotions.
• The action is ornamental, but effective in creating a thrill.
• The sentimental backstories add layers to the characters and the story.
• Misunderstood characters get a closer look.

Cons

• Episode 7’s plot neglects its protagonists.
• The fast pace does not give more time to Acrobatic Silky’s tale to develop.