Summary
Dandadanis a brilliant manga centered on the war between yokai/spirits and space aliens, with humanity trapped right in the middle of their conflict. As creative as series’ author Yukinobu Tatsu is, he didn’t come up with all the supernatural beings that interact with Okarun, Momo, and their friends on his own.Every single one of them is based on some sort of existing fictional tale.
Whether it’s a myth from classic Japanese folklore or a more contemporary urban legend that has popped up in the country in recent years, most of the powerful yokai inDandadanhave a counterpart from the real world, and the following ones are definitely some of the most fascinating so far.
7Turbo Granny
Based On The Urban Legend Of The Same Name
Turbo Grannyis the yokai responsible for Okarun’s incredible powersand is the mascot ofDandadanas a whole. Therefore, it is no surprise that this legendary old woman who can run at blinding speedsactually comes from a real-life urban legend of the same name that has been circulating in Japan for the last couple of years.
According tothe legend of Turbo Granny, people driving through Hyogo Prefecture can sometimes catch a glimpse of a mysterious old lady running at incredible speeds that allow her to catch up to their own vehicles. Some versions of the story even claim that she will eventually capture these drivers and curse them forever. Curiously enough,Dandadanis not the only anime and manga series that has referenced this popular urban legend in recent years, as some viewers may rememberthe appearance of Dash Granny in Season 2 ofMob Psycho 100.
6Earthbound Spirit Crab
Based On The Myth Of The Heikegani Crabs
Turbo Granny’s main ally during her introductory arc is theEarthbound Spirit Crab, a massive crab-like spirit who holds the souls of all the girls who were murdered in the Shono City tunnel. This powerful but surprisingly tragic creature is actually based on one of the most captivating legends related to an animal from the real world.
TheHeikeganiis a species of crab native to Japan, and its most prominent feature is the bizarre pattern on its shell that closely resembles the face of a human. According toThe Tale of the Heike, Heikegani crabs are the reincarnations of the Heike Warriors who passed away during the Battle of Dan-no-ura of the Genpei War. Of course,Dandadan’sEarthbound Spirit Crab has a slightly different backstory, which is more modern and even sadder.
5Acrobatic Silky
Based On Acrobatic Sara Sara And La Llorona
Not every single spirit inDandadanis based on one single real-life myth, andAcrobatic Silkyis one of the most notorious examples. The most tragic yokai in the series owes its inspiration totwo similar urban legends centered on mysterious feminine creatures: TheAcrobatic Sara Sarafrom Japan andLa Lloronafrom Latin America.
It’s evident that Acrobatic Sara Sara served as the main inspiration behind Acrobatic Silky, not only because their names are similar, but also because this Japanese urban legend from the early 2000s is all about a tall and creepy acrobatic woman with long black hair and a red outfit. However, when it came to writing Acrobatic Silky’s famous backstory, Yukinobu Tatsu clearly drew some inspiration from the tale of La Llorona, the ghost of a crying woman who is constantly searching for her dead children. Some moviegoers may remember her because she was the main star of the 2019 filmThe Curse of La Llorona, set withinThe Conjuringcinematic universe.
4Evil Eye
Based On The Curse Of The Evil Eye
At one point in the manga (not too far from where Season 1 left off),Jiji Enjoji gets possessed by one of the most powerful vengeful spirits in the world: theEvil Eye. Back when he lived, he was a young boy who the Kito Family chose to sacrifice to the Tsuchinoko. As a result of his unfair capture, he was never allowed to live a good, normal life and grew envious and resentful until the day of his death, wishing he could play outside with all the other kids the town.
In real life, the curse of theEvil Eyeis also related to envy and grudges. According to different variations of the same belief from cultures in the Mediterranean Region, Eastern Europe, Africa, Asia, Latin America, and more, an evil glare brimming with envy can curse someone and cause them great misfortune or devastating physical injuries. What Yukinobu Tatsu essentially did inDandadanwas give the Evil Eye curse an actual body and turn it into its own character, which ended up working very well.
3Reiko Kashima
Based On The Kuchisake-onna (Or Slit-Mouthed Woman)
Reiko Kashimais arguably the most dangerous and terrifying evil spirit in all ofDandadan, as this vengeful woman obsessively pursued Momo Ayase for a long time and was eventually able to defeat an entire army of aliens with her mirror-based powers. Since she is also referred to as theKuchisake-onna(Slit-Mouthed Woman) in the manga, she’s quite obviously based on the Japanese urban legend of the same name.
This is, without a doubt, one of the most popular folklore tales of modern Japan, seeing as the Kuchisake-onna famously appeared in multiple anime and manga series, like MobPsycho 100,Jujutsu Kaisen, and even her own romance manga titledEven If You Slit My Mouth. The real-life legend says that she’s the malicious spirit of a woman who hides her face behind a mask, asks her victims if she’s beautiful, and attacks them depending on their answer. Her portrayal inDandadanstayed relatively faithful to this story, even if her design is a bit goofier, but very creepy nonetheless.
2Onbusuman / Mai Kawabanga
Based On Two Yokai, The Konaki-jiji And The Obariyon
Despite its admittedly bizarre and unique design,theOnbusumanis not actually based off of a concrete urban legend or yokai. Instead, it seems that it’s a combination of several different yokai, with one of them being theKonaki-jiji. This is a Japanese yokai with the appearance of an old man with a turtle shell who lures people into picking it up like a baby, only to become extremely heavy and crush them with its weight. The Konaki-jiji was prominently featured in a few video games, likeNioh 2andYo-Kai Watch.
The Onbusuman very clearly shares its design and some of its abilities with the Konaki-jiji, but it’s evident that another yokai, namedObariyon,also served as a main source of inspiration. This child-like entity likes to hop on people’s backs and become so incredibly heavy that they can’t walk anymore, which is very similar to the way in which the Onbusuman was affecting Rin Sawaki. Of course, the Obariyon also appeared in a few Japanese video games, mainly theShin Megami Tenseiseries.
1Umbrella Boy / Futa Zuma
Based On The Kasa-obake Yokai
WhenUnji Zuma was first introduced and showcased his umbrella-based abilities, this concept came off as weird and unconventional. However, it makes a lot more sense when readers realize that he got his spiritual powers from his deceased brother, Futa Zuma, who became aKasa-obakein the afterlife, one of the most well-known yokai in Japanese folklore.
According to myth, old paper umbrellas in Japan will transform into this creature with one eye, one leg, and a long tongue after a certain amount of time has passed. The Kasa-obake is supposed to be one of the most mundane and mischievous yokai in Japanese mythology, since they mostly focus on hiding among other umbrellas in order to sneak up on people and lick them. Nevertheless, Yukinobu Tatsu’s decision to take this seemingly weak creature and turn it into one of the coolest and strongest characters in all ofDandadanwas extremely brilliant.
