Summary
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One ofDandadan’scentral plot points is the love triangle between its protagonists. Okarun and Jiji both crush hard on Momo Ayase. However, they have high standards to live up to if they wish to steal Momo’s heart. Who willDandadan’smain protagonist choose as a mate?
Each suitor has pros and cons. Okarun emulates a more immature version of Momo’s favorite actor, Ken Takakura. Jiji is the complete opposite of a Ken Takakura type, but his kindness and optimism may sway Momo in his direction. However, another possibility is that Momo ends up with neither of them. After all, why does Momo need a man like Ken Takakura when she is the most like Ken Takakura in the cast?
Momo’s Dream Man Is Japanese Actor Ken Takakura
Ken Takakura’s name holds plenty of weight inDandadan, and that’s not because it happens to be Okarun’s full name. The anime’s protagonist, Momo Ayase, is infatuated with the four-time Japanese Academy Award-winning actor of the same name.But who is Ken Takatura, and what is his appeal?
Takakura is one of Japan’s most popular actors. He broke out in his home country playing an ex-con anti-hero in 1965’sAbashiri Bangaichi. Western audiences know him best from his role in Ridley Scott’sBlack Rain, in which he tells Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia,“I do speak fucking English.”
Ken Takakura is synonymous with the brooding loner archetype. The actor’s stoicism and tough-guy persona add to his appeal. Whenever Momo hears the actor’s signature catchphrase, “I am an awkward fellow, after all,” she swoons. It’s clear she’s looking for the firm and silent type rather than a cocky show-off.
Okarun and Jiji Both Pine for Momo
Dandadanseason 1, episode 12, “Let’s Go to the Cursed House,“introduces a love trianglebetween three of the series' main characters. Jiji, Momo’s childhood classmate, moves in with the Ayases after his parents succumb to an unknown illness. Okarun, Momo’s new friend and potential love interest, gets jealous. While the two boys play soccer, they declare their love for Momo, igniting fierce competition.
But who is more suited to Momo’s taste? Will the young man most like Ken Takakura gain Momo’s favor? Or will Momo get pleasantly surprised by someone utterly different from her celebrity crush? Let’s examine Okarun and Jiji’s compatibility with Momo.
Why Okarun Is Better for Momo
Okarun is by far the suitor most similar to the celebrity Ken Takakura. He even shares the actor’s name. And during the first episode’s conclusion, he says Ken Takakura’s famous line without prompting.
However, that doesn’t mean Okarun perfectly parallels the famous Ken Takakura. On the contrary,Okarun has a short fuse, so the slightest inconvenience can trigger his panic reflex. He also has many insecurities, which cause him to lash out in anger or engage in self-loathing.
While Okarun has plenty of growing up ahead of him, he boasts a strength of character that the real-life Ken Takakura would commend. He acts selflessly without thinking, whether he’s offering Momo the shirt off his back or sacrificing his dong to save an ailing alien child. And don’t forget the scene from season 1, episode 6,“A Dangerous Women Arrives,“when Okarun turns full Turbo Granny on a classmate spreading rumors about Momo’s promiscuity. What a hero!
Several moments in season 1 hint thatMomo and Okarun’s attraction is reciprocal. The pair’s most potent moment of romantic tension occurs in season 1, episode 10, “Have You Ever Seen a Cattle Mutilation?” After Okarun admits to Momo that he was secretly working out to impress her, the two share a silent moment that might have led to a kiss if it weren’t for Momo’s girlfriends barging in.
Why Jiji Is Better for Momo
While Okarun is a Ken Takakura in the making, Jiji is as far from the Japanese actor as possible. He’s a braggadocious goofball with a knack for getting on people’s nerves. Yet, this human golden retriever relies on a powerful sense of optimism to overcome the worst catastrophes.
Granny Seiko and Momo Ayase reflect on Jiji in opposing ways.When Jiji first arrives at the Ayase’s abode, Granny tells Okarun that the pink-haired dynamo and her granddaughter are childhood best friends. The matriarch even says Jiji was Momo’s first crush. Momo perceives her relationship with Jiji much differently. During their early years, Jiji teased Momo and her grandmother’s connection to the paranormal. As Momo sees it, she and Jiji were never that close.
While Momo and Jiji’s past is unclear, the two reconcile quickly due to teenage Jiji’s self-accountability and kindness. He apologizes to Momo for bullying her, allowing the two to starta new friendship with a clean slate. Furthermore, Jiji cares for Momo with small acts of service, like removing lint from her hair. He also presents her heartfelt gifts, including candy from one of their favorite local stores.
Jiji also reveres Seiko, always addressing her with gratitude. He spends his first dinner with the Ayases fawning over Seiko’s cooking. While Seiko denies having a soft spot for him, she rewards his flattery with more food.Could Jiji be Seiko’s preferred boyfriendfor Ayase? And did she make up the “first crush” story to get Okarun to back off?
The evidence above suggests that Jiji could be a dark horse in the battle to win Momo’s heart. However, Momo may see Jiji as a close friend rather than a love interest. Furthermore, in season 1, episode 11, “First Love,” Jiji flirts with all the girls in his and Momo’s class. Can he resist his urge to peacock before the ladies enough to form a genuine romantic connection with Momo?
Does Momo Need a Romantic Partner?
The last question, and one of the most significant, is whether Momo needs a romantic partner at this stage of her life. Momo’s psychic powers make herDandadan’smost powerful hero, and she’ll become even stronger as the series continues. Chaining her validation and worth to a man seems reductive in light of Dandadan’s feminist themes.
Toxic men often constituteDandadan’santagonists, whether theSerpoians who try to steal Momo’s organsor the gators who harass her in the co-ed hot spring at episode 12’s conclusion. Of course, there are male heroes inDandadan, like Okarun and Jiji, but they follow Momo’s lead. These young men need Momo much more than Momo needs them.
One can argue that Momo is the character most like Ken Takakura inDandadan. She certainly looks to Ken Takakura as a moral compass, as in season 1, episode 3, “It’s a Granny vs. Granny Clash!” when she commits to helpingremove Turbo Granny’s curse on Okarun. Furthermore, her gutsy attitude and no-nonsense demeanor liken her to the hard-boiled Japanese actor. Perhaps the true love Momo seeks is the Ken Takakura that’s existed inside her all along.
Dandadan
Based on Yukinobu Tatsu’s popular manga that debuted in 2021 on Shonen Jump+, Dandadan blends action, comedy, romance, and supernatural thrills to create a unique and satisfying adventure. Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura believe in the extraordinary, although the former believes in ghosts and the latter believes in aliens. Determined to confirm their side’s existence, they set out to find their proof.
