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Warning: Spoilers Ahead for Dan Da Dan Episode #5!
Dan Da Dan is practically loaded with surprises by default, with each new paranormal adventure generating buzzworthy moments for its anime. The latest episodes have shown no shortage of these developments, with Turbo Granny's defeat being revealed as temporary as she successfully repossessed Okarun, but with some major caveats. As Momo and Seiko work to prevent Turbo Granny's complete takeover of Okarun, her parallel in Dan Da Dan to Naruto's similar possession of its protagonist by Kurama becomes ever clearer while having some hilarious twists.
Turbo Granny is the vengeful yokai who starts Okarun and Momo on their journey through the main plot of Dan Da Dan by possessing the young UAP enthusiast, keeping some vital appendages upon her first removal. As the story progresses, their fates become inextricably linked due to Turbo Granny dropping the ball in a manner Okarun can't possibly ignore. As Turbo Granny is now separated from Okarun, given the condition of retrieving what she's stolen from him in exchange for returning her consciousness to its former state, she has no choice but to cooperate in Dan Da Dan.
Dan Da Dan's Turbo Granny Is a Wild Parallel to Naruto's Kurama
Each Suffer Two Strongly Different Imprisonments
In Dan Da Dan episode #5, when Okarun discovers that he's missing his testicles, Seiko correctly deduces that a spirit still inhabits Okarun's body, extracting it with Momo's help and trapping it in a maneki-neko figurine. It's revealed to be Turbo Granny, who switched to astral form when hit with Seiko's trap in episode #4, staying in Okarun's body, taking and inadvertently losing some of his reproductive organs. As these become bargaining chips for Turbo Granny to regain her full body in Dan Da Dan, her spiritual powers are sealed inside Okarun, akin to Naruto Uzumaki borrowing Kurama's chakra.
Dan Da Dan's Anime Is Going Beyond the Manga by Adding One of the Best Animated Sequences of the Year
Dan Da Dan’s episode 4 gave Momo and Okarun’s powers a chance to shine more thanks to a memorable sequence that surpassed its manga counterpart.
With Kurama's resentment of Naruto being more deep-seated anger towards humanity's treatment of him and fellow Tailed Beasts, Turbo Granny finds a similarly sympathetic parallel in her backstory. In Dan Da Dan episode #4, the tunnel in which she resides was confirmed as the site where young girls were taken, violated, and dismembered, with her appearing at similar sites where girls met a cruel fate. Turbo Granny's predicament is less cruel than Kurama's but arguably far more unusual, as she's trapped in a cat figurine for the foreseeable future in Dan Da Dan.
Turbo Granny's terms for cooperation with Okarun are certainly more basic than how Naruto gradually reconciles with and befriends Kurama, but undeniably more entertaining. Her accidental misplacement of Okarun's appendages, henceforth referred to as kintama, drives the basis for their alliance, and Momo quickly recognizes the yokai's reasoning for her cruelty and vengeful behavior. Momo understands that Turbo Granny sympathizes with the girls from the tunnel, whom she is theorized to have been consoling, and draws common ground to forge an agreement with the prickly yokai.
Okarun Harnesses Turbo Granny's Power More Efficiently Than Naruto With Kurama
Each Battle Grows More Thrilling with Turbo Granny
Unlike Naruto's lower teases at Kurama's latent power, such as Naruto's vast chakra reserves in chapter #1 and early glimpses of his inhabiting spirit in chapter #28, Okarun can draw on his powers in Dan Da Dan, initially with Momo's help. By episode #5, Okarun can tap into his fight-or-flight mechanism to trigger his transformed state without Turbo Granny's consciousness inside him, channeling only her powers by this point. Despite attractive parallels, this creates a dynamic experience for readers who don't wish to see a 1:1 comparison between Dan Da Dan and Naruto.
One of the most noteworthy comparisons is how harnessing their power in Naruto and Dan Da Dan's case creates vastly empowered transformations. This ultimately grants Naruto orange and black motifs, while Okarun gets a striking array of black, white, red, and gray. Each receives an immense power and speed boost, but Okarun's abilities are still more grounded than Naruto's.
While it's arguably not seeing the forest for the trees by comparing Okarun's possession to Naruto's, his predicament and overall story differ sharply beyond the parallel details. Naruto's quest, especially as he grows his bond with Kurama, features loftier ambitions of becoming the Hokage and shutting down cycles of hatred. Okarun's quest, in contrast, is symbolically and physically to make himself whole again. In Dan Da Dan, while there are easy parallels to other "Sealed Evil in a Can" tropes in anime, Turbo Granny grows increasingly layered as a compelling supporting character.
Two high school students, embroiled in a wager to prove the existence of ghosts or aliens, encounter daunting paranormal threats, acquire superpowers, and possibly discover love. The series blends supernatural elements with personal dynamics as the protagonists navigate their newfound abilities and unexpected challenges.
Cast Natsuki Hanae , Shion Wakayama , Nana Mizuki , Ayane Sakura , Kaito Ishikawa , Mayumi Tanaka , Kazuya Nakai , Kaori Maeda , Miyu Tomita , Ryûnosuke Watanuki , Hikaru Tanaka , Seitaro Taniguchi , Satomi Kobashi , Mayuko Kazama , Ryuuzaburou Ootomo
Character(s) Ken Okarun Takakura , Momo Ayase , Seiko , Aira Shiratori , Jin Jiji Enjōji , Turbo Granny , Serpoians , Miko , Muko , Momo's Boyfriend , Male Student A , Male Student B , Elementary School Boy , Flatwoods Monster
Release Date September 13, 2024
Seasons 1
English (US) ·