Welcome to the weekly review of Dan Da Dan, episode 11! Here’s what has happened in the story so far:
Momo, a loud outspoken young girl, was abducted by aliens and awakened to psychic powers. Okarun, a gloomy introverted young boy, gets possessed by an evil spirit and has his “golden balls” stolen. So far, they managed to defeat/subdue several aliens and yokai including Turbo Granny, the Loch Ness Monster and Acrobat Silky. Along the way, another girl in their school named Aira also awakens to yokai powers. Now, after their latest run-in with a down-on-his-luck alien, someone else joins the story.
Jiji, the goofball hottie, has entered the scene! More specifically, he’s in Momo’s home and starts living with her. With Jiji around, Okarun is forced to confront new complicated feelings about Momo. But first, the gang has to chase down a runaway science mannequin.
New Feelings Arise in "Dan Da Dan" Episode 11
On the surface, Jin Enjoji, or Jiji for short, fits the typical pretty boy archetype to a T. He is tall, handsome, fit, and a natural charmer. That image is quickly subverted by his over-the-top comedy antics. It’s reminiscent of the funny man role in Japanese manzai comedy. With that undeniable charisma, he instantly wins over Granny Seiko who explains he’s staying over while his parents are in the hospital. Momo is understandably taken aback, seeing how Jiji was one of the kids who made fun of her in grade school and he was her first crush.
Meanwhile, Aira is preoccupied with her end-of-the-world storyline. Okarun can’t help but feel uneasy so he excuses himself. In an adorably awkward farewell, Momo insists that Okarun says “see you tomorrow” since she said it before at the end of episode 4. Despite the heartfelt proclamation, Okarun nervously grabs his chest.
Back in the house, Jiji explains that when he moved away, his parents bought a house in the mountains. As time went on, he started getting an eerie feeling, like something was wrong. Finally, a strange figure revealed itself to him. It rooted him in place and forced him to stare into its unsettling vertical eyes. Granny Seiko says it’ll be up to Momo to solve this case.
Okarun's Realization Brought on by Jiji and a Mannequin?
The next day at school, Jiji seamlessly integrates himself into Momo’s class. He cracks jokes, compliments the ladies, and dominates the atmosphere with his boisterous attitude. At the same time, Okarun struggles with his own crisis. With Jiji back in Momo’s life, he’s afraid that she’ll want to spend more time with Jiji and eventually forget all about Okarun. This scene has some brilliant storytelling details hidden in plain sight. First, the teacher in the background is talking about adjectives like jealous, cute, and cool, all of which define the individuals in this relationship triangle. Second, Okarun’s sketches clearly show favoritism to Momo and the occult. Jiji is drawn with only simple shapes and line art. It’s a great visual that reflects Okarun’s state of mind.
Determined not to be outdone, Okarun returns to his secret weight training. It’s interrupted by Momo, which causes quite the comedic pratfall from Okarun. She offers to eat lunch with him, but then she’s interrupted by Jiji who once again takes over the scene. Dejected by their interactions, Okarun tries to sulk off, but runs into a strange sight; an anatomical mannequin barreling straight towards him. As they round the corner, Jiji pushes Momo down in an attempt to protect her. This gives her a clear view of the mannequin’s underside where she sees one of Okarun’s balls. She tries to stop it with her powers, but gets dragged along by sheer force with Jiji clinging to her. Okaruns gets serious, and races after them in his Turbo form.
Cue the return of the William Tell Overture remix for a wonderfully animated chase sequence. Fluid motion and dynamic camera shots make this the standout moment of the episode. The mannequin continues to run through town and even breaks itself apart to escape Momo’s psychic grasp. Eventually the trio track it down to a garbage dump where the mannequin rendezvous with another anatomical mannequin, this time of the female persuasion. The delightfully absurd romantic confession that follows feels so out of place and yet not. As the closing shot establishes, this declaration of love sparks something in Okarun, maybe giving him the courage to say how he really feels.
Overall Thoughts on "Dan Da Dan" Episode 11
Jiji is such a fun addition to the cast. His routine can come across as annoying at times, but the author makes sure to highlight his more sensitive and even shameful side. At his core, he’s just very honest about his feelings, something both Momo and Okarun could stand to learn from. It’s also fun seeing Okarun in the hot seat for a bit. Now he really has to consider where he wants his relationship with Momo to go. Aside from the new character dynamics, this episode had some really slick animation. Even in the quieter moments of Dan Da Dan episode 11, every movement and detail really sold what the characters were thinking and how they reacted to each other. Their limits will soon be put to the test as our heroes investigate Jiji’s mysterious mountain home.
Occult Corner
Haunted Anatomical Model: In Japan, a common trope is students talking about the school’s Seven Mysteries. These are seven phenomena with no explanation that add some character and spice to school life. The haunted anatomical model, or “jintai mokei,” is often included among these phenomena. The schoolyard rumors date back to the 1950’s and say that the model can be seen walking around the school grounds at night. Its gruesome appearance, a male body with one half showing skin and the other half showing innards, is already enough to spark horror stories. However, up until the 1920’s, it wasn’t uncommon for science rooms to feature a real human skeleton as a teaching aide. This macabre history has been carried over and likely had a hand in propagating the “jintai mokei” legend.
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