Dandadan has become one of the biggest new anime arrivals of 2024, as Science SARU has taken the work of creator Yukinobu Tatsu and animated the idiosyncratic series to perfection. On top of the first three episodes taking the world by storm, perhaps the anime’s intro, Otonoke by Creepy Nuts, has gone viral more times than we can count. Hilariously, keen-eared anime fans believe that the animated story of Okarun and Momo might have something in common with a certain Nintendo franchise. Has Dandadan paid homage to Pikmin in its viral opening theme or is it just a crazy coincidence?
Otonoke by Creepy Nuts feels like the perfect anthem for the story that focuses on extraterrestrials and the supernatural. Momo and Okarun’s story first begins with a high-octane story that might feature an elderly grandma spirit but the “Turbo Granny” is more than willing to sprint in an effort to curse anyone unfortunate enough to get in her way. While Okarun might be “cursed” with a spirit looking to wreak havoc on the world, Momo’s new psychic abilities help him to have some control over the violent ghost. While no video game has been confirmed for Dandadan as of yet, it seems like only a matter of time before players can jump into the roles of Okarun and Momo.
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DandaPikmin
There is no official crossover between Dandadan and Pikmin that has been confirmed but that hasn’t stopped anime fans and gamers from seeing the two universes meet. During the intro of the anime adaptation, a unique beat happens to sound quite similar to that of the Pikmin, the alien race from the popular Nintendo series. In the game series, players lead the diminutive extraterrestrials to help them accomplish pint-sized goals, and from their appearance, the video game aliens look like they would fit right into Dandadan.
did they actually use pikmin instrumentals in op Dandadan?🔥🔥#ダンダダン #Dandadan pic.twitter.com/s8fpf7XxKV
— Pashya Two (@PashyaTwo) October 9, 2024
DandaDan’s Anime Future
So far, we have three episodes that have seen Okarun struggling with sharing his body and Momo joining him in his quest to free himself of Turbo Granny’s curse. Luckily, the first season will reportedly house around a dozen episodes, meaning that we still have plenty of supernatural fights to come from Science SARU. Since the manga has well over one hundred chapters, hopefully, the anime adaptation has more seasons on the way. In a crowded fall anime season, Dandadan has been able to prove itself as the new series to watch, and here’s to hoping that a season two renewal isn’t too far from being announced.
When it comes to Nintendo in the anime world, there’s no better example than Pokemon to show how the video game company has been able to have an impact on the medium. The Pocket Monster franchise is one that has taken many mediums by storm over the decades though this isn’t the only series that has done the same. While we haven’t seen Super Mario or Link from the Legend of Zelda franchise, the former has appeared in an anime in the past and the latter seems tailor-made to hit the anime world, with a live-action film currently in the works. Thanks to the success of The Super Mario Bros. movie, Nintendo is venturing further into Hollywood and we might see more anime adaptations arrive as a result.
Want to stay up to date on Momo and Okarun’s anime adventures? Want to see if the stars of Dandadan receive their own video game in the future? Follow along with Team Anime on ComicBook.com for the latest updates on Dandadan and hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime.