Dandadan, crafted by Yukinobu Tatsu, immerses readers in a wild and chaotic universe where yokai, vengeful spirits, and aliens engage in astonishing encounters. Central to this supernatural frenzy are Momo Ayase and Ken “Okarun”Takakura, who find themselves not only entangled in bizarre battles but also discovering their own burgeoning powers.
The narrative continually expands, introducing a fascinating array of characters equipped with skills that span mirror manipulation, psychokinesis, alien technology, and even possession by yokai. What makes the power dynamics in Dandadan particularly intriguing is how various power systems interact, showcasing moments where spiritual strength trumps technological advances, and times when strategy defeats brute force. Through battle outcomes and established hierarchies, the series showcases a diverse cast of characters, each representing a pinnacle of power within this whimsically eerie world.
10 Turbo Granny
The Speed Demon
Turbo Granny, the crass yet powerful yokai who ignited the adventure by pilfering Okarun’s “family jewels, ”possesses supernatural speed, reportedly reaching speeds of 100 km/hr. Her swiftness is likely even greater during moments of pursuit.
Even after being sealed within a Maneki-neko doll, Turbo Granny remains a formidable force, utilizing luck manipulation and acting as an unwitting mentor to Okarun. Her extensive insight into the spirit realm renders her both a crude yet valuable advisor to the core group.
9 Vamola
The Kaiju Suit
Operating the biological Gigantomachia suit, crafted from the harvested flesh and collective grudges of the Sumerian people, Vamola can morph into a colossal kaiju-sized fighter. Her suit’s formidable strength and durability make her an asset during significant confrontations; however, her slower movement and limited offensive maneuvers in her massive form keep her from ascending the rankings.
Vamola’s character is further enhanced by her latent potential. The suit’s link to Sumerian mythology hints at the possibility of unlocking powers beyond mere size manipulation, perhaps connecting her to divine abilities associated with the Sumerian deities.
8 Seiko Ayase
The Domain Master
Known as Santa Dodoria, Seiko draws authority from a local deity, but her powers are confined to Kamikoshi City. Within this terrain, her abilities become nearly unstoppable against spiritual foes, enabling her to create mystical barriers capable of ensnaring and incinerating formidable spirits.
Surprisingly, Granny Ayase combines her reliance on borrowed power with impressive physical prowess. She exhibits superhuman speed and strength that allow her to engage even the Evil Eye in direct combat. With her clairvoyance and mastery of yokai and exorcism techniques, her abilities are maximized through expert application. However, stepping outside the city limits results in a significant loss of her capabilities.
7 Momo Ayase
The Psychic Prodigy
Momo wields psychokinesis manifested through translucent arms, enabling her to manipulate the “auras”of both living beings and objects. Her adaptability knows no bounds; she can shift enormous items, subdue powerful opponents, restart hearts using a method dubbed “spirit surgery“, and unleash energy offensively with her “Moe Moe Tri-Beam.”
Her advancement of the “Power of Words”technique—which amplifies abilities based on belief and conviction—suggests her full potential is far from achieved. More than just raw destructive power, Momo’s adaptability and strategic insights make her invaluable to the team, proving that intelligence can be just as powerful as brute strength.
6 Okarun
The Spiral Speedster
Originally possessed by Turbo Granny, Okarun inherited her yokai abilities, notably extraordinary speed and heightened strength. After the direct possession faded, Okarun adapted to these supernatural traits, retaining significant abilities that have evolved through combat experience.
Under the reluctant tutelage of Turbo Granny, he embraced the principles of “Spiral Power”to enhance his combat movements and strike potency. His unique “All Out”bursts deliver momentary yet devastating surges of power, leading to a tactical evolution that makes him a more formidable opponent than his initial capabilities might suggest. Okarun’s mastery of technique and combat rhythm enhances his danger in battle far beyond raw power alone.
5 Evil Eye
The Grudge Incarnate
Emerging from the collective grudges of children sacrificed to appease a volcano god, the Evil Eye possesses Jin Enjoji (Jiji), bestowing him with remarkable physical powers. This unique ability materializes these grudges into tangible constructs, often manifested as a fearsome soccer ball.
Through Jiji, the Evil Eye harnesses spiritual energy to unleash attacks like the Ha Wave and Evil Gun, illustrating that possession can yield a collaboration—Jiji learns to control and optimize the spirit’s abilities, creating hybrid techniques even more effective than their individual strengths.
The Evil Eye’s existence underscores a prominent theme in Dandadan: concentrated human suffering and negativity can birth extremely powerful supernatural entities.
4 Count Saint-Germain
The Power Thief
This alien collector wields a dangerous ability: using small blades, reforged from the legendary Asura blade, he can steal power from vanquished foes. This theft requires the target to concede defeat before being cut, allowing Saint-Germain to contain these abilities within vials, wielding them through his katana.
Without relying on the acquired powers, he still boasts impressive combat skills, displaying strong swordsmanship and speed that rivals Okarun’s enhanced form. His sixth sense enables him to engage effectively even when blinded, adding to his combat unpredictability. The enigma of Saint-Germain lies in his current collection of stolen powers, leaving his full range of capabilities a mystery as he seeks something known as the “Dandadan.”
3 The Kur Fleet
The Space Invaders
The Kur Space Globalists, while a collective rather than a single character, embody the apex of technological menace within Dandadan. This alien armada boasts formidable exosuits created by forcibly assimilating other species, paired with advanced weaponry such as lasers and missiles.
Their obliteration of Vamola’s home planet, Sumer, showcases their potential for planetary devastation. Their initial advance nearly overwhelmed the series’ primary characters, indicating that even the most capable fighters could struggle against their overwhelming power. This alien threat contrasts sharply with the emotionally driven abilities of the yokai in the series.
2. Reiko Kashima
The Mirror Master
At the pinnacle of Dandadan’s power hierarchy, the Slit-Mouthed Woman showcases mirror-based yokai abilities that defy ordinary restrictions. She can open portals from her mirror to any reflective surface, enabling astonishing remote attacks.
Her signature ability—the Mirror Prison—traps any individual reflected in her mirror within an alternate dimension of seemingly limitless capacity. Reiko’s physical prowess includes immense strength capable of demolishing solid walls with a single strike, swift leaps, and resilience that allows her to withstand significant assaults, even from Vamola in her kaiju form.
A remarkable highlight of Reiko’s prowess is her effortless destruction of the entire Kur fleet by ensnaring them within her mirror dimension and methodically dismantling them. Following classic yokai traits, her weaknesses include an inability to enter homes unless invited and a vulnerability to the incantation “Pomade”as a means of banishment.
1 The Dandadan
The Unknown Force
Although its full nature remains largely undisclosed, the enigmatic “Dandadan” pursued by Count Saint-Germain seems to embody the driving force behind the unfolding narrative. Its significance and power hint at a central relevance to the unfolding events, suggesting that it might represent the ultimate power within this complex universe.
As the story develops, the Dandadan could potentially shift the existing power dynamics, serving as the pivotal force linking yokai, aliens, and psychic phenomena. Until its secrets are revealed, it stands as a tantalizing enigma at the core of this chaotic supernatural universe, perhaps holding the true source of power behind all observed events.
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