Dan Da Dan took the anime community by storm when it aired in October 2024. Many were surprised by the anime’s first chapter’s direction and were stunned by what came afterward. Yet, like all seasonal anime, Dan Da Dan Season 1 ended not too long ago. Unfortunately, anime fans must wait until 2025 to watch Season 2.
Unless you’re caught up to the manga, waiting for Season 2 to come around can feel irritating. Thankfully, you’ve come to the right spot if you want to brush up on your Dan Da Dan knowledge until Season 2 arrives. In this article, we’re discussing Season 1 and giving you information about what you should know before Season 2 airs.
How does Dan Da Dan Season 1 begin?
The story begins with Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura (later named Okarun) arguing over their beliefs. Momo believes that ghosts exist while Okarun argues aliens do. Momo visits an abandoned hospital while Okarun explores a spooky tunnel. Suddenly, Momo encounters aliens called the Serpoians (Serpos) while Okarun meets Turbo Granny (Turbo), a powerful yokai.
The Serpos are after human “banana” organs for reproductive reasons. Our heroes achieve superpowers and use them to defeat Serpoians. However, Turbo Granny escapes a thrashing and curses Okarun. This convinces Momo and Okarun to return to the former’s home to think of strategies.
There, our heroes encounter the Flatwoods Monster, an alien with ties to the Serpoians. Momo and Okarun defeat the monster, but Momo falls unconscious. Okarun succumbs to Turbo Granny’s control, but Momo’s grandmother, Seiko Ayase, arrives to stop him. Seiko informs Momo and Okarun about Turbo and suggests they defeat her by playing tag.
After training, Momo and Okarun head to Turbo’s tunnel to challenge her.
How do Momo and Okarun defeat Turbo Granny? How does Turbo Granny survive?
After Turbo Granny toys with Momo and Okarun, Momo challenges her to tag and explains what they and she will receive if they win. Amidst the game, Momo and Okarun capture Turbo, while she looks like a snake. Turbo’s location-bound spirit crab ally arrives and chases after Momo and Okarun while Turbo is in their possession.
Eventually, Momo and Okarun land near a railway and lose Turbo. Turbo merges with the crab and both groups hop on a nearby subway to continue fighting. With Seiko’s talismans and Momo’s psychic powers, they defeat Turbo.
Momo, Okarun, and Seiko visit a gravesite near the tunnel where many girls perished. Seiko argues Turbo comforted the female spirits who died horribly. After funny school mischief occurs, Okarun tells Momo his “balls” are missing. Momo and Okarun head to the former’s home and perform a ritual on Okarun and a cat doll.
The cat doll comes alive. Our heroes corner it in a closet and learn its Turbo. Turbo tells Momo and her allies that she survived Seiko’s exorcism by entering Okarun’s body at the last second.
What are the gold balls and their capabilities? Who is Aira Shiratori?
Turbo orders Okarun to kill the Ayases, and Okarun transforms to everyone’s shock. Seiko says Okarun has Turbo’s powers because she tried too hard to escape from him. Momo makes a deal with Turbo. Turbo tells everyone she lost Okarun’s gold balls and argues the gold balls contain a powerful life force.
While Seiko asks around, Momo and Okarun attend school. The former learns someone shared a bad rumor about her. A student named Aira Shiratori did it. Aira confirms she did it because Momo used her powers to humiliate her. Aira pulls out Okarun’s gold ball, claims Momo’s a demon, and argues she’s destined to save the world.
She obtained this ball while our heroes fought Turbo on the subway train. Later, Turbo tells Momo and Okarun that people can awaken their powers and see spirits by picking up the gold balls. Later, Aira leads Momo to a warehouse. Aira and her friends attack Momo.
Chaos ensues and matters get more bizarre once Okarun, Turbo, and a strange woman arrive.
Who is Acrobatic Silky? Does Acrobatic Silky die?
The strange woman is Acrobatic Silky (Silky) and claims to be Aira’s mother. She devours Okarun, Aira, and Momo, but our heroes free themselves. Momo lit up Aira’s cross to set Silky’s hair on fire, which enticed Silky to spit them out. Nonetheless, a chase sequence happens and Momo and Okarun defeat Silky with their powers.
Unfortunately, Aira’s on the brink of death. Silky heads toward our heroes and tells them to connect her aura with Aira’s. She argues it’s the best way to save Aira. In a flashback, we learn Silky was a human mother who lived a poor life with her daughter. Silky spent money she owed to certain men on her daughter’s dress.
The men showed up to Silky’s home, hurt her, and kidnapped her daughter. Silky committed suicide after the fact and became a wandering, lost spirit. A young Aira noticed her wandering spirit and called her her mother. This exchange convinced Silky that Aira was her daughter, leading to her yokai appearance and decision to stalk Aira.
After Momo and Silky perform their aura ritual on Aira, Aira awakens. Silky deteriorates. Turbo says Silky will visit the void since she’s perishing with regrets. Aira walks up to Silky and hugs her. Silky dies. Aira promises never to forget her.
How does Momo, Aira, and Okarun’s love triangle start? How do our heroes defeat Nessie, Mr. Mantis Shrimp, and the Serpoians?
Later, Momo and Aira argue during dinner. Okarun explains why he saved Aira to Aira. Aira thinks Okarun is under Momo’s control and develops feelings for Okarun. At school, Momo spots Okarun towering over Aira’s body. Okarun tries telling Momo it was an accident but she refuses to hear him out.
Okarun hears Aira scream in the hallway and the two encounter a Mantisian (later named Mr. Mantis Shrimp). At the same time, Momo spots an aquatic dinosaur (Nessie) in a different hallway. While Okarun protects Aira from Shrimp, the Serpos arrive. The Serpos place Okarun and Aira in their void space and tell Okarun they want to steal his powers.
Aira transforms into her Acrobatic Silky form to support Okarun. She and Okarun get trapped in the Serpo’s Awesome Zone minutes later, but Momo arrives to free them. More madness ensues involving the demise of two Serpos. Nessie, Shrimp, and the remaining Serpo fuse and confront our heroes again.
Momo and the others defeat them. Several students surround Okarun and Momo since they stripped down into their undergarments. Okarun, Momo, and Aira run off embarrassed.
What is Okarun’s theory about the aliens? How do our heroes help Mr. Mantis Shrimp with his Chiquitita problem?
Okarun, Momo, and Aira discuss their enemies’ plans. The former argues the aliens want to invade Earth, but the supernatural spirits protect Earth from them. Okarun says the aliens want special human “banana” organs so they can develop technology to defeat the yokai. Aira departs and tells her classmates and friends she spread the rumor about Momo.
While Momo and Aira discuss this dilemma outside, Shrimp confronts them. He, Momo, and the others head to Momo’s home. Shrimp tells Momo he travels to multiple places, collecting currency to support his child, Chiquitita. He says Chiquitita’s ill and requires specific blood to survive.
Before Shrimp departs to find work, Seiko hands him milk. Shrimp drinks it and realizes it’s the blood he needs. Seiko asks a dairy farmer to lend Shrimp a cow he can take home. Shrimp thanks everyone and departs with the cow.
Who is Jiji Enjoji? Why is Jiji here and what must Momo do for him?
Jiji Enjoji, Momo’s childhood friend and love interest arrives. Matters get awkward between Jiji and our group, resulting in Okarun and Aira departing the Ayase family home. Seiko tells Momo that Jiji’s parents are hospitalized so he’ll stay with them until they recover. Jiji apologizes to Momo while cleaning the dishes with her.
He tells Momo he can see spirits and that a strange monster is wandering his home. Jiji argues his parents became ill after he met this creature. Although Jiji got spirit mediums to help, some died on duty. Therefore, one of the mediums told him to visit Seiko for help. Seiko tells Jiji that Momo will handle this task and promises Momo she’ll fulfill her clothing request.
Why is Okarun concerned about Momo and Jiji’s relationship? Who are Taro and Hana?
Okarun is concerned about Momo and Jiji’s relationship. He’s worried that Momo will become disinterested in him. Okarun heads outside to clear his head. Jiji and Momo greet Okarun and start chatting with each other. Okarun walks somewhere and a live anatomical model (Taro) heads in his direction.
The model runs in Jiji and Momo’s direction next. Momo uses her powers to grab the model. Okarun transforms and chases after them. Eventually, our heroes arrive at a dump. They spot Taro confessing his love to a female anatomical model named Hana. Okarun and the others return to the Ayase’s home.
Okarun convinces Seiko to let Hana stay at her place and let Taro see her sometimes. Seiko accepts Okarun’s request.
How does Dan Da Dan Season 1 end?
During dinner, Momo convinces Okarun to accompany her and Jiji to Jiji’s home. Later, Taro arrives at the Ayase’s home late and apologizes to Hana. He promises Momo he’ll be early next time. Okarun interrupts Momo and Jiji’s chat with his tsuchinoko tale. Jiji shares his tsuchinoko tale. Okarun learns Jiji’s not so bad but doesn’t fully accept his friendship.
At Jiji’s village, Jiji discloses details about his father’s job and his family’s reasons for residing here. Jiji, Momo, and Okarun investigate Jiji’s home. Momo argues the spirits are hiding because they have low spirit power. She departs to the hot springs and has Okarun watch Jiji. Okarun and Jiji argue over their feelings for Momo.
During their argument, Okarun and Jiji notice something off about Jiji’s home and investigate it. Meanwhile, several pervy men enter the hot springs site Momo’s lounging in. Momo learns this is a co-ed bathing area. While the men pin Momo down, Jiji and Okarun open a hole in the wall of the unknown area.
Jiji and Okarun look through the hole. Dan Da Dan Season 1 ends with our boys discovering several pieces of paper plastered on the room’s walls.
Do we have a full recap of Dan Da Dan’s Season Finale?
We’ve covered Dan Da Dan’s Season Finale with a lengthy recap that touches on all major plot points. Within that article is an accompanying review. You can find that link below.
Read more: Dan Da Dan – Episode 12 Recap, Review & Ending Explained
Conclusion
Dan Da Dan has become a surprise hit with audiences worldwide. While the anime is on hold until 2025, viewers can read Yukinobu’s Tatsu’s ongoing manga on Viz and MANGA Plus (as of this writing).
As always, thank you for reading our season 1 recap! If you want to read our season 1 review of Dan Da Dan, click here!
Are you a big Dan Da Dan fan? What was your favorite moment from Season 1? Let us know in the comments below!