Dandadan stands out as the best anime of the Fall 2024 season—at least when considering only full-season shows.
If we include everything, I actually rated Monogatari Series: Off & Monster Season and One Piece: Fan Letter higher.
But Monogatari only had its last four episodes air in the fall, and Fan Letter was just a special episode, so they don’t quite count.
Among anime that aired entirely in the fall, Dandadan is my top pick.
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| Credit: Science Saru |
Dandadan - Best Fall 2024 Anime
But what makes it so good? Let’s start from the very beginning—its opening theme.
I can say for sure that it has the best song of the season.
Another strong point of the anime is its animation. Science SARU may not have the biggest catalog, but their shows always look great.
But the best part of Dandadan, in my opinion, is the characters. The cast is fantastic, and their interactions make the show so much fun.
This kind of chemistry is what makes series like KonoSuba work so well—great characters bouncing off each other in entertaining ways.
Okarun and Momo are a great pair, and like most fans, I love their dynamic. At first, I was a bit worried that Aira’s introduction would throw things off, but she actually made their interactions even better.
The same thing happened when Jiji appeared later in the season—he added to the chemistry rather than disrupting it.
Overall, Dandadan delivers a mix of solid animation, an exciting opening theme, and a lovable cast, making it my favorite anime of the season.
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| Credit: Science Saru |
Aliens vs Ghosts
The story has some really fun and interesting characters. The two main ones are Ken “Okarun” Takakura and Momo Ayase.
Okarun is a quiet, nerdy guy who’s really into aliens but doesn’t believe in ghosts.
Meanwhile, Momo is a popular girl who’s obsessed with spirits but thinks aliens are fake.
As you might guess, they make an unusual but entertaining pair.
Okarun isn’t my favorite character—maybe because he’s the male lead. But when he’s with Momo, he becomes so much more fun to watch.
Their interactions are the heart of the series for me. They’re both a little clueless in their own ways, and that just makes their chemistry even better.
Momo is definitely my favorite character, not just because she’s the main girl, but also because of how well Shion Wakayama brings her to life.
Her voice fits Momo perfectly, and I honestly can’t imagine anyone else playing her.
I’m not usually a fan of English dubs, but the dub for this series, in particular, just feels off to me.
Another important character is Seiko Ayase, whom Momo calls her grandmother. But whether she’s actually her grandmother is unclear since she looks way too young for that.
What we do know is that Seiko is an expert in spiritual matters.
Then there’s Aira Shiratori, another popular girl from school. She ends up joining Okarun and Momo, but she has a strange belief that Momo is some kind of evil force she must defeat to save the world.
At the same time, Aira also starts to develop feelings for Okarun, which naturally makes Momo jealous.
Lastly, we meet Jin “Jiji” Enjouji, Momo’s childhood friend. He only appears toward the end of the season, so there’s still a lot we don’t know about him.
But so far, he’s like a bundle of energy—constantly moving, cracking jokes, and acting like he can’t sit still for a second. He gives off major ADHD vibes, and I have a feeling he’s going to be a really fun character as the story continues.
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| Credit: Science Saru |
Ending of Dandadan
If you just finished watching Episode 12 of Dandadan, you might be wondering when the next episode will be released.
Well, I hate to break it to you, but that was actually the end of the season.
Yes, the season didn’t just leave us hanging—it literally stopped in the middle of an arc.
We saw some creepy old men harassing Momo in a hot spring, and Okarun and Jiji stumbling upon a strange hidden room in Jiji’s house.
And just like that, the season ended.
But here’s the good news: we won’t have to wait too long for more episodes. Even though this season is over, the next one already has a confirmed release date.
Dandadan Season 2 will be coming in July 2025, which is just six months away.
That’s not too bad, right? Honestly, with how this season wrapped up, it almost feels more like a Part 2 than a whole new season.
Season 2 is going to pick up exactly where this one left off, which isn’t something we usually see in anime.
Since we’re getting more episodes so soon, I don’t have too many complaints—except for one. Why didn’t Episode 12 say anything about Season 2 coming in July?
There was no official announcement, no “to be continued,” nothing. It just ended as if we should expect another episode next week.
This makes me wonder if Dandadan was always meant to be split into two seasons.
I don’t have any proof, but the way this season ended and how quickly the next one is coming makes me think there were some production issues.
Final Thoughts
I’d give Dandadan a 7 out of 10. It’s an overall good anime, but not without its flaws.
Some parts felt a little slow, especially when certain aliens were involved, and I just didn’t find them that interesting.
But there were also some amazing moments, like the episode that told Acrobatic Silky’s backstory.
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