Storyboards and episode direction: Moko-chan
Assistant episode director: Takuya Fujikura
After enduring a mortifying train ride, it’s finally time for Momo and Okarun to confront Turbo Granny and the earthbound spirit she’s teamed up with. How that plays out results in a very fun episode that also shows the limits of the show’s stylistic color choices.
While I’d been slightly lukewarm on DAN DA DAN’s comedy before, I found myself appreciating the smooth fusion and transitions between humor, action, and poignancy in this episode. Momo and Okarun’s venture into the tunnel where Turbo Granny is hiding kicks off with solid banter derived from their fright — I chuckled at the almost-pitch black wide shot of the two arguing about their formation, with the following brief scuffle causing their flashlights’ beams to wave madly. It then proceeds to throw surprise after surprise in regards to how the initial moments of their encounter play out. I definitely did not expect Okarun to lunge at Turbo Granny’s breast as part of a desperate play, and all this only makes up the first five minutes.
Momo and Okarun’s plan was to engage Turbo Granny in a race to get her out of her current location, Shono City. After various complications (like Turbo Granny’s nonsensical method of counting down), they subdue Turbo Granny but end up having to flee from the earthbound spirit, which looks like a giant crab. This leads to a long chase that includes a first-person view scene of Momo riding piggyback on Okarun, the tactical use of a hot spring, and a few minutes where the duo sail through the nightscape while the show plays a techno version of Jacques Offenbach’s “Galop Infernal” (edit: and “William Tell Overture: Finale,” too). That’s the music that’s often associated with the can-can dance, and as nice as the animation was during this whole chase, the combination of the music’s familiar orchestral strings with techno beats is what really elevates the sequence into “What on earth am I experiencing?” territory.
With Turbo Granny being the central supernatural figure in this episode, we’re treated to a lot of red-dyed scenes. I’d been a fan of series director Fuga Yamashiro’s decision to assign specific colors to specific otherworldly characters, but the constant exposure to red in this episode — in contrast to the clash between red and blue in Episode 1 or the black-and-white fight in Episode 2 — keenly highlights how that approach and strict adherence to it can result in a rigid and restrictive experience. There are cool shots involving that red — silhouettes of people contrasting against the red backdrop; a low-angle shot of Seiko confidently awaiting Turbo Granny’s arrival under the ghastly crimson sky, with the train that Momo and Okarun are fleeing on framed between her legs — but for the most part, I was really tired of seeing that bloody color.
As such, it was a huge relief for me when Okarun and Momo finally defeated Turbo Granny by luring her into the railway trap set up by Seiko. Even after the end of the big chase, there are still some strong scenes. Detailed, melancholy background art steals the eye when Seiko makes a reveal that humanizes Turbo Granny, and when Momo goes ham on crab meat during dinner — even during their encounter with the earthbound spirit, Momo’s appetite for crab didn’t take any hits — she’s depicted with one of the silliest expressions I have had the pleasure of witnessing.
However, the best part of the episode has to be the ending. Momo and Okarun say their farewells, but get hung up on their choice of wording: sayonara, or goodbye. It takes a while for them to figure it out, but it eventually dawns on them. As Okarun’s tiny, solitary figure stops at the exterior entrance to the Ayase household, he hears Momo calling out to him and slowly turns around. We then cut to a beaming Momo declaring, “See you tomorrow!” to which Okarun responds with a resounding affirmative reply. Even in such an action-packed episode, DAN DA DAN’s display of heart is one of its best points.
DAN DA DAN is streaming on Crunchyroll, Muse Asia, and Bilibili.
