Aira Shiratory finally gets to display her powers for the first time, since Acrobatic Silky saved her life. Will Ken and Momo be able to reconcile their ‘misunderstanding?‘

Video Review

What Stands Out About This Episode?

Building Upon Everything There is to Love about Dandadan!

For the first time, we get to see what the “love rival” in Aira Shiratori brings to the table other than trying to take our MC’s man. But let’s be real, that is what she brings to the table, except now she gets to operate on the same playing field of supernatural abilities, just like Momo and Ken. Judging by the way horny Turbo Grandma Ken and acrobatic Silky Aira naturally work so well in their supernatural form, this plays perfectly into the raw emotion that is the backbone of this arc: JEALOUSY!

Although Dan Da Dan’s theme is spirit entities and aliens told from a “shonen” storytelling perspective, the main plot is actually the growing romantic narrative between Ken and Momo. The Dan Da Dan humor comes with its own unique comedic flair of irony and wackiness, while these yokai and Alien Diddies serve as wacky catalysts that force Momo and Ken to face their relationship obstacles.

This episode serves as the perfect representation of everything special about Dan Da Dan that explains why we are here. We have this full-of-herself popular girl in Aira who seems like a natural fit with Ken, displayed by their flawless choreography in their fight against the Serpo Aliens. Without peeling back every layer of what the anatomy of Dan Da Dan is—from the story structure to the humor embedded into both the characters and the narrative—it ultimately gets grounded in the relationship between Momo and Ken.

There are characters like Acrobatic Silky who can help provide deep meaning to the story and its characters, but let’s be real, we’re talking about horny Turbo Grannies and Alien Diddies here. In this episode, Aira flashed her abilities for the first time, while Ken is naturally growing into his shonen form. From a wimpy kid with no friends and his manhood always being taken from him, to a guy that has one golden ball, who looks like he just found his signature move in headbutting the enemies, Ken finally takes the initiative and asserts his masculinity upon Momo in a lovable, “non-Diddy” way.

While this episode was a fresh taste of Acrobatic Aira and Ken’s shonen progression, ultimately, it’s about payoffs—A.K.A. “CLIMAX!” Jealousy is the one emotion that results from this plot. So, it only makes sense that the scene between Momo and Ken facing their issues head-to-head felt the most tense, which eventually leads to the payoff at the end. Ken and Aira had their accidental face-to-face on the ground, and the story rewards us with an even bigger upstaging moment in the same exact situation between Ken and Momo. But this time, Ken is totally rocking out with two-thirds of his manhood exposed, and Momo is only in her lingerie.

BUT! This is where the special Dan Da Dan humor within the story can’t just leave it as a complete happy ending. The “happy ending” seems to be reserved for all their high school classmates who witnessed and photographed this important moment—to take home, lotion in hand, and hand gripping manhood.

Check out my other YouTube anime reviews here!