Since its July 2025 premiere, the second season of the anime "Dandadan" has been a must-watch for fans of supernatural action and high school drama. Based on Yukinobu Tatsu’s hit manga serialized in the popular Shonen Jump+ app, the series masterfully blends intense battles—featuring a high school girl with psychic powers, Momo, and a boy with yokai abilities, Okarun—with heartfelt stories of friendship and romance that have captured the hearts of fans.
Episode 23, titled "Hey, It's a Kaiju", aired on September 11th. The previous episode (Episode 22) marked the full introduction of Kinta Sakata, an otaku boy whose quirky personality left a strong impression on viewers. The appearance of a kaiju during the search for a golden ball in that same episode left audiences eager for the next installment.
This article will provide a recap of Episode 23. We will examine how it deviates from the original source material, analyze social media reactions, and offer a recap of the episode's events. Additionally, we'll highlight key aspects to anticipate in the upcoming episode!
*Please note that this article contains spoilers.
House Transforms into a Giant Robot!? Viewers Thrilled by Unexpected Turn of Events!
As the monster expands to monumental size, Momo and her friends are drawn into an enigmatic void. The monster is revealed to be an alien, and not only are the superpowered Aira and Jiji caught in the pandemonium, but even the ordinary Kinta is unwillingly pulled into the conflict.
Despite their desperate efforts, Momo and the others are unable to overcome their incredibly powerful adversary. They manage to retreat to the Ayase household when the monster briefly falters, but the danger persists.
Following Okarun's suggestion, they conceive a strategy to combat the monster by expanding their nano-skin house to match its scale. However, they struggle to envision a suitable form for battling the creature. In this critical moment, Kinta provides the solution.
A lifelong devotee of sci-fi with a passion for robots, Kinta successfully projects his imagination onto the nano-skin, manifesting a colossal robot in the likeness of a giant Buddha statue. His previous knowledge of nano-skin from a magazine in an earlier episode likely proved beneficial. The Buddha form, however, appears to be a result of Momo's association of "something huge" with a Buddha statue.
Viewers express their delight of this scene, commenting: "Who would've thought Kinta, known for his constant dirty jokes, would save the day like this! lol", "Where did the idea of transforming a house into a Buddha robot even come from? lol", "I laughed when Momo thought of a Buddha statue", and "It's so chaotic and hilarious!"
The robot transformation scenes were also a major highlight, captivating viewers with their grandeur and uniqueness. Many exclaimed, "I was so excited by the transformation scenes!" The house's interior also underwent a dynamic, trick-house-like transformation, funneling friends through various routes to their control seats.
Viewers shared a range of positive reactions, including "I absolutely love Momo's 'upstairs' pun!", "The background music's homage is irresistible!", and "The robot transformation scene was a perfect blend of attention to detail and playfulness."
Intriguingly, the robot's complete image revealed hidden messages in alphabet lettering. These included "RO-BOTTO TO-KAITE SA-KATAKINTA TO-YOMIMASU" ("It's written as 'robot' but read as 'Kinta Sakata'") and "ROBOTTOGASUKIDASHINUHODOSUKIDA" ("I love robots, I love them to death"). These messages appear to offer a glimpse into Kinta's inner thoughts.
If you missed these details, be sure to rewatch and look closely!
Aira: Fierce in Battle, Adorable Around Okarun!
In the first half of the episode, viewers were treated to an intense battle featuring Momo, Okarun, and Aira against a formidable giant monster. Aira's performance, in particular, stood out, as her agile attacks using her long hair garnered praise, with fans exclaiming, "Aira was so cool!"
Even amidst the chaos of battle, the ongoing bickering between Momo and Aira provided comedic relief, prompting comments like, "I could watch Momo and Aira's squabbles all day!"
Despite their efforts, Aira got injured and lost consciousness. Okarun then carried her while Momo utilized her psychic powers to transport them to the Ayase household for refuge.
A humorous moment unfolded when Okarun attempted to set Aira down, only to find her clinging to him. It was revealed that Aira had regained consciousness and was deliberately seizing the opportunity to hold onto Okarun. Viewers were amused by her antics, commenting, "Aira's assertiveness is great!" and "After such a fierce battle, Aira still has the energy to fake it!"
The comedic trend continued as the house began to transform. Aira feigned fear, using it as another excuse to cling to Okarun. Fans found her transparent attempts endearing, with comments such as "Aira trying to stick to Okarun at every chance is so cute" and "Her transparency is refreshing at this point."
Overall, viewers appear to be developing a strong fondness for Aira's multifaceted personality, appreciating both her impressive combat skills and her playful interactions with Okarun.
Original Anime Scenes: The Comparison
Let's explore the original scenes created for this anime episode. Regardless of whether you've noticed them or read the manga, compare them with the original comic. Don't forget to look for other minor differences as well!
The Giant Monster's Beam
The scene where the giant monster fires a beam is an anime original. In the manga, this battle scene, including the beam, does not exist. The monster's design also differs; the manga version's horns extend straight out, making a beam attack from them impossible.
Evil Eye's Discarded Backpack Hitting the Monster
While Jiji, carrying Kinta, transforms into Evil Eye and discards the backpack in the manga, it doesn't fly as far as in the anime. The manga shows a more casual, nearby toss. The anime adds the surprising element of the backpack hitting and temporarily knocking down the sturdy monster—a testament to Evil Eye's strength!
Okarun Moving Underwater
Okarun's journey underwater to the Buddha robot's control room is unique to the anime. In the manga, he enters the toilet but doesn't travel underwater. Consequently, the scene where he's thoughtfully dried off with a hairdryer upon arrival is also exclusive to the anime.
Next Episode Highlight: Episode 24: "Clash! Space Kaiju vs. Giant Robot!"
The team has acquired a colossal Buddha robot, seemingly capable of combating the kaiju. However, there's a catch: it's still a Buddha statue and appears immobile. To complicate matters, Kinta and his team have no prior experience piloting a robot.
This is where Kinta truly shines! Having always dreamt of piloting a robot, he is now set to prove his mettle. Prepare for a thrilling, action-packed spectacle as the space monster and the colossal robot clash in a battle that will keep you on the edge of your seat!
About "Dandadan"
Story
It is a story about Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult geek.
The two of them started talking after Momo rescued Okarun from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them since Momo "believes in ghosts but denies the existense of aliens", and Okarun "believes in aliens but deniest the existence of ghosts".
To make each other believe in what they denied the existence of, Momo goes to an abandoned hospital, which is a UFO hotspot , and Okarun goes to a tunnel, which is a haunted place.
In each place, they encounter overwhelming paranormal entities that defy comprehension.
Amid trouble, Momo awakens her hidden power and Okarun gains the power of a curse to challenge the paranormal entities!
Could this be the start of a fateful romance as well!?
Now begins a new story of occult battles and adolescence!
Cast
Momo <Momo Ayase>: Shion Wakayama
Okarun <Takakura Ken>: Natsuki Hanae
Seiko: Nana Mizuki
Aira <Aira Shiratori>: Ayane Sakura
Jiji <Jin Enjoji>: Kaito Ishikawa
Manjiro: Hiroyuki Yoshino
Turbo-Granny: Mayumi Tanaka
Dover Demon: Tomokazu Seki
Taro: Tomokazu Sugita
Hana: Hirano Fumi
Naki Kito: Masako Isobe
Evil Eye: Mutsumi Tamura
Chiquitita: Naomi Ōzora
Kinta Sakata: Daichi Fujiwara
©Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA,DANDADAN Production Committee
*Some parts of this text have been translated using machine translation
