Dan here Dan has already gone viral after only two weeks of its premiere, and not only because of the sheer quality of this new anime from Science Saru, but also for one of the best openings in recent years, on the notes of “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts. For the generation that grew up trying to watch anime episodes divided into three parts and with dubious subtitles, the fact that now there are worldwide simulation releases on one or more streaming services is amazing. The Dan here Dan Anime adaptation is a prime example of this happening, quickly beautiful A major topic online even before its premiere.
Part of Dan here Dan‘s rapid popularity gain was thanks to the early release of its opening theme “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts, the same musical duo responsible for the viral song “Bling Bang Bang Born” from Problem Season 2. Another factor that fueled Dan Da Dan’s quick fame is its animation, a product of the studio Science Saru. The opening sequence showcases a fluid and mesmerizing animationWith colorful flashing images, and the fast but polished fragment of the main character dancing to the song. All were directed by the studio’s veteran Spanish animator, Abel Góngora.
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The iconic fluid style of Science Saru is largely a product of Góngora’s work
A Spanish animator is responsible for the mesmerizing opening of Dan Da Dan
Science Saru was founded in 2013 by a modest but extremely talented team of five people, including Góngora. Its animation style is characterized by The use of digital tools that help streamline the process, instead of drawing frame by frame Like most of the other anime studios. The studio’s unmistakably fluid, blobby animation can be appreciated in works like Devilman Crybaby, Japan Sinks 2020And the movie Ride your wave.
Abel Góngora’s career in Science Saru quickly escalated, starting as an animator, then becoming an animation director, until finally, in recent years, he has performed directorial roles. Besides directing the opening sequence of Dan Da Dan, Góngora did Already directed Keep your hands off Eizouken!‘s intro, which was widely praised and also became really popular online. He also directed Netflix’s anime adaptation of the Scott Pilgrim novel series, with an intro that depicts Góngora’s penchant for bright flat colors and bold movement in animation.
Western staff is becoming more common with each new anime production
There is no denying that anime is global
Globalization and normalization of remote work are here to stay, and the anime industry is not exempt from this new dynamic. It’s not exactly unusual to see American or European animators work for the big anime studiosEither working from their own countries or have moved to Japan. Although general animation is where most Westerners have thrived, other non-Japanese staff have shone in areas such as design (Thomas Romain), direction (Henry Thurlow, Abel Góngora) and music composition (Kevin Penkin, Evan Call).
It is not only that these talented people have found their way to anime production, but also that in recent years, some well-established anime studios like MAPPA and Kyoto Animation Have open remote positions for anyone with the qualifications to applyPut the dream of working in anime production within the reach of more people. For now, it is too soon to say if the worldwide integration will have noticeable effects on how anime is perceived, as the lines between Western and Eastern animation are blurring, but it is a revolutionary event regardless.
The musical choices of anime openings are becoming bolder and more daring
More anime are viral due to their songs
As a likely consequence of anime’s globalization, The songs chosen for the opening themes of the series were drifting from the classic J-pop and J-rock that was the norm. It’s not that anime series have never opted for genres of Western influence, or songs from Western artists altogether, but it was rarely the most popular series selecting them. Maybe it wasn’t trying to appeal to a global audience, or maybe Japanese society isn’t very accepting of these genres, but it’s true that most anime music used to have the same feel.
Dan here Dan‘s opening “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts is just the crown jewel of this new set. The major shift may have begun with Jujutsu KaisenKing Nu’s “SPECIALZ”, the opening theme for the incomparable Shibuya Incident arc, but the song that perfected the set was definitely “Bling-Bang-Bang-Born”, Mashle: Magic and MuscleSeason 2 opening. The hip-hop trap-inspired song went viralAnd it also peaked at number 8 on the Billboard Global 200 charts, and still charts ten months later, which is no small feat.
The main trendsetters for the globalization of anime are definitely the streaming services. With the latest releases, like these Ranma 1/2 Remake, Netflix went so far as to release the dubbed episodes at the same time as the original ones, so that now waiting for the dub is no longer necessary. This only makes anime even more accessible to new audiences, and the speed at which social media spreads trends makes it even more so.
Say that Dan here Dan Only became popular thanks to its opening sequence would be a mistake, though. The series has been hyped since its announcementDue to the manga already pretty popular. The story is unique, and it offers a fun balance between classic Shaun elements and the typical high school romance. Its fun and catchy opening is just the cherry on top of an outstanding series that could start a new generation of anime.