Warning: Contains spoilers for episode 4 of Dan Da Dan.Dan-Dan is the last anime of Shonen Jump brand, and it is easily one of the best Shonen Jump anime adaptations to date. Between the great action and writing and how it’s perfectly complemented by Science Saru’s gorgeous animation, Dan-Dan became an instant hit among fans and critics, and is already an easy contender for best anime of 2024.
About Dan-DanWriting-wise, a big part of what makes it so good is how it handles its female protagonist. For years, anime on and off Shonen Jump have struggled to write their female characters, with stories like naruto, Bleach, My Hero Academyand Jujutsu Kaisen being big offenders, but surprisingly, Dan-Dan did a perfect job avoiding some of the biggest problems Shonen Jump anime has with its female characters. This writing did Dan-Dan a standout anime since its premiere, and it’s set to get even better with each passing episode.
Dan Da Dan Shows How Shonen Battle Anime Needs to Write Its Heroines
Why Dan Da Dan’s heroine is so good
Thanks to shonen anime having boys as its main demographic, male characters typically receive more attention and involvement in the plot, while female characters typically only play supporting roles at best. Fortunately, however, Dan-Dan avoids the issue of female protagonists Shonen Jump anime not getting proper development by making Momo the main character from the beginningand it does a great job of establishing that she’s a major player rather than being stuck in a supporting role.
Dan-Dan establishes Momo as a major player from the first scene, and the rest of the story never fails to live up to that idea. Not only is Momo always driving the story with her comedy and assertive personality, but she always contributes to the fights with her clever planning and overall power and is usually the one who has to end things. Dan-Dan never fails to give Momo the kind of agency, a main character in a Shonen Jump anime deserves itand she’s so much better than the average female protagonist because of it.
Dan Da Dan does a great job of making his heroes equal
Momo and Okarun are co-protagonists
Another important point about the Momo agency in Dan-Dan it’s how she presents herself in comparison to Okarun. Both Momo and Okarun are the protagonists of Dan-Danand although the story arcs tend to focus more on Okarun’s problems than Momo’s, Dan-Dan always does a great job of portraying Momo and Okarun as equals, giving them equal involvement in the storywith their characters’ development always happening in tandem, so no one feels more developed than the other.
The way Momo and Okarun complement each other can best be seen in Dan-Dan episode #4. Okarun’s physical abilities were the main reason he and Momo were able to face and eventually defeat Turbo Granny, but it wasn’t just Momo who guided Okarun on how to best use his powers, but when Okarun ran out of power, Momo didn’t. . hesitate to admit and end things, once and for all. Dan-DanMomo and Okarun’s fights are always decided by how well Momo and Okarun work together.and that’s something Shonen Jump anime rarely manages to do.
In many ways, Momo and Okarun’s dynamic is an inversion of the typical dynamic. Shonen Jump pairings have. Unlike many male protagonists, Okarun is meek and reserved and fights best when following Momo’s plans; Likewise, Momo, as previously stated, is driven and assertive, and her support for Okarun is framed less because she is a girl and more because she is his partner. Dan-Dan avoid the typical pitfalls of Shonen Jump anime for how much it revitalizes male and female dynamics through Momo and Okarunand it makes the writing for both characters the best it can be.
Dan Da Dan’s Character Writing Helps Sell His Romance Story
Dan-Dan does a great job of making Momo and Okarun’s dynamic much better than is typically seen in a Shonen Jump anime, which does a lot to sell the romantic aspect of the story. Dan-Dan made it clear that the romance between Momo and Okarun will be at the center of the story, but with Momo’s assertiveness and the active role she has in the story, Dan-DanThe romance is set to be much better than average Shonen Jump romance thanks to the amount of agency Momo received.
This idea can already be seen in the series, of course; Momo and Okarun have always had great chemistry through their bickering and constant support, and it wouldn’t have worked as well if they had been written more generically, especially if Momo was more of a typical Shonen Jump heroin. The great writing for Dan-DanHer romance subplot is another part of how she breaks the mold of Shonen Jump animeand if Dan-Dan maintains this type of writing, then Momo will certainly be considered one of the best Shonen Jump heroines of all time.
Dan-Dan releases new episodes on Thursdays on Crunchyroll.