Dandadan’s Momo and Okarun Redefine Romance in Shonen Anime

Shonen anime does many things flawlessly when it comes to showcasing powerful heroes with convincing story arcs. It is such a popular genre because, though aimed at teenage boys, shonen anime explores themes that appeal to viewers of all ages and genders. Fans relate to the struggles of the hero and wish to become like them, who train for their goal and, in the end, rise above all the hardships thanks to their own merit.

However, despite having all these good qualities, there is one key element that shonen anime fails to portray adequately. Popular franchises like Naruto, Dragon Ball, and Bleach have all been accused of failing to represent believable and well-developed romance arcs for their hero. Here, the protagonists always do end up in relationships, but the way things lead to that conclusion remains debatable. Surprisingly, Dandadan thrives in that section by depicting a love story that can even rival a traditional romance anime.

Dandadan Integrates Romance Naturally Alongside Action

The central focus of a shonen anime has always been its action and the high-octane fight sequences. Usually, these scenes would portray the journey of the protagonist from a weak novice to a strong fighter by steadily increasing their strength through rigorous training. The action element of the story gets the most importance, and anime like Dragon Ball even built its legacy on thrilling combat styles and legendary techniques. Other than that, even anime like Bleach, Naruto, My Hero Academia, and Demon Slayer, which emphasize more emotion in comparison, still put the action at the forefront. This is why, when they suddenly introduce a love interest, it feels odd and haphazard, because there were very few indications of a love angle from the beginning.

This tradition is hardly new, for it has consistently been the norm in shonen anime. However, when Dandadan arrived as a whimsical and chaotic shonen anime with lots of action but also a very believable love story, the disparity became strikingly clear. In the very first episode of Dandadan, the way things escalate proved how unlike any anime it was, as it subverts expectations by showcasing some of the most random plot progressions ever. Each episode also features smooth and fluid fight scenes that show hand-to-hand combat, but also rely on supernatural powers like the psychokinesis ability of Momo. In Season 2 of Dandadan, Okarun’s clash with Jiji in his Evil Eye form was an absolute cinematic experience, and it again demonstrates that this anime does not cut corners with its action.

But amidst all of this, Dandadan never forgets to include even a quick segment of the growing feelings between Momo and Okarun very subtly. For example, from Episode 1 to Episode 4, Momo and Okarun constantly fight off both aliens and ghosts. And right after that, in Episode 5, they are both searching for each other at school because they genuinely like talking, but are too proud to say it out loud. Even in Season 2, after Momo saves Okarun from within molten magma, she quickly hugs him, pointing out how worried she was for his safety. These things are small but very effective in giving the audience a legitimate direction as to where they could expect this relationship to go in the future. Thus, when Momo and Okarun finally get together, it will not be out of nowhere and will feel organic because the viewers have already expected and even anticipated such an outcome.

Unlike Many Shonen Anime, Dandadan Has Strong Female Representation

A major reason why Dandadan managed to develop the relationship between Okarun and Momo so convincingly is the strong depiction of female characters within the series. Shonen anime has consistently faced legitimate criticisms for neglecting its female cast and failing to develop them properly. In Naruto, many believe characters like Sakura, Hinata, and Temari, who were very promising, were wasted. The proper progression of their personality was disregarded in favor of others, and ultimately, they were reduced to just love interests. Dragon Ball has the same problem where very few strong, powerful women are introduced, and even when they appear onscreen, they are never the focus and are mostly on the sidelines.

In Dandadan, it is not at all like that. Momo is literally the first character who is introduced in Episode 1, making her more of a protagonist than Okarun, even though the story focuses on two heroes. This is why Dandadan never pushes Momo’s story aside for the sake of its male lead, giving both of them the same chance to stand out. But it is not just Momo who enjoys the limelight; her grandmother, Seiko, another prominent female character, also steals the show whenever she appears. She acts as the typical teacher common in shonen anime who trains the characters, along with Turbo Granny, another female entity.

Even Aira, a rival of Momo and later a part of their group, had some very important episodes dedicated to her. She also gets her own unique abilities, and when it comes to fights, in certain situations, she is even better than Okarun. Another aspect that makes Dandadan’s female cast so great is that the gradual progression of their character development actually leads to results. Aira starts off as an extremely unlikable girl who used to have bullying tendencies towards those she perceived as being lesser than her. But later, she grows as a person and even genuinely starts caring for Momo, despite having constant friendly fights with her.

In general, Dandadan does a great job of giving every primary character their time to shine and focuses on their powers individually. For instance, in a fight, Okarun might come off as the more intense one, with him frequently staying active in a battle, but most of the time, Momo will be the one to land the finishing blow, like she does with Turbo Granny. This way, there is a very nice balance between all the characters, and when they go through a change in their relationship with each other, the progression feels both realistic and natural.

Dandadan Gives a New Direction for Romance in Shonen Anime

Dandadan effectively redefines romance in shonen anime, presenting it in such a healthy way that it rivals even series dedicated to the romance genre. Most of the time, in shonen anime, the hero remains aloof from anyone who might be interested in him. Either he is too busy fighting with his enemies, or he is interested in someone else who is not his fated partner. For instance, in Bleach, Ichigo had no idea that Orihime was interested in him at the beginning. Similarly, in Naruto, Naruto was unaware of Hinata’s feelings, and he one-sidedly pursued Sakura, who was madly in love with Sasuke.

Dandadan, however, does not treat its couples in such a one-dimensional way. Here, both Momo and Okarun go through mutual pining and fall for the other almost at the same time. Momo, who is a much more popular girl, starts to find Okarun interesting and someone she genuinely wants to talk to. Okarun, who is a nerdish character, also becomes enamored with Momo’s vibrant personality and kind-hearted nature. Their reciprocal interest becomes clear when the romantic scenes happen, as both of them blush, and not once does the anime imply their feelings travel one way.

Even when more characters who are interested in Momo and Okarun are introduced, their love never gets questioned. When Aira starts to fall for Okarun, it is pretty clear that Okarun does not reciprocate her feelings. Yes, he was red in the face when she tried to kiss him, but at the same time, he was also forcing her off of him. Similarly, when Jiji shows signs of romantic interest towards Momo, the audience knows that Momo only sees him as a friend. Dandadan feels like a breath of fresh air because it avoids unnecessary drama and never forces a love triangle into the story. Even when a situation like that does appear, such as in Season 2, Episode 12, when Vamola unexpectedly kisses Okarun, it is clear that this angle will not be dragged out for long.

The shonen anime genre can definitely rise above its tropes, and Dandadan proves that. This does not mean that other anime like Naruto, Bleach, or Dragon Ball are not good, because they are great at what they do. They are the ones who popularized the shonen anime demographic to a worldwide audience and the craft of designing epic showdowns between memorable characters. But it is also true that where all these shonen anime fail, Dandadan wins by becoming a masterclass in shonen anime romance.