Dandadan episode 7: Aira's tragic fate averted as Silky's gut-wrenching backstory is revealed

Dandadan episode 7 was expected to focus on the continuation of Momo and Okarun’s fight against Acrobatic Silky, which would presumably end in the pair’s victory. Officially released on Thursday, November 14, 2024, the issue did see Silky’s demise come about, but not at all in the way fans expected it to.

Dandadan episode 7 instead saw Silky sacrifice herself for Aira after coming to her senses, using Momo to facilitate an act that would save Aira’s life. However, in the process, Momo also learned of Silky’s heartbreaking and gut-wrenching origins, which will leave even the most stoic of viewers teary-eyed.

Dandadan episode 7 reveals just how tragic a yokai’s origins can be

Brief episode recap

Dandadan episode 7 opens up with Acrobatic Silky's continued pursuit of Aira Shiratori (Image via Science SARU)

Dandadan episode 7 began with a woman running through the streets, seemingly disoriented while chasing after a car. This was suggested to be Acrobatic Silky’s human life, as the shot of the woman’s arm quickly transitioned into a shot of Silky’s arm. Likewise, the focus also returned to the present, where Silky began yelling about Aira being stolen from her while Momo and Okarun tried to run away with Aira and Turbo Granny.

Momo, seemingly having a plan, told Okarun to just keep running and not stop even if he can’t get away. This prompted him to lead Silky through the various twists and turns of the warehouse, which had many intertwining support beams. Silky eventually landed a blow on Okarun which sent him flying away from Aira. This prompted her to approach her so-called daughter but she was stopped short as a result of her hair getting tangled in the support beams.

Dandadan episode 7 saw Momo reveal this as her plan all along, while Silky tried to free herself by breaking the beams. Momo tried to restrain her by grabbing her legs, but Silky chose to rip her hair off to free herself instead. Okarun and Momo bickered about what the former could do in this situation, but Okarun eventually saved the day by sending Silky flying with an all-out burst.

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This had seemingly defeated the Yokai, who was motionless and stuck in a wall across the way. Turbo Granny criticized Okarun for not using her powers to their maximum potential but added that Silky would be down and out for a while even with Okarun’s inefficient use. Turbo Granny then began searching Aira’s pockets for Okarun’s kintama, which she did find. However, she also revealed that Aira was dead as a result of being eaten by Silky.

Dandadan episode 7 saw Turbo Granny further clarify that Okarun and Momo were able to survive being eaten because of their respective powers and abilities. Okarun and Momo tried to revive Aira, but Turbo Granny specified that they were wasting their time. Momo nevertheless asked Turbo Granny to call an ambulance, which she began doing despite calling it a fruitless endeavor.

However, she was interrupted by Silky’s return to the scene, prompting Okarun to prepare to fight Silky while Momo continued trying to revive her. Silky then revealed that the only way to save Aira was to give her Silky’s aura since Aira’s own aura was fading fast. Momo questioned how they could trust Silky not to eat Aira again, prompting Silky to rip her own mouth in two and make it completely unusable.

Momo becomes somewhat protective of Aira in Dandadan episode 7 (Image via Science SARU)

Dandadan episode 7 even saw Silky offer to have her head smashed in by a steel beam if Momo still didn’t trust her. After Turbo Granny validated what Silky was saying about auras, Momo told Okarun to be on standby in his transformed state. Momo then grabbed both Aira and Silky’s auras with her psychic powers, acting as the medium for transferring Silky’s aura into Aira.

However, as Momo did so, she was flooded with memories of Silky’s life as a human. She was revealed to be a s*x worker as she woke up naked in a hotel room with money on the counter. It was nighttime when she left, and the woman passed a beautiful red dress for a child in a window on her way home. It was similar in design to what Silky wore as a yokai. The woman paused before opening the door to her home but was rushed at by her daughter as she did so.

Dandadan episode 7 showed that the woman also worked several day jobs in order to raise her daughter, but still had to be a s*x worker in order to fully provide. Likewise, the woman would only let herself sleep for three hours after her s*x worker duties, meaning she would also often fall asleep at home while playing with her daughter. Despite this, the daughter was clearly happy in the life she was provided by her mother.

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The mother was also a dancer who taught her own daughter how to dance. Clearly, their financial situation didn’t stop the daughter from being loved and living a life where her needs and wants were met, including getting the red dress mentioned earlier. However, the woman was one day assaulted by some men in her home while her daughter was there. After beating the woman into submission, they took her daughter.

Dandadan episode 7 saw her try to fight again, but the men beat her until she passed out before leaving with her daughter. The woman awoke sometime later and rushed out of her house to chase after the daughter, revealing this to be the scene from the start of the episode. She found the car they were in, but collapsed immediately after finding it, losing her daughter as a result.

After passing out, the woman then somehow made her way to a rooftop, where she danced passionately under the stars despite having an emotionless look on her face. Her wounds were also still quite severe, with blood and raindrops flying all over as she pirouetted. However, this move also led her to jump off the roof, hitting the ground below and dying as she heard her daughter thanking her for all she did in her head.

Aira gives Silky an afterlife by helping her die without regrets in Dandadan episode 7 (Image via Science SARU)

Dandadan episode 7 then saw Aira approach her spirit, as she thought to herself that she couldn’t remember what, but she knew she lost something dear to her. The young Aira approached her and called her mother at this point, but was called back by her father as the woman reached out her hand.

Aira asked her father where her mother went if she wasn’t there, revealing that Aira’s mom had died when she was quite young. Her father spoke to her about being strong and learning to be okay without her mother as they walked away and left the woman behind in the street. This led Silky to remember her own child briefly, but she quickly began viewing Aira as her own daughter as her transformation into the yokai Acrobatic Silky was complete.

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Dandadan episode 7 saw the flashback transition back into reality, where Momo collapsed as Aira awoke. Okarun went to attack Silky, but Momo begged him not to with tears in her eyes. Silky apologized to Aira as her body began falling apart. Momo asked Turbo Granny if there was a way to save her, but she confirmed there wasn’t. Turbo Granny also added that, with all the regrets Silky is dying with, she’ll move onto nothingness rather than the afterlife.

Meanwhile, Silky muses on the life she gave her daughter, wishing she could’ve done much more than she did for her daughter. Aira heard this and began rushing towards Silky, hugging her while calling her mommy and saying she loved her and was happy. Clearly, Aira was trying to help Silky move onto the afterlife, which she successfully did as the episode ended.

In summation

Aira's brief backstory is also a major highlight of Dandadan episode 7 (Image via Science SARU)

Dandadan episode 7 heartbreakingly reveals the circumstances that led to the yokai Silky being born. It’s an incredibly well-produced and likewise effective scene that leaves a lasting, palpable effect on viewers. The episode also sees Aira Shiratori’s life saved, presumably setting her up to grow closer to Okarun and Momo following this terrifying experience.