Dandadan's biggest inspiration may have come from a niche sci-fi series

Modified Nov 09, 2024 08:30 GMT

Yukinobu Tatsu's Dandadan is a chaotic and imaginative manga series that received its anime adaptation this year. Needless to say, it has easily captivated viewers with its unique mix of supernatural abilities, alien encounters, and vibrant characters. Undoubtedly, the series is a masterpiece from the mind of Tatsu.

Even so, the series looks to be heavily inspired by a certain niche sci-fi series named Ultraman. Very well loved and adored in Japan, it kicked off the genre of alien and monster storytelling. Ultraman was and is noteworthy for its larger-than-life hero battling ethereal threats.

As such, Dandadan strongly echoes its theme of humanity’s role in facing the unknown.

Dandadan might've drawn inspiration from Eiji Tsuburaya's Ultraman

Created by Eiji Tsuburaya, Ultraman was the first series to feature supernatural and extraterrestrial phenomena. It was a near-immediate hit with Japanese audiences, successfully introducing the idea of giant extraterrestrial heroes battling equally monstrous menaces threatening the Earth. It was made complete with themes of courage and duty, which is what Dandadan wove into its narrative.

The series' blend of supernatural abilities and fights, aliens, ghosts, and powerful transformations clearly resonates with the classic tropes of Ultraman. Thus, Tatsu's manga managed to carve out a unique place for itself thanks to its quirky characters and blend of horror and comedy. The series features protagonists Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura battle supernatural threats with a personal twist.

In direct comparison, the battles in Tatsu's series are on a smaller scale. However, the Ultraman influence is quite apparent. Moreover, similar to Tsuburaya's creation, each of the monsters/aliens embodied a new hurdle to the main character's fortitude. So far, the bizarre encounters in Dandadan have acted as catalysts in developing and furthering Momo and Ken's relationship.

Moving on further, Tatsu's series’ took on a unique approach when blending humor with intense and adrenaline-pumping battles. This was another similarity with Ultraman’s own style. Either series does well to keep the audience hooked and entertained with edge-of-the-seat action while creating liveliness and a certain level of relatability.

Such a fusion of nonchalance combined with different high-stakes conflicts plays a vital part in boosting the overall charm of Tatsu's masterpiece. Needless to mention, doing so also contributes to paying homage to Ultraman while simultaneously and cleverly mixing in a fresh and modern twist. To further elaborate, the biggest resemblance lies in the element of heroism.

The male protagonist, Ken Takakura, or as Momo calls him, Okarun, finds himself tangled in the web of battling strange forces exceeding human comprehension. This is very much akin to the classic Ultraman formula of unpredicted bravery. Tatsu also reflected Ultraman's way of pushing the boundaries of physical reality through bizarre yet bewitching fights and transformations, thus blending sci-fi tropes with elements of fear and humor.

Final Thoughts

Acrobatic Silky (Image via Science Saru)

To conclude, it is clear that Ultraman has heavily Dandadan, which is evident in how the latter smoothly transitions from laughable alien encounters to jaw-dropping action sequences. This structure was popularized and loved thanks to Ultraman's thrilling setting. As mentioned, while taking pages from Tsuburaya's book, Tatsu uses similar elements as a sign of respect and homage as well.

It goes to further build on the cult classic's legacy for modern-day audiences. Tatsu's masterpiece revitalizes a classic formula with its own distinct twists. This is evident in otherworldly villains, the application of mysterious energy, and whacky transformations. Complementing these elements is the overall picture of a constant clash between the spiritual and the alien.

Hence, the new series now not only appeals to modern viewers but to retro sci-fi lovers as well, who value storytelling and over-the-top effects.