Dandadan anime's latest feat proves why it's on par with Jujutsu Kaisen and Demon Slayer

Modified Mar 07, 2025 10:00 GMT

On February 26, 2025, Netflix announced its most-watched series of 2024, with Dandadan being the top anime on the platform the last year. Science SARU's anime adaptation outperformed several big names, including Demon Slayer, Jujutsu Kaisen, and Spy x Family.

The Dandadan anime is based on a manga series written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu. The manga began serialization in April 2021 and has so far serialized 18 volumes (11 in English). It has also been adapted into an anime consisting of 12 episodes.

Dandadan crowned as Netflix's most-watched anime of 2024

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According to the "What We Watched: A Netflix Engagement Report," Science SARU's anime was the most-watched anime for the second half of 2024, amassing 19.6 million views and 96.5 hours of watch time. The series was the only anime to appear in the Top 50 most-watched TV series on Netflix.

What's remarkable about this achievement is that the anime surpassed some of the biggest and most hyped series. The Demon Slayer: Hashira Training Arc (the most viewed of the franchise's three seasons) garnered 12.9 million views and 51.1 hours of watch time.

Another anime powerhouse that Yukinobu Tatsu's anime adaptation outperformed was Jujutsu Kaisen, which received 8.1 million views and 76.9 hours of watch time. Other anime series mentioned in this survey included Dragon Ball DAIMA (5.8 million views with 26.6 hours of watch time) and Spy X Family (5.5 million views with 55.1 million hours of watch time).

Okarun and Momo as seen in the anime (Image via Science SARU)

What's surprising about the Science SARU anime adaptation is its controversial start, which seemingly destined it for failure. The anime's first six episodes were leaked before its premiere, and unlike most series, it didn't receive proper promotion online.

However, the anime rose to the top and was crowned the most-watched anime of 2024 on one of the largest anime streaming platforms. It aired from October 4, 2024, to December 20, 2024, and spanned 12 episodes.

Dandadan season 1 summary

Enjoji Jin (Jiji) as seen in the anime (Image via Science SARU)

The first season introduced Okarun and Momo as they forged their bond during an adventure in which the male protagonist was possessed by a ghost named Turbo Granny, while the female protagonist awakened her psychic powers. Following this, the protagonists aim to retrieve Okarun's kintama, which Turbo Granny stole.

Fortunately, during season 1, Momo and Okarun obtained one of the two kintama. Throughout their adventures, the anime introduced Aira, who gained the powers of Acrobatic Silky, and Seiko Ayase, Momo's grandmother and a seasoned psychic. The season concluded with the introduction of Jiji, Momo's childhood friend, who sought help against a ghost attempting to possess him.

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Edited by Shreya Das