Spoiler warning: This review discusses major developments and the ending of Dandadan season two.
After the first season’s cliffhanger, I turned to the manga because I was desperate to find out what would happen to Momo. I stopped at volume five, choosing to save the next surprises for the anime. Season two made that wait worthwhile.
Science SARU again captures what makes this series one of my favorites: outrageous situations built around characters I genuinely care about. The season moves from childhood tragedy to explosive combat and then to the ridiculous difficulties of sharing a house. Through those changes, its affection for the group remains intact.
Evil Eye gives Jiji’s story emotional weight
The season resumes the danger at Jiji’s house. While Momo tries to escape her predicament at the hot spring, Jiji and Okarun confront the Kito family and the secrets underground. The giant worm provides an immediate threat, but Evil Eye is what stays with me after the early battles.
His childhood is among the season’s most haunting passages. Locked away as a sacrifice, the boy could only watch other children playing through a small window. His wish to join them is ordinary, while the treatment he receives is horrifying. Knowing that history makes his rage painful to watch without making the danger he poses any less real.
Jiji’s response also develops his character. He wants to befriend this lonely spirit, and that kindness makes it more upsetting when Evil Eye takes his body. Okarun’s fight consequently has two goals: stop someone threatening the people around him and bring his friend back.
I appreciate that the story holds onto this conflict. Evil Eye’s suffering does not erase his violence, and saving Jiji remains necessary. Understanding the enemy’s past complicates the problem rather than instantly solving it.
Momo and Okarun grow closer through the chaos
Okarun’s confrontation with Evil Eye is especially compelling because his anger is connected to concern for Momo. The series has built enough affection between them for that reaction to matter. I care about them protecting each other as much as I care about who wins the fight.
Momo rushing to Okarun afterward is a particular highlight. Their embrace makes the fear of losing each other tangible after so much frantic action. Their relationship retains its awkward teenage energy, but it has developed beyond the arguments and teasing that first brought them together.
The supporting characters contribute to that warmth. Seiko’s dazzling arrival immediately commands attention, while Manjiro, Taro and Mr. Mantis Shrimp and his son help turn the rescue into a group effort. Their methods are wonderfully strange, but the concern for Jiji is clear.
Living with Evil Eye changes the problem
Bringing Evil Eye home takes the season in a different direction after its intense opening. Hot water restores Jiji, while cold water brings Evil Eye out. That rule creates comedy, but it also makes everyday life uncertain. A small mistake can become dangerous for everyone nearby.
I therefore enjoyed the domestic stretch as more than a break between battles. The group is living with the consequences of saving Jiji. They have brought an unresolved problem into their home, and the humor grows out of their attempts to manage it.
Okarun’s decision to train harder after Momo is threatened gives his rematch a satisfying build-up. Turbo Granny helps him develop his strength and speed, so his progress has preparation behind it. More importantly, he does not simply defeat Evil Eye and end the issue. He earns respect and establishes a fragile truce, answering the immediate danger while preserving the spirit’s unpredictability.
Science SARU makes the absurd feel exciting
The animation is a major reason I am glad I waited instead of reading further. The battles are spectacular, while the emotional scenes remain expressive enough to hold their place among them. Science SARU understands the heart of Yukinobu Tatsu’s story as well as its chaos.
The closing stretch pushes the absurdity further with an enormous space monster and a giant Buddha robot. Nanoskin, material shaped by imagination, connects rebuilding the house with the group’s response to the new threat. The idea is ridiculous, but its place in the story has been prepared, allowing me to enjoy the escalation.
Kinta pilots the robot while Momo and Aira contribute their powers. The battle works as both spectacle and comedy because of how the group combines the resources available to them. Its imagination goes wildly beyond the ordinary without losing the characters who make the adventure engaging.
The new opening grew on me
“On The Way” by AiNA THE END, also known by its Japanese title “Kakumei Dōchū,” initially felt unfamiliar. I was still attached to Creepy Nuts’ “Otonoke” from season one. After several listens, however, I began to appreciate the replacement on its own terms and felt that it suited this part of the story.
The new opening gradually found its own place as I watched more episodes. At first I kept thinking of the previous season’s song, but repeated listens made me look forward to the new one itself. Season two consequently has its own musical identity in my memory.
Kensuke Ushio returns to handle the score, while the opening has become part of the pleasure of coming back to Dandadan each episode. On a rewatch, I would no longer be waiting for another “Otonoke.” I would want to hear the song I came to love alongside the developments of this season.
An ending that made me eager for more
The girl emerging from the defeated monster suit and kissing Okarun as Momo arrives produces a bizarre and emotionally effective cliffhanger. After everything the pair have experienced, Momo’s reaction is what gives it impact. The visual callback to a moment from season one further connects their developing relationship across the two seasons.
There is clearly more to resolve, but I felt anticipation rather than disappointment. Evil Eye’s story has already provided a substantial emotional journey, and the group has changed through it. I want to revisit those moments as well as return to the manga to see where Momo and Okarun go next.
A season that deepened my love for Dandadan
Season two strengthens Dandadan’s position among my favorite anime. Science SARU combines exhilarating battles, absurd humor and sincere emotion in an adventure that remains engaging throughout. Evil Eye brings tragedy to Jiji’s story, while Momo and Okarun give the action stakes beyond winning or losing.
For viewers who loved season one, this is an excellent continuation. Newcomers should start at the beginning so that the relationships and choices carry their full weight. I finished wanting to watch this season again and follow these characters further, rather than simply waiting for a bigger fight.
OtaHub recommendation: Watch now.
Reviewed across all 12 episodes of season two, based on the author’s viewing and written impressions. The author read the manga up to volume five before waiting for the anime. Discusses major developments and the season finale. The score covers season two only.
Production and episode references: official staff and cast · episode 15 · episode 24. Updated October 27, 2026. Images: official promotional art and episode stills. ©Yukinobu Tatsu / SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee. Review standards.
