Dan Da Dan Ep 8 Review
Ken-Chan (that’s what I call Okarun) has not had it easy since the start of the series, has he? First, he got possessed by a ghost that took his manhood. Then, when he got it back, he lost his balls in the process. After a lengthy fight with Acrobatic Silky (ending in a HEARTBREAKING FLASHBACK), he finally got one of his balls back. There’s just one problem: he’s got an unwanted admirer named Aira.
Aira Still a Chuuni…
After processing what they just went through, Aira joins Momo, Okarun, and Turbo Granny at the Ayase house for dinner where Momo tries to bury the hatchet. You would think that Aira would drop her delusions about Momo being a demon, but instead, the pink-haired girl doubles down on it and says her grandma and Okarun are also demons. To be fair, she does bring up some fine points. Seiko Ayase looks too impossibly young and attractive to be considered a grandmother. And seeing Ken-Chan go ghost could be mistaken for demonic possession. But it seems like the misunderstanding won’t get cleared up anytime. In fact, it gets even worse when it becomes clear that Aira has fallen for Okarun.
After the absolute emotional rollercoaster that was episode seven, it’s adorable to see that Dan Da Dan can effortlessly return to its comedic side. This episode was filled with plenty of hilarious moments. From Turbo Granny and the Ayases returning Ken’s ball with baseball to Aira calling Seiko hot, it’s all pretty funny. This is a series that knows how to effectively balance the comedy and profound moments, and I love that. Even the moment where Aira tries to kiss Okarun is pretty funny to watch.
…Wait, what?
…But Now She’s Fallen for Okarun
Yes, after seeing him save her life, Aira has fallen head over heels for Okarun. And despite being one of the more popular girls in school, it’s revealed that her concept of romance is laughably poor. And influenced by her father’s 18+ content. Thus, seeing her awkwardly try to kiss Ken, despite still thinking he’s a demon, is pretty funny to watch. Until the moment when they fall on the ground right as Momo comes by. Then it becomes awkward.
It gets worse, though. The aliens are back, and they still want Okarun’s banana.
Just like before, the aliens trap Momo and Okarun (and Aira) in a pocket dimension so they can capture them. Or rather, they simply want to capture Okarun, hoping to take his/Turbo Granny’s powers for themselves. And much like before, their insistence on bringing his “banana” is both hilarious and disturbing. Considering how Aira was just expressing a desire to get intimate with him, this couldn’t have happened to Okarun at a worse possible time. And they’re not alone, either. They brought an alien that looks like a mantis shrimp and something that resembles the Loch Ness Monster, the latter of which is hunting Momo! But just when it seems like Okarun’s going to lose his manhood yet again, Aira comes in clutch.
Guess Aira Was Chosen, After All
Aira’s chuuni boastings of being chosen now have some merit to them. As it turns out, Silky transferring her aura to save her life also gave her her powers. In other words, now Aira can go ghost, as well, bringing our group of supernatural fighters up to three.
I said it already, but I will repeat it: Dan Da Dan knows how to handle sudden changes in mood. This episode might not have been able to top the magnum opus that was episode 7, it did bring the laughs. And it looks like next episode will only continue that. As for poor Okarun, he needs to clear things up with Momo and tell Aira that he’s not interested. The longer he leaves her hanging, the worse it will be.
