Dan Da Dan is clearly standing out as one of the most distinct shōnen anime series of the year, with each new episode fueling its rapid rise in popularity. The series' success lies in its dual protagonists and the relationship and romance they build, which is unusual for the genre. This fresh perspective breaks away from traditional shōnen stereotypes, offering a refreshing take on the genre.

Additionally, Dan Da Dan delivers its comedy in a bizarre style, often with mature undertones. While these elements are enough to keep viewers hooked, one aspect has been missing: emotional depth. However, Dan Da Dan Episode #4 has also delved into this issue in a fashion that hints that it may have drawn inspiration from another hit shōnen anime, Jujutsu Kaisen.

Dan Da Dan Draws Inspiration From Jujutsu Kaisen's Core Theme

Dan Da Dan Episode #4 Explains Curses and Ghosts in the Series Are There for a Reason

Jujutsu Kaisen builds its core theme around the existence of cursed energy and curses, born from human negative emotions like regret and trauma, adding a sense of realism to the series. In contrast, the first three episodes of Dan Da Dan delivered a strong start, featuring key elements of the shōnen genre such as humor, intense battles, and action, but lacked similar emotional depth. This was largely because the series overwhelmed viewers with the sudden introduction of curses and aliens without much groundwork. However, much like Jujutsu Kaisen, Dan Da Dan eventually provides some dark elements, particularly the existence of curses, with a meaningful foundation.

After Okarun and Momo narrowly escape with their lives in their battle against Turbo Granny, defeating the ghost along with the "location-bound spirit" she merged with, Momo notices the spirits of several girls around her age being exorcised. Shortly after, her grandmother, Seiko Ayase, reveals that these spirits were once girls who had been abused, murdered, and discarded in the tunnel where Granny took residence. She explains that they didn’t become evil spirits on their own but were transformed by the consequences of these brutal human acts. Seiko also offers additional context, shedding light on Turbo Granny's strange behavior.

Dan Da Dan Explains Turbo Granny's Strange Behavior

The Scary Spirit Is Kinder Than She Looks

Seiko reveals that Turbo Granny often finds shelter in places where young girls have met irrational deaths, possibly to console the lost spirits of these victims. It seems that Turbo Granny’s desire to protect these souls and prevent similar tragedies drives her to offer men her body, cursing them by taking away their privates. These elements emphasize that the curses in Dan Da Dan serve a purpose, much like in Jujutsu Kaisen, where curses are tied to deeper motivations from the start.

Additionally, one small detail from Dan Da Dan episode #4 also hints at another inspiration that it may have drawn from JJK. While running away from the crab monster, Okarun and Momo remark that they are not visible to other people. This mirrors a concept in Gege Akutami’s manga, where only those with sufficient cursed energy or those already cursed can see cursed spirits.

With such elements all over the anime, it is evident that, for fans who are still reeling from the ending of Gege Akutami's best-selling manga, Dan Da Dan could become Jujutsu Kaisen's true successor by drawing from the same grand and emotional themes that have earned JJK its acclaim.