even its more controversial moments to the screen.

Known for their stylized visuals, Science SARU has proven itself the perfect animation studio for adapting Yukinobu Tatsu's original manga. The anime's faithfulness to its source material, however, isn't entirely by SARU's own doing. The series' author has consistently expressed his satisfaction towards the adaptation on social media, but only recently has it been revealed by Dandadan's editor, Shihei Lin, that author Yukinobu Tatsu is directly involved in its production.

Manga creators are usually pretty hands-off when it comes to adaptations of their work, preferring to sit back and enjoy the show rather than taking part. Having the job of drawing manga is already difficult and time-consuming enough, yet Tatsu has been revealed to sit in on recording sessions and check in on other aspects of the production process. It isn't common, but Dandadan has benefited greatly from having its original author involved in the anime.

Dandadan's Author Is Involved in the Production of the Anime

Tatsu Sits In On Recording Sessions and Looks Over Storyboards

Yukinobu Tatsu has a history of working on incredibly popular and acclaimed works. If Dandadan alone isn't enough to prove his skill to some, the artist has also lent his talents as an assistant on Tatsuki Fujimoto's Chainsaw Man and Fire Punch. And his most recent endeavor, it seems, is helping out with Science SARU's adaptation of his own work. Shihei Lin revealed on X that both he and Tatsu have sat in on every recording session the series has had thus far.

Even if Tatsu doesn't have much to offer in of advice, Lin revealed in another post that, "he always brings lots of snacks." One of the Dandadan's greatest strengths as an anime has been its ability to capture the essence of a story that is already so out-there, and compliment its strange beats with jaw-dropping visuals. Now that Tatsu is known to be involved, its proficiency in this area makes sense.

Scenes like the battle with Turbo Granny and the controversial hallway run are built upon in the anime without taking anything away from the manga's original story. Dandadan is part of the new generation of shōnen manga that goes about storytelling in a bit of a different way, and its anime is now ushering in that movement on-screen with help from the original series' author.

Yukinobu Tatsu Is a One-of-a-Kind Manga Artist

Dandadan's Author Is an Anomaly Among Manga Artists

Since 2021, Dandadan has been published weekly on Shōnen Jump's digital platforms, Jump+ and Mangaplus. While several different series are released every week, very few can match the consistent high-quality artwork found in Dandadan. The job of a manga artist is grueling, including strict deadlines, around the clock hours, and infinitely high expectations. Unfortunately, authors often have to put their works on hiatus due to health concerns stemming from their jobs.

Spy x Family's author and former assistant to Fujimoto alongside Tatsu, Tatsuya Endo, recently had to put his series on hold, citing health issues. Drawing manga is not kind, yet Yukinobu Tatsu has been pumping out chapters of Dandadan with unbelievable pace. On top of that, the author has taken the time to draw special illustrations for the Jump+ 10-year anniversary exhibition, as well as provide assistance on his series' anime adaptation. Very few artists can work at the rate that Tatsu can, and fans would be wise to realize how special a talent Dandadan's author is.

Dandadan has been 2024's most exciting anime, offering something for fans of every genre. Whether it be romance, action, drama, or sci-fi, the series has excelled in just about every department. Most impressively, though, is the anime's willingness to stick to its source material, regardless of how strange or controversial it may be. Only one episode remains, and fans won't want to miss the series' last extraterrestrial adventure before the season ends.