Dandadan continued to ride its unstoppable momentum with episode #9, and sure enough, there’s plenty to be excited about with episode #10 and beyond. Everything great about the show in terms of comedy, heart, action, and especially animation were on full display with episode #9, and even with only a few episodes left, there’s still plenty to be excited about in the weeks to follow.
Dandadan episode #9 continued where episode #8 left off with Aira unlocking the powers of Acrobatic Silky to defend Okarun from the Serpoians and the Dover Demon, and while she initially put up a good fight, her lack of power and experience soon led to her being overwhelmed by everyone, as well. Fortunately, Momo escaped from the Loch Ness Monster and showed up to save Okarun and Aira, and the three ultimately worked together to get through the fight and set things up for episode #10 and beyond.
What Time Dandadan Episode 10 Releases
Dandadan Episode 10’s Release Schedule Explained
Dandadan streams new episodes weekly on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix, which can be accessed through their apps, websites, or third-party websites like Amazon Prime. Assuming there are no delays, Dandadan episode #10 should premiere on Crunchyroll on Thursday, December 5 at 8:00 AM Pacific Standard Time (PST), 11A:00 M Eastern Standard Time (EST), and 4:00 PM Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).
Dandadan Episode 8 Review: A Perfect Change To The Status Quo
Produced By Science Saru; Directed By Hiroshi Nishikiori
A big part of why Dandadan episode #9 was so great is because it had an incredible episode to follow up in episode #8. As is always the case, Dandadan episode #8 was filled with gorgeous and fluid animation from start to finish, whether that was with the intense action or the more lowkey comedic or character-driven bits. Episode #8 was directed and storyboarded by Hiroshi Nishikiori, the legendary director behind hit anime like I’m Gonna Be An Angel!, Azumanga Daioh, and A Certain Magical Index, and his decades of experience easily shows itself in episode #8.
What best sold episode #8, of course, was its stellar story content. Not only was there plenty of great comedy with Aira’s ineffectual attempts at wooing Okarun, the Dover Demon quoting “Chiquitita” by ABBA, and everyone playing baseball with Okarun’s testicle, but the love triangle between Momo, Okarun, and Aira made for a great source of drama in Dandadan episode #8, despite how controversial that trope tends to be, and sure enough, it was followed up very effectively in episode #9, as well. Episode #8 encompassed everything great about Dandadan, and it made episode #9 even better to watch.
What Happened In Dandadan Episode 9?
Produced By Science Saru; Directed By Maeba Kenji
Dandadan episode #9, “Merge! Serpo Dover Demon Nessie!”, continued where episode #8 left off with Aira using her newfound powers she gained from Acrobatic Silky to save Okarun from the Serpoians and the Dover Demon. At first, Aira’s speed and hair-based powers gave her an edge, but her inexperience and lack of power caught up to her and she was caught in the same trap as Okarun. The Dover Demon then proceeded to wail on a powerless Okarun, but before things could go too far, Momo arrived and used her powers to counter the Serpoians and save Okarun and Aira.
Momo was repeatedly caught up by the continued misunderstanding of Okarun and Aira’s relationship, in addition to the Dover Demon taking on a mantis shrimp-like transformation, but they barely managed to work together and overwhelm him. At that time, however, Nessie appeared and flooded the area as it started attacking at random, and befitting its new form, the Dover Demon became even stronger and knocked Aira unconscious. Momo and Okarun saved Aira after finally clearing the air between them, but things escalated even further when the sole surviving Serpoian fused with the other aliens into an even more powerful monster.
The Serpo Dover Demon Nessie combined the high-pressure water cannon of Nessie and the powerful punches of the Dover Demon, but by working together in an even greater capacity than before, Momo, Okarun, and Aira finally managed to defeat it. Momo and Okarun barely had time to bask in their victory, of course, as leaving empty space led to the entire school seeing Momo and Okarun naked and on the floor together, the episode ending with the two of them and Aira running off in embarrassment.
Dandadan Avoids A Tired Anime Cliché With Aira’s New Powers
The Real Reason Why Aira’s New Powers Work So Well
Something notable about Dandadan episode #9 is how it avoided a common anime cliche with Aira’s powers. In anime, it’s common for characters to immediately win their fights after unlocking a new transformation, but while Aira initially put up a good fight with her new powers, she was quickly overwhelmed and could ultimately only play a supporting role for most of the fight. Dandadan has a far more realistic take on new transformations with Aira’s struggles in episode #9, and that added realism made the fight far better to watch as a result.
That bit of realism also played into why Dandadan’s fights, in general, are so great. As strong as the main characters are, none of them are strong enough to win fights on their own, so they always have to work together to beat their enemies, which always gives everyone an equal part to play as opposed to one character overshadowing everyone else. Dandadan episode #9 highlights how great Dandadan ’s fights are at putting every character in the spotlight, and that’s only going to get better as the series continues.
Dandadan Continues To Have A Perfect Mixture Of Spectacle & Heart
Why Dandadan Episode 9 Is So Good
Once again, Dandadan did a perfect job of combining amazing spectacle with genuine heart in episode #9. The art and animation did wonders to sell the intensity of the action, especially with the creativity of the camera work and overall direction, and overall, Dandadan episode #9 was one of the best-looking episodes of the anime in terms of action, to date. Episode director Maeba Kenji has plenty of experience with Science Saru through projects like Inu-Oh, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, and Devilman Crybaby, and that experience was on full display in episode #9.
What best sold episode #9, of course, was the continued development of Momo and Okarun’s relationship. Not only was it great to see them resolve their drama so quickly after it first cropped up, but the way the visuals and direction emphasized the closeness of their bond was also great to see, especially at the end when Dandadan effortlessly contrasted the tenderness of Momo and Okarun’s relationship with the absurdity of them running through the school naked in absurd animation. Everything about Dandadan episode #9 was great to see, and episode #10 will surely be an even better follow-up.
Be sure to watch Dandadan episode #10 when it releases on Thursday, December 5.