Dandadan: Evil Eye is not a movie. But, out of all the recent theatrical screenings of the first episodes of an anime series, including the likes of the Demon Slayer, Witch Watch, and Gundam GQuuuuuuX compilations, it feels the closest to being a self-contained film. The film comprises the last half of the first season’s last episode, which began the Evil Eye arc, and then the first three episodes of season two, and in doing so it practically covers most of the arc. This encompasses Momo and Okarun accompanying Jiji to his hometown to investigate his cursed house and the mystery behind his parents’ suicide attempt. There they run afoul of his shady landlords, the Kito family, who turn out to be the masterminds behind a 200 year-old conspiracy in which they trick people into staying in a cursed house to sacrifice them to a giant underground worm that uses its psychic powers to make people kill themselves, which in the process also ended up creating an evil spirit bound to the house that embodies the resentment of all of the sacrifices, the titular Evil Eye. Naturally, the gang has to fight off the Kitos, the Worm, and the Evil Eye to save Jiji’s town, and almost kill themselves and each other trying.
As you may guess, a lot of stuff happens over the runtime of these three episodes, which makes it all the more frustrating that the film falls just short of covering the whole arc. Much like the first Dandadan compilation, First Encounter, I was left feeling that they could’ve made it a more complete “movie” by covering just one more episode, which would conclude the arc or at least feel more self-contained in introducing and resolving its storylines. As is, though, the film does get to a mostly satisfying stopping point where it feels like the major conflicts and character arcs presented have been dealt with, but there’s still a tease of one last hurdle to overcome, which fans will have to wait until the season’s fourth episode drops in July for a resolution to.
Moreover, this film is a great excuse to show off Dandadan’s high-quality production caliber in a theatrical setting. There are a lot of “big” elements in these episodes, so seeing them on the big screen really lets you take in the scale, color, and depth of the environments, as well as the giant worm they fight against. Even in less ornate settings and with less massive characters, the art and animation in the show are very well rendered and expressively animated.
One of the major changes this season is that Abel Góngora, the director of the first season’s OP and a key animator on a few episodes, serves as the co-director alongside first-season director Fuga Yamashiro, and helms the Evil Eye arc in particular. While much of the visual style for this arc was already defined by Yamashiro at the end of the first season, Góngora’s directorial flair in the Evil Eye arc is readily apparent in his use of color, shading, and perspective shots. This is particularly noticeable in the transition from the end of episode 12 to the beginning of episode 13, which repeats the beat of the Kito Family menacingly approaching Momo in the onsen. Góngora’s shot of Momo looking trepidatiously at the approaching Kitos is a more askew lower-angle shot looking up at her from the eye-line level at the water with more shadowed golden-brown lighting to convey menace, as opposed to Yamashiro’s more straightforward head-on shot of her face. The shot of the Kitos swimming towards her, in turn, is also given a more shadowed, darker lighting and color saturation, emphasizing the shadows of their bodies under the water and lighting their faces more harshly and menacingly. The use of underwater first-person POV shots of them swimming towards Momo as well as eye-line shots from the water up to Momo to convey the threat of their approach also adds a lot of dread and tension.
This season’s opening scene is a great example of the directorial style differences between Yamashiro and Góngora in how they set the mood and stage scenes. Both of their visions for the series are great, but Góngora noticeably employs more claustrophobic, tight shots and staging, and off-centered perspective, to elicit tension and dread in dramatic scenes, which works very well for the more psychological scenes of the arc. Góngora also employs a lot of quick cuts and editing between shots to create a rhythmic sense of tension while conveying information through the contrast and intercutting of different scenes. Góngora’s direction pays close attention to conveying the fraught emotional and mental state of the characters as they navigate these extremely tense and stressful circumstances, keeping the viewer as on edge as the characters, while creating a sense that these situations and characters could break at any moment and explode in chaotic directions, which often it does to either cathartic or horrifying effect.
Another important and striking element of Dandadan is in its color design and color theming for its characters. There are many scenes that are filtered through a strong dominant color that reflects the mood or character central in the scene. Each character is also associated with their own unique color. In these episodes, the Evil Eye is given a strong association with white and purple, which contrasts well with Okarun’s association with red and black. In the interview included with Yamashiro and Góngora in the Evil Eye screening, Yamashiro complimented Góngora’s color sense as evident in the first season’s opening, and particularly credits him for the purple color theming for the Evil Eye. Gongora humbly says that theming is drawn from the manga covers, and while there may be some truth in that, he deserves credit for taking the color theme much farther. Not only is the Evil Eye’s color scheme and aura drenched in purple, the environment also becomes more hued in purple when he begins fighting, and what’s more, his techniques and attacks, including his curse house force field and ball of souls. In the manga, the ball of souls is usually simplified as just a white circle, but in the anime it maintains its shape and detail with the swarming souls inside it throughout the fight, with the Evil Eye kicking it with impressive shape, weight, and impact. This consistency in the color theme for the character establishes a clear identity and menace to be associated with the character, so that from now on any purple element will be a clear indicator of the Evil Eye’s presence and power.
Additionally, the purple colors of the Evil Eye contrast well with the film’s other antagonist, the Mongolian Death Worm, who is portrayed in hues of gold and sepia. This color scheme also extends to its underground lair underneath the cursed house, and the harshness of the color and the lighting effects of its golden glow communicate the oppressive and crushing power of its almost Lovecraftian presence very well. Gongora mentioned to me in our interview that, because this is the first arc with two antagonists, he tried to find colors that contrast well between them. The bright and saturated color of the Mongolian Death Worm and the dark and stark colors of the Evil Eye really communicate that polarity between the antagonists, portraying both as menacing and threats in their own distinctive way.
The use of color theming and filters is also very observable in other scenes, including the greenish tint of the onsen Momo fights the Kitos at, or the reddish-orange evening scenes lighting the town and surrounding environment outside of Jiji’s house during the climactic moments of the film. There is a strong attention to how color characterizes a scene or character and communicates implications about them, and this attention to how color choices are presented is another element that enhances Dandadan stylistically and gives a lot of character and depth to its world.
Yamashiro also mentioned during the interview how he didn’t want to change anything from the manga, but in adapting it tried to think of and create bridging material in the anime that felt like it was originally from the manga. These embellishments are small but meaningful, particularly expressed through the show’s character animation. Some subtle examples include how certain characters move and fight, like during the battle with the Kito family, in which they all move with different gait and weight. In particular, Naki Kito’s fighting style, referenced from Hong Kong martial arts films, says a lot about her character and gives visual credence to her relative’s claims that she’s the strongest in the family. Another great example is how the Evil Eye fights with its ball of souls, where he kicks it and juggles it with his feet using soccer moves, a callback to Okarun and Jiji’s soccer game earlier in the arc and a clever characterization detail not present in the manga that reflects on both Jiji’s interest in soccer and the Evil Eye’s long-held desire to play with other people. Later, when Okarun deals the Evil Eye a barrage of punches to break free from the Cursed House, the way he squats and counts down his punches recalls his physical training to become stronger we saw him practice earlier in the series, another detail implied in the manga but is really demonstrated and paid off through the anime’s more elaborate and extended execution. The anime’s execution of this moment, with the color scheme and music, also makes it feel like a satisfying JoJo’s-esque cathartic beatdown. The animation communicates so much about the character’s personalities, even and especially in how they move while they fight.
There is incredible fight choreography throughout these episodes, referenced from real martial arts. In my interview with him, Góngora told me that he tried to have the movements of the characters stay true to life to some of the fantastical acrobatic feats real people can actually pull off. That attention and dedication to realism in how people move and what they are capable of physically really adds a lot of weight and impact to the action scenes. Both of the major action scenes in these episodes, the fight with the Kito Family and with the Evil Eye, are some of the best the show has done so far on a character animation and choreography level.
The meticulously considered presentation of the show is complemented by its similarly dedicated auditory elements. Kensuke Ushio’s score is so married to the show’s identity that Yamashiro mentioned how it inspired how he established the setting and tone of the arc itself, calling back to the saturated look of small-town Kadokawa films. His mix of different musical styles, particularly using hip-hop and dubstep for the hype and action scenes and more orchestral instruments for mood-setting beats, perfectly complements and highlights the dynamic attitude of Dandadan’s story and characters. The sound design is just as impactful, with a particular highlight being the impressively oppressive-sounding droning reverberating from the Mongolian Death Worm, a sound just hard enough to listen to that you’d understand why it makes people in-universe want to kill themselves without being so unbearable that it makes watching the show unpleasant. The world of Dandadan is made evocative through its sound design and music as much as its brilliant art direction.
Above all, the vocal performances of the cast are pitch-perfect in both versions, really conveying both the humor and the more serious emotions of each of the characters well. The transition from Jiji’s more goofy voice to the Evil Eye’s more serious menacing voice is particularly praise-worthy from both Kaito Ishikawa in Japanese and Aleks Le in the English dub, as is how they’re able to run through Jiji’s random goofy voices all in one take, and walk the line of it coming across endearingly silly rather than annoying and grating. Of course, Momo and Okarun’s VAs in both versions also deserve much praise for their voice work in the show, particularly with all the screaming they have to do. The scene where Okarun barrage-punches the Evil Eye while shouting out a count-down faster and faster each time is especially entertaining and no doubt was difficult to pull off, and the intensity of the performance really adds to the impact of the scene emotionally as much as the animation itself. The personalities of these characters shine through both in how they’re animated and performed.
Dandadan is very good at balancing its cast of characters and giving each of them a meaningful role in the story and time to shine. Jiji is of course front and center in this story arc, and if any viewers were wary of him being an annoying romantic rival to Okarun, rest assured he quickly endears you with his genuine kind-heartedness and compassion, particularly demonstrated when he empathizes with and reaches out to befriend the Evil Eye. His heroism, athleticism, and determination is also demonstrated as he has to save Okarun and Momo from the Mongolian Death Worm’s suicide-inducing psychic waves, risking his own life to save theirs. Seeing Jiji’s kindness and compassion in action and watching him be mistreated by the Kitos and manipulated by the Evil Eye, I would be surprised if viewers didn’t feel for him and want to see him saved from the forces exploiting him.
These episodes do a great job developing Jiji as a compelling character, he also serves to give Okarun a push in his character arc. Okarun is insecure that Jiji is a handsome, funny, extroverted person who also happens to have a longstanding close relationship to Momo as her childhood friend, and Jiji casually makes it clear to Okarun that he’s interested in Momo himself. That drives Okarun to be more competitive with Jiji and prove to both himself and Momo that he is more capable than him. Yet, Okarun also can’t help but like Jiji because he’s so friendly, easy to talk to, and a genuinely good-hearted person, and the more he understands Jiji the more he wants to be his friend. When the Evil Eye possesses Jiji, this gives Okarun a moment to both prove that he can protect Momo as well as literally fight and defeat Jiji. At the same time, Okarun is also fighting for Jiji, disgusted that the Evil Eye would use his body to attack Momo and hurt people, knowing that Jiji would never do that. As a result, Okarun’s relationship with Jiji helps him grow into being a more confident and assertive person, while his battle with the Evil Eye demonstrates how far he’s come through his training to be able to protect and save the people he cares about. His biggest character moment comes when he’s able to help Momo escape the Mongolian Death Worm’s underground chamber despite the physical risk to himself, demonstrating both his increased confidence and conviction in his own abilities, and putting into action his promise to protect Momo.
For her part, while Momo doesn’t have as much of a character arc in these episodes compared to Okarun and Jiji, she shares just as much of the spotlight and gets a lot of great action moments. This includes saving the day at the very end of the film in a way that plays off both of her relationships with Jiji and Okarun by putting into practice something once told to her by the former and by putting her trust and faith in the latter. One caveat is that Momo is threatened with sexual assault by middle-aged members of the Kito Family at the beginning of the film, and the scene gets pretty upsetting even though Momo does successfully fight them off. Thankfully, that is the only moment of sexual violence directed at Momo in the film, and she is never portrayed as helpless or a damsel in distress. Momo’s formidable fighting skills are shown prominently during her later brawl with the Kito Family, and while she does get saved from the Evil Eye by Okarun, she repays the favor by saving him, and the whole town, not too shortly after. As much as Okarun wants to be strong to protect Momo, Momo also wants to protect Okarun, and she is able to save both his and Jiji’s lives twice in the film using her powers and resourcefulness in cool and creative ways. All three lead characters come out of the film with an equal share of the spotlight, showing off how they complement each other as a team and how they’re all total badasses in their own rights.
Beyond the three central characters, Turbo Granny provides fun wildcard energy with her luck powers and lots of fun commentary and comic relief, which is welcome after her diminished role in the back half of the first season. The series has a knack for writing old ladies who kick ass, because Naki Kito is also a fun and formidable personality despite being despicable, and having a sort of croaky androgynous voice performed by Masako Isobe in Japanese and Morgana Ignis in English. Other supporting characters in the show also have a lot of characterization and personality thanks to strong designs and performances, particularly the creepily cheery and always smiling other members of the Kito Family and a lackadaisical priest who is a wannabe “Bootuber.” Thanks to strong presentation and characterization, even minor characters in Dandadan prove memorable and add a lot of flavor and texture to the show and its world.
But of course, the titular Evil Eye leaves the most impact of all the characters in the film, with a tragic backstory rivaling the Acrobatic Silky’s in season one if not even more upsetting. Dandadan is no stranger to tragedy, but the converging stories of Jiji and the Evil Eye make for particularly hard-to-watch moments of children suffering. Gongora frames their flashbacks in artfully and visually distinctive ways that help convey the trauma and despair of the characters experiencing and remembering these disturbing moments. The artful way Jiji’s flashback avoids directly depicting Jiji’s parents undergoing self-harm and their suicide attempts and focuses on him as he’s trying to stop and save them, keeping our attention on his desperate and frantic state of mind, let the audience share in his anxiety and feel connected to his panic, which doubles back into sharing in the stress and horror he experiences trying to stop Okarun and Momo from harming themselves in the present.
Similarly, the Evil Eye’s flashback’s quick-cuts to different points in time in the cursed house while the Evil Eye himself remains in the same place is a great way to communicate the Evil Eye being disoriented and helpless to the flow of time and the changes around him. This editing and framing effectively conveys how the Evil Eye is unable to make lasting connections in any present moment before tragedy all too quickly occurs and things reset, with him unable to do anything or save anyone, simply helpless to watch tragedy after tragedy, letting the audience understand his emotional and mental state and how it broke over time, building in resentment towards people not paying attention to him warning them until he was twisted into becoming the Evil Eye. When the Evil Eye’s true malicious intentions are revealed, he proves himself a menacing and frightening threat thanks to his demonstrated power and callousness, with his vengeful personality well-captured through the deep, stoic performances of his VAs in both Japanese and English. Jiji and the Evil Eye were already compelling characters on the page, but the anime’s choices in framing, editing, sound, and color and strong vocal performances transform their stories into viscerally immersing and impactful emotional experiences.
While it bears forewarning that Dandadan: Evil Eye is not a movie, it’s also worth emphasizing that it’s three fast-paced, action-packed, emotionally devastating and adrenaline-pumpingly cathartic episodes of Dandadan on the big screen, and that makes for a pretty cool and fun time at the movies regardless. While the film includes a handy recap of the highlights of the first season and the beginning of the arc from the end of the last season, it definitely will be best enjoyed by those who’ve already watched the first season. Fans who do watch it will also be treated to a special interview with directors Fuga Yamashiro and Abel Góngora at the end of the film, delving into their creative and collaborative process in a way that really makes you appreciate their creative choices and vision for the series that have taken a great manga and translated it brilliantly into animation as one of the best-produced anime of the past few years. Based on these first three episodes, Dandadan season 2 will be just as ambitious, creative, and compelling as the first season, so if you enjoyed the first season, there’s little reason to wait to watch them on your tv or computer when you can go see and appreciate the animation, artistry, hilarity, and badassery of the series on the biggest screen near you. The Evil Eye wants people to look at it, and if you’re a fan of Dandadan, you should definitely take a look at the Evil Eye.
