As 2024 come up to a close , Dan Da Danhas become the lecture of the shonen township . From the alchemy of its two leads to itsbanger chess opening and kinky elan , Science Saru ’s adaptation of Yukinobu Tatsu ’s supernatural romcom has captured hearts and judgement of animation fan , who ’ve been tuning in on a hebdomadary basis to see what madness Momo Ayase andOkarun will get caught up in next .
In early December , io9 spoke with Momo and Okarun ’s several dub actors , Abby Trott and A.J. Beckles , who came to the material through different boulevard . Beckles was already study the manga prior to auditioning , while Trott only knew of it through the audition . They both became entrance , and were middling aghast they booked the parts — and how much the dub specifically has been singled out as great in its own right .
While audiences have sung the show ’s praises for months now , some watcher were throw off off by the first episode ’s 2d half , wherein both Momo and Okarun find themselves in peril by nonnatural being . While Okarun gets chased around and have by the diabolical Turbo Granny , Momo ends up in a more harrowing post wherein she ’s kidnapped by extraterrestrial being called the Serpo , who strip her down to her underclothes and make to slip her reproductive variety meat . It ’s a pretty sudden tonal transformation , not helped by there still being traces of comedy as the Serpo call said organ “ banana tree . ”
© Gkids/Science Saru
When asked , both actors readily acknowledged how “ unpleasant ” the aspect could be to watch , and neither faulted anyone for rise off the show because of it . For Trott , the scene is a key import for her fictional character , since that ’s when Momo ’s psychokinetic powers emerge . Once she realize what she can do , she straight off go on the offence , and several of the time of year ’s big action heartbeat have involve Momo getting a skilful handle onher ability — so to have her issue forth into that power and instantly use it to “ give up the Serpos ’ butts ” was satisfy .
“ In that picture , we ’re not saying the Serpoians are good , it ’s quite the opponent . There ’s a lot of dynamics to this anime , and emphatically some gruelling parts to get through , ” said Trott . “ But the skilful outweighs those tough to watch present moment . ”
Beckles shared a similar sentiment , and show to how Momo using her grandmother ’s advice and getting a surprise assistance from Turbo Granny as example of how women corroborate each other throughout the story . As a manga reader , he indicated thing improve survive forward , say viewers would “ see , as the show continues , that it does take those moments more seriously . ” The two actor also highlight Okarun ’s presence and “ healthy position ” on women , which let the show contrast him with the more encroaching Serpoians .
©Gkids/Science Saru
After its fourth episode , Momo and Okarun ’s dim burn Romance language really commence to take shape . Their grow family relationship is all the more notable since other shonen often have romance as an gain to their floor rather than the core . Tatsufamously give away that while pitchingDan Da Dan , his editor Shihei Lin commend he read shoujo ( or “ young lady friend ” ) manga , which puts focal point on personal and romanticistic relationships . If Lin had n’t doled out the advice , the series might not be what it is now , and would likely lack the same wallop and excitement around it . audience love a goodlove news report , and they know when it ’s not hitting . But because they ’re so well - written and clearly defined — and can never be normal around the other , particularly in public — it ’s firmly not to steady down for Momo and Okarun .
Even when the pair are caught up in somewildstuff , their feelings for one another inform nearly everything they do . Learning this was a making love story did n’t alter either actor ’s treatment of the fabric , but Trott say the scene where Okarun and Momo tiff for the first time made it clear where thing were head . For Beckles , some of his favorite scenes for his lineament are when Okarun ’s “ just try on to figure out how to peach to a girl for the first sentence , ” or telling Momo how much hecares what she call back .
The dynamic between the leads is just as crucial in the booth . When it comes prison term to register , the histrion both say they prefer when the other ’s already come in first , since it allows them to feed off one another . Trott said she let “ so much ” from her co - lead , especially since Okarun often “ chevvy a sure response ” from Momo that make her adjust her response accordingly . The same ’s very much dependable for Beckles , who admitted the more intimate , amatory scene would trip him up since Okarun tend to speak from his center .
©Gkids/Science Saru
Where Momo ’s skirmish with the Serpo helps touch off her psychical powers , Okarun ’s experience with Turbo Granny go out him with a fond essence of the spirit ’s powers , which let him transform into a faster , smoother , and morelaid - back emo versionof himself . As Beckles explained it , come up a default vocalization for Okarun — which he ’d then use for when the character ’s more expressive or in his Turbo manner — took several transcription sessions . In those early episodes , Okarun was “ always screaming or whispering , and there was so much of it pass off back - to - back - to - back ” to establish a baseline . Beckles credit voice director Alex von David for guiding him toward moments to make his vocalisation “ more nerdy or more endearing . Alex has the overall imagination , and he knows where Okarun ’s fit . I really lean on him on the points where it was difficult , but it ’s proficient when it ’s a challenge to try and do something the right manner . ”
One specific challenge he cited was episode four’s“goodbye ” scenebetween Okarun and Momo , which he call one of his most “ infuriating moments ” to register . Since he get into the booth first that day , it was hard to consider Okarun ’s thought operation , how Trott would perform during her transcription prison term , andthe signification behind each “ goodbye ” uttered . “ Once [ Abby ] enter first the next twenty-four hour period , ” he said , “ the puzzle pieces started to link up . I could play off her emotion , and it could build that way . I do n’t think we could ’ve get that endearing , childlike interpret without her ‘ See you later on ! ' ”
During our talking , Beckles and Trott blackguard out several others that’ve madeDan Da Dan’sadaptation asuccess . Along with the buff and von David , they gave glowing extolment to their fellow dub actors Lisa Reimold ( Aira ) and Barbara Goodson ( Turbo Granny ) , and their own characters ’ respective Nipponese performer , Natuski Hanae and Shion Wakayama . ( Trott call Wakayama ’s Momo one of her favorite Zanzibar copal performances ever , and a “ perfect embodiment ” of Japan ’s gyaru subculture . ) work on this journey has been a blast for them both , so it ’s good we ’ll be hearing them again on Netflix and Crunchyroll withseason two in July 2025 .
©Gkids/Science Saru
And while they could n’t say anything about what ’s to come , Beckles teased that where things exit off “ is tame compared to where the show goes later . ”
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A.J. BecklesAbby TrottAnimeDan Da Dan
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