I'm currently on volume 10 of Dandadan, and I've really enjoyed it. Yukinobu Tatsu's manga starts with two classmates arguing about the paranormal and spirals out from there, fast.

If you haven't picked it up yet, here's the setup. Momo Ayase believes in ghosts but not aliens. Her classmate Ken Takakura, who she nicknames "Okarun", believes in aliens but not ghosts. They make a bet, each visits a spot that's meant to prove the other wrong, and it turns out they're both right. Momo is abducted by aliens who unlock psychic powers in her, while Okarun gets possessed by a spirit, and the pair end up fighting their way out together.

I'm only up to volume 10, so I've kept this to the early chapters. No spoilers here.

The quick facts on Dandadan

  • Written and illustrated by Yukinobu Tatsu
  • Running on Shueisha's Shōnen Jump+ since 6 April 2021
  • Published in English by VIZ Media
  • Collected in 25 volumes in Japan so far
  • Adapted into an anime by Science Saru, which first aired from October to December 2024

VIZ's own pitch sums it up nicely: a boy into UFOs collides with a girl into ghosts.

Momo and Okarun are the heart of it

I love the two main characters, and how they play off each other is a big part of that. VIZ describes them as being on opposite sides of the paranormal spectrum, and early on they mostly argue and fight.

Okarun starts out as a shy, friendless kid. The supernatural is the thing that finally gives him someone to talk to. Momo is a believer in ghosts who gets flustered whenever anyone says the full name of her celebrity crush, which happens to be Okarun's real name too. That's where the nickname comes from: her friends call him Okarun (from "occult") so she isn't constantly reminded.

Their powers couldn't be more different either. Momo's psychokinesis lets her see the auras of people and objects, and she pictures her power as a pair of giant hands. Okarun, possessed by a yōkai, can switch into a demonic state with huge speed and a "suave yet lethargic" second personality. One reaches out and grabs, the other is a blur. Two people who started out bickering, now fighting side by side: that's a big part of why I love these two.

The supporting cast

Tatsu surrounds the leads with plenty of strange company. Here's who you'll meet early on.

Turbo Granny is the yōkai behind Okarun's powers, a cruel, foul-mouthed old woman who curses anyone who wanders into her territory and steals their, well, family jewels. That's exactly what happens to Okarun, and getting them back drives a lot of the early chapters. So far the monsters, the fights and the designs have all been really unique, and Turbo Granny is only the start.

Seiko Ayase is Momo's grandmother and a spirit medium, though she looks like she's in her twenties. She has no natural powers of her own, but she knows curses and yōkai inside out. She's brash, easily flattered and refuses to admit aliens exist, yet she's fiercely protective of Momo and her friends. Their relationship has a history, too: Momo once lashed out at her after being teased about the supernatural, and things between them were strained for a while.

Aira Shiratori is the school idol of Kami High. She plays the ditzy, friendly type, but underneath she's proud and very sure of herself.

Jin "Jiji" Enjoji is Momo's childhood friend and first crush. On the surface he's the handsome, athletic jock. Underneath he's an eccentric dork who praises everyone and sees the good in people.

Did you start with the manga, or did the Science Saru anime pull you in first?