Dandadan: Momo’s True Feelings About Her Grandmother, Explained

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Summary

  • Momo and her grandmother had a strained relationship due to Momo’s past hurtful actions and misunderstandings.
  • Momo finally addresses her true feelings towards her grandmother and apologizes for past mistakes, leading to a healing process.
  • Despite ongoing squabbles, Momo’s complex love and protective nature for her grandmother shine through their improved relationship.

From the start of the story known as “Dandadan“, Ayase Momo and Seiko have maintained an unusual bond. Despite appearing more like a typical shounen hero and his quirky grandfather, Momo harbored intricate emotions towards her grandmother. These feelings have put pressure on their relationship, but it seems to be improving now.

Despite being raised with just her grandmother as family, Momo carries a heavy burden of guilt and sorrow over her past actions. However, they’ve only recently started to rebuild their bond and heal the wounds in their relationship. Still, some old habits persist. The question remains: what are Momo’s genuine feelings towards her grandmother, and how will she address them?

Who is Ayase Seiko?

A Granny With an Attitude and the Ability to Beat You Up

Saga Kintama Hunt
Arc Turbo Granny
Episodes 1- 5
Chapters 1- 8

In the city of Kamigoe, Ayase Seiko, the grandmother of Ayase Momo, is revered as Santa Dodoria, a respected spirit medium. Despite her advanced years, she maintains a youthful and slender figure that commands admiration. She takes great care to preserve this appearance, frequently expressing concern about the potential impact of stress and time on her skin. Known for her youthful looks, many find it hard to believe she is not much younger than she appears.

I’ll kill any dirtbag that tries to seduce my granddaughter. Humans included.

In Chapter 3, upon meeting Seiko for the first time, it’s evident that she has a strong guardianship over her granddaughter. Interestingly, this was something Momo hadn’t known before. It appears that Seiko’s protective nature is what led her to teach Momo how to manage her Qi at a younger age. Unbeknownst to Momo, this technique she learned – where she would sense the power in her abdomen and discharge Qi from the top of her head – was designed to shield her from harm or illness.

Even though Momo and Seiko had an uneasy bond, Seiko went to great lengths to safeguard her granddaughter. At that time, Momo was too young to grasp their complex relationship. Over the years, Seiko offered Momo guidance when she needed it most, but in more recent times, Seiko also took active measures to shield Momo, as demonstrated by her actions against Turbo Granny reclaiming Okarun in Chapter 3.

Seiko had taken care of Momo since they were both young because Momo’s parents were not around. Over time, it was Seiko who looked after her. Unfortunately, due to Seiko teaching Momo how to harness her Qi at a young age, Momo became the victim of bullying from the neighborhood children and even Enoji Jiji, her childhood crush. In response to the bullying she experienced, Momo would mock her grandmother, calling her a fake psychic when she was younger. This act may have caused great pain to her grandmother, as Seiko still remembered those hurtful words.

How Does Momo Feel About Her Grandmother?

Momo Finally Addressed Her Feelings, and Their Relationship Has Improved

At the outset of the story, Momo shares her complex feelings towards her grandmother. Despite frequently referring to her grandmother as an old crone, Momo held deep respect for her and openly admitted her grandmother’s psychic abilities to Okarun. Their bond seemed distant, with little communication between them, and Momo had yet to express regret over questioning her grandmother’s powers. However, Momo was convinced in the existence of ghosts despite never having encountered one herself.

In Chapter 1, Momo described her family as quite unusual because her parents were absent, leaving her under the care of her grandmother. After learning a spell and experiencing bullying, Momo developed strong dislike towards her grandmother. However, at that young age, she was still grappling with understanding her feelings for her grandmother. It’s possible that, being a child, Momo didn’t know how to direct her emotions towards the correct targets. Since her grandmother was the one who taught her the spell, it seems she took out her anger on the wrong person.

I strongly disliked my grandmother. I blamed a silly charm for the fact that the boy I admired didn’t reciprocate my feelings, and I expressed some very harsh words towards her.

Or:

I had a deep-seated dislike for my grandma. I accused a harmless trinket of causing the rejection by the boy I fancied, and I spoke to her in an unkind manner.

Currently, Momo is becoming increasingly mindful of her emotions but hasn’t found a way to express them yet. During her stay at Nagi General Hospital, Momo shared more about her family background with Okarun and the reasons behind her faith in spirits. It was during this time that Momo admitted she never harbored hatred towards her grandmother; instead, it was the ridicule her grandmother faced for being a spirit medium that she despised. In truth, Momo deeply cherishes her grandmother and feels honored by her role as a spirit medium because she views it as something unique.

  • Seiko financially supports Momo and her friends by buying them new uniforms after theirs are destroyed. However, she does make Momo get a part-time job.
  • After learning that Momo has psychic powers, Seiko mentors her when she finds herself in trouble.

Even though Momo was just now admitting to herself that she needed to apologize to her grandmother, it wasn’t until the incident with Turbo Granny that she actually did so. She acknowledged her past mistakes and expressed regret for the harsh words and actions she had directed at her grandmother when they were younger. This apology served as a bridge between them, improving their relationship and fostering healing and understanding.

Despite progress in mending their relationship, there are still occasional disagreements. At times, Momo playfully calls her grandmother an “old crone,” a term that may seem harsh but is likely used affectionately given their current state. The emotions Momo harbors for her grandmother are intricate to say the least; having been a victim of bullying at a young age, Momo struggled to express her feelings, yet she holds deep love and admiration for her grandmother. This led to a strained relationship until recently. It wasn’t until Momo offered an apology that they were able to let go of past hurts. Just as her grandmother has done, Momo now takes on the role of guardian toward her.

Dandadan is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

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2025-01-10 23:04