Dandadan: New Interview with Director and Momo Ayase's VA

Key Takeaways

Dandadan is exploding in popularity with its viral theme song and insane first episode.
The anime balances multiple genres in a single episode, creating a unique visual experience.
The voice actor for Momo Ayase faced challenges in voicing a loud character, but enjoyed the fast-paced bickering scenes.

As a die-hard anime fan with decades of experience under my belt, I must say that Dandadan is a breath of fresh air in this saturated world of animation. Having watched countless series, from the classics like Dragon Ball Z to the modern masterpieces like Attack on Titan, I can confidently say that Dandadan stands out with its unique blend of humor, action, and heartwarming moments.

In a whirlwind of excitement, “Dandadan” has sprinted into popularity at speeds that leave Grandma Turbo in the dust. This anime has swept through social media like wildfire, with its infectious theme song and raving reviews about its mind-blowing debut episode. Even Megan Thee Stallion shared her enthusiasm on Instagram, tipping her followers off about watching this supernatural action comedy. It’s no exaggeration to say that “Dandadan” is already making a strong impact on the anime world; the buzz surrounding it rivals the initial frenzy when shows like “Demon Slayer” and “Jujutsu Kaisen” were first introduced. Whether this show can sustain the momentum to achieve the same level of acclaim as those titles remains to be seen, but given the current hype, it wouldn’t be surprising if “Dandadan” gets the green light for a full manga adaptation.

A fresh conversation with director Fuga Yamashiro and voice actor Shion Wakayama, who portrays Momo Ayase in the series Dandadan, has come to light. They discuss the intricacies of blending multiple genres within a single production, their preferred characters, initial reactions, and behind-the-scenes insights from working on the anime during its creation process.

Their Experiences Working On The Anime

So Many Genres, So Little Time

Dandadan: New Interview with Director and Momo Ayase's VA

In their respective statements, both Yamshiro and Wakayama expressed enthusiasm over the diverse genres seamlessly interwoven within each episode of the “Dandadan” manga. Director Yamashiro described it as a vibrant piece that swiftly transitions between various genres, boasting a richly developed cast of characters. They also highlighted the joy of adapting this into an anime, as they employed distinctive color schemes and visuals for the alien and yokai elements to distinguish the supernatural and action aspects from the comedy and romantic segments.

In my design process, I strive to imbue each extraterrestrial and yokai character with a unique visual identity. The objective is to craft visual elements that evoke a sense of distinct values, cultures, and authentic lifestyles different from ours. Although they may seem peculiar and enigmatic to us, this is precisely the atmosphere I aimed to capture in my creative direction.

Wakayama expressed similar thoughts: “With its mix of genres like the supernatural, humor, love stories, and action, it was an effortless read, and I devoured every volume swiftly,” she added, mentioning that the unique art style complemented this genre diversity, making it simple to dive in while she prepared for her role. She also mentioned that the blending of these genres created a distinctive reading experience that she found herself easily engrossed in.

Wakayama’s Challenges in Voicing Momo Ayase

A New Style Of Voice And Unique Interactions Between Characters

In a recent statement, the voice actress behind Momo Ayase revealed that this role is quite distinct from her past performances. Previously, she’s given life to characters like Takina Inoue from Lycoris Recoil, Maria Renard from Castlevania, and Aoi Aoi from Her Blue Sky. These characters are typically quieter, reserved, and speak in soft or monotone tones, rarely raising their voices as much as Momo Ayase does. However, Momo Ayase finds voicing such a boisterous and self-assured character to be a fresh challenge, admitting that “Many lines require me to speak forcefully, which made it difficult for my words to be clear enough to be easily understood just by listening.

She admitted to pushing herself to the very edge, occasionally resulting in headaches, as she poured all her energy into handling the tasks. Yet, she confessed with delight that she thoroughly enjoyed capturing the lively banter between Momo and Okarun on camera. She expressed a feeling of pride and satisfaction, having successfully delivered rapid and clever dialogue scenes at such a pace, considering her past experience with characters.

Directing As Faithfully As Possible

Director Yamashiro On Adapting The Manga Accurately, While Keeping Things Exciting

In the interview, it was pointed out that the director carefully adjusted the rhythm or pace between arcs in the Dandadan manga. When asked about this, the director stated, “For Dandadan, I believe tempo is crucial.” Managing multiple genres, characters, and storylines requires swift changes in the show’s pacing, which was a key consideration for the director when striving to maintain an engaging pace while adapting the manga.

In humor and comedy, the pace or rhythm (tempo) plays a crucial role; even a slight misalignment can cause the intended impact to be lost. I strove hard to ensure that nothing would fall short in this regard.

In essence, I minimized unnecessary pauses and idle moments wherever they weren’t crucial. However, I ensured there was adequate room for breathing, creating a distinct sensation or a gap, which accentuates the impact of those intentional pauses.

In response to a query about any particular demands from Yukinobu Tatsu, the creator of the Dandadan manga, Director Yamashiro stated that Tatsu had faith in them to remain true to the source material. While adapting the manga into an anime was tough, they found it enjoyable, acknowledging the hurdles faced during the process, particularly in capturing the distinctive atmosphere and ambiance of the Dandadan manga during its production. Here at Game Rant, we’re grateful that both these gifted artists relished creating the anime as much as we have enjoyed watching it, and eagerly await the debut of the full first season of Dandadan.

Source: MyAnimeList

You can watch Dandadan on Netflix, with new episodes premiering on Thursdays until December 19th, 2024.

2024-11-28 05:35

Dandadan: New Interview with Director and Momo Ayase’s VA