Dandadan’s First Cryptid: Nessie’s Powers and Abilities Explained

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Key Takeaways

  • Dandadan introduces cryptids, with Nessie making an appearance, bringing floods and water-based powers.
  • Nessie uses high-compression water blasts, inspired by Godzilla, also requiring some charging time.
  • Nessie’s connection to Seiko Ayase’s bat is mostly coincidental. There is no physical or spiritual connection.

As a seasoned anime enthusiast who has been following the genre for decades, I must admit that Dandadan has managed to captivate my attention with its unique blend of humor, action, and intrigue. One particular aspect that caught my eye is the role of Nessie, the mini-kaiju that wreaks havoc in the story.

heads up: the information below may reveal plot points from episode 8 of Dandadan titled “I’ve Got This Funny Feeling,” currently available for streaming on Crunchyroll.

Instead of merely banishing malevolent entities and frightening off extraterrestrial misfits, the students at Dandadan find themselves entangled with mythical creatures. The first of these enigmatic beings to surface is Nessie, better known as the Loch Ness Monster from Scottish legend. Although this incarnation of Nessie works for the Serpoians, it has started referring to itself as an UMA – short for ‘unidentified mysterious animal,’ a term more frequently used in Japan for cryptids.

As a gamer, I’d put it like this: “In my world, the Nessie from ‘Dandadan’ is quite petite compared to its Scottish counterpart, standing at just about 3.5 meters long. The one from Loch Ness, on the other hand, can range from 7.5 to a whopping 30 meters! But don’t let their appearance fool you, they share a resemblance with their elongated necks, sturdy bodies, four flippers, and tails that make them look like ancient plesiosaurs. Yet, the Nessie from ‘Dandadan’ is a whole different beast, boasting powers and abilities that would have left the early Scots speechless with amazement.

Nessie’s Powers and Abilities

The Power to Summon Floods and Turn Terrain Into Water

Despite the fact that the source of the water isn’t depicted, Nessie appears to have the power to flood entire regions with precise control over the depth. This remarkable ability was initially observed during episode 8 of Dandadan, titled “I’ve Got This Funny Feeling”. In this episode, Momo, Okarun, and Aira unexpectedly found themselves navigating through flooded school hallways. At first, the floodwaters were only ankle-deep, but they were sufficient for Nessie to maneuver within and discharge its blasts.

In episode 9 titled “Merge! Serpo Dover Demon Nessie,” we witness a spectacular display of Nessie’s water-controlling abilities. It turns out that this creature can not only flood an area but also transform the school’s walls, floor, and ceiling into water. The transformation is so convincing that the structures appear solid to the touch, but upon interaction, they turn out to be liquid, leaving your hands wet. This unique ability provides Nessie with enhanced mobility, enabling it to move beneath the ground, pass through walls, and glide across ceilings.

Not only that, but it’s worth noting that Nessie is adept at swimming beneath the water surface and possesses gills for respiration. These gills, spanning the length of its body, enable it to thrive in the waters it stirs up.

High-Compression Water Blasts

Indeed, the destructive bursts it emits are actually concentrated streams of highly pressurized water. While it might remind you of Godzilla’s iconic move, its body glows when charging these attacks just adds to the similarity. These water blasts have proven to be incredibly lethal, obliterating an entire hallway where Momo was hiding in episode 8 and instantly eliminating a Serpoian in the subsequent episode. However, before unleashing this power, Nessie must first absorb water through its gills. This power comes at a cost as it depletes its supply, requiring refill after use. On a concerning note, Nessie can discharge these water blasts both on land and in water, provided it’s fully charged up, making it a formidable adversary even in shallow waters.

Nessie’s Weaknesses

How Do You Beat the Mini Kaiju?

From a physical standpoint, I must admit that Nessie seems quite formidable, with few apparent vulnerabilities. The ability to summon floods at will suggests it’s always comfortable in its surroundings and has an endless supply for its compression blasts. However, there’s a chink in the armor when it comes to these blasts. Each blast needs time to gather sufficient water before being discharged, and it can’t be fired continually for extended periods. So, if you manage to dodge the blasts long enough for Nessie to need recharging, that window of opportunity presents itself for a strategic attack, as those compression blasts are essentially its primary defense mechanism.

As a devoted fan, I’ve noticed a potential vulnerability in Nessie: its unruly temperament. It’s quick to aggression, even towards the Serpoians who control it. This makes it simpler to divert its attention. Moreover, Nessie appears less intelligent as it didn’t seem concerned about Momo after sensing her presence in episode 8. Instead of searching for her, it blasted a compression wave, presuming its target was hit, and departed. It seems that at heart, Nessie is just an instinct-driven creature. Thus, the wisest strategy to counter it would be to combine cunning with strength.

His attacking prowess is truly impressive, yet there’s a lack of intelligence that makes him lash out at anything nearby, as observed with Nessie.

Is Seiko Ayase Related to Nessie in Some Way?

Momo’s Grandmother’s Bat Is Named Nessie

Astute Dandadan watchers may have spotted that the fighting bat belonging to character Seiko Ayase bears the inscription “Nessie’s Strength” (ネッシーの力). This could potentially imply a connection between Seiko or her bat and the mythical creature, Nessie. However, let me clarify this point for you: Seiko named her bat Nessie due to her interaction with Momo. During their training sessions, Seiko asked Momo what she considered the strongest creature in existence. Intriguingly, Momo responded by saying “Nessie”. To encourage Momo’s understanding of a specific psychic power, Seiko decided to name the bat after it.

Currently, you can stream the anime series “Dandadan” on Crunchyroll, Netflix, Muse Asia, and various other streaming services. The upcoming episode 10 of Dandadan is scheduled to air on December 5, 2024, at 9:00 AM Pacific Time.

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2024-12-07 23:06