In his October 3, 2024 review of Dan Da Dan’s first episode, Gizmodo/io9’s James Whitbrook calls the anime a standout for its kinetic movement and confident shifts between styles. The premiere’s visual appeal, in his reading, is not just polish: it comes from how framing, color, exaggerated motion and abrupt changes of genre work together.
Why Whitbrook calls the premiere a standout
Whitbrook describes the episode as “a fresh burst of kinetic energy” and calls the anime “one of the most energetic anime I’ve seen in a while.” Those are his critical judgments, not measurable rankings or evidence of a wider consensus. His case rests on the way the adaptation moves between science-fiction adventure, supernatural horror, comedy, action and more intimate character drama without settling into one visual register.
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The anime adapts Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga. Whitbrook argues that the premiere carries over the source’s visual and narrative flexibility, using changes in movement, composition and color to make each turn feel distinct rather than merely changing the plot’s subject.
How the episode uses movement and contrast
Exaggeration makes character part of the visual comedy
One of Whitbrook’s examples is Momo Ayase’s exaggerated, almost slithering walk down a school corridor after a breakup. The movement makes her emotional state visible while pushing the scene into broad comedy. When she encounters Ken “Okarun” Takakura in class, the episode’s sudden stillness changes the rhythm: the contrast gives the meeting weight after the heightened walk.
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Horror and saturated color create a sharp transition
The climax follows a restrained horror sequence with the awakening of Momo’s psychic powers, rendered in bold, kaleidoscopic color. That change in visual intensity is central to Whitbrook’s praise: the episode does not keep one consistent look, but uses shifts in tone and palette to make a turn from dread to spectacle land with force.
Framing helps the genre changes feel deliberate
Whitbrook’s review points to framing alongside movement and color. Taken together, these choices make the episode’s switches—from visceral body horror to exaggerated humor and kinetic action—feel like part of the adaptation’s design. The review does not offer a formal shot-by-shot comparison with the manga or a systematic ranking against other anime; its argument is a close critical response to this premiere.
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How the leads establish the premise
The episode brings together Momo Ayase, whose family ties connect her to the occult and paranormal, and Okarun, a lonely UFO-obsessed otaku. Their opposing interests in supernatural phenomena and extraterrestrials provide the premise for the series’ collision of ghosts, aliens and adolescent character drama. The contrast also gives the premiere a natural engine for moving between genres: the two leads approach the uncanny from different directions.
Opening music and direction add to the energy
The review credits Abel Góngora with directing the opening and identifies “Otonoke” by Creepy Nuts as its song. Whitbrook treats the opening’s sound and visual energy as part of the episode’s impact, complementing the rapid movement and shifting visual style he highlights elsewhere.
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Whitbrook’s article is a review of the first episode, published October 3, 2024, when it reported that the episode was dropping on Netflix, Hulu and Crunchyroll. Those platform mentions describe the release context at that date; they do not confirm current availability or rights in any particular country. The review also does not establish audience consensus, awards, ratings, a measurable standard for animation quality or a head-to-head verdict against other 2024 anime.
For readers who want to consider the adaptation more closely, the review suggests useful points of comparison with Tatsu’s manga: how movement conveys emotion, how the composition handles abrupt tonal changes, how horror contrasts with comedy, and how restrained passages give saturated color room to register. These are interpretive criteria, not a standardized scorecard.
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