The Title Origins of Dandadan, Explained

Summary

• Dandadan features Momo and Okaruna searching for aliens and Yokai to protect human society.
• The origin of the title remains a mystery, but potential meanings stem from powerful items or supernatural abilities.
• Speculations suggest that the title could be related to the characters and powerful item depicted in the manga.

Dandadan is a manga and anime that has a strong fan base and followers, with many enjoying the mix of comedic moments with the supernatural. The show also features several popular characters including Okarun, Momo, Seiko Ayase, Aira and many more. These characters form a team as they work to prevent aliens and Yokai from entering human society and harming others.

However, one thing that remains unclear to many fans is the origin of the name Dandadan. There are no immediate clues as to what this means, and it's not as simple as just naming an anime after a character. So what exactly does the title mean and how does it relate to the show?

The Story of Dandadan

What is Dandadan about?

To understand what DandadanThe title potentially implies that it is essential to know what the story of the anime is about and the importance of the relationship between the characters. Dandadan follows Momo Ayase and Okaruna, two high school students who believe in ghosts and aliens. The two bond, eventually searching for the occult and extraterrestrial, only to discover that both exist. Soon after they meet, Okarun is possessed by Turbo Granny and his personal “things” are taken from him.

Momo develops psychic abilities while Okarun uses her Turbo Granny possession to awaken her own abilities. The two work together to destroy all the aliens and Yokai they come across, bringing along a few other friends like Jiji and Aira as well. While the group spends their time searching for Okarun's golden orbs, eventually Momo and Okarun begin to form a strong bond and develop romantic feelings for each other.

What the name Dandadan might mean

The advice we got in the story

While the name comes from Dandadan were not officially revealed, fans were given a few hints through the manga, in specific chapters. specifically Chapter 163 features the character of Count Saint-Germain asking the Yokai if they are familiar with 'Dandadan'. Right after this is mentioned, the manga shows several panels depicting the Mandala of the Womb Realm, specifically the eight-petaled hall found in Esoteric Buddhism. While this is all we get in the manga, as it is not mentioned again in subsequent chapters, a lot can be inferred from this small piece of information.

First, fans can take the information known about the antagonist Count Saint-Germain and use it to infer the fact that the Dandadan he's referring to is most likely a powerful item or ability he's trying to get his hands on. He is known to collect many different cursed items and ancient relics, so it makes sense that he would want to add another item to his collection. From the meaning of “Danda” which is a powerful scepter in Hinduism, we can also infer that he might be looking for an incredibly powerful weapon.

What is the Womb Realm Mandala?

As mentioned, readers get a glimpse of the Womb Realm Mandala in the last two panels of chapter 163. So, what exactly is the Womb Realm Mandala? It is one of the two mandalas of Esoteric Buddhism, the other being the Diamond Realm mandala. Comes from Mahavairochana Sutra and represents the fundamental principle of the universe, the dharma body of Mahavairochana Buddha. In the mandala we can see twelve large halls with an eight-petaled lotus court in the middle. Buddha Mahavairochana is seated in the center of the lotus, and four other Buddhas and four Bodhisattvas are seated on the other petals nearby.

The Mahavairochana Sutra is an important scripture in Buddhism that summarizes that followers will be able to gain the wisdom of the Buddha once they are able to observe the true nature of their mind. There are three stages to follow including:

• Preliminary
• Application
• Achievement

Once success is achieved, that is when the follower is brought enlightenment. It is likely that Count Saint-Germain is particularly aspiring to achieve enlightenment and could use Dandadan as a way to achieve this feat. So it is highly likely that the title Dandadan could refer to some type of power or object with supernatural abilities that Count Saint-Germain could be pursuing and could be used to stop powerful Yokai or aliens from being released into the world.

However, some fans also speculated about it Dandadan could be related to the Eight Petal Hall Center and the Danmanra card and how they both depict nine figures, which is the total number of children Seiko Ayase will accept into the team. Each of these characters is connected to the occult or aliens in some way, all coming together as some piece of Dandadan, whatever it is. There is still much to uncover, with meaning, in the series Dandadan it's most likely a big part of the manga's ultimate finale.

Dandadan is available for streaming on Crunchyroll, Hulu, and Netflix.