Dandadan is one of the most anticipated anime films of Fall 2024. During a discussion about the film, the author of Dandadan revealed that the film's concept was most inspired by Bérserk and Junji Ito.

The film's great inspiration

The author of Dandadan is Yukinobu Tatsu, a master of creating manga that combines horror, comedy, and action. According to author Yukinobu Tatsu shared in a recent interview. The idea for the film came from when he was looking at the works of Junji Ito. He wondered why there were such horror drawings with strange lines and animations that made him laugh. He thought that it seemed like a joke of the drawings. That led him to the idea, "I think fear and humor go together." Like Junji Ito, Yukinobu sketched dirty lines to create a creepy and scary feeling for the film's haunted locations through his imagination and sense of obsession. 

Yukinobu Tatsu also admitted that Kentaro Miura's Berserk was one of his biggest inspirations. The Berserk movie has a realistic feel from the detailed description as if the scene really existed, this unique point gave him ideas when creating his own manga. Dandadan follows two students Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura, they confront supernatural entities despite the danger that is near. According to the author, unlike the usual scenarios, the movie brings an entertaining and funny perspective when facing the dark tragic world. Dandadan is influenced by the realism of Berserk, the author Yukinobu always wanted to cleverly integrate this element throughout the movie.

His inspiration also came from Ultraman. When sketching Dandadan's aliens and monsters, he shared, "I really like Narita Toru, who is most famous for his Ultraman designs. When I was in elementary school and watched Ultraman reruns during summer vacation, I thought it was just a superhero story. But when I looked at Toru's designs when I was older, I discovered... a raw, creepy element that I really liked."

Yukinobu Tatsu's Favorite Characters in Dandadan

In a meeting with the famous publishing company Shueisha, the author also revealed the Dandadan characters he loved during the creation process:

Ayase Momo

We must mention Momo, a girl in the school who has a straightforward personality, is opinionated in all her arguments, she always believes in the existence of demons. Momo's resolute personality is built by the author in complete contrast to the male lead, this increases the appeal of this character in the series.

Takakura Ken

Takakura Ken, also known as Okarun, is the main male character of Dandadan. He has a weak appearance, a timid and indecisive personality, but has a strong belief in UFOs. Although Okarun has a completely different personality from Momo, this is what increases the appeal of the film, making him Yukinobu's favorite character.

Shiratori Aira

Aira is known as a supporting character in Dandadan. She has a great delusional personality when she discovers the existence of the supernatural world. The author said that Aira is also one of his favorite supporting characters because she has a cold and unfriendly appearance towards everyone, but inside she is very thoughtful and considerate towards Okarun.

Sakata Kinta

Although not the main character, Kinta has won the author's special affection. He seems rough and tough but is always a solid support for Okarun and Momo. He has a strong will and always wants to contribute more to his friends. It is his constant efforts and sincere heart that make Kinta a character that the author loves in the movie.

What do you think about Dandadan's inspiration from Berserk and Junji Ito? Share your opinion below this Hobiverse article!