The new episode of Dandadan is a masterpiece

Key points

• Episode 7 of Dandadan has a decidedly dazzling opening with bold visuals and character illustrations.
• The episode changes style with somehow even more lively character expressions and subtle, realistic gestures.
• The story focuses on a mother's sacrifices to provide for her daughter, resulting in a raw and gripping masterpiece.

Warning: The following contains minor spoilers for Dandadan, Episode 7, “To a Kinder World,” now streaming Crunchyroll.

One of the greatest things about producing anime is the thrilling feeling you get from the first seconds of a new episode, when the viewer immediately knows it's going to be special. The meeting of a production team that has already proven itself week after week and a director with a vision strong enough to make those 23 minutes unforgettable. DandanThe seventh episode of is like that, and it is Very special.

Last week, Okarun, Momo and their fellow student Aira Shiratori came face to face with Acrobatic Silky, a spirit who had been following Aira for a long time, calling herself her mother. After they were all devoured by the spirit, it was a mix of Momo's quick thinking and Turbo Granny's blessings that freed them from the monster's belly, giving them a chance to fight back.

A decidedly dazzling opening

Dandan has been commendably consistent, visually speaking, over the past few weeks, but in regards to the aforementioned point, the latest episode leaves a bold impression right from the start. The first-person perspective and accompanying shaky cam effect evoke found-footage cinematography. Combined with the frenetic vocal performance and eerie location, it's a subtle but surprising opening that will only become much more significant towards the end.

The second thing that stands out is the character graphics. As scary and bizarre as Acrobatic Silky was last week, she looks much creepier and more beautiful, but strangely, her movements are a little more human too. Something about her detailed features and the desire conveyed as she holds her hands out towards Aira connects her closer to the viewer, even as each monstrous quality is accentuated twice as harshly.

Dandadan changes style

Frankly, everyone looks great this week, which isn't to say it's better than the last. It's just that the way they're animated is a little different, different enough to make the episode feel distinct from the previous one, as it should. This is not a typical episode of Dandanalthough the action is as frenetic as expected. The character's facial expressions are somehow more lively than ever, to the point of breaking out of the model just out of pure emotion.

This is the kind of episode where it's as if the animators are playing around to see how consistently they can present the most interesting shots possible. For example, the scene pictured above of Turbo Granny emerging from Okarun's backpack and doing a squat. Not only are Okarun's facial expressions entertaining, but the creativity in making Turbo Granny look like she's sitting on a throne on his back is just a perfect encapsulation of his character.

Most impressive of all are the subtle, lifelike gestures depicted throughout. The character acting is much more grounded than before, except for the more explosive supernatural exploits, most of which subside before the opening theme even hits. Action is the focus this week, but only because the rest of the episode has only one goal: crush your heart and then bring you back to life.

The story of a mother and daughter

Dandan it had to present something different from the beginning because the attention to detail and realistic style meant everything that happened in the second half of the episode. Learning Acrobatic Silky's story and the type of woman she was in life would definitely have been tragic from what the viewer was aware of before. But to witness it so vividly? For those who have never read the manga (like me), it is much more powerful than expected.

Frankly, “vivid” seems like an understatement, and it's tempting to say it shouldn't have worked so well. This is a story that is unashamedly strange in plot, characters and overall subject matter, but one that succeeds thanks to the seriousness of the script and the inspired conception. Yet here, this episode explores the difficulties of single parenthood, prostitution, and crushing debt. It's a lot and it might seem overwhelming, but it's never done badly.

Dandadan outdoes himself once again

This is the story of a mother who works so tirelessly, not simply to do it supply for her daughter, but to cultivate a dream that will give her daughter a better life than the one she had. Above all, it is the courage of a mother, sparing her child the worry of knowing what hardships were endured to build that future. All the pain is worth it for that dream, but the fear of reality crushing that dream looms constantly, and when it collapses, Dandan it holds nothing back.

It works in part because of the presentation, the music and, I can't praise it enough, the sound design. The real reason it works, however, is the same reason everything else about this story works. This story wasn't just about two children theorize about the occult – it was a story about them diving headfirst into the occult and having to deal with it. Dandan it is not a story that reflects or speculates: simply ago.

The rest of this season could taper off significantly and it would have been worth it for this episode alone.

This week it did something much heavier, but it did so with the same seriousness that allowed every previous episode to shine. Dandan it's been really great so far, but with this it's safe to say that the anime has presented its first masterpiece of an episode. So impeccably raw, so consistently gripping, and so utterly satisfying in the end – the rest of this season could diminish significantly, and it would have been worth it for this episode alone.