Dance Dance Danseur

Dance Dance Danseur (ダンス・ダンス・ダンスール) is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by George Asakura. It has been serialized in Shogakukan's manga magazine Weekly Big Comic Spirits since September 2015. An anime television series adaptation produced by MAPPA aired from April to June 2022 on the Super Animeism programming block.

Synopsis

Junpei Murao used to not like ballet, but after seeing a man perform it, he suddenly finds himself fascinated by the art. His father dies in a tragic accident and Junpei gives up ballet to be "masculine". However one day, a new transfer student named Miyako Godai arrives who brings about his love for ballet once again.

Characters

• Junpei Murao (村尾 潤平)
• A 14 year old boy who took a liking to ballet when he was younger. He cut his aspirations short after his father, a stunt performer, died. Due to being the only male in his house, he took his uncle's advise to become more "masculine" to be a pillar of support to his family and quit ballet, instead practicing Jeet Kune Do under his tutelage. Upon his encounter with Miyako, Junpei's passion for ballet is reignited and begins to rediscover himself and his meaning of masculinity after seeing Ruō dance. Although a talented dancer, Junpei struggles in learning ballet due to lacking the fundamentals of the art as he lacked continuous training and tends to prioritize his own emotions over proper technique. However, he is noted by many to have prodigious characteristics and an ideal body for ballet. Through multiple tribulations, he comes to grasp the essence of ballet while humbling himself in the process, growing more mature as a person and dancer.
• Ruō Mori (森 流鶯)
• A shy 14-year-old boy, he is Miyako's cousin. The son of an american idol, he was abandoned by his mother following a scandal that exposed him as the son of her mother with another man who was not her husband. Raised by her strict, ballet obsessed grandmother, Ruō grew under a physically and emotionally abusive environment with little to no contact with the outside world, learning only ballet. As a result, Ruō has weak social skills, but his dancing prowess is unparalleled. Despite his tremendous skill, Ruō's social reclusion weakens his ability to learn and express himself properly. Ruō is in love with Miyako and sees Junpei as a nuisance, but it is through their adventures, that he is able to break out of his shell and grow more as a person.
• Miyako Godai (五代 都)
• Ruō's cousin. A 14 year old girl and the daughter of Chizuru. Miyako has learned ballet from her mother since an early age. Although skilled, Miyako's personality is deemed unsuitable by her mother to perform in large roles. Miyako discovers Junpei's ability and realizes he has skill for ballet which causes him to reignite his passion for the dance. A kind and polite girl, Miyako has conflicted feelings about Junpei and Ruō, both of whom she cares for. She worries for Ruō in particular, being aware of his circumstances.
• Misaki Yasuda (安田 海咲)
• [2]
• Yamato Takura (田倉 大和)
• [2]
• Natsuki Oikawa (生川 夏姫)
• [2]
• A sixth-grade girl, and the daughter of Ayako. Natuski is a very talented dancer whose skill is leagues above her peers, but is generally too serious and her expressions are inadequate. Proud and perfectionist, Natsuki puts tremendous effort in ballet, striving to be the best. The two have many in common in terms of how they view ballet and have been able to dance in perfect sync. Natsuki in fact feels attracted to Junpei as a dancer, as his expressive dancing matches her own views. There are hints of mutual romantic feelings between the two.
• Kotobuki Himenokōji (姫乃小路 寿)
• [2]

Media

Reception

Dance Dance Danseur was one of the Jury Recommended Works at the 23rd Japan Media Arts Festival in 2020.[50]

Further reading

External links