Production and release
The Dandadan anime television series adaptation was announced in November 2023. It is produced by Science Saru and directed by Fūga Yamashiro, with series composition and episode screenplays by Hiroshi Seko, character designs by Naoyuki Onda, and alien and supernatural entity designs by Yoshimichi Kameda.[4] It is the directorial debut of Yamashiro. Producer Hiroshi Kamei noted that Yamashiro would often take notes while watching other media for reference. Kamei highlighted the anime's use of "small moments" where the camera lingers on characters' expressions, a technique the staff termed "everyday action" or "everyday direction". This approach was prioritized to convey subtle interactions visually rather than through dialogue. The production also employed "lead scenes," where a specific action foreshadows a later, similar one to illustrate character development. An example cited is Momo handing Okarun his magazine, which is later mirrored when Okarun hands his clothes to Momo, demonstrating the evolution of their relationship through parallel gestures.[5]
The first season aired for 12 episodes from October 4 to December 20, 2024, on the Super Animeism Turbo programming block on all JNN affiliates, including flagship stations MBS and TBS.[6][7][8] Prior to the television airing, the English dub of the series premiered at Anime NYC on August 24, 2024.[10] The first three episodes also were collected and released theatrically outside of Japan as Dan Da Dan: First Encounter, with screenings starting in Asia on August 31.[11][12]
Crunchyroll is streaming the series outside of Asia, including the Middle East and CIS, while Netflix is streaming the series globally alongside Hulu in the United States and Animation Digital Network in several European territories.[3][13][14] Muse Communication licensed the series in Asia-Pacific.[15] In June 2024, GKIDS announced that it had acquired the theatrical, videogram, and digital transactional rights to the series.[16] The English dub of the series made its broadcast television premiere in the United States on Adult Swim's Toonami programming block on July 27, 2025.[17]
In August 2024, prior to the premiere of the English dub, the first two episodes of the anime were leaked alongside many other anime productions that were localized by Iyuno. Episodes 3–6 were later leaked prior to the anime's premiere.[18]
After the airing of the first-season finale, a second season was announced.[19] It aired for 12 episodes from July 4 to September 19, 2025.[20] Abel Góngora co-directed the season with Yamashiro.[21] Crunchyroll and Netflix announced that they would stream the season worldwide,[22][23] while Hulu and ADN are streaming it in the United States and several European territories, respectively.[24] The season's first three episodes were released in theaters outside of Japan under the title Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye on May 30 in Asia, June 6 in North America, and on June 7 in Europe.[25]
After the airing of the second-season finale, a third season was announced.[26][27] It is set to premiere in 2027.[28]
