Warning: SPOILERS for Episode #7 of Dan Da Dan
Content Warning: This article contains discussions of physical abuse and suicide.
Dandadan’s adaptation by Science SARU proved why it is a powerful candidate for anime of the year, thanks to its recent episode, which featured one of the most tear-jerking backstories in Shōnen. While manga readers knew what was coming, as fans chapter 16 was one longed to see animated the most by fans,Dandadanepisode 7 blew away the expectations, not only doingjustice to Acrobatic Silky’s flashback sequence, but also including many original anime scenes and small changes from the manga that enhance the already gut-wrenching moment.
Even though sad backstories aren’t something new in anime, with countless series that use this dramatic resource, what made the yokai backstory so noteworthy is both its cinematic direction and the amount of creative liberties taken byDandadan’s adaptation that extended the flashback while making little changes that manage toshine light on the subtlety of the manga to explain what happened to Acro-Silky and her daughterin a more heartbreaking and impactful way.
Dandadan’s Anime Makes Small Changes From the Manga That Make the Backstory Even Sadder
Science SARU Chose Ambiguity For Acrobatic Silky’s Flashback
One of the additions made by the anime to Acro-Silky’s backstory is during the violent sequence where she is brutally beaten by apparent debt collectors. While the manga shows how she is kicked trying to reach for her daughter,the anime includes a scene of her crashing into a door, with broken glass leaving deep injuries to her arm. Also, the moment where she coughs blood after tripping in the manga is because she loses several teeth, but in the anime, it is highlighted that her arm has been constantly bleeding.
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This, in addition tothe dance sequence’s subtlety, could lead viewers to believe that it’s a hallucination of Acro-Silky after dying due to blood loss, instead of her dancing on the building’s edge and deciding to jump. Moreover, as her injuries are severe, it conveys the feeling that her death was inevitable, and hence she died as a consequence of protecting her daughter. Also, the anime made clear that Acro-Silky used her saved-up money to buy her daughter the dress from the child’s boutique, which was only hinted at in the manga, and even emphasized that it was a birthday present, making it sadder.
Furthermore,when Acro-Silky is spotted by Aira, she still has the same wounds and clothes she had when she died, and it is only after misremembering her with her daughter that she slowly changes into the dress of her yokai form. However, in the manga, she already has the yokai clothes and only changes her human exterior. This makes the anime scene hit harder since Acro-Silky wears the same dress as her daughter, so it could be interpreted as that even if she had forgotten her child, she still subconsciously had something that connected to her.
Dandadan’s Anime Expressed Better What Happened to Acrobatic Silky
A detail that is faintly expressed inDandadan’s adaptation is the topic of how Acro-Silky was a sex worker, hinted with the keys and the money on the nightstand, while this aspect is clearly shown in the manga. However, as this could be a controversial theme, this subtlety was a great way to convey her situation. Yet as it can be easily overlooked by viewers,it also serves to make even more shocking the kidnapping of her daughter, as the viewers had to fill in the blanks to understand what was happening.
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The anime also helps understandAcro-Silky’s tragic outcomeas it includes a sequence of photos that show that she was always alone with her daughter, which explains that probably she didn’t have a choice but to take a loan from Sharks to provide for her child and is forced to work multiple jobs to pay her debt.The adaptation also makes clear she took out the money to buy the dress from the envelope to pay her debt, which means the sharks may have taken her child because she couldn’t afford the high interest of the loan.
Dandadan Anime Highlights the Sacrifice of a Mother While the Manga Transmits Hope
The Anime Gave Acrobatic Silky an Open Ending
While the anime leaves open if Acro-Silky is saved by Aira’s words, making the sacrifice she made and giving motherly love the spotlight, the manga shows a final glimpse of hope, confirmingshe was able to overcome her regrets and reunite with her daughter in the afterlife. This aligns with aninterview shared by Mantan WebwithDandadan’s author, where he talked about how he balances the sad parts of the story.
After all, it would be too sad if there was no hope. Since it’s entertainment, I want to end the story by showing readers something of hope. - Yukinobu Tatsu
The anime omitting this part is understandable sinceit also confirms the dark outcome of Acro-Silky’s daughter, by showing that she died at a young age. Still, the heartfelt panel of both mother and daughter walking holding hands in the manga is a bittersweet ending for the emotional backstory. Nevertheless, although manga is a great medium to transmit emotions thanks to its detailed art, the way the studio adapted Acro-Silky’s backstory with all the added scenes and subtle changes felt like a painfully sad short film, proving thatDandadanis a memorable and beautifully crafted animated experience.
Dandadan
Cast
Two high school students, embroiled in a wager to prove the existence of ghosts or aliens, encounter daunting paranormal threats, acquire superpowers, and possibly discover love. The series blends supernatural elements with personal dynamics as the protagonists navigate their newfound abilities and unexpected challenges.
