After the tumultuous chase of episode 4, Taste deserves to take a breather. Okarun and Momo exorcised the Earthbound Spirit with the help of Granny Seiko, freeing the many souls of tormented young girls living in the tunnel. Now begins the true test of the duo’s relationship: will they remain friends or become acquaintances who occasionally greet each other in passing? This week’s casual episode, “Like, Where Are Your Balls?”, takes a break from the occult and finds these answers in Momo and Okarun’s mundane high school lives, but he forgets to ask a relevant question: is Turbo Granny’s curse over?

Taste Season 1, Episode 5 can easily pass itself off as a slice-of-life anime. The main characters’ budding relationship leads to silly misunderstandings, and now they have to deal with them both at school and with each other. These are all classic signs of love stories, where the boy and the girl jump through hoops to make the simplest confessions. For Taste suddenly becoming interested in the sweet, thrilling feelings of the heart can be wild, but nothing surprising. The episode could have ended with Momo and Okarun’s first awkward day as friends. Instead, he has other projects in store that will, once again, open a portal to the strange world of the paranormal.

Dandadan Season 1, Episode 5 is the love story no one expected

The episode takes a much-needed break from the action

Taste Season 1, Episode 5 opens a new chapter in this boy-meets-girl anime, but does what he forgot to do last time: allow both children to be regular high school students. While it’s been fun watching Momo and Okarun sprint from one danger to another, they’ve had almost no time to be around people their own age. The episode brings more color to this part of their story. It begins with an anxious Okarun slowly walking towards the school gate, where Momo is waiting for him. Everything seems rosy when the two are together, especially for Okarun, who had a rough start in high school with no one to call a friend. The contrast is there for all to see. Immediately after leaving Momo and entering her class, Okarun is bullied. High school life is never easy, but Ken Takakura is happy that there is now someone to call him “Okarun.”

Dialogue is the cornerstone of the episode, with internal monologues being a constant companion to the audience. Whether it’s Okarun thinking too much about what his friend thinks of him or Momo worrying about wanting to talk to him about aliens and other things, the characters first hold a conversation within themselves before actually conversing with each other. The audience is usually the first to know what is going on in the fiery minds of these young teenagers before they are even aware of it. The episode has all the dizziness of young love. From the duo frantically searching for each other to the most heartbreaking altercation in front of everyone, the story is a rollercoaster of emotions. The ups and downs of the episode make the viewer smile at one moment and give them the blues at the next. For an anime with non-stop action in the first four episodes, TasteDavid’s meddling with the softer side of life is a revelation.

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That said, the episode isn’t just about teenage romance. Sooner or later, the occult part of the plot was bound to resurface, and there’s no better time than the final act to end debates about insanity Taste is known for. The previous story arc involved retrieving Okarun’s family jewels from Turbo Granny. However, this mystery continues because not only is the boy missing part of his reproductive organ, but the old witch who kept him hostage is no more either. Okarun may have every reason to bawl, but for Momo and the audience, this strange development is beyond hilarious. The schadenfreude is real in this episode, but the silver lining is that there is some hope for Okarun and more crazy humor awaits at the end of the tunnel.

Dandadan season 1, episode 5 tests the audience’s patience in the best way possible

The episode takes its time to reunite Momo Ayase and Okraun

The school environment presents a different kind of challenge for Okarun and Momo: one that tests their relationship in the tumultuous land of teenagers. Certainly, it’s cute to see them stumble to describe their innermost feelings. But it also brings a certain worry about all the unsaid words. The episode teases the audience’s patience with its will-they-won’t-they shenanigans, intentionally keeping the two separate to deepen the feeling of nostalgia. It has the classic attributes of romantic anime where the girl and boy try to hang out, but the timing is never right. Okarun and Momo dream of having lunch together, but when it actually happens, they create even more misunderstandings, leading to their first quarrel. The episode knows how to keep fans engaged and keep the wheels of destiny turning, introducing new characters and even potential romantic rivals to stir the pot even more.

Taste Season 1, Episode 5 makes the protagonists work for their relationshipthat began with shared trauma, and now has its roots in true friendship. On the one hand, Okarun finally gets his wish. Although he initially has reservations about Momo’s intentions, as soon as she approaches him at school, his whole world lights up and the audience gets the chance to be part of the wholesomeness. Momo, on the other hand, still needs to learn how to be a good friend. On the contrary, the episode holds up a mirror to him. What she is trying to hide through her rudeness is simply the sentimentality within her trying to come out from behind her crude exterior. Simple moments like her being eager to talk to Okarun and trying to show it off in front of other girls who insult her sow the seeds for her character’s future development.

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Momo’s delinquent nature comes through in his voice, thanks to the dubbing of Shion Wakayama. Everything about Momo, from her nonchalance to her jealousy, has its place in the episode because Wakayama plays all of the character’s quirks and antics with great sincerity. When Momo is angry, she is a complete idiot. When she mocks Okarun’s fate, she does so wholeheartedly. In turn, this allows Natsuki Hanae to voice Okarun like the naive boy he is, just with a little more enthusiasm than usual. Although it seems antithetical, Okarun’s nervous voice and heartfelt pleas pique Momo in a way that even ghosts and aliens couldn’t, proving just how much Momo cares about her new friend.

The animation in Dandadan Season 1 and Episode 5 is a welcome and calm change of pace

The animation of the episode doesn’t need to go too far as always

As mentioned previously, Taste Season 1, Episode 5 feels like a slice of life anime, and as such, the artwork looks idyllic. Not in a picturesque way, but the way the footage stays on Momo and Okarun gives it a calm that the anime hasn’t seen since its premiere. The venue has everything anime fans could expect from a typical Japanese high school. From the crowded hallways to the classroom desks by the window, the focus is never on the environment but on the main characters. This, despite a very immersive artistic background. TasteThe visuals stay true to mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu’s own illustrations, but the animators have clearly added their own twist to things.

The episode notably lacks color because of one aspect missing from the episode: the special effects. Without the high-octane action, the images appear dull and muted, which the animation attempts to change. Now the question arises how animation can be alive if there is no excitement. The answer lies in the silliness of the characters themselves, whose facial expressions and exaggerated movements align perfectly with Science Saru’s eccentric vision. As in previous episodes, the images experiment with camera angles. This time they are used to highlight the symmetry and negative space that creates a physical and symbolic divide between TasteIt’s two tracks. The episode’s laid-back attitude also infects the animation, as there are entire frames where time appears to have stood still. None of these elements are bad, as they only enhance the wholesome vibe of the episode. If anything, Science Saru’s restraint here is as much a testament to its mastery of animation and direction as last week’s exhilarating game of tag.

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Taste Season 1, Episode 5 may not deliver much in terms of plot progression, but it’s one of those rare cases where a respite episode is still full of heart. The characters are not mere cogs in the narrative machine who jump, chase, and flee from ghosts and aliens for the audience’s pleasure. Despite its title, “Like, Where Are Your Balls?” allows Momo and Okarun to realize their relationship away from these strange adventures. Fans who miss the wacky, perverse fun that Dandadan the first impressions they may have given them should not worry. Episode 5 has exactly these detours and shocking twists in store for them just before its end, undoubtedly a hook to lure them in for next week’s adventure.

Dandadan is now streaming on Crunchyroll.

Dandadan Season 1, Episode 5: “Like, where are your balls?”

Release date

September 13, 2024

Cast

Natsuki Hanae, Shion Wakayama, Nana Mizuki, Ayane Sakura, Kaito Ishikawa, Mayumi Tanaka, Kazuya Nakai, Kaori Maeda, Miyu Tomita, Ryûnosuke Watanuki, Hikaru Tanaka, Seitaro Taniguchi, Satomi Kobashi, Mayuko Kazama, Ryuuzaburo Ootomo

Character(s)

Ken Okarun Takakura, Momo Ayase, Seiko, Aira Shiratori, Jin Jiji Enjōji, Turbo Granny, Serpoians, Miko, Muko, Momo’s Boyfriend, Student A, Student B, Elementary School Boy, Flatwoods Monster

Benefits

• Character drama is at the forefront of the episode.
• Relationship conflicts keep the intrigue alive in a story devoid of action.
• The wacky humor at the end is the icing on the cake.

Disadvantages

• The plot progression stalls because of the pacing.
• Science Saru’s animation doesn’t have much wiggle room.
• The plot of this episode is paper thin.

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