Any loyal
fan of Dandadan knows perfectly well that the series is a
roller coaster of absurd fights against aliens and evil spirits. However, there
is one extremely comforting element that has become a golden rule for its
narrative: no matter how brutal the battle was, the story arcs always end with
the protagonists enjoying a gigantic group banquet. During a recent interview, author Yukinobu
Tatsu decided to open his heart and explain that these scenes are not
a simple comic break, but the reflection of a very dark stage of his personal
life.
Hayao
Miyazaki's legacy
The
talented cartoonist confessed that the structure of his closings is directly
inspired by the legendary productions of Studio Ghibli. As a deep
admirer of filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, Tatsu noted that in his films
the characters always enjoy a good meal after having completed a grueling task.
This creative philosophy connected perfectly with a mythical phrase from the
classic manga Jarinko Chie, which dictates that the worst thing
that can happen to a human being is to be cold and on an empty stomach. For the
creator, rewarding the immense physical and mental effort of his protagonists
with a hot dish is an indispensable act of kindness that gives balance to his
work.
Hunger
as a creative engine
But the
real reason behind these banquets hides a rather moving story of overcoming.
The author recalled with nostalgia his early years in the publishing industry,
a time marked by extreme poverty while working as a drawing
assistant. In one of his most vulnerable moments, his master gave him a
thousand-yen bill simply so he could buy himself a midnight snack. Tatsu
relates that the immense gratitude he felt when he ate a bowl of sautéed pork
with coffee before returning to the studio was an experience that marked him
for life. That small gesture of empathy is exactly what he seeks to convey in
his vignettes, making sure that no one, not even his fictional characters, has
to suffer the hardships he went through in the past.
Seeing the
franchise's popularity continue to grow by leaps and bounds thanks to its
flawless animated adaptation, it's fascinating to discover the very human
undercurrent that underpins a seemingly chaotic story. Knowing that the author
captures his own traumas and learnings to give a hopeful closure to each
adventure of Momo and Okarun, do you think that these emotional scenes of
coexistence are the real secret of Dandadan's success.
