“Dandadan: First Encounter” Theatrical Screening Planned

Dandadan (sometimes called Dan da Dan as three words) is projected to be the biggest new anime of the fall. The series doesn’t premiere until October, but thanks to a new deal with distributor GKIDS, you can catch it one month early…and on the big screen!

“Dandadan: First Encounter” is what they’re calling this special preview, exclusive to theaters, that will show the first three episodes in a row. Bonuses include interviews with manga creator Yukinobu Tatsu and editor Shihei Lin, the anime’s director Fūga Yamashiro, and others.

Dandadan has a pretty cool premise: two teenagers who are into the paranormal meet up in high school, Momo, who comes from a family of spirit mediums, and Okarun, a big sci-fi fanatic. You’d think they would instantly form a bond, but they don’t, their beliefs actually clash. Momo believes in ghosts, but not aliens, while Okarun fervently believes in alien visitors but scoffs at the idea of ghosts.

Each insists they can prove what they believe is real. Momo goes to an abandoned hospital where there have been UFO sightings, while Okarun goes to a tunnel people say is haunted. “To their surprise, they each encounter overwhelming paranormal activities that transcend comprehension,” says Crunchyroll. “Amid these predicaments, Momo awakens her hidden power and Okarun gains the power of a curse to overcome these new dangers! Their fateful love begins as well!?”

The Japanese voice cast for Dandadan stars Shion Wakayama (Takina Inoue in Lycoris Recoil) as Momo; Natsuki Hanae (Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba) as Okarun; Mayumi Tanaka (Monkey D. Luffy in One Piece) as Turbo Granny; and Kazuya Nakai (Roronoa Zoro in One Piece) as the Serpoians. English dub voices have not been announced, and the screening will be sub only.

Dandadan will officially premiere as a weekly series on Crunchyroll in October.