Dandadanis probably the most popular show of the fall 2024 catalogue. WIth its weird premise and enjoyable cast, it is no surprise that the show is doing so well. On top of that, it has given the world Momo Ayase,the co-protagonistwho joins a list of recent female protagonists that feel well written likeFrierenand Maomao from TheApothecary Diaries.
Momo fromDandadanfeels like another successful female lead who is more suited to the average anime fan of the day. There are many reasons she is a great character, here are some.
8She Feels Relatable
She Truly Is A Girl-Next-Door
The idea of a beautiful female character suddenly falling head over heels for ashy nerdis not particularly uncommon in anime and there are a long list of examples that can be mentioned. However, they are usually stunning, and almost perfect. Momo is not unattractive by any means, but she does feel real.
When her friendship with Okarun kicks off, the average viewer could understand why both of them could work and her personality, brashness and vulnerability, make her feel truly relatable to a normal highschool girl.
7She Isn’t Always The Best At Every Moment And Admits It
Momo Is Not Perfect
Momo, like every other person on the planet, is not perfect by any means and this shows in the way she lives and the decisions she makes. For instance, she initially had a rocky relationship withher grandmotherbecause the latter caused her to be made fun of at school. She said some not so nice things, but was able to come to a conclusion about how wrong she was.
In episode 5 after treating Okarun particularly badly, she was upfront about her faults and was able to apologize like a mature person. This is not to say she is the first to have such an attitude, but such humility is always the sign of a good character.
6She Is Able To Wear Multiple Outfits
A True Fashion Icon
A common practise with a lot of high school anime is to keep characters in their school uniforms almost all the time, hardly ever varying their look. This is also true of many shows set outside of high school.
InDandadan, Momo not only looks stylish in her school outfit, but also in the many outfits she wears for whatever she’s doing. When she’s out, she’s in appropriate wear and when she’s lounging, it’s the same. This enables fans to see her in different elements without the more common options of school wear and swimsuit.
5Her Friendship With Okarun Is Honest
They Feel Real
A common criticism of the hot girl falls for shy geekish guy trope is that a lot of the time, the situation feels forced. Most cannot from what they have seen understand why the girl will like the guy. But, withMomo and Okarun, the chemistry is there. While they are part of a popular trope, the dialogue between the two feels natural and the average person can see why she likes Okarun.
The two tend to go back and forth a lot and Okarun’s shyness dissolves when with Momo. This produces a camaraderie between the two that rivals some of the great friendships in shonen.
4She Has Great Friends
They Aren’t The Typical Mean Girls
Much like Ayane and Chizuru from From Me To You, Momo has some pretty chill friends who aregyaru like her. While also like a lot of series, they don’t get a lot of screen time, they are quite supportive of her.
In episode five after telling Okarun off when he ran to her class to tell her about his problem, they didn’t laugh that she was hanging out with someone like Okarun, but even told her off when she was mean to him.
3She Stands Up To Bullies
She Won’t Let Her Friends Be Disrespected
Everyone loves a person who stands up for those being exploited or who can’t stand for themselves. Momo is such a character as she is always there to stand up for others in whatever circumstances.
Okarun had a girl pretend to be nice to him and it was revealed that she was simply playing him and Momo found out and ensured that she got her comeuppance. She did this while also reassuring Okarun and it was such a nice touch.
2She Doesn’t Try To Change Okarun Or Herself For Okarun
They Both Accept One Another
A lot of times, a female character can get swept up in what the male protagonist is doing and somehow get lost as a character in their relationship with said male protagonist. Sometimes, it happens the other way around. But it is different inDandadan.
Momo stands as afully fleshed characterwho doesn’t change to fit into Okarun’s life so as to be with him. On the other side, Okarun doesn’t need to stop being himself either. It perhaps helps that Momo is Okarun’s only friend, but there is a feeling that even if he had friends, they’d still get along quite a bit.
1She’s Strong
Her Psychic Powers Are Amazing
At the end of the day, most shonen fans want to see their favorite character show great strength and Momo is nothing if not strong. Even before she got her psychic powers, she was willing to fight anyone who would come up against her. But with her powers, she is even more awesome.
Momo has been able to fight the likes ofTurbo Grannyand the Flatwood monster. She is also quite durable as she has taken quite a beating and several hits that will probably have taken out the average individual, but Momo has been able to get back up and show her tenacity.
