GKIDS announced today that it has acquired theatrical, videogram and digital transactional rights to the new anime series Dan Da Dan. The acquisition serves as GKIDS’ first engagement with a first-run series, following North American distribution of various retrospective series works. Details to be announced.
From Masaaki Yuasa’s acclaimed animation studio Science SARU (DEVILMAN crybaby, INU-OH, Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, The Colors Within), the series is the directorial debut of studio veteran Fuga Yamashiro (Keep Your Hands Off Eizouken!, The Heike Story). Composer kensuke ushio (Chainsaw Man, DEVILMAN crybaby, The Colors Within) provides the score. Dan Da Dan is a television adaptation of author Yukinobu Tatsu’s manga of the same name, which is currently serialized in Shonen Jump Plus from Shueisha. Tatsu previously worked as an assistant to Tatsuki Fujimoto on his global hit series Chainsaw Man and Fire Punch, and with Yuji Kaku on Hell’s Paradise: Jigokuraku.
“After years of championing feature animation and the occasional classic series, GKIDS is thrilled to join in the release of our first-ever new animated series,” said GKIDS’ President David Jesteadt. “We could not think of better partners than MBS and the artist geniuses at Science SARU, who we have had the fortune of working with on many films before. Dan Da Dan has been an office-favorite manga since its beginning, and we look forward to helping fans discover this vital new series later this fall.”
Synopsis: Dan Da Dan follows Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult freak. The two of them start talking after Momo rescues Okarun from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them — Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts. To make the mutual deniers believe in each other, Momo goes to an abandoned hospital known for its UFO sightings, and Okarun goes to a tunnel that is said to be haunted. In each place, they encounter overwhelming paranormal activity that transcends comprehension. Amid these predicaments, Momo awakens her hidden power and Okarun gains the power of a curse to challenge the paranormal forces! Their fateful love begins as well!?
The story of the occult battle and adolescence starts!
Dan Da Dan marks GKIDS’ sixth title from Science SARU, following local releases of Yuasa’s feature films Lu Over the Wall; The Night is Short, Walk On Girl; Ride Your Wave; and the Golden Globe-nominated Inu-Oh, and GKIDS’ most recent acquisition, The Colors Within, directed by Naoko Yamada (A Silent Voice).
