Shonen Jump Proves Action Manga Don't Need Fighting To Be Incredible
Warning! Spoilers ahead for Dandadan chapter 54!
Previous installments of Shonen Jump's Dandadan have successfully demonstrated that action manga don't need fighting to captivate readers. But the latest chapter really encapsulates this belief more effectively than the rest.
Many manga series struggle whenever an arc concludes because there are always a few chapters of downtime, and although these installments are necessary to set up the next story, the overall pace suffers as a result. This especially happens in action or adventure series like One Piece as their characters don't translate well in low-level situations where character-boosting romantic scenes are already nonexistent. This isn't the case in Dandadan since mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu is able to expertly capture seriousness, well-balanced humor and adorable romantic interactions in these transition scenes.
Related: Dandadan's Epic All-Out Brawl Proves Nothing Is Filler
Dandadan's 54th chapter perfectly embodies this dynamic, masterfully incorporating all of these elements in just 19 pages. The installment opens with a very dismal scene involving the aftermath of a rather unfortunate yokai possession that previous chapters have depicted humorously — even reducing them to just one page, though they have been some of the wildest spreads of immense chaos in Shonen Jump history. This stunning contrast in chapter 54 showcases the possessed Jiji struggling as the host of an unfriendly «guest» as he is forced to rely on the kindness and understanding of his new friends, most especially Okarun. The two characters' brief interactions further explore their complex friendship that's already augmented by the realization that they both have romantic feelings for the series'
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