Yukinobu Tatsu’s Dandadan has been stealing the show since its animation debut by Science Saru studio. The story follows Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura who are faced with a supernatural reality. They face a variety of creatures, from speedy grannies, to banana-stealing aliens, to the Loch Ness-like monster Nessie in the latest episode.
The similarity of the monster designs in Dandadan is no coincidence, but the result of Tatsu’s interest and research into urban legends, both in Japan and around the world. The creatures Serpos created to fight Okarun and Momo were also inspired by globally renowned Japanese franchises.
Overview of Anime Dandadan Episode 8
After defeating Acrobatic Silky, Momo and Okarun introduce Aira to Grandma Seiko. However, Aira’s imagination about this situation expands, as she believes that Momo is a demon who utilizes evil powers to curse Grandma Seiko and Okarun.
Aira falls in love with Okarun for his courage and kindness, which upsets Momo as she also starts to like Okarun. The two become Shonen’s ‘Best Couple’, but Aira faces a huge challenge to gain Okarun’s love. Episode 8 ends with three students trapped in the Dark Void due to an attack from Serpos.
The Serpos are now on the hunt for Okarun’s orbs and have enlisted the help of two other alien species: Dover Down Demon and Nessie-or Kamissie, as Okarun describes her.
Now, the Serpo aliens are searching for Okarun’s orbs (seeds) and have enlisted the help of two other alien species, the Dover Down Demon and Nessie or Kamissie, as described by Okarun.
In episode 9, Aira and the other characters will face an increasingly terrifying enemy. The Serpos manage to combine Nessie and Dover Down Demon, creating Serpo Dover Demon Nessie which makes the situation even more dangerous for the three main characters.
What is Nessie or Kamissie Dandadan?
Nessie or Kamissie is a giant reptilian creature similar to a plesiosaur. It has a long neck and four fins for swimming, with a hideous appearance and terrifyingly sharp teeth.
Nessie is a beast that attacks anything around it, including Serpo and it also shows no consciousness like Serpo or the Dover Demon. Her existence makes her more dangerous than the Flatwoods Monster, which is inspired by urban legends and is simply devastating.
Nessie’s power is highly dependent on the water around her. She can suck in water through the gills on her neck to launch High Compression Water Blasts that can destroy swarms and even some Serpos.
Nessie’s attacks cause tremendous pain to Momo, Okarun, or Aira. However, Nessie’s weakness is her inability to constantly attack, as she needs to recharge her energy with water.
What is Serpo Dover Demon Nessie of Dandadan?
As Nessie began to spiral out of control, she destroyed Serpo after flooding the area. Nessie’s attack led to Serpo’s destruction, but they were willing to take this risk to get Okarun’s ball.
The only survivor of Serpo created a new creature, Serpo Dover Demon Nessie, by combining the features of Serpo, Nessie, and Dover Demon. This creature became a much more dangerous threat than any of the previous enemies, except Turbo Granny who was still more powerful. The embodiment of this creature has the head of Serpo, the body of Nessie, and the powerful fist hands of Dover Demon.
Background of Nessie Character Depiction in Dandadan
1. Looks like the Loch Ness Monster
The Loch Ness Monster is an urban legend that frequently appears in various media, including movies and cartoons such as Scooby Doo and Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods. Therefore, it is only natural that Dandadan’s protagonists interact with the Loch Ness Monster in a series that explores urban legends and their realities.
Dandadan changed the story by having monsters attack their school at the request of the alien Serpo who wanted to take the main character’s seeds. In recent years, it’s been revealed that the Loch Monster may actually just be a mutated eel, if there ever was one.
2. Resembles the famous Kaiju Godzila
Godzilla (1954) introduced the world to the concept of Kaiju, i.e. giant monsters, as well as tokusatsu, which used practical effects in movies. Godzilla became a Japanese media icon and is often referenced. Nessie’s design is similar to Godzilla, especially in Hideaki Anno’s works, such as Shin Godzilla (2016), with a bulge on the back and a jet of water reminiscent of Godzilla’s atomic breath.
3. Similar to the monster in Ultraman
Nessie is inspired by the Kaiju of the famous Ultraman franchise from 1966. In the series, a human shares a body with a “giant of light” to fight various Kaiju monsters. Jirah appears in Episode 10 of The Mysterious Dinosaur Base and is similar to the Kaiju Zaurs from Fight! Mighty Jack. Jirah is often referred to as the Loch Ness Monster, attributing Nessie’s influence to the creature.
Jirah, in the English version Ultraman was created in Scotland, similar to the Loch Ness Monster. The Dandadan series also features the simultaneous release of English and Japanese versions, making it unique compared to other Hollywood movies and anime, thus attracting the attention of many people.
