Okarun from Dandadan
Ken Takakura, also nicknamed Okarun, plays the main role as the essential male hero of the anime Dandadan.
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Fanatic of the occult, especially extraterrestrials and phenomena related to UFOs, Okarun leads a rather discreet school life before meeting Momo Ayase. Following a bold challenge, they become friends, but unfortunately, Okarun has his kintama stolen, victim of the curse of the terrifying Turbo Granny. From that moment, his main mission is to recover what he lost, supported by Momo and several allies, while facing a universe filled with mysteries and paranormal forces.
Ken Takakura's distinctive look
Okarun is a young boy with a slim and modest height, with brown hair (black shade in the anime) and hazel eyes, always hidden behind his round glasses. At first, he sports a bowl cut which becomes messier after his fight against the Flatwoods monster. Although initially skinny, his rigorous training and numerous battles with spirits and extraterrestrials allowed him to gain an impressive musculature. His classic clothing is the typical gakuran school uniform, which he sometimes replaces with other outfits depending on the circumstances.
The personality of Okarun
Okarun is often seen as socially awkward, but he harbors a deep passion for anything paranormal, notably the possible presence of extraterrestrials and mysterious beings called cryptids. This passion dates back to his childhood marked by isolation and bullying, which led him to seek a connection with entities from other worlds. This past left him with an inferiority complex, causing doubt about his ability to fit in and his worth in the eyes of others. Even after forming a deep friendship with Momo Ayase, his self-esteem remains fragile. The reappearance of Jiji in Momo's life strengthens his social uncertainties, almost leading him to distance himself so as not to disturb her. According to Momo, his main relational obstacle is his tendency to misinterpret others’ intentions, thus creating an involuntary barrier.
Okarun shows sincere altruism, notably when he offers his kintama to Mr. Mantis Shrimp to help fund his son's blood transfusion. Proud and loyal, he fiercely protects his friends, even violently opposing those who harm them, as he did against the Evil Eye to defend Momo and regain control of Jiji.
Before recognizing the existence of spirits, Okarun remained skeptical, systematically seeking rational explanations for unexplained phenomena. He displays formal behavior, always using polite suffixes with those close to him, except with Jiji. This particularity allowed Momo to unmask Reiko Kashima’s true identity when she was disguising as him. The only moment he breaks this politeness is when he transforms into Turbo Granny.
Origins and journey of Okarun
Since elementary school, Ken endured loneliness and constant mockery. In search of friends, he turned to communicating with extraterrestrials, a passion that grew into a true obsession over the years.
The talents and powers of Okarun
Natural physical skills
Athletic abilities
- Endurance and agility: With his experience facing paranormal events, Okarun possesses exceptional physical condition, rivaling that of a seasoned athlete. During a performance test, he ran 50 meters in 5.8 seconds (far from his initial estimate of 9 seconds), threw a handball 35 meters, performed a standing long jump of 3.6 meters, completed 80 lateral steps and 120 shuttle runs, surpassing his peers in endurance.
Past supernatural powers
Spiritual gift
Spirit perception
Thanks to his abilities, Okarun can distinctly perceive earthly spirits and yokai, granting him privileged access to the Empty Space.
Turbo Granny Transformation
Okarun was granted the power of Turbo Granny after Seiko and Momo extracted the yokai’s consciousness from his body. Initially, this power only activated under a spell triggered by Momo using psychokinesis. However, after the yokai's energies remained in him, Okarun gained the ability to voluntarily switch into this powerful form.
In this state, his hair turns white and spiky, two dark bands frame his eyes, and his jaw darkens, revealing sharp teeth. His body adopts a marked musculature with a bent posture; his nails become black and pointed. His clothes change, seeming to blaze. Mentally, he becomes more lethargic and often ends his sentences with a "yo".
Increased speed
This metamorphosis grants Okarun Turbo Granny’s phenomenal speed, allowing him to reach 100 km/h in what he calls his "All-Out" mode.
- Strengths: From his first transformation, he dodged an attack from the Flatwoods Monster, crossed Shono to shake off the Earth Spirit Crab, saved Aira from a Bamora attack, and kept pace against formidable yokai like the Evil Eye. Turbo Granny estimates he can perform five simultaneous actions thanks to this speed.
- Limits: The "All-Out" ability initially could only be used for two sprints in a row, as this intense speed put great strain on his human body, forcing a temporary stop afterward. After special training, he improved his management of this technique, though limits remain for prolonged effort. Like Turbo Granny, he shares an inability to swim.
- Usage: His speed serves both for attack and escape. In close combat, he uses his quickness for lightning strikes. In coordination with allies, he plays a protective role and swiftly transports companions. Thanks to Turbo Granny’s training, he perfected his rhythm, dodging and counterattacking effectively, notably against the Portraits in the Music Room, and improved his reflexes facing the Evil Eye.
Gifted with exceptional leg strength, Okarun can launch himself like a missile, his favorite attack tactic. His charging speed lets him cut through crowds, throw powerful yokai like Acrobatic Silky, and even split the gigantic Nessie, the Serpo Dover Demon, in two.
During his escape from the Earth Spirit Crab, he even demonstrated that by combining "All-Out" he could lift off the ground with Momo, mimicking a helicopter by rotating his legs.
Increased durability
Okarun also benefits from remarkable durability, capable of withstanding his own attacks as well as assaults from powerful enemies, including the Evil Eye.
Exceptional bite force
His mouth mask grants him impressive biting power, allowing him to tear off the Flatwoods monster’s fingers.
Movement via telephone wire
Besides his speed, Okarun inherits Turbo Granny’s power to travel through telephone wires, following the spiral magnetic field of cables thanks to his incredible speed.
- Advantages and disadvantages: Although movement can take time, he can teleport instantly if there is an active line connected to his destination. This ability also allows him to increase speed by launching off the cable, creating light flashes in his wake.
During these trips, he must overcome the complexity of multiple telephone lines and limit the time spent inside the cable due to magnetic interactions, or risk being ejected if the line is cut by an enemy.
- Use: This technique serves him in combat, where combined with "All-Out," he strikes with lightning speed. Against the Kur, he eliminated several opponents with devastating efficiency and destroyed a extraterrestrial in a space suit with a single blow, protecting Momo.
Astral projection
Okarun can separate his spirit from his body, moving as an astral projection. This power is still unstable and used uncontrollably.
Strengths and limits
In this form, he can fly invisibly to people who do not fully master their spiritual abilities. However, the longer he stays in this state, the weaker the link with his physical body becomes, risking permanent separation.
Origin of the name Ken Takakura
- The first name Ken means "strong" or "healthy" (健).
- The family name Takakura combines the characters for "high, tall" (高 - taka) and "warehouse, barn, storehouse" (倉 - kura).
Trivia about Okarun
- Okarun is the second favorite character of the mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu.
- To Momo’s great surprise, Ken shares the same first name as a beloved Japanese celebrity, Ken Takakura.
- His identity in Turbo Granny mode — with white hair and black mask — references Ken Kaneki from Tokyo Ghoul, both characters also sharing the Japanese voice of Natsuki Hanae.
- In "Avengers Academy: Marvel's Voices Infinity Comics" #31, two characters heavily inspired by Momo and Okarun appear in a restaurant, a confirmation given by artist Pablo Moreno Collar via Instagram.
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