“People Who Work Hard Should Be Rewarded.” Yukinobu Tatsu Explains Main Message Behind Dandadan
Dandadan creator Yukinobu Tatsu explained in a recent interview the key message he hopes to convey through his manga.
Dandadan is currently the number one show on Netflix in Japan, which isn’t surprising given that it was ranked as the second most anticipated anime of the season. Fans of both the manga and anime are praising its humor, animation, and plot. Recently, the manga's creator, Yukinobu Tatsu, gave an interview where he explained the main message he hopes to convey in his work.
Dandadan creator inspiration
WARNING: Below you’ll find major spoilers form Dandadan manga.
Sometimes, it’s great to draw inspiration from other cultural works—especially when that work comes from Hayao Miyazaki of Studio Ghibli. In the interview mentioned earlier, Tatsu was asked why he includes a dinner scene at the end of each arc, where the main characters celebrate their victory, often in a humorous way. To this, the mangaka responded as follows:
I love Studio Ghibli's works and am very impressed by Miyazaki Hayao's works. In Miyazaki Hayao's works, people who have worked always eat. (…) The worst thing for a human being is to be hungry and feel cold.
Tatsu openly admitted that he draws inspiration from Studio Ghibli, giving us a sense of what he's aiming to convey in his work. The central message of Dandadan could be that hard work always pays off—a theme Tatsu relates to through his own experience, recalling his time as an assistant:
It's pointless if you work hard and get nothing. I think kindness is important. I myself was poor at one time. When I was an assistant, my teacher gave me 1,000 yen and said, 'Go get a midnight snack.' I was incredibly grateful for that 1,000 yen. Eating some stir-fried pork, buying a can of coffee on the way home, and then going back to work is something that's stayed with me. It was tough, so I don't want anyone else to go through that tough experience.
Reading this, it’s clear that Dandadan holds personal significance for Yukinobu Tatsu—not only is it his creation, but it also reflects his own journey as a creator. It’s worth noting that ending an arc with a big celebration or dinner isn’t unique to Dandadan; for example, One Piece often features this motif. In both works, these meal scenes may simply convey the idea that “those who work hard deserve to be rewarded.”
Dandadan release date and where to watch the anime
Just a reminder: Dandadan releases every Thursday. You can catch the anime on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu. This season is set for 12 episodes, with the 5th episode airing this week. Additionally, Chapter 172 of Dandadan just dropped yesterday and is available to read on MANGA Plus.
