A modern shonen sensation, Dandadan is one of the most unorthodox series to gain massive success in recent years. An explosive mix of supernatural action, romance, and slice-of-life shenanigans, Dandadan pushes the boundaries of genre conventions in all the most exhilarating ways.

Yet, like every battle shonen, Dandadan features a plethora of powerful characters with compellingly unconventional abilities. Set in a world where both ghosts and aliens exist, Dandadan leans fully into the creative potential of its zany power system. In its chaotic escapades through the world of the occult, readers are introduced to a litany of powerful characters with formidable abilities.

Updated on February 16th, 2025 by Ari Night: With the Dandadan manga still ongoing, there’s no shortage of characters with phenomenal power. This list has been updated to include more of those characters as well as to update its formatting to meet CBR’s most recent editorial standards.

15

Umbrella Boy Is a Formidable Yokai with Tragic Origins

A Spirit of an Innocent Boy Hiding Frightening Potential

Like most yokai, Umbrella Boy was once a human – Unji Zuma’s good-natured and optimistic brother who perished in a tragedy. In death, Futa Zuma tied himself to his older brother and lent him the Umbrella Boy powers. In his normal state, Unji’s yokai transformation is powerful but not particularly impressive, granting him all the typical strength and speed enhancements on top of the ability to manifest two shockwave-generating parasols.

However, the full power of Umbrella Boy unlocked by the Fairy-Tale Card is nothing to scoff at. No longer limited to using the parasol shockwave only twice, Umbrella Boy turns into a powerhouse with the added advantage of fighting in the air. Nevertheless, this transformation strains the user’s body too much, putting Unji in lethal danger if he isn’t defeated in time.

14

The Fairy-Tale Card Possesses an Intimidating Body and Mind Control Power

A Yokai That Extorts His Victims’ Mental Weaknesses

The main antagonist of Dandadan’s Danmanra arc, the Fairy-Tale Card is a manipulative and artful yokai that compensates for its physical weaknesses with a devious possession power. Coming face-to-face with the Fairy-Tale Card makes a person susceptible to his influence, the yokai triggering his victim’s painful memories to take control of their bodies.

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When under the Fairy-Tale Card’s control, a person can tap into their full spiritual potential, even if it means straining their body to death. Over cards that make up the spirit’s body can also erase people’s senses, like taking away their mouths or eyes. Thankfully, defeating the Fairy-Tale Card is not extraordinarily difficult, as destroying the cards corresponding to particular powers nullifies their effects.

13

The Evil Eye Has a Well of Spiritual Energy Born Out of Hatred

A Bloodthirsty Yokai Residing in Jiji’s Body

The Evil Eye — a frightening spirit that used to haunt Jiji’s mountain home — is a yokai of a little kid sacrificed to the Tsuchinoko, growing resentful towards humans as a result. In his original form, the Evil Eye poses the biggest threat due to his curse — a power that compels affected victims to kill themselves. However, after the Evil Eye possesses Jiji and taps into his limitless spiritual energy, the yokai becomes a frightening offensive force.

In Jiji’s body, he can summon physical manifestations of grudges held by other sacrifices, morphing the grudges either into a soccer ball to launch at opponents or a cursed house barrier to reflect attacks. Swift, agile, and forceful, the Evil Eye never holds back in battle, making him an immensely dangerous adversary.

12

Momo is Earth’s Best Defense Against Invasion

Dandadan’s Headstrong Protagonist Has Endless Potential

Though she’d struggled to believe the stories her Medium grandmother told her as a child, Momo Ayase maintained a healthy respect for the world of yokai. When a terrifying extraterrestrial encounter expands her worldview 100-fold, however, she’s forced to contend with the discovery that Earth hides far greater dangers than initially suspected. Now empowered by a pair of magical arms capable of moving all manner of objects, Momo regularly protects her world from the Universe’s most cataclysmic threats.

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Momo’s manifested psychic arms can move material and conceptual forces alike. Without strain, she has been shown to restrain powerful yokai, suppress curses, and throw massive objects at her enemies. With guidance, she has also shown the ability to use her arms to heal allies by connecting the life forces of two individuals. Most interesting, however, is Momo’s true power, which manifested in her first battle against the insidious Serpo aliens. By unleashing her full energy, Momo can augment her strength and speed and is capable of disassembling matter with a thought. Though she’s yet to figure out the key to unleashing this power, Momo’s potential is a massive force to be reckoned with.

11

Okarun Came Close to Mastering Turbo Granny’s Powers

Dandadan’s Protagonist Whose Curse Turned into a Blessing in Disguise

At the start of the series, Ken Takakura was hardly eligible to be considered one of the strongest in his own story. Cursed by Turbo Granny, Okarun came to possess her powers but could not utilize them in full. However, vigorous training and plenty of battle experience let Okarun come incredibly close to mastering the speedster yokai’s transformation.

Even Okarun’s biggest limitation — the cap of two All-Out uses that let him reach Turbo Granny’s max speed — is eventually surpassed, with the boy’s body adapting to the yokai’s power. Although Okarun eventually loses his transformation ability after his deal with Turbo Granny closes, his supernatural training leaves him significantly more fit than his fragile past self could ever imagine.

10

Turbo Granny Is Dandadan’s Original Yokai Speedster

An Infamous Spirit Haunting the Tunnel of Shono City

The yokai that started it all, Turbo Granny is a supernatural force of formidable infamy known for her superhuman speed and foul mouth. While she spends most of the series as a powerless mascot after Okarun appropriates her power, Turbo Granny in her prime is one of the strongest spirits in the entire series. On top of being able to reach and maintain a speed of 100kmph, Turbo Granny can curse anyone who fails to run away from her, possessing their body.

The curse can then be easily spread to other targets if the possessed as much as looks at another person, and Turbo Granny can kill her victims through a stroke or a heart attack. When fused with the Earthbound Spirit Crab, Turbo Granny grows even more powerful. However, even a yokai of such incredible might is not immune to an experienced exorcist.

9

Aira Shiratori’s Natural Skill is Worthy of a Self-Described Chosen One

Aira is the Avatar of Acrobatic Silky’s Spiritual Power

Aira holds herself to a high standard. Even before gaining spiritual powers, she restrained herself by behaving carefully to ensure she retained power over her classmates. The development of her spiritual abilities allowed Aira to see herself in a new light: a chosen one with the power to vanquish evil.

After Momo bolsters Aira’s life force by combining it with the aura of the yokai Acrobatic SIlky, Aira develops the power to control every follicle of her hair. In her yokai-human hybrid form, AIra can bind and trap her enemies. She can also use her hair to increase her mobility and speed. Her newest ability also allows her to become immune to electricity by ensuring her hair is dry.

8

Rin Awaki Manipulates Space with Her Songs

At first, Rin was Okarun’s timid class rep who was convinced Momo was bullying him. As is the case for many of their friends, this seemingly innocuous interaction would lead to Rin developing spiritual powers of her own. After a chance interaction with Okarun’s golden ball, Rin gains the ability to see yokai, and realizes that she has been being hunted by a powerful one intent on crushing her. Eventually, Rin discovers that this yokai is the spirit of a long-deceased friend, and partners with it to gain a new ability.

By fusing with her yokai companion, Rin gains the ability to manipulate gravity with her singing voice. Though she would prefer not to deal with the transformation that comes with using her power, the ability has been shown to affect matter of a variety of sizes. While the upper limits of Rin’s powers have yet to make themselves known, the fact that Turbo Granny seemed impressed speaks to the power’s strength.

7

Bamora’s Kindness Hides a Massive Power

Bamara’s Power Suit Turns Her Into a Powerful Kaiju

Born on a planet under siege by the imperial alien Kur, Bamora was raised in resistance. She learned combat and language at the same time, and while she managed to retain her kindness through everything, her prowess allowed her to survive in even the worst of circumstances. After years of conflict, Bamora’s life is changed forever in the final attack by the resistance, which leaves most of her surviving loved ones dead, and her with a technology capable of reshaping the world.

Bamora’s tech suit, Godzilla-esque in its design, is capable of changing its form in two fundamental ways: growing larger and turning invisible. In its Kaiji form, Bamora deploys Empty Space, the Dandadan concept that separates the human and supernatural worlds. She also gains the strength, speed, and fighting power of a 50-foot-tall monster, something that can compete with even the strongest yokai and aliens.

6

The Serpo’s are Stronger Together Than They are Apart

When fans first met the insidious Serpo, they were immediately shown how dominating their power can be. With their advanced technology and unique physiologies, Serpo’s are a powerful force not easily defeated. While alien races and yokai have been shown capable of overwhelming them, the Serpo’s have yet to meet an enemy that isn’t vulnerable to their strongest ability: The Awesome Zone.

Serpos reproduce asexually, overwriting the DNA of other species with the characteristics of their species. By joining forces with others of their kind, they combine their psychokinetic abilities to create an inescapable field, conditionally ensuring that all space with a radius is under their control. The Serpo’s are also capable of introducing new abilities to their species by assimilating with different species, giving them near-infinite evolution potential.

5

Seiko Ayase Is a Powerful Spirit Medium with Gods on Her Side

A Paranormal Expert Ready to Offer Her Guidance and Assistance

Despite Momo’s misguided belief that her grandmother is a hoax, Seiko Ayase’s spiritual powers are the real deal — and a formidable force at that. An experienced medium renowned throughout the paranormal world, Seiko is immensely knowledgeable about yokai and never falters, even in front of the most frightening opponents.

While Seiko can’t tap into the powers of a specific yokai or use telekinesis like her granddaughter, she can borrow powers from local gods to perform exorcisms and fight against evil spirits. Her domain is usually limited to the Kamikoshi City, making it difficult for Seiko to aid the heroes on faraway missions. Yet, by doing the gods some favors — mainly visiting temples for three days after using their powers — she can gain supernatural allies anywhere in Japan.

4

Kinta Sakata Develops an Unexpectedly Overpowered Skill

A Chunibyo with a Knack for Alien Technology

Kinta Sakata’s first impression was anything but favorable — Okarun’s superficial and annoyingly self-assured classmate, Kinta was creepy and not particularly useful in a fight when he first got involved with the heroes’ occult endeavors. However, Kinta’s obsession with mechs comes in handy when the protagonists discover nanoskin – an alien material that can morph into anything the user imagines.

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Since Kinta dreamed of piloting a giant robot his entire life, he could easily visualize his perfect weapon, making him the most proficient nanoskin user in the series. Kinta’s Great Kinta Bodhisattva, Zeta Version is a behemoth of a mech that can fight on par with the Kur’s mightiest exosuits.

3

The Kur’s Advance Unit Relies on Exosuits to Devastate Faraway Worlds

An Alien Alliance Hungry for Destruction

A race of space globalists who conquer planets across the universe, the Kur are a frightening force that has previously devastated Vamola’s home planet, Sumer. Unlike other powerful characters in the series, the Kur’s Advance Unit has numerical superiority, consisting of ten known members. Individually, they can be taken down — albeit with difficulty — by the protagonists, as shown during the events of the Space Globalist chapters, one of Dandadan’s most enrapturing arcs.

However, as a collective, they make up Dandadan’s most powerful alien force to date. The Unit’s leader, Hastur Kur, is a particularly formidable opponent, as his exosuit allows him to carve and manipulate space. With technology as potent as the exosuits, which all possess unique combat abilities, the Kur used to be nigh-unstoppable in their intergalactic conquest before coming to Earth.

2

Count Saint-Germain’s Powers Are Mysterious Yet Frightening

An Elusive Alien with Wells of Hidden Potential

A newer figure in Dandadan’s cast, Count Saint-Germain is an enigmatic ally of the Kur whose true motives — as well as the scale of his power and influence — are still undetermined. Yet, it’s clear that Count Saint-Germain may be Dandadan’s strongest character. His ability allows the mysterious alien to steal powers from any yokai who admits defeat to him.

The appropriated skills can then be inserted into Count Saint-Germain’s sword via a vial and used however he pleases. As the one responsible for giving powers to both Unji Zuma and Kouki Yukishiro — as well as the only person to mention the series’ titular phenomenon, Dandadan — Count Saint-Germain definitely hides even more aces up his sleeves, and fans can’t wait to see what this enigmatic antagonist is planning.

1

Reiko Kashima’s Mirror Holds a Dimension Under Her Full Control

Dandadan’s Most Powerful Yokai

An evil spirit residing in the abandoned area of Kamigoe City, Reiko Kashima is the one yokai no one should mess with. A vain spirit obsessed with appearances, Reiko gets her powers from her handheld mirror — a window into a pocket dimension the yokai has full control over.

The mirror allows Reiko to remotely attack her targets by using it as a portal or completely entrap whoever reflects on its surface in her realm. A shard of mirror can also let Reiko possess an individual as long as they keep it on their person. Reiko’s most impressive power feat was capturing the entirety of Kur’sforce in her pocket dimension, which virtually saved Earth from a mass alien invasion.

Dandadan

Release Date

September 13, 2024