Hello! I’m KENTA, a huge manga fan from Japan. In this post, we’ll thoroughly examine the intriguing love story between Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura (Okalun) from the hit manga Dandadan. Their evolving emotions and how their love grows will be analyzed in detail. This isn’t just any love story—unreal events like curses and superpowers bring these two characters together, deepening their bond. Let’s uncover the secrets behind their growth and enjoy the thrilling developments ahead!
1. Momo Ayase’s Charms and Views on Love
Momo Ayase is the heroine of Dandadan, and despite her flashy appearance, she is a serious and justice-driven person. When she first appears in the story as a high school sophomore, she is portrayed as a confident gal with a strong-willed personality. She doesn’t care about what others think, assertively expressing herself and ready to fight if needed. However, when it comes to love, she’s incredibly awkward and struggles to express her feelings honestly.
Momo’s view on love is complicated by a blurring of “adoration” and “romantic love.” After experiencing a painful first crush in her childhood, she became wary of love, showing a hesitant side. The type of person she secretly admires is someone like Ken Takakura—serious and grounded on the inside. However, when it comes to acknowledging her feelings, it takes her time to accept them, and she struggles internally with her emotions.
2. Ken Takakura’s Character and Emotional Struggles
Ken Takakura (Okalun) is the other protagonist of Dandadan. He is a small, introverted, glasses-wearing geek with black bobbed hair who often gives off a plain, low-key impression. With a severely low sense of self-worth, he struggles to act confidently when it comes to romance. He tends to keep his distance from others, especially from girls, and is socially awkward in many situations.
Ken’s interest in unconventional things like aliens and ghosts stems from his lack of friends during childhood. He once hoped that perhaps aliens would be the kind of friends who would accept him. His pure and sensitive nature also manifests in his feelings of love, where he struggles to confess his emotions and is continuously torn by inner conflict.
3. How They Meet and Their Early Relationship
Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura’s first interaction happens when Momo saves Ken from bullies. At the time, Momo had just been rejected by her crush and was frustrated, so she didn’t give much thought to saving Ken. However, she unintentionally left a strong impression on him.
Ken, grateful for Momo’s help, mistakenly believes that she likes him romantically. He begins approaching her and confessing his feelings multiple times, but Momo finds his advances irritating and responds coldly. This early interaction clearly shows that neither of them has romantic feelings for each other at this point.
4. The Evolution of Their Emotions and the Growth of Their Relationship
Over time, their relationship starts to shift. Ken, still misunderstanding Momo’s feelings, continues to interact with her, while Momo, despite thinking of him as awkward, gradually starts noticing his presence. At first, neither of them is conscious of the other in a romantic sense, but supernatural events like curses and superpowers slowly draw them closer, allowing a bond of trust to form between them.
Particularly, in moments where Momo helps Ken, his feelings of “doing something for someone” begin to grow, leading to emotional changes in him. Momo, influenced by her inherent sense of justice and action-oriented nature, starts becoming more aware of Ken. However, she is still not able to fully admit her feelings, and her past heartbreaks hold her back from making any bold moves.
5. Strengthening Their Bond Through Battles and Growth
The relationship between Momo and Ken takes a more significant turn when they get involved in battles against aliens. Together, they face these dangers and build a stronger bond. Through these battles, Ken begins to grow and gain the confidence to form a deeper relationship with Momo. His catchphrase, “I’m not good with this,” resonates with Momo, marking a change in her own feelings.
On the other hand, Momo starts realizing her feelings for Ken during these confrontations, but it takes her time to acknowledge them as romantic feelings. In this process, both characters take small steps forward, but there are still many parts of their feelings that remain unclear.
6. The Final Fate of Their Love
After their battles, Momo and Ken’s relationship deepens, but they still continue to face misunderstandings. Ken struggles to express his feelings properly and is often distracted by external factors. Meanwhile, Momo is still unable to fully understand or sort out her emotions, leading her to confuse Ken with her actions.
However, their mutual trust gradually strengthens, and their romantic feelings may eventually begin to bloom. The future will hinge on how Ken will finally express his feelings, and how Momo will respond to them.
What makes Dandadan so captivating is that it’s not just a romance; it’s about how the characters grow and how they build their bond. Momo and Ken’s relationship goes beyond love, becoming an essential factor for their personal growth. The question of how they will come to understand each other and advance in their relationship keeps us on the edge of our seats.
At MangaZamurai, we provide deep, thoughtful analyses of Japanese manga for readers worldwide. Just like this article, we offer in-depth insights into character development and emotional growth. Be sure to check out our other posts and dive into the world of Japanese manga with us!
