Dandadan season 2 episode 5 pays homage to Ranma ½ with Jiji's transformation

Dandadan season 2 episode 5 was quite entertaining to say the least, and Jiji seems to be the topic of discussion among fans. Fans are talking about Jiji because the show pays homage to Ranma ½, a popular manga that had its original run in the 1980s. The latest episode focused on the family trying to find a way to solve Jiji’s issue.

This is a common practice in anime. There are several authors who pay homage to series that inspired them. In some cases, references are made for comedic effects as well. Gintama is quite popular for this reason. Let’s take a look at how Dandadan season 2 episode 5 paid homage to Ranma ½.

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Dandadan season 2 episode 5 pays homage to Ranma Saotome from Ranma ½

As mentioned earlier, Dandadan season 2 episode 5 paid homage to a very prominent manga series from the 1980s. Jiji was possessed by the Evil Eye, and this needed immediate intervention. In the previous episode, Seiko Ayase brought reinforcements during the fight against possessed Jiji. This is when we saw Taro return to the screen. When Jiji shattered Taro, he noticed a charm that was attached to the inner portion of his skeleton. The pieces converged on Jiji, trapping him within the physical body.

In the recent episode, we saw Jiji return to his normal state after Taro ate something hot. When Taro removed the pieces from Jiji’s face, everyone saw that the Evil Eye didn’t have control over his body at the time. However, splashing cold water instantly allowed the Evil Eye to possess his body.

Jiji is possessed by the Evil Eye as seen in the anime (Image via Science SARU)

This is how Dandadan author Yukinobu Tatsu paid homage to Ranma ½. Saotome Ranma is the main character of Ranma ½. Unfortunately, the character in question has been afflicted with a curse. This curse allows him to change gender every time. If someone splashed hot water on the character, he would turn into a girl. Whereas, splashing hot water turns the character back into a boy.

This was an interesting way to set up a problem for the Ayase family and Okarun to solve in Dandadan season 2 episode 5. Jiji’s transformation causes a massive problem since it took the joint efforts of Seiko, Momo, and Taro to contain Jiji. This was after Okarun exhausted his powers as well. Therefore, the threat is imminent, and the group will need to find a way to deal with the Evil Eye.

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Dandadan fans react to Ranma ½ reference in the latest episode

"Love seeing some ranma 1/2 appreciation", said one fan "Lool anime team doubled down on the reference by having Jiji sing part of the OP of Ranma 1/2..", said another "I have notice it too", said one netizen

Netizens loved the reference made in Dandadan season 2 episode 5. Furthermore, there was a clear excitement among fans for catching the reference. The subtle nature of the reference was a little difficult to observe. However, the animanga community has a keen eye, and this is a testament to that statement.

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Conclusion

It is quite surprising to see that a reference to a series like Ranma ½ was made in Dandadan season 2 episode 5. However, netizens seemed to love this reference. It was done tastefully, and the subtlety added to the positive viewing experience. It will be exciting to see how the family deals with Jiji’s situation and how they manage to contain the effects of the Evil Eye.

Stay tuned for more anime and manga news as 2025 progresses.

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Edited by Rohan Jagannath