Until relatively recently, you would be forgiven for thinking anime releases on the big screen were solely the domain of the likes of Studio Ghibli, director Makoto Shinkai, and the odd Pokemon adventure.
In the past few years, however, studios and production companies have catapulted a new trend into cinemas: the compilation movie.
Essentially a recap of a previous season bundled with a taster for what's to come, the likes of Jujutsu Kaisen, Demon Slayer, and Solo Leveling have all seen success with the theatrical package.
Now, it's the turn of Dan Da Dan with Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye, an introduction to the first season's Evil Arc coupled with the first three episodes of Dan Da Dan season 2, an adventure that sees series leads Momo and Okarun investigate supernatural goings-on at the home of Momo's former crush.
Speaking to GamesRadar+ co-director Abel Gongora from Science SARU only has good things to say about anime becoming more and more confident with its strides into the theatrical space.
"For me, it's great. I could see my work on the screen and it looks amazing. The sound is really amazing in the theater," Gongora said.
Despite Evil Eye heading into cinemas, that seemingly wasn't the initial plan.
As Gongora explains, "We didn't know it was going to be a movie. That would [have been] even cooler if we did it more like a prepared edition."
However, the co-director – alongside Dan Da Dan season one director Fuga Yamashiro – hopes anime continues its trend of big-screen releases.
"I was really happy to see [it] and I hope anime keeps doing things like that," Gongora said. "For example, in the premiere, we had people walking around – maybe going to watch other films or shopping in the mall – but then they also saw Turbo Granny and the actors there. Then they ask, 'What is going on?' Then they might watch the anime because they saw it in the theater. That's also interesting."
Dan Da Dan: Evil Eye is out in US theaters now and in European theaters from June 7. Dan Da Dan season 2 is streaming on Crunchyroll and Netflix from July.
For more, check out the rest of the new anime coming out this year, plus all the best anime you should be watching right now.
