Dan Da Dan staff issue apology after the anime is embroiled in unexpected controversy

Following uproar from fans realising that the fictional band HAYASii from Dan Da Dan was practically based on real life Japanese rock band X Japan without permission, the team behind the hit anime show has faced up to their actions.

"We deeply apologize for causing concern regarding the song ‘Hunting Soul' from Dan Da Dan anime series," said the show’s anime production committee in an official statement posted on Twitter. "This song was created with the hope of expressing the same passion as Yoshiki and X Japan, whom the entire production team greatly respects, in the anime… However, we did not think to explain this to YOSHIKI and X JAPAN in advance, which was unintentional and caused concern, and we sincerely apologize." Read the full message below.

The issue came about when Dan Da Dan season 2 episode 6 aired, introducing a heavy metal band who use music to perform exorcisms. Whilst providing one of the most exciting and musical scenes in Dan Da Dan season 2 so far, the band HAYASii is able to draw Evil Eye’s spirit out of Jiji’s body. However, fans soon came to realise that the characters themselves look extremely similar to '80s rock band X Japan.

X Japan member Yoshiki caught wind of the episode and took to Twitter, writing, "Eh… doesn’t this look like X JAPAN? What do you think, fans?" The post has since been deleted, but caused uproar amongst fans. However, it seems as though Yoshiki accepts Da Dan Dan’s apology, as the artist replied to the post, "I appreciate the sincere response from the Dandadan production committee… Through positive conversations with the producers, including the possibility of future collaborations, I feel we can build a wonderful future together with all the fans!"

Despite the copyright hiccup, Dan Da Dan is halfway through a so far successful second season. The series sits at a perfect 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes, and is proving to be one of the most popular anime shows of the summer alongside recent seasons of Sakamoto Days and Jujutsu Kaisen.

Dan Da Dan season 2, episode 9 releases on August 28, 2025. For exact timings, see our Dan Da Dan season 2 release schedule. For more, check out the best anime ready to watch right now, and keep up to date with new anime heading your way.