Ken Takakura (高倉 健), commonly known by his nickname Okarun (オカルン), is the male protagonist of Dandadan. Initially a socially isolated high school student obsessed with UFOs and aliens, his life changes drastically after meeting Momo Ayase. After being cursed by the Turbo Granny, Ken gains the ability to transform into a powerful yokai-human hybrid, granting him immense speed and agility. Throughout the story, Ken evolves from a timid, bullied boy into a brave and reliable protector of his friends.
Ken serves as the central figure around whom the supernatural and extraterrestrial conflicts of the series revolve. His primary motivation is the recovery of his "family jewels," which were stolen by the Turbo Granny and subsequently scattered and sought after by various aliens and spirits. His role is one of constant growth — he transitions from an individual who refuses to believe in spirits to one who actively trains to master spiritual energy and Ki. His presence is the catalyst for the formation of the History and Culture Research Club, a group of eccentric individuals who defend their city from otherworldly threats. His evolving relationship with Momo Ayase, moving from mutual skepticism to deep romantic interest, is a core part of the series.
🇯🇵 Japanese Voice Actors
Hanae, Natsuki
🇯🇵 Japanese
🇺🇸 English Voice Actors
Beckles, A.J.
🇺🇸 English
Civilian Form
In his regular state, Okarun is a teenage boy of average height with messy dark wavy hair and large round glasses — the exact visual opposite of his namesake actor. He is most often seen in his high school uniform or a tracksuit. Early in the series his build is lean and unremarkable. After sustained training with the Evil Eye and the Turbo Granny's combat rhythm system, his physique visibly improves to athlete-level even without his transformation active.
Transformed State — Turbo Granny Form
When the curse activates, his appearance shifts entirely. His hair turns light — depicted as white or silver — and flows wildly upward. Part of his face is obscured by a jagged, mask-like jaw structure. His eyes sharpen. His body becomes leaner and more defined, built for the high-speed combat that defines his transformed fighting style. The visual contrast between the glasses-wearing occult geek and the demonic speed fighter is one of the series' most striking design choices.
Post-Power Loss
After returning the Turbo Granny's powers in Chapter 165, Okarun remains in his civilian form permanently. His physical conditioning from training is still present — he timed a 50-meter dash at 5.8 seconds and completed 120 shuttle runs at peak training. He looks noticeably different from who he was at the start of the series even without the transformation.
Okarun is socially anxious, deeply loyal, and significantly tougher than he looks or sounds. He calls himself a "wuss" and "pathetic" when he fails. He then gets back up and tries again, usually in worse conditions than before.
The Geek Behind the Curse
He was obsessed with UAPs — he is particular about the terminology, insisting on "UAPs" over "UFOs" — and dismissed spirits entirely as "weird superstitions" before the curse proved him wrong. His knowledge of cryptids, extraterrestrials, and paranormal theory is genuinely encyclopedic. He knows the Flatwoods Monster, the Mongolian Death Worm, the Typhoon Human, and can cite former Canadian Defense Minister Paul Hellyer on alien species counts from memory. The obsession was how he survived being alone. It also turns out to be legitimately useful.
The Will Underneath
He has a high resistance to mental manipulation and psychokinesis. He withstood torture from Lord Vlad while powerless and did not give them what they wanted. He volunteers himself as a target to protect others — he became the Evil Eye's "playmate" specifically to stop it from rampaging and killing Jiji, and the physical cost of those sessions was immediate and significant. He does not present himself as brave. He just keeps doing brave things.
Romance and Social Awkwardness
He practiced saying "Hi" to himself before conversations early in the series. He confessed his feelings to Momo in Chapter 161 in the middle of a battle because the situation gave him the nerve. He is oblivious to Aira's romantic interest in him. He told Vamola clearly that he could not marry her because he was in love with Momo. Socially awkward in most situations; surprisingly direct in the ones that matter most.
A Man of His Word
When he retrieved both jewels, he returned the Turbo Granny's powers exactly as promised — even though it meant losing everything he had trained to use and becoming a baseline human in a world full of supernatural threats. He made the deal. He kept it.
Before meeting Momo, Okarun had never had a single friend. He spent his high school years as a social pariah — his obsession with UAPs and his general "geeky" demeanor made him a regular target for bullies. He viewed his classmates as "scumbags" and spent most of his time alone with occult magazines and paranormal research.
His parents are absent. He has confirmed "I've got no parents." The circumstances — death, abandonment, or other — are unknown. Who acts as his legal guardian and the specifics of his home life have not been disclosed.
His isolation was so complete that he practiced basic social interactions ahead of time to prepare for them. The paranormal obsession was partly genuine intellectual interest — he describes the occult as "intellectual entertainment," the act of rigorously investigating the unexplained — and partly a coping mechanism for a life with no social connection. It gave him something to be competent at in private, in the absence of anyone who acknowledged him publicly.
He chose to believe in aliens and not spirits specifically because aliens felt more scientific, more defensible. Spirits felt like "weird superstitions." The distinction mattered to him. The tunnel made it irrelevant.
The Curse — Chapters 1–10
Momo saved him from bullies. They argued about spirits versus aliens and made a bet. He visited a haunted tunnel. The Turbo Granny cursed him, stole his family jewels, and nearly possessed his body entirely. With Momo's psychokinetic support and Seiko's guidance, he channeled the Granny's power long enough to drag her across a city boundary in a high-speed chase and get her sealed inside a beckoning-cat figure. The curse was partially lifted. The jewels were not recovered. That became the point of everything after.
The Jewel Hunt — Chapters 11–52
One jewel was picked up by Aira Shiratori, who gained spiritual sight from it. Another ended up with the class representative Rin Sawaki, who accidentally turned it into a police box, from where it was stolen by delinquent Unji Zuma. Okarun fought the Acrobatic Silky to protect Aira, watched the spirit sacrifice itself to save her, and then traveled with Momo to investigate Jiji's cursed house — which led directly to the Kito family, 200 years of human sacrifice, and the Evil Eye.
The Evil Eye Contract — Chapters 53–65
To prevent the Evil Eye from killing Jiji or rampaging, Okarun volunteered to be its "playmate" — agreeing to fight it regularly so it stayed satisfied. The sessions were brutal. They also forced him to train seriously for the first time. Under Turbo Granny's guidance he began learning combat rhythm — how to time actions to a musical beat — which significantly improved his fighting efficiency. He learned to internalize Ki and use it outside the transformation window.
Giant Robots and the Alien Invasion — Chapters 64–120
A giant invisible kaiju turned out to be the Sumerian refugee Vamola in a suit. A misunderstanding during translation led Vamola to believe she and Okarun were married. He eventually clarified that he was in love with Momo. During the full Sumerian invasion Okarun coordinated with Momo, Aira, Jiji, and Kinta to defend the city — his tactical intelligence and physical endurance made him a reliable anchor for the team during the extended multi-stage defense.
The Diorama and Recovery — Chapters 121–168
The last missing jewel led to a cursed diorama world functioning as a lethal board game. Okarun and Momo navigated the gauntlet alongside Zuma and eventually retrieved both jewels. He honored his deal with Turbo Granny immediately and returned her powers. He was now a normal human. He attempted to confess his feelings to Momo during this period — Chapter 161, mid-battle — with limited success. She deflected. He waited.
Capture — Chapters 169–236
Powerless but physically fit from years of training, Okarun attempted to live something resembling a normal life. The Black Paladins and the Dragon Knights arrived believing he still carried Turbo Granny's power. At an aquarium during what was meant to be a date with Momo, Lord Vlad and his Dragon Knights attacked and took him prisoner. He was unable to defend himself against their advanced weaponry. He was captured. His friends are currently working to retrieve him. The Dragon Knights believe he is lying about being powerless — which may be correct, though not in the way they think.
Turbo Granny Transformation — Active until Chapter 165
The curse granted Okarun access to the Turbo Granny's spirit power: superhuman speed, increased durability, and enhanced physical strength. In early use, the sensation was described as his body "ripping apart" — the human frame was not built for the output the transformation demanded. Through training he learned to control and sustain it without immediate physical collapse. He returned these powers in Chapter 165. They are no longer available to him.
Ki Manipulation
Under Turbo Granny's instruction, Okarun learned to sense and channel spiritual energy through his own body. He visualizes energy gathering below his navel and projects it outward. This technique functions independently of the transformation — he can apply Ki to his physical movements even in baseline human form, improving force and precision in strikes. It is the foundation his post-power-loss combat style is built on.
Combat Rhythm — The Piano Beat System
The most significant technical skill he developed. Turbo Granny drilled him to time his actions to a musical beat — specifically how many "notes" (moves) he could fit into a single beat. Internalizing this rhythm makes his movement more efficient, his transitions faster, and his reactions harder to predict. It is the practical equivalent of what the Granny's supernatural speed provided, achieved through training instead of a curse.
Physical Conditioning — Post-Training Stats
Even without supernatural ability, sustained training produced measurable results: a 50-meter dash at 5.8 seconds, 120 shuttle runs completed, and combat endurance sufficient to survive the Evil Eye's weekly sessions. He is not superhuman. He is a highly trained athlete who understands how to fight people with supernatural powers.
Encyclopedic Paranormal Knowledge
His pre-series obsession with the occult turns out to be genuinely useful in combat. He identifies enemy weaknesses through lore knowledge — recognizing entity types, their specific rules, and their vulnerabilities before the fight reaches a critical point. He cites real-world sources (Paul Hellyer, specific cryptid theory) accurately enough that the series uses them as in-universe documentation.
Force of Will and Manipulation Resistance
He has demonstrated resistance to psychokinetic manipulation and mental attacks above what his physical stats would suggest. Under torture from Lord Vlad while completely powerless, he did not give up the information being demanded. This is not an ability the series quantifies — it is simply something he keeps demonstrating.
Current Status
No supernatural powers. Currently captured by the Dragon Knights. His friends are working to retrieve him. The Dragon Knights believe he is lying about being powerless, which suggests the series has not finished with what he carries.
| Chapter(s) | Arc | Key Event |
|---|---|---|
| 1–2 | The Curse | Meets Momo; visits haunted tunnel; cursed by Turbo Granny; jewels stolen. |
| 3–10 | Turbo Granny | High-speed tag match; Granny sealed; curse partially lifted. |
| 12–16 | Acrobatic Silky | Fights to protect Aira; Silky sacrifices herself. |
| 22–32 | Serpoian Reinforcements | Pocket dimension fight; alien-cryptid fusion defeated. |
| 39–52 | Evil Eye | Contract established; becomes the Evil Eye's "playmate." |
| 55–65 | Phantom Composers | Piano Beat combat rhythm internalized. |
| 77–120 | Alien Invasion | Multi-stage defense; tactical coordination role. |
| 121–130 | Club Formation | History and Culture Research Club established. |
| 152–168 | Cursed Diorama | Board-game gauntlet; both jewels recovered. |
| 165 | Power Transition | Returns Turbo Granny's powers; becomes baseline human. |
| 161 | Confession | Confesses to Momo mid-battle. |
| 216–236 | Dragon Knights | Attacked while powerless; captured by Lord Vlad. Ongoing. |
Momo Ayase — First Friend and Romantic Interest
She rescued him from bullies. He had never had a friend before her — he said so directly. The partnership built from their bet turned into the most important relationship in his life. He trains specifically to be strong enough that she is never in danger. He offered himself as a target to spirits to keep the attention off her. He confessed in Chapter 161 during a battle because it was the only moment he had the nerve. She deflected. He accepted that and kept protecting her anyway. They went on their first actual date in Chapter 231, which was immediately interrupted by the Dragon Knights.
Turbo Granny — Antagonist to Grudging Mentor
She cursed him, stole his jewels, and called him "dumbass" and "stupid four-eyes" on a regular basis. After being sealed in the beckoning-cat figure she also became his combat trainer — teaching him Ki manipulation and the Piano Beat rhythm system. Their arrangement was contractual from the start: he borrows her power; he returns the jewels when recovered; she gets her power back. He honored every part of the deal exactly as promised. She is no longer in the cat figure. Where she went has not been confirmed.
Jin Enjoji (Jiji) — Competitive Friend
Jiji is Momo's childhood friend and first love, which made Okarun immediately uncomfortable around him. The Evil Eye contract resolved that: Okarun volunteered to be the possessing spirit's punching bag specifically to keep Jiji alive. Their friendship solidified into something genuinely warm — they compete on absurd things like who loves Momo's eyes more in staring contests — and Okarun views him as a comrade he can rely on.
Aira Shiratori — Oblivious Subject of a Crush
Aira developed strong feelings for Okarun after he transformed to save her from the Silky. He is largely unaware of this and views her as a teammate and friend. She tries to flirt. He does not notice. This creates regular friction with Momo. He is not being evasive — he genuinely does not register it.
Vamola — Accidental Engagement
A translation error during their first meeting led Vamola to believe they were married. Okarun taught her human customs and social etiquette with patience. He eventually told her clearly: he was in love with Momo and could not marry her. She took this with more grace than most characters in this situation are written to.
Seiko Ayase — Mentor and Base of Operations
Seiko provides Okarun with spiritual training, tactical knowledge, and Momo's house as a base. He feels a significant "debt" to her and works to repay it through the group's continued defense of Kamikoshi City. She recognizes his willpower and calls him "pretty tough" — high praise from a woman who can take on high-level yokai alone.
Unji Zuma — Diorama Ally
Zuma stole one of his jewels. They then got trapped in a cursed board game together and had to cooperate to survive it. A mutual respect for each other's physical toughness developed in the process. Zuma joined the group afterward.
Kinta Sakata — Rival in Coolness
Kinta followed Okarun around initially to find his "secret to being attractive." He is arrogant and eccentric. He also pilots the giant Nanoskin robot during invasions with genuine competence. Okarun manages his personality and relies on his ability simultaneously.
- His nickname Okarun is a portmanteau of "Occult." Momo gave it to him because she refused to say "Ken Takakura" — the name of a famous actor she admired — while looking at him. Before the nickname stuck, he was saved in her phone as "Occult-kun."
- He insists on the term "UAPs" (Unidentified Aerial Phenomena) over "UFOs." He is specific about this.
- He cites former Canadian Defense Minister Paul Hellyer to support the figure of 82 confirmed alien species observing Earth. He cites this from memory.
- Before meeting Momo, he practiced saying "Hi" to himself repeatedly to prepare for conversations. He had no one to practice with.
- Under intense social pressure, he has been known to accidentally fart. Momo finds this disgusting.
- He is a fan of dinosaurs and specifically prefers the "Godzilla stance" — dinosaurs on two legs — despite modern encyclopedias depicting them differently. He does not consider this a debate worth having.
- His post-training physical stats: 50-meter dash in 5.8 seconds, 120 shuttle runs completed. Achieved without supernatural ability.
- He is "really bad at remembering names" by his own admission — the same issue Momo has. They share this flaw without either of them apparently realizing it.
- When he told Vamola he could not marry her because he was in love with Momo, it was one of the most direct romantic statements he made in the first 170+ chapters. It was addressed to the wrong person.
- The Dragon Knights believe he is lying about being powerless. Given what the series has hinted about the Pinocchio intrinsic power he may be carrying without awareness, they may not be entirely wrong.
Okarun vs. Turbo Granny — Ch. 1–10
A high-speed city-wide tag match. Okarun channeled the Granny's curse long enough to drag her across a territorial boundary with Momo's psychokinetic support. His body was taking serious damage from the output. He kept running. First major supernatural fight; established both his primary motivation and the partnership with Momo.
vs. Acrobatic Silky — Ch. 12–16
Fought to protect Aira and Momo against a high-speed acrobatic yokai through difficult terrain. First time he fought specifically to protect someone outside Momo. Aira joined the group after.
vs. Serpoian-Fused Cryptids — Ch. 22–32
Flooded school pocket dimension. Okarun identified the neck as the weak point targeting the creature's laser mechanism and the team focused there. Confirmed that the Serpoians are actively trying to combine alien technology with yokai energy.
vs. The Evil Eye — Ch. 39–63 (recurring)
He volunteered to be the Evil Eye's "playmate" to stop it from rampaging and killing Jiji. The spirit only understood play as violence. The sessions were brutal and regular. The cost was immediate physical damage each time. He did not stop.
vs. Phantom Composers — Ch. 55–65
Turbo Granny forced him to jump and dodge in time with the music during the fight. He internalized the Piano Beat system for the first time, significantly improving his movement efficiency and transition speed.
vs. Alien Invasion — Ch. 77–120
Coordinated with Momo, Aira, Jiji, and Kinta against the invasion. His tactical intelligence and endurance under sustained combat were the anchoring factor across the extended multi-stage fight. Left physically immobile afterward from the output.
vs. Brella Boy — Cursed Diorama, Ch. 152–168
Trapped in a board-game world, pursued by a yokai using the Turbo Granny's power against him. Got through it. Retrieved both jewels. Honored the deal immediately after.
Okarun vs. Dragon Knights — Ch. 216–236
No transformation. No Ki output beyond trained human level. The Dragon Knights attacked anyway and would not believe he was powerless. He was beaten into unconsciousness and taken prisoner. Currently being held. His friends are working on a rescue. The Dragon Knights believe he is lying — and based on what the series has hinted about what he carries without knowing it, they may be right.