The anime and manga industry is undeniably lacking in strong female characters, especially the main characters who lead the show’s plot. Only a few examples come to mind, such as Jolyne Cujoh from Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure or Violet Evergarden in her titular anime. Since the popularity of Dandadan has risen, fans have noticed how diverse and interesting the female characters in it are. With a female lead like Momo Ayase, shonen might be headed in a promising direction for better-written women.

Momo Ayase in Dandadan. [Credit: Science Saru]

Yukinobu Tatsu had to balance out the leads in Dandadan with Momo Ayase and Okarun sharing the spotlight side-by-side. Perhaps it wouldn’t have sold as well if she was the sole main character. Despite this, Tatsu has written their romance so naturally. However, she isn’t the only female character in Dandadan that is well-written and has an amazing arc.