Summary
- Momo and Ayase helps to exorcise the ghost in Jiji’s house
- The arc also develops the love triangle between Momo, Okarun, and Jiji.
- Turbo Granny joins them for this difficult mission
The Cursed House Arc in Dandadan is an exciting mix of humor, suspense, and heartwarming character moments. This arc brings together a strange but entertaining combination of yokai, urban legends, and strong friendships. Let’s take a closer look at what makes this part of the story so captivating.
The Journey to Jiji’s House
The arc begins with Momo, Okarun, and Jiji traveling by train to Jiji’s house. During the ride, the trio bonded over a game of cards, and Okarun shared the legend of the Tsuchinoko, a mysterious snake-like creature. This sets the stage for the adventure ahead. Once they arrive at Jiji’s house, Momo quickly concludes that the evil spirit haunting Jiji will likely appear at night. While she investigates, Okarun and Jiji engage in a playful soccer match, leading to a funny yet competitive argument about their feelings for Momo.
Strange Discoveries and Dark Secrets
Their lighthearted day takes a dark turn when Jiji and Okarun find a hidden room filled with talismans. The discovery raises questions about the house’s past. Shortly after, the Kito Family, and Jiji’s landlords, arrive. Things take a tense turn when their weird behavior is foreshadowing something much deeper to do with the house’s dark past. Meanwhile, Momo’s visit to the hot springs is interrupted when the male members of the Kito Family try to attack her. She is rescued with the help of the Turbo Granny, who secretly tailed her.
A Scary Discovery
Back in the house, Momo comes to find Okarun and Jiji badly beaten by the Kito Family. Matters take a turn for the worse when the head of the Kito Family reveals that for over 200 years, they have been making human sacrifices to the Tsuchinoko so that there will not be a volcanic eruption. The family is going to sacrifice Momo and her friends next. To escape, Momo, Okarun, and Jiji are pulled into an underground lair where the Tsuchinoko lives.
Facing the Tsuchinoko
The Tsuchinoko is not just a simple yokai but a massive, terrifying creature—revealed to be a Mongolian Death Worm by Okarun and the Turbo Granny. It swallows the Kito Family and attacks Momo, Okarun, and Jiji. To make matters worse, the creature’s psychic waves force Momo and Okarun to attempt suicide. Jiji, for reasons unknown, is immune to the waves and tries to save them, but fails to avoid the attacks of the worm. Amid the chaos, the evil spirit haunting Jiji-the Evil Eye reveals itself.
Evil Eye Power
The Evil Eye is a very powerful yokai that curses people with its deadly gaze. It clashes with the Tsuchinoko’s psychic waves, giving Momo and Okarun a chance to regain their senses. As the battle rages on, Jiji confronts the Evil Eye, seeking answers about his parents’ tragic past. The Evil Eye eventually takes control of Jiji’s body, turning him into a fearsome opponent. Okarun fights bravely to protect Momo and Jiji but struggles against the combined threats of the Tsuchinoko and the Evil Eye.
A Fiery Escape
Momo comes up with a bold plan to defeat the Tsuchinoko. Remembering a lesson from her childhood, she sets Jiji’s house on fire to expose the worm to sunlight, its greatest weakness. The fire department arrives just in time to see the giant yokai emerge from the house. The sunlight weakens and kills the Tsuchinoko, but its death triggers the eruption of the nearby volcano, fulfilling part of the village’s prophecy but that too was avoided by Momo preventing the eruption by using the Tsuchinoko as a pump to pour the water to prevent the village from being destroyed by the eruption and to avoid the strange beliefs to be continued.
Sealing the Evil Eye
With the Tsuchinoko defeated, the group’s attention turns to the Evil Eye. Momo, the Turbo Granny, and a mysterious priest named Manjiro fight to keep the yokai at bay until Seiko and her allies arrive. They manage to seal the Evil Eye inside an anatomical model named Taro. However, the curse remains active, and Jiji can only be freed temporarily by splashing him with hot water.
The arc ends with Momo and her friends recovering from their intense ordeal. They’re relieved to have survived, but new challenges lie ahead. The head of the Kito Family, Naki Kito, escapes and vows revenge, revealing her monstrous form.
