‘Dandadan’ Anime Censors Vamola’s Sci-Fi Inspired Bodysuit
Despite much more explicit content being left untouched, like the multiple attempted sexual assaults on Momo or a fully naked Jiji, Dandadan anime production studio Science Saru has bizarrely chosen to subvert expectations and censor the ‘classic sci-fi’-inspired bodysuit worn by the series’ resident space alien, Vamola.
With the premiere of the anime’s 24th episode, Clash! Space Kaiju vs. Giant Robot!, Momo (CV: Shion Wakayama -Yume Minami in SSSS.Dynazenon) and Ken (CV: Natsuki Hanae – Tanjiro Kamado in Demon Slayer) finally made the acquaintance the series’ final ‘main cast member’, Vamola (CV: TBA).
The last surviving member of the Sumerian alien race, the kind-hearted Vamola finds her way to Earth courtesy of her adoptive mother, Bango, who equips her with a transforming kaiju exoskeleton (as themed after the enemy monsters Bamora, Gomora, Neronga, and Red King rom the Ultraman franchise) and tasks her with finding a suitably strong husband to assist her in ensuring her species’ survival.
Misguidedly going about her mission by running riot across Japan, Vamola’s rampage is eventually brought to an end through the collective efforts of the Kami High Occult Club, who subsequently discover that she is not actually a giant kaiju, but rather a bodysuit-clad young woman – and that thanks to Ken temporarily knocking her out during the early stages of their battle, she has chosen him as her husband-to-be.
Given series creator Yukinobu Tatsu’s love for all thing sci-fi, it should come as no surprise that the space-faring Vamola’s bodysuit is less ‘real world astronaut’ and more ‘fantasy futuristic’, its appearance a mixture of the risqué female aliens seen in Western productions like Star Trek, John Carter of Mars, or The Fifth Element and the plugsuits worn by the pilots in Neon Genesis Evangelion.
Unfortunately, similar to studio Bones anime design for the idol vigilante Pop Step in My Hero Academia Vigilantes, it seems that Science Saru has deemed Vamola’s original, Tatsu-designed outfit was too “spicy” for Dandadan viewers.
As discovered by fans watching the premiere of the series’ Season 2 finale both on Crunchyroll and Netflix, where in the manga her suit features exposed skin points at her shoulders and upper thighs, its anime counterpart instead covers up these parts of the heroine’s suit with a couple patches of pink fabric.
As of pubblication, neither Science Saru nor any member of the anime’s wider production team have released a public statement explaining their decision to censor Vamola’s interstellar flight suit.
Likewise, both Shueisha and Yukinobu Tatsu have yet to weigh in on this instance of censorship.
Dandadan is currently available to read on Shueisha’s Manga Plus app and Viz’s Shonen Jump app with new chapters releasing every Monday at 11 AM EST/8 AM PST.
Meanwhile, the anime’s complete first and second seasons are available to stream on Crunchyroll and Netflix.
