Studio MAPPA’s Dance Dance Danseur anime will be released in 2022, but will it be the studio’s next big hit? Considering the drama surrounding MAPPA earlier this year, it’s safe to say that we are all more interested in what the studio does next. Whether it’s the Chainsaw Man adaptation or the Dance Dance Danseur anime, we’re waiting for MAPPA’s next big thing! While the studio already has classics, like the recent Jujutsu Kaisen anime or the final season of Attack on Titan. But we’re always looking forward, and today, I’ll be looking at Dance Dance Danseur!
The entire point of this opinion piece is to figure out whether or not the Danseur anime will be MAPPA’s next big anime or not. Thus, I’ll go through things in this post, and giving you my take, after I compile all the information necessary for a conclusion. So I hope you’ll enjoy the read, as much as I loved writing this! Onwards and upwards!
George Asakura‘s Dance Dance Danseur is published by Shogakukan, with 21 volumes released.
Munehisa Sakai is the Danseur anime’s director. Hitomi Hasegawa will adapt George Asukara’s character designs, with Yoshimi Narita behind the composition. The voice cast has not yet been revealed.
Is George Asakura’s Danseur Manga Good? Popular? Worth Adapting?
First things first, George Asakura’s Danseur manga is definitely worth reading. While it’s merely my personal opinion, it’s a light-hearted story with some touching and troubling twists. But it’s definitely a drama, focusing mainly on character relationships with some slice of life elements. In addition, the illustrations are somewhat gritty, with very expressive faces and striking moves. Plus, there’s some fan-service as well, which is always appreciated.
There’s no question that it’s worth a read, but is it actually worth adapting? That’s difficult to say, as it’s rather niché. It’s about ballet. But the source material is charming, so I’m actually somewhat hopeful. But in the end, it’s not a must-adaptation, if you know what I mean?
According to Shogakukan Comics, Dance Dance Danseur manga has over 1.45 printed volumes in circulation. In turn, it’s a known manga series in Japan and the East. But what about the rest of the world? What about the West? According to MyAnimeList, the manga ranks at #25.924, with a popularity of #16.348, with only 534 members. While it’s hardly anything problematic, it does make me wonder if it’s worth MAPPA’s time? The short answer is no, but the long answer is yes. But how come? It’s because studio MAPPA is immensely popular, and most of what they touch turns into pure gold!
What’s Dance Dance Danseur About?
Plot: “While watching his older sister’s ballet performance, Junpei Murao discovers his interest in dancing art, staring in awe when a male performer starts to dance in the spotlight. Soon after, he devotes himself to learning as much as possible from his sister and later in ballet class. His love for ballet even trumps the constant teasing from his friends and his father’s insistence that he should pick a more manly sport. However, when his father passes from a heart attack, he throws ballet to the side and pursues Jeet Kune Do, a martial art influenced by Bruce Lee.
Leaping forward into middle school, Junpei is fully living up to the wishes of his beloved father. One day, while showing off Jeet Kune Do to his friends, he combines ballet and the martial art, pulling off an impressive kick that catches the eye of classmate Miyako Godai. She confronts Junpei, wanting him to compete for her older sister’s ballet studio, and she drags him there. As he is pulled further back into the world of ballet, his life becomes a game of balance between his outward appearance and what his heart really wants.”
– MyAnimeList
So, Will Dance Dance Danseur Anime be MAPPA’s Next Big Hit Show?
Do I believe that Danseur anime will be a hit? Sadly I doubt it. Not because of George Asakura’s source material, but because of the niché subject matter. It’s about ballet, and while unique, it’s not going to speak to the masses, or so I worry? While MAPPA will make every anime work to a certain extent, there’s only so much they can do. But I’m still hopeful that it’ll be entertaining. I mean, if they nail the comedy, there’s hope for Dance Dance Danseur becoming a big anime! If not, it will land in the middle of the pack, towards the lower end of MAPPA’s productions.
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Source: Danseur website, Twitter, MAL and Big Comic Bros.
