Who Is Momo Ayase in Dandadan?

Momo Ayase is one of the central heroines of the Dandadan manga.

She develops an unlikely bond with Ken Takakura, a classmate passionate about the occult, whom she affectionately nicknames “Okarun”. This encounter triggers the awakening of her psychic abilities, while Ken, struck by the curse of the Turbo Granny, loses one of his testicles. Determined to help him, Momo embarks on a quest to find what he lost, facing numerous paranormal entities along their journey.

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During the quest for the second testicle, Momo is accidentally shrunk to a tiny size after tasting a food from a dimension inspired by a fairy tale. This unexpected transformation becomes a new challenge: restoring her normal size.

Appearance

Momo is a high school girl of average height, with shoulder-length chestnut hair framing mostly the right side of her face, and captivating reddish-brown eyes. Her style notably attracts Okarun and several other male characters.

Her most iconic look is her school uniform: a white top worn under a pale pink long-sleeved sweater, accentuated by a large red bow, paired with a navy pleated skirt. She completes the outfit with loose white socks, brown loafers, and a black choker necklace with a green pendant, matching her round earrings. Her style is clearly inspired by the Gyaru Kogal fashion, characteristic of bold young Japanese women.

Personality

Momo’s explosive temperament

Momo Ayase stands out with a lively and determined personality. Rarely intimidated, she acts confidently and doesn’t hesitate to raise her voice at those who annoy her. When upset, she can have impulsive, sometimes comedic reactions. However, when she crosses the line, she recognizes her mistakes and shows remorse. She frequently throws verbal jabs, especially during quarrels with Aira.

Momo’s kindness

Alongside her assertive nature, Momo shows compassion and great empathy. She cannot tolerate injustice or others' suffering. Upon meeting Okarun, she spontaneously defends him against bullies. She then decides to help break the Turbo Granny curse, even though he did not want to involve her. Her loyalty towards loved ones is steadfast, and she tolerates no threats to them. When she discovers Aira caused harm to Okarun, she doesn't hesitate to retaliate with her powers in a theatrical yet humorous way. Unlike her grandmother, Momo knows her limits and asks for support. However, she can lose trust in those who lie or abuse her kindness. She is also capable of empathizing with her enemies, especially if they bear past wounds.

Momo’s self-confidence

Because of her bold nature, Momo always acts with confidence, even in the worst situations. She never backed down from danger, even when fighting alone against the Kito Family or the Kur that passed the distorted gate. Exhausted and seriously wounded after confronting Kur Imotako, she stood her ground against the Serpos surrounding her on the ground, threatening to strike them with a Tri-Rayon Moe Moe. Yet despite her courage, certain situations or individuals can still unsettle her, although these remain rare.

Momo Ayase also possesses great intelligence. She has repeatedly solved complex problems through logic, which her friends like Okarun and Unji openly acknowledge, even calling her a genius. She takes pride in her achievements. To reach her goals, she is not above cunning: sometimes adopting an innocent look to manipulate those close to her, such as when she pushes Okarun to enter first into the Turbo Granny tunnel. She even once begged her grandmother, Seiko, for new uniforms, but this tactic failed, as her close ones see through her game. Finally, Momo is ready to act impulsively if a loved one is in danger, even willing to jump into a lava pit to save Okarun.

Momo’s affectionate fanaticism

Momo holds boundless admiration for actor Ken Takakura. She was so fascinated she dated a boy solely because he resembled him. Whenever she hears his lines or even his name, she loses her composure. Upon learning that her alien-obsessed classmate shares the famous actor’s name, she refuses to call him that and nicknames him “Okarun”.

Although she takes things seriously, Momo also displays humor. Occasionally, she has childish and expressive reactions, reminiscent of her grandmother. She jokes about odd subjects, such as putting Okarun’s kintama back in place, or gets excited at the idea of defeating the Turbo Granny. She is highly expressive, particularly through theatrical facial expressions.

Like her grandmother, Momo responds warmly to compliments. Every kind word fills her with joy, though it might embarrass her when her qualities are highlighted. As a gyaru, she chooses her clothes for comfort and style, claiming they are part of her “battle equipment.” Before facing the Turbo Granny tunnel, she prefers her own clothes over the spiritual medium outfit provided by Seiko, even though the latter offers protection against spirits.

Momo Ayase’s Past

Still young, Momo moved in with her grandmother Seiko Ayase. She befriended Jiji and developed emotional interest in him. In public, she had to follow a daily ritual imposed by her grandmother, said to bring her luck. Unfortunately, this attracted mockery and bullying, including from Jiji, which deeply affected Momo. She long held resentment towards her grandmother, doubting her medium skills. Over time, however, she realized the social rejection was aimed more at her grandmother than herself, softening her anger and strengthening her affection. Growing up in this environment, she came to believe in spirits and respect Seiko’s gifts.

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