Dandadan manga all but confirms Momo's true origins

While Ken “Okarun” Takakura is often the Dandadan character whose origins are most often speculated on, he’s not the only one with a curious backstory that captured readers’ attention. One such character is Momo Ayase, whose backstory is initially introduced as her parents having died and likewise being raised by her grandmother, Seiko Ayase.

Although many Dandadan fans accept this as the final version of her origin story, others assert there’s more to her than meets the eye. Excitingly, it seems these dissenters have been proven right with the manga’s latest issue, which seems to be further paralleling Momo’s origins to the Japanese tale of Momotaro.

Dandadan’s introduction of the uchide-no-kozuchi further strengthens arguments of Momo’s inspiration

In addition to the above information on Momo Ayase, it’s also worth clarifying that her primary color is peach. Most of her outfits in the series incorporate this color in some way, shape, or form. She’s also tiny in the current arc, having been shrunk as a result of the Danmanra Arc’s events, yet still maintains her impressive strength in her psychic powers. All of these could be seen as signs that Momo’s character is inspired by the tale of Momotaro.

Momotaro is a small boy, seemingly born from a peach, raised by an elderly couple in a village terrorized by ogres. Eventually, Momotaro befriends three creatures to fight and defeat the ogres, taking their treasure in the aftermath. One such treasure is the uchide-no-kozuchi, which the manga just referenced for the first time in chapter 176, as a means of returning Momo to her normal size.

There are variances in the story depending on the exact source, but the most relevant discrepancy is that some claim Momotaro to be the child of an elderly couple. This couple then becomes youthful after eating a special peach. This obviously could also apply to Momo’s origins, with Seiko being her mother, but choosing to establish herself as a grandmother in spite of her youthful appearance.

Seiko's youthful appearance clashing with her grandmother status alone heavily supports this Dandadan theory (Image via Science SARU)

What is constant regardless of source, however, is that Momotaro and Momo express a desire for independence. The former makes this evident by wanting his adoptive parents not to worry about him, while the latter displays this by being initially distant from Seiko in the series start. This is obviously a major similarity, which is part of the foundational evidence for this Dandadan theory.

Yet their journeys are further paralleled by the friends they meet along the way. Like Momo, Momotaro also makes new friendships along the way, specifically with a dog, monkey, and pheasant, each with its own distinct characteristics. For example, the dog is defined by loyalty and friendship, which it chooses to act on despite its independence. This would be Ken “Okarun” Takakura, who was initially alone but now dedicates himself to Momo after befriending her.

Jin “Jiji” Enjoji would be the monkey, representing playfulness yet strategic planning. Jiji’s fine balance of Quirks and level-headedness perfectly demonstrates this, especially in the context of his behavior being key in controlling and understanding the Evil Eye. His quirks are also suggested to be a coping mechanism for himself emotionally, further emphasizing his truly playful nature and desire to be joyous.

Finally, Dandadan’s Vamola would represent the pheasant, whose main role in the journey is providing an aerial, literal bird’s eye view for Momotaro and co. Vamola’s role is similar but in a more abstract sense. Her alien origins, initial innocence, and inability to verbally communicate with others all help to provide perspective for Momo. Specifically, the biggest gain in perspective she provides for Momo is her relationship with and feelings for Okarun.

Aira can also fulfill this role via her being a one-sided love rival to Momo after her initial introduction in the series. While using Aira as the pheasant misses the other perspectives Vamola provides, she nevertheless satisfies the most important one; in either case, both characters help Momo to realize her feelings for Okarun.

Final thoughts

Momo's true origins in Dandadan could be absolutely mind-blowing (Image via Science SARU)

All of this has led to the current plotline in the series, which sees Momo being tiny like Momotaro was and searching for one of the treasures that Momotaro himself held in the story. These parallels could also explain Count Saint-Germain’s activity, either by making him the ogre protecting the treasure Momo needs or having him be Seiko’s ex-husband. However, this is all speculative as of this article’s writing, despite the convincing evidence.