Dandadan’s Turbo Granny isn’t a villain—She’s a twisted guardian

One of the strongest characters in Dandadan is Turbo Granny, who was initially introduced as a yokai who was supposedly evil. But then her relationship with Okarun and Momo evolves. It is complicated, but somehow it does seem like she is not as evil as we once perceived her to be.

From the moment she entered the story, she stole Okarun’s kintama, and it would have been reasonable for him to despise her forever. But what makes Dandadan so special is that even this absurd violation somehow gives way to a bizarre truce.

With a twist of fate, part of her powers is sealed within Okarun, and their lives become intertwined. She doesn’t haunt him like a curse; she partners with him—often begrudgingly, often sarcastically, but always present. Moreover, in later chapters of the manga, Turbo Granny has taken the effort to train him so he can get more efficient at using his powers.

And it’s not just Okarun. Her relationship with Momo deepens too—not in a sweet “mentor-mentee” kind of way, but something even more real: mutual respect through shared trauma. There are many instances in Dandadan in which Turbo Granny protects Momo.

If I had to sum up Turbo Granny’s symbolic role in Dandadan, I’d say she’s the guardian spirit of rage born from injustice. She represents female rage in a way that few characters do. She doesn’t explain herself. She doesn’t tone herself down to be palatable.

She curses, she screams, she takes action. In a world where so many horror stories feature passive female victims, Turbo Granny flips the script. She’s not waiting to be avenged; she’s doing the avenging.

If Dandadan teaches us anything, it’s that monsters aren’t always evil, and heroes aren’t always perfect. Turbo Granny is the embodiment of that principle. She’s flawed. She’s over-the-top. But she shows up when it matters.

And look, I get it. Not everyone’s going to be comfortable with a character who both curses people and protects them. That contradiction is the point. She forces us to think harder about what makes someone “bad” in a world full of violence and supernatural horror.

Fan reaction to Turbo Granny in Dandadan

Turbo Granny has absolutely exploded in popularity. Between meme culture and deeper fan theories, she’s gone from a scary old joke to a beloved icon. The internet is filled with fan art of her—sometimes creepy, sometimes cute, often both.

She might not be the protagonist, but she’s arguably one of the most layered characters in the show. A lot of yokai show up and vanish, but Turbo Granny stays. She lingers. She evolves.

There’s even a theory that she’s not just protecting Momo and Okarun out of a deal, but because she sees a reflection of her past in them. Like maybe she couldn’t save the girls in the tunnel when she was alive, but she can protect Momo now. That kind of retroactive redemption hits hard.

That’s probably why she resonates with so many fans, especially women. She doesn’t ask for permission to be angry. She doesn’t soften her edges. And while her methods are terrifying, they’re often justified in the twisted logic of the yokai world. She curses men who flee in fear, she goes after creeps, and she punishes cowardice. In her own terrifying way, she’s maintaining balance.

Final thoughts

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If Dandadan teaches us anything, it’s that monsters aren’t always evil, and heroes aren’t always perfect. Turbo Granny is the embodiment of that principle. She’s flawed. She’s over-the-top. But she shows up when it matters.

I understand that not everyone’s going to be comfortable with a character who both curses people and protects them. That contradiction is the point. She forces us to think harder about what makes someone “bad” in a world full of violence and supernatural horror.

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