New data from the audience measurement company Nielsen puts DAN DA DAN Season 1 as the most watched anime series for 18 to 49-year-olds in America. The data spans from September 15, 2024, to April 6, 2025. DAN DA DAN Season 1 ranked joint 58th out of 100, attracting 2.6 million viewers (data via Variety).
Nielsen’s data includes traditional broadcast TV and official streaming services (excludes piracy), and is informed by what Nielsen claims are “statistically reliable” data sets that are representative of the broader population, referred to as panels. These panels, spread across America, are formed by people within a household/individuals who have agreed to share personal data and participate in regular studies or ongoing measurement of their media usage for a set period of time (Nielsen).
Panels were sampled during prime-time TV hours; the window for tracked viewership data spans from an episode’s live audience numbers to viewing within 35 days of its premiere. Nielsen uses further proprietary streaming data (what it calls Streaming Content Ratings) alongside its panel data. The ranking omitted sports, specials, repeat programs, and regularly scheduled programs with fewer than four episodes.
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DAN DA DAN was the only anime series to rank on either of Nielsen’s rankings. For the 18–49 ranking, it was narrowly behind Arcane (joint 55th, 2.8 million viewers) and ahead of Devil Cry May, which placed joint 73rd with 2.3 million viewers (but far behind Invincible — joint 28th with 4 million viewers).
DAN DA DAN Season 1 was far more accessible to Americans than the average anime; Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu simulcast the series as it premiered in Japan on October 4 (October 3 in America). Crunchyroll and Hulu don’t provide viewership figures. Netflix data from October 7–13, 2024, saw DAN DA DAN debut at #2 with 3.5 million hours watched, or 4.3 million views when divided by the first two episodes’ total 48-minute runtime.
DAN DA DAN will stream again on Netflix, Hulu, and Crunchyroll this summer. Before then, MBS, in collaboration with GKIDS, ADN, Sugoi Co., BF Distribution, and Muse, will distribute the first three episodes of Season 2 in theaters globally under the name DAN DA DAN: Evil Eye. Abel Gongora joins Fuga Yamashiro as co-director for Season 2. Science SARU is again responsible for animation production. GKIDS licenses DAN DA DAN for North America and describes the series:
DAN DA DAN follows Momo, a high school girl from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult freak. The two of them start talking after Momo rescues Okarun from getting bullied. However, an argument ensues between them – Momo believes in ghosts but denies aliens, and Okarun believes in aliens but denies ghosts.
To make the mutual deniers believe in each other, Momo goes to an abandoned hospital known for its UFO sightings, and Okarun goes to a tunnel that is said to be haunted. In each place, they encounter overwhelming paranormal activity that transcends comprehension. Amid these predicaments, Momo awakens her hidden power and Okarun gains the power of a curse to challenge the paranormal forces! Their fateful love begins as well!?
The story of the occult battle and adolescence starts!
Source: Nielsen, via Variety
Featured image ©Yukinobu Tatsu/SHUEISHA, DANDADAN Production Committee
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