The most unbearably tragic part of ‘Dandadan’: What happened to Acrobatic Silky’s daughter?

Warning: This article contains spoilers for episode 7 of Dandadan.

For most Dandadan fans, Acrobatic Silky’s backstory acts as a turning point in the story. It’s the moment when the series goes from being a fun, little romantic comedy to a serious contender for one of the best anime of all time. 

Manga readers have known that Dandadan is more than just a funny tale about retrieving one’s “family jewels.” The story begins when a boy who believes in aliens and a girl who believes in ghosts make a bet to prove the other wrong, only to realize they’re both right. After getting possessed by a grandma who can reach speeds of 100 kph and awakening psychic powers (respectively), Okarun and Momo continue to encounter the supernatural while falling in love. A premise like that all but promises to be lighthearted, bingeable fun, right? 

You didn’t expect to find yourself sobbing during the yokai-of-the-week’s tragic backstory when you first picked up Dandadan but here you are, doing just that. Like the best manga and anime, Dandadan knows when to make you laugh and when to pull at your heartstrings. For a story full of light-hearted moments, it isn’t afraid of dealing with serious topics as Acrobatic Silky and her daughter’s fate demonstrate perfectly. 

Before becoming a yokai, Acro-Silky is shown to have been a single mom struggling to provide her young daughter with a happy life. While we know exactly how Acro-Silky’s story ends, her daughter’s fate is more ambiguous. 

What happens to Acrobatic Silky’s daughter in ‘Dandadan?’

Warning: This section of the article contains descriptions of trafficking, suicide, and violence.

Yukinobu Tatsu hasn’t shared what happened to Acrobatic Silky’s daughter, but it’s implied that she died shortly after her mother’s death. 

As a human, Acrobatic Silky worked several jobs in order to provide for her daughter and herself and it’s implied she had gone into debt with an organized crime group in the process. The group ostensibly realizes Acro-Silky has been earning more money while defaulting on her repayment and breaks into her home to recoup their funds. They search the home for valuables, leaving Acro-Silky beaten and kidnapping her daughter. Acro-Silky then chases after the group’s car before collapsing and ultimately dying by suicide. 

There are several possible outcomes we can see for Acro-Silky’s daughter after her kidnapping and unfortunately, they’re bleak. The most likely scenario is that the group killed her shortly after learning of Acro-Silky’s death and sold her organs. It’s also possible that she was trafficked and ended up in a situation like her mother’s. However, both the anime and the manga imply she has already died and reunites with Acro-Silky in the afterlife. 

It’s unlikely Yukinobu Tatsu will revisit this plot-line and provide closure beyond what he’s already shared. While we’d love a happy ending, that isn’t the story he set out to tell with these two characters. Any additional details would satisfy our curiosity but aren’t necessary. Acro-Silky and her daughter have one of the most tragic backstories in all of Dandadan, but after giving her aura to Aira, we see the two reunite in the afterlife where Aira accepts Acro-Silky and calls her mother (no, the two aren’t actually related). It’s tragic and bittersweet, but that’s all the closure we need for this story.