Dandelion

Set within the Send-Off Department of the Japanese Angel Federation, Dandelion follows "Angels" Tetsuo Tanba and Misaki Kurogane as they scramble to track down Earthbound spirits—souls unable to move on and find peace—and gently guide them to pass on.

The angels find themselves struggling to meet their daily tasks. However, Tetsuo Tanba and his leader, Misaki Kurogane, who make up the 21st Division's Dandelion Clan, chose to take things at their own pace: instead of rushing through cases, they take time with each spirit, listening to their regrets and helping them resolve what's holding them back.

One day, they encounter the Earthbound spirit of an elderly man who is running at full speed, trying desperately to escape.

(Source: Netflix)

Tanba, Tetsuo Main

Kobayashi, Chikahiro Japanese

Kyouga, Masaki Main

Miyano, Mamoru Japanese

Kurogane, Misaki Main

Han, Megumi Japanese

Harukawa, Jun Supporting

Hirokawa Supporting

Proto Supporting

Harukichi's Wife Supporting

Nakayama, Harukichi Supporting

Ida Supporting

One-Eyed Man Supporting

Suda, Yasuo Producer

Mataga, Daisuke Director

Koizumi, Kisuke Sound Director

Kocchi no Kento Theme Song Performance

Reviews

Apr 21, 2026

deereiss

Recommended

Dandelion is an anime based on the very first one-shot written by Hideaki Sorachi, the author of the more famous Gintama. Only the first episode is canon, as it effectively adapted the story penned by the mangaka; everything else is anime-original content.
I was afraid of finding myself face-to-face with a cheap imitation of Sorachi’s style, but in my opinion, they did an excellent job!
I am particularly critical of these things, in fact Ginpachi-sensei didn't convince me at all; it’s tangible that it wasn't written by Sorachi and it feels like a mere shadow of Gintama.
But Dandelion fully understood and respected Sorachi's essence, delivering a nonsense ... and paradoxical humor that conceals deeper lessons, touching moments and social commentary.
Specifically, it emphasizes themes related to the world of work, an environment that values performance above all else, sidelining human feelings and the love for the job, which leads to negative consequences.

Family themes are also present. A prime example is Masaki, who tries at all costs to meet his father's expectations. This causes him to lose sight of how he truly wants to live and leaves him struggling to make independent decisions without his father's shadow looming over him. When he finally decides for himself for the first time, he makes mistakes, but that’s life! It’s not very common seeing such a topic treated realistically without falling back on clichés and stereotypes, it was a real breath of fresh air!

Unfortunately, I have a couple of criticisms regarding the final episode. It felt excessively rushed to me, though still well-made. The big problem came in the final minutes when, rather than facing a complex and realistic family situation, they preferred to use a cheap and banal narrative gimmick to resolve the matter quickly. It’s a real shame... in my opinion, this decision significantly compromised the ending.

In conclusion: highly recommended!
It only consists of 7 episodes, but every minute of them has so much to give. If you are a fan of Sorachi, you will definitely appreciate it, but it’s an anime I truly recommend to everyone!

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Apr 17, 2026

BurtRocks

Mixed Feelings

If you swapped out the voice cast and squinted a bit, then Dandelion could easily pass as a Gintama arc. That may sound appealing; after all, the Gintama anime is very highly rated. However, Dandelion has more in common with the weak arcs of Gintama than the serious or actually funny ones.

A large part of the plot feels repetitive, mostly due to how the main premise is executed. The story follows the Dandelion Clan, featuring characters who feel like off-brand Gintoki and Kagura, alongside standout character Masaki Kyouga, as they find spirits and send them to the afterlife, resolving the dead’s problems and last regrets ... before sending them on. On paper, this is a solid premise, capable of providing wacky scenarios for absurd comedy alongside emotional moments for serious life-lessons. The problem is that many of the spirits they encounter are too bland to feel distinct from each other, and end up all blending together. Occasionally, when the spirit has some connection to a member of the core cast, the story works well, not for comedy, but for character development. An overarching plot is introduced later, centered on the efficiency of spirit eradication, but, concluding with the most obvious twist possible, I can’t say it was well done. That said, a comedy doesn’t necessarily need a good plot, just one that strings together humorous moments.

But alas, I didn’t find a single moment in the series genuinely funny. Its attempted jokes didn’t get me to laugh or even smile. All the characters are terribly unfunny, and the situational comedy, dependent on putting the characters into bizarre scenarios, doesn’t work since the supernatural setting makes these odd circumstances seem par for the course. The only “funny” parts I actually enjoyed were the references to other shows, including Gintama, because they reminded me of better works.

The serious moments, however, are a lot better than the comedic ones. Misaki's brief storyline with her mother was a surprisingly touching highlight, even if it centered on characters I had zero investment in. Another high point was Masaki’s character development. He grows as a person over the course of the series through his interactions with others, and demonstrates that the plot of Dandelion had a lot of potential. In fact, it shows that Dandelion works best when it leans towards being a character-driven drama rather than a comedy.

Dandelion is to Gintama as Combatants will be Dispatched is to Konosuba. Both feel like the author is trying to recapture the charm of their breakthrough work, but fail by creating a cast of characters not nearly as lovable or interesting, with jokes that fall flat left and right, and a storyline that is more prominent and yet less effective. When the series tries to be funny, it stumbles, but when it focuses on its characters, it occasionally finds success. I can’t recommend a comedy that isn’t funny, but on the other hand, Masaki’s progression and growth are something worth watching. Thus, my feelings are mixed, and combined with a solid OST and slightly above-average visuals, but a weak overarching storyline, an average score feels right.

Reviewer’s Rating: 5

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Apr 25, 2026

silademircan

Not Recommended

Funny

Give ChatGPT the synopsis and ask for episodes. ChatGPT will think harder than this anime’s creators. I can’t decide which is worse. The ideas or how they’re executed.

Actually it's a good idea on page. I wish it's had stayed there.specially tetsu character. His lazy pants make me lose it.

The pacing doesn’t help either. With only a handful of episodes, the story jumps from case to case without giving anything enough time to breathe.

Moments that should hit emotionally just… pass.
Vikipedi
Visually and tonally, it also feels confused. Is it a comedy? A drama? A satire? It tries to be all of them and ends up ... being none.

Reviewer’s Rating: 4

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