Origins of Turbo Granny featured in DAN DA DAN

DAN DA DAN is one of the promising new series of the Fall 2024 anime season, and it’s certainly delivering on expectations. Just within three episodes, the anime already introduced a number of mythical creatures, including the famed Turbo Granny.

The weenie-loving old hag has certainly earned herself a number of fans. However, is she actually based on real folklore? Yes, she is.

Turbo Granny in DAN DA DAN

In DAN DA DAN, Turbo Granny is a high-speed, malevolent entity that the protagonist, Ken Takakura or Okarun encounters in the pilot episode. She is a visually terrifying spirit, with the appearance of an old, emaciated woman with an exaggeratedly withered face and wild hair. Despite her frail appearance, she is renowned for her ability to move at superhuman speed. She uses this speed to aggressively chase down her victims, eagerly attempting to get her hands on her victim’s privates.

Unfortunately for Okarun, he became one of Turbo Granny’s victims, though he was partly at fault. In his attempt to disprove supernatural phenomena to Momo, he agreed to go to Turbo Granny’s den. When the spirit did appear, it was already too late for him to escape. The ancient spirit took possession of both his body and balls. However, it wasn’t all bad. By only partially transforming into Turbo Granny, Okarun could control the spirit’s supernatural abilities while retaining his sanity.

Given Okarun’s situation, Turbo Granny is not merely a throwaway monster of the week. She plays a larger role in Okarun’s development, especially as the young, timid boy copes with the spirit’s constant attempts to take over his body.

The urban legend behind the old lady

While DAN DA DAN presents a fictionalized and stylized version of Turbo Granny, her origins are rooted in Japanese urban legends. The real Turbo Granny is a well-known myth, particularly in Japan’s paranormal circles. According to the legend, Turbo Granny is a spirit or apparition that haunts specific roads or highways, particularly in mountainous or rural areas.

She is said to appear as a disheveled old woman, sometimes driving or running at incredibly fast speeds, often chasing or challenging drivers to races. The legend bears similarities to other vehicular-themed Japanese spirits like the Teke-Teke, who also haunts roadways. Encounters with Turbo Granny in folklore are often foreboding. But unlike in the anime, she doesn’t seek schlongs. Instead, it is a common belief that a meeting with her will cause accidents or misfortune.