Action series in Shonen Jump that does romance well is easily Dandadan, but recent chapters risk ruining the dynamics of the publisher's best couple. The overall creativity and epic brawls in Dandadan serve as the main draw for readers. But the relationship between Momo Ayase and Okarun is so captivating that some readers find themselves hoping for fight scenes to end early, especially since romance in other Shonen Jump action manga is lacking. Could this be because Dandadan's mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu is messing up the pacing? In chapter 55, Okarun and Momo share an emotional moment after Momo's restaurant shift ends. Momo's friends had earlier dragged Okarun there to watch the two get befuddled in an installment of Dandadan with barely any fighting, and when he learns that her work will end late, he decides to stay behind to walk her home. Momo one-ups this gesture by holding his hand. This causes the two to blush and Okarun to become overly embarrassed in the same way that bashful characters do in the most successful romance manga. She even blames her actions on the fact that it's quite cold outside to hide her true intentions.
While glorious, this and previous interactions create the impression that their relationship is developing too fast. What attracted readers to them initially in the wonderfully strange world of Dandadan was that Tatsu had implied that their story would be the stereotypical, "beautiful girl falls for her nerdy friend who's secretly been in love with her" trope. But then it became apparent that Okarun didn't actually look at her that way because he was just excited by the fact that she wanted to be friends with him. So when he started to see her more as just a friend, fans got doubly as invested as they would have initially, a dynamic that increased by teases that Momo might actually feel the same way. The problem is that in chapter 50 of Dandadan, Okarun and Momo shared an intimate moment that actually makes this latest development five installments later seem not as intense. Together, they create the impression that things are moving along too quickly. Like any romance, what readers find so captivating is the anticipation of whether or not feelings are reciprocated. These latest instances feel as though the chase is coming to an end, to the detriment of the series.
Even if the worst occurs and the two officially hook up by the next chapter, it's clear that the romance in Dandadan is so masterfully depicted that readers are inclined to feel strongly about Momo and Okarun's relationship, especially when things don't turn out the way they want them to. Mangaka Yukinobu Tatsu has already proven to be highly creative, so even if this does happen, he'll find a way to make Momo and Okarun's love life intriguing even if the chase is over. This alone is enough to prove why the other action/adventure manga in Shonen Jump need to start incorporating romance in their own stories.