It turns out that playing the piano again might not be a bad idea for Kouki.
Yukinobu Tatsu’s popular manga has been upping the ante for the last few chapters, but nothing compared to the latest issue. Not only did we see an immensely creepy side of the latest villain, Mr. Murakami, but also a brand new Kouki. After following Aira’s instructions and playing the piano, the shy and timid girl unlocks a formidable power.
Spoiler Alert: This article contains massive spoilers from the manga.
Dandadan Chapter 186 recap
Image: Shueisha/ Yukinobu Tatsu
Kouki Yukishiro pleads with the pygmies to help find Murakami, who was the one terrorising them with the headless basketball players. Elsewhere, we see Murakami dancing around in a room in his underwear. We realise that he’s not alone as Miss Adachi, another teacher from the school is also in the same room. She is wearing a revealing bunny-suit, making a scared and disgusted face. Murakami approaches her and tells her that he can’t lend her any money if she behaves like that. We realise that Adachi’s mother is sick, and Murakami is lending her money for her treatment in exchange for this humiliation. When he turns around, we see a dangerous talisman in Miss Adachi’s hand.
Back at the school gym, Aira and Rin struggle against the headless yokai. Kouki reports that the pygmies couldn’t find a trace of him in the gym, which means the villain was not there to begin with. Rin is almost at her limit and can’t sing much longer while Aira starts to lose her energy too. Kouki realises that she’s completely powerless and can’t do anything to help them. But suddenly, the pygmies show her a piano that they’ve brought for her. Mai Kawabanga says that she should play it as it will likely unlock her power. Aira thinks her piano can amplify Rin’s power. Kouki starts remembering bits and pieces of her childhood and how she could almost see the sound of the instrument.
Image: Shueisha/ Yukinobu Tatsu
However, with the growing pressure from her family to perform well, she stopped visualising the sound as she grew up. In the present, she tries to play the piano, but can’t do it very well. Aira asks what’s wrong and Kouki says that this piano has pure intonation and was used in medieval Europe. It’s different from modern pianos that she’s used to playing. Aira tells her to use her perfect pitch and figure out the notes since she’s a prodigy. She says that when they were kids, Aira forgot about the pain of her mother’s death when she focused on defeating Kouki. Seeing her play on the stage was a treat because she played freely and had fun. When Kouki quit, Aira quit playing the piano as well. She urges her to get back into the mindset and try one more time.
Finally, Kouki remembers the feeling of playing freely and her tremendous talent finally does its job. The music stuns everyone in the gym. Aira asks if Rin’s power is amplified by this, but Mai says that her power is not related to Rin, and not even to the pygmies. The final spread of the chapter shows millions of flies across the city’s sky.
Dandadan Chapter 186 review
Image: Shueisha/ Yukinobu Tatsu
Every time I feel that Dandadan is getting lighthearted, Yukinobu Tatsu reminds me that the story is actually far from that. The trauma never ends, and I truly can’t wait for the despicable Mr. Murakami to meet his demise. It was surprising to see that not only was he blackmailing students, but also a teacher, and who knows how many more. I thought that Miss Adachi was a villain, but to see that she’s also a victim and might be forced to turn against her students is really heartbreaking. On the other hand, I can’t wait to see Kouki’s power of unleashing absolute insect plague hell on the villains. Is it too macabre of me to hope Murakami is bitten to death by millions of insects? The newest chapter truly encompassed all feelings from rage to sadness to excitement, and I can’t thank the author enough for the gift that keeps on giving.
Dandadan Chapter 187 release date
Image: Shueisha/ Yukinobu Tatsu
According to the announcement on the Manga Plus website, the next chapter of Dandadan will be released on Tuesday, 25 March, 2025, at 12 AM JST (Monday, 24 March, 2025, at 11 PM SGT, 8:30 PM IST, and 8 AM PST). You can read the three latest chapters of the manga for free on the Manga Plus and Viz Media websites. Fans can also download the Manga Plus app on their phones to easily access the chapters.
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