Three Flavors of Alien Chaos
June 24 is UFO Day in Japan, a holiday pegged to American businessman Kenneth Arnold's 1947 sighting of nine unidentified flying objects over Washington state. To mark the occasion, ABEMA highlighted three anime built around aliens and extraterrestrials, each in a different direction.
One plays aliens for horror, one for political satire, and one for pure domestic slapstick.
DanDaDan: Aliens Meet the Occult
The newest of the three, DanDaDan is adapted from Yukinobu Tatsu's manga serialized on Shueisha's Shonen Jump+ app. The story follows Momo Ayase, a high schooler from a family of spirit mediums, and her classmate Okarun, an occult enthusiast. Their world collides with both ghosts and aliens, starting with the Serpo aliens that the source article highlights as a standout extraterrestrial presence in the series.
Science SARU (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Devilman Crybaby) produced the anime adaptation, with Fūga Yamashiro directing. Season 2 wrapped in September 2025, and a third season is confirmed for 2027. Both seasons are streaming on ABEMA domestically and on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu for international viewers.
Gintama: Aliens Conquered Edo
Hideaki Sorachi's Gintama, originally serialized in Weekly Shonen Jump, takes the alien premise to its logical extreme. The setup: aliens called Amanto have conquered feudal Japan, samurai have been disarmed, and the series follows Gintoki Sakata, a sugar-addicted, reckless ex-samurai running an odd-jobs business with his companions Shinpachi and Kagura.
The Amanto aren't just antagonists. Dozens of alien species live alongside humans in the show's version of Edo, creating a world where interstellar diplomacy and convenience-store part-time jobs exist side by side. The original anime was produced by Sunrise (Mobile Suit Gundam, Cowboy Bebop), with later seasons handled by Bandai Namco Pictures. The full series, all 367 TV episodes plus theatrical films, is available on ABEMA and streams internationally on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Disney+.
Sgt. Frog: The Invaders Who Got Comfortable
The oldest entry on the list, Sgt. Frog (Keroro Gunso) is based on Mine Yoshizaki's manga, which has been running in KADOKAWA's Monthly Shonen Ace since 1999. Sergeant Keroro leads a platoon of frog-like Keronian soldiers sent to conquer Earth. The invasion stalls almost immediately when Keroro moves in with a human family and discovers model kits, anime, and the general comforts of domestic life.
The comedy mines the gap between Keroro's military title and his total lack of ambition to use it. His platoon members each have their own fixations that keep them from the mission. The original anime ran for 358 episodes from 2004 to 2011, produced by Sunrise. A new theatrical film from Bandai Namco Pictures arrived in 2026 for the franchise's 20th anime anniversary. The series streams on ABEMA and is available internationally on Crunchyroll.
Looking Ahead
All three series are streaming now on ABEMA for viewers in Japan. For international fans, availability is strong. DanDaDan's first two seasons are on Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Hulu, with Season 3 confirmed for 2027. Gintama's massive catalog is split across Crunchyroll, Netflix, and Disney+ depending on region. Sgt. Frog is available on Crunchyroll.
DanDaDan has the most momentum of the three. The manga recently celebrated its fifth anniversary on Shonen Jump+, and the Season 3 announcement keeps interest high heading into 2027. Gintama and Sgt. Frog, meanwhile, remain comfort picks for fans after absurdist comedy with their alien encounters.