In the first episode of Love on the Spectrum U.S. Season 1, Dani Bowman describes her ideal boyfriend. He has to be motivated. He has to be financially stable. He has to be business-oriented to help her run her animation business, Danimation, which she hopes to one day expand with a brick-and-mortar office. Possibly most importantly, he has to have good hygiene — she’s not a fan of bad breath.

In her quest to find the perfect partner, Dani goes on a series of dates. She initially connects with Solomon, and a whirlwind romance leads the couple to say “I love you” during their very first meetup. Later in the series, she meets Adan at speed dating, where he’s one of four men she talks to that night.

While the meeting with Solomon initially seems like fairy-tale romance, she knows her connection with Adan is more realistic. He shares her passion for animation — one of her main priorities in a partner. And while he’s busy with college now, she believes they could reconnect one day.

So even though Dani knows first dates aren’t everything, she’s hopeful someone will sweep her off her feet. “He needs to be kind, respect my boundaries, be somebody who is very diligent to his work and very loyal,” she says. “We are independent, but at the same time depend on one another.”

Dani sat down with Tudum to combine her passion for drawing with her love life. Her interpretation of her perfect first date, below, depicts her connection with a dream date at a coffee shop. Ideally, she says, the café would have healthy, gluten-free options and few distractions so it’s easier to chat.

Dani Bowman

“There would be no phones involved,” she says. “We would engage and talk about our interests and talk about how our businesses are going and what are our dreams and goals of going on a date.”

The baristas in the background of this piece, Dani says, fall on the LGBTQ+ spectrum. She prioritizes diversity in her artwork and in her workshops, because as someone on the autism spectrum, she knows “what it feels like to be excluded.”

Dani’s perfect man not only shares her love of animation but could also take over the financial side of her business. She wants a partner in business and life — just like her favorite animation couples — which she says is “extremely rare.” Ideally, she would have a relationship like Jorge Gutiérrez and Sandra Equihua, who together created the animated series Maya and the Three. 

Since the series ended filming, Dani’s dating priorities haven’t changed. She still needs someone with great hygiene who’s career-oriented. But Love on the Spectrum did teach her a lot about that perfect first date — namely, that it won’t necessarily lead to the perfect relationship.

“Looks can be deceiving,” she says. “Especially if you think they’re giving you a good impression. But don’t let the looks fool you — you have to remain patient.”

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