Meet Dandadan’s Aira Through a Japanese Rubber Keychain

Aira Dandadan Rubber Mascot Keychain by Lavariation

The Dandadan Series and Its Rise to Global Attention

Dandadan is a manga by Tatsu Yukibu that began serialization in Shonen Jump+ in April 2021. It occupies an unusual tonal corner: occult mystery, alien abductions, yokai folklore, action, and romantic comedy all fold into a story following high schoolers Ayase Momo and Takakura Ken — nicknamed Okarun — as they lurch from one supernatural crisis to the next. The combination clicked with readers quickly, and when the anime adaptation premiered in October 2024, produced by Science SARU — the studio founded by director Masaaki Yuasa — the series landed on Netflix with a wide international release. A second season followed in 2025. Science SARU’s animation is known for fluid, kinetically expressive movement, and the production raised the franchise’s profile considerably outside Japan. For international fans who discovered Dandadan through streaming, character names and designs became familiar fast — which is part of why merchandise extends beyond the two leads to supporting figures like Aira.

Aira — A Supporting Character With a Visually Distinct Design

The character on this keychain is identified as Aira — most likely Shiratori Aira, a friend of protagonist Ayase Momo. She appears in school uniform: a navy blazer layered over a white shirt, with a red ribbon tie and a grey pleated skirt. Her wavy pink hair and purple eyes give her a visually distinctive look that stands out even within the chibi format used here. In the keychain’s design, the exaggerated, compact silhouette of the chibi style plays up her most recognizable features, while her name — AIRA — appears in bold green block lettering at the base of the figure. An orange-and-yellow starburst radiates behind her, a pink tab sits at the top, and a silver ball chain completes the accessory. As a supporting character rather than a lead, her appearance on a dedicated piece of merchandise reflects how broadly Dandadan’s popularity spread across the full cast.

Layered Rubber Mascot Keychains in Japan’s Anime Goods Market

The rubber mascot keychain is one of the most enduring formats in Japanese anime merchandise. Items like this one are constructed from multiple layers of colored soft rubber — typically PVC or a similar compound — stacked to produce visible depth and a tactile quality that flat badges and pins cannot match. Each color in the design corresponds to a separate layer of material, giving the finished piece a sculptural quality at a fraction of the cost of a painted figure. This format has been a staple in Japan’s anime goods market for decades, sold through specialty retailers such as Animate, at event venues like Comiket and Anime Japan, and occasionally through capsule toy machines.

The product line name “Lavariation” — likely a portmanteau of “rubber” and “variation” — appears on this item, though whether it identifies a specific manufacturer or functions as a branded series label is not confirmed from available information. Given that the Dandadan anime began broadcasting in late 2024, this keychain most plausibly entered the market during that period or after. Items in this format are typically manufactured for Japan’s domestic market and distributed through domestic retail channels, which means international buyers rarely encounter them through official routes outside the country.