Warning: Contains spoilers for episode 6 of Dandadan.Dandadan episode #6 is the formal introduction of Aira Shiratori, one of the main characters of the series, going forward. Although initially introduced as an unnamed mean girl picking on Okarun in episode 5, episode 6 involves her further into the plot by revealing that she has one of Okarun’s testicles, thus triggering a more extensive role for her within the overarching narrative.
Aira has already left a big mark Dandadanthe story of, and this is especially clear in his interactions with Momo. It’s one thing for Aira’s actions in episode 6 to make her antagonistic towards Momo, but between the specific way Aira is written and how she reflects Momo’s character, Aira’s character in Dandadan does a perfect job of emphasizing why Momo has been such a great character since her debut. All of this, of course, serves to make Aira a perfect rival character for a story like Dan-Danand the story will only get better for it.
Dandadan’s first rival character is the perfect opposite of Momo
Why Aira is Momo’s biggest rival
Aira can be seen as Momo’s rival in Dandadan not just because of her antagonism, but because of how much she resembles Momo’s character. To begin with, both Momo and Aira are linked to the supernatural and fall prey to supernatural entities because of this, but although Momo has been linked to the supernatural since birth, Aira’s connection to the supernatural world of Dandadan it only happened because Aira stumbled upon one of Okarun’s magical testicles. It’s a much weaker connection in comparison, and as shown in episode 6, it hasn’t become permanent yet, not in the slightest.
Going forward, not only has Aira wholeheartedly embraced the supernatural while Momo has spent her life rejecting it, with Aira even seeing herself as a sort of chosen one after finding Okarun’s testicle, but Aira presents herself as a nice person while secretly despises others through pride and arrogance, something briefly addressed in Dandadan episode #5 before being further elaborated in episode #6. In comparison, Momo acts abrasive and tough while also being a genuinely nice person on the inside, so Aira also resembles Momo’s character by being written with the exact opposite of her personality..
All of these parallels between Momo and Aira are there to show why DandadanMomo is a great character. Aira is portrayed as an arrogant bully, proud and arrogant to the point of delusion, while Momo, in comparison, has always tried to look out for people and never thought she was better than anyone else, even after unlocking her telekinetic powers. Aira’s negative writing emphasizes what a good person Momo is, showing what a more stereotypical version of herself would be likeand Momo’s character is all the better for it.
Dan Da Dan’s rival character is exactly how a story like this would write a rival
Aside from the direct parallels to Momo, Aira is a great rival because of how perfectly she fits in Dan-Danthe story. As much as Aira tries to antagonize Momo, even spreading rumors about Momo being a slut, she never poses a real threat to Momo thanks to Momo’s powers, and her introduction caused Momo to hit her in the head with a bathtub. Any seriousness Aira may have is undermined by her general incompetence, but with how silly Dan-Dan could it be, Aira is the perfect rival character for Dandadan specifically because she is impossible to take seriously.
The lack of seriousness in Aira’s character also feeds into her overall personality. Aira not only obsesses over cryptic occult nonsense, but ironically ignores the real ones in Dandadanbut as previously discussed, she is so arrogant and over-the-top that she sees herself as some sort of chosen one, even though the person she chose to antagonize is the true protagonist of the story. Aira’s goofy personality is another part of her character that is perfectly in line with Dandadan‘stoneand it’s another big part of why she’s such a big rival to Momo.
How Momo and Aira’s rivalry can make Dandadan even better
Above all, Momo and Aira’s rivalry is nothing more than a blessing for Dan-Danthe story. The comedy and character writing are already excellent, but with the way Aira plays Momo and emphasizes her character’s strengths, Aira and Momo’s rivalry can make Dandadan even better with how much it will flesh out your characters and the story that surrounds them. How the rivalry between Momo and Aira develops will certainly play an important role in Dandadangoing forward, and as such, there’s plenty of reason to be excited about how this plays out.
Dan-Dan releases new episodes on Thursdays on Crunchyroll.