Okarun and Aira Enter the Ring
DanDaDan's resident alien-believer and psychic powerhouse are trading yokai hunts for fighting tournaments. A PR TIMES release from developer ENJOY GAME LIMITED confirmed that Okarun and Aira have joined KOF'98 UM OL — the SNK-licensed mobile fighter — as limited-time playable characters.
The collab builds on a "dimensional rift" premise: an unknown energy tears open the boundary between worlds, pulling DanDaDan's cast onto KOF's fighting stage. Both characters retain their original anime designs while integrating into KOF'98 UM OL's tactical combat system, each bringing their own unique skills.
For the unfamiliar, DanDaDan is the manga-turned-anime about Momo Ayase and Ken Takakura — better known as Okarun — two high schoolers who discover that ghosts AND aliens are very real. Based on Yukinobu Tatsu's Shonen Jump+ manga, the anime is produced at Science SARU (Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, Devilman Crybaby).
What's in the Collab
The event is running now, with several components:
- Okarun and Aira available as limited-time fighters, each with skills faithful to their anime counterparts
- Multiple limited events running for the collab's duration
- Social media campaigns across the game's official channels, with additional giveaways and celebrations
KOF'98 UM OL is a free-to-play mobile game based on SNK's classic The King of Fighters '98 Ultimate Match, featuring over 150 fighters. The game has been running since 2014 across multiple regions and regularly pulls in crossover characters from outside the SNK universe.
DanDaDan Between Seasons
The collab arrives during a gap year for DanDaDan's anime. Season 2 wrapped in September 2025, and Season 3 — set to adapt the Space Globalists arc — was confirmed at Jump Festa for a 2027 premiere. The English dub of Season 2 began airing on Adult Swim's Toonami block in March 2026, keeping the series visible in Western markets even without new episodes.
Game collabs like this one are standard practice for keeping an anime property active between seasons. DanDaDan's action-heavy premise makes it a natural fit for a fighting game crossover — Okarun's turbo granny-powered speed and Aira's psychic abilities translate well into a combat roster.
Looking Ahead
The collab is live now in KOF'98 UM OL, available to download on iOS and Android. No end date has been announced, but collab events in KOF'98 UM OL typically run for a few weeks.
For DanDaDan fans looking further ahead, Season 3 is slated for 2027 with Science SARU returning. The source manga is published in English by Viz Media and is also available on Manga Plus. Crunchyroll and Netflix both stream the anime internationally.