Ayaya became widely recognized online through anime meme culture and Twitch communities, where it was used as a shorthand reaction for anything overly cute or distinctly anime. The phrase is closely associated with anime fandom and emote culture rather than long-form dialogue clips. Its popularity lasted because the delivery is instantly recognizable, extremely short and easy to layer onto edits without slowing them down. Even outside anime circles, creators still use it to signal playful embarrassment, surprise or exaggerated cuteness in a single beat.