This is a list of characters fromSanrio, a Japanese company specialized in creatingkawaii (cute) characters. Sanrio sells and licenses products branded with these characters and has created over 450 characters.[1] Their most successful and best known character,Hello Kitty, was created in 1974.[2] Most Sanrio characters areanthropomorphized animals, while a few are humans or anthropomorphized objects.
Sanrio began creating characters to increase sales of its merchandise.[3] Typical merchandise featuring the characters include clothing, accessories, toys andstationery. The characters subsequently appeared in media such as books, animation and video games. Beginning withJewelpet in 2008, Sanrio started collaborating withSega Toys in creating characters intended to become media franchises.[4] Notable designers of Sanrio characters includeYuko Shimizu, original designer of Hello Kitty,Yuko Yamaguchi, lead designer for most of Hello Kitty's history andMiyuki Okumura, original designer ofCinnamoroll.[5][6][7]
Sanrio hosts two theme parks in Japan featuring their characters,Sanrio Puroland inTama, Tokyo, and Harmonyland[8][9] inHiji,Ōita,Kyūshū. Since 1986 Sanrio has held the annualSanrio Character Ranking poll where fans can vote on their favorite characters. It began in theStrawberry Newspaper published by Sanrio in Japan, but now voting also takes place online.[1]
Besides their own original characters listed here, Sanrio also owns the rights to theMr. Men characters and Japanese licensing rights to thePeanuts characters. The characters listed here are shown with the year in which they first appeared.
Coro Chan (コロちゃん,Korochan) is the first original Sanrio character.[10][11] Introduced in 1973, he is portrayed as a gentle and laid-back bear.[12][13] Designed byYuko Shimizu who is also the original designer ofHello Kitty.[10] According to Sanrio's backstory, Coro Chan is a cousin of Hello Kitty's bear friend Thomas.[14][15] His name comes from thecroquettes on his cheeks, which he might eat when he gets hungry.[12][16][10] Per official profiles, he lives inWindermere in England and his birthday is November 8.[16]
Hello Kitty (ハローキティ,Harō Kiti) is the best-known of Sanrio's characters. She is depicted as a white cat with a red bow and no visible mouth.[17] The original design for Hello Kitty was created byYuko Shimizu in 1974.[5] However, the lead designer in charge of creating new design themes for most of Hello Kitty's history, since 1980, has beenYuko Yamaguchi.[6][18][5] The first Hello Kitty item, a vinyl coin purse, was introduced in 1975.[19][20]
Official character profiles list Hello Kitty's full name as Kitty White (キティ・ホワイト,Kiti Howaito), born in the suburbs ofLondon, England, on November 1. Her height is described as five apples and her weight as three apples. She is depicted as a bright and kind-hearted girl who is good at baking cookies and likes to play the piano.[2][21][17] Hello Kitty is portrayed with a large family including her twin sister Mimmy, who wears a yellow bow, papa George and mama Mary.[21][17]
Originally Hello Kitty was only marketed towardspre-teenage girls, but beginning in the 1990s, the brand found commercial success among teenage and adult consumers as well.[22] The brand went into decline in Japan after the 1990s, but continued to grow in the international market.[6] By 2010 the character was worth$5 billion a year andThe New York Times called her a "global marketing phenomenon".[6] By 2014, when Hello Kitty was 40 years old, she was worth about$8 billion a year.[23]
UNICEF has appointed Hello Kitty children's ambassador and the Japanese government appointed her ambassador of tourism.[22] The Hello Kitty media franchise has grown to include severalanimated series,video games and othermedia productions. A variety of products have featured the character over the years and as of 2008 there were over 50,000 different Hello Kitty branded products.[22]
Aside from the core Hello Kitty characters, several spinoff characters have been created: Hello Kitty's boyfriendDear Daniel in 1999,Charmmy Kitty, Hello Kitty's pet cat, and Sugar, her pet hamster, both in 2004, and her superhero alter-egoIchigoman in 2011.[18][24]
Little Twin Stars (ja:リトルツインスターズ,Ritoru Tsuin Sutāzu) also known as Kikilala (キキララ,kikirara) in Japan[25] are a pair of angel-like characters. The younger brother with blue hair is Kiki (キキ,Kiki), and the older sister with pink hair is Lala (ララ,Rara).[26] Originally designed by Yōko Matsumoto (松本庸子) who also designedMy Melody.[27] They were initially created for a 1975 Christmas promotion and their birthday is December 24,Christmas Eve.[28][29][30] Drawing inspiration from Christmas and winter themes, early sketches had the characters wearing warm coats and winter scarves, before Matsumoto settled on stars as the motif.[28][31] Because they came from the sky, she gave them white angel style clothes.[28] In their first publication the characters were unnamed, and their names originate from a survey in theStrawberry Newspaper where readers could send in their suggestions.[32][33][34]
Early Little Twin Stars branded products, like those for other similar Sanrio characters of the era, were items marketed to young girls, likestationery and accessories.[35][36] In the late 70s Sanrio also began publishingpicture books with Kiki and Lala, illustrated by Matsumoto and others.[37][38][39][40] Since the inception of the Little Twin Stars, new designs have continually been created, following trends of the times.[35][41][42] In the original 70s designs Kiki's hair was brown and Lala's yellow. In the 80s the designs became more pastel colored, and this is also when their hair colors settled into being predominantly blue and pink. In the 90s their faces were modernized, and designs were rendered in 3DCGI, and in the 00s there was a retro return to the styles of the 70s and 80s.[35][41][42]
In 2015,EVA Air introduced a special liveryBoeing 777-300ER, "Shining Stars", dedicated to the characters. The plane is mainly used on routes fromTaipei toHouston andSingapore.[43]
Little Twin Stars have previously been included in video games with other Sanrio characters, but in 2018 the firstmobile game app featuring them exclusively was released foriOS andAndroid. TitledKiki & Lala's Twinkle Puzzle (キキ&ララのトゥインクルパズル) it is atile matching puzzle game and was developed byImagineer. It incorporates illustrations from a 70s picture book with the origin story of the characters.[37]
 | This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(October 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
My Melody (ja:マイメロディ,Mai Merodī) is a whiterabbit character. She is depicted as always wearing a bright red or pink hood that covers her ears. According to official character profiles, her birthday is January 18 and she lives in the forest of Mariland with friends like My Sweet Piano (a sheep), and Flat (a mouse).[44] When My Melody debuted, she was portrayed as Little Red Riding Hood.
My Melody can be found on children's toys and merchandise (from jewelry to household items). My Melody was first released in 1975 and the first related merchandise was released at the end of that year. At first, she mainly was marketed toward young girls, but like Hello Kitty her popularity has increased among women and men of all ages, especially inAsia.
In the late 1980s, My Melody's popularity waned, and the only items produced were stationery and candy. According to a reader survey published in theStrawberry Newspaper (a magazine published by Sanrio) in 1996, My Melody came out amongst some of Sanrio's most popular characters and as a result, due to popular demand, standard merchandise started re-appearing beginning in February 1997 featuring the original red hood. Items with the pink hood were re-released in 1999; as of 2000, there were items released with multiple color hoods.
On April 3, 2005, an anime series based on My Melody and her friends and produced byStudio Comet started to air onTV Osaka andTV Tokyo television stations, calledOnegai My Melody (おねがいマイメロディ), which aired from 2005 to 2008. Thisanime also spawned a video game for theNintendo DS titledOnegai My Melody: Yume no Kuni no Daibouken (おねがいマイメロディ～夢の国の大冒険～). The game relies heavily on a feature of the Nintendo DS console which requires the player to blow air into the microphone of the unit. The player guides My Melody through timed levels by jumping and using her umbrella to float around and avoid enemies. The game also features unlockable content as well, such as music, images, and mini-games.
My Melody also appears in the Sanrio Digital and Dream Cortex series,The Adventures of Hello Kitty & Friends. She, however, is mouthless there, and her rival Kuromi doesn't make an appearance.
In 2007, a second game was released for the Nintendo DS, titledMy Melody Angel Book ~Denshitechou & Enjoy Game~ (マイメロディエンジェルブック～電子手帳&エンジョイゲーム～). The game's primary function is as a day planner designed for young girls to keep track of appointments, class schedules, and mini diary entries.
On March 1, 2008, Mattel released a Barbie doll named "My Melody". The My Melody Barbie doll featured a Barbie doll inspired by the My Melody character, with the character's face included in different parts of the doll's fashion and accessories. In an homage to the character's rabbit ears, the doll's hair is styled in pigtails.[45]
On March 26, 2008, a Japanese music compilation album titled "I Love 30 – My Melody" fromTearbridge Records was released with My Melody wearing the original red hood drawn in various artwork styles by Groovisions.Rei Sakuma has been the regular voice of My Melody in Japan since 1989.
My Melody has also been turned into aPullip doll with two versions; originally released in 2008 and the latest one in 2016.
In 2014, Sanrio celebrated the character's 40th Anniversary by creating a special line of merchandise where she is given a different hood where her ears are dropped down and wears either a bonnet or a flower pin and sometimes depicted with eyelashes. Sanrio Puroland honored the 40th anniversary of the character by creating an indoor ride called "My Melody Drive" where visitors are visiting Mariland and encounter My Melody and her friends including Kuromi who attempts to ruin her day.
My Melody is also seen in collaboration merchandise with other non-Sanrio series, such as one withSailor Moon in 2017.
In 2019, My Melody became a radio DJ onTokyo FM with a show called "My Melo Therapy" (マイメロセラピー) where she answers questions from listeners and offers advice.[46] A book with advice from the show was released in 2022.[47][48]
In the 2020 web seriesHello Kitty and Friends: Supercute Adventures, My Melody is one of the main characters where she is voiced by Michelle Marie.[49]
In 2010,The New York Times said that My Melody was "moderately successful" in terms popularity, but showing no signs of reaching the global popularity of Hello Kitty.[6] My Melody was number one in the Sanrio Character Rankings in 2010 and 2011.[50] In 2019 she was Sanrio's second most profitable character, afterHello Kitty.[51]
In 2025, she was given a catchphrase "Melly-melly" for the Western markets beginning with a video celebrating the character's 50th Anniversary[52] and a music video called "My Melody Birthday Song".[53]
Beginning in 1989, My Melody has been regularly voiced byRei Sakuma in Japan beginning with the 1989 anime short "My Melody no Akazukin". In the Western-market, Michelle Marie became the official voice of the character beginning with "Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures" web series.
A stop-motion anime seriesMy Melody & Kuromi, featuring both her and her rival Kuromi, will be released in July 2025 onNetflix.[54]
Spinoff characters from My Melody includeMy Sweet Piano, one of her closest companions,Kuromi, her rival, andLittle Forest Fellow, a relative.
The Strawberry King (ja:いちごの王さま,Ichigo no ōsama) is a humanoid character with a large red strawberry for a head.[55] He was created as an alter-ego of Sanrio founderShintaro Tsuji, and has the same birthday as him, December 7.[10] Official character bios describe him as "the king of the beautiful and peaceful Strawberry Kingdom" who "spends his days bringing messages of peace and friendship to all".[56] The Strawberry King rarely appears on merchandise.[57] But every month a message from the Strawberry King (similar to aneditorial) has been published in Sanrio'sStrawberry Newspaper.[58] A book with a collection of some of these messages was published in 2007.[59][60]
Button Nose (ja:ボタンノーズ,Botan nōzu) is a human character.[61] She is the protagonist ofButton Nose, the first anime television series produced by Sanrio.[62][63] Button Nose is portrayed as a sweet and lively girl who makes strawberry jam and likes cookies.[64] Sanrio's profiles say her birthday is January 5 and that her real name is Trish, but she is called Button Nose because her nose is small and round.[64][65] The original design for Button Nose was created by Masayo Hirose (広瀬昌代) and the character was introduced in 1978.[62][66][61]
In 1983 Sanrio built the Strawberry House (ja:いちごのお家) store in Tokyo.[67] The store is shaped like a strawberry and was based on the fictional home of Button Nose.[68] It was originally planned to be in place for a limited time, but due to positive customer response the store remained in operation until 2011.[67] The anime seriesButton Nose, which began in 1985, was the first television anime series produced by Sanrio.[62][63] The series places Button Nose in a fairy tale and science fiction setting, where she turns out to be descended from royalty.[62]
Tuxedo Sam (ja:タキシードサム,Takishīdosamu) is a plump blue penguin character who is drawn wearing a bow-tie and a sailor hat. According to official character profiles he was born on May 12 in Antarctica.[69][70] In 2010The New York Times described this character as "moderately successful" in terms of popularity but showing no signs of reaching the global popularity of Hello Kitty.[6]
My Sweet Piano (マイスウィートピアノ,Mai Sūīto Piano) is a spinoff character fromMy Melody. She is depicted as a pink female sheep who is gentle and pampered and loves to talk and hang out with My Melody.[71] She was introduced in 1980 as a friend of My Melody.[72] She was originally known as "Hitsuji-san", which roughly translates to "Miss Sheep".[73] Sanrio asked readers of its monthlyStrawberry Newspaper to suggest a name for her, and the selection of the name "Piano" was announced in 2005.[73] The first solo merchandise with the character under the full name "My Sweet Piano" was released in 2008.[73] As of 2019 Piano was a meetable character atSanrio Puroland.[74][75]
Piano started out as a supporting character in the 2005 anime seriesOnegai My Melody where she only spoke by baaing and bleating. She is voiced byJunko Takeuchi in the series. Piano also appears in the 2020 web seriesHello Kitty and Friends: Supercute Adventures where she's a background character debuting in Season 2.[76]
Minna no Tabo (ja:みんなのたあ坊,Minna no Taabou) is a human character. According to official character profiles his birthday is on May 5 (Children's Day) and he is a happy and energetic boy who likes sports. He is depicted surrounded by family and many animal friends.[77][78] He was originally designed in 1984 by Akiko Shimasue (島末彰子) for use ongreeting cards.[79][80]
A series of books featuring the character, called Tabo no Kotoba (たあ坊のことば,Tābō no kotoba), has according to Sanrio sold over 500 000 copies in Japan.[81] The first book in the series,Minna No Tabo's Sai Kon Tan (今も昔も大切な100のことば みんなのたあ坊の菜根譚) by Sanrio founderShintaro Tsuji is based on the 16th century Chinese compilation of aphorismsSaikontan byHong Zicheng.[81][82] Minna no Tabo placed first in the Sanrio Character Rankings in 1988 and 1989.[83][84]
Zashikibuta (ja:ザシキブタ,Zashikibuta) is a pink pig character who is sometimes drawn wearing a green scarf. According to official character profiles his birthday is February 4 and he lives in France with a mouse friend called Tabby.[85][86] He is sometimes depicted with a sketchy look. Zashikibuta was number one in the first ever Sanrio Character Rankings in 1986.[87]
Hangyodon (ja:ハンギョドン,Hangyodon) is a fish character who according his fictional biography was born on March 14 in China. He is depicted as a character who likes joking around but also feels lonely, and whose plans of heroism often go awry.[88] Designed by Hisato Inoue (ja:井上・ヒサト) who also designedBad Badtz-Maru.[89] Hangyodon is one of the members ofHapidanbui, a group Sanrio created in 2020 to promote older characters.[90][91] In 2022 Hangyodon entered the top 10 of the Sanrio character rankings for the first time in 34 years, placing at number 8.[92][93] On February 11, 2025 Hangyodon starred in his own music video called "MYSTERIOUS STAR" which was uploaded to Sanrio's Japanese Youtube channel to celebrate the character's 40th anniversary.[94]
Kerokerokeroppi (ja:けろけろけろっぴ) also known as Keroppi Hasunoue (はすの上 けろっぴ,Hasunoue Keroppi) is a frog character with large eyes and a V-shaped mouth.[95][96][97] "Kero" means "frog's croak" and "Hasunoue" means "on a lily pad".[98] Keroppi is portrayed with a large family and many friends who are frogs. He is also friends with Denden, a snail, and Teruteru, ateru teru bōzu.[99][100][101] Originally created as part of a promotion for therainy season, the first Keroppi items were released in 1988.[102][103] Designs in Japan commonly include puns on the Japanese word for frog, kaeru (かえる), which has manyhomonyms.[104] According to British newspaperThe Independent, the popularity of Keroppi was close to that of Hello Kitty in the early 1990s, "particularly in the UK", but then went down.[22] Keroppi was number one in the Sanrio Character Rankings in 1990.[84]
Keroppi has appeared in video games, includingKero Kero Keroppi no Bouken Nikki,Kero Kero Keroppi no Daibouken, andSanrio World Smash Ball!. He has also appeared in several animated series. In Japanese, Keroppi was voiced by Yoshiko Matsuo. In English, he was voiced byJill Frappier inKeroppi and Friends,Kira Vincent-Davis inHello Kitty's Animation Theater, Sarah Hauser inThe Adventures of Hello Kitty and Friends, and Georgie Kidder inHello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures.[49]
Pochacco (ja:ポチャッコ,Pochakko) is drawn as a white dog with black floppy ears, but no visible mouth.[105] Pochacco's name meanspocha pocha (chubby). Per official character profiles he was born in Fuwafuwa Town on February 29 in aleap year.[105] He is often portrayed dressed in athletic attire, with a sporty and playful personality.[106][107] He was designed by Minoru Onoue (おのうえ稔), who also designed several other Sanrio characters, including The Vaudeville Duo andPicke Bicke.[108] When Pochacco was first released he was not drawn wearing clothes and his behavior was more dog-like. His popularity increased after the design was changed to show him wearing shirts.[109] Pochacco was number one in the Sanrio Character Rankings from 1991 to 1995.[110][87][84]
Pekkle (Ahiru no Pekkle) is a fictional character created bySanrio in 1990.[111] The character is a small white duck who typically wears a blue T-shirt that has the letter P on it. Sanrio characterize Pekkle as "good-natured" and "kind," as well as being a singer and dancer.[112] Pekkle's birthday is on July 27.Pekkle appeared in fourOVAs in the early 1990s.[111]
Spottie Dottie (スポッティドッティ,Supotti Dotti) is aDalmatian dog character. Official profiles say she was born March 21, lives in New York City, likes fashion and is friends with a cat named Sassy.[113][114][115][116] In 2010The New York Times described Spottie Dottie and the characterPandapple as "flops" for the Sanrio corporation in terms of popularity.[6]
Monkichi (ja:おさるのもんきち,Osaru no Monkichi) is a monkey character drawn with a curly tail and prominent round eyes. According to official character profiles his birthday is January 13 and his full name is Oyama No Monkichi, which translates to "Monkichi of the Mountains".[117] He is portrayed as a happy character who likes jokes and poems and wants to become a comedian or a poet.[118][119]
An animatedOVA calledOsaru no Monkichi no Kin no Ono Gin no Ono (おさるのもんきちの金の斧銀の斧) was released in 2001.[120][121]
Patapata Peppy (パタパタペッピー,PataPataPeppī) is ahorned owl character drawn with a sketchy look.[122] He was designed by Matsubayashi Atsushi (松林あつし) who subsequently left Sanrio and started his own studio.[123][124] Per official character profiles his birthday is August 26 and he was born in the Northern woods. He is often depicted carrying a cherry in his mouth as it is his favourite food.[122][125]
.jpg)
Bad Badtz-Maru (ja:バッドばつ丸,Baddo batsu maru) is a malepenguin character drawn with spiky hair.[126] Designed by Hisato Inoue (ja:井上・ヒサト) who also designedHangyodon.[89] In Japanese, "badtz" (batsu) is a term for "X", the cross signifying a wrong answer. "Maru" means circle or "O", and signifies a right answer. Thus, his name figuratively means "wrong-right", and is frequently represented by "XO". Badtz-Maru is depicted with many different facial expressions and poses, but a common expression is ofpulling one lower eyelid down and sticking out his tongue, a gesture equivalent toblowing a raspberry.
Per official profiles Badtz-Maru's birthday is April 1 (April Fool's Day).[126] He is portrayed as surrounded by friends and family, such as Hana-Maru, a friendly whiteseal, Pandaba, a femalepanda who wears a redbikini skirt, and Pochi, a babyalligator, Badtz-Maru treats like a pet dog.[127][128][129]
Badtz-Maru has gone through many product lines since his release atSanrio in 1993. He has been portrayed as anastronaut,motorcyclist,DJ, camouflage monster, basketball player, boxer, and many others. His products range from typicalstationery supplies (e.g. pens, notebooks, erasers, pencil cases, etc.) to more novelty items (e.g. CD players, guitars, license plate frames, etc.)[130][additional citation(s) needed]
Badtz-Maru was number one in the Sanrio Character Rankings in 1996.[131] He was the officialmascot for the2006 FIBA World Championship of basketball, which was held in Japan.[132]Uni Air andEVA Air began flying with airplanes painted with Badtz-Maru motifs in 2016 and 2017.[133][134] He is also one of the main characters in the 2020 Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures YouTube web series.
Picke Bicke (ピッケビッケ,Pikke Bikke) is a mouse character. According to official character profiles he was born January 1 in theyear of the rat, and can fly by flapping his big ears.[135] He was designed by Minoru Onoue (おのうえ稔) who also designedPochacco.[108]
Chococat (チョコキャット,Chokokyatto) is drawn as ablack cat with huge black eyes, four whiskers, and like his counterpartHello Kitty, no mouth. His name comes from hischocolate-colored nose.[136][137] According to official character profiles, Chococat's birthday is May 10 and his whiskers are able to pick up information like antennae, so he is often the first to know about things.[138]
Chococat was originally pictured with a blue collar, but he has since been depicted wearing different colored collars, scarves and even a Hawaiianlei. Sanrio has also produced Chococat products that portray him in different colors like brown and pink.[139]
Chococat is one of the characters in the 2020 web seriesHello Kitty and Friends: Supercute Adventures, voiced by Michelle Marie.[140]
Chococat was the third most successful Sanrio character in 2005, afterHello Kitty andCinnamoroll.[141]
Pompompurin (ja:ポムポムプリン,Pompompurin) is agolden retrieverdog character resembling flan wearing a brown beret first introduced in 1996. According to official character profiles Purin was born on April 16 and his friends include ahamster called Muffin, amouse named Scone, asquirrel named Bagel and abird named Custard.[142][143][144]
Sanrio produced twoOVAs with Pompompurin in 2001,Pomupomupurin no Usagi to Kame (ポムポムプリンのうさぎとかめ) andPomupomupurin no Kitakaze to Taiyō (ポムポムプリンの北風と太陽).[145][146] Two Pompompurin video games were released for theNintendo 3DS in 2016 and 2017.[147][148]
A Pompompurin Café was opened inHarajuku in Tokyo in 2014.[149] Subsequently, several Pompompurin Cafés were opened in other locations.[150][151][152] Pompompurin was voted most popular in the Sanrio Character Rankings in 1997, 2015[153] and 2016.[154]
Corocorokuririn (ja:コロコロクリリン,Korokorokuririn) is agolden hamster character who is drawn wearing a flower as a hat.[155][156] He is portrayed as having seven hamster children with a female hamster named Sakura.[155] In addition to his family, Kuririn is depicted with many friends. In total, there are 86 different hamster characters.[156] The character was created at a time when hamsters were popular as pets in Japan.[157][158] The original designs were created by Koji Ito (伊藤 康二,Itō Kōji) and the character was introduced in 1998.[159][158]
Kuririn, Sakura, and their children were modelled on real life hamsters that were kept at the office of Sanrio.[157][158] Kuririn's fictional birthday, February 4, was based on the date the hamster was brought to the office.[158] New owners for the real life hamster offspring were solicited from among readers of Sanrio'sStrawberry Newspaper who also coined some of the names used for the fictional hamster children.[157][158] A manga calledKuririn Diary (クリリン日記,Kuririn Nikki) was published in theStrawberry Newspaper and in both Japanese and English online.[157][158][160] The manga blends reality and fiction by including photographs of the real hamsters with drawings of the fictional characters.[158]
Dear Daniel (ja:ディアダニエル,Diadanieru), full name Daniel Starr (ダニエル・スター,Danieru sutā) is a cat character who is depicted asHello Kitty's boyfriend. His character profile describes him as born in London on May 3. He was a childhood friend of Hello Kitty's, but traveled with his parents and was away from her for a long time. He is portrayed as fashionable and sensitive, good at dancing and playing the piano, with an interest in photography, and dreams of being famous.[161][162]
Designed in 1999 byYuko Yamaguchi who has been the lead designer of Hello Kitty since 1980.[163] Yamaguchi was inspired to create a boyfriend for Hello Kitty in the late 1990s when the Japanese singerNamie Amuro talked publicly about having a boyfriend, something that was considered controversial at the time.[164][165] The character's name was inspired by the British filmMelody from 1971, where the romantic lead is called Daniel.[166]
Cinnamoroll (シナモロール,Shinamorōru) was created in 2001, with character designs fromMiyuki Okumura.[7] The main character, who is known by the names Cinnamoroll and Cinnamon (シナモン,Shinamon), is depicted as a white dog with a curly tail that resembles acinnamon roll, and long ears he can fly with. Per official profiles his birthday is March 6.[167] Other characters in the series include Cappuccino (カプチーノ,Kapuchīno), with a mouth that looks like a cup ofcappuccino, Chiffon (シフォン,Shifon) with ears that are fluffy like achiffon cake, Espresso (エスプレッソ,Esupuresso) with aMozart hairstyle, Mocha (モカ,Moka) with chocolate-brown fur, and Milk (みるく,Miruku), a white baby puppy.[168][169]
Ananime film featuring Cinnamoroll calledCinnamon the Movie was released in 2007, and amanga series byYumi Tsukirino calledFluffy, Fluffy Cinnamoroll (ふわふわ♥シナモン,Fuwafuwa ♥ Shinamon) was published between 2004 and 2008.[170] In 2023 Sanrio started aYouTube channel for Cinnamon which streams a short anime calledCinnamon Anime Damon (シナモンアニメだもん,Shinamon Anime Damon).[171][172] with an English version uploaded to Sanrio's American Youtube Channel on September 11, 2023.[173] Several video games featuring Cinnamoroll were released forGame Boy Advance and Nintendo DS.[174] In addition to this Cinnamon has appeared as a supporting character in several other animated series and video games from Sanrio.
Cinnamoroll expanded into two side series:Cinnamoangels (シナモエンジェルス,Shinamoenjerusu) in 2005 andLloromannic (ルロロマニック,Ruroromanikku) in 2007.
Cinnamoroll was the second most successful Sanrio character in 2005, afterHello Kitty.[141] Cinnamoroll was voted number 1 in the Sanrio Character Rankings 2017–2018, and again in 2020–2024.[175][176][177][178]
Usahana (ja:ウサハナ) (also stylized asU*SA*HA*NA) is a rabbit character drawn with different colored ears, one pink and one blue, and a flower on her head. According to official character profiles her birthday is August 7 and her full name is Hanachan.[179]
In theToei Animation animeUsahana: Dream Ballerina (ウサハナ: 夢見るバレリーナ,Usahana: Yumemiru Ballerina) from 2006, Usahana dreams of becoming a ballerina.[180]
Pandapple (パンダップル,Pandappuru) is a panda character who is drawn wearing a red apple hat and a shirt. Pandapple is often depicted accompanied by a caterpillar. Per official profiles his birthday is June 2.[181][182][183] In 2010The New York Times described Pandapple and the characterSpottie Dottie as "flops" for the Sanrio corporation in terms of popularity.[6]
Charmmy Kitty (チャーミーキティ,Chāmīkiti) is a whitePersian cat character that is depicted asHello Kitty's pet. She resembles Hello Kitty but has more cat-like behavior and features. According to Sanrio's profile, Charmmy Kitty was a gift from Hello Kitty's papa, and since her real birthday is unknown, they celebrate the day Hello Kitty received her, 31 October.[184] She is described as docile, obedient and fond of shiny things. Her necklace holds the key to Hello Kitty's jewelry box.[185][186] Charmmy Kitty and Hello Kitty's pet hamster Sugar were created in 2004 when the popularity of pets went up in Japan. The characters were aimed at the teenage market.[184] Designed byYuko Yamaguchi who has been the lead designer of Hello Kitty since 1980.[163] Her name comes from the word "charm".
TheSugarbunnies (シュガーバニーズ,Shugābanīzu) are twin rabbit characters Shirousa (シロうさ,Shirousa) and Kurousa (クロうさ,Kurousa) who are depicted making sweets and pastries. According to official character profiles they were both born on May 26 and live in the fictional magical world of Bunniesfield.[187] They were designed by Kazumi Fukasawa (深沢和美).[188][189]
In 2007, Sanrio created an anime series based on the franchise which aired onTV Tokyo andKids Station on April 3, 2007, and ended later that year with 27 episodes. After the anime's success, the series gained two sequels in 2008 (Sugarbunnies: Chocolat!) and in 2009 (Sugarbunnies: Fleur), each having 27 episodes.
After the success of the franchise, Sanrio created more rabbit twins who each specialize in their own jobs, seeSugarbunnies characters.
TheCinnamoangels (シナモエンジェルス,Shinamoenjerusu), also known asCinnamon Angels in English,[190] are a spinoff from the mainCinnamoroll series. They are a trio of girl puppy characters consisting of Mocha (born February 20), Chiffon (born January 14) and Azuki (born September 25). According to their fictional story, Mocha founded the group because she wants to become a TV idol.[191]
Cinnamoangels have their own manga series called Puri Kawa Cinnamo Angels!! (プリ☆かわ☆シナモエンジェルス!!,Puri Kawa Shinamoenjerusu!!) which was published as part of theFluffy, Fluffy Cinnamoroll volumes.[192][193] Sanrio has also released severalmusic videos featuring the trio.[194][195]
Kuromi (ja:クロミ,Kuromi) first appeared as the rival ofMy Melody in the animeOnegai My Melody. She is depicted as a white rabbit wearing a blackjester's hat with a pinkskull on the front and a black "devil" tail in the place of a normal rabbit's tail.[196][197][198] Kuromi has also been portrayed as the leader of a biker gang known as "Kuromi's 5" whose members wear black and ride their bikes around in a menacing fashion.[199][200] Kuromi's sidekick is Baku (ja:バク) a purpletapir character who takes Kuromi flying on his back.[201] Similar to thebaku from Japanese folklore, he is depicted as being able to seek out people's dreams.[199]
Merchandise featuring Kuromi first appeared in Japan in 2005. She has threeimage songs all sung by hervoice actress,Junko Takeuchi.[citation needed] In the 2020 web seriesHello Kitty and Friends: Supercute Adventures, Kuromi is one of the main characters where she's voiced byJenny Yokobori.[49]
In 2021, Sanrio began a marketing campaign for Kuromi inShibuya and on social media using the slogan "KUROMIfy the World".[202] In 2022, Kuromi beat her rival in the Sanrio Character Rankings for the first time, placing at number three, while My Melody placed at number five.[203][204]
In February 2023, Sanrio began streaming a series of anime shorts calledKuromi's Pretty Journey introducing Romina, Kuromi's "older sister", as well as other new characters. Episodes of the anime were given a weekly release schedule.[205][206] The end theme of the series is performed by the singer ano (ja:あの), formerly of the groupYou'll Melt More!.[207][208] An English version was uploaded to Sanrio's American Youtube Channel in June 2023.[209] A second season of the web series was announced October 24, 2024[210] with Season 2 beginning October 31, 2024.
Kuromi co-stars with My Melody for an upcoming stop-motion anime series, titledMy Melody & Kuromi, which is set to release worldwide sometime in July 2025 onNetflix.[54]
Tenorikuma (ja:てのりくま) (Japanese for "bears that fit in your palm") are a group ofred panda characters who are portrayed running a coffee shop called Tenorikuma.[211][212] The main manager character is Latte, who is depicted with a heart on his ear. Maple is the only female character and Latte's love interest. There are several other red panda characters who all wear different colored scarves. Other characters include Mister Steam who is a cloud of steam and Muddler-san who is a spoon.[213][214]
A picture book calledTenorikuma Chisana Coffee Break (TENORIKUMA 小さなコーヒーブレイク) was released in 2005.[215] A manga series by Yumimi (ja:ゆみみ) calledPuchitto! Tenorikuma (プチっと！ てのりくま) was serialized inNakayoshi magazine from 2007 to 2008. One volume of the manga was released in 2008.[216][217]
Masyumaro (ja:マシュマロみたいなふわふわにゃんこ,Mashumaromitainafuwafuwanyanko) is a white kitten character with light brown spots around the ears. He is depicted as residing in Paris, France.[218] Designed by Kazue Yamada (山田和恵) who also designedBonbonribbon.[189] He is featured in two promotional videos,Boku Masyumaro (My Marshmallow) andKIRAKIRA Sute-ji (Stage Glitter).[219]
Lloromannic (ja:ルロロマニック,Ruroromanikku) is a spinoff fromCinnamoroll. The name is "Cinnamoroll" in reverse and Lloromannic is described as a world on the other side of a mirror that is the opposite of the cute world of Cinnamoroll. The Lloromannic characters are Berry (ベリー,Berī) and Cherry (チェリー,Cherī) who are depicted as two demons who came from the Lloromannic mirror world but now live in a haunted mansion on the outskirts of Cinnamoroll's town.[220][221][222] Designed byMiyuki Okumura who also designed the main Cinnamoroll series.[189]
Berry and Cherry show up in the animeOnegai♪My Melody Kirara★ as narrators. Two short videos have been released on DVD: "Trick" and "Friend".
| This sectionneeds additional citations forverification. Please helpimprove this article byadding citations to reliable sources in this section. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.(October 2022) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
TheJewelpets (ジュエルペット,Juerupetto) are a group of animal characters created in 2008 as a joint-venture between Sanrio and Sega Toys.[223] There are 42 characters in the franchise and each of the animals are named after famousBirthstones,Minerals andJewels. They each have a different kind of sparkling jewel for their eyes, used for casting special magic called "Jewel Flash". According to fiction, they belong to magicians and live in a mystical place called Jewel Land, attending a school to learn more about magic and each of them are paired with their own human partners. The main Jewelpets in the series areRuby the whiteJapanese hare (whose birthday is July 29),Sapphie the blue and yellowCavalier King Charles Spaniel (whose birthday is September 1),Garnet the pinkPersian cat (whose birthday is January 8) andLabra the pink and whitepolar bear (whose birthday is December 27).
In 2008, Sega Toys collaborated with Sanrio to release a line of plush toys featuring the characters from the series which contains a special password to access the Web-Gurumi website. This is somewhat similar to the toy franchiseWebkinz, as it also shares some similarities to the secret codes to access the Webkinz World website, causing some controversies between the two companies. Later on April 4, 2009, its firstanime series was produced byStudio Comet and started to air on bothTV Osaka andTV Tokyo, replacingOnegai My Melody Kirara★ in its timeslot. The anime focuses on the heroine Rinko Kōgyoku and her Jewelpet partner Ruby. A second series titledJewelpet Twinkle☆ (ジュエルペット てぃんくる☆,Juerupetto Tinkuru☆) premiered later onTV Tokyo from April 3, 2010, to March 26, 2011, with 52 Episodes. The second series premiered later in Spain as part of theBoing programming block. A third series titledJewelpet Sunshine (ジュエルペット サンシャイン,Juerupetto Sanshain) premiered on April 9, 2011.[224] A fourth series titledJewelpet Kira☆Deco—! (ジュエルペット きら☆デコッ！,Juerupetto Kira☆deko—!) aired on April 7, 2012.[225]
A full-length feature film titledJewelpet the Movie: Sweets Dance Princess (映画ジュエルペット スウィーツダンスプリンセス,Eiga Juerupetto: Suuītsu Dansu Purinsesu) which was directed byHiroaki Sakurai (Director ofDaa! Daa! Daa! andCromartie High School) and distributed byToho, was released on August 11, 2012, in Japanese cinemas.
A second Jewelpet feature film titledJewelpet Attack Travel! (ジュエルペット あたっくとらべる!,,Juerupetto Atakku Toraberu!) was announced in 2019[226] and originally scheduled for a February 2020 release in Japan, but did not get released until 2022 onNicoNico.[227]
Yoshikitty is character based on Japanese musicianYoshiki created in 2009 by Yuko Yamaguchi. The brand specializes in rock-themed and high fashion goods, and was voted more popular than Hello Kitty in the 2018 Sanrio Character Ranking.[228] In 2019, a limited-edition 18k gold Yoshikitty figurine was released in collaboration with precious metal company Ginza Tanaka, with an estimated retail cost of US$10,000.[229]
Wish Me Mell (ウイッシュミーメル,Uisshu mī meru) is a character series which was released in 2010.[230][231][232] Designed byMiyuki Okumura who also designedCinnamoroll.[233] Wish Me Mell, the main heroine of the series, is meant to be a character that expresses the feelings every one has, simply stating "Thank you", "I am sorry" or "I like you!", connecting hearts in the process. The series is targeted towards females aged 15–20, who are too shy to express their feelings towards others.[citation needed]
Wish Me Mell is portrayed as living with her friends in the fictional magical world of Merci Hills (メルシーヒルズ,Merushī hiruzu) where everyone is living happily while their feelings are connected towards each other and words like "thank you" can bring warmth to everyone's hearts. Wish Me Mell and her friends are depicted as being guided by the Rainbow Fairy, Ciel, who gives them missions and advice.
Go-chan (ja:ゴーちゃん。,Gō-chan.) full official name GoExPanda (ゴーエクスパンダ). He is the mascot ofTV Asahi and debuted in 2011. Per official profiles his birthday is May 5.[234][235] Designed byYuko Yamaguchi who is also the designer in charge of newHello Kitty designs. Twoanime films with Go-chan have been released.[236][237]
Ichigoman (イチゴマン,Ichigoman) is a superhero alter ego ofHello Kitty.[238] The name "Ichigoman" translates to "Strawberry man", and the character is depicted with strawberry ears and a red superhero suit. According to Sanrio's backstory, Hello Kitty finds a smartphone shaped like a strawberry, and when she holds it up and shouts "Power the Kitty" she turns into Ichigoman to fight evil. Darkgrapeman and Honeymomo, who are both skilled inmartial arts, join Ichigoman in the fight.[238][239]
Designed byYuko Yamaguchi, lead designer for most of Hello Kitty's history, the character first appeared in 2011 in an exhibition with Yamaguchi's art.[240][24] Yamaguchi said she hoped Ichigoman would reach a male demographic.[241] An anime short featuring the character was released in 2012.[240] A web manga calledPower the Kitty Ichigoman (パワーザキティ イチゴマン) began in Japan in 2016. The manga is written byToshiki Inoue and illustrated by Shakua Sinkai. It depicts Ichigoman dealing with an alien invasion and piloting a giant robot.[24][242] Fourtankōbon volumes of the manga have been published byShueisha, with a fifth volume released digitally.[243][244][245][246]
Bonbonribbon (ja:ぼんぼんりぼん,Bonbon ribon) is a pink rabbit character who is drawn wearing several ribbon bows. Designed by Kazue Yamada (山田和恵) who also designedMasyumaro.[247] According to official profiles Bonbonribbon's birthday is August 8 and she is a fashionable girl who likes to sing and dance, and wants to become an accessory designer. Her mother is portrayed as a fashion designer who designed the ribbon on Bonbonribbon's head.[248][249][250] A video game calledBonbon Ribbon: Tokimeki Coord Kirakira Dance was released in 2015 for theNintendo 3DS.[251][252]
.jpg)
Gudetama (ぐでたま,Gudetama) is a Sanrio character who debuted in 2013. The character is an anthropomorphized eggyolk whose main trait is laziness.[253] Designed by a Sanrio designer who goes by the name Amy, real name Emi Nagashima (永嶋 瑛美).[253][254] The name Gudetama is derived from the Japanese words for lazy (ぐでぐで,gudegude) and egg (たまご,tamago).[255][256] Gudetama is often depicted reclining on an egg white or as an ingredient in a Japanese dish. The character debuted following a contest run by Sanrio to introduce new characters based on Japanese food, in which Gudetama came second toKirimichan.[257][258] There have been a number of Gudetama themed pop-up cafes serving egg-related dishes in Japan.[259] Gudetama merchandise is also available, ranging from stationery to confectionery to toys.
There are two Japanese video games with Gudetama on theNintendo 3DS, released in 2015 and 2016, and a Gudetama-themedTamagotchi from 2017.[260] Themobile gameGudetama Tap! was released in 2019 and is a casual collecting game.[261] A series of animated Gudetama shorts were aired daily on the Japanese channelTBS between 2014 and 2020.[257][262] Each episode of the series is only about one minute long, and as of 2019 there were over 1200 episodes.[257][263] In December 2022, a live-action/CGI hybrid series calledGudetama: An Eggcellent Adventure was released toNetflix worldwide with a total of 10 episodes. The series involves Gudetama and the chick character Shakipiyo searching across Japan for their mother.[264] As of 2019, Gudetama was Sanrio's third most profitable character, behindHello Kitty andMy Melody.[51]
Kirimichan (ja:KIRIMIちゃん.,Kirimichan) is ananthropomorphized slice ofsalmon fillet.[265][266] Depicted as a happy character who wants to be eaten, Sanrio's profiles say that Kirimichan is "a star in the sliced food world" and instead of a birthday, that the character "was first filleted on August 31st".[265] According to official profiles, Kirimichan's closest friend is Kamaboko-chan, a slice ofkamaboko (a type of fish cake.) The character is portrayed surrounded by many sliced food friends like Saba-kun (amackerel fillet) and Tai-kun (asea bream fillet.)[267][265][268][269]
Kirimichan was designed by Ai Setani (瀬谷愛) who also designedRilu Rilu Fairilu.[270][271] Setani wanted to make something different from the usual Sanrio cuteness, and the character was inspired by a salmon her daughter liked when she was three.[272] Kirimichan was originally created in 2013 as part of a in-house competition at Sanrio to create food based characters, and was then selected as the winner in an online poll.[273] The egg yolk characterGudetama placed second in the same poll.[257]
The first items with Kirimichan were released in 2014.[274]In addition to typical merchandise like bags and stationery, actual salmon fillets and salmon flavored candy branded with Kirimichan on the packaging have also been sold.[272][275] A theme song and a music CD with the character, performed by voice actor Tsubasa Yonaga (ja:代永翼), were released in 2014.[267][276] In 2015 the JapaneseMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries appointed Kirimichan as "Ambassador of Let's Eat Fish" in an effort to encourage people to eat more fish.[277][278]
Plasmagica (プラズマジカ,Purazumajika) is an all-girl fictional band who debuted in Sanrio'siOS gameShow by Rock, which is geared towards young boys.[279] The band is formed by strange corporation president in order to grow to become the best rock band. In the game, they all battle all the bands of Midi City to become the best in the world and aim to be music millionaires.[280] Plasmagica is composed of 4 Mumon girls, the cat girl Cyan (シアン,Shian) (Guitar and Vocals, voiced byEri Inagawa), the rabbit girl ChuChu (チュチュ,Chuchu) (Guitar and Vocals, voiced bySumire Uesaka), the dog girl Retoree (レトリー,Retorī) (Bass and Vocals, voiced byEri Kitamura) and the sheep girl Moa (モア,Moa) (Drums and Vocals, voiced byAyane Sakura).
Hummingmint (ja:ハミングミント,Haminguminto) is a femalefawn character who, according to her backstory, lives in a forest inScandinavia, and was born March 10.[281][282] The Hummingmint designs were inspired byScandinavian textile design and marketed to mothers with young daughters.[282] In 2015 Sanrio posted an 8 episode digital picture book with stories of Hummingmint in the Forest of Discovery (はっけんのもり,hakken no mori).[282] In 2017 a picture book calledHummingmint Oki ni Iri no Bōshi (ハミングミント おきにいりのぼうし) was published.[283][284]
Aggressive Retsuko (アグレッシブ烈子, shortened toAggretsuko in English) is a femalered panda character. She is portrayed as an administrative assistant in a Japanese business, relieving the stress of an oppressive and frustrating working life by drinking and singing angrydeath metal in a karaoke bar.[285][286] She was designed by a Sanrio designer working under the name Yeti.[287][288] A short TV anime series was created in 2016, which explores her daily life in the workplace with her co-workers. This series was later expanded with a 15-minutes per episodeNetflix series which streamed worldwide for five Seasons between 2018 and 2023, with a Christmas Special released December 2018.[289]
Cogimyun (ja:こぎみゅん) is a Cogimuna (コギムーナ)wheat flour fairy character who is white and fluffy and floats in the air.[290] She is portrayed as a character who is sensitive and easily falls apart into a small heap of flour.[291] Who, despite being made of wheat, wants to be anonigiri rice ball because that is her grandfather's favorite food.[291][292] She lives in a world of everyday realism and deals with ordinary hardships like money troubles.[293] She has a petfried shrimp known as Ebifurai (エビフライ) or Ebi-chan (エビちゃん).[291][294] Per official profiles her birthday is on May 7 (Powder Day).[290]
In 2017 a series of Cogimyun anime shorts began streaming onAbemaTV. It follows Cogimyun as she starts taking care of the Cogimucorpo apartment building after her grandfather goes travelling.[295] The series features many different flour based food characters, likeGyoza-kun (ぎょうざくん) theTakoyaki Sisters (たこやきシスターズ) andUdon-san (うどんさん.)[294] The voice of Cogimyun is provided by the voice actor Hanayu (ja:花柚).[296] The modelRyuchell made their voice acting debut as ChocoCornet (チョココロネェ) one of the residents in the apartment building. The series theme song is performed bySonoko Inoue.[295]
In 2019 live streaming appearances with Cogimyun began onLine Live.[292] The same year a manga series featuring Cogimyun began publishing inNe~Ne~ (ja:ね〜ね〜) magazine.[297] Also in 2019 theSanrio Boys franchise added a new character called Yasuhiro Koga who is a fan of Cogimyun.[298] In 2021 a new character was introduced called Cogimyon (こぎみょん.) He is depicted as Cogimyun's little brother, who came to life when her tears fell on a ball ofwheat clay.[299][300][301][294] Cogimyun has gone up in the Sanrio character rankings since first placing 28 in 2018, and as of 2022 she ranked number 9.[302][303][304][305]
Little Forest Fellow (ja:リトルフォレストフェロォ,Ritoruforesutofero~o) nicknamed Melo (めろぉ, Mero~o) is a rabbit character that is a spinoff fromMy Melody. He is portrayed as a distant relative of My Melody, and the red hood he wears was a gift from her.[306][307]My Melody is also a rabbit character, and one of the Sanrio character editors mentioned that they could be brother and sister but the manager disagreed with the opinion of the editor.[citation needed]
In April 2017, Melo began hosting a radio show called "めろぉのフレンズソング" on the internet radio network TS ONE.[308] The radio show plays soothing music while various Sanrio characters make occasional appearances.
TheSanrio Boys (サンリオ男子,Sanrio Danshi) is a group of high school-aged boys who met due to their love of Sanrio's mascots.[309] The fictional story depicts the group as beginning with the unassuming Kōta Hasegawa (長谷川康太), who loves the character Pompompurin, coincidentally running into the My Melody-loving Yū Mizuno (水野 祐) and bonding over it. Together with Hello Kitty fan Shunsuke Yoshino (吉野俊介), Cinnamoroll fan Seiichiro Minamoto (源誠一郎), and the Little Twin Stars fan Ryō Nishimiya (西宮諒), they become friends and learn to not be embarrassed about their love of cute things.[310]
The Sanrio Danshi group is marketed towards girls and has a character Twitter account showing depictions of their daily lives, which according to Sanrio reached 100 000 followers within two months.[311][312] There are also two manga adaptations by Mai Andou, one inSho-Comi,[313] the other on theMangaOne app.[314][312] The group received an anime adaptation in January 2018.
Rilu Rilu Fairilu (リルリルフェアリル) focuses on Fairilu, young fairy characters. It is the second joint multimedia project between Sanrio andSega Toys, afterJewelpet in 2008, and followed byBeatcats in 2020.[315] A Rilu Rilu Fairilu anime series began in 2016.[316] Designed by Ai Setani (瀬谷愛) who also designedKirimichan.[270][271]
The Fairilu are portrayed living in the fictional realm of Little Fairilu and learning about themselves and the world around them. According to the storyline, they are born with a special item called a Fairilu Key that unlocks a corresponding door, and finding this door helps a Fairilu to mature. Fairilus are depicted as multiple species, each themed after something in the mythical or natural world, such as insects, plants, or mermaids. The most common types are Flower Fairilus, of which the primary character Lip (リップ) is descended from.
Marumofubiyori (ja:まるもふびより) is a group of characters. Moppu is a white bear character who, according to official character profiles, got his name because he wears his blanket everywhere, trailing it behind him like a mop.[317][318] He is depicted with friends including Kanikama, a toy crab that is a reliable character, and Gyoniku, a toy fish that has a mysterious antenna.[317][319][320]
In 2017 Sanrio began streaming a series of Marumofubiyori anime shorts onYouTube.[321][322] A manga titledMarumofubiyori Shirokuma Moppu no Yurufuwa Diary (まるもふびより しろくまモップのゆるふわダイアリー) was published inCiao magazine between 2017 and 2019.[317][323] A full color collection of the manga was released in 2018.[324]
Mewkledreamy (ミュークルドリーミー,Myūkurudorīmī) is a group of characters. The main character Mew (みゅー) is a violet stuffed toy cat, depicted wearing a pink bow. According to Sanrio's backstory, Mew gained the ability to talk to humans one night when the moonlight fell on her, and she is able to have the same dream as humans when they sleep.[325][326] The characters were designed by Mayumi Yanagita (栁田真弓).[327][328][329] An anime series based on the characters, titledMewkledreamy premiered in 2020.[330] The anime was made byJ.C.Staff and was originally aired onTV Tokyo.[331] A second season, titledMewkledreamy Mix!, aired in 2021–2022.[332][331] A tie-in manga adaptation began serializing in two ofKodansha's magazines,Otomodachi andTanoshii Yōchien, in April 2020.[330]
Beatcats (ビートキャッツ,Bītokyattsu) are a group of cat characters, each of a different color, that are marketed as avirtual band. They were created as a joint venture betweenSanrio andSega Toys. The third collaborative effort afterJewelpet andRilu Rilu Fairilu, it is the first Sanrio franchise released as a musical group.[333][315]They made their debut in October 2020.[334] Their birthday is February 22.[335]
Hapidanbui (ja:はぴだんぶい) is anall-star type group of pre-existing Sanrio characters that were popular in the 80s and 90s.[336][337] The all male group consists ofPochacco,Tuxedo Sam,Keroppi,Bad Badtz-Maru,Hangyodon andPekkle.[336][90] The name Hapidanbui is short forhappī ni naritai danshitachi, bui ji kaifuku o nerau (ハッピーになりたい男子たち、V字回復をねらう)[336][91] which roughly translates to "boys who want to become happy aim for aV-shaped recovery". The Hapidanbui characters have gone up in the Sanrio Character Ranking since Sanrio created the group and began promoting them.[91]
In 2020 a manga series calledBokutachi Hapidanbui (ぼくたち はぴだんぶい) began in Sanrio'sStrawberry Newspaper (ja:いちご新聞). Afanbook which includes the manga was released in 2021.[90][338]
Bosanimal (ja:ぼさにまる) is a group of animal characters introduced in 2021.[339][340] The name is a combination of the word "animal" and the Japanese term "bosa bosa" which means both disheveled hair and idling time away.[341][342] The group includes many different animals like rabbits, birds, cats, dogs, and squirrels, living alongside humans.[339] Designed by the Sanrio designer Amy who also createdGudetama.[343][344] She got the idea for the series when she read about aguide dog working with a Sanrio employee.[340] The series has a theme of embracing diversity, working and living together despite differences, and accepting that people have days when they are a bit "bosa bosa" or dishevelled.[340]
A children's book calledBosanimaru Bosabosa Datte ī Janai! (ぼさにまる ぼさぼさだっていいじゃない！) was published in Japan in 2021.[340][345][346] A short anime series began onFuji TV in April 2023.[341][342] Characters in the anime include a rabbit named Sakura, voiced byMone Kamishiraishi, a cat named Cathy, voiced by Hikolohee (ja:ヒコロヒー), and a hamster named Ran, voiced byAtsumi Tanezaki.[342][347][348] The theme song of the series is performed by the pop bandChai.[347]
JOChum (ジェオチャム,Jeiōchamu) is a collective name of characters developed by Sanrio and the Japanese boy bandJO1.[349] The project was announced in June 2022 with each stage of development was shared through the group's official YouTube channel.[350][349] The eleven characters were created based on drafts sketched by the group's members as their alter ego.[350][349] The name JOChum is a combination of the group's name JO1 and the word "chum" which means a companion or a roommate. All characters are depicted as living in a three-story house, owned by Landlord (大家さん,Ōkasan), whose design looks like the CEO ofJO1's management company, Choi Shin-hwa.[349] JO1Chum was officially launched in November 2022.[351]
Akiko Shimasue, the designer of Minna No Tabo
the early 1990s were dominated by Pochacco
Hello Kitty's success has tended to overshadow Sanrio's more than 400 other characters. Cinnamoroll the dog and Chococat are a distant second and third.
シナモロールが1位を獲得しました！
Japan's fisheries ministry is hoping that appointing Kirimichan, a popular character in the shape of a salmon fillet, as a brand ambassador will shore up demand and lure younger customers to supermarket fish counters.
Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries already appointed Kirimi-chan. as the "Ambassador of Let's Eat Fish."
the tiny flour dough fairy Cogimyun. She's been rising in popularity since her creation in 2015