Sanrio's annual fan-voted rankings show Hello Kitty has not been number one since 2019, with Pompompurin and Cinnamoroll dominating. A dark-horse contender, Kuromi, is gaining popularity in North America, and Sanrio plans to develop her as the company's second most important character globally.
01Summary
- 01Hello Kitty last topped Sanrio's annual fan-voted Character Ranking in 2019.
- 02Pompompurin won first place in 2025 and 2026, while Cinnamoroll has won most other years since 2016.
- 03Kuromi, My Melody's rival, is rising in popularity, especially in North America.
- 04Sanrio's corporate report identified Kuromi as a character they aim to develop into the number two character behind Hello Kitty.
- 05Sanrio reported a full-year contribution profit of 22.967 billion yen (about $144m) in the Americas.
02Why it matters
This matters because Hello Kitty's slip in popularity and the rise of Kuromi signal a shift in Sanrio's character strategy, potentially affecting future merchandise, licensing, and marketing focus in North America.
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