The results of the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking poll are in, and Pompompurin has taken the coveted top spot for the second year in a row. The preliminary rankings from early April showed Cinnamoroll in the top spot, but everyone’s favorite Golden Retriever managed to sprint to #1 over the past two months. The 2026 iteration of the popularity contest marked its 41st year, and voters had 90 adorable faces to choose from this time around, with familiar characters like Hello Kitty, My Melody, and Pochacco also appearing in the top 10.
Curiously founded in Tokyo as a silk company in 1960, Sanrio slowly transformed into a global beacon of all things kawaii, with founder Shintaro Tsuji quickly learning that he could sell more merchandise by including cute character designs on his products. While many believe that Hello Kitty was the first character to hit the scene, this wasn’t the case, as Coro Chan was the first Sanrio character, introduced in 1973. As of 2026, the company has created over 450 characters, though the vast majority of these adorable faces aren’t well known outside of Japan. However, when looking at this year’s US results, it seems this may be changing, as a few new characters are getting more attention.
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Pompompurin Takes the Top Spot in the Sanrio Character Ranking 2026 Competition
The results of the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking poll were officially revealed during Sanrio Fes 2026 in Yokohama, Japan, on June 28. Over 70 million votes were cast, and the top three overall winners are Pompompurin, Cinnamoroll, and Pochacco. This differs slightly when looking at the US vote, which saw Chococat take third place. United States Sanrio fans also boosted U*SA*HA*NA to 4th place, while the overall ranking placed the colorful rabbit in the 17th spot. SWEETCORON, Pannapitta, and Sportingbears founded out the final three spots.
Kuromi and My Melody also appeared in the top 10, with the duo’s popularity likely being bolstered by the recently released My Melody & Kuromi Netflix series. Pochacco and Kerokerokeroppi appearing close to the top isn’t surprising, though Hangyodon and Tuxedosam earning so many points is somewhat unexpected, with the former boasting one of the more polarizing designs in the Sanrio universe. Regardless, this year marks the 30th anniversary of Pompompurin, which may explain how the character managed to snag the Grand Prize.
Love for Sanrio remains at an all-time high, and its many adorable characters recently jumped into the world of video games in a big way. In 2023, Hello Kitty Island Adventure was released on mobile devices, but it was its 2025 jump to Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation 5 that saw the life simulation title surge in popularity. The game, reminiscent of the Animal Crossing franchise, invites players to join forces with their favorite Sanrio personalities as they solve puzzles, take on quests, and build the island of their dreams. Additionally, Switch and Switch 2 players have even more to look forward to, as Hello Kitty Party Land is scheduled to release on October 29, 2026.
Guess the anime from the emojis.
Guess the anime from the emojis.
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The beloved company and its characters are also known to pop up in unexpected places. In early June, Honda and Sanrio announced the SMILE RIDER PROJECT, which aims to promote motorsports, motorcycles, and traffic safety. Headlining the collaboration is the 47th Coca-Cola Suzuka Eight Hours Endurance Road Race, which will be held at Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan, on July 5, 2026.
Source: Sanrio
