Latest news with #Pompompurin
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Discreet charm of Sanrio's Hello Kitty unleashes the power of cute
The Don Don Donki store in Causeway Bay is buzzing as always, and the Kuromi shelf is already picked clean. Joyce C stares at the empty space and sighs. Around her, shoppers scoop up other Sanrio items: Hello Kitty erasers, My Melody hair clips, Cinnamoroll stickers. Advertisement 'Whenever I go to Donki to buy Kuromi merch, it's always sold out,' she says, half-exasperated, half-amused. The 22-year-old has been steadily building her Kuromi collection since she started working, but her attachment to the mischievous bunny in a black jester hat goes back to her childhood. As someone who grew up in early noughties Hong Kong, I understand the appeal. It was near impossible to ignore the many mascots stamped onto stationery and lunchboxes. As an adult, I still plaster Kuromi and Cinnamoroll stickers on everything I own. I'm far from alone. At Sanrio Fes 2025, in Yokohama, Japan, the company announced this year's Character Ranking, where Pompompurin claimed first place. Photo: Sanrio Before Labubu, Sonny Angel and Crybaby ignited the collectible figurine frenzy, there was Sanrio, a Japanese company whose mascots brought kawaii culture into the global mainstream. For many, Hello Kitty was the first character they collected or passed on to the next generation. In June, at Sanrio Fes, in Yokohama, Japan, the company announced this year's Character Ranking that drew a record 63 million ballots, with Pompompurin edging out Cinnamoroll, and Pochacco, Kuromi and Hello Kitty rounding out the global top five. The ranking isn't only a leaderboard; it shows Sanrio fandom is still strong even as competitors such as Pop Mart churn out blind boxes at speed. Joyce first saw Kuromi on television in kindergarten. 'You feel an affinity for one character and it just sticks with you for a very long time,' she says. She felt drawn to Kuromi for its edgy, punk feel – at least, as edgy as Sanrio gets. 'It's a dark aesthetic and I used to be into that. I thought that was cool.' Kuromi is the playful foil to the sweet and innocent My Melody. Photo: Jocelyn Tam On her debut in 2005, Kuromi was positioned as the playful foil to the sweet and innocent My Melody, who has evolved to symbolise an alternative, online subculture.
Time Out
02-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time Out
Sanrio has announced its 2025 character ranking results
Sanrio announced on Sunday June 29 the results of its 2025 character ranking, which racked up over 63 million votes worldwide. Compared with 2024's results, this year saw Pompompurin leap from fourth place to snatch the crown with just over 5.6 million votes. Previous champion Cinnamoroll dropped to second place with 5.4 million votes, and Pochacco also saw a dip in popularity, slipping from second to third place to earn 3.9 million votes. But what about the iconic Hello Kitty? With 3.3 million votes, she hasn't budged from last year's position of fifth place, and actually hasn't even managed to crack the Top 3 since taking the crown in 2019. (The lack of votes hasn't stopped Kitty from getting her own airport though, so we reckon she's doing just fine.) This year's Top Ten characters are: 1. Pompompurin 2. Cinnamoroll 3. Pochacco 4. Kuromi 5. Hello Kitty 6. My Melody 7. Little Twin Stars 8. Hangyodon 9. Tuxedosam 10. Ahirunopekkle See the full ranking of all 90 characters here. 3 Tokyo restaurants named in the World's 50 Best Restaurants 2025 list
Yahoo
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The cutest dethroning ever: Sanrio's Pompompurin mascot beats Cinnamoroll to No.1 spot after nine years
TOKYO, June 29 — Sanrio's annual character ranking has fans vote for their favourite cute mascot and this year, a winner has broken a very popular character's long streak. Adorable white puppy Cinnamoroll had topped the Sanrio Character Ranking seven times in the last eight years but this year had to settle for second place as fans all over the world voted for the beloved Pompompurin. Sanrio describes the pup thus: 'This boy golden retriever is unmistakable in his trademark brown beret. He has a laidback demeanour and loves the phrase 'let's go out!' He loves milk, anything soft, and his mama's cream caramel puddings. He has a talent for napping and doing 'purin aerobics', and can make friends with anyone. His dream is to get even bigger.' Interestingly the top three mascots this year are all dogs with third place taken by the puppy Pochacco. Pompompurin last topped the ranking in 2016 but of all Sanrio's multiple mascots, its most well-known mascot Hello Kitty has topped the ranking the most at fifteen times. Here's the list of the mascots making the Top 10 this year: Pompompurin Cinnamoroll Pochacco Kuromi Hello Kitty My Melody Little Twin Stars Hangyodon Tuxedo Sam Pekkle
Malay Mail
29-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Malay Mail
The cutest dethroning ever: Sanrio's Pompompurin mascot beats Cinnamoroll to No.1 spot after nine years
TOKYO, June 29 — Sanrio's annual character ranking has fans vote for their favourite cute mascot and this year, a winner has broken a very popular character's long streak. Adorable white puppy Cinnamoroll had topped the Sanrio Character Ranking seven times in the last eight years but this year had to settle for second place as fans all over the world voted for the beloved Pompompurin. Sanrio describes the pup thus: 'This boy golden retriever is unmistakable in his trademark brown beret. He has a laidback demeanour and loves the phrase 'let's go out!' He loves milk, anything soft, and his mama's cream caramel puddings. He has a talent for napping and doing 'purin aerobics', and can make friends with anyone. His dream is to get even bigger.' Interestingly the top three mascots this year are all dogs with third place taken by the puppy Pochacco. Pompompurin last topped the ranking in 2016 but of all Sanrio's multiple mascots, its most well-known mascot Hello Kitty has topped the ranking the most at fifteen times. Here's the list of the mascots making the Top 10 this year: Pompompurin Cinnamoroll Pochacco Kuromi Hello Kitty My Melody Little Twin Stars Hangyodon Tuxedo Sam Pekkle
South China Morning Post
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- South China Morning Post
Cinnamoroll vs Pompompurin: who's winning the 2025 Sanrio Character Ranking?
Last month's papal conclave may have drawn global attention, but elsewhere, another vote stirred near-religious fervour: Sanrio 's annual popularity contest. Millions of fans cast ballots not for a pope, but for the crown of cutest Sanrio pup. On one side, the reigning champ for five straight years: Cinnamoroll. On the other: Pompompurin. Online, the passion can verge on the unhinged. 'I swear to f***ing God if you troglodytes let that greedy f***ing capitalist Dog win for the seventh year in a row I am going to commit an act of resistance that is so vile,' one user posted on X (formerly Twitter). Harsh words for an adorable pup born on a cloud, but that's the kind of fervour Sanrio characters inspire. Cinnamoroll has been reigning champ in Sanrio's annual popularity contest for five straight years. Illustration: @sanrio/Instagram From April 10 to May 25, fans cast ballots for their favourites among 90 Sanrio characters in the 40th Annual Sanrio Character Ranking . For the first time, votes could be cast in Sanrio stores or Hello Kitty Cafes – complete with an 'I voted' sticker – not just online. Fans could also head to Don Don Donki for a Hong Kong exclusive promotion, where they received a complimentary character ranking sticker and a character table flag when buying Sanrio products. The brand also held a special pop-up at Sha Tin's New Town Plaza from April 28 to March 27. Sanrio , the Japanese entertainment company behind cultural icons such as Hello Kitty , has more than 450 characters under its name and is perhaps the biggest exporter of Japan's beloved kawaii culture A white puppy with a quiet but friendly demeanour, Cinnamoroll was introduced in 2001 and for several years, fans mistook him for a bunny because of his long ears that double as wings. He's dominated recent contests, winning seven of the past eight years, with a consecutive first place streak between 2020 and 2024.
