Timon | 10 Aug 2025
Sanrio Characters: The most popular figures from the Hello Kitty universe
Whether as a sticker in your school notebook, a plush toy or a cosplay: Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty, Cinnamoroll and Kuromi have accompanied entire generations. But who are the biggest stars of this colourful universe? We asked the Elbenwald community – these six Sanrio characters are especially popular!
It all began with bath sandals: In August 1960, Japanese businessman Shintaro Tsuji founded the company Sanrio and sold products made of rubber and silk. Later, he started printing small flowers on bath shoes and realised: people loved it. In 1974, Japanese designer Yūko Shimizu created a small kawaii-style character for Sanrio. Her name: Hello Kitty. She’s no longer alone – over 450 other Sanrio characters have joined her. Six of them, in particular, have found a special place in the hearts of the Elbenwald community!
The results:
- Hello Kitty
- Kuromi
- Cinnamoroll
- Chococat
- Pompompurin
- My Melody
Hello Kitty
She started Sanrio’s success story and is by far the company’s most famous character: Hello Kitty, with her pink bow. Her official name is Kitty White, she was born on 1 November in the British capital, London, and has been a UNICEF Children’s Ambassador since 1983. Kitty is a friendly, kind-hearted girl (not a cat!), enjoys baking cookies and playing the piano. She became truly famous in the late 1990s when pop stars like Mariah Carey publicly declared their love for Hello Kitty.
Kuromi
Kuromi is My Melody’s rival and makes life difficult for the little rabbit girl. She wears a black jester’s hat with a pink skull on it and has a little devil’s tail – matching her personality! Of course, her birthday is on Halloween. Despite her dark side, Kuromi loves romantic short stories, keeps a diary and likes good-looking boys – especially chefs, as she loves to eat. When she’s in a good mood, Kuromi can be really nice, but unfortunately, that doesn’t happen very often.
Cinnamoroll
Sanrio character Cinnamoroll was born on a cloud on 6 March 2002. He got his name because his tail looks like a cinnamon roll. His blue eyes, rosy cheeks and long floppy ears are simply adorable – and Cinnamoroll can even fly! He lives at Café Cinnamon together with Chiffon, Mocha, Espresso, Cappuccino and Milk. In the past, Cinnamoroll was called Baby Cinnamon, which is why many fans still call him Cinnamon today.
Chococat
Many people can relate to her name: Chococat is a black cat with big, cute eyes and a chocolate-brown nose. With her four whiskers, she picks up information like an antenna and usually knows things first. Chococat lives in the Choco-Choco House with her friends – the dog Cookie-Bau, the hamster Nutz, the rabbit Jellybean and the Duckies. A fun fact: While Chococat is one of the most popular Sanrio characters in the USA, she’s more of a niche figure in Japan.
Pompompurin
If you spend time on social media, you’ll know what it means to have “golden retriever energy”. The little golden sweetheart Pompompurin was born on a sunny day – fitting for his cheerful nature. He enjoys doing fun things, meeting new friends and loves to eat – especially his mother’s caramel pudding. His trademark is his beret, which often gets blown away by the wind. It’s also said that he has quite the crush on the golden retriever girl Macaron…
My Melody
My Melody is a sweet little rabbit girl with a red or sometimes pink hood over her ears – totally iconic and appearing in the Netflix series “My Melody & Kuromi” since July 2025. She was born one January in Marylands Ward and lives on Marylands Hill, inhabited by rabbits, with her parents, grandparents, brother and second cousin. Her favourite pastry: almond pound cake – delicious! My Melody is about the size of a toadstool, shy and sometimes a little absent-minded. But she’s considered lovable, which is why she’s one of the most popular Sanrio characters.
