Love adorable cartoons? Click here to learn about the most popular Sanrio characters and why they’re beloved by children and adults alike.
Pulling in $6.5 billion in just one year, it’s inarguable that Sanrio is one of the biggest manufacturers of children’s toys in the world. And why wouldn’t it be? The huge amount of adorable characters are beloved all around the world.
Here, we’re going to talk about some of the most popular Sanrio characters that make this Japanese anime empire so great. Read on to learn what plushies and merch you need to buy to increase the cuteness in your children’s (or your own) life!
1. Hello Kitty
Of course, the single most popular Sanrio character is Hello Kitty. She’s an anthropomorphic little kitten who always wears her favorite red hair bow and (rather notably) doesn’t have a mouth.
Hello Kitty also has a twin sister called Mimi, who looks just like her but wears a yellow bow on the other side of her head. She’s also quite a popular Sanrio character and is often seen with Hello Kitty on merchandise. The two of them live in England and are in the third grade, which they attend with many other cute animals.
2. Gudetama
Gudetama is a relatively new Sanrio character whose popularity has been on the rise in recent years. His name is made up of the Japanese videophone gudegude (which basically means to be a layabout) and ‘tama’ (from the Japanese word tamago, meaning ‘egg.) This describes him pretty well- he’s an ever-sleeping, always tired egg yolk.
Gudetama merchandise is made in many different varieties that children and adults both love. You can purchase keychains, clothing, and even virtual pets similar to Tamagotchis that feature Gudetama.
3. Badtz-Maru
You know that spiky-haired penguin that loves to make funny faces? That’s Badtz-Maru, and he’s one mischievous boy!
His name comes from a mixture of ‘batzu’, the Japanese word for incorrect or mistake, and ‘maru’, which means circle and is the symbol of correctness in Japan. He’s perpetually stuck in first grade, but he does have dreams of growing up to become a boss of everything.
4. Kuromi
Kuromi, who you may know as the Sanrio rabbit, is a pink bunny character that comes from the My Melody children’s anime. While she’s technically the rival of the main character, Kuromi is by far the most iconic character from this series. She’s on products like pencil cases and school bags that kids love to show off.
If you love Kuromi or any of the other Sanrio characters on this list, you’ll want to visit Sanrio Puroland on your next trip to Tokyo. This fun and exciting amusement park is a great place for children and adults alike to exercise their creativity and access their adventurous side!
Beyond the Most Popular Sanrio Characters
While there are many popular children’s anime characters out there, nothing beats Sanrio when it comes to cuteness and iconic imagery.
Now that you know the most popular Sanrio characters (and have a pretty good idea of what to get your kids for their next gift), it’s time to look into some fun places you can go together when social distancing ends. Check out the ‘pit stops for kids’ tab on our home page to learn the places that you can go as a family on your way to Sanrio Puroland.
