Sanrio’s New Hello Kitty Characters Are About to Topple Kuromi’s Reign (Here's Why)

For the past few years, Kuromi has ruled Sanrio’s modern era with her mischievous edge, pastel goth appeal, and meme-ready attitude. But 2026 is shaping up to be a turning point. Sanrio is introducing a wave of Hello Kitty’s friends to U.S. audiences, and their sheer variety could seriously disrupt Kuromi’s dominance.

This isn’t just a nostalgia play or a background expansion. These characters bring distinct aesthetics, personalities, and storytelling hooks designed for today’s fans. From soft comfort mascots to bold fashion-forward standouts, Sanrio’s latest rollout, via PEOPLE, feels strategically built to offer multiple “next favorites” rather than a single heir apparent.

A Lineup Designed to Capture Every Kind of Sanrio Fan

What makes this new group dangerous to Kuromi’s reign is its range. Characters like Cogimyun and My Sweet Piano lean into ultra-soft, calming energy, appealing to fans who crave gentle, emotionally soothing designs. Their pastel tones and cozy personalities feel tailor-made for comfort content, plush collectibles, and slow-life aesthetics dominating social media.

On the opposite end, characters such as Usahana, lovelymocha, and Spottie Dottie bring high-energy visuals and strong individuality. These designs feel louder, more expressive, and instantly recognizable, making them ideal for fashion collaborations and digital avatars. Instead of competing with Kuromi directly, they widen the emotional spectrum Sanrio offers.

Then there are the wild cards. Lloromannic’s devilish duo, Kirimichan’s surreal food-based identity, and Hanamaruobake’s ghostly charm tap into internet humor and offbeat appeal. These characters thrive on quirkiness, the same space that helped Kuromi explode in popularity, but now with multiple contenders sharing that lane.

Why 2026 Could Reshape Sanrio’s Popularity Rankings

Sanrio’s real power move is integration. These characters aren’t launching in isolation, they’re already appearing in games, animated series, and social media campaigns. By the time 2026 fully unfolds, fans won’t be “meeting” these characters; they’ll already feel familiar, emotionally coded, and primed for merch obsession.

Kuromi rose because she felt different from traditional cute mascots. This new generation follows that same philosophy, but multiplies it. Each character offers a distinct identity fans can project onto, making it harder for one figure to monopolize attention the way Kuromi has.

Rather than dethroning Kuromi outright, Sanrio may be doing something smarter by ending the era of a single breakout favorite. With so many strong personalities arriving at once, 2026 could mark the beginning of Hello Kitty and Sanrio’s most competitive, and creatively diverse, character age yet.