Pompompurin dethrones Hello Kitty again — and it's not even close
Pompompurin has won Sanrio's 2026 Character Ranking for the second year in a row and fifth time overall, beating Cinnamoroll, Pochacco and Hello Kitty in a record-breaking vote of 70.6 million worldwide. See the full top 10 results and what's coming next for Sanrio fans.
LIFE
6/30/20262 min read
For the second year running, a golden retriever who loves pudding is outranking the world's most famous cat — and it isn't even close.
Sanrio has revealed the results of its 2026 Character Ranking, and Pompompurin has claimed the top spot for the second consecutive year and fifth time overall. The win lands on the character's 30th anniversary, making the milestone that much sweeter for fans who have been voting in droves.
And droves is an understatement: this year's contest drew a record-breaking 70.6 million votes worldwide, held under the theme You All Try! We All Cheer! Smiling Ovation! — a rallying cry that clearly landed.
Pompompurin pulled ahead with more than seven million votes, followed by Cinnamoroll in second and Pochacco in third — giving dogs a clean sweep of the podium. Kuromi took fourth, while Hello Kitty rounded out the top five. Despite holding 15 overall titles and remaining Sanrio's most recognizable face, Hello Kitty has now gone seven consecutive years without reclaiming first place.
The final results were announced Sunday during Sanrio Fes 2026 in Yokohama, after voting closed in late May. Cinnamoroll actually held an early lead, but Pompompurin steadily gained momentum as votes poured in from around the world. Rounding out the top 10 were My Melody, Ahirunopekkle, Hangyodon, Little Twin Stars and Tuxedosam.
The rankings also told a few compelling side stories. Pekkle made a long-awaited return to the upper tier after decades outside the top ranks, and My Sweet Piano jumped five places to finish 13th. In the U.S., fans largely mirrored global tastes — Pompompurin and Cinnamoroll took the top two spots — but Chococat nudged into third ahead of Pochacco, a distinctly American twist on the leaderboard.
Globally, Pompompurin topped the charts in nine countries and regions, while Cinnamoroll remained the favorite in four, a reminder that the Sanrio universe means something different depending on where you are in the world.
What began as a reader poll in the pages of Ichigo Shimbun in 1986 has grown into a full-scale global fan event, complete with online voting, regional rankings, merchandise drops, livestreams and cross-country celebrations every spring. The Pompompurin-versus-Cinnamoroll rivalry has become one of its defining storylines, with passionate fan campaigns playing out across social media each year.
The celebration does not stop at the announcement. Starting in September, Sanrio will take the top 10 characters on a stage show tour across 12 venues in Japan — one more reason for fans to mark their calendars.
As for Pompompurin? The pudding-loving golden retriever's trophy shelf, it seems, still has plenty of room.
Images: Sanrio
