Pompompurin Wins Back-to-Back Sanrio Character Ranking Titles in Record-Breaking 2026 Vote
Sanrio has officially announced the final results of the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking, with Pompompurin successfully defending the crown after another year of record-breaking fan participation.
The annual popularity event attracted an unprecedented 70,647,379 votes, representing a 12 percent increase over the previous year and marking the highest total in the competition’s history.
Although Cinnamoroll claimed the top position during the first preliminary results, Pompompurin surged ahead during the final voting period to secure first place with more than seven million votes during the character’s 30th anniversary year.
The victory marks Pompompurin’s second consecutive championship and the fifth overall title in the history of the Sanrio Character Ranking.
Cinnamoroll finished in second place, while Pochacco claimed third, meaning Sanrio’s three most popular dog characters occupied every position on the podium this year.
Rounding out the top five were Kuromi in fourth place and Hello Kitty in fifth, continuing the long-standing popularity of some of Sanrio’s most recognizable characters around the world.
Several other characters also enjoyed major improvements in the final rankings, with Ahiru no Pekkle climbing from tenth place last year to sixth after building on its first Top 10 appearance in more than three decades.
My Sweet Piano also recorded one of the competition’s biggest gains, rising from eighteenth place last year to thirteenth, making it the largest jump among the Top 20 characters.
Following the announcement, Pompompurin thanked supporters for helping secure another victory and expressed appreciation to fans around the world for their continued encouragement.
Cinnamoroll also shared gratitude for the overwhelming support received throughout the competition, while Pochacco thanked fans and promised to continue building happy memories together.
Special awards were also presented during this year’s event to recognize standout achievements beyond the overall rankings.
The 41st Anniversary Special Award, created to commemorate the event’s forty-first edition, was presented to Osaru no Monkichi after finishing in 41st place.
The Jump Up Award went to Buddy Eddy after climbing an impressive 35 places compared with last year’s results.
Meanwhile, the Friendship Cheer Award recognised the three characters most frequently supported together in fan voting, with Hapidanbui members Pochacco, Ahiru no Pekkle and Tuxedosam receiving the honour.
International voting also demonstrated strong global support, with Pompompurin finishing first across nine countries and regions, while Cinnamoroll topped the rankings in four countries and regions.
The Partner Division, which featured 40 collaborations between Sanrio characters and companies or local governments, was won by Sirotan × Sanrio Characters, based on the fluffy harp seal-inspired mascot Sirotan.
This year’s newly introduced Happilina Friends Division included three separate awards celebrating different aspects of character appeal.
Chokochilla, a chinchilla girl character, dominated the new division by winning first place in all three categories: “Want to Be Together,” “Want to Collect More,” and “Want to See Stories About,” after also leading the interim results earlier in the competition.
Sanrio has also confirmed that a nationwide “Thank You Support Stage Show” tour will begin in September 2026, featuring appearances by the ten highest-ranked characters from this year’s competition.
The stage events will visit 12 venues across Japan and will include dance performances and photo opportunities as a way of thanking fans for their continued support throughout the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking.
Further information about the nationwide tour is scheduled to be released from August 2026 onwards.
The complete rankings, covering all 90 participating characters, are now available through the official Sanrio Character Ranking website alongside the Top 10 rankings from individual overseas countries and regions, the Partner Division results, and the newly introduced Happilina Friends Division awards.
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