The midterm rankings for the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking were unveiled at a live event on May 12 at Ebisu Garden Place Center Square in Tokyo. Held as a hybrid event with both in-person attendance and an online stream, the occasion brought fans and characters together to share in the excitement of the results.
The midterm ranking was the final ranking announcement during the voting period, which runs until May 24. While midterm results had previously been shared through the official X account (@sanrio_ranking), this year saw the reveal moved to a live in-person format for the first time, reflecting the growing enthusiasm the event generates each year.
Under the 2026 theme "Cheering for Everyone Who's Trying Hard! Smiling Ovation!", fans holding uchiwa fans and pom-poms watched as the top 5 characters were announced one by one. Each character walked the red carpet, expressed gratitude to their supporters, and responded to the cheers as they made their way down the runway.
Pompompurin Climbs from 2nd to 1st Place
Rankings from 6th place and below were first announced on the official X account (@sanrio_ranking), building anticipation before the event revealed the top 5 in reverse order.
Pompompurin, who had placed 2nd in the initial speed ranking, rose to claim the top spot in the midterm results. Overcome with joy, Pompompurin ran around the venue, and the crowd erupted with cheers and pom-pom waves in celebration. Pompompurin said: "Everyone, thank you so, so much for all your cheers! I'm so happy. I'm sending my pompom cheers to all of you! Pompom~♪"
The character was joined on stage by Cinnamoroll (2nd place), Pochacco (3rd place), Kuromi (4th place), and Hello Kitty (5th place), who together called out to fans: "Let's keep giving it our all until the very end!"
2026 Sanrio Character Ranking Voting Site: https://ranking.sanrio.co.jp
Midterm Ranking Results: https://ranking.sanrio.co.jp/report_middleday/
Voting Period: April 9, 2026 (Thursday) 11:00 AM to May 24 (Sunday) 11:59 PM
Final Results Announcement: June 28 (Sunday) 1:00 PM
11 Characters Perform to Pompompurin's Hit Song
Following the midterm results reveal, a dance performance took place featuring 11 characters — including all top 5 finishers — performing to Pompompurin's hit song "Purin to Mafin no Pompom Beat☆." This year also marks Pompompurin's 30th debut anniversary, making the performance an extra special moment. The 11 characters were Pompompurin, Cinnamoroll, Pochacco, Kuromi, Hello Kitty, My Melody, Hangyodon, Hana Maru Obake, Usahana, Gudetama, and Bonbonribbon. Fans waved their pom-poms and uchiwa fans in sync with the performance, filling the venue with smiles.
Grand March Brings the Event to a Close
As the finale, the characters paraded through the venue in a grand march, waving to fans and responding to their cheers. The moment captured the spirit of the event's theme, with characters and fans cheering each other on in a warm, unified atmosphere ahead of the final voting stretch. The final results for the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking will be announced on June 28 at "Sanrio Fes 2026 in Minato Mirai," to be held at Pacifico Yokohama.
About the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking
The Sanrio Character Ranking, which originated in 1986 in the Sanrio in-house publication Monthly Ichigo Shimbun, is a popularity vote in which characters selected from over 450 Sanrio characters compete for rankings based on votes. This year, 90 characters are entered. The final results will be announced on Day 2 of "Sanrio Fes 2026 in Minato Mirai" at Pacifico Yokohama on June 28.
The 2026 theme is "Cheering for Everyone Who's Trying Hard! Smiling Ovation!" — a term coined from "standing ovation" to reflect the wish for Sanrio characters and fans to cheer each other on and smile together throughout the event.
Running alongside the main ranking is the "2026 Sanrio Character Ranking Partner Division," featuring 40 pairs of corporate or regional government characters teamed up with Sanrio characters. A new "Happily-na Friends Division" has also been introduced this year, featuring three awards: the "Want to Be With" Award, the "Want to Collect a Lot" Award, and the "Want to See the Story" Award.
Schedule
- Voting Period: April 9 (Thursday) 11:00 AM to May 24 (Sunday) 11:59 PM
- Initial Speed Ranking (1st–10th): April 14 (Tuesday) 1:00 PM
- "Sanrio+" Exclusive Announcement (1st–20th): April 24 (Friday) 12:00 PM
- Midterm Announcement (1st–20th): May 12 (Tuesday) 1:00 PM
※ Log in with your "Sanrio+" ID on the voting site to view all rankings (1st–90th) - Final Results Announcement (1st–90th): June 28 (Sunday) 1:00 PM
※ To be announced at "Sanrio Fes 2026 in Minato Mirai"
※ Announcement times are subject to change
Number of Participating Characters: 90
2026 Sanrio Character Ranking Voting Site: https://ranking.sanrio.co.jp
2025 Sanrio Character Ranking Results: https://www.sanrio.co.jp/special/characterranking/2025/result/
