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We love our friends at ARTBOX, and like us, they're dedicated to spreading cuteness far & wide! ARTBOX has the UK's biggest & best selection of cute character goods, including a comprehensive selection of Sanrio original merchandise featuring all your favourite Sanrio mascot characters. If you're not familiar with Sanrio, they're the company that makes Hello Kitty, Gudetama, PomPomPurin, Keroppi, My Melody, Cinnamoroll - and hundreds of other cute characters.
We work with ARTBOX often, and like many of you reading this, we were interested to see what these Sanrio experts would think of the recent Sanrio Character Grand Prix, a poll that the company puts out on an annual basis to determine who the public's favourite Sanrio character is. So the idea was born - Tofu Cute & ARTBOX would come together to vote on our favourite Sanrio characters, and here's the results... |
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The structure of our voting was simple: everyone would be able to choose a 'top three' characters, with points being assigned at different values for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place choices. There was also room for an 'honourable mention' which would be used to determine the outcome of ties, and also to award a character who, whilst not making it to the top of the list, deserved to be honored in some way.
I'm proud to let you know that the character that received the most honourable mentions by far in our voting was none other than the long forgotten Big Challenges - an enthusiastic looking alligator, allegedly created in 1978.
There's a lot of questions that the existence of Big Challenges raises. Firstly, and most importantly - what are these big challenges? Is the alligator the big challenge? Or is he just big and his name is just challenges? Or does he face big challenges? These are the sort of questions that I need a Sanrio spokesperson to address.
I like to think that Big Challenges is actually an encouraging friend - they're telling us to face the big challenges that we suffer in life with the same open grin that the alligator approaches them with. And that kind of positive attitude is why we respect Big Challenges, and why he made the top of our honourable mentions list.
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Before we announce Tofu Cute & ARTBOX's 9th favourite Sanrio character, let's first take time to address the characters that were voted for that didn't quite make the top 9 cut (Why Top 9? I don't know, it just felt right):
- Chococat
- Hello Kitty
- Cogimyun
- BonBonRibbon
- Pandapple
- Shinkansen
- Wanmi
- Den-Den
It's easy to see why some of these characters didn't make the list. When you read 'Pandapple' we don't exactly think of the Sanrio A-list. I personally tried very hard to get Wanmi higher on the list, but as the sole adjudicator of this voting process I also didn't want to push things too far.
In many ways, our 9th Place entry MaruMofuBiyori is the rising star of Sanrio's lesser known characters. They're a newcomer who has made a big impact on the scene, and charmed everyone with their charisma. They're a big polar bear covered in a cosy blanket, and they love to roll around. I think many of us can relate.
They're very cute, and there's a lot of cute stuff featuring them - you can even copy Moppu's signature look by getting your very own hooded towel with ears! |
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In joint eight place, we have two characters from completely different eras of Sanrio that have managed to capture our hearts. Firstly is Mewkledreamy, an adorable cat character that debuted in 2017 to immediate success. The other is My Melody, a character who first emerged in 1975 who has been a mainstay of their character lineup for decades.
I was honestly a bit shocked to find these two in eight place together, but considering some of the fantastic characters that were below 9th place (who could forget Shinkansen, everyone's favourite... train?) I think it's still a respectable position. Mewkledreamy represents Sanrio's ability to create a cute character in the modern age, whilst My Melody is hererepresenting for Sanrio's obvious staying power as a brand that has made and refined such characters throughout popular culture.
The appeal of both of these characters lies in a cute pastel vibe that can be seen throughout their official artwork and the character goods that feature them. They're often surrounded in pinks and purples, and there's lots of exciting things that feature both characters that you can get from ARTBOX - I personally enjoy this cup featuring Mewkledreamy, and this Memo Pad in Train Stationery Stand featuring My Melody, but both of these characters have a wealth of cute products associated with them. |
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Yes, because of the way our voting system worked, this list will be prone to having characters share a place on the list. I am sorry if this makes it more difficult if you're using this list as some sort of authority to settle important arguments on which Sanrio characters are better (please let us know if you are!).
Our 7th place picks are two characters who might be older than you think - they're also a lot less well-known than even some of the characters that placed lower on the list. I'm referring of course to the well-dressed penguin Tuxedo Sam and the cheeky-but charming Kuromi.
I like the general concept of Tuxedo 'Orville J.' Sam (Yes, Orville J. are his middle names) - his name is a play on the iconic 'tuxedo penguin' as well as his fancy sense of fashion. Supposedly, he lives in London (despite being born in Antarctica) and loves to eat. What a wholesome boy. My favourite piece of Tuxedo Sam merch at ARTBOX is this stylish bag.
Kuromi has also got a fairly easy to understand appeal, representing My Melody's counterpart/nemesis. The cute pastel vibe of My Melody is still there, but with a slightly gothic undertone accentuated by blacks, purples and neons. Kuromi's appeal is a character that's slightly devious and cool. They even have a cool little gang comprised of other tough looking animals, with matching black outfits.
Tuxedo Sam's pretty cool as well, and not just because they prefer cold environments - so I think they make a good duo at number 7. |
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Compared to some of the other entries on this list, Hangyodon is a bit more reclusive. There's a lot less known about him, but there's definitely something charming in his bizarre look. To quote the small amount of lore I could find on Hangyodon:
'His main hobby is comedy. He is very lonely and his plans of heroism often go awry.'
Poor old Hangyodon. He just wants to make people happy. Hopefully being in 6th place will put some sort of smile on his face. |
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Keroppi - the notoriously cheerful frog of the Sanrio world. Breaking their way into the top five, I think Keroppi is so popular because they're cute in a way that everyone can understand. Keroppi is simple but effective. I think even people who don't care about Sanrio characters at all would agree that they're a pretty cute frog.
My favourite thing about Keroppi is their name, which is just a pun on the Japanese onomatopoeia 'kero' which might be considered similiar to 'ribbit' (Keroppi's family is also similarly named - Kerropa, Kerroba, Kerroma, Koroppi). My second favourite thing about Keroppi is that their simple design gives them versatility to appear in a variety of themes and on different styles of merchandise. This is shown best of all in ARTBOX's great collection of Keroppi stuff - a personal favourite item of mine is the Keroppi Fast Food series, particular these sticky notes, which are very cute! |
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Gudetama is the egg that took the world by storm. Not long after they first launched in 2013, the conquest began, quickly becoming one of Sanrio's most popular mascot characters within a short period of time. There's just something about the combination of very relate-able apathy and a cute, lazy egg character that makes Gudetama hard to resist.
After 6 years in the limelight, Gudetama's star has only risen further as one of the select few Sanrio characters to have truly broken into mainstream success in the west. According to his placing on this list, it seems like they're a favourite amongst Tofu Cute & ARTBOX staff, too. It's easy to see why - I think there's a little bit of Gudetama in all of us.
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In a shocking turn of events, our third place pick is Cinnamoroll, the adorable white pup (who I thought was a bunny of some sort until like a year ago). Cinnamoroll is hugely popular at Tofu Cute and ARTBOX, and so it's no wonder that they've made it so high on this list.
Cinnamoroll's popularity and placement on our list could be put down to a variety of things - perhaps it's their use of white & blue patterns, which look very elegant? Perhaps its their enthusiasm, which is evident in almost all official artwork? Perhaps it's something to do with their name, which is intended to sound like 'cinnamon roll' - a popular dessert and term of endearment.
Whatever the reasons may be, I can't really fault its position on this list. Cinnamoroll is very adorable, and they deserve all their success! |
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The second place runner up in the Tofu Cute x ARTBOX Sanrio Awards for 2019 is...
Little Twin Stars!
I certainly wasn't expecting this result, but what can I say - the Little Twin Stars are very popular with our staff. They've made a powerful enough impression to still be a force to contend with in the Sanrio world since their creation in 1975, regularly appearing on a range of merchandise with their own unique cosmic style that isn't matched by other Sanrio creations. They've created an identity that definitely earns them this 2nd place position - congratulations Kiki & Lala!
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And the winner is...
PomPomPurin!
Yes, PomPomPurin, the eclectic & cheerful golden retriever who looks a bit like a pudding is the most popular Sanrio character, as voted on by Tofu Cute & ARTBOX staff. If you've read my section of the about us page you'll probably know that makes me happy, as PomPomPurin is my favourite kawaii character overall. Seeing as I organised this whole vote, you may accuse me of stacking the deck in Purin's favour, but I can assure you - I didn't need to - PomPomPurin is just that popular that he naturally made his way to the top spot.
He also placed highly on the official Sanrio character grand prix that inspired this list, but there some clear differences in what made the higher placements in our own list. With Hello Kitty out of the top 10, Purin sailed straight to the top. As I say once again, it's easy to see why: Purin is full of charm, cuteness and ocassionally, wisdom: I'll never forget his important mantra that 'dogs just want to have fun!'
Congratulations PomPomPurin - you've won the hearts of two cute shops, and perhaps more broadly speaking - you've made the world a better place.
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So, what did you think of our list?
I'm sure you have your own opinions on which Sanrio characters are the best and the worst, so why not share your thoughts on our social media? You can find us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. If you love any of the characters on this list and want to find some super cute stuff with them on, you can head over to ARTBOX.co.uk to explore the UK's best range of Sanrio goodies, or head to their shop in Covent Garden!
Next time we do one of these votes, we'll be looking at not just Sanrio characters, but ALL kawaii characters - we'll even be giving you a chance to vote, too! Look forward to that blog post in the near future. Don't forget to REACT to this one using the buttons below to get some free Tomodachi points! |
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|
We love our friends at ARTBOX, and like us, they're dedicated to spreading cuteness far & wide! ARTBOX has the UK's biggest & best selection of cute character goods, including a comprehensive selection of Sanrio original merchandise featuring all your favourite Sanrio mascot characters. If you're not familiar with Sanrio, they're the company that makes Hello Kitty, Gudetama, PomPomPurin, Keroppi, My Melody, Cinnamoroll - and hundreds of other cute characters.
We work with ARTBOX often, and like many of you reading this, we were interested to see what these Sanrio experts would think of the recent Sanrio Character Grand Prix, a poll that the company puts out on an annual basis to determine who the public's favourite Sanrio character is. So the idea was born - Tofu Cute & ARTBOX would come together to vote on our favourite Sanrio characters, and here's the results... |
|
|
The structure of our voting was simple: everyone would be able to choose a 'top three' characters, with points being assigned at different values for the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place choices. There was also room for an 'honourable mention' which would be used to determine the outcome of ties, and also to award a character who, whilst not making it to the top of the list, deserved to be honored in some way.
I'm proud to let you know that the character that received the most honourable mentions by far in our voting was none other than the long forgotten Big Challenges - an enthusiastic looking alligator, allegedly created in 1978.
There's a lot of questions that the existence of Big Challenges raises. Firstly, and most importantly - what are these big challenges? Is the alligator the big challenge? Or is he just big and his name is just challenges? Or does he face big challenges? These are the sort of questions that I need a Sanrio spokesperson to address.
I like to think that Big Challenges is actually an encouraging friend - they're telling us to face the big challenges that we suffer in life with the same open grin that the alligator approaches them with. And that kind of positive attitude is why we respect Big Challenges, and why he made the top of our honourable mentions list.
|
Before we announce Tofu Cute & ARTBOX's 9th favourite Sanrio character, let's first take time to address the characters that were voted for that didn't quite make the top 9 cut (Why Top 9? I don't know, it just felt right):
- Chococat
- Hello Kitty
- Cogimyun
- BonBonRibbon
- Pandapple
- Shinkansen
- Wanmi
- Den-Den
It's easy to see why some of these characters didn't make the list. When you read 'Pandapple' we don't exactly think of the Sanrio A-list. I personally tried very hard to get Wanmi higher on the list, but as the sole adjudicator of this voting process I also didn't want to push things too far.
In many ways, our 9th Place entry MaruMofuBiyori is the rising star of Sanrio's lesser known characters. They're a newcomer who has made a big impact on the scene, and charmed everyone with their charisma. They're a big polar bear covered in a cosy blanket, and they love to roll around. I think many of us can relate.
They're very cute, and there's a lot of cute stuff featuring them - you can even copy Moppu's signature look by getting your very own hooded towel with ears! |
|
|
In joint eight place, we have two characters from completely different eras of Sanrio that have managed to capture our hearts. Firstly is Mewkledreamy, an adorable cat character that debuted in 2017 to immediate success. The other is My Melody, a character who first emerged in 1975 who has been a mainstay of their character lineup for decades.
I was honestly a bit shocked to find these two in eight place together, but considering some of the fantastic characters that were below 9th place (who could forget Shinkansen, everyone's favourite... train?) I think it's still a respectable position. Mewkledreamy represents Sanrio's ability to create a cute character in the modern age, whilst My Melody is hererepresenting for Sanrio's obvious staying power as a brand that has made and refined such characters throughout popular culture.
The appeal of both of these characters lies in a cute pastel vibe that can be seen throughout their official artwork and the character goods that feature them. They're often surrounded in pinks and purples, and there's lots of exciting things that feature both characters that you can get from ARTBOX - I personally enjoy this cup featuring Mewkledreamy, and this Memo Pad in Train Stationery Stand featuring My Melody, but both of these characters have a wealth of cute products associated with them. |
Yes, because of the way our voting system worked, this list will be prone to having characters share a place on the list. I am sorry if this makes it more difficult if you're using this list as some sort of authority to settle important arguments on which Sanrio characters are better (please let us know if you are!).
Our 7th place picks are two characters who might be older than you think - they're also a lot less well-known than even some of the characters that placed lower on the list. I'm referring of course to the well-dressed penguin Tuxedo Sam and the cheeky-but charming Kuromi.
I like the general concept of Tuxedo 'Orville J.' Sam (Yes, Orville J. are his middle names) - his name is a play on the iconic 'tuxedo penguin' as well as his fancy sense of fashion. Supposedly, he lives in London (despite being born in Antarctica) and loves to eat. What a wholesome boy. My favourite piece of Tuxedo Sam merch at ARTBOX is this stylish bag.
Kuromi has also got a fairly easy to understand appeal, representing My Melody's counterpart/nemesis. The cute pastel vibe of My Melody is still there, but with a slightly gothic undertone accentuated by blacks, purples and neons. Kuromi's appeal is a character that's slightly devious and cool. They even have a cool little gang comprised of other tough looking animals, with matching black outfits.
Tuxedo Sam's pretty cool as well, and not just because they prefer cold environments - so I think they make a good duo at number 7. |
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| |
Compared to some of the other entries on this list, Hangyodon is a bit more reclusive. There's a lot less known about him, but there's definitely something charming in his bizarre look. To quote the small amount of lore I could find on Hangyodon:
'His main hobby is comedy. He is very lonely and his plans of heroism often go awry.'
Poor old Hangyodon. He just wants to make people happy. Hopefully being in 6th place will put some sort of smile on his face. |
Keroppi - the notoriously cheerful frog of the Sanrio world. Breaking their way into the top five, I think Keroppi is so popular because they're cute in a way that everyone can understand. Keroppi is simple but effective. I think even people who don't care about Sanrio characters at all would agree that they're a pretty cute frog.
My favourite thing about Keroppi is their name, which is just a pun on the Japanese onomatopoeia 'kero' which might be considered similiar to 'ribbit' (Keroppi's family is also similarly named - Kerropa, Kerroba, Kerroma, Koroppi). My second favourite thing about Keroppi is that their simple design gives them versatility to appear in a variety of themes and on different styles of merchandise. This is shown best of all in ARTBOX's great collection of Keroppi stuff - a personal favourite item of mine is the Keroppi Fast Food series, particular these sticky notes, which are very cute! |
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Gudetama is the egg that took the world by storm. Not long after they first launched in 2013, the conquest began, quickly becoming one of Sanrio's most popular mascot characters within a short period of time. There's just something about the combination of very relate-able apathy and a cute, lazy egg character that makes Gudetama hard to resist.
After 6 years in the limelight, Gudetama's star has only risen further as one of the select few Sanrio characters to have truly broken into mainstream success in the west. According to his placing on this list, it seems like they're a favourite amongst Tofu Cute & ARTBOX staff, too. It's easy to see why - I think there's a little bit of Gudetama in all of us.
|
In a shocking turn of events, our third place pick is Cinnamoroll, the adorable white pup (who I thought was a bunny of some sort until like a year ago). Cinnamoroll is hugely popular at Tofu Cute and ARTBOX, and so it's no wonder that they've made it so high on this list.
Cinnamoroll's popularity and placement on our list could be put down to a variety of things - perhaps it's their use of white & blue patterns, which look very elegant? Perhaps its their enthusiasm, which is evident in almost all official artwork? Perhaps it's something to do with their name, which is intended to sound like 'cinnamon roll' - a popular dessert and term of endearment.
Whatever the reasons may be, I can't really fault its position on this list. Cinnamoroll is very adorable, and they deserve all their success! |
|
| |
The second place runner up in the Tofu Cute x ARTBOX Sanrio Awards for 2019 is...
Little Twin Stars!
I certainly wasn't expecting this result, but what can I say - the Little Twin Stars are very popular with our staff. They've made a powerful enough impression to still be a force to contend with in the Sanrio world since their creation in 1975, regularly appearing on a range of merchandise with their own unique cosmic style that isn't matched by other Sanrio creations. They've created an identity that definitely earns them this 2nd place position - congratulations Kiki & Lala!
|
And the winner is...
PomPomPurin!
Yes, PomPomPurin, the eclectic & cheerful golden retriever who looks a bit like a pudding is the most popular Sanrio character, as voted on by Tofu Cute & ARTBOX staff. If you've read my section of the about us page you'll probably know that makes me happy, as PomPomPurin is my favourite kawaii character overall. Seeing as I organised this whole vote, you may accuse me of stacking the deck in Purin's favour, but I can assure you - I didn't need to - PomPomPurin is just that popular that he naturally made his way to the top spot.
He also placed highly on the official Sanrio character grand prix that inspired this list, but there some clear differences in what made the higher placements in our own list. With Hello Kitty out of the top 10, Purin sailed straight to the top. As I say once again, it's easy to see why: Purin is full of charm, cuteness and ocassionally, wisdom: I'll never forget his important mantra that 'dogs just want to have fun!'
Congratulations PomPomPurin - you've won the hearts of two cute shops, and perhaps more broadly speaking - you've made the world a better place.
|
|
So, what did you think of our list?
I'm sure you have your own opinions on which Sanrio characters are the best and the worst, so why not share your thoughts on our social media? You can find us on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram. If you love any of the characters on this list and want to find some super cute stuff with them on, you can head over to ARTBOX.co.uk to explore the UK's best range of Sanrio goodies, or head to their shop in Covent Garden!
Next time we do one of these votes, we'll be looking at not just Sanrio characters, but ALL kawaii characters - we'll even be giving you a chance to vote, too! Look forward to that blog post in the near future. Don't forget to REACT to this one using the buttons below to get some free Tomodachi points! |
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