Cinnamoroll taking the early lead in the 2026 Sanrio Character Awards

Even if you've lived in Japan for a while, I think the excitement around characters and mascots here is still a big difference to many of our home countries! The 2026 Sanrio Character Award preliminary results have just been released, with Cinnamoroll in first place, followed by Pompompurin (marking its 30th anniversary) and Pochacco in third.

My daughter in particular is a big Cinnamoroll fan and would agree with the preliminary rankings!

The rankings are based on millions of votes from online platforms, retail stores, and in-person ballots. The results are announced in stages, with the final ranking to be revealed at a live event in Yokohama later in the year.

Personally, my favorite Sanrio character is Keroppi, who sadly did not even crack the top 10 for the preliminary results!

Do you have a favorite Sanrio character?