Sanrio & Hello Kitty Lose Favor Among Women in Official Top 20 Character Popularity Ranking

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I’ve always loved Sanrio and Hello Kitty – they’re such iconic parts of Japan’s super-cute ‘kawaii’ scene! But it’s interesting – a recent survey showed that while Hello Kitty is still well-loved, older Japanese women aren’t quite as obsessed with the little kitten as they used to be. It seems tastes are changing, even when it comes to kawaii!

I was so excited to see the results of a recent survey from the Harumek Institute for Living Skills! They’re a fantastic organization that really looks at what’s happening with people over 50. They asked women, aged 50 to 84, to name their favorite characters from books, movies, TV – anything! The survey actually started way back in September 2025, and I’ve been waiting to see what the results showed about the characters these women connect with.

After surveying 546 people, the results show that Snoopy, the famous beagle from the Charles Schulz comics, is the most popular character for that age group. You can find the complete list of the top 20 characters and their scores below.

Peanuts Icon Snoopy Reigns Supreme in Japan in New Favorite Character Survey

  1. Snoopy — 74.9 points
  2. Winnie-the-Pooh — 70.3 points
  3. Miffy — 70.1 points
  4. Totoro — 69.9 points
  5. Peter Rabbit — 69.7 points
  6. Moomin — 69.6 points
  7. Peko-chan — 68.2 points
  8. Shimajiro — 68.2 points
  9. Mickey Mouse — 66.9 points
  10. Doraemon — 66.4 points
  11. Hello Kitty — 66.3 points
  12. Anpanman — 65.2 points
  13. Minnie Mouse — 64.4 points
  14. Kumamon — 61.1 points
  15. Rillakuma — 60.9 points
  16. Little My — 60.9 points
  17. Cinnamoroll — 57.9 points
  18. Sumikkogurashi — 55.8 points
  19. Chiikawa — 55.7 points
  20. Hikonyan — 52.4 points

As the data shows, this product didn’t rank among the top 10 most popular choices for this age group. This is noteworthy considering Hello Kitty, which first became well-known in 1975, continues to be popular.

Although Cinnamoroll became popular in North America and Europe, she hasn’t gained as much of a following with women from her home country, especially those who remember when she first became available. This is likely because Cinnamoroll didn’t join the Sanrio family until 2001, which means she’s still less well-known than characters like Hello Kitty.

Older Japanese women generally seem to prefer characters with deeper, more nuanced personalities compared to the simple cuteness of Sanrio’s kitten. For example, one 69-year-old woman explained that she liked Snoopy because he’s playful, but also has hidden depths to his personality and actions.

During a conversation about Hello Kitty, a 75-year-old participant shared that they used to collect official items like letter paper and postcards. This suggests they enjoyed the Hello Kitty products themselves more than the character itself.

Many people surveyed said they like characters that are cute and have gentle, calming personalities. One 63-year-old participant described Winnie-the-Pooh as both generous and spiritually comforting.

Totoro, the main character and namesake of the film, received similar praise. One 59-year-old viewer wrote that he’s a character who feels warm and relaxing simply to look at, and embodies the warmth of nature and family.

Hello Kitty Is Still a Major Winner Among Gen Z & Millennial Fans

I’ve noticed Hello Kitty seems to be more popular with Gen Z and Millennials. Just recently, a survey from Furyu Corporation in Japan showed this as well. Interestingly, unlike another survey done by the Harumek Institute, Furyu included women from China and South Korea in their data, alongside those in Japan.

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Chiikawa, the adorable hamster-like character from the hit Japanese web comic, topped the rankings. Snoopy came in second, and Cinnamoroll rounded out the top three.

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2025-12-22 17:40