Kuromi

Kuromi is a Japanese character brand owned by Sanrio and associated with a black-and-pink, punk-influenced interpretation of kawaii culture. She is depicted as a white anthropomorphic rabbit wearing a black jester-style hood marked with a pink skull, with a pink nose and a devil-like tail. Her visual identity contrasts strongly with the softer, more traditionally sweet image of My Melody, for whom Kuromi was created as a rival and foil. Kuromi first appeared in 2005 in the anime series Onegai My Melody. In the series, she was portrayed as a rebellious and sometimes criminally inclined character who led a biker gang. Her name was initially reported as Urami before the character became known as Kuromi. Although her outward persona is aggressive, chaotic, jealous and unpredictable, the character also has a romantic and conventionally feminine side. She is portrayed as having an interest in attractive boys and romance novels, creating the tension between her tough exterior and softer tastes that has become central to the brand. The character's original design credit remains disputed. Studio Comet, the animation studio associated with Onegai My Melody, has attributed the design to artist Tomoko Miyagawa, while Sanrio has associated the creation with Yuko Yamaguchi, known for her work on Hello Kitty. Studio Comet has also stated that series director Makoto Moriwaki was responsible for naming Kuromi. The disagreement reportedly developed into a legal dispute in 2025, although the available reference material does not establish a final outcome. Kuromi expanded beyond her original anime role into a broader Sanrio character property. She has appeared in games including Hello Kitty Online and Hello Kitty Island Adventure. She became the central character of the 2023 online animation Kuromi's Pretty Journey, which introduced her older sister Romina as part of the story. In 2025, she became one of the two titular protagonists of the Netflix series My Melody & Kuromi, further strengthening her position within Sanrio's screen and streaming portfolio. Sanrio has also developed Kuromi as a music and digital-marketing property. In 2021, she was presented as a virtual idol and released the single "Greedy Greedy." Sanrio supported the initiative with the Kuromify the World campaign in Shibuya. Her music-related activity later included collaborations with Vampillia, Lilbesh Ramko and Daoko, followed by the 2025 EP Kuromi In My Head. Kuromi's appeal is closely connected to her ability to combine rebellious imagery with accessible kawaii design. Commentators have linked her popularity to younger audiences, particularly fans who identify with her anti-hero qualities, individuality and resistance to conventional sweetness. Her black-and-pink visual language has also contributed to the emergence of Kuromi-core, a fashion and online style that combines punk, gothic and kawaii elements, sometimes overlapping with Gothic Lolita. The character has achieved especially strong visibility in China, where viral Douyin content helped drive commercial interest and contributed to a merchandise arrangement between Sanrio and Alibaba. In Sanrio's character-ranking competitions, Kuromi has consistently ranked above My Melody and Hello Kitty since 2022. She placed fourth in the 2025 ranking with 3,652,492 votes, one position ahead of Hello Kitty and one behind Pochacco. Her continued presence in merchandise, animation, games, music, fashion and social-media campaigns makes Kuromi one of Sanrio's most internationally recognizable character properties.

Kuromi was created in 2005 for the Japanese anime series Onegai My Melody as a rival to My Melody. Her conception gave Sanrio a character who could occupy a sharper and more subversive position than the company's traditionally gentle mascots. She was designed as a white rabbit with a black jester hood, a pink skull emblem, a pink nose and a devil-like tail. The character's original name was reportedly Urami, before the name Kuromi became established. Within Onegai My Melody, Kuromi was characterized as a rebellious figure with a criminal streak and a leadership role in a biker gang. Her personality was volatile, jealous, mischievous and confrontational. At the same time, she had a deliberately contrasting private side: she liked romance novels and attractive boys and retained a fondness for traditionally girlish interests. This mixture of toughness and sentiment became an important part of her appeal and distinguished her from a straightforward villain character. The authorship of Kuromi's design has been contested. Studio Comet, which produced the anime, has identified artist Tomoko Miyagawa as the character designer, while Sanrio has made a competing association with Yuko Yamaguchi, a designer known for her work on Hello Kitty. Studio Comet has additionally claimed that director Makoto Moriwaki supplied the name Kuromi. The competing accounts reportedly resulted in a legal dispute in June 2025. The available source material does not indicate that the dispute had been conclusively resolved. After her introduction in the anime, Kuromi developed into a broader Sanrio character property. She appeared in Sanrio-related games, including Hello Kitty Online and Hello Kitty Island Adventure. In 2023 she became the lead of Kuromi's Pretty Journey, an online animation that expanded her narrative world and introduced Romina as her older sister. In 2025, Kuromi received another prominent screen role as a co-lead in the Netflix series My Melody & Kuromi, reinforcing her status as more than a supporting character in the My Melody universe. Sanrio also extended the brand into music and virtual performance. Kuromi became a virtual idol in 2021 and released the single "Greedy Greedy." The company used the Kuromify the World campaign in Shibuya to publicize this activity and connect the character with youth-oriented digital culture. Her musical work included collaborations with Vampillia, Lilbesh Ramko and Daoko. In 2025, the project continued with the EP Kuromi In My Head. The character's rise reflects a wider shift in the market for mascot brands, in which audiences increasingly value distinct personality, irony and self-expression alongside cuteness. Critics have described Kuromi as a rebellious alternative to Hello Kitty and My Melody, with particular resonance among younger audiences and Gen Z fans. Her visual identity has also supported Kuromi-core, a style built from black-and-pink clothing, punk or gothic details, harnesses, chokers and kawaii accessories. The style overlaps in places with Japanese Gothic Lolita culture. Kuromi has been especially successful in China. A viral Douyin video in 2022 increased her visibility and was followed by a Sanrio merchandise deal with Alibaba. Commentators have associated her appeal with anti-hero qualities, individuality and authenticity. Sanrio's character rankings provide another measure of her growth: since 2022 she has placed above both My Melody and Hello Kitty, and in 2025 she ranked fourth with 3,652,492 votes. Through merchandise, entertainment, music, fashion and social media, Kuromi has become one of Sanrio's most prominent international character brands.

• 2025

  Netflix co-lead and music release

  [1]Kuromien.wikipedia.org

  Kuromi co-stars in My Melody & Kuromi and releases the EP Kuromi In My Head.

• 2025

  Fourth place in Sanrio character ranking

  [1]Kuromien.wikipedia.org

  Kuromi receives 3,652,492 votes and places fourth in Sanrio's 2025 character ranking.

• 2023

  Kuromi's Pretty Journey

  [1]Kuromien.wikipedia.org

  Kuromi leads the online animation Kuromi's Pretty Journey, which introduces her older sister Romina.

• 2022

  Character-ranking momentum and Chinese visibility

  [1]Kuromien.wikipedia.org

  Kuromi ranks above My Melody and Hello Kitty in Sanrio's character rankings and gains heightened attention in China after viral Douyin content.

• 2021

  Virtual-idol expansion

  [1]Kuromien.wikipedia.org

  Kuromi begins a virtual-idol project and releases the single "Greedy Greedy."

• 2005

  Kuromi debuts in Onegai My Melody

  [1]Kuromien.wikipedia.org

  Kuromi is introduced as My Melody's rival in the Japanese anime series Onegai My Melody.

A rebellious, punk-influenced kawaii character brand for fans seeking a darker, more individualistic alternative to Sanrio's traditionally sweeter mascots.

• Licensed character goods · 2005

  Kuromi character merchandise

  The core commercial expression of Kuromi is a broad merchandise program built around her black, pink and skull-marked design. Sanrio's character licensing model supports products such as plush toys, stationery, apparel, bags, accessories and lifestyle goods. The range allows Kuromi to function both as a collectible mascot and as a fashion-oriented identity for fans drawn to darker kawaii aesthetics.

• Online animation · 2023

  Kuromi's Pretty Journey

  Kuromi's Pretty Journey is a 2023 online animation in which Kuromi takes the leading role while searching for her older sister Romina. The series broadens the character's narrative setting and supports additional character development beyond her original role as My Melody's rival.

• Music · 2025

  Kuromi In My Head

  Kuromi In My Head is Kuromi's first EP, released in 2025 as part of the character's virtual-idol and music initiative. It follows the earlier single "Greedy Greedy" and collaborations involving Vampillia, Lilbesh Ramko and Daoko.

• Streaming animation · 2025

  My Melody & Kuromi

  My Melody & Kuromi is a 2025 Netflix series that gives Kuromi a co-lead role alongside My Melody. The series represents a major expansion of the character's screen presence and places her rebellious personality at the center of a shared Sanrio story.

• 2025

  Dispute over Kuromi's original designer

  Studio Comet and Sanrio have presented conflicting accounts of who originally designed Kuromi. Studio Comet has credited Tomoko Miyagawa, while Sanrio has associated the design with Yuko Yamaguchi. The disagreement reportedly became a legal dispute in June 2025, with no final outcome established in the available material.

  Source

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• 2021Kuromify the World

  Japan

  Sanrio used the Kuromify the World campaign in Shibuya to promote Kuromi's virtual-idol activities and present the character as a contemporary youth-culture property.

  Outcome. The campaign supported Kuromi's transition from anime and merchandise character into music, digital entertainment and lifestyle branding.

  Source

• 2025

  Release Kuromi In My HeadProduct launch

  Background

  Kuromi's virtual-idol initiative had already established music as an extension of the character brand.

  Action taken

  The character's music project released the EP Kuromi In My Head.

  Aftermath

  The release reinforced Kuromi's role in music and digital entertainment alongside her established merchandise and animation activities.

  Source

• 2023

  Launch Kuromi's Pretty JourneyProduct launch

  Background

  Kuromi had developed from a supporting rival in Onegai My Melody into one of Sanrio's most visible characters.

  Action taken

  Sanrio launched an online animation centered on Kuromi and introduced her older sister Romina.

  Aftermath

  The series expanded Kuromi's story world and created additional opportunities for character-based content and merchandise.

  Source

• 2021

  Expand Kuromi into virtual musicStrategy

  Background

  Kuromi's rebellious identity and strong appeal among younger audiences created an opportunity to extend the character beyond traditional merchandise and animation.

  Action taken

  Sanrio positioned Kuromi as a virtual idol, released "Greedy Greedy" and supported the project through the Kuromify the World campaign.

  Aftermath

  The initiative led to further music collaborations and helped establish Kuromi as a digital and lifestyle property.

  Source

1. 1Kuromien.wikipedia.org
2. 2Sanrio official websitesanrio.com