'My Melody & Kuromi': Japanese stop-motion animation series arriving on Netflix

The stop-motion based animation is slated for a July 2025 release on Netflix.

Netflix is set to release My Melody & Kuromi, a Japanese stop-motion animation based on Sanrio characters. 

Directed by Tomoki Misato and written by Shuko Nemoto, the series which comes out in July later this year, revolves around My Melody, a happy-go-lucky girl who enjoys baking cookies with her mother. An identical version of My Melody, Kuromi is her self-proclaimed rival tomboy who has been a top-three ranked Sanrio character since her debut in 2005.

My Melody & Kuromi comes from Toruku for whom this project is the first stop-motion animation.

“I’m thrilled that this project is finally announced in this important year marking the 50th anniversary of My Melody and the 20th anniversary of Kuromi,” stated Misato. “This momentous project motivated all of us to come together, take on various challenges, and push the envelope with stop-motion. I hope everyone will enjoy this exciting story set in our handcrafted Mariland, the thrilling action that pushes the limits of stop-motion, and, of course, the cute and dynamic characters.”

Meanwhile screenwriter Nemoto who wrote the scripts for the show during the Covid-19 pandemic said that having the characters speak lines she wrote felt very rewarding as a writer. “Because of the pandemic, I couldn’t meet with director Misato or the producers in person, but we connected remotely each week, carefully building this together. The project is filled with love for the world of My Melody, beloved by people of all ages. I believe everyone, from adults to children, will have favorite scenes and lines.”

Other Netflix originals from Japan that also release this year include Bullet Train Explosion, and the third season of Alice in Borderland.