Sanrio to introduce 12 Hello Kitty friends to US audiences in 2026

Sanrio will debut 12 Hello Kitty friends in the US in 2026 across games, shows and new content

Sanrio has announced plans to introduce 12 of Hello Kitty’s friends to the US market in 2026, offering fans their first opportunity to engage with an expanded lineup of characters across games, shows and other platforms. The brand shared details of the rollout exclusively with PEOPLE.

The new characters include Cogimyun, a wheat flour fairy; My Sweet Piano, a gentle sheep; Lloromannic, a devil duo made up of Berry and Cherry; lovelymocha, Cinnamoroll’s best friend; and USAHA*NA, a colourful rabbit.

Other additions are Spottie Dottie, a Dalmatian with an interest in fashion; Wish Me Mell, a rabbit girl; Hanamaruobake, a white ghost; Marumofubiyori, a polar bear cub; the Magical Twin Comets, Lili and Lulu; Kirimichan, a slice of salmon; and Corocorokuririn, a hamster.

“Bringing these characters to the North America market brings us great joy because our fans — like our characters - are wonderfully diverse,” Jill Koch, senior vice president of brand management and marketing at Sanrio Inc., told PEOPLE.

She said the range of personalities allows fans to find characters they connect with, noting contrasts between “soft and comforting personalities like My Sweet Piano and Hanamaruobake” and “bold and playful characters like lovelymocha and USAHA*NA”.

Some of the characters have previously appeared in Japan, while others are already familiar through digital platforms. Koch said fans can currently interact with USAHA*NA in the Hello Kitty Island Adventure game and Cogimyun in the Wheatflour Wonderland downloadable content, while My Sweet Piano appears in the My Melody and Kuromi series on Netflix.

According to Koch, all characters have detailed backstories and design elements rooted in “kawaii”, which she described as “an immediate emotional response” that resonates across cultures.

She added that in 2026 the characters will appear in new content, products and experiences, as Sanrio builds on momentum following Hello Kitty’s 50th anniversary celebrations.