something sanrio’s most popular characters have teamed up with Honda for an exciting new initiative, sharing the thrill of motorsport and the importance of traffic safety with children and adults alike. This isn't the first time the two companies have teamed up, but it might be the most exciting yet. Rather than just sharing vehicles boasting special Sanrio character-themed designs, this new collaboration includes a high-speed endurance race this summer, fresh merchandise and special meetups for fans of all kinds.
Born as a modest silk company in Tokyo in the 1960s, Sanrio eventually underwent a major transformation as the epitome of all things cute. Founder Shintaro Tsuji realized that slapping a cute character on a product was the key to good sales. Fast-forward to today, and Sanrio has cultivated an astonishing universe of more than 450 characters, although many of these have yet to gain popularity outside of Japan. After all, with familiar faces like Hello Kitty, My Melody, and Cinnamoroll common sights around the world, Sanrio is likely to be a household name for years to come.
Sanrio's My Melody and Kuromi are getting a Netflix show
Two of Sanrio's most famous characters, My Melody and Kuromi, are about to get their own exclusive Netflix series.
Honda and Sanrio have come together to launch the SMILE RIDER PROJECT, a new initiative to promote motorsports, motorcycles and traffic safety to a wider audience. Headlining the collaboration is the 47th Coca-Cola Suzuka Eight Hours Endurance Road Race, which will be held on July 5, 2026 at the Suzuka Circuit in Mie Prefecture, Japan. Part of the 2026 FIM Endurance World Championship, the race will be supported by the team of Hokunko, Kuyoda Raimo. from the company's Kumamoto factory, which is Honda's domestic motorcycle production base and is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. The team will race a specially designed Fireblade motorcycle inspired by Sanrio's popular character Kuromi. Additionally, Pompompurin and Hello Kitty will be featured on the team's racing suits and helmets.
Visitors to the Suzuka circuit part will also be able to see past Sanrio collaboration vehicles in the Honda RACING gallery, and limited-edition collab merch will be on sale, featuring characters greeting fans. Crossover also aims to have a positive impact on the local community, as specially designed Sanrio “Traffic Safety T-shirts” will be handed out to approximately 1,400 first-graders at 28 elementary schools around the city of Suzuka.
Love for Hello Kitty and her friends is at an all-time high, and beyond exclusive crossovers, many of Sanrio's adorable faces have recently made a big leap into the world of video games. In 2023, Hello Kitty Island Adventure was released on mobile devices, but it was the jump to Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation 5 in 2025 that saw the life simulation title rise in popularity. The game, which is reminiscent of Animal Crossing The franchise invites players to join forces with their favorite Sanrio characters as they solve puzzles, undertake quests and build the island of their dreams.
Guess anime from emojis.
get started
Guess anime from emojis.
Easy (120 seconds) Medium (90 seconds) Hard (60 seconds)
In April, the preliminary rankings for the 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking Poll were announced, with Cinnamarole taking the top spot. Pompompurin, Pochacco, Kuromi, and Hello Kitty rounded out the top five, though it's unclear if that will change when the final results are announced on June 28.
Source: Honda
