From 10 May to 15 June voting is being held of the 30th annual Sanrio Character Ranking. This is where the company pits their vast library of cute characters such as Hello Kitty against each other in a popularity contest.
You can expect to see the top-ranking characters get the most exposure through merchandising and spokesperson deals for the rest of the year. And now with two weeks past and the preliminary results announced, many are surprised to see the fictional visual kei (think glam rock) group Shingan Crimsonz at the top of the list of 100 characters well ahead of cuteness stalwarts such as Hello Kitty and Little Twin Stars.
This has caused tremors in the cute character community with many suspecting that Japan’s homo-erotic fan fiction loving girls known as fujoshi may have formed a powerful voting bloc.
Stamina-destroying “Paralysis Noodles” are Tokyo’s newest over-the-top ramen innovation
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Japan’s Department of Magic releases new “Magic School” uniform
A whole slew of Totoro Christmas cakes are on their way to make the season extra merry【Photos】
The 10 best day trips from downtown Tokyo【Survey】
Uniqlo Ukiyo-e Blue T-shirts: A cool-hued reinterpretation of some of Japan’s greatest paintings
Muji releases a new boba tea kit and we taste test it at home【Taste test】
7-Eleven showcases its newest robots for cleaning, stocking, and customer service
Is the all-you-can-eat KFC buffet in Tokyo really as good as they say it is?
We visit the full-scale Evangelion statue in Kyoto and particularly delight in the food tie-ins
Nintendo’s Kirby now delivering orders at Kura Sushi restaurants, but not in Japan
Japan considering raising international traveler departure tax even more than previously reported
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Shibuya’s Don Quijote?
China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning seems to be affecting Osaka’s Namba and Dotonbori neighborhoods
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowd sizes in Nara?
Japanese town suing resident for being a jerk
Japan’s EF English Proficiency Index rank drops for 11th straight year, hits lowest ever
Chinese government’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning has heartwarming non-effect on Yokohama Chinatown
Japanese police attempting to clamp down on “zombie cigarettes”
Starbucks Japan unveils new Christmas goods and a rhinestone tumbler that costs 19,500 yen
Real-world Nausicaa Ghibli anime glider completes its final flight in Japan【Video】
Brand-new Pokémon park opens in Japan with larger-than-life-size Lapras【Photos】
Japanese train company is letting fans buy its actual ticket gates for their homes
Is China’s don’t-go-to-Japan warning affecting tourist crowds in Tokyo’s Asakusa neighborhood?
Japanese government considering tripling departure taxes to combat overtourism
Starbucks Japan unveils the new Soupuccino
Survey asks foreign tourists what bothered them in Japan, more than half gave same answer
Japan’s deadliest food claims more victims, but why do people keep eating it for New Year’s?
We deeply regret going into this tunnel on our walk in the mountains of Japan
Studio Ghibli releases Kodama forest spirits from Princess Mononoke to light up your home
Major Japanese hotel chain says reservations via overseas booking sites may not be valid
Put sesame oil in your coffee? Japanese maker says it’s the best way to start your day【Taste test】
The top 10 annoying foreign tourist behaviors on trains, as chosen by Japanese people【Survey】
No more using real katana for tourism activities, Japan’s National Police Agency says
Starbucks Japan reveals new sakura drinkware collection, inspired by evening cherry blossoms
Uniqlo Ukiyo-e Blue T-shirts: A cool-hued reinterpretation of some of Japan’s greatest paintings
Muji releases a new boba tea kit and we taste test it at home【Taste test】
7-Eleven showcases its newest robots for cleaning, stocking, and customer service
Is the all-you-can-eat KFC buffet in Tokyo really as good as they say it is?
We visit the full-scale Evangelion statue in Kyoto and particularly delight in the food tie-ins
We check out the new apartment building construction site area that opened in KidZania Tokyo
Dragon’s Maze: Japan’s built-by-hand giant labyrinth that gets bigger and harder every year
Taiwanese Peppered Pork Buns sold in Tokyo are packed with layers of flavor
Tokyo’s Ueno Station has an unmanned noodle restaurant on its platform, and its no-joke good
Toyota City civil servant arrested for using government access to run a detective agency
Unique inclined elevator in Japan leads to a town that inspired Studio Ghibli’s Spirited Away