Underneath the tough appearance of Kuromi lies a soft, girly personality that few people get to see. Thankfully, we’re about to peel back all the layers and reveal the true nature of one of Sanri’s most fascinating characters.
Introduction to Kuromi: Sanrio's Enigmatic Character
From the My Melody universe come the enigmatic Kuromi and her antics. Kuromi is a cartoon character created in 2005 by Sanrio, a Japanese entertainment company. She is a female rabbit that fills the role of the antagonist in the My Melody universe.
Kuromi is actually a doppelganger of My Melody. The two rabbit characters look identical, except for some differences in their tails and attire. Kuromi is a white female rabbit with imp-like features. She has a black devil's tail that’s shaped like an arrow at the tip.
Kuromi always wears a signature black jester's hat inscribed with a pink skull that changes expressions to match Kuromi’s mood. When you translate her name from Japanese to English, you’ll find that it means “black beauty.” She was born on October 31, which happens to be Halloween. This is fitting, as Kuromi was originally created to be the mischievous and dark antagonist in the My Melody universe and beyond.
In public, Kuromi loves to act like an unrepentant tomboy, but she’s secretly as girly as they come and tends to crush on cute male characters. She also loves to cook and read romance novels. Her overall personality can generally be described as naughty, angry, mischievous, and enigmatic.
Kuromi flies around on her sidekick tapir, called Baku. Family members also appear at different points in the anime. Her mother, father, and sister (Romina) all bear striking resemblances to her.
Since her debut in 2005, Kuromi has become hugely popular among young people all over the world, especially those in the punk, biker, and goth communities. She is a major Sanrio character and was voted the third most popular on the 2023 Sanrio Character Ranking, surpassing My Melody. The company fully recognizes Kuromi’s popularity and has created several forms of media, merchandise, and themed events based on the character.
The Origins of Kuromi: Exploring Her Backstory
The initial character plans for Kuromi were quite different from how things turned out. Yuko Yamaguchi, one of Sanrio’s designers, created the Kuromi character in 2005. She was only intended to be the main villain in the anime series Onegai My Melody. However, the white rabbit was so cute that viewers couldn’t hate her for too long, and many took a liking to the character because of her fierce nature. Kuromi’s reception after the release of the series caused the executives at Sanrio to turn her into an official character, eventually green-lighting her own animated shorts spin-off on YouTube titled Kuromi’s Pretty Journey.
According to the storyline of Onegai My Melody, Kuromi is an escaped prisoner from My Melody’s hometown, a forest called Mari Land. She exhibited extreme hatred for My Melody, accusing the latter of ruining her life and wronging her 6,324 times. It’s implied that My Melody and Kuromi were once friends. That was the beginning of several unsuccessful attempts by Kuromi to get back at My Melody. The two will eventually go back to being friends in Onegai My Melody: Yu and Ai.
Thanks to the creative minds at Sanrio, Kuromi appears in Hello Kitty and Friends: Supercute Adventures with most of her personality intact. She still doesn't like My Melody, but her hatred is not as strong. She remains her usual naughty self, but is closer to an anti-hero than an outright villain.
Kuromi's Personality Traits: A Playful Mixture of Sweet and Spicy
Part of what makes a character like Kuromi so popular is having a deep and interesting personality. In this section, we’ll explore her key personality traits and provide a better understanding of how the character behaves. Check them out!
Mischievousness: It’s no secret that Kuromi loves causing mayhem wherever she goes. In fact, it’s her most prominent trait, as she makes no effort to conceal it. One of her worst pranks involves corrupting dreams with a magical item called “melody key.”
Disregard for laws: Kuromi’s rebellious nature often places her on the wrong side of the law. The crimes she has committed include theft, vandalism, fraud, assault, and prison break.
Tomboy: She displays a masculine toughness that classifies her as a tomboy, at least in public.
Secret girliness: When no one is looking, Kuromi displays her inherent girliness. She cooks, reads romance novels, keeps a diary, and daydreams about her crushes, including Keiichi Hiiragi.
Love for black: Her favorite color is black, obviously.
Love for diary keeping: Kuromi keeps a detailed diary, which reveals a side of her character that wants to express her feelings. In the midst of all the chaos in her life, Kuromi still has a contemplative and reflective side.
Leadership: She is the leader of a biker gang, made up of 4 other girls (Konmi, Nyanmi, Wanmi, and Chumi), a feat that requires tenacity and bravery.
Kuromi's Appearance: Dark and Cute Design Details
From her looks, you can clearly see how Kuromi was designed to contrast with My Melody while maintaining her own identity. She is a white rabbit, just like My Melody but she has a black devil tail, which is common in imps or imp-like creatures.
Kuromi also adds accessories to her signature dark color palette by wearing a black jester hat. This hat is a clear nod to her role as a mischievous prankster. It also has the symbol of a skull inscribed on it. There must be something magical about this skull because its eyes can change to match those of Kuromi. Hence, they appear to share the same emotions.
Her character design also includes pink colors, adding a level of cuteness to all of those black colors. In certain scenes, Kuromi wears pink skull cherries on one ear.
Overall, Kuromi’s design appears similar to cute yet edgy design elements in cartoons in the 1920s and 1930s. Yet, she doesn’t look one bit out of place in the modern anime scene.
Kuromi Merchandise: Collectible Items and Must-Have Accessories
The folks at Sanrio have ensured that there is no shortage of Kuromi merchandise. Some of the most popular branded items on sale are plush toys, keychains, mugs, shirts, vanity chairs, dress-up dolls, scissors, tote bags, sticker sets, wallets, travel pouches, and hats. People all over the world buy these items to use as accessories or keep as collectibles. Whether you’re a Sanrio lover or you simply think their characters are cute, we have partnered with the Hello Kitty franchise to bring you the highest-quality Kuromi merchandise.
Keep your food and snacks cool in hot weather with the Hello Kitty and Friends Insulated Bag. The bag is designed with colorful images of fan-favorite Sanrio characters, including Kuromi.
See Kuromi and her friend, My Melody, in a wholesome light. These two cozy up to each other in our Kuromi and My Melody Clear Plastic Folder and Sticker Set, which includes a sheet of stickers with popular Sanrio characters. You too can cozy up to your favorite character, thanks to the Hello Kitty and Friends Holiday Blanket. It holds images of Kuromi, Hello Kitty, Pochacco, and Badtz-Maru!
Kuromi's Popularity in Japan: the Dark Side of Kawaii
Kuromi has a unique appeal among fans who appreciate her darker aesthetic within the kawaii culture. The “kawaii rebel,” as she is often called, Kuromi, is one of the few Sanrio characters that sets her own rules and does what she wants, making her a favorite among young girls in their teenage years.
Kuromi’s fun punk and tomboy personality also sets her apart from the conventional kawaii themes portrayed by Sanrio. Let’s not forget her fabulous style of fashion and aesthetics. Members of the goth and emo communities from all over the world greatly appreciate the pink and black colors, skull imagery, and devil tail. Hence, they’re some of the most passionate Kuromi fans you can find.
For three years in a row, Kuromi has been ranked among the top 5 most popular Sanrio characters. She came 5th in 2021, 3rd in 2022, and 3rd again in 2023. Who knows? We could see her rank higher in the coming years. In an era when modern entertainment better appreciates strong female characters, it’s little wonder that Kuromi became a smash hit for Sanrio.
Embracing Kuromi: Celebrating Individuality and Uniqueness
Kuromi’s message to us is clear: embrace individuality, be unique, and don’t be afraid or ashamed to express yourself. Constantly remind yourself of this message by keeping Kuromi-themed items close to you and your loved ones.
We recommend that you visit the Bokksu Boutique website, your one-stop shop for Kuromi products. Perhaps you would prefer a steady supply of snacks and Kuromi-inspired collectibles. If that’s the case, subscribe to our Hello Kitty Subscription Box now! You’ll get a special box from Japan once every two months.
With the Hello Kitty Subscription Gift Box, you can also give this opportunity to your friends and family as a thoughtful and unique gift.
