YOSHIKI's Yoshikitty Returns to Sanrio Character Ranking for 11th Consecutive Year—Vote Now
In a delightful crossover between Japanese cute culture and international rock royalty, Yoshikitty—the one-of-a-kind Sanrio character inspired by X Japan founder YOSHIKI—has earned another spot in the 2025 Sanrio Character Ranking. This marks her 11th consecutive appearance in the beloved annual vote, cementing her status as a cultural phenomenon that bridges the gap between visual kei and mainstream global fandom. For those unfamiliar: YOSHIKI is the visionary composer, classically trained pianist, and legendary drummer behind X Japan, the band that essentially created visual kei as we know it. Formed in 1985, X Japan revolutionized Japanese rock with their theatrical presentation, emotional intensity, and genre-blending sound—influences that still echo through the visual kei scene today. Yoshikitty, launched in 2009, represents something entirely unique: she's the first and only Sanrio character ever based on a real person, a fitting tribute to YOSHIKI's boundary-pushin...