Pochacco is a male anthropomorphic dog created by Sanrio, designed by Minoru Onoue, debuting in 1989. This white dog features black floppy ears, a black nose, black paw pads, and a short tail tipped in black. His chubby, round body stands on two legs, typically without a visible mouth, though early animations sometimes showed one. Despite athletic prowess, he often stumbles and falls due to inherent clumsiness. Born on February 29 (leap day) on Uguisu Yokocho (Nightingale Lane), he resides in Fuwa Fuwa Town (Airy Town), though some adaptations place his birthplace in Brazil or current home in New York City for international appeal. His name derives from the Japanese onomatopoeia "pocha pocha" ("chubby"), reflecting his physique. Originally "The Yorimichi Dog," he lacked clothing and displayed more canine traits. As popularity grew, his design evolved to include sporty red or blue t-shirts or hoodies, aligning with his athletic identity. Pochacco embodies curiosity and clumsiness—frequently poking his nose where unintended and wobbling sideways while walking. He excels in soccer, basketball, and skateboarding (adopted mid-1990s) and maintains a vegetarian diet favoring carrots and banana ice cream. His popularity peaked from 1991–1995, winning Sanrio’s annual character rankings for five consecutive years. After 1996, newer characters like Pompompurin and Cinnamoroll reduced his prominence, causing a merchandise hiatus from 1999–2017. A resurgence began in 2017, securing top-three rankings from 2020–2024, including second place in 2024. He appears in Sanrio animations like "Hello Kitty's Animation Theater" and "Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures" (Season 4, 2020), showcasing sports and adventures, plus video games such as "Hello Kitty Island Adventure." His social circle includes best friends Choppy (mouse) and Popple (duck), the Pi-Chans (three chicks), Monmon (squirrel), Samus (cat), and Pochamii (a female dog often depicted as his girlfriend). He performs in Sanrio boy band Hapidanbui alongside Badtz-Maru, Tuxedosam, Hangyodon, Keroppi, and Pekkle. Merchandise evolved from early stationery and apparel to modern plush toys, Funko Pops, Nanoblocks, and collaborations like Casetify tech accessories, Seiko watches, and Akko mechanical keyboards. For his 35th anniversary in 2024, Sanrio launched commemorative items and banana ice cream-themed pop-up cafes in Tokyo and Osaka.