TV-Series
Description
Pompompurin, also called Purin, is a male Golden Retriever character designed by Sanrio. Born on April 16, 1996, he originated as the winning entry in Sanrio's 1996 internal contest for a new dog character. He debuted as "Boku Pudding" in the July 1996 issue of *Strawberry News* magazine before adopting his permanent name Pompompurin, combining "pom pom" (referencing his brown beret) and "purin" (Japanese for pudding, his favorite food).
He lives in a basket within the entrance hall of his human sister-owner's home. His personality is consistently laidback and friendly, making friends easily. He displays typical dog behaviors, perking up at "Let's go out!" and disliking "stay." His hobbies include napping, performing "purin aerobics," collecting and hiding shoes (especially his owner-father's leather shoes and owner-mother's sandals), and eating soft foods—particularly his mother's cream caramel pudding. His dream is to grow larger physically.
His design features a yellow Golden Retriever appearance with a signature brown beret. A distinctive asterisk-like marking on his posterior, inconsistently present after his debut, became a standardized charm point in 2003 to address earlier popularity fluctuations stemming from design inconsistencies.
Purin's family comprises anthropomorphic Golden Retrievers: Papa (wearing glasses and a top hat), Mama (wearing an apron), Grandpa, and Grandmother. His closest friends, "Team Purin," include Muffin the hamster, Scone the mouse, and Bagel the squirrel. Further friends are Custard the bird (known for stealing his beret), Mint the frog, and the sheep Biscuit, Cookie, and Macaron.
In official media, Purin features in two fairy tale adaptations within *Hello Kitty's Animation Theater*: "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The North Wind and the Sun." He also appears in ensemble Sanrio productions like *Hello Kitty: Stump Village* (2005) and *Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures*, operating an ice cream shop. His video game roles include the dedicated title *Pompompurin: Korokoro Daibouken* (Nintendo DS) and ensemble games like *Hello Kitty Island Adventure*, where he runs an ice cream boat.
Purin's sustained popularity is evident in the Sanrio Character Rankings; he has been a top contender since 1997, securing first place in 1997, 2015, 2016, and 2025, with frequent podium finishes in other years.
He lives in a basket within the entrance hall of his human sister-owner's home. His personality is consistently laidback and friendly, making friends easily. He displays typical dog behaviors, perking up at "Let's go out!" and disliking "stay." His hobbies include napping, performing "purin aerobics," collecting and hiding shoes (especially his owner-father's leather shoes and owner-mother's sandals), and eating soft foods—particularly his mother's cream caramel pudding. His dream is to grow larger physically.
His design features a yellow Golden Retriever appearance with a signature brown beret. A distinctive asterisk-like marking on his posterior, inconsistently present after his debut, became a standardized charm point in 2003 to address earlier popularity fluctuations stemming from design inconsistencies.
Purin's family comprises anthropomorphic Golden Retrievers: Papa (wearing glasses and a top hat), Mama (wearing an apron), Grandpa, and Grandmother. His closest friends, "Team Purin," include Muffin the hamster, Scone the mouse, and Bagel the squirrel. Further friends are Custard the bird (known for stealing his beret), Mint the frog, and the sheep Biscuit, Cookie, and Macaron.
In official media, Purin features in two fairy tale adaptations within *Hello Kitty's Animation Theater*: "The Tortoise and the Hare" and "The North Wind and the Sun." He also appears in ensemble Sanrio productions like *Hello Kitty: Stump Village* (2005) and *Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures*, operating an ice cream shop. His video game roles include the dedicated title *Pompompurin: Korokoro Daibouken* (Nintendo DS) and ensemble games like *Hello Kitty Island Adventure*, where he runs an ice cream boat.
Purin's sustained popularity is evident in the Sanrio Character Rankings; he has been a top contender since 1997, securing first place in 1997, 2015, 2016, and 2025, with frequent podium finishes in other years.