Sanrio Cancels Hello Kitty and VIVANT Collaboration
Sanrio said some collaboration content contained expressions inconsistent with its corporate philosophy and apologized to fans.
Sanrio announced on October 29 that it is ending all current and future activities tied to its Hello Kitty collaboration with the TV drama VIVANT, cancelling related merchandise and promotional campaigns. The company issued its official statement in Japanese a day after Sanrio Shanghai International Trading announced the cancellation in China on October 28, according to cbr.com.
In the statement, Sanrio apologised to fans and said certain collaboration content contained expressions inconsistent with its corporate philosophy. The company added that it will strengthen its internal review process for future collaborations. Sanrio did not directly attribute the cancellation to the controversy in China and did not identify specific scenes as the reason.
The collaboration featured six Sanrio characters dressed as members of the VIVANT cast and appeared on merchandise including plush toys and T-shirts. Among them was Nogitty, a character combining Hello Kitty with Yusuke Nogi, the role played by Masato Sakai. Hangyodon was portrayed as Mamoru Nozaki, played by Hiroshi Abe, alongside My Melody, Pompompurin, Cinnamoroll and Kuromi.
On October 25, China Central Television accused VIVANT of deliberately misrepresenting China, particularly over a scene involving the torture of a Japanese operative. VIVANT first aired in 2023; its second season premiered in July 2026 with an 18.8% household rating and in August became Asia's most-watched streaming title with about 15.6 million viewers across Asia-Pacific excluding China and India.
Quick answers
Why did Sanrio cancel the VIVANT collaboration?
Sanrio said certain collaboration content contained expressions inconsistent with its corporate philosophy. It did not directly attribute the cancellation to the China controversy or name specific scenes.
When did Sanrio announce the cancellation?
Sanrio Shanghai International Trading announced it in China on October 28, and Sanrio issued its official Japanese statement on October 29.
What was included in the Hello Kitty and VIVANT collaboration?
Six Sanrio characters were dressed as members of the VIVANT cast, including Nogitty, a combination of Hello Kitty and Yusuke Nogi. The lineup appeared on merchandise such as plush toys and T-shirts.