Ugly but Irresistible... The Soaring Popularity of Character Hangyodon [Japan Inside]

Debuted in 1985 as a Half-Fish, Half-Human
Unpopular Due to Unconventional Looks
Chosen by the Z Generation Seeking Individuality Amid Retro Boom

Among the currently popular Japanese characters, Sanrio's "Hangyodon" seems to be at the top. This character is known for its blue body and thick lips. Since it is neither a fish nor a human, and its appearance is unusual rather than cute like other Sanrio characters, it tends to be quite polarizing.

Sanrio characters Hangyodong (left) and Octopus Sayuri. Sanrio.

Because of this, Hangyodon had always ranked outside the top 10 in Sanrio's annual Character Grand Prix. However, in the recently announced "2025 Sanrio Character Ranking," it rose to 8th place, drawing attention. It received as many as 2.2 million votes. There is a saying that "being cute is more dangerous than being handsome," isn't there? In Japan, Hangyodon is considered a representative example of "ugly but somehow cute," similar to a sentiment found in Korea. Some analysts say that its sudden rise in popularity is due to its appeal to the psychology of the MZ generation. Today, we share the story of Hangyodon, who has suddenly risen to stardom.

First, here is Hangyodon's profile as introduced by Sanrio. Debuting in 1985, Hangyodon was released as a "half-fish, half-human" concept character born in China. Its special skill is making people laugh. However, deep down, it is a romantic who often feels lonely and always wants to be recognized as a hero, but somehow never quite succeeds. Its birthday is March 14, making it a Pisces, and its blood type is B. Its favorite foods are "Hiyashi Chuka" (a cold Chinese-style noodle dish popular in Japan during summer), shrimp crackers, and hot pot. Although there are concerns that being a fish, it might get cooked, it is also said to enjoy going to hot springs.

Hangyodon also has friends. The octopus always by its side is named Sayuri, and they are said to be close. It is also friends with Otamaro, a tadpole, and Itaro, a glasses-wearing squid who loves inventing things.

Hankyodong ranked 8th in the 2025 Sanrio Character Awards. Sanrio.

However, considering its debut year, Hangyodon is nearly in its 40s, yet it has not been as well-known as other Sanrio characters like "My Melody," "Pompompurin," or "Cinnamoroll." Its recent surge in popularity has even left Sanrio designers puzzled, as they admit, "Honestly, we don't really know why Hangyodon is suddenly popular."

To investigate the reasons behind its popularity, entertainment magazine Oricon conducted an interview. Originally, Hangyodon was created by a designer who based the character on a self-portrait. While most Sanrio characters are adorable and cute, it is rare for a character to be modeled after a real person. Even at the time of its debut, Hangyodon was conceived as a funny and entertaining character rather than a cute one. The idea was to create a character that even boys, who might hesitate to carry around Sanrio characters, could relate to. For a similar reason, Sanrio's frog character "Kerokeroppi" was also created.

Kerokeropi, a character originally created with a similar purpose to Hangyodong. Sanrio.

Still, it is the cute characters that usually receive the most love at Sanrio. The year after its debut, Hangyodon briefly rose to 2nd place in the popularity poll thanks to its amusing appearance, but it soon fell out of the rankings and remained there for years.

Recently, however, a retro boom among the MZ generation has led to renewed attention for characters from the past. As a result, Hangyodon, which was created 40 years ago, has started to regain recognition. Among the various characters, it has become popular among students who seek something different rather than the typical cute plush toys. In fact, "Ppanchutokki," a character currently popular among young people, is also far from being conventionally cute. Hangyodon began to gain popularity among young people who prefer unique and distinctive characters.

In Japan, the words "ugly" (busai-ku) and "cute" (kawaii) have even been combined to create the term "busakawa," meaning "ugly but somehow cute." Hangyodon is a perfect example of this phenomenon.

Meanwhile, Hangyodon was also chosen as the mascot for Suwon Samsung in a collaboration between Korea's K-League and Sanrio. The blue color of Hangyodon matched well with the Suwon Samsung Bluewings, leading to even more popularity. There were even humorous requests from fans asking for a cuter character to be transferred as the mascot, saying, "Why do we have Hangyodon?" This seems to reflect the positive message that focusing on one's own unique qualities can make anyone appear cute.