Sanrio Partners With Netflix for 'My Melody & Kuromi' Stop-Motion Series

Sanrio is tugging at the nostalgic heartstrings with the help of Netflix. The streaming giant is expanding its Japanese animation repertoire with a new My Melody & Kuromi stop-motion series. Two of the most beloved characters from the Sanrio family will receive its own show that is set to debut later this summer.

My Melody, which first debuted in 1975 and Kuromi, which debuted in 2005, aka Me Melody’s self-proclaimed rival, are both that continue to be popular amongst a wide range of fans around the world. Known to be quite the opposite of one another, My Melody has been the cheerful, straightforward girl who cares deeply about her younger brother and baking cookies with her mother. On the other hand, Kuromi is a troublemaker and continues to be in the top three in Sanrio’s 2024 character rankings.

Director Tomoki Misato will helm the project as it celebrates My Melody’s 50th anniversary and Kuromi’s 20th anniversary this year. In a statement, Misato said, “I’m thrilled that this project is finally announced in this important year marking the 50th anniversary of My Melody and the 20th anniversary of Kuromi. This momentous project motivated all of us to come together, take on various challenges, and push the envelope with stop-motion. I hope everyone will enjoy this exciting story set in our handcrafted Mariland, the thrilling action that pushes the limits of stop-motion, and, of course, the cute and dynamic characters.” This will be the studio Toruku’s first stop-motion animation series. Award-winning playwright Shuko Nemoto penned the scrip for the series during the pandemic.

Netflix is set to release the stop-motion series in July 2025.