Hanamaruobake (はなまるおばけ), or Marumaru (まるまる), is a Sanrio character who was created in 2022 before debuting in 2023. He's a white ghost with fluffy ears, swirly cheeks, and a hanamaru on his buttocks. He's also often seen with a cherry on their head. He treasures his big red pencil.
Marumaru is a shy, mysterious ghost who appears without warning to give you a hanamaru for your daily efforts. Everyone has their own Hanamaruobake that comes in different forms, like a future goal or an important memory, that motivates them to keep working hard every day.
Background[]
Hanamaruobake is the winner of NEXT KAWAII PROJECT, a contest held from June 2022 - February 2023. Fans were shown 25 different character designs and could vote on their favorite character from the official website or, later, by buying merchandise of their favorite character. The winner, Hanamaruobake, was announced on March 1, 2023, marking his official debut.
Ranking in the Sanrio Character Ranking[]
In the 2024 ranking, Hanamaruobake placed 14th place. He also ranked in the top ten in 6 countries: The UK, Australia, Spain, Germany, Italy, and South Korea.
- 2024: 14th place (4th in Spain, 5th in Germany, 7th in the United Kingdom and Australia, 10th in South Korea and Italy)
- 2025: 12th place (7th in France, 8th in Germany, 9th in Australia and Spain, 10th in the United States and United Kingdom)