My Melody (Michelle Marie)
por ari webb-bryantMy Melody (マイメロディ, Mai Merodi), also referred to as My Melo (マイメロ Mai Mero) is a female rabbit character from the Japanese company Sanrio, designed by Yasuko Matsumoto. She is the main protagonist of the My Melody universe.
My Melody was first introduced in 1975 (making herself one of Sanrio's earliest known characters) and the first related merchandise was produced at the end of that year as part of a Christmas promotion. At first, she mainly was marketed toward young girls, but like Hello Kitty, her popularity has greatly increased among women and men of all ages, especially throughout Asia.
Similarly to Hello Kitty, because the kawaii community was at its infancy in the 1970s, My Melody was an instant global hit on her debut and is now arguably Sanrio's second most prominent flagship character, making herself one of the most widely recognized and beloved anthropomorphic characters in her own right. Although she stars her own animated shows such as Onegai My Melody or My Melody & Kuromi (the former being Kuromi's first appearance) beginning in the late 1980s, Melody is often seen alongside Kitty in merchandise and other media since their origins, suggesting them to be partner characters and herself likely the Hello Kitty series' deuteragonist.
During the late '80s, however, My Melody's popularity waned, and the only items produced at the time were stationery and candy. In 1996, it rose again and according to a reader survey published in the Strawberry News, My Melody came out amongst some of Sanrio's most popular characters and as a result, due to popular demand, standard merchandise based on the character started re-appearing beginning in February 1997 featuring the original red hood. Items with the pink hood were re-released in 1999; as of 2000, there were items released with multiple color hoods. Since then, My Melody's fame has remained steady.
On March 1, 2008, Mattel released a Barbie doll named "My Melody". The My Melody Barbie doll featured a Barbie doll inspired by the My Melody character, with the rabbit's face included in different parts of the doll's fashion and accessories. In an homage to the character's rabbit ears, the doll's hair is styled in pigtails.
On March 26, 2008, a Japanese music compilation album titled "I Love 30 – My Melody" from Tearbridge Records was released with My Melody wearing the original red hood drawn in various artwork styles by Groovisions. Rei Sakuma has been the official voice of My Melody in Japan since 1989.
My Melody has also been turned into a Pullip doll with two versions; originally released in 2008 and the latest one in 2016.
In 2014, Sanrio celebrated My Melody's 40th Anniversary by creating a special line of merchandise where she is given a different hood where her ears are dropped down and wears either a bonnet or a flower pin and sometimes depicted with eyelashes. Sanrio Puroland honored her 40th anniversary by creating an indoor ride called "My Melody Drive" where visitors are visiting Mariland and encounter My Melody and her friends including Kuromi who attempts to ruin her day.
My Melody is also seen in collaboration merchandise with other non-Sanrio series, such as one with Sailor Moon in 2017.
In 2019, My Melody became a radio DJ on TOKYO FM with a show called "My Melo Therapy" (マイメロセラピー) where she answers questions from listeners and offers advice. A book with advice from the show was released in 2022.
In 2010, The New York Times said that My Melody was "moderately successful" in terms of popularity, but shows no signs of reaching the same level of global popularity like that of Hello Kitty. In 2019 she was Sanrio's second most profitable character, after Hello Kitty herself.
In 2025, My Melody celebrated her 50th Anniversary, sharing with Kuromi's own 20th.
