The LEGO Group and Sanrio® announce new multi-year partnership to bring Hello Kitty and Friends universe to life in LEGO® brick form

LEGO have been edging more and more towards display pieces in recent years. Models have been getting cuter and cuter, and we are seeing more and more sets across the range that have been increasingly ‘kawaii’ or cute in thier nature. In 2027, this is going to skyrocket as the LEGO Group launch their first sets created in collaboration with Sanrio, Creators of Hello Kitty and Friends. At this stage we don’t know much… Read on for the press release.

Today, the LEGO Group and Sanrio Co., Ltd. reveal an exciting new partnership that will bring the characters and universe of Hello Kitty and Friends to fans for the first time in LEGO® brick form. Fans can look forward to a wide range of new LEGO Sanrio products for fans, starting in 2027.

Two strong brands within the world of play and fun are coming together for the first time to create unique and playful experiences for fans. The LEGO Group is a Danish family-owned company with a 94-year history of creating fun and engaging play experiences, with the LEGO brick at its core. Sanrio is a global entertainment and lifestyle company known for creating beloved and iconic characters that inspire happiness, friendship, and connection. Together, they aim to capture the hearts of fans worldwide through exciting new LEGO sets that bring the unique world of Sanrio to life, featuring Hello Kitty alongside fan-favorite characters.

Lena Dixen, SVP Global Product Groups at the LEGO Group, said: “We’re thrilled to reveal this partnership with Sanrio and introduce the Hello Kitty and Friends characters and universe to fans in LEGO play sets for the very first time. Hello Kitty is an iconic character, an instantly recognizable, global lifestyle phenomenon that has inspired happiness across generations, and her universal appeal pairs perfectly with the imaginative power and limitless possibilities of LEGO play, we hope to create memorable moments of unforgettable fun.”

Wataru Nakatsuka, Senior Managing Director, Sanrio Co., Ltd., said: “We’re delighted to partner with the LEGO Group to reimagine our beloved characters through the joy of LEGO play. This collaboration marks an exciting milestone for Sanrio as we continue to create meaningful moments for people around the world, guided by our vision of ‘One World, Connecting Smiles’. We look forward to seeing how this partnership will inspire creativity and bring joy across generations in the years ahead.”

Introduced in 1974, Hello Kitty has grown into one of the world’s most recognized and beloved characters, appearing on approximately 50,000 types of merchandise sold annually in over 130 countries and regions. Hello Kitty, along with many other Sanrio characters, connects with audiences around the world to bring smiles through storytelling across media, consumer products, digital content, and immersive experiences, while remaining an enduring symbol of friendship, kindness, and kawaii culture for generations of fans.

Fans around the world can look forward to new products coming their way in 2027. Find out more: LEGO.com/Sanrio

Thoughts – and what’s gone before

Certainly, Sanrio characters have wide ranging appeal, from kids, through teens to adults. Similar to pokemon I expect we will be seeing minifigure scale sets, large display sets, and perhaps something in between. Will there be SmartPlay? How about hangable pop art? I’m sure we will find out more before too long.

I’m intrigued to see what comes of the range. I am also curious as to whether the range will be available world wide: Keeppley bricks have been releasing SanRio sets in recent times – who have also released Pokemon sets to the Asian Market (LEGO Pokemon sets are not yet available within Asia) I look forward to seeing if this is clarified. I see the cuteness within their models, but there is something just a little too chaotic for a licences that appears to be modelled in a minimalistic way. Ideal for the Danish sensibilities at the LEGO Group.

Brick Craft have also released licenced sets – more of the medium scale built character sets (unlike the KeepPley minifigure/figurine styler models) I can see these kinds of builds dominating the bedrooms of kids, young and old, around the world before long.

Of course, creating Sanrio sushi seems a little out their, even for the LEGO Group!

The recent developments in brick geometry that we have seen demonstrated in Creator, ET and Pokemon leave me wondering about how the characters will appear compared to the illustrated version: will they be boxier like the pokemon, or is the stud-free curved slope pallette going to evolve further in the the next few months?

I am curious to say the least!

What about you? Is Hello Kitty your cup of tea? Would you like to put together an oversized $400 model? Or would you prefer something smaller? Leave your thoughts below.

Of course, while this is very exciting, inquiring minds want to know when we will see Miffy/ Nintje in LEGO Form…

---

If you have enjoyed this post, please feel free to share it with your friends, families and communities. You can also keep up to date with us by following The Rambling Brick on our socials: Facebook, Threads, Bluesky, Tumblr (or just sign up for our mailing list) and find some extra content on Instagram and TikTok.

We really value your feedback: please let us know what you think about the sets we review, and the articles we post. And if you wish to support the Rambling Brick, consider clicking on our affiliate links before going shopping at LEGO.com. The Rambling Brick receives a small commission, and it costs you nothing extra.

Until Next Time,

Play Well!