Kuromi

My Melody & Kuromi is a stop-motion series made for Netflix, and it came out around the world on July 24, 2025. Stop-motion is a way of making animation where artists build small puppets and sets by hand, then move them a tiny bit and take a photo, again and again, so they seem to move on screen. The show was made by Toruku, a stop-motion team inside Wit Studio, the studio known for Spy x Family. It was directed by Tomoki Misato, who also directed the popular stop-motion show Pui Pui Molcar, and the scripts were written by Shuko Nemoto. There are 12 short episodes, each about 11 to 17 minutes long. The theme song, called "Kawaii," is sung by the K-pop group LE SSERAFIM and produced by Gen Hoshino. The two stars are famous Sanrio characters. Sanrio is the Japanese company that also created Hello Kitty. My Melody is a sweet white rabbit who wears a pink hood. She loves almond pound cake and is kind to everyone. Kuromi is a black rabbit who wears a jester hat (a funny hat with pointy ends) with a pink skull on it. She acts tough and a little naughty, and she likes pickled onions. The two are rivals, but deep down they care about each other. The story is set in Mariland, a soft and colorful little world. My Melody runs a cake shop there, and it is very popular. Across the street, Kuromi runs a shop that sells Japanese sweets, but almost nobody comes in. Kuromi is jealous and wants to learn why My Melody's cakes are such a hit. Things get stranger when My Melody finds a mysterious heart while walking in the forest. After that, odd things start to happen around her. Both friends then get ready for a big sweets contest. The judge is Pistachio, a green cat who is a world-famous pastry chef. My Melody and Kuromi each work hard to make their best treats. Kuromi's partner Baku, a purple flying tapir (an animal with a short trunk), tags along to help, and My Melody has her best friend, a gentle pink sheep named My Sweet Piano. But nobody in Mariland knows that the contest will set off trouble that puts their whole world in danger. The show is cozy and gentle. Fans call this kind of calm, healing story "iyashikei," which means it is meant to make you feel relaxed and happy. Still, it has a real adventure and some magic, and it tells a warm story about rivals who learn to work together. The hand-made look is a big part of its charm. Everything looks soft, like felt and clay toys come to life, and food looks good enough to eat. The series was praised by critics. It won Best Animation at the 2025 Asian Academy Creative Awards and was nominated for an International Emmy Award in the kids' animation category. It is a great choice for young children, for families, and for grown-up fans who love Sanrio's cute style. The Japanese voice cast includes Rei Sakuma as My Melody and Junko Takeuchi as Kuromi, and there is also an English dub.