[Sanrio] "Sanrio's New Project 'FRAGARIA MEMORIES' Unveils a Knight Protecting Hello Kitty – What Is This Parallel World That Doesn't Disrupt the Original Characters?"

Why Is Marron Cream Trending Now? "We Want to Give Back to the Original Characters"

While the refined visuals of the knights are impressive, the intricately crafted fantasy world is also a highlight. However, given the original settings where characters like Hello Kitty are from suburban London and Cinnamoroll resides in Sugar Town, how did they maintain consistency within the same world?

"Although it is a kind of parallel world, we were careful not to disrupt the original characters' universes. We conducted thorough interviews with the internal designers responsible for Sanrio characters to ensure there were no inconsistencies in the settings. On the other hand, we incorporated plenty of meta elements. For example, the famous dish in the Kuromi Kingdom is pickled scallions (Kuromi's favorite food), and when the knight Alpec, who serves Pekkle, gets excited, he starts speaking in a Kyushu dialect... (laughs). I hope fans familiar with the original Sanrio characters can enjoy these little nods," Murakami adds.
(Note: Sanrio Character Park "Harmonyland" is located in Oita Prefecture)

The voice acting for the 18 knights was cast through auditions, with male voice actors chosen to perform in both the voice dramas and songs. Given that the music premiere took place at the Animate Girls Festival 2023, it's clear that the target audience is female anime fans, and meticulous attention has been paid to this demographic.

"Fan art has become an essential aspect of enjoying content. However, especially among female users, there is often a cautious attitude of not wanting to do anything that goes against the official intentions. We issued fan art guidelines early on, not to restrict individual expression, but to encourage fans to freely enjoy and express themselves within the established framework."

On August 10th and 11th, the first 3D CG live event will be held, with a live stream also scheduled. While the new content is off to a smooth start, Murakami has a strong desire.

"With FRAGARIA MEMORIES, I hope we can give back to the existing Sanrio characters. When we announced the pairs of knights and their masters, it was incredibly gratifying to see Marron Cream trend on X. Marron Cream has a considerable history as a character, but without an individual X account or the release of new merchandise at that time, it wasn't a character that was particularly prominent on social media. The fact that it still managed to trend is evidence that Marron Cream holds a special place in many people's memories."

As FRAGARIA MEMORIES continues to develop, with plans for more voice dramas, regular live events, and various other media mix projects in the works, it seems poised to engage a wide range of fans with its unique blend of cute Sanrio characters and the humanoid characters who protect them.

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Source : ORICON NEWS