Sanrio Characters - Zashikibuta (Sanrio)Zashikibuta · Sanrio

This figure features Zashikibuta, a classic Sanrio character, produced by Sanrio themselves. Zashikibuta is a curious but laid-back pig who made his first appearance in 1984. Zashikibuta loves to eat and spends his days making food such as sweets as well as growing vegetables with his friend Tabby. He holds a notable place in Sanrio history as the very first Sanrio Character Ranking champion in 1986, winning with 6,265 votes—at the time, Hello Kitty placed only 8th. Despite this strong start, Zashikibuta experienced a drastic decline in popularity from the 2010s onward, dropping as low as 62nd place in the rankings. In 2013, Sanrio offered to reprint nostalgic Zashikibuta goods if he reached 25th place or higher, but he only managed 40th, leaving those reprints unrealized. Today, Zashikibuta remains a beloved but somewhat forgotten figure among the Sanrio fanbase, making merchandise featuring this character relatively rare and appealing to collectors of vintage Sanrio characters.