Are you ready to learn about Usahana, the charming character known for her rainbow-colored fur? This retro Sanrio character has hopped her way into the hearts of fans worldwide with her colorful vibes. Her name, which is also spelled “U*SA*HA*NA, means “flower rabbit,” and she’s as bright as her favorite summer season! Let’s dive once more into the world of Sanrio to be charmed by one of their cutest characters!
- Japanese name: ウサハナ (pronounced oo-sa-ha-na)
- Nickname: Hana-chan
- Birthday: August 7
- Debut year: 2000
- Favorite food: Orange sherbet
- Dream: To be a ballerina
- Hobby: Making sweets and collecting earrings
- Fun fact: Usahana’s fur started as plain yellow!
WHO IS U*SA*HA*NA?
Meet Usahana, also known as Hana-chan! She’s a super lively and energetic rabbit girl who’s all about representing summer. Her favorite flower is the sunflower, and she loves eating orange sherbet! Hana lives on a small, lovely island, and spends her time making sweet treats and collecting pretty earrings while practicing her ballerina dance moves.
Usahana was created by Sanrio in Japan (a kawaii powerhouse that you can learn more about in our blog about Sanrio). She was designed by Kazumi Fukazawa, who also worked on other cute characters like Sugarbunnies and Marron Cream (you can check out all of the other cuties Sanrio has to offer in our Ultimate List of Sanrio characters). Hana-chan first appeared in 2000 to brighten up the boring office desks of working ladies and bring joy into their hearts. Since then, she has been spreading brightness not just in Japan but all over the world!
WHAT DOES USAHANA LOOK LIKE?
Hana-chan is a super cute bunny who’s as tall as three tulips and as light as a bunch of muscat grapes. Imagine a rabbit with long, slightly curved ears and big, round blue eyes—those are her most charming features! That’s not all – Usahana’s fur has different colors, like the rainbow, and she has a flower on her head. Isn't she adorable?
HOW DID USAHANA BECOME RAINBOW-COLORED?
Usahana may be known for her brightly colored fur, but did you know that she wasn’t born (or created) that way? Hana actually had a solid yellow color at first, and the story of how she became rainbow-colored was revealed in the Sanrio Puroland show, Usahana no Colorful Fantasy.
In the story, Usahana saw a big, beautiful rainbow coming from the lighthouse one day and decided to go there. On her way, she met some of her friends who needed help, and she didn’t think twice about helping them. Because Hana was so busy helping her friends, she missed the rainbow at the lighthouse.
This made her sad, but as she was walking home, she looked into a puddle and saw her reflection. To her surprise, she was covered in all the colors of the rainbow! The rainbow granted her wish because of her kindness. Now, she always carries the rainbow with her!
HOW DO YOU PRONOUNCE USAHANA?
Do you know how to pronounce Usahana’s name? It’s pretty easy! Just say “oo-sa-ha-na.” Now you can chat about her with all your friends without skipping a beat! And if you want to make it easier, you can talk about this Sanrio cutie using her nickname, Hana!
WHAT DOES USAHANA MEAN?
Understanding Usahana’s meaning is as easy as pronouncing it! In Japanese, “usa” is a cute abbreviation for “usagi,” which means rabbit, and “hana” translates to flower. So, Usahana means “flower rabbit” — isn’t that the best and cutest way to capture the Sanrio bunny’s playful and cheerful nature?
WHAT SHOW IS USAHANA IN?
Usahana used to be in a fun animated show called Usahana: Yumemiru Ballerina” or Usahana: Dreaming Ballerina. It was a special series shown on Kitty's Paradise PLUS in 2006. The show has 7 episodes and tells the story of Hana going to a fancy ballet school called "Pour Mie" on Etoile Island. Another show, Usahana's Numbers and Shapes, came out in 2008 as part of the Sanrio Pokoapoko series. It has seven animations about numbers and seven songs performed by puppets.
IS USAHANA DISCONTINUED?
While Hana isn’t as prominently featured as some other Sanrio characters like Hello Kitty or My Melody, she’s definitely not forgotten! She’s now considered a retro character who occasionally appears in collaborations and in Sanrio Puroland. Although Usahana merchandise has become rarer, she still holds a special place in the kawaii world of Sanrio!
LET’S MEET USAHANA’S FRIENDS
With Hana-chan’s bright and kind personality, it’s no surprise that she has friends who stand by her no matter what. Let’s get to know each of them!
Sora-kun (ソラくん)
A laid-back boy bear, Sora-kun does things at his own pace. He can be a bit stubborn too, so don’t pressure him! His hobby is stargazing.
Pannya-chan (パンニャちゃん)
Pannya is a boyish panda girl who’s slightly short-tempered. Make sure not to get in her way when she’s not in the mood!
Wanwa-chan (ワンワちゃん)
Among Hana-chan’s friends, Wanwa is the kindest. She’s a shy dog who admires Hana, and she loves fashion.
Buppy-kun (ブッピーくん)
Buppy is a boy pig who’s clumsy and also forgetful. He got his name from “butta,” which means pig in Japanese!
Nyako-chan (ニャーコちゃん)
Nyako is the sweetest, but she’s also a crybaby. Usahana is gentle when she’s talking to her shy cat friend.
USAHANA & THE SANRIO CHARACTER RANKING
Usahana first joined the Sanrio Character Ranking in 2005 and placed 6th, which was her highest ranking ever. That doesn’t mean to say she’s not popular enough, because since then, she has never left the top 50 spots. She even placed 20th in the 2024 Sanrio Character Ranking. People really enjoy her cheerful and kind nature! If you'd like to read more about this contest that Usahana does well in, check out our blog on the Sanrio Character Ranking.
And that’s not all—did you know that in 2013, Hana showed her support for her fellow rabbit characters in Sanrio? She made a promise to plant flowers with everyone if a rabbit character won first place. However, Hello Kitty won that year’s top spot, and My Melody, another rabbit, got second place. That was a close fight!
LEARN ENGLISH WITH USAHANA!
With her charming and joyful personality, Hana is a perfect fit for an ambassador of a kid-centered company. That’s why she became the image character of ECC Kids! ECC Co. is a Japanese company that runs English conversation schools and other educational programs in Japan. Usahana and Hello Kitty celebrated ECC’s 50th anniversary and helped make learning fun and exciting for children!
HOW TO DRAW USAHANA
Ready to draw your own Usahana picture? It's pretty easy! Here's an easy-to-follow tutorial for you. Just don't forget to have your crayons or colorful markers ready so you can give Hana-chan her rainbow-colored fur!
IT’S PLAYTIME WITH HANA!
Although Usahana doesn’t have a video game of her own, she was featured in some Sanrio-inspired games. She was one of the rabbit cuties in the Usa Character Party in the game Hello Kitty World, and also appeared with other Sanrio characters in the video games Hello Kitty and the Apron of Magic and the mobile game Hello Sweet Days!
What’s more, Usahana was part of the special Sanrio x Animal Crossing collaboration game called Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp. Those who played the virtual singing game Project SEKAI Colorful Stage also got to see Usahana paired up with one of the kawaii characters, Kusanagi Nene. Lastly, Usahana also joined the fun in the farming game Chokotto Farm!
ENJOY YUMMY TREATS WITH USAHANA
Usahana had some fun food collaborations in Japan, along with her Sanrio besties. You could find her in the special Sanrio Characters instant ramen from Thank You Mart, Japanese Kit Kat wrappers, and stickers from the 7-Eleven Sanrio Characters Manmaruyaki 2024 treats! She added additional joy to customers who purchased the mentioned treats.
Now, you might be wondering if you can visit a Usahana-themed cafe in Japan. Sadly, there’s none, and there hasn’t been a limited-edition pop-up cafe that’s totally dedicated to Hana-chan either. However, there was a time when you could order a Hana-decorated latte at Sanrio cafe to celebrate Usahana’s anniversary!
USAHANA’S KAWAII COLLABS
Truly a friend of everyone, Hana-chan also worked with other kawaii characters from Japan! Usahana was paired up with anime characters such as Momo from Idolish7 and Hinata from Naruto Shippuden. She also joined her Sanrio friends in collaborating with the cute Mofusand cats! You can see the furry cats wearing Sanrio-inspired hoodies, one of which is Usahana’s notable rainbow ears.
Additionally, Thank You Mart released exclusive items featuring retro characters Usahana, Corocorokuririn, and the Sugarbunnies. These nostalgic designs are perfect for fans of Sanrio characters from Y2K! There’s also a collaboration with Maimaimaigoen, where you can get Aki x Usahana merch. These team-ups make Hana-chan even more adorable!
WHERE TO MEET USAHANA
As if Hana’s not busy enough with all her collaborations, she’s also often seen having fun with fans and friends at theme parks. She sometimes visits Sanrio Puroland, Japan’s indoor theme park filled with cute Sanrio characters. Usahana is also a regular at Harmonyland, another Sanrio-themed park in Japan. You can also find some great Usahana goodies there!
COLLECT USAHANA GOODIES!
Starting your Usahana collection is super fun and easy! You can get a cute Usahana plush to hug or a cute Usahana collectible to display in your room. Japanese toy manufacturer Bandai created a lot of figures and gachapon featuring Hana-chan and other Sanrio cuties!
What’s more, you can kawaii-fy your phone with a Usahana phone case from Caseplay, and add a colorful Usahana wallpaper for extra cuteness! Don’t forget to grab some Usahana stickers to decorate your things and add a kawaii Usahana keychain for your backpack. With all these items, your Usahana collection will be amazing!
Well, it was sure fun getting to know Usahana with you! Whether you’re a longtime Sanrio fan or just getting to know the world of cute characters, Usahana is a delightful discovery. She teaches us to live life with joy and kindness, just like a bright rainbow.
Let’s keep our fingers crossed for more Usahana-themed goodies in the future. Give love to Hana-chan by sharing comments below! Who knows? With enough love from fans, we might just see a big Usahana comeback!