Sanrio Virtual Festival 2026: A Digital Wonderland of Music and Collaboration
Sanrio is set to host its highly anticipated “Sanrio Virtual Festival 2026” from February 8 to March 8, 2026. This year’s event, building on a legacy that has drawn over 10 million visitors across its previous four iterations, promises an even grander spectacle with a lineup of 28 diverse artists and exciting new virtual experiences within the ever-evolving “Virtual Sanrio Puroland” on VRChat.
Since its inception in 2021, the Sanrio Virtual Festival has aimed to deliver innovative digital experiences in the XR (Extended Reality) realm. Attendees can immerse themselves in this vibrant world by transforming into original “Mochipoli” avatars, adorned with their favorite Sanrio character costumes and items, creating a deeply personal connection to the virtual Sanrio Puroland experience. This festival transforms the digital space into a massive venue where virtual artists, creators, and beloved IPs, alongside Sanrio characters, deliver captivating performances that unite fans from various communities.
A Star-Studded Artist Lineup and Exciting Collaborations
The 2026 festival boasts an impressive roster of 28 artists. Highlights include performances by Nijisanji’s Suo Sango and Hololive’s Juufuutei Raden, among others. Fans can also look forward to special collaborations, such as appearances by the SOS Brigade members from The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya series. The popular music-based character rap project Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle-, which has garnered over 1.05 million cinema attendees and 2.6 billion yen in box office revenue, will feature all 18 characters from its six divisions in 3DCG. Adding to the excitement, KUROMI will make her debut as an artist.
This diverse lineup ensures a wide appeal, from virtual artist enthusiasts to fans of popular IPs. While VR devices offer an immersive, true-to-life performance experience, smartphone users can also enjoy the event through video streaming.
“Mirmo de Pon!” Joins the Virtual Stage
A dream collaboration comes to life as Mirmo from the beloved manga Mirmo de Pon!, serialized in Shogakukan’s “Ciao” since 2001, will grace the artist performance stage. This special event will also feature user-participation games with prizes and screenings of the Wagamama☆Fairy Mirmo de Pon! anime. The specific performance Mirmo will join remains a delightful surprise for attendees.
“8Puronicles”: A New Chapter in Virtual Storytelling
Coinciding with the festival, “Virtual Sanrio Puroland” introduces “8Puronicles” (Eight Puroland Chronicles), a new medium-to-long-term project featuring two new virtual parades. This project delves into the ancient legend of the “Eight Puroland” characters, beginning with new “Puroland” characters arriving from Harmony Star to Virtual Sanrio Puroland. The stories, which allow audiences to witness historical events from a first-person perspective, revolve around themes of encounter and reunion.
Voice actors Yuki Kaji and Hitsuji Megata lend their talents to the protagonists, Roy Happy and Parla, respectively, with music provided by Sho Watanabe and direction by Kinu and Yakusoku. The first two installments of this eight-part series will premiere on February 8 and will be permanently available in Virtual Sanrio Puroland, offering continuous enjoyment beyond the festival period.
Major Updates to Virtual Sanrio Puroland: New Worlds Unveiled
“Virtual Sanrio Puroland” also receives a significant update, introducing three new worlds designed to deepen the Sanrio experience:
-
SHOW BY ROCK!! WORLD: Immerse yourself in the world of Sanrio’s SHOW BY ROCK!!, exploring familiar areas like “Shibuvalley” and “Under North Zawa.”
-
Metamogphose Lab. (Metamog): Discover a nurturing game where you, as an investigator, explore a mysterious world with Cogimyun, searching for strange foods and interacting with creatures called “Mog.” Feeding them dishes made from exotic ingredients may lead to surprising transformations!
-
VIRTUAL PURO RESIDENCE Room 306 / Cinnamoroll: Following the “Room 401 / Bad Badtz-Maru” opening in December, Cinnamoroll’s “Room 306” offers a neon-lit, gaming-themed chill space. It’s perfect for relaxing alone, chatting with friends late into the night, or even dozing off.
Beyond these new additions, visitors can continue to enjoy existing popular virtual parades and Sanrio character greetings, including opportunities to meet characters and take photos together.
“The sheer scale of collaboration, from iconic anime series to virtual artists, truly makes this festival a landmark event in the virtual entertainment space. It’s a joy to see so many beloved characters come together in such an innovative way!” – A virtual festival attendee’s hopeful reaction.
Event Information
-
Dates: February 8 (Sun) – March 8 (Sun), 2026
-
Location: Virtual Sanrio Puroland (VRChat)
-
Ticket Sales: January 14 (Wed) 11:00 – March 16 (Mon) 14:00, 2026
-
Ticket Prices (tax included):
-
Standard Ticket: ¥8,800
-
Online Streaming (Lemino/SPWN): From ¥4,400
-
-
Official Festival Website: https://v-fes.sanrio.co.jp/
-
Event Teaser Video: https://youtu.be/M5SaaeWr-RI
This year’s Sanrio Virtual Festival is poised to further blur the lines between virtual and reality, showcasing the immense potential of XR technology in entertainment. As Sanrio continues to innovate within the digital landscape, these events are surely shaping the future of Kawaii culture, offering global fans unprecedented access and interactive experiences with their favorite characters and IPs, and setting new benchmarks for virtual theme park engagement worldwide.
