Pankunchi (ぱんくんち): The Panda Who Loves Bread, Shortpants Town Lore & Official History

The story of Pankunchi (ぱんくんち) begins with one of Sanrio’s most tender origin narratives. In a serene forest where wild pandas make their home, a tiny baby panda was discovered tucked safely inside an abandoned cardboard box. Beside him lay a single, cherished mitten—a warm keepsake that he clutched tightly and treasured above all else.

Clad in charming little short pants, the young panda was named Pan-kun (パンくん). Unlike ordinary pandas who spend their afternoons nibbling bamboo stalks, Pan-kun developed an unconditional, all-consuming passion for bakery goods. The intoxicating aroma of golden crusts and fluffy dough made his heart soar and his little tummy rumble with joyous “guu-guu” sounds.

Recognizing his unique spirit, Pan-kun was welcomed into the wider world, eventually embarking on a life-changing journey to a storybook haven known as Shortpants Town (短パンタウン).

Pan-kun’s days are filled with wholesome discoveries. Whether hunting for four-leaf clovers in lush green fields, listening to the morning songs of colorful birds, or resting under a starry night sky, every moment is celebrated with childlike wonder.

Picture books play a central role in Pan-kun’s life. He loves curling up in soft grass with an open illustrated book, learning about far-off lands while Shokupan-kun and Koppepan-kun relax nearby. This literary charm was reflected in Sanrio’s mid-2000s stationery series, which featured warm pastel storybook borders and handwritten notes.

To bring Pan-kun’s storybook world to vibrant life, Sanrio commissioned a dedicated animated short series in 2007. The production was handled by acclaimed boutique animation studio Gear Change (ギアチェンジ) under the direction of Noriyuki Kitakoga (北古賀範之), with scripts and storyboards crafted by celebrated animator Jun Aoki (青木純).

Initially distributed through Sanrio’s official online portal and screened across in-store displays at Sanrio Gift Gate boutiques across Japan, the shorts gained tremendous word-of-mouth popularity among children and collectors.

In April 2008, the series expanded to nationwide terrestrial television, broadcasting on TV Tokyo as featured interstitial shorts during morning children’s programming blocks. The shorts captured the gentle comedy of Pan-kun’s rumbling stomach and the bakery friends’ quirky escapades.

In the annual Sanrio Character Ranking (サンリオキャラクター大賞), Pankunchi has maintained a remarkably consistent, loyal voter base spanning over a decade of competition. Competing against more than 90 global powerhouse characters, Pankunchi consistently secures a stable mid-tier position.

In the official 2026 Sanrio Character Ranking (results published June 28, 2026), Pankunchi achieved Final Rank #65 Worldwide (Entry No. 64), following a strong finish at #64 in 2025 (Entry No. 63) and #63 in 2024.

Pankunchi reached its modern peak standing at #47 in 2017 and #49 in 2020, demonstrating the deep affection that Japanese and international nostalgia collectors hold for Pan-kun and his bread friends.