On 1 November this year, Hello Kitty turns 50. In celebration of the iconic Sanrio mascot’s milestone, brands are pulling out the stops to release Hello Kitty merch, from local footwear brand Anothersole, to coffee giant Starbucks.
While Hello Kitty may be everywhere, and you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who doesn’t know her, there are plenty of facts about the character that will still surprise you, 50 years on.
Here are some lesser-known Hello Kitty facts to know, in celebration of her upcoming anniversary.
Despite being a product of the Japanese company, Hello Kitty has a British background. This was a strategic choice to appeal to a global market, reflecting Japan’s fascination with British culture during the 1970s.
Hello Kitty is said to have been born in London’s suburbs. Her character details, such as her fondness for tea parties and her family structure, all embody a quaint, classic British charm.
Hello Kitty’s creator, Yuko Shimizu, was inspired by Lewis Carroll’s Alice In Wonderland when thinking of Hello Kitty’s name. She decided to have the Sanrio mascot’s first name be Kitty, after Alice’s cat in the children’s novel. Her last name is White because she is, presumably, white in colour.
Surprise! Hello Kitty is not a cat. In a segment on the Today Show this year, a key member from Sanrio’s retail business development division revealed that Hello Kitty is not a cat, but actually, a girl.
She is anthropomorphised, walking on two legs like a human being, like Disney’s iconic Mickey Mouse. This plot twist also aligns itself with the Japanese concept of gajinka, where non-animal characters are reimagined as human-like figures.
Also read:
Hello Kitty’s design is distinctive, particularly due to her lack of a mouth. This design choice was intentional, as Sanrio wanted her to “speak from the heart,” allowing people to project their feelings onto her. This approach makes her a universal symbol of emotions and friendship.
Hello Kitty is often described in terms of apples, with her height being five apples and her weight being three apples. This whimsical measurement system adds to her childlike and endearing nature.
Her favourite food also happens to be apple pie.
If you’ve ever seen Hello Kitty with a yellow bow, surprise! That’s not Kitty, but her twin sister, Mimmy. Mimmy has a yellow bow worn on her right ear. They’re identical, but Mimmy is the shyer of the two. Her hobbies include sewing, and apparently, dreaming of marriage? Make of that what you will.
If Neopets can have Petpets, so can Hello Kitty. Kitty’s pet cat is named Charmmy Kitty, and looks eerily similar to her, albeit walks on four legs, and has more fur. Funnily enough, Charmmy also has no mouth.
Hello Kitty’s cultural impact is hard to understate, but 50 years on, there’s still things to learn about little miss Kitty White.
Also read:
All images courtesy of Sanrio.
Now you can dress like your favourite idols.
Now we know what Kim Soo Hyun smells like.
Calling all mid and plus-size girlies!
Maybe being single isn't that bad after all.
LDRs just got easier.
It's a sign to get new shoes.