The Asian Reporter
Pacific Northwest News q Volume 24 Number 22 q November 17, 2014 q www.asianreporter.com
Hello Kitty’s 40 years
of cuteness and cool
By Mari Yamaguchi
The Associated Press
OKYO — When she came to life in
1974, she did not have a name,
sitting sideways in blue overalls
and a big red bow, on a coin purse for
Japanese girls. On the first Saturday this
month, fans around the world celebrated
the 40th anniversary of the global icon of
“cute-cool.” That is, Hello Kitty.
Only a handful of characters last so
long, especially in Japan, where
thousands come and go in a highly
competitive market. Hello Kitty has the
looks, and more.
“Characters
must
have
certain
qualities, like an oversized round face,
short limbs, and plump body,” said
economist Takuro Morinaga, an expert on
popular culture. “Kitty follows the basics,
yet she has a strong personality.”
Innovative
design
and
clever
marketing also helped expand her fan
base around the world, said Christine
Yano, anthropologist and author of Pink
Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across
the Pacific.
Hello Kitty’s company, Sanrio Co.,
which specializes in designing and
making a wide range of products in the
booming “cute” business, created her as a
character 40 years ago.
According to Sanrio, her real name is
Kitty White, born November 1 — no year
is given — in the London suburbs. The
birthday date was chosen because it is the
birthday of her original designer, Yuko
Shimizu.
Sanrio strives to keep Hello Kitty ahead
of the curve, factoring in social and
fashion trends and collaborating with
other popular characters and fashion
brands. Her basic appearance hasn’t
changed much, but just about everything
else constantly is. Yano said the
philosophy of not resting is part of the
character’s success.
“That makes things very fresh, very
new,” she said in a telephone interview
from Boston. “She is always the same but
always different.”
T
Guinness World
Records Day
Page 3
Panda trio passes
100-day checkup
Page 5
Pumpkin pie alternate:
Thanksgiving cannoli
Page 11
The ’70s: A Schoolgirl Staple
Made up of just a few simple strokes —
Continued on page 3
FABULOUS AT 40. Hello Kitty greets fans during an event to celebrate her 40th birthday at Sanrio Puroland
theme park in Tokyo on November 1, 2014. Fans around the world celebrated the 40th anniversary of the global
icon of “cute-cool.” Only a handful of characters last so long, especially in Japan, where thousands come and go
in a highly competitive market. Hello Kitty has the looks, and more. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
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