On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Hello Kitty character, fans were shocked when the copyright-holding company announced that the character is actually not a cat as we have always called it.
“Hello Kitty is not a cat. In fact, this character is a little girl,” shared Jill Koch, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management at Sanrio. Sanrio, based in Japan, has created and managed the Hello Kitty character’s copyright for several decades.
According to Sanrio, Hello Kitty is actually a petite girl who weighs as much as three apples and is as tall as five apples. She grew up in the suburbs of London, England, with her parents and her twin sister Mimmy. She even has a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty.
Despite the name and appearance, Hello Kitty is definitely not a cat.
However, fans are skeptical about the information released by the company. Many were stunned to learn that Hello Kitty was born and raised in England.
“She has cat ears and whiskers but is not a cat?” commented one user on TikTok. “She has cat-like ears, whiskers like a cat, but is actually a little girl?” mocked another account.
“So she has whiskers, ears, and is named ‘Kitty,’ but is a human? What on earth?”; “And she’s British?” many reacted.
According to Christine R. Yano, an anthropologist and author, many Japanese people were in England at the time Hello Kitty was created in 1974. “At that time, many Japanese people loved England. Therefore, the biography was created to suit the tastes of the people back then,” Yano explained, adding that Hello Kitty is indeed a little girl.
“Hello Kitty is not a cat; she is everyone’s friend. She is never depicted walking on four legs. Additionally, she has pets too,” Yano added.
In 2014, on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the animated series, Sanrio also shared the importance of distinguishing between Hello Kitty’s identity as a girl and her cat-like characteristics.
This year, celebrating the 50th anniversary of the adorable Hello Kitty character, a series of festivals are taking place worldwide. “As the ambassador of friendship and kindness for the past 50 years, Hello Kitty has touched the hearts of many fans around the globe. We want to express our appreciation to fans by providing memorable experiences inspired by Hello Kitty during this special anniversary,” said Craig Takiguchi, CEO of Sanrio. The company is planning to organize a series of commemorative events this year.
