Who is Hello Kitty?

Most people claim Hello Kitty is a cat. Some claim she’s a little girl. And some people state she’s a gijinka, which is a Japanese Bobtail cat. I personally believe she’s a little girl. Either way, she is a fictional character who has spanned decades of popularity.

Hello Kitty’s History

In 1974, Hello Kitty was created by a 24 year old Japanese illustrator, Yuko Shimizu, who is now at the age of 78. Shimizu started working for the company Sanrio. Sanrio would make rubber sandals decorated with strawberry prints. Shimizu was hired due to her good illustration skills. She designed Hello Kitty looking for something Kawaii, which is another word for something cute. Her design for Hello Kitty was inspired by her childhood when she got a small white kitten from her father for a birthday present. Later on, Sanrio decided to add more of a backstory claiming Hello Kitty is a little 8 year- old girl from England, named Kitty White, with her own pet cat named Charmmy Kitty. The creation of Hello Kitty became the fastest selling Sanrio product, helping the company generate more than $80 billion to date.

Hello Kitty Worldwide

Hello Kitty later on became popular for many different things. The first ever Hello Kitty product made by Sanrio was a vinyl coin purse which was small and clear and made in 1975. Sanrio’s first series, “Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theater” was premiered in 1987 by Sanrio. The series was about Kitty and her friends giving a mix of modern stories, fairy tales, and folktales. Hello Kitty has been in and out of more mainstream popularity over the last several decades. But, she is increasingly more popular again and is now seen almost everywhere. Out in public, you’ll probably see people walking around with Hello Kitty backpacks, decorated Stanley cups, and even decorated Crocs. People also have their rooms decorated with Hello Kitty rugs, mirrors, and also tapestries. What is your favorite Hello Kitty item?