TOI World Desk
Hello Kitty a Japanese fictional character which was believed to be a cat for 50-years turns out to be an actual little girl. The creators revealed about the character on it 50th anniversary.
The character was created by Japanese entertainment company Sanrio in 1947 which captivated world wide following.
Jill Koch, Sanrio’s senior vice president of marketing and brand management on , clarified on Thursday that, “Hello Kitty is not a cat,” and “she’s actually a little girl.”
According to Koch, Hello Kitty, who “weighs three apples” and is five apples tall, grew up in the London suburbs with her twin sister, Mimmy, their parents, and the family’s pet cat, Charmmy Kitty.Sanrio’s website describes Hello Kitty’s hobbies as “baking cookies and making new friends.”
Hello Kitty’s backstory was further explained by Yuko Shimizu, the Sanrio employee who created the character. In an interview with the BBC, Shimizu described her design as “a white cat with a red bow in its hair,” inspired by her own childhood experiences. “When I was a child, I got a small white kitten from my father for a birthday present,” Shimizu said.
Sanrio confirmed to the BBC that Hello Kitty’s real name is Kitty White, and she was born in England. The company stated that the character is indeed an 8-year-old girl.
Shimizu, who left Sanrio two years after creating Hello Kitty, remarked on the enduring confusion, but fans continue to hold onto their original perceptions.
The character was created by Japanese entertainment company Sanrio in 1947 which captivated world wide following.
Jill Koch, Sanrio’s senior vice president of marketing and brand management on , clarified on Thursday that, “Hello Kitty is not a cat,” and “she’s actually a little girl.”
According to Koch, Hello Kitty, who “weighs three apples” and is five apples tall, grew up in the London suburbs with her twin sister, Mimmy, their parents, and the family’s pet cat, Charmmy Kitty.Sanrio’s website describes Hello Kitty’s hobbies as “baking cookies and making new friends.”
Hello Kitty’s backstory was further explained by Yuko Shimizu, the Sanrio employee who created the character. In an interview with the BBC, Shimizu described her design as “a white cat with a red bow in its hair,” inspired by her own childhood experiences. “When I was a child, I got a small white kitten from my father for a birthday present,” Shimizu said.
Sanrio confirmed to the BBC that Hello Kitty’s real name is Kitty White, and she was born in England. The company stated that the character is indeed an 8-year-old girl.
Shimizu, who left Sanrio two years after creating Hello Kitty, remarked on the enduring confusion, but fans continue to hold onto their original perceptions.