Hello Kitty, the cherished cartoon character that has delighted children and adults worldwide for decades, is celebrating her 50th anniversary this year.
Japanese company Sanrio created Hello Kitty in 1974. A year later, her image, complete with the signature red bow, debuted to the public on a small children's coin purse sold for less than a dollar.
Since then, her charming, expressionless face has appeared on toys, clothing, and various merchandise worldwide, even becoming the subject of doctoral dissertations.
Today, she’s also a star on TikTok.
She may soon become a Hollywood movie star as well, if plans for a combined animated/live-action Hello Kitty feature film, announced in 2019, come to life.
Despite her name being ubiquitous for fifty years, Hello Kitty remains somewhat of an enigma. Did you know her full name is actually Kitty White? And that she was born in London, England? Indeed, the British Kitty also has a twin sister named Mimmy.
Oh, and apparently, she’s not even a cat!
A Pop Culture Phenomenon Since The 1970s
After Sanrio introduced her adorable face on a coin purse in Japan in 1975, Hello Kitty became a global merchandising superstar, appearing on kids' notebooks, lunchboxes, and clothing — and eventually on adult merchandise as well.
She was still going strong in 1987 when she first appeared as an American cartoon star in “Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theater,” a CBS animated series.
Although her original fans have grown up and now have children of their own, Hello Kitty has remained eternally childlike, delighting little ones and providing nostalgic joy for their parents.
She has also stayed cool, as pop star Lady Gaga demonstrated in 2009 when she wore a gown made of plush Hello Kitty dolls in honor of the character’s 35th birthday.
BUT Hello Kitty Is Not A Cat!
In 2015, Hello Kitty became the subject of her first North American museum exhibition with a retrospective titled “Hello! Exploring the Supercute World of Hello Kitty” at the Japanese American National Museum in Los Angeles.
The exhibit made headlines—and sparked some online controversy—when curator Christine R. Yano revealed that Hello Kitty is actually a little girl, not a cat.
Yano, an anthropologist at the University of Hawaii, told the Los Angeles Times that Sanrio "very firmly" corrected her just before the exhibit opened.
“That’s one correction Sanrio made for my script for the show. Hello Kitty is not a cat. She’s a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat,” stated Yano. “She’s never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature. She does have a pet cat of her own, however, and it’s called Charmmy Kitty.”
Fans were shocked by the news, with many pointing out that Hello Kitty has whiskers and cat ears.
“Wait what my entire childhood was a lie?” one person tweeted in response.
Pop star Katy Perry tried to reassure fans on X ( earlier Twitter) by confirming that her own cat, brilliantly named Kitty Purry, “is a cat.”
13 Facts About Hello Kitty
So, who is Kitty White?
In honor of Hello Kitty’s 50th birthday, here are some verified facts about the character that Sanrio has shared over the years:
Her full name is Kitty White.
Kitty White is a little girl (not a cat).
Born in the suburbs of London, England, she still lives there with her parents.
She has a twin sister named Mimmy, who wears a yellow bow on her right ear.
Kitty’s hobbies include traveling, reading, and baking.
Her favorite food is her apple pie made by her mother.
She dreams of becoming a pianist or a poet one day.
Kitty's birthday is November 1, 1974.
She has a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty.
Kitty’s boyfriend is her childhood friend Dear Daniel, or Daniel Starr, who was introduced in 1999.
Daniel’s hobbies are animal photography, dancing, and playing the piano.
Daniel aspires to be a professional cameraman someday.
Kitty’s best friend is Tiny Chum, a little teddy bear who wears a red bow that Kitty gave him as a gift.
