Meet Hello Kitty

... family, and friends

Hello Kitty is a cartoon cat created by Sanrio, a Japanese company. Since its first appearance in 1974, this cute kitten took the world by storm. Who would’ve thought this character would become so popular?



This sweet cartoon is a white cat with big eyes and no mouth. She’s cute, girly, and always wears a bow (or sometimes a flower) on her left ear. At the beginning, she was shown only in a sitting position. Later on, she was standing up and even traveling on planes.

She lives in London along with her parents (Mama and Papa) and her twin sister, Mimmy. She also has a close relationship with grandma and grandpa.

Even though this character was originally made for young girls, it has become very popular among teenagers, young women, and even a few adults.

Meet her friends

A very popular girl, Kitty has several friends. She even has her very own pet, Charmmy Kitty, and a boyfriend, Dear Daniel.

Charmmy Kitty was a gift from her father. She is a quiet, well-behaved, white Persian cat. She, just like Hello Kitty, wears a bow on her left ear.

Kitty's circle of friends includes cats as well as other animals, including dogs, bears, and racoons. Some of her friends are: Hathy, Tippy, Chococat, Thomas, Fifi, Cinnamoroll, Jody, and Tracy. Some of her friends (like Chococat) also have their own lines of products.

Anime and television

Kitty has appeared on anime series in Japan and the United States.

Hello Kitty's Furry Tale Theater (1987) was a co-production of Sanrio and DiC Entertainment. The series aired on the Family Channel and it was also translated into Spanish, appearing on the Spanish-language network Univision. This series recreated several popular movies and well-known fairy tales.

Another animated series featuring this lovely cat was Hello Kitty and Friends. CBS ran this series in 1991.

And the next series - Hello Kitty's Paradise - made its debut on Japanese television in 1993, and it ran for 16 episodes. The series ended in 1994. The show was later translated into English and it was broadcast on Toon Disney.

Fashion icon

Hello-Kitty has become a true fashion icon. The first item carrying her image was a tiny, embroidered coin purse. It immediately became popular in Japan. After that, a wide array of accessories portraying this lovely feline has been produced: Clothing, jewelry, computers, bags, hair accessories, cosmetics, dolls, and even a concept car from Mitsubishi. So far, there are over 20,000 products and accessories carrying this kitty's image.

There are also many comic books and electronic games featuring this cute cat. Needless to say, this character has grown extremely popular around the world.

Fun facts

-- Hello Kitty- wearing her Supercute hero outfit- made its debut on the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade®, on November 22, 2007. Her balloon was 45 feet long, 33.6 feet tall, and 34.8 feet wide.

-- This amazing kitty has several stores and authorized retailers around the world. My favorite Hello-Kitty store is located in Times Square. So, if you happen to be in (or are planning to visit) New York, don't forget to visit. Here's the address: Sanrio, Times Square, 233 W 42nd Street, New York, NY, 10036.

-- In 2005, Hello-Kitty hand-enameled coins were issued in France. They were created by the Paris Mint's artisans. The face value was 1.5 Euro, and the mintage limit was 4,000 coins. This particular coin shows Hello Kitty flying over the Eiffel Tower. The Paris Mint (Monnaie de Paris) has issued other collectible coins portraying this kitty.

Hello Kitty- gift ideas

It should be fairly easy to find something that will please any fan of this kitten. As previously mentioned, you can find:

-- Clothing items, such as Hello-Kitty-inspired t-shirts and tops

-- Jewelry, including hair jewelry, necklaces, and rings

-- Fun stuff, such as vases, jewelry boxes, pens, purses, and plush dolls

-- Books and comic books telling the adventures of this cute feline

-- DVDs of her popular TV series

-- You can also find Hello-Kitty-themed calendars

Note: All the copyrighted characters mentioned here are trademarks of their owners.


More cartoon cats

Felix the Cat

Heathcliff and the Catillac Cats

Tom and Jerry

Japanese cat names


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