Hello Kitty

[Anonymous]

MCovarrubias, I completely agree with your analysis of why Hello Kitty is so popular and I think the quote by Helen McCarthy is spot on. But I think another answer might be the actual artistic aesthetic of Hello Kitty (and the other Sanrio characters). This, of course, goes hand in hand with the ideas/feelings of the innocence and simplicity that Hello Kitty expresses and represents. Hello Kitty and the other cast of Sanrio characters was huge when I was in grade school. From my time in elementary school to junior high, it seemed as though every girl in my class owned some sort of Sanrio merchandise. While the boys were sporting G.I. Joe t-shirts and trading baseball cards, the girls in my class were consuming copious amounts of Sanrio commodities. In addition to Hello Kitty backpacks everywhere, my female classmates were all sporting Keroppi notebooks, Chococat pens, Tuxedo Sam binders, and many, many more Sanrio-character products. Professor Tsutsui, when speaking about the themes of Japanese pop, cites the idea of kawaii - "the aesthetic of 'cute.'" In the late 80s and 90s, this style of animation was just so darn simple - and ultimately cute - how could it not appeal to the 8 - 15-year-old female market? (Today, that age range extends to the 20 and 30-somethings market.) In fact, as a retired mallrat (try not to judge me, I grew up in the 90s after all), I remember an official Sanrio store on the third floor of the Beverly Center!

And to touch on the Japanese board of tourism appointing Hello Kitty as the official tourism ambassador to China and Hong Kong, check this out: bored, with five hours to kill in Taiwan's Taoyuan International Airport during my layover en route to Manila, lo and behold:

edited by bdeleon on 12/3/2011

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[Anonymous]

I must readily admit that it must be my age, but I missed the whole "Hello Kitty" craze however I can see why it is so popular it is extremely cute and I can see how it can continue with popularity into the adult age of I love Hello Kitty. I found the discussion of the smell of Hello Kitty interesting, she certainly does not look or "feel" Asian. This argument had to grow on me and initially I wanted to say how racist, but giving it further thought I can relate to the concept of it not being entirely and purposely considered a stirictly Asian product, she crosses all cultural barriers and as indicated she pulls at the heart strings of both young, teen, and adult females. She appears to cross all age groups and cultures because she is not Asian. Great point and something to consider when marketing products globally or locally.

[Anonymous]

In the US, I associate Kitty with cutesy items for little girls -- purses, t shirts, makeup... I even have a photo of myself, proudly sporting a Kitty shirt in about 1982. So I was shocked when I arrived in Japan and saw her *everywhere*. There are Kitty souvenirs specific to every town (imagine if there were NYC Kitty, Atlanta Kitty, Miami Kitty and you will get the picture). She is also on a wide array of non-cute items. Toasters, toilet paper, and the most mind-blowing: prominently displayed in my local convenience store -- the Kitty douche. Let's just say she's ubiquitous. Clearly, some of that didn't translate to the US market. Neither, for whatever reason, did her boyfriend, Dear Daniel.

[Anonymous]

Well, it is a pretty long llive and forever young female cat, isn't it?

It is also very popular in China. My female friends would go banans for it. I can't stand it.

[Anonymous]

Hello Kitty is little more than slick merchandising that capitalizes on the apparent frenzy of this generation to keep up with what everybody else is doing. It's simple, like most consumers, and readily accessible. It's a brand name that has been branded into the hearts and minds of today's youth, and some of their parents who have refused to grow up. Keep in mind, Hello Kitty was ONLY designed so that SanRio could avoid paying royalties to the owners of the Snoopy copyright. It wouldn't be the first time that money spurred creativity.

[Anonymous]

straylor: Don't you think that's a little harsh? You strongly criticize "this generation," but Hello Kitty has been around for 30 years. I had her merchandise when I was a little kid in the early 80s, so it's not a new phenomenon.

[Anonymous]

In talking about Hello Kitty I cannot erase from my memory the countless times I went, as a 6 year old, with my older female cousin, who was 11 years old, to the Sanrio store in the city of Montebello. Montebello is on the outskirts of East Los Angeles. Montebello is predominantly a Latino community but as everyone has mentioned Hello Kitty crossed borders and transcended race. I think when it came down to it there was and is something about that "darn" cat and friends that continues to fascinate young girls. I would definitely use images of the Sanrio family of characters to engage students in a discussion about Japanese popular culture.

[Anonymous]

I was unaware that Hello Kitty was the tourist ambassador of China and Hong Kong, but still very familiar with the innocent,positive, and appealing CHARACTER. My daughter from childhood has now grown into adulthood and still favorites the Hello Kitty character today. I'm still appauled sometimes by the fact that WOMEN are so infatuated with the innocent chidllike character as well as children. I spend my time on many ocassions buying hello kitty items from local stores such as target,walmart, and sanrio. Hello Kitty is another example of how Japanese culture is sometimes incorporated in our Amercian culture and how our children are growing up with similar childlike figures. Professor Tsutsui's presentation left me curious and had me contemplating ways to engage my students in reading anime's. It was a fantastic presentation !

[Anonymous]

Hello ALevel: A generation is about 25-30 years, give or take a few. If you really think about it, enormous amounts of money are being spent this time of year on "convincing" little kids, like you were in the 80s, to want or desire a certain product. There is also a complimentary aspect of this marketing that's directed to parents (these products are safe, etc.). But for the most part, once they have been "convinced" that they want something, KIDS then bug the crap out of their parents to get it for them. It's not the other way around. So again, Hello Kitty was always marketed to young kids and teenagers, many of whom have carried their fascination for these products into adulthood. Show me a child that doesn't watch television or other multimedia and I'll show you one who could care less about Hello Kitty. It's slick merchandising and marketing and it shows that even the best and brightest among us can't shake it when it penetrates to our core.

[Anonymous]

I grew up with Hello Kitty and had lunch boxes, pencils, t-shirts, hair pins with the cute cat. But by the time i was in high school, it was seen as "immature." However, i learned that Hello Kitty never lost it's coolness when, in college, my roommate bought a Hello Kitty toaster and matching blender. I knew then, that Hello Kitty would live forever in our hearts, because during all of our parties we got so many compliments on the cute, hot pink appliances. Do I think Japan is still in their tween age? No. I instead think that this became a part of their national identity, just like all disney characters are a part of the American identity, whether we like it or not.

[Anonymous]

Did you see this article in the news today? There is a Hello Kitty-themed airliner flying for Taiwan's EVA Air. That's taking the idea of a "brand ambassador" to new heights!
http://overheadbin.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/01/04/9927189-hello-kitty-takes-cute-to-new-heights

[Rob_Hugo@PortNW]

I had former girlfriend who was a graphic designer and was involved in doing the art on Hello Kitty clothing that was sold in popular stores like K-Mart and Target. I was never aware of the prevalence of Hello Kitty until she would point out everything Hello Kitty. Today as we prepare to learn more about Japanese popular culture the first slide I see on Professor Tsutsui’s power point is of course Hello Kitty. Many of my students are into Manga, anime, virtual pets and Yugioh. My ex-student is Areli is so into Japanese culture, her Facebook name is Japanese. My ex-student Kimberly’s art is influence by Manga and anime. But nothing seems to be as ubiquitous as Hello Kitty. There are lunch boxes, pencils, t-shirts, blankets, pillows, underwear, backpacks, at one time television show (she has a backstory with friends and family) and even wine. The Japanese board of tourism has even appointed her their official tourism ambassador to China and Hong Kong. Once I asked my former girlfriend why Hello Kitty is so popular. Her response is she is really cute, little girls love her and she is cat and kids love animals. I even decided to do a bit of research on who designed Hello Kitty and whether the creator was filthy rich. The creator was Yuko Shimizu and the character she designed is owned not but her by the corporation she was working for at the time Sanrio. She is currently working as a freelance artist, but she has yet to create a character that is as enduring and appealing as Hello Kitty. In my research I found out that Hello Kitty apparently was drawn without a mouth, because according to Sanrio she "speaks from the heart.” So, why is Hello Kitty so popular? The best answer I found was in the following quote "Hello Kitty stands for the innocence and sincerity of childhood and the simplicity of the world," says Helen McCarthy, an author and expert on Japanese animation and comics. "Women and girls all over the world are happy to buy in to the image of the trusting, loving childhood in a safe neighborhood that Hello Kitty represents. They don't want to let go of that image, so as they grow up, they hang onto Hello Kitty out of nostalgic longing – as if by keeping a symbolic object, they can somehow keep hold of a fragment of their childhood self."

[Anonymous]

I myself grew up with Hello Kitty in the 80s and 90s. I had lunch boxes, pencils, wallets, you name it with Hello Kitty and her friends. Sanrio was the store to go to while I was growing up. I was surprised that Hello Kitty is not a fad, but actually a big part of Japanese culture that are youth continue to be influened by in their daily lives.

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