PEOPLE have been left baffled after realising that Hello Kitty isn’t actually a cat.
Fans of the popular character are only just discovering that she is not as feline as she may appear.
It turns out that the character, which is depicted as an anthropomorphic white Japanese bobtail cat with a yellow nose and no mouth, is actually a British girl.
The surprising news has been confirmed by an official at Hello Kitty’s flagship company, Sanrio, so there is no debate about the issue.
Jill Cook, the Director of Retail Business Development, stated yesterday: “Hello Kitty is not a cat.
“She’s actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London.
“She has a mum and dad and a twin sister Mimmy—who is also her best friend.”
Unsurprisingly, the news has left some Hello Kitty fans shocked, particularly given her cat-like features.
One fan wrote on TikTok: “So she has whiskers, ears, and is named ‘Kitty’ but is actually a human?”
Another added: “Hello Kitty has been my favourite since childhood. I’m almost 40 and this is the first time I’m hearing this.”
Previously, Christine R. Yano, who wrote the book Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek across the Pacific – which examines the rise of the cartoon’s fame – confirmed the fact.
She explained to the Los Angeles Times: “She’s a cartoon character.
“She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat.
“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.”
Many fans were also shocked that the character —whose first ever appearance was on a Japanese coin purse in 1974— doesn’t live in Japan.
Hello Kitty is actually British, is a Scorpio, is a perpetual third grader.and her full name is Kitty White, daughter of George and Mary White.
Christine confirmed: “Hello Kitty emerged in the 1970s, when the Japanese and Japanese women were into Britain.
“They loved the idea of Britain. It represented the quintessential idealised childhood, almost like a white picket fence.”
What is even more surprising is that not only is she a human child who dresses like a cat, but she also owns a pet cat herself named Charmmy Kitty, who emerged in 2004.
CARTOON character Hello Kitty was created by Japanese company Sanrio in 1974, and continues to delights fans around the world today.
Hello Kitty, complete with her iconic red bow, was first introduced to the public on a small coin purse for children.
Despite her widespread recognition over the past five decades, Hello Kitty still holds some mysteries. For example, did you know her full name is Kitty White? And that she was born in London, England? She also has a twin sister named Mimmy.
Hello Kitty exhibit curator, Christine R. Yano, confirmed that Hello Kitty is actually a little girl, not a cat.
Here are some facts about the beloved character…
People were shocked, flabbergasted, and straight up in denial over the news.
“There goes my childhood. What’s next? Mickey Mouse isn’t a Mouse either?” asked one viewer.
Hello Kitty got a surprising birthday greeting from King Charles last month at a state banquet speech celebrating Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako’s visit to Buckingham Palace.
The tribute was made in honour of 2024 being Hello Kitty’s 50th year.
King Charles said: “Perhaps you would allow me to note one particular individual who turns fifty this year.
“Raised in a London suburb with her twin sister, a self-made entrepreneur worth billions of dollars, and a UNICEF Children’s Ambassador on top of all that.
“So I can only wish a very happy birthday to… Hello Kitty!”
Hello Kitty’s success has seen Sanrio grow into a multi-billion dollar company, with the cartoon making up around $7billion of their merchandising and licensing retail deals.
Throughout the 1990s, she became Japan’s highest-grossing characters and remains among the highest-grossing media franchises of all time.
There is even a Hello Kitty theme park, Sanrio Puroland, which launched in 1990 in Tokyo.
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