Hello Kitty
From the Simple English Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia that anyone can change
Hello Kitty is a Japanese character of a cat. It was made in 1974 by a Japanese design company called Sanrio. The cartoon cat has a very large head with a red bow between her ears. She has no mouth. She looks half-Japanese and half-English. She has become extremely famous all over the world.
Sanrio said that she was not given a mouth because she speaks from the heart instead of speaking one particular language. Children all over the world can feel that she is part of them.
Hello Kitty became very popular with young schoolgirls during the 1980s. In the 1990s the firm made more products with the picture of the cat which would appeal to teenagers and young women. In this way they tried to keep her popular with the same girls as they grew up.
Hello Kitty has become very successful everywhere. Her picture is on 50.000 products which are sold in 60 countries. She lives in cyberspace on the Sanriotown website. Her birthday is 1 November and she lives in London with her parents and twin sister Mimmy. She likes travelling, music, reading and eating cookies baked by her sister.
Sanrio’s theme park Puroland opened in 1990. Today it is visited by more than 1.5 million visitors each year.
Hello Kitty has been an animated character, e.g. in “Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theatre”, shown on United States television during 1987 and 1991.
Famous stars such as Mariah Carey and Britney Spears were photographed with products which had her picture.
Hello Kitty has become so popular because she is soft, round and very simple. She looks cute: what the Japanese call “kawaii”.
[change] References
- The Independent, 21 May 2008 pp22-23.