Sanrio, the creators of Hello Kitty, revealed the character is not a cat but a little girl. This revelation, announced during her 50th anniversary, has left fans in disbelief and sparked widespread reactions on social media
The revelation that Hello Kitty is not a cat but a little girl has left fans bewildered. Sanrio, the Japanese company that created Hello Kitty in 1974, clarified the character's true nature during her 50th anniversary.
Jill Cook, Sanrio’s director of retail business development, explained on the Today show that Hello Kitty is a little girl who weighs three apples and stands five apples tall.
She lives in the London suburbs with her twin sister Mimmy, their parents, and a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty.
Hello Kitty, whose real name is Kitty White, was designed by Yuko Shimizu, a former Sanrio employee. Shimizu drew inspiration from her childhood pet, describing Hello Kitty as a white cat with a red bow.
Despite this, Sanrio insists Hello Kitty is an eight-year-old girl. Shimizu left Sanrio two years after creating the character.
Fans have struggled to accept this revelation. On social media, many expressed their disbelief. One user, Carmen, posted that Hello Kitty will always be a cat in her eyes. Others questioned Hello Kitty's backstory, with some pointing out that they believed the character to be Japanese, not from London.
Emily Lazar, another fan, sought clarification on whether Hello Kitty had been pretending to be a cat.
Despite Sanrio’s explanation, many fans, like Lazar, prefer to stick to their original perception of Hello Kitty as a cat.
This reaction highlights the strong emotional connection fans have with the character and their reluctance to alter their long-held beliefs.
