Mar17
Hello Kitty, Sanrio’s most popular mascot character, is turning 40 this year! Designed in 1974 by artist and character designer Yuko Shimizu, the Hello Kitty character was originally created as a cute character to adorn Sanrio merchandise. Making her debut in the United States in 1976, Hello Kitty boomed into a cultural icon, with a variety of merchandise, apparel, stationery, appliances, and even vehicles like cars and airplanes.
To help celebrate the character’s 40th anniversary, a variety of events and collaborations are being held in Hello Kitty’s name worldwide. These include an event booth in the recent Paris Fashion Week, apparel releases in collaboration with New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and even a compilation book titled “Hello Kitty Collaborations” that chronicles merchandise created with the character alongside 40 different brands. Other new collaborations include a theme song and Kitty-themed album cover by boy band SMAP, collaborative merchandise releases with The Simpsons, and even a new pink Mitsubishi Mirage dedicated to the kitty character.
Sanrio’s amusement park in Tama, Tokyo, known as Sanrio Puroland, is also holding special events and giveaways for this momentous occasion, including complimentary birthday cards, discount coupons for overseas travelers, and more. With all these cool events and more planned for the rest of the year, Hello Kitty’s 40th anniversary is shaping up to be one of the biggest years for the mascot character ever!
Tags: hello kitty, Hello Kitty's 40th anniversary, sanrio, SMAP