Hello Kitty Isn't a Cat? Fans React With Shock
The iconic Hello Kitty, with her red bow and whiskered face, has been a beloved character for generations. But Sanrio, the company behind the beloved character, has once again declared that Hello Kitty is not a cat.
"Hello Kitty is not a cat," Jill Koch, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Brand Management at Sanrio, stated on the "Today" show ahead of the brand's 50th anniversary celebration. "She's actually a little girl born and raised in the suburbs of London. She has a mom and dad and a twin sister Mimmyâwho is also her best friend."
This revelation has sparked a wave of disbelief and amusement across social media platforms. Fans are struggling to reconcile the image of the cat-like character with the revelation of her human identity.
"So if she's a little girl, how come her head is cat-shaped?" one commenter questioned on YouTube.
Similar sentiments echoed across platforms, with many expressing playful disbelief and a sense of being "gaslit." Some even drew comparisons to other beloved characters, with one person comparing it to saying "Peppa Pig is not a pig but a girl."
The news comes as a surprise to many, even though Sanrio has previously confirmed Hello Kitty's human nature. In 2014, anthropologist and Hello Kitty expert Christine R. Yano stated to the Los Angeles Times, "She's a cartoon character. She is a little girl. ... She's never depicted on all fours. She walks and sits like a two-legged creature."
Despite the widespread shock, Hello Kitty's human identity has been established since the character's creation in the mid-1970s. Sanrio initially promoted Hello Kitty to Japanese women who admired British culture, highlighting her British upbringing.
According to Sanrio, Hello Kitty's real name is Kitty White, and she was born on November 1st in the London suburbs. As a third-grader, she enjoys making friends, traveling, and indulging in cookies.
Hello Kitty's popularity transcends traditional mediums. She has become a global phenomenon, appearing on over 50,000 products sold across 130 countries. Her image has graced everything from ice cream flavors and Thanksgiving Day parade floats to a theme park in Tokyo and a special birthday greeting from King Charles himself.
Despite the uproar over her identity, Sanrio insists that Hello Kitty's core message remains constant: "Her core message is friendship, kindness, and inclusivity."
As Hello Kitty celebrates her 50th anniversary, one thing is certain: regardless of her feline status, the beloved character continues to capture hearts worldwide.
