Hello Kitty is the star of the kawaii-sphere! Everyone knows who Hello Kitty is. Also known as Kitty White, this sweet and kind-hearted girl cat is the kawaii poster girl of Sanrio. Appearing in anime shows, movies, comics, and tons of cute merchandise, Hello Kitty is one of the biggest names in the kawaii world! Today we’re going on a date with Hello Kitty to learn how she’s dominated the world with her cuteness!
- Japanese name: ハロー・キティ (Haro Kiti)
- Real name: Kitty White (キティ・ホワイト, Kiti Howaito)
- Nicknames: Kitty-chan
- Birthday: November 1
- Debut year: 1974
- Zodiac: Scorpio
- Blood Type: A
- Special skills: Music & English
- Favorite food: Apple pie made by mom
- Dream: To become a good pianist or poet
- Hobby: Making cookies or playing the piano
- Fun fact: Hello Kitty is UNICEF’s Special Friend to Children
WHAT IS HELLO KITTY?
Did you know that Hello Kitty is not really a cat or a human? She’s a gijinka or a personification of a cat created by Sanrio, the kawaii company responsible for other cuties like Cinnamoroll and Pompompurin.
Life is like ice cream, enjoy it before it melts.
Born in the suburbs of London in England, Hello Kitty is a delightful little girl cat known to be a bright, positive, and kind-hearted cutie. Her full name is Kitty White and she has a twin sister named Mimmy!
IS HELLO KITTY A CAT OR KITTEN?
As we’ve mentioned earlier, Hello Kitty isn’t a cat, or human, or kitten. She’s a kawaii superstar character! Fun fact though - Hello Kitty was actually designed after a white Japanese Bobtail cat! This breed of cat has a small puffy tail like a rabbit’s. Like Hello Kitty, they’re very intelligent and sweet.
HOW OLD IS HELLO KITTY?
Hello Kitty might seem like a spry young little thing, but the truth is Kitty White was born on November 1, 1974. She celebrated her 49th birthday in 2023. You don’t have to worry about this Sanrio cutie's age though! She still has that youthful glow on her cheeks and that kawaii enthusiasm for learning! Hello Kitty is forever young!
WHEN WAS HELLO KITTY MADE?
Designed by kawaii creator Yuko Shimizu, Hello Kitty was made for Sanrio in 1974. Back then, she was just known as “the white kitten with no name (名前のない白い子猫).” Shimizu later on named her Kitty, a reference to Alice’s cat Kitty in Lewis Carrol’s classic book, Through the Look Glass.
What about the Hello in Hello Kitty? Well, Sanrio’s motto has always been “social communication,” and the company wanted that to reflect on their characters. Sanrio president Shintaro Tsuji decided to add Hi to Kitty’s name. Eventually, he changed it to Hello Kitty. And that’s how “the white kitten with no name” got her name!
IS HELLO KITTY A JAPANESE GIRL?
A lot of people might think that Hello Kitty is Japanese because she comes from Sanrio, but Kitty White is actually British. Why British? Well, in the 70s foreign countries were pretty trendy in Japan.
Sanrio had several characters set up as US citizens like Pochacco. That’s why the kawaii company decided that Hello Kitty should be a bit different and turned her British. In her official story, Hello Kitty was born in the suburbs of London. You can read more about the creator of Kitty White in our blog about Sanrio!
WHY DOES HELLO KITTY NOT HAVE A MOUTH?
There are a lot of strange stories about Hello Kitty’s missing mouth on the internet. Some say that designer Yuko Shimizu made a pact with the devil so she had to take Kitty’s mouth away. Others say that Hello Kitty is a demon! Fortunately, the truth isn’t as wild as all the gossip says.
The real reason why Hello Kitty doesn’t have a mouth is because she speaks through the heart. Sanrio wanted people to project their feelings onto Kitty White and “be happy or sad together” with the character.
Grow through what you go through.
It's a silent yet powerful way to forge a connection with everyone, transcending language barriers and promoting universal understanding and empathy. Hello Kitty is always there to feel what you’re feeling!
DOES HELLO KITTY SPEAK?
Well, yes! Hello Kitty can speak and when she does it always comes from a kind place. Another thing about our dear Kitty-chan is that she isn’t bound to any specific language when she talks! That way she can connect with everyone from any place around the world!
HOW TALL IS HELLO KITTY?
In Hello Kitty’s world, the basic unit of measurement is in apples. And according to Sanrio, sweet little Kitty White is only five apples tall! That’s not very tall at all if you think about it. She also weighs about three apples. You could very easily pick Hello Kitty up and put her in your pocket!
HELLO KITTY’S KAWAII PERSONALITY
Kitty White is known for being energetic, bright, and friendly! She’s an active little cat who loves exploring the world with her friends. Hello Kitty isn’t afraid to try new things! She often collects small cute things in her adventures. A 3rd grade student in Mr. Squirrel’s class, she enjoys learning about English, music, and art the most!
MEET HELLO KITTY’S FAMILY AND FRIENDS
Hello Kitty isn’t just cute! She’s a pretty friendly kitty too. Not only does Hello Kitty spend time with Kuromi, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and her other Sanrio siblings, but she also gets along perfectly with the cats in her family and immediate circle. Let’s get to learn more about these cuties!
Mimmy (Mimmy White)
Hello Kitty’s twin, Mimmy is a cat that looks a whole lot like her sister with her beautiful white hair. The only difference is that she wears her ribbon on the right side of her ear (Hello Kitty wears it on the left). Unlike her sister who is curious, active, and a tad bit reckless, Mimmy is polite and homely. Sometimes she has to hold Kitty back from doing rash things!
George White (Dad)
George is Hello Kitty and Mimmy’s father. A company man, George loves golf and driving. He can also be a bit silly with a great sense of humor! Because of that, George became the “Hoiku Boys Support Ambassador” for one year.
Mary White (Mom)
A former pianist, Mary is the twins’ mother who now works as a housewife. Her hobby is making sweets - baking apple pie is part of her expertise. She’s also great at cooking, cleaning, and doing the laundry! Mary can be a tad bit playful too.
Anthony White (Grandpa)
Hello Kitty’s grandpa, Anthony White is an old cat who loves to paint. He loves telling stories to his grandkids. Anthony lives nearby!
Margaret White (Grandma)
Like Mimmy, Grandma Margaret can be homely. She’s pretty good at making pudding. Grandma loves doing embroidery while sitting on a rocking chair.
Tiny Chum
Hello Kitty’s best friend, Tiny Chum can be a bit mischievous. Sometimes he imitates Kitty by wearing a ribbon on his head. He ends up living at Kitty’s house after his father moves to New York for work. Tiny Chum has six siblings with different colors (cafe au lait, pink, light blue, yellow, lilac, and mint green.)
Mole-Kun
Mole-Kun is a mole that lives next door to Kitty-chan and her family. He can be a bit shy so we don’t really know that much about him.
Joey
Tiny Chum might be Kitty’s best friend at home, but at school, that role goes to Joey. This blue mouse can seem a bit intimidating at times. He’s also good at running!
Judy
Judy is a bright and active pink-colored mouse. She’s Joey’s girlfriend.
Lorry
Also known as Mr. Squirrel, Lorry teaches Hello Kitty and her friends about the secrets of the forest.
Lottie
Lorry’s sister, Lottie is a squirrel that’s laid back and good at singing.
Tim & Tammy
These monkey siblings always suddenly arrive in the room while everyone else is playing.
Freepy
Freepy is a talkative sheep that likes to get active. She can be a bit of an old lady sometimes though!
Tippy
A strong and kind bear, Tippy really likes Hello Kitty. He wants to be Kitty-chan’s boyfriend!
Tracy
Mischievious, Tracey is a raccoon in Kitty’s class. He’s the most energetic one there!
Jodie
Jodie is a studious dog. His dream is to become a researcher someday.
Thomas
Though he can be nervous and easily flustered, Thomas makes everyone laugh in class with his jokes!
GET TO KNOW KITTY’S BOYFRIEND
As young as she might seem, Kitty-chan is actually old enough to have a boyfriend. What started as a childhood friendship turned into romance for Hello Kitty and her dear friend, Daniel.
I am lucky to have you in my life.
Often seen with spiky bangs, Daniel can be naive and sentimental. He’s often moved by the smallest things, like good poetry or nature in motion!
Like his girlfriend, Daniel has an affinity for music - he’s wonderful at dancing and playing the piano. He’s also good at photography, taking pictures of animals with his camera. In Hello Kitty’s story, Daniel goes to Africa to help his photographer father. After doing some long distance, he returns to Hello Kitty. Daniel’s dream is to become a photographer!
WHO IS CHARMMY KITTY?
Charmmy Kitty is Hello Kitty’s beloved pet cat! It might seem strange to see Kitty White having her own little kitten, but everything is possible in the kawaii world of Sanrio. Charmmy is a white Persian cat that’s cute, pretty and spunky. She’s named Charmmy because she wears the key to Kitty White’s jewelry box around her neck. Though she can be kind and polite, Charmmy is also a sassy little cat.
WHY IS HELLO KITTY LOVED?
That’s because Hello Kitty is a kawaii superstar! She’s the poster girl of the kawaii world because of her image which reflects sweet, child-like innocence as well as cute creativity. Hello Kitty’s first boom was in 1977, her second boom was in 1985, and then she rocketed to stardom in the 1990s.
After experiencing slumps in between her boom years, Sanrio decided to expand Hello Kitty’s market to teenagers and adults as a brand starting in the 90s. After that, big names in the Japanese entertainment industry like Kyoko Koizumi, Tomomi Kahara, and Uno Kanda openly professed their love for Hello Kitty on television and in magazines. Hello Kitty then became a kawaii idol for everyone!
KITTY WHITE TAKES OVER THE WORLD
Hello Kitty isn’t just popular in Japan. She’s loved internationally too! According to a 2016 study, more than 80 percent of young people between the ages of 16 to 23 all know about Hello Kitty.
What makes you different makes you beautiful.
She has a lot of international endorsers! Icons like Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Avril Lavigne, and even Kurt Cobain have all expressed their love for Kitty-chan.
HOW POPULAR IS HELLO KITTY?
There’s no doubt that Hello Kitty has become the face of kawaii culture. To Gen-Zers and millennials, items showcasing Hello Kitty are synonymous with kawaii-core and Sanrio-core. Recognizable and forever youthful, Hello Kitty has become an icon. That’s why it should come as no surprise that Hello Kitty ranks pretty high in Sanrio’s popularity poll!
Most years, Hello Kitty always manages to nab a place in either the top 10 or top 5 of the yearly popularity poll that Sanrio holds for its fans. Kitty White holds a special place in everyone’s hearts! The last time that Hello Kitty managed to win the crown was in 2019. We wonder whether she’ll do it again in the years to come!
LET’S READ HELLO KITTY MANGA
Of course, Hello Kitty has her own manga, she’s a superstar! In fact in Japan, Kitty-chan has two shoujo manga series (girls’ manga series) from the magazine Ribon in 2008. The first was called Hello Kitty Doki while the second was Hello Kitty Peace.
That’s not all! Sanrio also has a special webcomic featuring Hello Kitty called Ichigoman which features our darling Kitty-chan as a strawberry-themed superhero (since Ichigo means strawberry). Released in 2016, the webcomic gets updates once a month!
HELLO KITTY IN ANIME
Did you know that Hello Kitty is also an anime celebrity? Kitty-chan has had quite a lot of animated series over the years. The first one came out in 1987. It was called Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theater, an anime series with 13 episodes that showcased her adventures with her forest friends. In 1989 and 1984 she got an OVA called Hello Kitty and Friends. It spanned 30 entries!
Along the road, in 1999 Kitty White got another series called Hello Kitty’s Paradise which featured her life with her sister Mimi. It was the longest-running live-action children’s program to air on TXN, running from January 199 to March 2011.
Japan wasn’t the only one to produce Hello Kitty anime! Korea released a fun stop-motion series for Kitty called Hello Kitty’s Stump Village in 2005. It was followed by the 2008 3D CGI series The Adventures of Hello Kitty & Friends. The show had a whopping 52 episodes to show to fans!
WHERE CAN I WATCH HELLO KITTY?
These days Hello Kitty can be found all over YouTube! Thanks to Sanrio, Hello Kitty has her own YouTube CGI animated series. It’s a lot like a vlog because Kitty actually talks to the camera the same way vloggers do. Hello Kitty is a modern girl!
Sanrio also added to Kitty’s YT fame by streaming a 2D animated series called Hello Kitty and Friends Supercute Adventures in 2020. The show features Hello Kitty along with her Sanrio siblings Kuromi, My Melody, Cinammoroll, the Hapidanbui, and more!
THE SPOTLIGHT ON KITTY-CHAN
Hello Kitty isn’t just an anime star. She’s a musical actress too! Sanrio holds musical shows and Japanese kabukis (traditional Japanese stage dramas) from time to time at Sanrio Puroland. There, Hello Kitty showcases her talents at singing and acting at the same time! She’s the star of the stage!
PRAYING WITH HELLO KITTY
Who said you can’t be spiritual and kawaii at the same time? Japan has a special Hello Kitty ema (charm) votive board at the Hachiman Shrine in the town of Tamamura. It showcases Sanrio's dear Kitty White and her boyfriend Dear Daniel dressed up in kimonos. This board was made in celebration of Japan’s special holiday, Children’s Day!
SING TOGETHER WITH KITTY WHITE!
It should come as no surprise that Hello Kitty has also dipped her paws into the music industry - music is one of her favorite subjects. Hello Kitty has her own branded album called Hello World. It has Hello Kitty-inspired songs performed by various artists like Keke Palmer, Ainjel Emme, and Cori Yarckin. Aside from her album, Kitty White also has her own theme song “Hello Hello” by the musician Yoshiki.
VOCALOID KITTY
Hello Kitty’s musical scope doesn’t end at songs. Kitty-chan was also chosen by AH Software as the basis for the voice of the Vocaloid artist Nekomura Iroha. This Vocaloid has been revealed to be a Kittyler, someone in love with the lovely Sanrio bobcat, Hello Kitty!
HELLO KITTY AS MOVIE STAR
Did you know that Hello Kitty has not one, but three anime films in Japan? That’s right! The Japanese just can’t get enough of Kitty White. In 1989 she had the film Hello Kitty: Cinderella. In 1990, Sanrio released Hello Kitty Oyayubi Hime, a kawaii retelling of Thumbelina. The year after that in 1991 she starred in Hello Kitty no Maho no Mori no Ohime-sama, a movie based on Sleeping Beauty.
Sanrio announced a full-length theatrical feature for Kitty-chan in 2015, however, it seems like the project has been stuck in development for quite some time. Meant to be an English movie for all ages, the last update on the project was in 2021 when there were reports that Jennifer Coyle and Leo Matsuda would direct the film while Lindsey Beer would write the script. We hope that it finally comes along!
LET’S PLAY TOGETHER WITH HELLO KITTY
Kawaii gamers are in for a treat because several games actually have Hello Kitty prancing around! Though a majority of the older games were only released in Japan, there are quite a few Hello Kitty mini-games, platformers, and apps that you can still find online. This includes Hello Kitty Adventure (a platformer game), Hello Kitty Dress Up (a mini-game), and the popular life simulation game, Hello Kitty Island Adventure.
EXPLORE THE HELLO KITTY CONVENTION!
Hello Kitty had her very first own fan convention when she celebrated her 40th anniversary in 2013! Sanrio invited Kitty-chan’s fans to gather together at the Geffen Contemporary at MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Arts) in downtown Los Angeles. During the convention fans got to participate in exhibits, workshops, panels, sneak peeks, tattoo tables, and lots of fun activities!
TOURING THE WORLD WITH HELLO KITTY
For Kitty White’s 45th anniversary in 2019, Sanrio decided to host a world tour pop-up event in major cities around the world. That included London, Paris, New York, Honolulu, Tokyo, and additional tour cities in the US. Not only did the pop-up experience offer the fans new merch, but it showcased five rooms each dedicated to a unique destination for Hello Kitty, a commemorative passport, interactive activities, fan photos, and small gifts to take home!
WHERE CAN I SEE HELLO KITTY LIVE?
If you’d like to see Kitty White in real life, you can check out different theme parks. In Japan, Hello Kitty is part of the crew of Sanrio characters in both Harmonyland and Sanrio Puroland! She has a ton of live shows together with Kuromi, My Melody, Cinammoroll, the Little Twin Stars, and her other Sanrio siblings. For a while from 2012 to 2019, fans could also find Kitty-chan at Hello Kitty Town in Malaysia. It was the very first Hello Kitty theme park outside of Japan!
LEARN HOW TO DRAW HELLO KITTY
Every kawaii artist in the making wants to learn how to draw Hello Kitty. Luckily, it's not that hard! As cute as she is, Hello Kitty is made up of simple lines and shapes. Grab some pencils, paper, and spend the afternoon learning how to draw Kitty White!
HELLO KITTY COLLABORATIONS
Being the kawaii superstar that she is, it’s no shocker that everyone wants to work with Hello Kitty! Kitty-chan gets some of the biggest deals from major companies like Nike, Reebok, Hypbea, Converse, and Doc Martens. In the world of anime, she’s teamed up with major players like Jujutsu Kaisen, Rurouni Kenshin, and Attack on Titan. She also has several food collaborations, working together with Tiger Sugar, Pringles, and a lot more!
HIT THE RUNWAY WITH HELLO KITTY FASHION
Hello Kitty has always been a fashionable cat, but these days she’s getting a lot of attention. According to lifestyle magazine Teen Vogue, Hello Kitty has become the newest fashion trend in 2023! Major celebrities were seen sporting Hello Kitty looks this year. That includes Saweetie who sported a bralette embellished with HK figurines, Dua Lipa who wore an HK crochet string bikini top, and Kim Kardashian who donned HK manicures.
In 2023 Gen Z girls have all been about Y2K (year 2000) fashion, and so has Hello Kitty. There have been a lot of cute and cool Y2K Hello Kitty outfits worn out on the streets. Speaking of street fashion, did you know that Hello Kitty is also popular among gyaru girls? Gyaru is a Japanese fashion subculture, and it seems like Hello Kitty’s been invading the niche group!
CAN I TRAVEL WITH KITTY WHITE?
You definitely can! EVA Air in Singapore has an entire Hello Kitty airplane for Sanrio fans. Not only is the exterior decorated with prints of Sanrio’s darling cat, but the interior is Hello Kitty-themed too. Don’t forget to book a meal on the flight too because the plane serves Hello Kitty chara bentos!
If trains and airplanes aren’t exactly your thing, then you can try riding Hello Kitty buses. A few Hello Kitty buses from the Hato Bus Company and the AWP conversion company roam the streets of Japan. They’re super cute to ride on. You’re especially lucky if you get to hop in and ride on one of them!
That’s not all! Hello Kitty also has a dedicated shinkansen or bullet train from JR West in Japan. Connecting the cities of Osaka and Fukuoka, the train is decked out in kawaii fashion with eight original Hello Kitty designs. It promotes the culture of West Japan by offering delicacies at each train stop like green apples for the Tottori prefecture, a black shell for the Shimane prefecture, and strawberries for Fukuoka. The best part about the train is that you can ride it for free if you have a JR pass!
BOOK A STAY WITH HELLO KITTY!
Did you know that there’s a Hello Kitty resort in Japan? That’s right! Kitty White is so loved in Japan that Sanrio fans want to spend their vacations with her. Called Hello Kitty Smile, the resort is located in Awaji Island in the Hyogo prefecture in Japan. Not only does it have a giant building shaped like Kitty-chan’s head, but it also has a Hello Kitty-themed digital art exhibit, Hello Kitty rooms, and four different restaurants serving Hello Kitty dishes.
Hello Kitty Smile isn’t the only hotel that loves Hello Kitty though. The Asakusa Tobu Hotel in Tokyo, Hotel Ole in Shizuoka, Resi Stay Hotels in Kyoto, and the Hotel Vischio Amagasa in Osaka all have special rooms dedicated to Kitty White! In these hotels, you can relax in kawaii fashion.
HELLO KITTY CAFES
You don’t need to go to Japan just to relax at a Hello Kitty cafe! There are a number of cafes dedicated to the Sanrio poster girl around the world including Seoul, parts of South Korea, Bangkok, Thailand, Australia, California, and Las Vegas, Nevada. They serve a lot of Hello Kitty-themed treats including drinks, donuts, ice-cream, pastries, and more.
Hello Kitty also has her own cafe truck! Seeing how many fans in the US wanted to have the Hello Kitty cafe experience, Sanrio decided to take its treats on the road and head from city to city around America. That way everyone can have a taste of Hello Kitty’s goodies!
EAT AT HELLO KITTY RESTAURANTS!
If a full meal with Kitty White is what you’re after, then you can also check out Hello Kitty restaurants. One can be found in Taipei, Taiwan. The Hello Kitty-themed resto serves all sorts of dishes, cakes, coffee, and muffins to adoring fans.
Focus on what makes you happy.
In Sydney, Australia, fans can also eat lots of yummy dishes at the Hello Kitty Dinner. Meanwhile, they can also enjoy yummy dumplings at the Hello Kitty dim sum restaurant in Kowloon, Hong Kong.
WHERE CAN I BUY HELLO KITTY GOODIES?
It isn’t that hard being a Hello Kitty collector because there are so many different goodies to choose from. There are Hello Kitty stickers, Hello Kitty plushies, Hello Kitty beauty accessories, Hello Kitty home goods, you name it! While you can find some nice Hello Kitty merch in the US, most of the best finds are in Japan. In case you’re hankering for special Japanese Hello Kitty items, you can check out our Hello Kitty collection on Blippo!
CELEBRATING 50 YEARS OF HELLO KITTY
2024 is going to be a big year for our dear Kitty White because that’s when she’ll officially be turning 50! That’s half a century of Hello Kitty. To celebrate Kitty-chan’s big golden anniversary, Sanrio is cooking up one big party for all of Hello Kitty’s fans.
Not only is the kawaii company going to be partying in real life, but it’s also planning a lot of digital activities as well. From monthly digital events to big AR experiences around major tourist destinations like Big Ben in London, it’s going to be one hell of a party! And don’t forget all the cute new Hello Kitty merch being prepped for the anniversary. Get ready for the party!
Wow, that was one loooooong kawaii expedition. Hello Kitty certainly is a cultural phenomenon with a long and lasting body of work as a kawaii icon. It’s fun seeing how much of the world has been influenced by the once unnammed white cat from Sanrio, Hello Kitty!
Did you learn a lot today? What’s your favorite thing about Hello Kitty? What Hello Kitty attractions would you like to visit someday? Do you have any fun Hello Kitty experience you want to talk about? Don’t be shy! Like Kitty, we’re all pretty friendly. Talk to us in the comment section and let us know your favorite Hello Kitty story!