Hello Kitty
I was disappointed when I found out that, unlike Matilda, I would not develop telekinetic powers. I was confused when I learned that the Disney “D” was not a meaningless wingding after all. But recently, Japanese pop culture giant Sanrio announced that its famous cartoon character Hello Kitty is, in fact, not a kitty, cat or feline of any kind — and now? Now I’m angry.
Because, apparently, contrary to public assumption, Hello Kitty is not Japanese, but British. Her name is not Hello Kitty, but rather Kitty White. And not only is Hello Kitty not a cat, she is a human girl — according to Sanrio, anyway.
But this latest development among the ruined relics of my childhood is the biggest crock of garbage of them all. Sorry, Sanrio, this one I’m just not buying.
After all, in what world does a girl have pointed ears atop her head? Is there a person on earth who sprouts long whiskers from their cheeks? According to the character’s bio on the Sanrio website, Kitty is “as tall as five apples, and as heavy as three.” Certainly no girl I know fits those dimensions, though, I will admit I don’t often use apples as a unit of measurement.
Hello Kitty walks on two legs and never on all fours, like cats do. That’s true. However, the same goes for Mickey Mouse and Bugs Bunny. If that is to say the two aren’t animals either, why bother associating any of them with respective animals at all then?
I’m not blatantly ignoring the facts. Twitter hashtags were proof enough I wasn’t the only one thrown by the news. In all honesty, I am not truly invested enough in the Hello Kitty culture to be in denial (J.K. Rowling claiming Hermione may have chosen Harry over Ron, however, is another story entirely). No, rather this whole cat controversy seems a bit too commercial.
The fact of the matter is a Hello Kitty exhibit is set to open in Los Angeles at the Japanese American National Museum next month, and, concurrently, the first Hello Kitty Con. Surely, it is exciting for rabid Sanrio fans in Southern California. Still, the exhibit and convention themselves don’t create quite the same buzz as dropping the news that a beloved character, branded with the name ‘Kitty,’ is not even a cat.
The reveal doesn’t make peripheral fans, or mere pop culture junkies like myself, interested or excited, though. It feels like a cop out, a cheap ruse, a last ditch effort to garner attention on shock value, instead of worthy content. It’s a turn off.
So, Sanrio, tell me how Hello Kitty has remained culturally relevant for more than 40 years. Tell me why a Japanese cartoon character has garnered such global appeal, for kids and adults alike.
But damn it, do not tell me Hello Kitty isn’t a cat.
