Hello Kitty

The other day, I was doing my random internet reading, and I found out that Hello Kitty was named the Japan Tourism Ambassador!

So I thought - since I am in Japan and all - I should find out a bit more about Hello Kitty. I'll admit it - I'm not one for characters or brand names. Hello Kitty, Strawberry Shortcake, Disney...I have never been the person who buys one of everything with a cute little character or name on it. This means I know nothing, about any of them.

Speaking of knowing nothing...my coworkers often ask me if I know this character or that character, from Japanese anime and comics. Comics are big here. They're everywhere. At any given moment on the train, I'm sure I could find at least 15 people in my car reading a big comic book. Anyways - the point is: I know none of them. Apparently the coop student before me knew all of them, so I'm falling a little short in that arena. Oh well.

I won't be going out and buying a Hello Kitty purse, sandals, headband, pillowcase, umbrella, socks, notebook, binder, or tea mug. (but if you want to, you can find all manor of Hello Kitty items here, or some rather strange Hello Kitty products here (guns just don't seem to fit the Hello Kitty image).



But I am slightly more educated in the Hello Kitty area, now. You can be too! Unless you stop reading right....now!

Hello Kitty is 34 years old and was born on November 1st, 1974 in Tokyo, Japan - to the Sanrio Company. She wasn't registered until 1976 (2 whole wasted years).

At the age of 25 years old, she got her first and only boyfriend - Dear Daniel. She has lots of friends and family - for her 30th birthday, her father (George White) gave her a pet cat named Charmmy Kitty, and Dear Daniel gave her a pet hamster named Sugar.



This isn't Hello Kitty's first serious job - when she was 19 years old, she became the US Children's Ambassador for UNICEF. She's had quite the star life - she's been a fashion statement (for the likes of Mariah Carey, Steven Tyler, Heidi Klum, Miley Cyrus, and Paris Hilton - just to name a few); she has her own guitar; she has an album by Lisa Loeb; adult underwear; online MMORPG game; several TV series; and infinite brand name items (50,000 products in 60 countries).




Currently, Hello Kitty is living with her family in London.

Now that you know all you ever wanted to know about Hello Kitty - and infinitely more....go share your knowledge with the world!