A California ‘Hello Kitty’ superfan has a shed filled with Hello Kitty memorabilia, possibly tens of thousands of pieces.
Helen keeps her large collection in a temperature-controlled museum that requires shoe covers.
She told KCBS her collecting began with a Hello Kitty eraser.
Meanwhile, at just five apples tall, Hello Kitty is a global icon.
Designed by Yuko Shimizu, “Hello Kitty” began in 1974 as a drawing on a coin purse and has since expanded to include clothing, school supplies, movies, and theme parks.
She collaborates with famous brands, inspires artists, and embodies the power of cuteness, positively and negatively.
From planes to cars, guitars to boots, and even wine, there’s a “Hello Kitty” touch for everyone to enjoy.
“People say that ‘Hello Kitty’ is for a little kidโno way, no way. Sanrio knows what he’s doing, and I think he knows that it fills us, it fills our hearts,” Helen, a ‘Hello Kitty’ superfan, said.
History of Hello Kitty
When Sanrio introduced Hello Kitty, a cute cat without a mouth, they didn’t anticipate her global success, according to Independent.
Today, Hello Kitty merchandise comprises half of Sanrio’s $1 billion annual sales, featuring 50,000 products sold in over 60 countries.
The cat, as tall as five apples and half-Japanese and half-English, is now so famous worldwide that it’s not surprising the Japanese tourism board chose her as their official ambassador to China and Hong Kong.
This isn’t Hello Kitty’s first ambassador role; she’s been the children’s ambassador for Unicef in the United States since 1983.
Sharon Kinsella, who teaches Japanese sociology at Oxford University, isn’t surprised that Japan picked Hello Kitty as its representative.
“It seems predictable enough to have her adopted as a diplomatic envoy,” she says, adding that it’s part of the ongoing “Cool Japan” trend, and relations with China are strained.
However, she finds it silly, as Hello Kitty is a simplified cultural icon from the 1990s, popular with Chinese teenagers.
It’s doubtful it can significantly impact the complex China-Japan relations.
Hello Kitty’s creator, Shintaro Tsuji, started Sanrio in 1960, initially making cards similar to Hallmark in Japan.
Despite a difficult childhood after losing his mother at 13 and living with unsupportive relatives, Tsuji attended a kindergarten where he discovered the concept of celebrating birthdays, which is uncommon in Japan.
Inspired by this, he aimed to promote gift-giving through his company.
In 1971, amid student riots, the company experimented by printing cute images on writing paper.
Then, in 1974, Hello Kitty was born. Her mouthless design made her a universal symbol, representing various cultures.
Sanrio explains they omitted her mouth because “she speaks from the heart.”
Hello Kitty serves as Sanrio’s global ambassador, bridging language barriers to connect with people worldwide.
She was partly English because Japanese people only traveled abroad a little back then.
Things foreign, especially English, were really trendy.
In the 1980s, girls loved stationery and diaries, and soon, the company started making other fancy goods, too.
In the 1990s, Hello Kitty experienced a resurgence as a “retro” brand. Vivitix stores targeted teens and adults, evoking nostalgia.
Having used Hello Kitty items as kids, they now sought Hello Kitty satchels and makeup mirrors as young adults.
“Hello Kitty stands for the innocence and sincerity of childhood and the simplicity of the world,” says Helen McCarthy, an author and expert on Japanese animation and comics.
She also said that women and girls worldwide cherish Hello Kitty as a symbol of a carefree and safe childhood.
They hold onto this image as they grow up, clinging to Hello Kitty out of nostalgic longing. It’s like keeping a symbolic object to hold onto a part of their childhood selves.
Watch Helen, a ‘Hello Kitty’ superfan, give a tour of her shed filled with Hello Kitty memorabilia:
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