Created in 1974 by designer Yuko Shimizufrom the Japanese company Sanrio, Hello Kitty came into the world with the name Kitty White. According to the entity, the character was born on the 1st of November along with her twin sister, Minny White, somewhere in the south of England. Today, the two live with their parents, George and Mary, and their kitten, Charmmy Kitty, in suburban London.
Being an extremely charismatic character, Sanrio describes Kitty as “a happy girl with a heart of gold”. She is about five apples tall and weighs the equivalent of three apples. Among her hobbies, she is studying English, music and art, as well as playing the piano, playing sports, making cookies and creating new friendships.
Over the years, Hello Kitty became much more than a beloved character for children, and today he is a very important figure internationally. Working hard around the world to spread good and bring love and joy to those in need, she was a former UNICEF Ambassador and recently partnered with the UN to promote the global sustainable goals.
However, despite its undeniable fame, a big question remains in the minds of many fans. Is Hello Kitty really a cat after all?
mystery unraveled
The controversy related to the species of the character gained momentum in 2014, when the anthropologist Christine Yanowho was in charge of organizing an exhibition celebrating Kitty’s 40th birthday, told the Los Angeles Times that she was not a cat, after having the exhibition’s captions corrected by the company.
His speech ended up generating a huge discussion on the internet, where many Internet users claimed that it would not make sense for Hello Kitty not to be a cat, since he had feline whiskers and ears, in addition to his name, Kitty, meaning kitten in English. However, the answer to the mystery ended up surprising thousands of people.
To resolve the issue, the Kotaku website contacted Sanrio, where it clarified that the correction requested for Yano was that he used the word ‘gijinka’, which means “anthropomorphization” or “personification”. That way, Kitty is a human personified as a cat..
On the company’s official website, the character is never described as a cat. There, Hello Kitty is described as follows: “Hello Kitty is a happy and fun girl who loves to spread joy around the world. She lives with her parents and her twin sister, Mimmy, in London, England. Her motto is: ‘Many friends are never too many!’ Therefore, she is always surrounded by friends and loves to make new friends”.
Source: Recreio
