Hello Kitty is not a cat. Yup, you read that right. Sanrio, the company behind the popular doll, made the shocking announcement right in time for Hello Kitty's 40th anniversary. According to Los Angeles Times, the plush doll will turn 40 in the fall but there are still a lot of things people don't know about her.
Anthropologist Christine R. Yano has spent years studying Hello Kitty and wrote the book, "Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty's Trek Across the Pacific." She believes Kitty's blank features - and clever merchandising - has helped push the toy into a global phenomenon.
To celebrate the 40th anniversary, Sanrio will debut a retrospective of Hello Kitty art, merchandise and fashion at the Japanese American National Museum. The company will also host its first-ever Hello Kitty Con at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles from Oct. 30 to Nov. 2.
Yano is helping Sanrio with the festivities and told the LA Times a few interesting (and surprising) facts about Hello Kitty:
- The biggest shock is that Hello Kitty is not actually a cat. Sanrio said she is a cartoon character, a human British girl who will forever be in the third grade
- Hello Kitty's real name is Kitty White and she has a twin sister named Mimmy White, who wears a yellow bow
- The character lives outside of London with her parents (George and Mary White), her sister, and her pet cat named Chammy Kitty. They also have a seal who lives in their backyard
- Hello Kitty was born on Nov. 1 making her a Scorpio
- Her blood type is A and she stands 5 apples tall
- Hello Kitty also has a sweet tooth for apple pie
Who knew Hello Kitty had such a detailed backstory? Sanrio also announced that the plush doll will be going to outer space to celebrate the 40th anniversary. On Aug. 12 the company released an image of Hello Kitty aboard the Japanese satellite Hodoyoshi.
What do you think about Hello Kitty's backstory? Are you surprised she's not a cat?
