Animation Blog

More or less, we have an idea how popular the cartoon character Hello Kitty is. Since we can’t really gauge this popularity quantitatively without delving into much boring statistics and table graphs, maybe the fairer question to ask is:

“How useful is this popularity of Hello Kitty is to people and in popular culture?”

For the few who may have not heard of Hello Kitty, she (most girls would like to think it’s a she) is a fictional pink-loving cat cartoon character created by Ikuzo Shimizu in Japan during the year 1974 for the Japanese company Sanrio. Before all the lucrative character licensing deals, Hello Kitty was just a design for a vinyl coin purse. But how did she captivate the consciousness of so many people throughout the years? Here’s a preview why:

Pink and that cuddly appearance makes for a very inspired value to the description cute. And this has given Sanrio a very winning formula amounting to about a billion dollars a year.

Take note, a year. That’s how cuddliness earns.

As an animated cartoon character, how can Hello Kitty help use this charisma to significantly impact this world? Here are a few thoughts for our 3D animation studio here at Mediafreaks.

Fashion Consultant. Hello Kitty really doesn’t have much advice to give to its followers but to wear pink. That alone is enough insight to motivate thousands and thousands of lady fans all over the world. Of course it helps when an A-list Hollywood celebrity such as Mariah Carey adopts Hello Kitty as a fashion statement.

Tourism. Hello Kitty can easily be a symbol for beauty, order, relaxation and all those positive traits rolled up in one. Little wonder why Japan used Hello Kitty as an ambassador of goodwill for the countries of China and Hong Kong.

Unity and Positive Vibrations. Watch any of the animated series involving Hello Kitty from the early America-produced Hello Kitty’s Furry Tale Theatre, to the Hello Kitty and Friends anime aired in Tokyo and CBS United States in 1001 to Hello Kitty’s Paradise in 1993 – and it is very relaxing to watch. It just oozes of that positive aura which has united many fans all over the world. The global following of the cartoon character can be harnessed to promote and support worthy causes which leads us to…

Champion for Advocacy. With that cuddly appearance and cuddly charisma, Hello Kitty can serve well as an advocate for a very important cause. In fact, the United Nations has already recognized this special ability of Hello Kitty. The cartoon character has already been awarded with the title of UNICEF Special Friend of Children. I think Hello Kitty can capture the attention span of little girls almost instantly.

Moreover, a Taiwanese hospital tried to harness this Hello Kitty charisma by creating a maternity hospital bearing Hello Kitty’s likeness. Hau Sheng Hospital, 150 kilometers south of Taipei, is adorned by among others, a gigantic Hello Kitty dressed as a pink doctor. Recovery rooms, nurseries and elevator doors – there’s never too much Hello Kitty in this hospital. Hello Kitty’s charisma made the hospital an even better place to stay for these mothers and mothers-to-be.

“When new mums feel anxious and lost about how to deal with their new babies, Hello Kitty can make them more relaxed and reduce their sense of discomfort while giving birth,” said Tsai Tsung-ki, owner of the hospital who sought Sanrio’s help on this immense project.

The hospital was completed in 2006 and has delivered an estimated 2,000 babies. That’s some Hello Kitty indoctrination there. Here is more with a 3D animated short clip of Hello Kitty: