Most people have heard of the beloved main mascot of Sanrio, Hello Kitty. You’ve seen her adorable face in toy shops, on mugs and shirts, and even television screens since the year 1975. Practically everyone and their grandmother have heard of the Japanese superstar and her iconic red bow, and she’s become very popular on social media. However, there are a lot of things that a lot of people don’t know about the overall wearing feline, with the lore of the character being a bit deeper than many would expect. Here’s a few things you might not know:
- Hello Kitty’s Sister
That’s right, the infamous Sanrio mascot actually has a sister. Her name is Mimmy, and is her younger twin sister. Though Hello Kitty never has a specified age, Hello Kitty and Mimmy are identical twins, with Mimmy being depicted most with a yellow shirt and red overalls. There isn’t much known about Mimmy, though she’s made appearances in a few minor video games and numerous TV shows.
- Dear Daniel: The Largely Disputed Boyfriend
This may come as a shock to many, but Hello Kitty has had a boyfriend before. His name Dear Daniel made his first debut in 1999 as another white cat and had the official role of boyfriend in the franchise. However, there was large debate over whether Hello Kitty needed a boyfriend or not. He was created by one of Hello Kitty’s designers, Yuko Yamaguchi, after being inspired by a singer who discussed the topic of Hello Kitty having a boyfriend.
- Coro Chan, the predecessor to Hello Kitty
Despite what it might seem, Hello Kitty was not the first character that Sanrio had created. The beloved kitty was actually the second creation, made after Coro Chan, who had appeared only a year before Hello Kitty. He’s a small brown bear that was introduced in 1973 and never reached the same level of popularity as Hello Kitty and her friends. Though forgotten to time, OG Sanrio fans want him to be brought back into the franchise.
4. Hello Kitty Might Not Be a Real Cat?
Though there is large controversy around it, it has been confirmed many times that Hello Kitty is, in fact, not actually a cat. With the installment of an exhibit “Kittypatra” in the Japanese American Museum in California in 2014, depicting Hello Kitty as Cleopatra, there was a firm correction made. Christine R. Yano, the anthropologist that helped to make it, was corrected in her script for the exhibit by Sanrio themselves, making her clarify that Hello Kitty was NOT a cat, and was a little girl.
This sparked controversy in the community and made headlines in the news. Sanrio later explained that she wasn’t a “real” cat and was more like Mickey Mouse. However, what had been said was said; To this day, it’s a widely shared belief that Hello Kitty is actually a little girl.