Ni hao, Kitty

More about the book

Hello Kitty" was first designed by Yuko Shimizo in 1974. It is said that Hello Kitty's character was based on Miffy, a small rabbit, created by Dutch artist Dick Bruna in 1955. In Japanese "Hello Kitty" refers to a group of various characters, while the kitten itself is known as Kitty White (Kiti Hawaito), or as Kitty-chan. Originally aimed at pre-adolescent females, Hello Kitty's market has broadened to include adult consumers. She can be found on a variety of products ranging from school supplies to fashion accessories and high-end consumer products. This book shows that the image of Hello Kitty can be found everywhere in Japanese culture today.