Two young women in Hello Kitty gear at Comic-Con She is a little girl. Hello Kitty is also the main character at the two Japanese Sanrio theme parks, Harmonyland and the indoor Sanrio Puroland. She is a friend. Two young women decked out in Hello Kitty gear wait for their credentials at Comic-Con in San Diego last month. But she is not a cat. Since debuting in 1974, Hello Kitty has become a global phenomenon. (Denis Poroy / Invision / Associated Press) Her expressionless mug has been featured on countless toys, not to mention bowling balls, motor oil, a Fender Strat, a pricey Judith Leiber clutch, sanitary napkins and mens underwear.
Christine R. She's never depicted on all fours. She's inspired a controversial song by Avril Lavigne, works of sculpture by Tom Sachs and a pretty spectacular dress worn by Lady Gaga. Yano is an anthropologist from the University of Hawaii (and currently a visiting professor at Harvard) who has spent years studying the phenomenon that is Hello Kitty.