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CUTENESS CRAZE:
A Little White Kitten Captures Japan's Heart

August 24, 1998

Hello Kitty products are loved by children, but adults are just as likely to snap them up. (Jiji Press)

The image of "Hello Kitty," a white kitten whose trademark is a flower or red bow attached to her left ear, is popping up all over Japan--and not just on children's bags. Kitty goods have taken the form of everything from household items, like rice cookers and telephones, to office computers and even automobiles. The popularity of characters including Snoopy and Doraemon have also penetrated adult society, giving birth to a booming market for products that carry these images. The verdict is still out, however, on whether businessmen who wear Snoopy neckties to meetings are fashionable trend setters or simply childish adults.

Boosting Japan's Depressed Consumer Market
Hello Kitty, which ignited the character goods boom, is a veteran of the field that was created in 1974 by toy maker Sanrio Co. Initially popular in the 1970s, Kitty made a comeback in 1997. The current Kitty boom appears to have been brought about by young female office workers and mothers who grew up with the character, and are now reliving their childhood affection by bringing Kitty stationery into the office and giving Kitty-decorated toys to their children. Sanrio, sensing a lucrative market, began churning out Kitty goods one after another. Today, it is not at all uncommon to see young women in business suits pulling Hello Kitty cellular phone or cigarette cases out of their name-brand bags.

In the midst of Japan's consumer lull, many industries are jumping on the Kitty bandwagon. In 1997 a major electronics company introduced household items such as rice cookers, toasters, hair dryers, irons, and televisions featuring Hello Kitty. The character can also be found on golf-related items like bags and golf club headcovers. In 1998 the Kitty boom expanded to include pricier items, such as a 50-cc motor scooter and even a compact car emblazoned with the Kitty image.

Characters Serve as College Guides
The use of character images is not limited to consumer goods. One luxury hotel offers a "Kitty Room," featuring slippers, bathroom articles, and furnishings embellished with the Hello Kitty image. Men are not exempt from the character goods boom. A maker of neckties featuring images of popular TV show characters like Doraemon and Ultraman has seen the number of stores selling its products double over the last year; the company is now making more than 10,000 neckties per month. In addition to younger males, there are more and more middle-aged men who wear these playful ties out to evening drinking parties with their fellow workers.

The academic world is also enlisting the services of popular characters. Animation heroes from the Finnish "Moomin" books and the Japanese cartoon "Cyborg 009" have begun appearing in the pamphlets of several private universities. These schools hope that images of these characters will help arouse the interest of prospective freshmen.

Characters are a Child's Best Friend
How do experts view the popularity of characters among young adults? One magazine editor on top of today's social trends suggests that members of this generation grew up surrounded by these characters, and see nothing wrong with holding onto their affection for them as adults. There may also be more people today who make the leap into the adult world while still at the emotional maturity level of children.

A psychiatrist adds, "Children view fictional characters as imaginary friends who serve as a reliable source of support when they enter kindergarten and first begin interacting with others. The continued attachment of adults to these characters, even into their twenties and thirties, is a reflection of the uncertainty of today's social environment."

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Trends in JapanEdited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.

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