The Anatomy of Hello Kitty How is it even possible that this simply drawn, cat-like creature has dominated the cute animal toplist for the last forty years? Hello Kitty is not a stand-alone phenomenon, it is the product of a larger cultural system, in which a modern offshoot of traditional Japanese aesthetics intertwines with a special child-culture that developed from the 17th century. Using Hello Kitty as a key point I am going to: dispel some popular myths and misunderstandings about Japan’s kawaii culture explain the meaning of the word ‘kawaii’ and how it can be derived from traditional Japanese … Continue reading Why doesn’t that cat have a mouth? – Hello Kitty, the kawaii and children’s culture of Japan