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Chile, Say Sike! Hello Kitty Exec Reveals An Unexpected Fact About The Character

Hello Kitty recently celebrated its 50th anniversary! Japanese entertainment company Saniro first introduced the character in 1974. For decades, folks have assumed that Hello Kitty is what her name says she is: an animal, specifically a cat. Turns out, that’s far from the case!

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Here’s The Tea On Hello Kitty

Sanrio’s retail business development director, Jill Cook, revealed that Hello Kitty is actually a human girl. She dropped the bombshell during an interview on the ‘Today’ show on Thursday (July 18).

Cook said,“Hello Kitty is not a cat,” adding “she’s actually a little girl.”Additionally, Jill Cook shared that HK was born and raised in the London suburbs with her family, including her parents, twin sister Mimmy, and house cat Charmmy Kitty.

All the tea from one of the world’s most famous characters is available on their website. In addition to baking cookies, HK enjoys connecting with new friends as she believes “you can never have too many…”

HK Creator Previously Said Character Was Cat-Inspired

Jill Cook has shaken the innanet with her comments.In large majority, people agree that the design of Hello Kittydefinitelygives CAT, from the whiskers on her face to the triangle ears and white coat.

Internet reactions aside, though, the character’s designer, Yuko Shimizu, previously said her design was “a white cat with a red bow in its hair,” per BBC. As a child, she had received a “small white kitten” for her birthday and drew inspiration from that memory.

In recent years, Saniro has also reportedly confirmed that Hello Kitty is not a cat. Meanwhile, Yuko is no longer at Saniro, having left the company two years after designing a childhood favorite worldwide.

Keep scrolling to see how X (formerly Twitter) is cuttin’ up over the news.

What are your thoughts on Hello Kitty, roomies?

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Cassandra Santiago

Cassandra Santiago is a multimedia journalist, editor, and editorial strategist with over a decade of experience shaping conversations across arts, entertainment, culture, and global news. A graduate of the University of Iowa, she has built a cross-platform career spanning newspapers, magazines, radio, and digital media. She joined The Shade Room five years ago and currently serves as a Senior Editor, where she leads editorial direction, oversees exclusive coverage, and trains and edits a team of writers. Cassandra has played a key role in developing high-impact content and editorial strategies for an audience of more than 30 million, contributing to platform growth, engagement, and monetization across multiple channels. In addition to her leadership role, she remains a daily contributor, with her articles generating more than 41 million views since 2023. Beyond The Shade Room, Cassandra offers freelance social media strategy services, speaks on the influence and impact of Black media at public panels, and owns Did It For You, an event design company in the DC, Maryland, and Virginia area. She is Poynter Institute–certified and was named to the DMV’s 35 Under 35 list in 2024.

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