Hello Kitty on the Cover of Time


Move over Elon Musk, Taylor Swift, and whoever else pretends to run the world—because Hello Kitty just landed the cover of Time Magazine for her 50th anniversary, and she didn’t even say a word to get there.

That’s right. The iconic, mouthless feline from Japan has reached half a century of silently conquering the planet, one overpriced pencil case at a time, and let’s be honest—if silence is golden, Hello Kitty is basically Fort Knox.

Who is Hello Kitty?

For those who don’t know, Hello Kitty’s real name is Kitty White. She is an 8-year-old British girl who looks like a cat created by Sanrio in 1974. She's known for her red bow and not having a visible mouth. She’s five apples tall, weighs three apples, and has a twin sister—none of whom have aged a day since disco was cool. Botox? No. It’s just the power of kawaii.

The Time Magazine Special Edition covers her global reign, why America loves her, plus her friends and family.


She’s Not a Cat

Though often mistaken for an anthropomorphized cat, Sanrio clarifies that she's a human girl. Kitty lives in London with her parents and twin sister Mimmy, who is distinguished by a yellow bow.

Hello Kitty was originally marketed to little girls, but as her popularity declined in Japan, it grew internationally with women and girls. Now, at 50, Hello Kitty is still rocking that red bow and expressionless stare that somehow conveys joy, mystery, and a vaguely judgmental aura, depending on the lighting.

The Cat Who Conquered Capitalism

Hello Kitty has earned big for Sanrio with royalties from her 87,000 licensed products (including toasters, airplanes, and a Hello Kitty-themed maternity ward in Taiwan, which is real and mildly terrifying). There are a wide variety of Hello Kitty figures, apparels, collectibles, jewelry, crafts and more  

Final Thoughts

As Hello Kitty celebrates her 50th anniversary, one thing is clear: in a world full of noise, the most powerful thing you can do is say absolutely nothing—and then license your face to 130 countries.

Happy 50th, Hello Kitty. Here’s to another 50 years of ruling the world with mute, pink vengeance.


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