or have sex using a Hello Kitty condom.) Sanrio, the company which owns the character, makes almost $4bn in sales annually. Kitty’s popularity is emblematic of the global craze for cute things.

Hello Kitty, the cute, enigmatic character that adorns everything from handbags to rice cookers, turns 50 on Friday -- and is still making millions for her Japanese creators. The simple design of ...

A visitor looks at giant Hello Kitty display at the exhibition ... a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes a lovable or adorable essence.

Hello Kitty turns 50 on Friday ... stems from a misunderstanding of “kawaii,” which is Japanese for “cute” but also connotes a lovable or adorable essence. Sanrio recruited Shimizu ...

Hello Kitty, the cute, enigmatic character that adorns everything from handbags to rice cookers, turns 50 on Friday – and is still making millions for her Japanese creators. The simple design of ...