THE HUNDREDS X SANRIO

Sanrio brought hello kitty to the united states in 1976, after she had already gained an incredible amount of popularity in Japan. From there, she became the worldwide phenomenon she is today, recognized and revered by almost every demographic. But her presence in America was particularly significant for Asian Americans, who lacked representation in us pop culture at the time. Christine Reiko Yano, author of pink globalization: hello kitty??s trek across the pacific, told the la times that hello kitty worked as a sort of identity marker for Japanese Americans, connecting their culture to the new one they were being forced to assimilate to, holding significance for children and adults alike.