Sanrio to Release Gender Neutral Hello Kitty

Akab News 1 Apr 2018.

Don’t call Hello Kitty a Girl. Sanrio announces release of Gender Fluid and Gender Neutral collaboration. The initial release will feature Hello Kitty.  “It is a known fact Hello Kitty does not have a mouth because they want people to “project their feelings onto the character” and “be happy or sad together with Hello Kitty. We are taking the next step in allow people to self identify Hello Kitty’s gender in a wide range of the gender spectrums.  We are appealing to today gender reality and sensitivity. “, quote a spokes person for Sanrio.

Most LGBT activist approve of Sanrio bold move while a few Gay and lesbian and feminist groups criticize   about pandering to “That group”.  Gender Neutral releases of other characters including Batz Maru, My Melody will follow.

SANRIO, best known for global icon Hello Kitty® and home to many more endearing characters including Chococat®, My Melody®, and Keroppi®, is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. August 2010 marks the golden anniversary for the worldwide lifestyle brand that was founded on the “small gift, big smile®” philosophy – that a small gift can bring a big smile to people of all ages. Today, over 50,000 Sanrio-branded items are sold in over 70 countries around the world, please visit www.sanrio.com.

Aggretsuko is Not is a Boozer

Aggretsuko is one of Sanrio latest Furry characters.  She is a cute Red Panda, 25 years old, and a worker at a respected trading firm in Tokyo.   She has to deal with a lot of office politics, a condescending boss, and backstabbing and annoying coworkers.  When she reaches her limit, she lets off steam via death metal singing and karaoke. She is cute but definably not like Hello Kitty.   A Little misinformation if in the media that Aggretsuko is a boozer.   This misinformation came from a screen shot from episode five of Aggretsuko shorts shown on YouTube.   While no English sub existed, I could still get the gist.  In this episode Aggretsuko was at the bosses after work party know in Japanese culture as a Nomikai.  At the party, food and a communal bottle of beer are offered. Nomikai etiquette dictates no glass left empty and you do not fill your glass but you fill the glasses of others also, the lower rank worker serves the upper rank. In this case, the boss set off Aggretsuko by criticizing her for filling his glass with the beer label down. She fantasies insulting and defying the boss   by guzzling the beer in front of him.

I think it is interesting how Sanrio is marketing Aggretsuko in Japan and the US. Most Sanrio characters start out like Hello Kitty;  first   being marked to the little  Girls, then evolving the market to  include Women and now for Hello Kitty to Men.   In Aggretsuko case, she is marketed straight to adults.  I feel she has a lot of potential worldwide represent the feelings of many over worked individuals and dealing with work place politics.

I spoke to soon  in Episode  50 Aggretsuko get a little tipsy during  a Cherry Blossom outing.

Closing Sanrio Stores Did Sanrio Made a Mistake?

I replied to an older post about Sanrio in closing it stores has got me thinking.  What is not  widely reported  was Sanrio  was closing its company stores and pushing owner operators to  buy back stores and run them as independent Sanrio stores.   I know this true because I talked to the previous owner of the closed Washington Square store In Oregon. Sanrio wanted her to buy back the store , but at her age, she  decided to retire instead.

Now two years later, I think the way Sanrio approached pulling out of the retail market was the wrong decision. They should had  push spinning off the stores  than outright closing them and relying on big retailers.