This is Randi Hacker with another Postcard from Abroad from the KU Center for East Asian Studies.

It’s the stuff of tabloid journalism, a revelation so sensational it’s a wonder it’s not eclipsing Bruce Jenner’s middle aged transitioning. Certainly the celebrity it concerns is famous enough: She’s a worldwide phenomenon whose mouthless face has been seen on bowling balls, motor oils, sanitary napkins and men’s underwear as well as one of Lady Gaga’s dresses. We’re talking about Hello Kitty here, the very symbol of Japan’s kawaii culture – Japan’s culture of cute. Just in time for a massive retrospective of her life and a Hello Kitty Con in LA, it was revealed that…Hello Kitty is NOT a cat. Never mind the ears and whiskers, she was never conceived to be a cat. She’s a British schoolgirl, a third grader, with a twin sister (also not a cat) and a cat of her own named Charmmy Kitty. That’s Charmmy with two ms. What next? Bugs is not a bunny? Porky is not a pig? The Jayhawk is not a bird?

From the KU Center for East Asian Studies, this is Randi Hacker. Wish you were here.