vintage and contemporary postcards and stamps from around the world


14 August 2016

Sunday Stamps II - 87

2010, Japan

Another of Japan's wildly popular Hello Kitty series was issued in 2010 for that year's Expo in Shanghai China. She is depicted in a heart shaped stamp surrounded by chrysanthemums. Hello Kitty is an anthropomorphic white Japanese Bobtail cat who was first introduced by the Sanrio company in 1974. She is an essential part of kawaii - the quality of cuteness in Japanese culture. Originally marketed for young girls, by the 1990s her target was expanded to include teens and adults as a retro brand. Even though she was created by a Japanese market, and is a breed that's native to Japan and Southeast Asia, she was actually born in the suburbs of London and has a large family, including a twin sister. You can tell them apart by the bows in their hair - Kitty White (her 'real' name) wears a red (or pink) bow on her left ear, while Mimmy White wears a yellow bow on her right ear.

for odd shaped stamps

10 comments:

Bob Scotney said...

Am I missing something as it looks like a floral heart to me? What's the Kitty series?

FinnBadger said...

Hello Kitty is a famous Japanese, and now international, cultural brand/icon. She is a little obscured on the stamp by the postmark, and the fact that her face is white, with pink bow and dress that match the roses.

I feel like a battle of the shaped stamps final would be between Japan and Iceland...

Joy said...

Always inventive with their Hello Kitty Stamps.

VioletSky said...

I've added an edit to include a brief story of Hello Kitty.

FinnBadger said...

I had no idea she had a twin...

Heleen said...

I didn't know she has a twin sister! Thank you for your explanation :-)

viridian said...

I didn't know about the twin sister either!

VioletSky said...

me neither. I'd never googled Hello Kitty before and had no idea how extensive her empire is!

Bob Scotney said...

Thanks, Violet.

FinnBadger said...

Sorry, I meant Japan and Finland.