Hello Kitty was created in 1974 by designer Ikuko Shimizu and arrived in America two year later. Despite being created in Japan, Kitty lives in London with her twin sister and parents. Most people don't realise she is a twin, and the only way to tell them apart is by which side of the head they wear their bow on. Kitty wears hers on the left hand side of her face.
Hello Kitty's real actual name is Kitty White even longtime fans don't know this fact. People just assume wrongly that her name is indeed "Hello Kitty"!
The company that owns her have over 450 similar characters created but frankly she is the only one that has made any impact. Despite having no mouth at all, this hasn't held her back. Her creator simply states that she needs no mouth as she "speaks from the heart".
Kitty is famous worldwide. In America she oftens features in some way on McDonalds happy meals (there has been at least one recorded riot when they ran out of her toys) and in Thailand a Judge has ordered Police Officers who break the rules to wear a bright pink Kitty armband as they do their duties to publicly embarrass them! Well I guess as they say, all publicity is good publicity!
There is a Hello Kitty version of Disneyworld in Japan, with huge themed rooms and restaurants. If you are a true strong Kitty fan you can even get married in a Kitty themed ceremony, all fully legally binding.
With nearly 4 decades in existence, Kitty doesn't look likely to age or fall out of popularity anytime soon. Mariah Carey and Sarah Jessica Parker are said to be just two of her famous fans.