Overview

Hello Kitty is a marketing wonder and a cultural phenomenon. Having recently celebrated her 50th birthday, her popularity shows no signs of slowing. There are theme parks, restaurants, cafes, and hotels dedicated to her. Millions of people worldwide buy Hello Kitty products, from toasters to tweezers. Her appeal crosses all classes: parents buy their children Hello Kitty pyjamas from discount high street stores, super fans spend thousands of dollars to amass thousands of items bearing Kitty's face, and star fans such as Paris Hilton sport Swarovski-encrusted Hello Kitty necklaces. In Pink Tsunami you will read about the fans, but also about Hello Kitty's designers and marketers and how they contributed to the kawaii kitty's global popularity. We will also see why the Queen of Kawaii is derided by some for her simplistic cuteness. Several years in the making, and meeting the people who love, hate, and live Hello Kitty along the way, this book is the definitive account of Japan's cutest cultural icon. Alan Brender is author of over 20 books and hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles. Among the many celebrities he has interviewed for Starlog are Jane Seymour, Mark Hamill, Gene Roddenberry, Billy Crystal, Wilfred Hyde- White, and David Hasselhoff.

Full Product Details

9781915316417

Table of Contents

Reviews

""Author and educator Alan Brender has performed quite a feat, digging into the life and legacy of the Sanrio character Kitty White, 'born' November 1, 1974. The Pink Tsunami: The Incredible Story of Hello Kitty is a fast-paced, entertaining thrill ride through 50 years of history. Along the way, Brender showcases the massive cultural impact this small, unassuming kitten has had not only across Japan but globally as well. I couldn't put it down."" --Patrick Parr, author of One Week in America: The 1968 Notre Dame Literary Festival and a Changing Nation ""Alan Brender's analysis of the marketing genius of the Hello Kitty brand is wittily narrated with a touch of mischief. This book goes behind the scenes at Sanrio to meet the creators and puppeteers of Kitty. The polished veneer is peeled back to reveal some fascinating stories about how this iconic feline empire was launched and Sanrio's maneuverings to keep Kitty in her role as Queen of Cute."" --Barry Natusch, freelance writer and editor, Tokyo, Japan and Auckland, New Zealand ""Who doesn't know the ubiquitous Hello Kitty? As it turns out, I didn't know her as well as I thought. I have seen her on notebooks, sewing machines, even gold jewelry, but that her domain stretched to cakes in Zimbabwe, a Chinese theme park, even sex toys, is news indeed ... Although I have lived in Japan nearly as long as Kitty-chan, I was unaware of the extent of her universal penetration, the fervor of her enthusiasts, the intensity of her detractors, or how her back-story reflects the psyche of late-Showa Japan. Be prepared to be surprised at Alan Brender's fascinating excavation of this seemingly benign and deceptively superficial cultural artifact."" --Gwendolyn Gallagher, Lecturer at Hokkaido University of Education in Asahikawa, Japan

""Alan Brender's analysis of the marketing genius of the Hello Kitty brand is wittily narrated with a touch of mischief. This book goes behind the scenes at Sanrio to meet the creators and puppeteers of Kitty. The polished veneer is peeled back to reveal some fascinating stories about how this iconic feline empire was launched and Sanrio's maneuverings to keep Kitty in her role as Queen of Cute."" --Barry Natusch, freelance writer and editor, Tokyo, Japan and Auckland, New Zealand. ""Author and educator Alan Brender has performed quite a feat, digging into the life and legacy of the Sanrio character Kitty White, 'born' November 1, 1974. The Pink Tsunami: The Incredible Story of Hello Kitty is a fast-paced, entertaining thrill ride through 50 years of history. Along the way, Brender showcases the massive cultural impact this small, unassuming kitten has had not only across Japan but globally as well. I couldn't put it down."" --Patrick Parr, author of One Week in America: The 1968 Notre Dame Literary Festival and a Changing Nation ""Who doesn't know the ubiquitous Hello Kitty? As it turns out, I didn't know her as well as I thought. I have seen her on notebooks, sewing machines, even gold jewelry, but that her domain stretched to cakes in Zimbabwe, a Chinese theme park, even sex toys, is news indeed ... Although I have lived in Japan nearly as long as Kitty-chan, I was unaware of the extent of her universal penetration, the fervor of her enthusiasts, the intensity of her detractors, or how her back-story reflects the psyche of late-Showa Japan. Be prepared to be surprised at Alan Brender's fascinating excavation of this seemingly benign and deceptively superficial cultural artifact."" --Gwendolyn Gallagher, Lecturer at Hokkaido University of Education in Asahikawa, Japan

""Alan Brender's analysis of the marketing genius of the Hello Kitty brand is wittily narrated with a touch of mischief. This book goes behind the scenes at Sanrio to meet the creators and puppeteers of Kitty. The polished veneer is peeled back to reveal some fascinating stories about how this iconic feline empire was launched and Sanrio's maneuverings to keep Kitty in her role as Queen of Cute."" --Barry Natusch, freelance writer and editor, Tokyo, Japan and Auckland, New Zealand ""Author and educator Alan Brender has performed quite a feat, digging into the life and legacy of the Sanrio character Kitty White, 'born' November 1, 1974. The Pink Tsunami: The Incredible Story of Hello Kitty is a fast-paced, entertaining thrill ride through 50 years of history. Along the way, Brender showcases the massive cultural impact this small, unassuming kitten has had not only across Japan but globally as well. I couldn't put it down."" --Patrick Parr, author of One Week in America: The 1968 Notre Dame Literary Festival and a Changing Nation ""Who doesn't know the ubiquitous Hello Kitty? As it turns out, I didn't know her as well as I thought. I have seen her on notebooks, sewing machines, even gold jewelry, but that her domain stretched to cakes in Zimbabwe, a Chinese theme park, even sex toys, is news indeed ... Although I have lived in Japan nearly as long as Kitty-chan, I was unaware of the extent of her universal penetration, the fervor of her enthusiasts, the intensity of her detractors, or how her back-story reflects the psyche of late-Showa Japan. Be prepared to be surprised at Alan Brender's fascinating excavation of this seemingly benign and deceptively superficial cultural artifact."" --Gwendolyn Gallagher, Lecturer at Hokkaido University of Education in Asahikawa, Japan

Author Information

Dr. Alan Brender is an educator and writer with many years' experience. He was Dean of Lakeland University Japan for over 15 years, and has taught Journalism at Temple University and the University Maryland. An inveterate traveler, he has lived and worked in Kenya, Swaziland and Malaysia as well as Japan. He was co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Japan, contributor to the South China Morning Post and, for six years, Japan correspondent for The Chronicle of Higher Education. He was West Coast correspondent in California for Afternoon TV, TV Stars and Starlog, interviewing many Hollywood stars.

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