is becoming an NFT, which doesn’t necessarily change the way we consume or think about our favorite pop culture artifacts, but is more just a sign that nothing is sacred. Hello Kitty, the ubiquitous little face that I just learned
, but is instead a little girl who has a cat of her own, is a cultural force — appearing on everything from backpacks to motor oil to sake, and starting next year, the NFT market. Sanrio and NFT company Recur are partnering so fans can buy and trade Hello Kitty digital collectibles,I, for one, really appreciate the candidness of Sanrio exec Silvia Figini, the COO for the company’s EMEA, India and Oceana regions, who said: “To explore this new and innovative business is for us a big challenge. For Sanrio, stepping into the NFT space adds a new way of being part of contemporary culture and provides our fans a new way to enjoy our brand.
Bt the way, if you’re in shock at the revelation that Hello Kitty, is in fact, not a cat, you can read more background on the revelation. And you’re not alone: Even Christine R. Yano, an anthropologist who spent years studying the phenomenon of Hello Kitty and served as the curator for the Japanese American National Museum’s retrospective in 2014, didn’t know Hello Kitty was a cat.. “Hello Kitty is not a cat. She’s a cartoon character. She is a little girl. She is a friend. But she is not a cat.