[/floatr]The Age: I am Kitty hear me purr
She has no mouth, yet she speaks volumes. She is a Japanese icon, yet she commands a loyal following the world over. She appears shy and unassuming, yet she stands at the centre of a business empire. She is simply beloved by little children, yet she serves as a complex muse to sophisticated artists. She is Hello Kitty. On August 28, the famous feline - or was it merely a costumed human? - appeared at the grand opening of Sanrio Marchengallery, a new character goods shop on the seventh floor of the Tobu department store at Ikebukuro Station in Tokyo. The glittery decor sparkled in the light of press photographers' flashbulbs as Kitty posed with fans - mostly little girls at her 10 am first appearance of the day - in front of a massive art object by Sanrio designer Noriko Masatomo, depicting Kitty sailing through the clouds in a hot air balloon laden with gold-wrapped presents. Part of Kitty's magic is her ability to occupy multiple spotlights simultaneously. Even as she was opening a shop in Tokyo, a Hello Kitty-themed art exhibition was under way at the Grand Toit art gallery in Masuda, Shimane Prefecture...more...
