Fans

We had a chance to interview two amazing Gotochi and Hello Kitty® fans!

Interview with Emily of House of Kitty

1. When did you become a fan of Hello Kitty®?
Emily: Around age 5. My Dad used to go to Japan for business  a few times a year and he would bring back gifts from family there. I used to get a lot of cute Sanrio stuff.
2. What do you like about Hello Kitty®?
Emily: I love how cute she is and that she just makes me feel cheerful when I look at her. As a creative person, I really like how all the different Hello Kitty designs look. I also love cats having grown up around a lot of cats including my neighbors, music teacher and cousins.
3. How did you find out about GOTOCHI Hello Kitty®?
Emily:  noticed Hello Kitty had unique regional designs on a trip to Hawaii.  It was the first time I had seen Hello Kitty with a tan. I didn't realize this was called Gotochi until I discovered an online store that sold tons of Gotochi Hello Kitty keychains and cell phone straps.  
4. Do you have a favorite GOTOCHI Hello Kitty® item/design?
Emily: Because I love Hawaii so much it would probably be the Hawaiian themed Hello Kitty.  I even got married in Hawaii.  Other than that, I also like the Hello Kitties dressed up in kimonos doing Japanese dance because I studied traditional Japanese Dance myself for about 25 years.
5. How many GOTOCHI Hello Kitty® items do you have as part of your collection?
Emily: I'm not sure but as a percent, probably a quarter. I have Japanese and Hawaiian dolls, coin purses, towels and keychains.
6. Where do you shop to get your Hello Kitty® items?
Emily: There's a few local shops I like:  Smiley's and Gift Surprises. I also have my own online shop (http://www.houseofkitty.com) where I buy items. I think I let myself splurge more when I'm on holidays. When we travel to the US, Target is great.
7. How many Hello Kitty® items do you have and do you have a favorite?
Emily: I had a huge drawer dedicated to Sanrio when I was a kid plus a few dolls and other items I put on display, but I gave it all away when I was a teenager. I got back into Hello Kitty in my mid-20s and so I'm still building it up slowly. I only have about 30-40 items now down from probably over a 100 items when I was a kid.
 8. Do you have a Hello Kitty® lucky charm that you always carry with you?
Emily: No, I just like having any cute Hello Kitty item with me for everyday use.  Right now, I usually carry a Hello Kitty coin purse.
9. Do you have a Hello Kitty® tattoo?
Emily: No, I don't have any tattoos Hello Kitty or otherwise.
10. What Hello Kitty® item do you want the most right now?
Emily: I really like the Hello Kitty Tokidoki series. It's just fun to look at and I don't have anything from it yet.  I also like the Hello Kitty baking/cooking items.  They're really hard to find here even when I order for my store, I can only get my hands on a few items.

 

Interview with Maria of Hello Kitty Junkie

 

1. When did you become a fan of Hello Kitty®?
Maria: I do not know exactly when I became a fan of Hello Kitty. I just know I have always adored her! I have pictures of myself as a kid with Hello Kitty sandals and other Sanrio character goods. (picture: http://www.hellokittyjunkie.com/2008/01/19/sanrio-love-since-day-one/ )
2. What do you like about Hello Kitty®?
Maria: I like too many things about Hello Kitty (here is a partial list) :
Hello Kitty reminds me of my childhood (youthful innocence), Hello Kitty reminds me of Japan (my family and my homeland), Hello Kitty reminds my family, friends, co-workers, acquaintances, , etc. of me!, Hello Kitty loves everyone, Hello Kitty is a universal poster child for caring, sharing, happiness, friendship... And all that other good stuff, I grew up with Hello Kitty, Sanrio brands her to everybody, Hello Kitty brings people together, Hello Kitty embodies innocence, sentimentality and harmony, Hello Kitty promotes "social communication", Hello Kitty is a pop culture icon, Hello Kitty is a fashionista.
3. How did you find out about GOTOCHI Hello Kitty®?
Maria: A couple of years ago, I saw pictures online about Hello Kitty representing all the different prefectures in Japan and thought, "Wow! What an amazing concept!" An awesome blog I look for inspiration is Japan Regional Hello Kitty® ( http://japanhk.blogspot.com/ ). But after looking through the Gotochi Kitty site ( http://gotochikitty.com/ ), I was hooked! My curiosity has heightened after a shop owner I visit showed me a few Gotochi Kitty collection books -- I had to buy them all!
4. Do you have a favorite GOTOCHI Hello Kitty® item/design?
Maria: Just one favorite!? That is a tough question... One of my favorite charms is a Hello Kitty dressed up as a fish (picture: http://www.hellokittyjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/218_hello_kitty_fish_charm.jpg ). I know this one is super kawaii because I let my Mom pick one charm out of my collection, and she chose this one... Which means yes, I gave it to her! Hello Kitty dressed up as food is always a yummy treat! I aslo have started to fall in love with Kaburinbo line, in which Hello Kitty is dressed up as other Sanrio characters!
5. How many GOTOCHI Hello Kitty® items do you have as part of your collection?
Maria: I have a handful of gotochi items -- three books, a few charms and some chopsticks and cups. Because there are thousands of charms, I do not think I will be able to collect them all! But trust me, this is one of my favorite series and if I could, I would have every single thing from this series!
6. Where do you shop to get your Hello Kitty® items?
Maria: I shop for Hello Kitty stuff anywhere! I have bought things from Sanrio, Japan LA, Neotype Station, Happy Six, online shops, eBay, other collectors, Anime Expo, Target, Hot Topic, Toys R Us, Neiman Marcus... My Hello Kitty radar goes off pretty much everywhere! I prefer to purchase things in person because I am a huge fan of instant gratification! But there are some things that you just have to order online. I have also found some wonderful pen pals through my blog ( http://hellokittyjunkie.com ) and my social network (http://hellokittyjunkies.ning.com ).
7. Is your room filled with Hello Kitty®?
Maria: My room has Hello Kitty sprinkled here and there. It is pretty messy and I have many things packed up... I would love to share a picture when my room is a lot cleaner!
 8. Do you have a Hello Kitty® lucky charm that you always carry with you?
Maria: They are not really lucky charms, but I do carry these things with me when I leave the house:  my Kimora Lee Simmons x Hello Kitty diamond ring, my Hello Kitty credit card and some Hello Kitty charms on my bag. I carry these things with me because I get to show off my love for Hello Kitty without having to hit people over the head with it
9. Do you have a Hello Kitty®tattoo?
Maria:  I stick to the temporary Hello Kitty tattoos because I am too scared to get a permanent one! (picture: http://www.hellokittyjunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/11/310_kittys_bday_08.jpg)
10. What Hello Kitty® item do you want the most right now?
Maria: The Hello Kitty item I want most right now is a bag from the 2009 tokidoki for Hello Kitty collection. I have not actually seen a bag, but I am just really hoping for it since I missed out on the first tokidoki for Hello Kitty bag! I have seen the artwork for this collection and I am in love with anything Simone Legno (creator of tokidoki) designs! I always want Gotochi Kitty charms -- but that pretty much goes without saying. And... I really want a large Hello Kitty plush -- a life-size one is ideal!
**Thank you for the interview! Please check out my blog ( http://hellokittyjunkie.com ) and my social network ( http://hellokittyjunkies.ning.com )!

 

Know any fanatics like Emily or Maria? Please contact us at info@gentecal.com and be featured on our fans page!