Monday, December 30, 2013

Review of Pink Globalization

Hello Kitty, a Global Icon


Pink Globalization by Christine Yano

There have been a lot of books written about Hello Kitty and all have tried to dissect the phenomenon of the little white cat. None came close as this author as she tries to analyze the kawaii culture while integrating with the obsession of Hello Kitty. Without the kawaii culture, Hello Kitty would have never been born.

Next, comes the question: Who is Hello Kitty?

Who is exactly Hello Kitty that can make millions of fans all over the world go crazy? How can a cute little white cat with black whiskers and a red bow on it's left ear have hypnotize the whole world for more than a decade? In simpler terms, Hello Kitty is equivalent to America's Barbie franchise. For one example, Yano tries to examine the phenomenon with the discussion of Hello Kitty's pure image as a long lasting brand. She does this while trying to interweave the "friendship" and "happiness" aspect of Asia's cute culture.

Yano goes into details of "cool" cute and "kitsch" cute factor throughout the book.This may be a sensitive subject for most Hello Kitty fans because this is where the preferences of style that comes into effect. Yano delves into trying to get to the heart of a Hello Kitty fan by including interviews from different types of fans.

So, by the end of the book, was the question of how Hello Kitty became such a phenomenon been finally answered? Honestly, I think Yano did a successful job at incorporating all the business and Japanese (culture) aspects into trying to answer this complicated question that so many people have asked. After reading the entire book, I feel that there isn't a real simple answer that can be explained in one sentence. You're going to have to read the book for yourself to have a better understanding of how everything comes into play for this beloved white cat and her road to global fame.

Without Hello Kitty, Sanrio most likely wouldn't have lasted this long outside of Japan (International fame)
- Junolyn

Saturday, December 28, 2013

November Haul 2013



In this haul, I had two large shipments from Japan. Most of the items were purchased for my Kittifying Kitchen project. So far, I am about 70% complete for a lovely My Melody and/or a Hello Kitty breakfast(or lunch) kitchenware. With so many new stuff this year, I think I need to re-organize, store, and fit most of it under my bed. And, they're not small sized items...

Sunday, November 10, 2013

Sanrio Sticker Album: Keroppi VTG Cut

90's stickers


Other than my love for my Sanrio pens and pencils, I have an obsession for Sanrio stickers. I'm very selective in my choices, so I don't collect every single sticker that came from the 90's. Here's a video of my Keroppi Sticker Album: vintage cut. 

Friday, November 8, 2013

Junolyn's Top Picks for Xmas 2013


Looking for the perfect gift for a fellow collector or rather yourself? Below are a couple of suggestions that you might be interested in purchasing.


I ordered mine. Classy and just perfect for my future home


Hello Kitty Metal Wall Clock 
Color: Black

If you are looking to spiff up your home with something that isn't too bright and flashy, then this wall clock is the right choice for you. The metal material and color are a perfect match in any colored theme room.  You need an International Shopping Agent (I.S.A.) to order this piece. Please see FAQ for an Agent.





Hello Kitty Jewelry Case
40th Anniversary

This is *THE* perfect gift for the holidays this season. This jewelry case is the perfect item to place your expensive gold jewelry. You don't want to place your pretty jewels in just any ordinary Hello Kitty trinket. You want this one to match with all your pretty Hello Kitty jewels. You need an I.S.A. to order this piece.




Little Twin Stars Watch
Timeless Piece

If you are looking for a more upscale watch, then this is perfect for you or your loved one. This watch can be worn in a formal or cocktail party setting. A rare LTS watch that you can't find anywhere else because all the other watches are made for "everyday" activities. You need an I.S.A. to order this piece.


Remember that all these suggestions have a limited stock, so get them while you still can. 
Happy Holidays!

XOXO,

Lyn  :0)

Monday, October 14, 2013

Are You Objective?

With a lot of people paying attention to my words, I have to ask this: can you be objective when it comes to mass opinions? Can you honestly say you are not a Hello Kitty hardcore fan, who hates what I am stating about what others think as well? If it really offends what the mass think, why do you care? Don't blame me for what a lot of the population think about the preferred "style." 

Here's an example of a comment:

"I think everyone who talks about internalized misogyny needs to take more care in not making assumptions and giving so much agency to those who don't respect certain individuals for their style choices and stuff, especially if you are not in dialogue with the specific individual we happen to be analyzing."    Aw, someone reads my blog!  >.<

Plain and simple, get over it. Everyone has different taste preferences and are always going to not "respect" a set of group's style preferences. This isn't just about the designs on Sanrio merchandise. It's on all aspects of genres like for an example: the type of music that you like to listen to. If you think about it logically, it's human to dismiss something that you don't like. We have the right to feel that way. Let's face it, everyone "disrespects" a dislike in one way or another. These groups can argue till their faces turn blue, but reality is reality. Learn to adapt to the real world or be trampled. Too harsh? I am the type that is not going to pull my punches or my words. Or maybe the author below has a point... maybe because I'm too outspoken and female? Is that why the hate is supposedly justified towards me? Like it or not, I am the type that likes to discuss topics that don't have a black and white answer. My blog articles reflect what I want to be: A voice to those who are silenced.


I am not sure I fully agree with the author, but to have an objective mind, you have to hear all sides of the argument before choosing what you believe-- whether it's your own safe bubble world or reality of the masses.

For me personally, I don't believe Kawaii was started to intentionally silence a woman's strong opinions, but "kawaii" is ingrained into Asia's culture of "women can be seen, but cannot be heard" kind of thinking that sometimes it might be difficult to separate the two issues at hand. The author brings up an interesting point as how in the Eastern culture, most of "them" would like girls to stay young and innocent for life. I can't fully dismiss that perspective, because I feel it resonates the truth to a degree.



You can read the full article below or here.


East Asian Kawaii Culture Is Insidiously Anti-Woman

By Ashley Yang

A few days ago, a friend sent me a text message of a picture of a “stereotypical Asian girl,” one with long bangs and big glasses, wearing a fuzzy brown hat with bear ears on top and holding a pink phone with a giant plastic Hello Kitty figurine on the back. The caption to the photo was a simple, “why do they all look like this?”
Initially, I was taken aback. I felt uncomfortable with the fact that my friend believed that all East Asians could be tossed together under a single category of “they.” I also didn’t think that the tacky getup of the girl from the photo was at all an accurate depiction of the way “all Asian girls” dressed, and I was offended by my friend’s insinuation that I should be associated with this particular kind of style (or lack of). I immediately moved to create a mental barrier with this idea and wrote off her message as an inanely insensitive comment.
As I rifled through my pencil case in my next class, its contents suddenly reminded me of the photo and more specifically, of her Hello Kitty phone case. Although I’ve never had an affinity for wearing animal-inspired hats or Hello Kitty paraphernalia, through my high school years I was known to frequent Sanrio and walk out with a small stash of pens and notepads that showed designs of similarly adorable characters, such as Chococat or Cinamonroll, the white dog with bunny-like flapping ears. I loved everything in that store, because it was like an Asian Disneyland. The entire atmosphere was cute and fanciful, the outrageous looking animal characters with exaggerated, personified features looked down at me with unfiltered joy from every wall. But little by little, I began to view that entire theme as juvenile and left it behind for more “age-appropriate” interests.
But evidently, there are Asian girls who stuck with Hello Kitty, girls to whom kawaii culture resonated, even as they went off to college and entered adulthood. When I asked myself why many Asian girls, especially those in Asia, choose to be kawaii indefinitely, I realized that maybe it wasn’t as much a choice as it was socialization - kawaii might just be one of the many creatively veiled stooges of patriarchal propaganda. This one was wrapped in shiny pink paper, topped off with a really, really big bow. 
In Japanese, “kawaii” means “cute” or “adorable.” This may seem innocuous upon a cursory view, until you realize that kawaii is centered around an idea of style that is innocent, adorable, and strikingly child-like. Actual children possess those qualities by nature, but the exaggerated features that kawaii girls assume in order to appear artificially “cute” are highly theatrical and when taken up on a daily basis, silly. Silly girls can’t be taken seriously in a world of adults, and especially not by adult men. Being kawaii only gives a world already riddled with misogyny more justification to condescend to women, to tell us that we aren’t capable, rational, and powerful people because we don’t take ourselves seriously enough to look like adults. Although the girl herself might not be thinking this far when she carries a Hello Kitty iPhone or puts in her circle lenses, she is actually infantalizing and disenfranchising herself from her right to be an independent, respected individual. 
Kawaii also implies that it is a superior model of beauty because it is mutually exclusive with “sexy” and “glamorous.” This might initially seem like a positive shift for gender politics because of objectification of young women is such a pervasive issue, but kawaii attempts to separate “cute” from sexy by demanding that young women conceal the sexual dimension of their persona that undeniably emerges as part of adulthood in the costume of a child. However, a woman dressed like a child still has the physiological features of an adult - namely breasts and wider hips - that when combined with their appearance can directly contribute to the sexualization of children. The kawaii look wasn’t intended to be sexy, but it’s definitely fetishized, the most flagrant scenario being the “sexy schoolgirl” pornographic motif. At worst, it looks like role play, with men in a paternalistic position of dominator and women submitting to his desires. 
The very core of being kawaii is an air of everlasting youth and innocence. In promoting the superficial markers of both, the kawaii movement fails to acknowledge its role in perpetuating a culture that exalts youth above all the other qualities a woman can have, namely maturity and experience (for evidence, look at the “leftover woman” phobia sweeping China). This depreciates women’s value in an irredeemable way as a form of social control - youth is something that you can never get back, but society can watch as women continue to try, poring (pun intended) over skincare regimens and mutilating themselves with facelifts while losing their money and self-worth along the way. As a whole picture, kawaii isn’t really about being a sweet, nice girl. It’s about doing everything you can to stunt your growth to make sure that you always remain a girl.

Wednesday, October 2, 2013

Hello Kitty World Game Introduction


To Visit Original Site where I blogged this journal entry, go here.
Published Date: 1/16/13

Before you read my blog, I have a wild active imagination, so proceed with caution. You've been warned once ;p
In the past 40 days since I begun the game, I just realized how real the Sanrio characters have become to me. It's like I've actually traveled to a whole different world. The virtual world is where these Kawaii creatures exist and live their days in a beautiful heaven of cuteness. Think of star shape lamp posts and kawaii trees that is made of candy! What a wonder it would be if you could walk down the path into this kawaii world. 

My Sanrio World is a place full of mystery. I've seen the strangest things in my virtual world that has made me laugh because the Sanrio world residents would act like large crowds of entourage, obsessively following their adored Sanrio mascot idol. If I didn't know any better, I would think a lot of them are just plain stalkers! Just look at them. They would giggle non-stop while pointing and staring at a Sanrio mascot, while having this creepy love-lorn expression on their faces. I swear I've seen a few of them stammer out love confessions, trembling from head to toe, while managing to kick other rival competitors down. These are not just ordinary stalkers that send jealous love notes, these are outta control obsessed Sanrio fans! This type of obsession makes me scared. They are like a trained self-disciplined secret social network.
Their goal? Why, naturally of course, to gain the love of their Sanrio mascot character. Not anyone can join this secret group. There is a hierarchy order to things that are required before you are given permission to enter their domain. Once granted access, a resident is given all access pass to the secrets of their Mascot character and the map of their icon's home. Not even kidding. Yes, a freaking map to everything inside a Sanrio Mascot's home, from the smallest detail of what colored designed teacups to a locked vault in their bedroom wall. Clinched the deal, huh?
To join, just find an obsessed stalker. You definitely can't miss them in the crowds of entourage trailing closely to a Sanrio mascot. They are dressed to the core of their favorite Mascot. From Mascot hats to carrying around Mascot dolls to show off their loyalty and representing their character fanbase.
A Sanrio mascot job in the Sanrio land is to greet and entertain the visitors. The more larger the entourage, the more likely you'll find a Sanrio Mascot Character nearby trying to steal their attention by putting on their powerful performances. Residents are often entertained with Mascots trying to compete with one another to show off their best power skill greeting.

Friday, September 27, 2013

The World vs. Asia's Cute Culture

My Opinion:

"little understood in the West" sounds like a cop-out. An excuse to justify that a different culture might dislike or have a neutral opinion on something. I still think it's all about the design and how it matters to many people, especially those who do not live in Asia. It's not just IN America-- it's all over the globe like Australia and Europe! It's popular in Asia because the kawaii phenomenon is integrated into their beliefs and culture.

For the rest of the article, please click the link below. I've only highlighted the parts of the article that interest me.

Taiwan Today : Taiwan's Culture of Cute

Publication Date:09/29/2013
By Steve Hands

Cute things and phenomena are constantly in the news in Taiwan. The nation has recently witnessed the birth of a giant panda cub, the giant Rubber Duck by Dutch artist Florentijn Hofman is floating in Kaohsiung City harbor and EVA Airways has just added a further Hello Kitty route to Los Angeles. Not to mention a steady release of cute mobile phones, tablets, laptops and just about any other consumer product imaginable.
The obsession with cute is a huge East Asian phenomenon, little understood in the West, and what many Westerners find most surprising is that not just young girls, but ostensibly sensible adults, are smitten with the bug and have large amounts of cash to drop on their hobby. The pink pound might be about gay purchasing power in the U.K., but in Japan the pink yen is mostly about Hello Kitty.
Caroline Favier, a Dutch toy collector whose extensive collection contains hundreds of curios from the region, might be expected to be readier than most to sympathize.
“Like most Westerners I don’t like cute,” Favier said in an online interview. “Actually, I like classic and tacky. I remember I couldn’t believe the first time I saw a 40-year old secretary’s Hello Kitty collection on her desk, and that was allowed in an office environment! It looked so unprofessional.”
But in Taiwan the young-at-heart like to buy cute things, irrespective of seniority. “My customers are of all ages, but mostly students, as this store is right by National Taiwan University,” Carolyn Lin, manager of a Non-no fashion accessories store in Taipei City’s Gongguan District, told Taiwan Today. “But we also get people in their 40s and adults bringing in their kids.”
Asked why people buy socks and apparel emblazoned with all manner of cartoon images, domestic and international, Lin seemed slightly dumbfounded, as if cuteness was so ubiquitous as to be beyond need of explanation. “They’re necessities. They just like the products because they’re fashionable.”
The phenomenon is so well-established that academics have taken an interest in cute mania, or ke’ai as it is known in Taiwan. What started in Japan with Hello Kitty has turned into a multibillion dollar global industry, which everyone from sociologists to psychiatrists is trying to understand.
“Ke’ai is a Chinese term that simply means loveable, and has a very long history,” Teri J. Silvio, an associate research fellow at the Institute of Ethnology in Taipei City-based Academia Sinica, told Taiwan Today in an email interview. Silvio has a huge collection of dolls, puppets and other figurines, as well as it being a serious research interest.
“The concept of lovability is probably universal. Anything that people feel positive about, in any way, can be ke’ai. In Taiwan today, ke’ai is often used to translate the Japanese term kawaii and the English cute. All of these terms have slightly different ranges of meaning.” 

Naturally, academic discourse has focused on the situation in Japan, where ke’ai culture began to take off in the 1970s. “There are many different explanations for why the kawaii aesthetic is so popular in Japan,” Silvio said. “Because kawaii products are most popular with young women, one explanation is that it reflects the sexist structure of Japanese culture, where women are expected to be weak and men to take care of them.”
However, Taiwan’s culture is far less sexist than Japan’s, so other arguments appear more pertinent to local conditions. “Others argue that the exaggeration of the kawaii style expresses dissatisfaction with the rigidity of adult gender roles,” Silvio added. “Many people in the popular culture industries argue that kawaii style is popular because it is comforting. Kawaii objects provide a kind of respite and healing from the competition and struggles of daily life in the contemporary world.”
The explosion in popularity of ke’ai also appears to have a demographic and material basis. Japan’s kawaii culture coincided with the huge increase in the number of young single women, often still living at home as real estate prices shot through the roof, but with large disposable incomes. Taiwan’s own demographic changes followed hot on Japan’s heels.

Continued here...

Tuesday, September 24, 2013

Sanrio Addiction Dictionary


As you know, I'm Level 5, an Addict. Remember, there are 5 levels of a Sanrio Addiction. For the graph above, Stalkers are in it's very own category. Seriously. You just don't want to go there.

Anyhoo, let me explain the graph above in simpler terms:

WE ARE THE FANS-- no matter the levels

Fans are the starting point to everything...

As FANS aka Wanderers-- We start here before going down our journey of Addiction levels. Fans are a more broader term that is often used to describe us. Fans are not defined as one thing or put in a square box to categorize as one meaning. Fans consist of Collectors and Enthusiasts.

Then, what is the difference between the graphic chart and Addiction levels that you ask?

The Addiction Levels goes into more details on your journey of obsession, while the graph chart is another way of showing of how every level is connected and can give birth to a new group within a circle. The journey keeps growing. It also shows which group is larger than the other.

Graph = type of groups  /  Levels = journey of levels


FANS > Enthusiasts & Collectors

 Enthusiasts aka Gypsy are solar opposites from Collectors aka Addict (5th Level), but are the largest two birthed from the first level, Fans (Wanderers).
they give birth to Casual fans aka Fan, a sub-group that is a level above them. Enthusiasts are more larger than Casual fans because they are in love with Sanrio, but they either do not have the resources to take a step further into an advanced group level or are not willing to put Sanrio as a priority. Whatever obstacles they face as Gypsies, they love to chat and fantasize about the kawaii world of Sanrio. They are also always on the lookout for free stuff and discounts from Sanrio. They don't have a big collection of sorts.

Collectors aka Addict is the last advanced group and have the same size group with Enthusiasts.
they give birth to Addict fans aka Eccentric, a sub-group that is a level above them. Collectors are more larger than Addict fans because Sanrio is now everywhere, meaning that more Enthusiasts are switching sides to Collectors. World domination endgame is in progress. Are you ready for it, addicts?

Casual Fans < Enthusiasts

Casual fans aka Fan are a sub-group of Enthusiasts and is smaller of the two. There are less fans within this sub-group because they are aware of Hello Kitty, but not too familiar with other Sanrio characters. In essence, they are peeking into the magical world of Sanrio from the outside reality. They probably own one or two Sanrio shirts or pajamas. More likely gifts from friends and family.

Addict Fans < Collectors

Addict fans aka Eccentrics are a sub-group of Collectors and is smaller of the two. There are less fans within this sub-group because they are not ready to have the obsession take over their lives. They have a neat amount of collection so far to show off. Although, all aspects of the addiction is still in control. They still listen to their enablers, not like you know who...

Here's THE List

  1. Wanderer = Fans
  2. Fan = Casual fans
  3. Gypsy = Enthusiasts
  4. Eccentric = Addict fans
  5. Addicts = Collectors

And lastly, there are Stalkers aka the Three S's --  all lonely by it's own separate category from the levels of addiction. It's off the grid because this group of stalkers are dangerous. Gasp! You don't say!

Surely, you don't think I am kidding regarding this group. They don't follow the rules in the magical world of Sanrio. They are more crafty and more stealthy. It's why everything is hush-hush and top secret. They have a secret agenda, which no ones knows about, but themselves. Like I said, there's a reason why this group is to be avoided. You've been warned for the last time.

Monday, September 23, 2013

How to Spot a Fake Sanrio Addict

Regarding the Singapore scalper incident, I have noticed that these people wanting to make a quick buck on the side would go and stalk sites that they know Sanrio addicts would visit. On Hello Kitty Junkies social network, they'd open an account and pretend to be a Sanrio fan, while promoting their store. It's not genuine if they can't back it up and show that they are a true collector. Sure, there are casual fans out there, but that's why this article is not about those kind of fans. We're talking about pretending to be a collector while reviewing a Sanrio product or impersonating as a collector fan.                                                                     

 HOW TO SPOT A FAKE SANRIO ADDICT

1.  Starts with "I'm not a big fan of Hello Kitty..."
     Noticing a lot of similar comments stating this yet? Ever thought this was not a paid reviewer, scalper, or fan?

2.  Showing off a few figurines or plushes with a comment like: "Just some of my Hello Kitty
     collection."
     This is a beginning indicator that they do not have any more Hello Kitty collections, along with a recent joined date. Do they have any other social media that showcases their many collection as they claim to have?

3.  ALL photos are showing off stock and/or personal photos that you know does not belong to
     them
     This is a fake account or someone trying to pretend to be a so-called addict
 
4.   They know little to no knowledge of Sanrio's background. 
      If they think Sanrio is from China - well, be suspicious.   

5.   On their profile page, they have more photos of what they are selling than Sanrio related products that they bought in the past
      You should ask what is their purpose in stalking Sanrio related sites or searches with Sanrio 
      hashtags.

Wednesday, September 11, 2013

"Peek Into the Future" Wishlist

This might be a superfluous post, but I'm going to bring up a question that has nothing to do with my obsession with Sanrio, but yet at the same time-- it sorta does in a way.

Would You Be Able to Move to Another Planet?


For one thing if you have cable and watched all the "colonial pioneer settlement" documentaries, then you know there is a government project wanting to colonize a planet like Mars.

Here is their Mission Statement:
It is Mars One's goal to establish a human settlement on Mars.

Human settlement of Mars is the next giant leap for humankind. Exploring the solar system as a united humanity will bring us all closer together.
Mars is the stepping stone of the human race on its voyage into the universe. Human settlement on Mars will aid our understanding of the origins of the solar system, the origins of life and our place in the universe. As with the Apollo Moon landings, a human mission to Mars will inspire generations to believe that all things are possible, anything can be achieved.


The Project sounds thrilling and exciting for those who'd want a change in their everyday ordinary lives, but think about it-- this is for life, addicts! Immediately, I wanted to sign up, but then reality set in as my gaze fell upon my Hello Kitty plushes. Could you possibly give up on the addiction called Sanrio?

You literally would have to give up the idea of collecting Sanrio if you want to move to Mars. Could you give up on getting the latest Sanrio fashion handbags or the touch of a soft yet delicate plush? Well, I'm here to burst your fantasy bubble because if I didn't do it, who would save you from committing the worst mistake of your life? I have a duty to Sanrio to protect the numbers of collectors from falling to zero! ;p

Let me reiterate this again -- you'd have to give up your world of cuteness because everything on Mars emphasizes of living in close proximity and limited space for storage and communal housing. Remember, this is in the early stages of trials and errors before people can comfortably live underground on Mars.

If the colonization project is successful, it would take probably more than a decade to see progress like Sanrio opening a franchise in the bottom tunnels of Mars. I kid you not. My mind goes that far and beyond. I see the future with me owning a half-alive robotic Sanrio character pet. I can see that happening before I die, but not the Sanrio franchise store opening on a different planet. Sadly, not in my lifetime-- unless I reincarnate later in life, but that's another story to discuss about in the far future.


Saturday, July 20, 2013

Character Ranking Results for 2013



The Results are in !!

The Winner is Hello Kitty for Character Ranking 2013. CONGRATS, HK.

It was a close race between Hello Kitty and My Melody. Hello Kitty has proven again that she is still the Queen of Sanrio. HK's fans have pulled off a successful coup to win this character popularity contest.

Full List

1.  Hello Kitty  (same as last year)
2.  My Melody  (same)
3.  Pompompurin  (5th - rose 2+)
4. Little Twin Stars  (3rd - fell 1-)
5.  Cinnamoroll  (5th - same)
6.  Turfy  (94th - rigged anyone?)
7.  Jewelpet  (6th - fell 1-)
8.  Fukuchan (93th - are you sure this is not rigged??)
9.  Go Chan  (9th - SAME)
10. Kuromi  (8th - fell 2-)
11. Wish me Mell  (12th - rose 1+)
12. Keroppi  (7th - fell 5 spots)
13. Tuxedo Sam (10th - fell 3 spots)
14. Pochacco (13th - fell one spot down)
15. Bonbonribbon

87.  Pippo  (74th - aww! :0x  )

Tuesday, July 9, 2013

Love for Sanrio Dolls

Monday, July 8, 2013

June Haul 2013


Another haul, another happy day...



Focus: LTS & My Melody

Here is another big Sanrio Haul that features the usual three suspects: Little Twin Stars, My Melody, and minor guest spot: Hello Kitty.

In this video, you can see that I am progressing nicely in my Kittifying Makeover Project for my future kitchen.  There are a few things in this haul video that I did not show because I felt the "bigger" things would be better left surprised for when I finally do showcase my future Kittified Home. 

Thursday, June 27, 2013

Singapore's McDonald's Fairy Tale 2013 Scandal

I stand by this: Manipulation and Manufactured Hype of Singapore's McDonald's Fairy Tale series plushes. In order for Hello Kitty fans to buy at a higher price, these "sellers" are doing whatever they can do to manipulate the hype that surrounds this "Fairy Tales" incident. If you think about it-- 10 years from now, the McDonald plushes won't be much of value because a lot of sellers will eventually realize that there are not a lot of collectors willing to shell out thousands of dollars for a toy. It's a lost cause. A hopeless gimmick. Poor them. Well, not really, but you get my point.

These sellers have tainted the word, "fan." Now, whenever a franchise company promotes a campaign with Sanrio, in the back of the minds of fans, they will ask: "Is that person ahead of me in line a true collector fan or a scalper who wants to profit from a fan's obsession?"


McDonald's urges public to stop profiteering from Hello Kitty plush toys

By Rachel Tan

The McDonald's Hello Kitty plush toy craze has translated into a opportunities for online sellers to capitalise on the fad.
Several advertisements selling the toy were seen just hours after they went on sale early Thursday morning. In one posting on eBay. there were 125 bids for the "Singing Bone" model.
News of the online transactions have reached McDonald's headquarters in Singapore - and the management is not happy about it. "We do not support people buying the Kitties for resale, and we have been regularly removing posts offering such services from our page. We take the conduct of our staff very seriously and if any of them are found to have misappropriated the Kitties for personal gain, we will not hesitate to take appropriate action," the fast-food chain posted on their official Facebook page.
The toy has also resulted in a number of confrontations among consumers. According to Stomp, at McDonald's Bukit Batok Central outlet, a policeman was asked to clear a dispute over people jumping queues.

Source: Straits Times

Sunday, June 23, 2013

Guinness World Record HK Fan 2011: Asako Kanda

We all aspire to have a great collection like Asako Kanda, the Guinness World's Record of the Biggest Hello Kitty fan of 2011. For me personally, it's not about the amount of things that you can own on one type of collection, it's about the quality of your collection that matters. I hope 25 years down the road, I can look back and just be content and be proud of my collection like Asako Kanda is with her's.

Asako Kanda, Crazy Hello Kity Girl

By Amanda Deviana

Hello Kitty has millions of fans around the world, but none are more in love with Sanrio’s iconic character than Asako Kanda. The 39-year-old receptionist from Japan has amassed a fantastic collection of over 4,500 Hello Kitty items.

Like many other girls of her generation, Asako’s fascination with Hello Kitty began during her elementary school days. At first, she just bought little things like pencils and erasers featuring the popular kitty, but by the time she turned 11 she was so obsessed with Sanrio’s creation that she made a Hello Kitty mug in her pottery class, and an embroided Hello Kitty apron for her home economics course. But she can’t be the only girl in the world who did this kind of stuff while growing up. But that’s the thing, while most other girls move on to idolizing boy bands or movie actors, Asako Kanda remained faithful to her childhood friend. “Kitty has always been with me, almost subconsciously,” she said in an interview a few years back. Some people call her infantile, other laugh at her bad taste, but none of this has ever affected her long-term love affair with Hello Kitty. She now holds the Guinness World Record for most Hello Kitty items, 4,519, as of August 2011.

As you can imagine, almost everything in the house of the world’s biggest Hello Kitty fan is pink. Apart from the thousands of fluffy toys she has lying around everywhere, and the hundreds of posters, Kanda even has Kitty-themed appliances,  including a Hello Kitty toaster, a Hello Kitty electric fan and a Hello Kitty frying pan. She also has Hello Kitty costumes and hats, pillows, curtains, even handkerchiefs. Put simply, whatever an average person owns, Asako Kanda probably has a Hello Kitty version of. Truth be told, Sanrio, the company that created Hello Kitty, has made it pretty easy for her, releasing countless Hello Kitty themed products, from cheap marshmallows to a diamond-studded statue worth ¥10 million ($125,000). So does she ever feel tricked into buying all this stuff by Sanrio? ”Well, I sometimes feel like that,” she said, but also admitted she starts to feel antsy when she’s not surrounded by Hello Kitty stuff.

Luckily, Asako’s husband, Hiroyuki, keeps her in check so she doesn’t overspend on Hello Kitty items, but he can only do so much. For their wedding, in 2000, the dedicated collector asked her mother to make cuddly-toy versions of a Hello Kitty bride and groom for their wedding reception, because at the time Sanrio wasn’t into kitty-themed nuptial gear. Since then, Sanrio realized it was missing out on even more money so it entered this segment as well. Knowing for passion for Hello Kitty, many of their friends sent them kitty-themed telegrams of congratulations.

So, with over 4,500 Hello Kitty items under her roof, does Asako Kanda thing she has enough? Definitely not, in fact she has much bigger plans. Her biggest dream is to live in a Hello Kitty house with two giant ears sticking out of the roof, and her final wish will be to have a Hello Kitty-style funeral and a tombstone to match.

Source: here

Wednesday, June 19, 2013

Pop Matters Review of Pink Globalization

The review below is very well written and most importantly, from an objective perspective.

Hello Kitty's Silent March toward World Domination: 'Pink Globalization'

 By Scott Elingburg


Here’s the truth: I never gave much thought to Hello Kitty until my young daughter became aware of her. Then, without warning, I was buying Hello Kitty t-shirts, bedroom slippers, band-aids, toothbrushes, and almost any thing else that bore her cherubic face and yellow nose. Then, and only then, did I realize that Hello Kitty was so ubiquitous, so unavoidable in popular culture, that she rivaled the pinnacle of Western culture in presence: Disney.

Despite her omni-presence, however, I still don’t see her in public; Hello Kitty has melted into the background, another part of the landscape of our culture along with Walmart and Nike. And I’m no closer to understanding how that happened than when I first began reading Christine Yano’s Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty’s Trek Across the Pacific.

The fanaticism that surrounds Hello Kitty on all sides, from blind hatred to unquestioning loyalty, is unfathomable. Yano, for all of her meticulous research and personal communications with fans, Sanrio employees, authors, and others, does an exceptional job of mining the Hello Kitty multiverse. Despite her persistence, however, by the end of the book, the surface has only been scratched. Yano, too, gets sucked into the gravitational pull of the kitty and explores areas of lesser interest or importance. For example, while it’s hilariously unsettling to read about the Facebook user group, “I hate Hello Kitty”, and a few outlying Christian churches that believe Hello Kitty is influencing young children to deliberately disobey their parents, it hardly moves the discourse of Hello Kitty’s worldly domination into a new light.

In other respects, Yano, has moved Hello Kitty into a new light by digging below the surface and giving the pop culture icon her full academic due. If popular culture is prone to disposable (mostly Eastern) heroes and fads (e.g., Pokemon, Mighty Morphin Power Rangers, etc.), Hello Kitty is the exception to the rule. She has dominated from East to West, in her native home of Japan all the way to Africa, Europe, and the Americas. Integrated as part of Japan’s “cute” culture (kawaii), Hello Kitty has a history all her own.

Her changes have been minuscule—the removal of black outline, the addition of a red bow—and Sanrio has basically kept with a formula of non-branding: they don’t make waves, but consistently keep Hello Kitty at the forefront with new items, they adopt a publicity model where “finding out that a punk group has begun sporting Hello Kitty paraphernalia does not necessarily cause excessive handwringing at Sanrio; rather this maybe the cause for celebration, generating product lines that build and extend Sanrio’s brand,” and they maintain that happiness is what Hello Kitty is all about. Their mantra is their slogan, “Small gift, big smile.” It’s almost enough to believe that Hello Kitty isn’t actually consumer product, but a self-defining icon with real feelings. Almost.

At her core, Hello Kitty is still a product on various levels—a product of the “cute-cool” Japanese culture that borders eerily on the realm of pedophilia, a product of innocence and appeal to sex workers and children alike, and a product in the absolute literal sense, where collectors and fans obsess over new Hello Kitty merchandise because “it makes [them] feel happy.” (Much to Sanrio’s delight, because happy customers spend money.) Yano hears the “happy” mantra over and over from personal interviews she conducts, which, it should be noted, she transcribes and includes rather than piecing them together in an academic jumble. The personal interviews give Pink Globalization an intimate feel, mimicking the personal connection that fans speak of, instead of the cold, distance that academic theory brings to such an intimate subject.

All of which point to one undeniable fact about Hello Kitty: no one can articulate exactly what it is about Hello Kitty that they are drawn to. Her’s is an unconscious connection, a subversive draw.

With any force as strong as Hello Kitty, this subversion is both celebrated and reviled—a theme that Yano examines over and over, in a multitude of examples. And yet, Yano’s book hits a big stride when she explores the ripple effects of Hello Kitty among cultures and groups rather than individuals. The positive and negative effects on cultures—especially Asian-Americans and the gay community—are almost palpable and expressed in outrageous ways. The ways that Hello Kitty empowers and subverts the identities of others is an exploration that deserves wider attention. And Yano, a chair of anthropology at University of Hawai’i, Manoa, is in comfortable terrain to be our guide to Hello Kitty’s effect (and affect) across her lovers and detractors alike.

There are quibbles that I have with Yano’s book. It has a 40 page introduction that can tedious. Though it’s a question of audience that I don’t feel academia has successfully addressed: the net of popular culture is cast wider than on insular academic topics, but its appeal is made more narrow by stuffy elements of the text (i.e., academic theory). Additionally, some of Yano’s personal communications with Hello Kitty fans seem superfluous, not advancing the discussion beyond collective recollections of personal experiences with Hello Kitty. And the beginning and ending chapters of her book are the ones that sink beneath their own queries, not the middle chapters that can be glossed over for intro and conclusive punch.

Pink Globalization isn’t a primer for Hello Kitty lovers, it’s a deep dive into the tale of the small feline that has dominated culture from East to West—all without saying a word or making a sound. Not every icon can make that claim, but, then again, not every icon is Hello Kitty. 

Source: here

Friday, June 14, 2013

Lyn's Social Network

Social Media

FACEBOOK
It is like my own playground and diary entry. If you'd like to be FB friends, friend me on HK Junkie and let me know via in the message note. I will send you a FB invite. I am more picky who follows me here than my twitter account. The only requirement that I ask is that you are a Hello Kitty Junkie for more than 3 months with an active activity and are socially active on FB.

I like to interact with my FB followers, who won't have a hidden agenda being there to spy on me. I value my friendships that I have made on Facebook, but I don't take it personal if someone unfollows me first because truthfully, we are strangers online sharing our lives. That being said, I unfollow a person if I deem it a fake or game account. No interactions with me or signs of activity, I unfollow.

***  If you are the type to offend easily, please save both our time and don't follow me. If you do decide to follow me, remember to not take things what I said personally. It's not about you. Most times, I generalize things. These are my opinions. Take it or leave it. I am looking to make friends who value friendships despite our different backgrounds and beliefs. Example: Your family loves you unconditionally even if you differ in opinions. They won't ignore you or whatnot. They're family. 



INSTAGRAM, FLICKr, and PHOTOBUCKET
Most will be pictures of Sanrio with an added touch of my life


GOOGLE+ and YOUTUBE
My Sanrio Addict Tube that showcases my overseas mail hauls


TWITTER
My Sanrio ramblings and promoting Sims 4: Sanrio patterns for the game that I create


TUMBLR
This tumblr account is called Sanrio Luver Lane, where I post and reblog other Sanrio lovers' collection. Plus, you get more of my sassy ramblings to enjoy as well. ;)

Thursday, June 13, 2013

May Haul 2013


Focus: My Melody & LTS

This haul video consists of items that were bought to further continue my Kittifying Makeover Project. My favorite part of the video are a pair of Hello Kitty Car Floor Mats and my very pink LTS window curtains.

Wednesday, June 12, 2013

Lyn's Kittified Diary

Sanrio Room

It’s been a long journey in my Kittifying Makeover Project, but I’m making a huge headway that I am set in my future plans. I’ve always thought my addiction to Sanrio would not influence the design of my kitchen. I believed that a Kitchen should be void of any cuteness and be normal. Let me warn you when you start fancying after a pink My Melody die cut face bowl and it’s matching soup spoon, then you’re in trouble. You tell yourself you’ll buy only the Little Twin Stars tea kettle and no more, but then your eye catches sight of the cutest pink Hello Kitty ladle and spatula. Next, I had myself convinced that since I now had a Sanrio themed Kitchen, then it was only fitting that I would need Sanrio themed beverage/soup canisters. In the end, I am resigned to the fact that I am going to have a Sanrio themed home. If you didn’t guess my plans already, my future bathroom will be decked out by a Sanrio character (the usual 5 suspects, of course ;p ) each month. In a way (after my Sanrio Rehab of 2 yrs), my brother was hoping that I got rid of my obsession over Sanrio. Now, I can confess that my obsession has gotten even worse. Poor enabler… nah!

Thursday, May 16, 2013

Japan's Sanrio Character Ranking 2013

DEADLINE: July 7, 2013
Ranking Results: July 20

For USA residents, you can either vote online or through your local Sanrio store (until June 15) for a free poster.

Please do not forget to vote for Pochacco, Keroppi, and Pippo! Remember, Pochacco was at #13, Keroppi at #7, and Pippo #74 for last year's ranking!!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Sanrio Little Twin Stars Shelf サンリオ リトルツインスターズ



Focus: LTS


Little Twin Stars is my fourth favorite Sanrio character, right after Keroppi. No matter how much I have taken to purchasing more of My Melody items this year, LTS still ranks higher because I adore this set of duo. They are adorable in pink pastels that will always be cherished and treasured.

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Pink Globalization: Hello Kitty's Trek across the Pacific

By Christine R. Yano
SPOTLIGHT
Book Review:

Pink Globalization is a quite extensive book detailing Sanrio's influence on international pop culture. From the beginnings of Hello Kitty in 1974, to her arrival in the states in 1976, onward throughout today.

For all the mercenarial nature of the company, this book demonstrates how they do several things right: having multiple price points so that it is a natural gift choice, especially in Japanese society, a continual reinventing and refreshing of their brand to hook new customers while keeping most of the old, and perhaps most importantly not trying to quash any infringements on their brand that could be argued as satire (any exposure is good exposure!)

The book interviews many Kitty fans from all walks of life, with various levels of devotion. That alone makes this a somewhat interesting read. One is also surprised to learn that none of the rich and famous you see "endorsing" Hello Kitty (think Lisa Loeb's album "Hello Lisa") were compensated at all from Sanrio. Smart, smart company.

My main beef with the book is that it reads like a college sociology text, and is pretty dry in places. I'd give it 3.5 stars, but Goodreads won't allow that, so I'm rounding up.

I'd recommend this book for someone who wants to know how to make a societal movement seem effortless and fresh.

I would NOT recommend this book for someone merely interested in Hello Kitty, because I can't see them actually finishing the book.
By Warren

Sunday, April 28, 2013

April Haul 2013



Features: HK, LTS, & My Melody


I have uploaded a video showcasing my Sanrio Haul for the month of April. I was thrilled when I received two delivery packages, instead of just one. I've been anxiously waiting for my Japan package and was surprised it came on that day. The other package is from Sanrio USA. I was super lucky to get the My Melody plush before it ran out of stock.

Thursday, April 25, 2013

サンリオ Sticker Album: LTS/MM VGT Cut リトルツインスターズ マイメロディ


Here's a video showcasing one of my Sticker Albums. This one focuses on Little Twin Stars and My Melody.

Thursday, April 18, 2013


My Hello Kitty Collection on display



Wednesday, April 17, 2013

サンリオ Sanrio Pens Haul



My Youtube Channel: Junolyn Tube

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Hello Kitty: Asia vs. Mainstream Designs

Why does a majority of people see Hello Kitty as for children only?




This is a very fair question because even if there are a lot of Sanrio fans out there, there are even more larger groups of people, who are not into the "kawaii" fascination.

In order to view this objectively, I would probably think the answer lies in how Hello Kitty is presented. Design is the answer for this question. Hello Kitty was introduced in the right direction with quality designs, leading to it's popularity during the 90's, then it hit a brick wall. 

I believe Sanrio was at fault in how Hello Kitty's image was taken from a quality design to a more neutral, but plain look like above for the mainstream crowd. Maybe it was aimed to be a universal effect, but their designs backfired on them. I believe these kind of designs influenced adults to think only children would like it. In their reasoning, children/young teens are not mature enough to know better since the average adults would never like Hello Kitty for themselves. No matter how much die hard Hello Kitty fans protest, this is the majority of opinions for non-biased adult consumers. They're going to think HK adult fans are in a "phase" or that something is wrong with their taste preferences. 

In the beginning, I don't believe Sanrio would foresee that their character, Hello Kitty, would become such a big success worldwide. At first, they mainly targeted children, but they possibly never took account that those children would grow up and still be so fascinated with Sanrio's characters, especially Hello Kitty. 


"Design makes a difference..." 








A slight change to the color, shade, or alternation to a design can change an image dramatically. It can effect it's surroundings by the change of a mood in the room. Like above examples, particular designs can give off a mature or childish/young teen atmosphere that could contribute to a theme in a room. 

If you put a quality designed HK product, it attracts the eye. It's cute and pretty, therefore the concept of it being childish has disappeared. It's now "kawaii" to most adult fans, rather than dismissing HK fully as a kid's product brand. Below is an example of how design really matters and effects the average adult's opinions.




Despite Sanrio being popular these days, the "plain universal" designs left a mark in most people's first impressions of Hello Kitty. Somehow, that can't be changed, but, Hello Kitty has bounced right back with better designs that have rekindled the love for HK with most adult fans.




Saturday, March 9, 2013

Chococat Mini Clip





I created a short & simple Chococat animated clip. Hope y'all like it. Wishing every Chococat a wonderful day.

Much love,
Lynnie

Saturday, February 16, 2013

Ad: Your Pets are Pleading for Help!

An Open Letter to the Cats and Dogs of the Community:

Are you tired? Feeling run down after being chased all over your home by your crazy obsessed owner who loves to dress you up in a Hello Kitty costume? If you're lucky, it'd just be any other character than Hello Kitty.  

Woe is Me
Source Picture

Have you succeeded in hiding from this torture?
The answer to all your problems is in this little bottle of pepper spray.  You no longer have to run the other way once you catch a glimpse of a gleam in your owner's eye while he/she is holding a disturbing looking piece of outfit. Use the can of pepper spray when you notice the signs that your owner is ready to humiliate you in front of all your animal friends and neighbors. 

You can sit back and be assured to know that you can call this number and bark out your order. We'll send you a bottle the next day with free shipping. As for payment, we'll send the bill to your owner. So, hurry and get your own copy today with a guaranteed protection against this obscene attack on your pride and self-esteem. CALL TODAY.