Hello Kitty Begins Damage Control After a Controversial Sanrio Move

Sanrio is in some hot water with fans thanks to a controversial Hello Kitty change.

By Evan Valentine

Hello Kitty has helped Sanrio make some serious money in its history, as the albino feline has become one of the most profitable characters for merchandise, anime or otherwise. In 2023, Hello Kitty had celebrated its forty-ninth anniversary, but it seems that all is not well in Sanrio land when it comes to fans following the birthday celebration. Due to some controversial moves made by the company that owns the beloved character, fans are sharing their dissatisfaction as to the current events surrounding the beloved mascot.

Perhaps the biggest news regarding Hello Kitty outside of her forty-ninth anniversary was the fact that the voice actor responsible for bringing the cat to life was "graduating". Voice Actor Megumi Hayashibara announced in November of this year that she was retiring from the role of Hello Kitty, following thirty-three years with the mascot. What took fans by surprise was that this announcement was made on what is considered Hello Kitty's "birthday" as it turned forty-nine. On top of this major change for the beloved character, Sanrio had made another shocking decision for fans as the albino feline prepares for its fiftieth anniversary in 2024.

Hello Kitty Scrubbed

Sanrio took the opportunity to create new accounts for Hello Kitty on TokTok and Roblox, but Hello Kitty's Official YouTube channel was scrubbed of all videos. The channel itself housed quite a few memories in the mascot's history, some of which might be lost to time thanks to the purge. Many fans feel this decision feels like scrubbing the history of the character to make way for what is to come, with the decision taking place on Hello Kitty's anniversary seeming like a bitter pill to swallow. If you didn't have the opportunity to check out the original statement from Hello Kitty's previous voice actor regarding her departure, you can check out the message from Megumi Hayashibara below.

Hayashibara has a long history in the anime world outside of the Sanrio mascot. In the past, Megumi has had roles in Pokemon, One Piece, Detective Conan, My Hero Academia, Evangelion, and Cowboy Bebop to name a few. At present, Sanrio hasn't revealed who will be taking on the role of Hello Kitty in the future following Hayashibara's departure. 

What do you think of Sanrio's latest controversy? Feel free to let us know in the comments or hit me up directly @EVComedy to talk all things comics and anime. 

Via ANN

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