Hello Kitty is one of the most popular and recognizable mascots in the world, and now it’s going to join forces with one of the most popular action manga and anime franchises, Kohei Horikoshi’s My Hero Academia. Briefly collaborating previously with a line of adorable merchandise in Japan last year, now we’re getting a brand new collaboration that fuses the two a bit more. Many of the Hello Kitty and Friends characters will be getting cute new makeovers in which they don the hero costumes of Izuku Midoriya and the other young heroes of U.A. Academy.
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As Sanrio broke down in a press release, the new collaboration includes apparel, accessories, and collectibles. Ranging from items such as t-shirts, backpacks and hats to figures, plush and pins, the My Hero Academia x Hello Kitty & Friends designs feature some of Sanrio’s most popular characters, including Hello Kitty, Pochacco, and Badtz-Maru dressed as My Hero Academia‘s standout favorites like All Might, Izuku Midoriya, and Katsuki Bakugo.
This big collaboration has been further licensed by companies such as Bioworld, FiGPiN, Funko, Just Toys International and Great Eastern Entertainment to bring this collaboration to market. Jill Koch, Sr. Vice President of Sales and Business Development at Sanrio, Inc. had this to say about the team up, “It’s an honor to bring together two Japan-born brands that have inspired fans and audiences worldwide…Our collaboration with Funimation is sure to be a hit with both fanbases as we transform our beloved characters into My Hero Academia superheroes.”
Anna Songco Adamian, Vice President of Licensing and Merchandise, Funimation, said the following about the crossover, “The enduring appeal of My Hero Academia is that everyone has the ability to be a true hero within themselves…Funimation is proud to team up with Sanrio to bring the inner heroes of its iconic characters into the world in a collaboration we know fans will love.”
Debuting beginning this March at retailers such as Hot Topic and BoxLunch, this My Hero Academia x Hello Kitty and Friends collaboration will be expanding further with all sorts of goods. Are you going to be keeping an eye out for these collectibles? Let us know your thoughts in the comments or talk to me directly about all things anime and other cool things @Valdezology on Twitter!
My Hero Academia was originally created by Kohei Horikoshi for Shueisha’s Weekly Shonen Jump in 2014. The story follows Izuku Midoriya, who lives in a world where everyone has powers, even though he was born without them. Dreaming to become a superhero anyway, he’s eventually scouted by the world’s best hero All Might and enrolls in a school for professional heroes.
