There is no denying Hello Kitty’s icon status. Even if you don’t know much about the adorable, bow-wearing character, she is immediately recognizable and for good reason. The Sanrio character has been a fan favorite for more than 50 years. But Hello Kitty isn’t the figure in her colorful world. There are plenty of friends in Friend Town and this year, many of them are coming to life in a brand-new comic from IDW that is a perfect blend of cozy mystery and colorful cuteness for readers of all ages—and it might just be the most adorable and accessible comic released this year.
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Written by Mariko Tamaki with art by Cody Lemieux, Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World #1 has a pretty simple premise. Everything is going perfectly for Hello Kitty. Her friends are all happy and doing well. Her podcast is thriving. She has a perfect gift to give a friend and a perfect dinner party? Yeah that’s happening, too. Things could not get any better, but then My Melody arrives with the shocking announcement that her bow has cone missing. It kicks off a larger mystery that will see friendships tested and put Hello Kitty’s super detective skills to work. It’s a cute and clever story that is just engaging enough for more mature readers while being fun for the kids, too.
Rating 5 out of 5
| PROS | CONS |
| Hello Kitty and friends are perfectly captured in appearance and personality | Literally no cons |
| The story has just the right pacing | |
| Excellent setup |
Tamaki and Lemieux Just Get Hello Kitty and Friends
Because this is an early review of Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World #1, I’m not going to hit you with any spoilers (thought, admittedly, there aren’t too many of those.) What I will tell you about, however, is that this is a book that thrives on its details. As fans of Sanrio’s characters well know, Hello Kitty and her various friends have very distinct personalities and Tamaki gets them each right. In particular, the characterization of Keroppi (that would be the frog character for those who do not know) is exceptionally well done. Lemieux also absolutely nails the individual details of each character in terms of art as well. A big part of what makes Sanrio’s world so interesting is that there are a lot of small details that are unique to each character. They’re easy to miss if you’re not paying attention, but fans pick them out immediately and Lemieux gets them all right.
That same level of detail goes into the background art and the overall visual execution of the book as well. There is something that feels vaguely nostalgic about the art in a way that you really don’t get too much of in modern comics. It’s refreshing and really lovely and helps to fully bring this candy-colored world to life. It also works especially well with the somewhat more modern touches of the overall story. As we saw in our exclusive first look at the book, Hello Kitty has her own podcast, which firmly makes this a more contemporary story and, therefore, more relatable to audiences but it still has a cozy feel. It’s comfortable, it’s sweet, and it’s enjoyable on multiple levels. The result is the rare comic that everyone can enjoy, a family-friendly book that adults can enjoy on their own or share with their kids and everyone will walk away from smiling. That’s something really special—and this is a very special book.
Hello Kitty and Friends: Hello World #1 goes on sale August 12th.
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