Oh, just turn the knife would ya

by Meg on May 21, 2008

More proof positive today that the Japanese continue to kick our tiny American asses in the Cuteness depahtment. Hello Kitty is now an official Tourism Ambassador of Japan.

Look at this guy in the middle. Victory is HIS, clearly.

Arthellokittyap

Thanks a LOT CNN. And Sender-Inner Kimberly S. Thanks.

{ 51 comments }

1 Ryan 05.21.08 at 7:07 am

Hope Mia doesn’t get her panties in a twist over this one…

2 ah hai! 05.21.08 at 7:14 am

Arri-GATO Miss H. Kitty!

3 R. Moore 05.21.08 at 7:16 am

Dang. I want to be that happy! :P

4 Hon Glad 05.21.08 at 7:33 am

I fail to see the charm in this anaemic confection.

5 Trisha 05.21.08 at 7:35 am

even the guy in the middle needs to be scooped up and put into a little pocket!

6 Subhangi 05.21.08 at 7:36 am

LOL. I love how happy that guy looks.

7 caitlin 05.21.08 at 8:41 am

I… what?

but now I know where this emoticon comes from… ^_^

(ps. who’s Mia and what’s wrong with her panties?)

[PPS - you're probably no poorer for not knowing... - Ed.]

8 arikata 05.21.08 at 9:15 am

wow…only in japan…

9 Totalee Puppy 05.21.08 at 11:06 am

LOL @ AH HAI! Since i believe “Hello Kitty” originated in the Far East
(like Korea?)–this doesn’t come as a surprise…If Miss Hello Kitty is unable to fulfill her duties, Winston is the
Runner-Up. Slurp that soba
soup, Winston Baby!

10 Theo 05.21.08 at 11:51 am

I hereby deny all knowledge of this post, and if I *did* know it existed, I would denounce and repudiate its message, because informal polls show it is damaging to my candidacy. Or possibly masculinity. Hard to call, y’know, given that I can’t have any idea what it is I’m talking about.

Ah well; ignorance is bleen.

11 Sparky Chronicles 05.21.08 at 12:07 pm

Yep, the guy in the middle trumps the cuteness of Hello Kitty. It’s official.

12 noonie 05.21.08 at 12:38 pm

I will now visit Japan.
Repeatedly.

13 Desdemona 05.21.08 at 12:58 pm

I wish to point out the oxymoron in Meg’s phrase, “tiny American asses.” Based on most current news reports, and my own rigorous scientific investigations in the mirror, there is no such thing.

14 chanpon 05.21.08 at 12:58 pm

Hello Kitty is thoroughly Japanese. I never miss a visit to a Sanrio store whenever I visit Tokyo. Maybe I shouldn’t be announcing this in public.

15 ThreeCatNight 05.21.08 at 1:14 pm

He’s in “Hello Kitty Heaven”, and will take this little treasure to bed with him every night. (much to the chagrin of his family)

16 Theresa 05.21.08 at 1:49 pm

Desdemona, I have been informed that I have a “skinny white @$$.” Don’t know if that is the same thing.

17 danielle 05.21.08 at 2:01 pm

Well clearly the Japanese are planing to take over the world, this is the first step. Very clever.

18 ashley 05.21.08 at 2:04 pm

I think hello kitty is annoying. =/ and i find it rather strange that grown man is cheesing over her…..

19 Space Cowgirl 05.21.08 at 2:05 pm

I dunno, caitlin, I think it’s more of a *_*.

20 Ray 05.21.08 at 2:19 pm

the guy *does* seem happy, but the woman next to him is certainly as cute as the Hello Kitty she’s holding.

21 rhonda 05.21.08 at 2:24 pm

I don’t think Hello Kitty is cute. She is deformed and needs a mouth, poor thing!

22 Annie 05.21.08 at 2:33 pm

LOL Very cute picture
I remember when Hello Kitty first came to the US my daughters were toddlers
and they loved her right from the start.. then we couldn’t find her anywhere for a while and then she came back just in time to decorate their dorm rooms. ; )

23 Angela-Eloise 05.21.08 at 2:50 pm

Not for nuffing, but does anyone else think there is something just a wee bit creepy about a grown man getting that excited over Hello Kitty?

24 marsheeeee 05.21.08 at 2:52 pm

Angela-Eloise: …Unless he’s the CEO of whatever company makes and markets Hello Kitty. I could definitely understand his glee if that’s the case.

25 Kar 05.21.08 at 3:13 pm

Geez, why don’t we have a “Japanese handing our ‘tocks to us” category and call it a day?

26 Theo 05.21.08 at 3:14 pm

In other news from Japan: a lost parrot in Tokyo tells a vet where it lives.
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/05/21/ap/strange/main4112572.shtml

27 TheLoveOfIsis 05.21.08 at 3:27 pm

Tiny American asses? Come on, Meg. Don’t you know we’re the most overweight country in the world? ;)

28 Esri Rose 05.21.08 at 3:50 pm

It was only a matter of time. And yes, Kar, that should definitely be a category: Japan handing us our ‘tocks.

29 Esri Rose 05.21.08 at 3:52 pm

In fact, we could have ‘Tocks Thursday.

30 Jessica 05.21.08 at 3:56 pm

Everyone knows the Hello Kitty lives in London! HELLO !!!! (Kitty?)

31 Kimski 05.21.08 at 4:05 pm

Oh my god! Crazy cat people are taking over the world!

Luckily I’m one too….but still!

32 Annie 05.21.08 at 4:09 pm

LOL at The Parrot Story

what a useful thing to teach your parrot.

33 Michelle 05.21.08 at 4:27 pm

Well that’s it then. I’ve kinda known we’re out of our league for a while. How on earth can we compete with this kind of genius?

34 riolinda 05.21.08 at 4:46 pm

I am waiting for the day that Hello Kitty rules the world! Her Supreme cuteness! XD

35 berthaservant 05.21.08 at 4:52 pm

I REFUSE to acknowledge this diplomatic development unless I see Badtz-Maru on the stage.

36 CG 05.21.08 at 4:54 pm

I was more of a Little Twin Stars (a cosmic little boy and girl) or My Melody (a bunny with a bunny-shaped hood) girl myself…but congrats to the cat!

37 Kris 05.21.08 at 5:08 pm

Never had any desire to have Hello Kitty stuff… I think Happy Bunny is cuter!!! hahaha

Wonder if HK is supposed to be a Scottish Fold? Wiki is not very helpful in that category.

38 Brak_Silverbone 05.21.08 at 5:18 pm

Years ago at a science-fiction convention I was attending, I saw the following written on a piece of paper and taped to a random wall: “Hello Kitty has no mouth and she must scream.”

39 laughing 05.21.08 at 5:19 pm

That guy grinning like crazy *is* the CEO of the makers of Hello Kitty. That explains his extreme gleefulness!

40 Capt' Tightpants 05.21.08 at 6:26 pm

His face is totally the embodiment of **SQUEE!!!**

It’s high-larious!

41 jmuhj 05.21.08 at 7:16 pm

Qter tahn innywun els wihl evurr bii. Jus riilax an enjoi it.

42 Leaper 05.21.08 at 7:19 pm

Actually, according to CNN, the guy in the middle is Japan’s Minister of Tourism. He’s gleeful ’cause he can already see the cash flowing into the national treasury.

Brak_Silverbone: Totally stolen from the Animaniacs comic book. Although considering it’s an SF con, someone probably thought of it long before then. :)

And I don’t find Hello Kitty herself creepy. The mascot in the photo, with the human-proportioned body and hands… THAT I find creepy!

43 lurkertype 05.21.08 at 8:30 pm

Brak, we must have been at the same con, or else it was a meme.

44 Brak_Silverbone 05.21.08 at 9:46 pm

@Lurkertype: It could very well have been so! Great minds and all that… :) Thinking about it, I recall now that this was written on the “message board” (a whiteboard, if I recall right) in the lobby.

@Leaper: This was in the, uh, late 1990s, I think, if that helps any.

45 Jennie Mello 05.21.08 at 11:19 pm

FYI Hello Kitty has a mouth in her videos. However, it is not cute but strange.

46 Jennie Mello 05.21.08 at 11:21 pm

FYI Part Deux
I know this thanks to my 3 year old daughter. Not because I watched it. Well, I watched it because she asked me to. Ok. Im done.

47 Aesthetica 05.22.08 at 2:12 am

please, will someone explain what’s going on with mia’s panties?

[Here: http://www.cafepress.com/puddinghockey.265059818 ...sort of self-explanatory, wouldn't you agree? - Ed.]

48 Totalee Puppy 05.22.08 at 2:20 am

LOL @ THEO for candidate’s
statement!! Luvuble comments, everyone!

49 Pyro Ferret 05.22.08 at 4:43 am

hahah i was expecting someone to comment on the “tiny american asses” and i was not disappointed hehe thanks Desdemona. And i concur xD i was not so much into hello kitty, but i liked the little frog…Krope?? i dont rember and the evil black cat. I just thought they were cute. And we should make Happy Bunny our (U.S.A) official Tourism Ambassador. hehe its perfect. Happy Bunn6y is so friendly to everyone just like us. lol =D

50 smurbles 05.24.08 at 1:11 am

CG, you *totally* took me back. I loved Little Twin Stars and My Melody!!

51 Katrina 05.25.08 at 11:46 am

Goodbye, Kitty. Ewwwwww.

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