Hello Kitty and Friends 3-D Animation Premiere

People of Hong Kong, rejoice! The Adventures of Hello Kitty and Friends are making their debut on the TVB network tomorrow, 16 February, at 4 in the afternoon. Join Hello Kitty, Pochacco, Keroppi, Cinnamoroll, Dear Daniel, My Melody and the rest of the gang as they have fun in Sanrio Town. Hurray!

By the way, more good news for Hello Kitty fans: last February 9, 2008, The Adventures of Hello Kitty and Friends was aired in Italy and was very well-received. Here is the show's introduction (in Italian, of course).

All About: Hello Kitty

Year Created: 1974

Birthday: November 1

Birthplace: Suburban London, England

Weight: The same as three apples

Height: The same as as five apples

Kitty is a warm-hearted little girl. She is naturally curious and inquisitive, and loves to go out and meet new people she can be friends with. She loves cute stuff, like stars, candy, and goldfish, and she also likes collecting small things.

She likes eating the apple pies and cookies that her mom and her sister bake.

She also likes baking too, as well as reading, playing music, playing outdoors, having tea parties, listening to music, and of course, making friends.

She is currently in the third grade with her sister Mimmy. She lives in London, England, with her family. She wears a ribbon, usually red, on her left ear.

Kitty's Family

Mary: Kitty's Mama. She is very kind and loving not only to her family, but to everyone else as well. She takes care of their house. She loves baking, her apple pie making her famous.

George: Kitty's absent-minded Papa. He has a great sense of humor, always making his family laugh. He works at a trading company, and he is dedicated and meticulous about his job. He is very dependable.

Margaret: Kitty's Grandma. She loves making pudding and doing embroidery on her rocking chair.

Anthony: Kitty's Grandpa. He loves to paint and tell stories to his grandchildren.

Mimmy: Hello Kitty's twin sister. While Kitty is curious, Mimmy is shy. They're best friends and always goes on adventures together. She wears a ribbon, usually yellow, on her right ear.

Dear Daniel: Daniel Star's birthday is on May 3. He is very sentimental and a bit naive. He loves dancing and playing the piano, as well as eating cheesecake and yoghurt. His biggest dream is to become a photographer or a celebrity. He is a very snappy dresser.

He and Kitty were childhood companions, but when his father, a photographer, was posted at Africa, the rest of his family (including his Mama and younger brother) moved there. They lived in different countries for a time, until they reached New York, where Daniel learned hip-hop dancing. From there, he moved back to London.

Aside from Mimmy and Daniel, here are some of the other friends of Hello Kitty.

Cathy: She is a quiet little girl rabbit who is completely selfless, always putting others first before herself.

Tiny Chum: He is a cute furry little guy who is always great fun to be with. Kitty and Mimmy treat him as a younger brother.

Tippy: He is strong and kind-hearted. He tries to compete with Daniel for Kitty's affection.

Joey: Although a bit clumsy, this cute little mouse is a great athlete and is the most popular guy in their school.

Joey's Girlfriend: As active as her boyfriend, this little girl mouse keeps Joey running!

Jodie: This girl dog is smart! She loves to study and hopes to be a researcher someday.

Tracy: A perky raccoon who is always up for good-natured mischief. Like Kitty, he loves making friends.

Rory: This little squirrel knows a thing or two about the forest! He and Kitty met there while she was collecting flowers, and they sometimes go off to explore it.

Mory: A shy little mole who lives at Kitty's backyard.

Tim and Tammy: These little monkeys are always looking out for fun and try to be at the very center of it.

Fifi: Fifi is a very active little girl who is a go-getter.

Some Facts/Trivia about Hello Kitty:

• She is Sanrio's first and most popular character
• Her favorite line is, "You can never have too many friends."
• She is usually depicted as not having a mouth, because "she speaks from the heart."

• Hello Kitty symbolizes generosity, innocence, kindness, and friendship

• She is Sanrio's icon.

Hello Kitty: MTR's Latest Baby

Hong Kong - Hello Kitty has been so impressed with the caring customer service provided by the MTR (Mass Transit Railway) staff that she and her friends have donned MTR uniforms in honor of MTR’s “We Serve From the Heart” culture.

Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, and some of their friends appeared in a catwalk show at MTR Hong Kong Station yesterday (10 July 2007) dressed as MTR Train Operators, Assistant Fire and Security Supervisors, Infrastructure Maintenance Officers, Rolling Stock Maintenance Officers, Station Assistants, and Group Station Managers. A special MTR Hello Kitty Heroes theme song describing the work of the uniformed staff was also introduced at the event.

“Hello Kitty is always very well-received in Hong Kong and we feel both MTR and Hello Kitty fans will find our Heroes collection very unique and attractive,” said Ms. Annie Leung, Marketing Planning Manager of the MTR Corporation. “The six uniforms being highlighted represent the crucial roles these staff play in ensuring smooth MTR operations every day. We hope the figurines and song will not only served as a coveted souvenir but also allow our passengers to learn more about our operations and our caring service culture.”

From 16 July to 2 September 2007, passengers who ride the MTR ten times (Airport Express not included) with the same Audit or Concessionary Octopus Card from Monday to Friday of each promotion week will be eligible to redeem an MTR “Hello Kitty” Hero of the week for HK $18. In the last week of the campaign, they can claim the limited edition “Hello Kitty” MTR Train and Theme Song CD for HK $30, including all the MTR “Hello Kitty” Heroes.

Details are as follows :

Redemption Period/Item/Redemption Price

16 – 22 July 2007 / Train Operator “Hello Kitty” / HK $18

23 – 29 July 2007 / Assistant Fire & Security Supervisor "Hello Kitty"/ HK $18

30 July – 5 August 2007 / Infrastructure Maintenance Officer “Hello Kitty” / HK $18

6 – 12 August 2007 / Rolling Stock Maintenance Officer “Hello Kitty” / HK $18

13 – 19 August 2007 / Station Assistant “Hello Kitty” / HK $18

20 – 26 August 2007 / Group Station manager "Hello Kitty" /HK $18

27 August – 2 September 2007 / “Hello Kitty” MTR train and Theme Song CD / HK $30

Passengers will receive one point for each fare-paying MTR journey using their Octopus card. Ten bonus points will be deleted when a redemption is made. All accumulated bonus points will expire and a new count will being on the Monday of each week during the promotion period.

Redemptions can be made at any MTR Customer Service Centre (Airport Express stations not included) or special redemption counter with the promotion week on a first-come, first-served basis while stock lasts. The price of the MTR “Hello Kitty” Hero or MTR Train with Theme Song CD will be deducted from the Octopus card presented.

MTR passengers can also find out more about MTR through an exhibition introducing the job responsibilities and uniforms of the six MTR “Hello Kitty” Heroes at MTR Hong Kong Station from 11 July to 2 September 2007.

“Hello Kitty and Friends” at Filmart

"The Adventure of Hello Kitty and Friends" animation was promoted by Sanrio Digital at Hong Kong Filmart last March 20-23.
The 52-episode series adheres to the core values that Sanrio has been upholding for over 30 years: happiness, friendship, and family and educational values. It even features foreign languages like Chinese and Japanese, not to mention well-loved characters like Hello Kitty, Badtz-Maru, Pochacco, and My Melody. A great thing about the series is that it is made in state-of-the-art 3-D animation that viewers, young and old alike, will love and enjoy.
The objectives of Filmart for the event were to promote Hong Kong as the regional hub for the distribution and production of film, TV programs, and entertainment-related products in Asia Pacific, as well as endorsing cross-media, cross-businesses partnerships.

For more information about the animation, please visit Sanrio Digital.

Here Comes the Purr-fect Train!

Ever thought trains were stuffy, noisy, and greasy? Have you always had that secret fear of trains, believing these to ticking timebombs? You won't have anything to fear of this one. In fact, what you could say about this is the complete opposite: it's incredibly adorable!

We still have a bit of a Valentine's hangover here in Sanrio Town, so instead of the usual character feature we do every Friday, we'll instead be having the spotlight on the first Hello Kitty MTR Wedding Train of Hong Kong that the newlyweds Jamie and Horlick rode in.

The train had decals of Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel as little cupids designed all over it, both in its interior and exterior. Inside, the compartments are filled with flowers and ribbons, making the atmosphere definitely romantic.

Here are some pictures of the train :

Front of the train

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Side 1

Interior 1

Interior 2

Side 2

Back

White Wedding

Here comes the bride, all dressed in white... Oh wait! That's not the bride, that's Hello Kitty!

Here's the story of the lucky couple who celebrated their matrimony with their favorite white cats.

About A Train, A Garden, and A Wedding

The Train

Hello Kitty lovers, especially the ones based on another HK (Hong Kong, that is) will get a very special Valentine's Day treat this year at the MTR station! From February 5 to March 14, 2007, they will get a special something from Sanrio and MTR - and it's not just an early ride to work or school!

The Garden

Romance is in the air. Specially designed by Sanrio, the “MTR Hello Kitty Love Garden” will host Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel who will appear in their wedding attire to celebrate the joy of love with MTR passengers.

At the launch ceremony held on February 5, Ms Annie Leung, Marketing Planning Manager of MTR Corporation, and Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel put their hands together on the palm-print symbol to light up the “MTR Hello Kitty Love Garden,” filling the air with romance. Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel will offer passengers love blessings during this month.

Other than Central Station, MTR passengers travelling through other stations on the MTR network can also receive love blessings from Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel through the eInstant Bonus Terminals from today to 14 March. Passengers can obtain a blessing note from Hello Kitty by swiping their Octopus card on the “eInstant Bonus Terminals“. At the same time, Hello Kitty will also provide recommendations on hot dating spots around the MTR network. Participants who obtain blessings and dating tips at the eInstant Bonus Terminals during the promotion period will automatically be entered into the grand lucky draw to win fabulous prizes including Hello Kitty drawing autographed by the cartoon character’s designer, Ms Yuko Yamaguchi, and many other prizes.

Love blessings from Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel through the eInstant Bonus Terminals. Kitty and Daniel are with Ms. Annie Leung, Marketing Planning Manager of MTR Corporation

The Wedding

The finale of the love theme celebration activities is the first-ever legalised MTR Hello Kitty Dream Wedding in Hong Kong that will take place at MTR Hong Kong Station on 14th February when the first MTR Hello Kitty themed train will take the bride and the bridegroom from MTR Tsuen Wan Depot to Hong Kong Station on that day. The bride, whose gown will be full of Hello Kitty patterns made of Austria crystals, and the bridegroom will experience an elegant and unique wedding with the civil celebrant, Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel. The first MTR Hello Kitty themed train will run on the Tsuen Wan Line until 14 March 2007.

For more information, you can go here, or click on the wedding banner on the Sanrio Town homepage, for details about this special Valentine's event this year. You can also go to the hk_wedding blog and see what good news they bring about this special matrimony.

MTR Hello Kitty Dream Wedding

Here's our Valentine's gift for you! Hope you guys enjoy it, especially the Hong Kong users. Stay tuned for more details. Visit the Sanrio Town Blog for more info.:)

MTR passengers can indulge in a special romantic moment at the “MTR Hello Kitty Love Garden”, launched from today to 14 March 2007. The Love Garden is a prelude to the first-ever legalised MTR Hello Kitty Dream Wedding in Hong Kong. Specially designed by Sanrio, Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel will appear in the “MTR Hello Kitty Love Garden” in wedding dress to celebrate the joy of love with MTR passengers.

On 14th February where the first MTR Hello Kitty themed train will take the bride and the bridegroom from MTR Tsuen Wan Depot to Hong Kong Station. The bride whose gown will be full of Hello Kitty patterns which are made of Austria crystals and the bridegroom will experience an elegant and unique wedding with the civil celebrant, Hello Kitty and Dear Daniel. The first MTR Hello Kitty themed train will run on the Tsuen Wan Line until 14 March 2007.

Sanrio Dreamstudio, Video and Audio Upload

Dream Studio a new feature that enables anyone with an Internet Browser to create and direct their own flash movies by simply uploading video, photos and MP3 music. SanrioTown members can then use the web-based to tools to add text and various special effects which are themed appropriately. The output video is a multimedia feast, an artistic collage of user uploaded material and personalized edits – all rendered into a nifty flash video.

PowerBlaze technology will be deployed within SanrioTown to enable members to express themselves in new and better ways that were previously impossible. Members are treated to an innovative showcase for their memoirs and stories which can be securely shared, and collaborated on. It comes with totally new features, unlike anything you’ve ever seen before. Sanriotown gives you the power to create and share your experience in a unique and imaginative way. It’s so easy and fun to do!

1. Simply upload a photo or video to a slide. There are 99 slides possible to upload and juxtapose photo and videos upon.
2. Add some text, transition effects and special effects.
3. Add some background MP3 music to suit.
4. Save your project – don’t forget to add some descriptions and tags.

It’s so easy, no prior experience with Flash is required. Absolutely anyone can join in the fun filled world of multimedia sharing.

Visit http://sanriotown.com for more details.

Sanrio Merchandise Online!

Welcome to the Kitty shop, where users will have access to exclusive and premium products straight from Sanrio! Currently, Sanrio Town members from Hong Kong will be able to pre-order original Sanrio products not found in local Sanrio shops!

In the Exclusive Section, Sanrio merchandise awaiting production will be made available to Hong Kong members! Each item will be limited edition Sanrio Merchandise you will not be able to find anywhere else! Members who have successfully pre-ordered the item will be informed as to where they can pick up their exclusive item in local stores found nearby!



Have you ever wanted to create your own Sanrio merchandise? In the Concept Section, we want to hear what you think! Help us out by following these 3 easy steps:

1. Concept and Vote – View the latest concepts and make your vote!
Answer the quick survey about the Sanrio product still in the designing stage. Sanrio designers will be using this information to create a product for and created by you! Of course, not all the ideas of a new product will be on the survey. You still have the chance to say what you want us to do by logging into the forums and expressing your ideas there!



2. Result and Sample – Check the results and view the sample product!
Once you’ve made your choice, Sanrio will be gathering information from the Sanriotown Community and create a sample prototype. A certain number of days will be needed in order to view the sample products that have had the most votes.



3. Pre-order – Pre-order your dream item!
Once all the votes are in, the winning product designed by the Sanriotown members will be exclusively distributed in Sanriotown. For the moment, only Hong Kong Sanriotown members will have the chance to avail this product.

Pre-order will be made available once we’ve tallied your votes. Discuss your opinions in the forums and compare notes with the other members to see who voted for what. Remember, if you don’t like the samples we show you in the results, we want to know! So keep those posts coming!

Sanrio Merchandise Online!

Welcome to the Kitty shop, where users will have access to exclusive and premium products straight from Sanrio! Currently, Sanrio Town members from Hong Kong will be able to pre-order original Sanrio products not found in local Sanrio shops!

In the Exclusive Section, Sanrio merchandise awaiting production will be made available to Hong Kong members! Each item will be limited edition Sanrio Merchandise you will not be able to find anywhere else! Members who have successfully pre-ordered the item will be informed as to where they can pick up their exclusive item in local stores found nearby!



Have you ever wanted to create your own Sanrio merchandise? In the Concept Section, we want to hear what you think! Help us out by following these 3 easy steps:

1. Concept and Vote – View the latest concepts and make your vote!
Answer the quick survey about the Sanrio product still in the designing stage. Sanrio designers will be using this information to create a product for and created by you! Of course, not all the ideas of a new product will be on the survey. You still have the chance to say what you want us to do by logging into the forums and expressing your ideas there!



2. Result and Sample – Check the results and view the sample product!
Once you’ve made your choice, Sanrio will be gathering information from the Sanriotown Community and create a sample prototype. A certain number of days will be needed in order to view the sample products that have had the most votes.



3. Pre-order – Pre-order your dream item!
Once all the votes are in, the winning product designed by the Sanriotown members will be exclusively distributed in Sanriotown. For the moment, only Hong Kong Sanriotown members will have the chance to avail this product.

Pre-order will be made available once we’ve tallied your votes. Discuss your opinions in the forums and compare notes with the other members to see who voted for what. Remember, if you don’t like the samples we show you in the results, we want to know! So keep those posts coming!

Sanrio Teams Up With Typhoon Games!

World Famous Hello Kitty Advances to New Digital Heights

Joint venture, Sanrio Digital, propels the famous character’s online home into the digital future
Hong Kong, November 21, 2006 –, The leading publisher, developer and distributor of multi-platform online and offline entertainment software Typhoon Games, has partnered with Sanrio Wave Hong Kong Co. Ltd. to bring Sanrio characters to the next stage of their digital evolution. Sanrio Digital, a joint venture between the two companies, led to a complete renovation of the official online presence for Hello Kitty and friends, Sanriotown (http://www.sanriotown.com/), with new flash games, blog, photo, video and online shopping features embracing the social web.
“We are excited to work with Sanrio Wave in driving the digital expansion of Sanrio’s intellectual property assets,” said Yat Siu, the CEO of Sanrio Digital. “Hello Kitty is one of the most recognized brands in the world and it’s full potential has not yet been realized via the Internet. Both the Hello Kitty and Sanrio brands are now extended further beyond that of the traditional realm and onto new digital mediums via the new Sanriotown.”
“This collaboration aims to successfully create synergy between the Sanrio traditional offline business and the digital venture.” Said Hiroaki Nishino, the Director of Sanrio Wave. “Through these online projects, we give non-Sanrio fans the chance to satisfy their curiosity and excite them about Hello Kitty & Friends and this will hopefully arouse their interest in offline products; and widen the fan base of Sanrio characters.”
Riding on the existing online community services such as forums, free e-mails as well as download services, new social networking features have been launched on Sanriotown, which already has a current user-base of almost 2 million world wide. The two most prominent of the newly introduced features are Kitty Shop and Dream Studio, while other features on the site like blogs, chat, message boards and avatars inject more fun into the social networking environment for users.
Kitty Shop is an online store where fans can purchase a wide range of Hello Kitty memorabilia. Kitty Shop also allows users to provide their input into the design of upcoming products, while at the same time, making purchases from the current available range. To celebrate the launch of the new Sanriotown, Kitty Shop allows sanriotown.com members to exclusively pre-order a limited Christmas Edition of Hello Kitty Angel Box sets
Dream Studio is an advanced web technology that enables users to create and direct their own flash movies by simply uploading video, photos and MP3 music. With this new feature, users are able to indulge themselves with the latest online trends and embed their videos on their own website, blogs, or other community portals, creating an online networking community that is unique to Sanriotown.
In addition to the above, there will be other advanced and innovative entertainment products released. For example, a massive multiplayer Hello Kitty online game is currently in the final stages of development, bringing mature Hello Kitty fans and online gamers higher levels of difficulty, excitement and interaction. Also, a 52-Episode 3D Animated TV series titles “The Adventures of Hello Kitty & Friends” will be released, introducing a side of Hello Kitty that is not only cute and cuddly, but one that takes on the role of an educator for children to learn from.
For more details, please visit http://www.sanriotown.com/ or www.sanriodigital.com
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About Sanrio Digital
Sanrio Digital is a joint venture between Typhoon Games (HK) Ltd., and Sanrio Co. Ltd. whose aim is to focus on the digital expansion of Sanrio intellectual property assets. This effective collaboration will capitalize on the great number of IP assets that have not yet been fully digitally developed. Furthermore, Sanrio Digital will hold exclusive rights to produce offline products based on its online productions, which is expected to create synergy between the Sanrio traditional offline business and the digital venture; studies have shown that higher revenue generation can be expected if Sanrio online and offline business complement each other.
About Typhoon Games
Typhoon Games Ltd. was founded on August 2001 in Hong Kong as a game developing and publishing company that recognizes the great potential of the gaming industry in Asia. We work with developers in the region, as well as those from Europe and North America to create and localize PC games for the Asian audiences. Typhoon Games aims to provide the best distribution channel for game developers to sell their games, and for gamers to experience games in the most sound and technically advanced environment possible. Typhoon Games combines the highest technology with the most loyal communities of users to bring our audience the best gaming experience ever!
Typhoon Games Ltd. is a leading publisher, developer and distributor of multi-platform online and offline entertainment software with channel partners in North America and Europe, and distribution in Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, Philippines, India, Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Korea and Japan. Game titles released by Typhoon Games have won international acclaim from leading game media experts and received some of the industry’s top awards. To date, Typhoon Games has published over 100 different game titles.
About Sanrio Wave Hong Kong Co., Ltd.
Sanrio Co., Ltd. founded Sanrio Wave Hong Kong Co., Ltd. in the year 2000 after Sanrio (H.K.) Co., Ltd. was founded on April 1994. While Sanrio HK focused on the traditional character merchandise business, Sanrio Wave HK has the unique mission to create and distribute the original Sanrio contents / entertainment business throughout Asia, and eventually in global scale.
Throughout the years, Sanrio characters have always been one of the most wanted contents by mobile content providers and telecom operators. Sanrio Wave HK is currently working with almost all major telecom networks in Asia directly or through the local content providers while the mobile content distribution network is still expanding. To further proliferate the content business, Sanrio Wave HK started to produce original publication to enrich the content category.
In October 2006, Sanrio HK merged with Sanrio Wave HK to further extend its mission to be the regional hub and to become an all rounded company with the strong integration of online and offline merchandise and contents.

For any inquiries, please contact: michelle@sanriodigital.com