Hello Kitty started life as an illustration on a vinyl coin purse. It has since appeared on tens of thousands of products - official and unofficial - including tie-ups with Adidas, Balenciaga and other top brands.
Helen, who drives a Hello Kitty-decorated SUV and runs the local fan club 'Hello Kitty SoCal Babes', has been 'obsessed' with the character since its 1970s US debut.
The phenomenon shows no sign of slowing, with a Warner Bros movie in the pipeline and a new Hello Kitty theme park due to open next year on China's tropical Hainan island.
Sanrio's share price has soared more than seven-fold, pushing its market cap over one trillion yen ($6.8 billion), since young CEO Tomokuni Tsuji took over from his grandfather in 2020.
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