Ask John: Is Hello Kitty Anime?

Question:
Would Hello Kitty be considered anime? It’s been so Americanized for so long it almost seems to not count as an imported product from Japan.

Answer:
While all the mascot goods are simply thought of as mascot goods out of convention, anybody that really knows a lot about anime should agree that the Hello Kitty animation is actual, made in Japan, anime. All of the Hello Kitty OAVs are anime, technically, no different from Princess Mononoke or Cowboy Bebop. There was even a Kitty Paradise Hello Kitty anime TV series on air in Japan about a year ago. You may find it interesting to know that Kitty’s voice is provided by Megumi Hayashibara. The voice of Evangelion’s Rei Ayanami and Slayers’ Lina Inverse is also the voice of Hello Kitty!