Special Edition Beatsbydre Hello Kitty Headphone & Earbuds

Beatsbydre, now a subsidiary of Apple, released special edition Hello Kitty headphones, last fall. While the headphones are quite expensive and slightly hard to find, online from third-party sellers, the earbuds are still readily available from the original merchant¹. Beats audio devices are often criticized for being marketing ploys -instead of being reputable for their quality-, but the design of these Beats HK editions are super awesome!

Picture courtesy of diytrade

Picture courtesy of nitrolicious

Picture courtesy of beatsbydre

Picture courtesy of beatsbydre

Picture courtesy of beatsbydre

 These earbuds also come with their own carrying pouch.

Picture courtesy of beatsbydre

Picture courtesy of beatsbydre

So, they look awesome, but I can't account for the quality, versus brand [insert here] -at a comparable price-, however, if you look at some other common Hello Kitty audio devices, such as Target's headphones, I would opt for the Beats.

I do not own any Beats audioware, but friends enjoy them, and I have had positive in-store tests.

Picture courtesy of Target

¹As of 8/28/15; I do not guarantee the availability of any merchandise mentioned.

Look Around, Stay Awhile

Hi! I post for my readers; if there are particular areas of the Sanrio [or kawaii] universe you would like to see, or learn about, please leave a comment and I'll do my best to appease.

If you're just visiting, and see something you like, check back again soon; I try to post every couple days. Also, for recurring visitors, if no new posts are up, check the older ones. I often re-update older posts when I find more relevant information, or additional tidbits that I think would improve the original content.

Thanks,

"cchwag" Charlie

Steiff Hello Kitty in a Bear Onesie

This is another 40th anniversary, Steiff Hello Kitty, wearing a bear onesie (or jumpsuit). As aforementioned, Steiff makes their collectibles by hand, and this plush shows the intricate details they use.
The plush is made of mohair; fabric made from the hair of Angora goats. Hello Kitty's whiskers peak from beneath the edge of the onesie hood. On her left ear is a tag with the Steiff brand. On her right foot is her name and her signature bow.

Hello Kitty | Sanrio & Steiff collaboration 40th Anniversary

Picture of Steiff 40th anniversary Hello Kitty is courtesy of Sanrio

This is Steiff & Sanrio's collaboration of a 40th anniversary Hello Kitty plush, with her own Steiff bear.

What is Steiff? The company started manufacturing collectibles and toys in 1880, and do so using only premium fabrics like mohair (from the Angora goat, picture below), alpaca, cotton velvet, and woven fur. Each toy animal is made by hand.

Some of their vintage collectibles have sold in the after-market for tens of thousands of dollars!

This Hello Kitty plush is made of mohair, a fiber gathered from the Angora goat, and has a natural sheen and velvety softness to it.

Picture is courtesy of Sanrio

Picture of Angora goat is courtesy of wikipedia

Hello Kitty Amusement Park | Puroland

A Sanrio amusement park? Sort of, and not near you, or me. Puroland is Sanrio's theme park, in Tama, Japan.

This photo of Sanrio Puroland is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Picture courtesy of Agustin Rafael Reyes

Picture courtesy of Google maps

Picture courtesy of Google maps

That's a whole 5,000 miles from California, to Tama, or a whopping 7,000 miles from Florida! 

What can you do at Puroland?According to the website -en.puroland.jp- park guests can enjoy a multitude of activities:

• the Sanrio Character boat ride;

Picture courtesy of lusciouslaura95

 If you search 'puroland boat ride' you'll see some homemade footage of some of the park guests. To me, the Character Boat Ride reminds me of Disney's "It's a Small World" ride, with Sanrio-universe characters.

• the 40^th anniversary parade; 
• the Yakata Restaurant;
• the Hello Kitty musical; 
• explore the Sanrio Character Hills;
• take the Kiki & Lala Twinkling Tour; 
• meet Hello Kitty, and experience her lifestyle; 
• ride the My Melody & Kuromi Mymeroad ride; 
• see the Little Hero play; 
• see the Lady Jewelpet’s Magical Musical; 
• shop at the largest store in Puroland, the Entrance Shop
• and eat at the Character Food Court

A very cool experience if you can make the trip. You can search for handheld footage, some lucky participants have uploaded on some of your favorite video sites, and see in detail the great work Sanrio has put into Puroland.

Hello Kitty 30th Anniversary - Dentist Edition

Picture courtesy of ytrhq230

Here's a limited dentist edition, 30th anniversary, Hello Kitty in her original -1974- outfit, with furry complexion, in comparison to her smooth velvety texture, of which people are more accustomed to.

Sanrio Television and Movie Releases

As aforementioned, Sanrio deals with movie production. From 1977 to 1985, Sanrio produced 17 films: 

• Little Jumbo (1977); 
• Who Are the DeBolts? And Where Did They Get Nineteen Kids? (1977);
• The Mouse and His Child (1977); 
• Ringing Bell (1978); 
• The Glacier Fox (1978); 
• Nutcracker Fantasy (1979); 
• Unico (1979); 
• Metamorphoses (1979); 
• A Tale of Africa (1980); 
• The Fantastic Adventures of Unico (1981); 
• The Sea Prince and the Fire Child (1981);
• Don't Cry, It's Only Thunder (1981); 
• The Ideon: A Contact (1982); 
• The Ideon: Be Invoked (1982); 
• Unico in the Island of Magic (1983);
• Oshin (1984);
• A Journey Through Fairyland (1985).

After A Journey Through Fairyland, Sanrio shifted their focus more on short films, television shows, and animation videos based off their characters. In 2006, they decided to return to feature-length films, with rumors of productions as late as 2019.

Picture courtesy of UsWeekly, Us Weekly Staff

Sanrio History

Do you know Sanrio? At this day and age I would think most of us -fanatics and general consumers- have all been exposed to Hello Kitty in our everyday lives, at some point, whether you've seen her in a drug store, grocery store, or the mall.

Picture courtesy of Nadine C.

Picture courtesy of Tampa Bay Times, Mark Albright

 

Picture courtesy of Patrick Mercy

What is Sanrio? Sanrio is a Japanese company notoriously known for producing and designing products that are considered cute, or kawaii. Their products are heavily Japanese pop-culture based. Their products range from stationary and plushies, to cook ware and clothing. As aforementioned, Sanrio's best-known character is Hello Kitty. She is a cat girl, with a red bow. 

Probably less known to people is the fact that Sanrio is also a publishing and movie production company. 

In 1960, Shintaro Tsuji founded Sanrio as the Yamanashi Silk Company. Later, Tsuji expanded the company and opted to use rubber sandals in place of their silk counterparts, and included painted flowers on them. The marketing maneuver was successful, and Tsuji took note of how significant such a small change -such as adding something cute to a design- could have on a product.With his epiphany, Tsuji enlisted cartoonists to design more cute characters to expand his brand, thereafter. 

Hello Kitty made her debut in 1974, and while her sales have dropped over the years, she remains one of the highest contributors to Sanrio's success. Along side her, other popular characters include the Little Twin Stars, My Melody, Keroppi, Tuxedo Sam, Bad Badtz-Maru, Chococat, Cinnamoroll, Sugarbunnies, Jewelpet, Wish Me Mell, and others being added to the character lineup, often.

Bad Badtz-Maru & Friends Coin Bank

Picture courtesy of nostalgia_gifts_for_u

Picture courtesy of nostalgia_gifts_for_u

Picture courtesy of nostalgia_gifts_for_u

This is a cool, 1996, Bad Badtz-Maru coin bank, with his friends Pandaba, Hana Maru, and Pochi -on the side-.

Bad Badtz-Maru is a selfish and mischievous penguin. He likes to be in control and this scene is a beautiful example. He's standing on a stack of four dollar-sign coins in a triumphant and alpha-male-esque demeanor, with Hana Maru and Pandaba loyally at his side. In the last picture, little Pochi is struggling to climb up.