Why Miffy Deserves More Love Than Hello Kitty

The resurgence of Miffy is my favorite thing that happened over the past year. I’m very open about my appreciation for Miffy, and I would argue that Miffy is better than Hello Kitty. While Hello Kitty dominates in popularity, Miffy is a character rooted in art, storytelling, and timelessness. Hello Kitty’s identity is more closely tied to mass production and consumerism. 

Miffy is one of the most iconic rabbit figures within children’s media. She was created in 1955 as a character in a storybook, and in 1984, her TV series aired. The Miffy I grew up watching is from the show Miffy and Friends (2003). 

Miffy was first a piece of art. Dick Bruna, her creator, would tell his son bedtime stories about a little white bunny. This bunny became the inspiration for Miffy. Miffy’s look was constantly changing. Bruna reworked the look of her clothes, ears, body, and cheeks for many years until her look finally stuck. She went through many changes to become who she is today. 

Similarly, Hello Kitty is by far one of the most recognizable characters in children’s media. She was created in 1974 by Yuko Shimizu while working for Sanrio. Hello Kitty and Miffy did not have much to do with each other until 2011, when Miffy’s rights holders sued Sanrio over characters and merchandise that looked very similar to Miffy. The court ended up favoring Miffy, and Sanrio stopped using their characters ‘Cathy’ and ‘Little Honey’. 

I think Miffy is so much more than a product to be sold. Miffy feels like art, while Hello Kitty feels like a brand. Her character is original and thoughtful.  Miffy is held in such high esteem because her TV series explores issues like grief, loneliness and fear. She isn’t just cute; She has meaning.

Even though I think that Miffy deserves all of the appreciation and love that Hello Kitty has, I think there is a certain charm in that she doesn’t ask for the attention. Hello Kitty’s attention-seeking ways have annoyed and pushed me away from her. It’s hard to walk into a store nowadays and not run into Hello Kitty. There is a certain mystery to Miffy’s lack of merchandise presence. Many people don’t know who she is, and I think that is part of the appeal. She is confident in who she is, and she doesn’t need the validation that comes with fame. Miffy is forever true to herself and Hello Kitty adapts to trends to keep the world interested.

• aesthetics
• art
• Branding
• characters
• consumerism
• hello kitty
• miffy
• nostalgia
• popculture
• sanrio