Etch A Sketch | toy: Hello Kitty Etch A Sketch

One of Japan's enduring characters is "Kittychan," known as Hello Kitty in the United States. The taste for "kawaii" or "cute" among young Japanese women earned Sanrio Co. Ltd. $8 million in licensing fees for Hello Kitty and related characters in 1987. Hello Kitty remains popular, and the white bobtail cat with red bows adorns not just young women's T-shirts and school bags, but luxury items for adults, too, like expensive watches, televisions, cars, jewelry, dishes, home appliances, and even cars. The famous feline's licensing agreements worldwide are valued at $10 to $500 billion annually. An anime series of Hello Kitty, video games, clothing, school supplies, and other consumer goods keep the Hello Kitty brand in front of children too. In the United States, Hello Kitty is most popular among young girls.