The 9 Tragic Suicides of Hello Kitty - Part 1 of 9

This is part 1 of a series of 9. All 9 will be displayed and for sale at “Quiet Roar – An Evening of Art & Fashion Inspired By Hello Kitty” Saturday May 16th at dooGallery in Atlanta GA. All proceeds will benefit Good Mews Animal Shelter See the flyer at the end of this post for additional details.

I will be revealing a different painting and story everyday leading up to the show (except for today. I’ll be posting 3 today to get caught up). And now, without further ado...

Suicide #1
“Hang In there”


Introduced to the Sanrio Co., Ltd brand in 1974, Hello Kitty became an instant hit with Japanese consumers. Strong sales continued when her image reached the US markets in 1976. Despite growing profits, it was not enough to cover Hello Kitty’s mounting gambling debts. Already owing a substantial sum to the Bakuto, Hello Kitty placed a double or nothing bet on the Minnesota Vikings to take the American NFL championship at Super Bowl XI. After the Viking’s 18 point loss to the Oakland Raiders, Hello Kitty feared reprisal from the Yakuza syndicate, Yamaguchi-gumi, and took to the underground. After calling in a favor to new Sanrio star, My Melody, and selling her Sanrio stock, Hello Kitty had fled the country. The Yakuza had tracked her down to a modest cottage outside of Kutná Hora in the Czech Republic. Before the Yakuza assassins could arrive, Hello Kitty took her life by hanging herself on the afternoon of August 16, 1977.