Hello Kitty turns 50: Here’s how she became a global moneymaker

As Hello Kitty’s commercial success expanded beyond Asia, so did her personal profile.

Hello Kitty turns 50 on Friday. Befitting a pop icon at midlife, the bubble-headed, bow-wearing character’s fictional birthday has brought museum exhibits, a theme park spectacle, and a national tour. And that’s just in Japan, her literal birthplace but not the one listed in her official biography.