Hello Kitty has been a cultural and marketing phenomenon for over 50 years. There are theme parks, restaurants, cafes and hotels dedicated to her. There are millions worldwide who buy Hello Kitty products, superfans who don’t know when to stop and amass thousands of items bearing Kitty's countenance, and star fans―Lady Gaga and Britney Spears to name but two―who do not think twice about purchasing a $50,000 Hello Kitty necklace. In Pink Tsunami you will hear about the fans, visit some Hello Kitty theme parks, marvel at the many products―the good and the strange―and, not least, discover Kitty’s designers and marketers and how they contribute to her unwavering popularity. But all is not glittery for this Queen of Kawaii. She has a dark side that at one extreme even involves murder. Dive inside this book and all will be revealed. Alan Brender is author of over 20 books and hundreds of magazine and newspaper articles. Among the many celebrities he has interviewed for Starlog are Jane Seymour, Mark Hamill, Gene Roddenberry, Billy Crystal, Wilfred Hyde-White, and David Hasselhoff. “Alan Brender’s analysis of the marketing genius of the Hello Kitty brand is wittily narrated with a touch of mischief. This book goes behind the scenes at Sanrio to meet the creators and puppeteers of Kitty. The polished veneer is peeled back to reveal some fascinating stories about how this iconic feline empire was launched and Sanrio's maneuverings to keep Kitty in her role as Queen of Cute.” ―Barry Natusch, freelance writer and editor, Tokyo, Japan and Auckland, New Zealand “Who doesn’t know the ubiquitous Hello Kitty? As it turns out, I didn’t know her as well as I thought. I have seen her on notebooks, sewing machines, even gold jewelry, but that her domain stretched to cakes in Zimbabwe, a Chinese theme park, even sex toys, is news indeed … Although I have lived in Japan nearly as long as Kitty-chan, I was unaware of the extent of her universal penetration, the fervor of her enthusiasts, the intensity of her detractors, or how her back-story reflects the psyche of late-Showa Japan. Be prepared to be surprised at Alan Brender’s fascinating excavation of this seemingly benign and deceptively superficial cultural artifact.” ―Gwendolyn Gallagher, Lecturer at Hokkaido University of Education in Asahikawa, Japan “Author and educator Alan Brender has performed quite a feat, digging into the life and legacy of the Sanrio character Kitty White, 'born' November 1, 1974. The Pink Tsunami: The Incredible Story of Hello Kitty is a fast-paced, entertaining thrill ride through 50 years of history. Along the way, Brender showcases the massive cultural impact this small, unassuming kitten has had not only across Japan but globally as well. I couldn't put it down.” ―Patrick Parr, author of One Week in America: The 1968 Notre Dame Literary Festival and a Changing Nation Dr. Alan Brender is an educator and writer with many years' experience. He was Dean of Lakeland University Japan for over 15 years, and has taught Journalism at Temple University and the University Maryland. An inveterate traveler, he has lived and worked in Kenya, Swaziland and Malaysia as well as Japan. He was co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Japan, contributor to the South China Morning Post and, for six years, Japan correspondent for The Chronicle of Higher Education. He was West Coast correspondent in California for Afternoon TV, TV Stars and Starlog, interviewing many Hollywood stars.