Hello Kitty exhibition opens in Hong Kong as icon celebrates 40th birthday

Is she a cat? A schoolgirl called Kitty White? Or a cultural phenomenon that some are still grappling to understand? Love her or hate her, Hello Kitty is one of Hong Kong's favourite obsessions and this petite idol (without a mouth) - measuring five apples tall and three apples in weight - celebrates her 40th birthday on November 1.

Created by illustrator Yuko Shimizu for Sanrio in 1974, the anthropomorphic cat was an instant hit, boosting the Japanese company's sales of everything she appeared on - from stationary to kitchen supplies.

She may be middle-aged (40 in human years, in cat years she'd be well over 150), Hello Kitty is still going strong: bringing in billions of US dollars in retail revenue.

Fans love her for being as kawaii (cute) as she is versatile - she has taken numerous roles over the years, from fairy to ninja, robot to pilot. She's starred in animated television series, opened theme parks, and dressed Lady Gaga. There is no doubt that Hello Kitty is a global phenomenon.

In Hong Kong, she's had a string of successful exhibitions, including in recent years the "Hello Kitty in Oz - The Lost Chapter" and "Ki-beta (Kitty Intelligence Beta)". The upcoming Hello Kitty Go Around!! event at Kitec in Kowloon Bay is likely to be a hit.