Global icon of cuteness Hello Kitty is adding some sex appeal in a new figurine with Japanese pop princess Ayumi Hamasaki.
A miniature of Hamasaki with the mouthless cat went on sale during the 28-year-old singer's tour of Asia, which started on March 10.
"I'm really happy to collaborate with Kitty, which I've loved since childhood," said Hamasaki, arguably the best-known face in Japanese pop.
PHOTO: AFP
"Regardless of age or nationality, Hello Kitty is loved by many women and is very special," she said in a statement.
The figurine shows Hamasaki holding the cat. The two are wearing matching farmers' overalls and red ribbons in their hair.
It will go on sale at Hamasaki's concerts in Japan, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Singapore.
If it proves a hit, the singer's recording agent Avex said it planned tie-ins between Hamasaki's figurine — which is already sold on its own as Ayupan — and other popular characters.
The figurine will sell for 600 yen (NT$168). Hand-held mirrors with a drawing of Hamasaki holding Hello Kitty will be sold for 2,200 yen (NT$617).
Hello Kitty, which started in 1974 in Japan as a moon-faced cartoon cat on a coin purse, has developed into a global phenomenon, with more than 50,000 different products on sale in 60 nations.
Hamasaki will play tomorrow night at Taipei Arena. Tickets for the concert, the most expensive of which cost NT$4,500, reportedly sold out in just two hours. It is the first time that Hamasaki has toured outside of Japan. (AFP)
全球可愛象徵「凱蒂貓」與日本流行小天后濱崎步共同推出新公仔，增添性感魅力。
這款結合濱崎步與無嘴凱蒂貓的公仔，已於這位二十八歲歌手三月十日展開的亞洲巡迴演唱之旅開始販售。
可說是日本流行界知名度最高的濱崎步說︰「我真的很高興和凱蒂貓合作，我從孩童時代起就很喜歡凱蒂貓。」
她在聲明中說︰「不分年齡與國籍，凱蒂貓深受許多女性喜愛，非常特別。」
這款公仔為濱崎步抱著凱蒂貓的造型。她們倆穿上相稱的農場工作服，頭髮都繫著紅緞帶。
公仔將於濱崎步巡迴日本、台灣、香港與新加坡的演唱會中販售。
濱崎步所屬的艾迴唱片公司表示，假如這款公仔造成轟動，公司計畫再推出濱崎步公仔與其他流行卡通人物的相關產品。濱崎步個人的Ayupan公仔早已上市。
這款公仔的售價為六百日圓（新台幣一百六十八元）。畫著濱崎步抱著凱蒂貓的手鏡售價為兩千兩百日圓（新台幣六百一十七元）。
一九七四年首度在日本零錢包上亮相的圓臉卡通凱蒂貓 ，已經演變成一種全球性現象，五萬多種琳瑯滿目的產品行銷全球六十個國家。
濱崎步明晚將在台北小巨蛋演唱。演唱會門票據說開賣兩小時即銷售一空，最貴票價為新台幣四千五百元。這是濱崎步首度到國外巡迴演唱。
（法新社/翻譯︰賴美君）
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