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Is Hello Kitty's new friend Mell a reclusive hikikomori?
Sanrio's latest character appears to be afraid of leaving the house
Hello Kitty producers Sanrio launched a new character on December 27, 2010, but her refusal to come out of her house to show her face for the first time has prompted some at Racked to suggest that she could be a hikikomori.
Mell is the lead character of "Wish Me Mell," characters of which live in egg-shaped homes. Among them are a Hawaiian turtle called Marin who loves to eat and bathe, an English bear called Aro, a Japanese kitten called Chico and a Chinese panda, Poco.
Mell's most worried friend seems to be Marin, who waits outside her door.
Shutting the world outside
Mell, who seems to be a rabbit, has so far refused to stick more than a paw outside of her front door, and her profile says she is 'a little sick,' causing some to think she resembles the social problem of recluses in Japan, who shut the world outside.
Sanrio are encouraging people to send in letters, messages and tweets to convince the withdrawn character to emerge.
In the meantime, Marin is updating a blog all about their country, called "Merci Hills," where it is always warm and bright. What a shame Mell has yet to see the sun ...
