In an attempt to cultivate an adult male audience, Sanrio is launching a new initiative, the Hello Kitty Men Project, to market its #1 character to men, according to the Wall St. Journal.  The initiative carries the tag line “Sorry to keep you waiting, boys.”  The first products under the new brand (primarily t-shirts) are being introduced in a department store exhibit in Tokyo.

Hello Kitty Men will be for men who don’t have the “preconceived idea” that the property is for girls, according to the launch information. 

The prime example of a large male fan base for a character perceived as a girls’ favorite is, of course, My Little Pony, for which there are around 12 million adult male fans, according to one estimate (see “12 Million Bronies”).  

Viz is publishing Hello Kitty graphic novels in the U.S.; there are innumerable merchandise licensees.