Toei Animation and Sanrio GmbH form European partnership

Toei Animation Europe and Sanrio GmbH have teamed up – reaching an exclusive agreement that will unite their iconic properties Hello Kitty and One Piece for a joint European licensing program. At the center of the co-branded development is the creation of an exclusive product line that joins One Piece hero ‘Chopper’ with the beloved Hello Kitty for a co-branded licensing program to be managed by Sanrio GmbH.

Since her introduction in 1974, Hello Kitty has become one of the most in-demand and iconic characters ever created; a worldwide superstar with relevance to girls and women of all ages, ethnicities and economic backgrounds as well as an inspiration to artists and designers. Her motto says: “you can never have too many friends.”

Her newest friend, Chopper, has been a fan favorite since he first debuted on One Piece in 2001. A blue-nosed reindeer who turned half-human after consuming the magical Human-Human Fruit, Chopper is the Straw Hat crew’s doctor. Since One Piece first swept the continent, over 660 episodes and eleven movies have been produced while ten channels across Europe air the series on a regular basis. In France alone, One Piece remains number one in sales for licensed books across the country.