This year’s Lantern Fantasy at the Chinese Garden in Singapore is extra-special for Sanrio fans, because it features Hello Kitty and friends!

Called "F8 - Hello Kitty Go Races!", lanterns are paraded about featuring Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Badtz Maru, Pom Pom Purin, My Melody, and other well-loved Sanrio characters participating in various sporting events. These include car racing, surfing, sailboat racing, and more.

The event started on 29 August 2008 up to 28 September, so if you have the chance, do catch it!

Here are some photos from the event, courtesy of eTour Singapore:

Guess what? It hasn’t been released, and yet “The Adventures of Hello Kitty & Friends” has already won an award!

The series has won the Hong Kong ICT Awards 2007 Digital Entertainment Award for Best Digital Animation TV series, held last 21 January 2008. The body recognizes the best works produced in Hong Kong in terms of digital entertainment.

“The Adventures of Hello Kitty & Friends” is the first Sanrio series made entirely in CGI, and it follows the stories of friends Hello Kitty, Dear Daniel, Badtz-Maru, Pochacco, My Melody, and Keroppi, with the special appearances of other well-loved characters. While the tales may be funny and entertaining, they are also loaded with values, making it a show worth watching by the whole family.

To know more about the animated series, please visit its own blog by clicking here.

No, your beloved Sanrio characters aren’t getting all wrinkled. This is just one of the many designs featuring the Sanrio characters, all appearing on fun jigsaw puzzles that the whole family can enjoy solving together. What’s really cool about it is that three of these feature promo shots from the upcoming (and much-awaited) “The Adventures of Hello Kitty and Friends” 3-D Animation, so you can actually get the chance to see your favorite Sanrio characters in all their 3-D glory!

You can check out the other jigsaw puzzle designs by clicking here.

If you want more behind-the-scenes news and sneak peeks about “The Adventures of Hello Kitty and Friends”, please click here.

HONG KONG - June 1, 2007

Sanrio has announced that a Hello Kitty’s Fantastical Adventure (an interactive musical performance) will be performing live in Hong Kong from the 17th to the 26th of August 2007 in the Academic Community Hall of Hong Kong Baptist University.

Hello Kitty will star as the Princess of Happiness Land along with her Prince Dear Daniel. A classic battle between good and evil ensues as the evil Badtz Maru kidnaps Princess Kitty and Prince Daniel goes to her rescue!

Can they beat Bad Badtz Maru?
Can they escape from the Fire Gorge?
Can they return to Happiness Land?

Find out more about Hello Kitty’s Fantastical Adventure in her official Blog and Website!