A cat head for a camera

(Credit: Akihabara News)

Apparently the Sanrio empire, growing bolder by the day, no longer feels the need to use more subtle imagery in its universal brainwashing campaign. ("Subtle," of course, is a relative term whenever Hello Kitty is involved.)

Unlike more restrained uses of the ubiquitous HK logo, its newest camera inverts the entire relationship between function and branding: The gadget is part of the cat, not the other way around. Yes, the feline head pictured here is the actual camera, a much more extreme design from that of other models we've seen, including one just a few weeks ago.

The 5-megapixel camera with a 2-inch LCD isn't anything to brag about for its specs, but that's obviously not the point. At this rate, we fear it won't be long before a fleet of Hello Kitty dirigibles darkens the sky.