Sanrio is about to lose one of its character creators responsible for some of the franchise's most popular faces.

The 36-year-old has been training his sights beyond Hello Kitty to the company’s portfolio of more than 450 characters, such as Cinnamoroll, a white puppy whose tail resembles a cinnamon roll.

Hello Kitty, arguably Japan's best loved creation, is celebrating her 50th anniversary. But all has not always been well at Sanrio, the Japanese company behind the character. The business has been ...