We double-checked our calendars to make sure it's not the first of April, so that must mean this news is legitimate. Capcom and Sanrio have announced a partnership to produce co-branded merchandise that merges the adorableness of Hello Kitty with the face-punchingness of Street Fighter.

Now before you start drafting hate mail (or amending current hate mail), it's important to stress the "merchandise" part. This isn't a game announcement, but rather a new "broad range" of items featuring the Hello Kitty character dressed up in Street Fighter costumes. If you've seen the lines of hats, purses, and clothing that already sport Hello Kitty, imagine the character decked out as Cammy and you're probably on the right track.

On second thought, don't imagine Hello Kitty dressed as Cammy. Never imagine that again.

The line will start to hit stores in 2012. The two companies expressed excitement in the announcement. "Capcom has long admired Sanrio and their ability to create memorable and cherished lifestyle brands so it is a distinct pleasure to partner with them for this new cross-over line of merchandise," said Capcom's director of licensing, Joshua Izzo. "The combination of Street Fighter and Hello Kitty will offer fans a whole new way to experience our characters."