Known today as the basis for adorable trinkets and collectables, Kewpie dolls and cartoons were a wholesome cultural phenomenon. Artist Rosie O'Neill described Kewpie as “a benevolent elf who did good deeds in a funny way" in her autobiography.

Wholesome though they were, O'Neill also used her Kewpie characters to promote women's suffrage, critique elitism, and advocate for marginalized communities. In particular, Kewpie lent celebrity to the suffragist cause and helped reshape feminism in the popular imagination.