The Hello Kitty is the same as the Janome Jem that is sold by Sears Kenmore. There isn't much difference in price, but the Sears machine is probably a little cheaper and of course will remain a "grownup"-looking machine forever! I would say make a note of the features on the Hello Kitty, maybe print out a picture of it, and take it to Sears to get the equivalent machine there. If you can't get the Sears Kenmore version, I wouldn't hesitate to purchase the Hello Kitty version.
Have you checked the reviews on the Hello Kitty? They are uniformly good. Try Amazon and Overstock.com, or just Google "Hello Kitty" reviews.