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Kirby (Nintendo)
Encyclopedia
is the main protagonist
of Nintendo
's Kirby video game series
created by Masahiro Sakurai
and developed by HAL Laboratory
. The Kirby series is one of Nintendo's many well-known game franchises, spanning nearly twenty games since 1992. His first appearance took place in the 1992
video game Kirby's Dream Land
, where he was portrayed by a two-dimensional sprite
; since Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
for the Nintendo 64
, he has made several appearances in 3-D. He has been featured in other video games from Nintendo, on Nintendo's merchandising, on comic books, and even on a television show
. Kirby also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series.
Kirby is described in his games as a young male pink ball, who is a citizen of on the planet Pop Star. In the main game, he almost always has the same abilities; he can walk, run, jump, float, slide, and inhale, spit out, or devour his enemies.
Kirby often journeys across the planet Pop Star, defeating antagonistic forces such as the greedy King Dedede or the evil Dark Matter. On other occasions, he encounters the enigmatic Meta Knight. To defeat his foes, he uses his signature ability of inhaling large objects and spitting them out with great force. From Kirby's Adventure
onward, Kirby was able to gain the abilities of the enemies he swallowed, better known as his Copy Abilities. In several games in the series, he obtains a mystical weapon during the climax of the battle against his enemy; this weapon is usually required to defeat the final boss.
Kirby was originally named Popopo, and his model was created as a blob placeholder sprite
during the development of what would be the first Kirby game, originally titled 'Twinkle Popopo' instead of the current Hoshi no Kābī (translated as 'Kirby of the Stars'). After a while, creator Masahiro Sakurai
started to prefer Kirby's placeholder design over the original concept. He later stated that he envisioned Kirby as a 'game for beginners'.
As Kirby's first appearance was on the monochrome screen of the Game Boy
, his "true" color could not be represented in-game. Sakurai intended Kirby to be pink. However, Shigeru Miyamoto
had envisioned him as yellow. This may be why in multiplayer modes in most kirby games,second player is yellow. Because of this ambiguity, Nintendo of America
was left with some confusion when the game was ported to the West. The American box art, cartridge label, instruction booklet, and even the television commercial for Kirby's Dream Land
features Kirby entirely white in color. The Japanese box art, however, depicts Kirby as pink.
There is a debate on the origins of Kirby's name. One widespread view is that Kirby adopted his Western name from the Kirby Corporation
, a vacuum cleaner manufacturer, leading to the belief the name is a play on Kirby's ability to inhale just about anything. The other possible explanation is that Kirby was named in honor of Nintendo's legal counsel, John Kirby
of Latham & Watkins LLP
, who represented them in the courtroom during a copyright infringement lawsuit
over Donkey Kong filed by Universal Studios
. However, Masahiro Sakurai has been quoted as saying he does not remember how Kirby got his name.
Makiko Ōmoto
in the Super Smash Bros.
series, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
, Kirby's Epic Yarn
, and in both versions of the anime
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
since Kirby does not display extensive linguistic skills in the latter media. She considered the time doing Kirby's voice and working with others on the show and games to be a great experience. In a previous 1993 educational video called Mario Kirby Masterpiece, Kirby was voiced by Mayumi Tanaka
.
) with large red feet, stubby arms, and trademark pink cheek-blushes. His body is soft and flexible, allowing him to be flattened. He is supposedly 8 inches tall, according to the Super Smash Bros. games. His weight is unknown, although several parts of the anime, the game Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, and the Super Smash Bros. series suggest that he is light enough to be carried and for the wind to cause him to move in an unwanted direction. He hails from the planet Pop Star, where he lives in a dome-shaped house in the kingdom of Dream Land. His appearance has changed subtly over the years, becoming more rounded and defined, mainly in his face and larger eyes. The new design has been used in all subsequent games.
, literally acts like a baby in the anime, and is referred to as being a "pretty jolly guy" in Kirby Super Star. This, along with his high-pitched voice, suggests that Kirby is young.
Kirby is cheerful and innocent. He loves to eat, sleep, color, and play, especially during the day. His favorite food is tomatoes, since the Maxim Tomatoes in the games which fully restore his health (although in the anime, his favorite food appears to be watermelons). He is said to dislike caterpillar
s. His other hobbies include singing, although he is tone-deaf
. He sometimes acts in an impulsive nature, such as when he accuses King Dedede of interfering with the Fountain of Dreams (also known as the Dream Spring) in Kirby's Adventure
, and then leaves to retrieve the pieces of the shattered Star Rod without even letting Dedede explain himself.
The same personality and nature is presented in the Super Smash Bros. titles. In Super Smash Bros. Melee
, his trophy profile states that he is an "extremely skilled technician". Kirby has been seen to have made the biggest, and most playable role in Subspace Emissary (as he collects all of the trophies,) the story mode of Super Smash Bros. Brawl
. Meta Knight and King Dedede also play a prominent role in the Subspace Emissary mode as well. Unlike most trademark Nintendo villans,(Bowser, Ganondorf,etc.) King Dedede plays a hidden good role in the Subspace Emissary.
Although (or perhaps because) he appears cute and innocent, many commercials and ads have showcased this as a contrast to his extreme fighting skills when he takes on the abilities of an enemy.
Kirby is a character of few words and rarely speaks in-game. His dialogue is largely limited to appearances in some games' instruction manuals, and brief comments such as 'Hi' in games including Super Smash Bros.
and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
. Despite his lack of dialogue, Kirby narrates the functions of certain Copy Abilities on the pause menu in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
, and Kirby: Squeak Squad
. Kirby gives short descriptions of various menu options when they are highlighted. The concept of Kirby being mostly mute is supported by Masahiro Sakurai's insistence that Kirby does not speak in the anime series, although he does occasionally say the names of his special attacks and certain foods and sometimes repeats other words that he hears. In the Super Smash Bros. series, when Kirby copies a foe's ability, Kirby says the name of some attacks, such as Captain Falcon
's "Falcon Punch", Ness' PK Flash, and Lucas' PK Freeze (See: Kirby Anime Development). There are some notable exceptions where Kirby actually does speak in-game, such as Kirby's Avalanche
, Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu and Kirby's Epic Yarn
.
In Kirby's Dream Land
, Kirby did not have Copy Abilities. He collected power ups, such as a mint leaf, which enabled him to shoot out endless air pellets for a limited amount of time, and curry and chicken(which makes a reappearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
as Superspicy Curry), which let Kirby shoot out fireballs from his mouth until the item's effect wore off or he lost a life.
In most early games, an ability does not change Kirby's appearance drastically, aside from his color changing to orange or snow white in Kirby's Adventure
, or wielding a weapon for abilities like Sword
or Hammer
. However, with Kirby Super Star
, Kirby gains a unique hat for each ability, such as an "ice climbers" for freeze, a frozen crown for Ice, or a backwards baseball cap for Yo-Yo and Wheel. While this would be overlooked in later games not designed by Masahiro Sakurai (such as Kirby's Dream Land 3
and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
) the hats soon became a staple of the series (with the exception of Kirby: Canvas Curse
).
In Kirby Super Star
, Kirby could sacrifice his copied ability to create a 'Helper', an allied version of the enemy he had devoured. The new Helper would be controlled by the game or a second player. The 'Helper' would fight enemies with Kirby. This feature has not yet been included in later Kirby games, although it was included in Kirby Super Star's remake, Kirby Super Star Ultra.
Kirby also uses his powers to attain food or other special items like lollipops that grant him beneficial effects such as healing or temporary invulnerability. Kirby Super Star,"Kirby Super Star Ultra" and Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
contain a feature where Kirby can share his food with the second player.
Kirby can inhale air to make himself more buoyant, flying slowly by flapping his arms. He can attack enemies by quickly exhaling a puff of air. This technique is known as the air gun. Whilst in most games he can float indefinitely, this ability is limited in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
and Super Smash Bros. Other games have developed his powers even further, such as allowing him to block attacks in Kirby Super Star. As a whole, however, his basic moves have remained the same, although more Copy Abilities are added in each new game. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
, Kirby displays an ability called "Cook Kirby", that was taken from Kirby Super Star
and other recent games, as his Final Smash Attack. For this power, Kirby acquires a chef's hat, cooking utensils, and a boiling pot. All objects, including Assist Trophies, Pokémon
, and players within a limited range are drawn into the pot. Various items then rain from above into the pot, and the players shoot out.
In Kirby's Epic Yarn
, at the start of the game, Kirby inhales a yarn-based Maxim Tomato(referred to by Yin-Yarn as a Metamato) transforming him into yarn, granting Kirby the ability to transform into a car, a surfboarding penguin, a UFO, and many other forms. Also, since Kirby cannot suck up enemies in this game ( since air just goes through him ), he uses a yarn whip to grab enemies and turn them into yarn balls, which can by thrown at other foes, attached to buttons, move zippers and more.
, the remake Spring Breeze in Kirby Super Star
, and potentially Meta Knight along with the final boss of Kirby Super Star Ultras Meta Knightmare Ultra, Galacta Knight, who appears to look nearly identical to Kirby. In Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land and Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
, different colored Kirbys appear as other players in multi-player games. In the case of the latter, they are the result of Kirby being divided into four by Dark Meta Knight.
In general, members of the species all look similar, but sometimes have different colored skin, eyes, and shoes. They are commonly referred to as Kirbys, just as 'Yoshi
' in the Mario series
is the name of both the species and character. As a name, however, 'Kirby' refers to only one character. Terms like creampuffs or puffballs are also used to describe the species, referring to their soft, round appearance. In the English manual of Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, the term Kirbys is used at points, to illustrate the feature of having four differently colored versions of Kirby active in the game simultaneously.
Another common term is Dream Landers, a term used in the instruction manual for Kirby's Adventure
. This term, however, also refers to anyone who lives in Dream Land, including characters like King Dedede. The biography of Kirby in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
says Kirby is a citizen
of Dream Land.
In the anime, Kirby has also been called a Star Warrior, along with Meta Knight and other characters that have appeared in the Kirby animated series. It's a common belief that this refers to their species, but this is untrue as there is another person referred to as a Star Warrior who looks nothing like them. It is said that Kirby is just a young Star Warrior or an underdeveloped one. In the first episode of the animated series, Kirby's space ship prematurely crashed on Pop Star. The trip was supposed to take him several hundred years and in that time he was supposed to be dormant; however, his ship drifted into a space rift causing it to warp to Dream Land and making his trip shorter, not allowing him to develop into the Star Warrior he was going to become. Kirby was also called a Warpstar Knight or a Warpstar Warrior, but this was only occasionally seen in select advertisements. Although it is unclear, the possibility also exists that he may be one of Holy Nightmare's (NME or Nightmare Enterprises in the English dub) monsters that turned against his creator.
In Kirby's Dream Land 3
, mysterious characters appear called Batamon. They resemble Kirby aside from a more flattened shape and different face. They are always seen walking past walls or ceilings beyond Kirby's reach, with the exception of a single stage in Cloudy Park, where Kirby can continue past the exit and come into contact with one.
when the self-made ruler of Dream Land, King Dedede, stole everyone's food and the Sparkling Stars they needed to get more food. Since this act of greed, more dangerous enemies have threatened Kirby's home. His journeys have become more daunting as creatures like Dark Matter possess and control his friends against their will. Kirby maintains a brave and cheerful personality despite it all, gaining new powers and allies to aid him.
. He was the series' sole representative in Super Smash Bros.
and Super Smash Bros. Melee
, but is accompanied by fellow characters Meta Knight and King Dedede in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
.
titled Kirby of the Stars (Japanese: 星のカービィ Hoshi no Kāabīi). It was originally in Japanese but was later remade in English by 4kids. Hoshi no Kaabii was licensed in North America
by 4Kids Entertainment
and the Canadian
company Nelvana
, and produced by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. It aired on 4Kids TV
, via Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
(since 2001 which has done 100 episodes). Kirby was also in a short educational video that was only released in Japan, designed to teach kanji
to young children. The feature was not animated, but contained illustrations.
Kirby's image in the animated series is similar to his in-game image. His feet are a deeper shade of red than in the games, although most anime-related merchandise does not reflect this change. Though Sakurai prefers Kirby not to speak, he has allowed him to use a small vocabulary.
Only in the anime series is Kirby's background given any significance. On the show, he is a legendary Star Warrior who, according to legend, is fated to save Pop Star from destruction. No such legends are ever referred to in the games. It is implied early in the series that he was a creation of an ancient evil entity called Nightmare. It is also said that Kirby was meant to sleep for 200 years, but was awoken too early by mistake, which is why he has baby-like qualities. Because of his age, he depends even more on the help of his friends to pull through tough situations.
Unlike the games, the anime contains darker themes such as war, blood, violence, and death (although mostly in the Japanese version), though it still maintains most of the cheerful and surreal themes from the games. Kirby's creator, Masahiro Sakurai, was greatly involved in its creation, so it did not stray far from his vision of how Kirby should be.
A main trademark of the show is his Warp Star, which, although it appeared in some of the games, is used in almost every episode in the series. It is, apparently, his source of power. He only needs to see it to get his power, but he can't keep it safe for himself. Unlike the games, there is only one Warp Star that Kirby uses for transportation.
Kirby also stars in several manga
series, most of which haven't been released in a language other than Japanese. The longest running series is titled Kirby of the Stars: The Story of Dedede Who Lives In Pupupu, running up to 25 books, and was written by Hirokazu Hikawa (ひかわ 博一 Hikawa Hirokazu). Other Kirby manga are typically one-shot comedy 4koma
based on the games, and have multiple artists. They usually have recurring themes and running gag
s, despite having different creators.
A few comics published in the German Club Nintendo
magazines feature Kirby as a detective and King Dedede as his friend. His animal friends Rick, Kine and Coo appear in the comics as pets of a female Kirby look-alike, ostensibly one of Kirby's girlfriends. In one comic, he meets Lolo, Lala and Lulu, the stars of the Adventures of Lolo series. These comics were advertisements for Kirby games that would be released in Germany.
It was originally confirmed that Viz Media
would release the manga beginning on September 2010. It was then pushed back to October 4, 2011. Suddenly, on May 16, 2011, the manga was removed from Viz Media's website.
, Kirby has received positive reception. Nintendo Power
listed Kirby as their 19th favourite hero, commenting that he doesn't get the respect that he deserves. Kirby ranked second on GameDaily
's Top 10 Super Smash Bros. characters list. GamesRadar
listed Kirby as one of the most lovable blobs, calling him one of the cutest things to appear in a Nintendo
game, yet also calling him nothing in the way he defeats his enemies. He ranked sixth on IGN
's top 10 veteran Super Smash Bros. characters, described as the "pinkest badass ever made." An issue of the webcomic VG Cats
depicts Kirby in 100 forms from both video games and other forms of media, such as characters from The Legend of Zelda
, Metal Gear
and Gundam
. UGO.com listed Kirby on their list of "The Cutest Video Game Characters" stating "It’s easy to get on board with someone who will eat anything."
Protagonist
A protagonist is the main character of a literary, theatrical, cinematic, or musical narrative, around whom the events of the narrative's plot revolve and with whom the audience is intended to most identify...
of Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
's Kirby video game series
Kirby (series)
The series is a fantasy video game series developed by HAL Laboratory and Nintendo, and produced by Nintendo. The gameplay of a majority of the games in the series consists mainly of action, platform and puzzle-solving elements...
created by Masahiro Sakurai
Masahiro Sakurai
is a Japanese video game designer, the creative force behind both the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series on Nintendo platforms. He is currently Director of Software Development for the video game developer's Sora Ltd. and Project Sora. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu...
and developed by HAL Laboratory
HAL Laboratory
is a Japanese video game developer that was founded on February 21, 1980. It is headquartered in Chiyoda, Tokyo. Its name comes from the HAL 9000 computer in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. The company is most famous for its character Kirby, the protagonist of the eponymous game series, as well as...
. The Kirby series is one of Nintendo's many well-known game franchises, spanning nearly twenty games since 1992. His first appearance took place in the 1992
1992 in video gaming
-Events:-Notable releases:* Gremlin Graphics releases Zool, Amiga's answer to Mario and Sonic. It goes on to become the best selling Commodore Amiga game, boosting the already popular computer to be the leading gaming machine in Europe....
video game Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
, where he was portrayed by a two-dimensional sprite
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
; since Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64...
for the Nintendo 64
Nintendo 64
The , often referred to as N64, was Nintendo′s third home video game console for the international market. Named for its 64-bit CPU, it was released in June 1996 in Japan, September 1996 in North America, March 1997 in Europe and Australia, September 1997 in France and December 1997 in Brazil...
, he has made several appearances in 3-D. He has been featured in other video games from Nintendo, on Nintendo's merchandising, on comic books, and even on a television show
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Kirby: of the stars, known in Japan Kirby right back at ya!', is an anime series based on Nintendo's Kirby franchise. The series was produced by Warpstar Inc., a company formed between a joint investment between Nintendo and HAL Laboratory, Inc.The series, which takes place in a village called...
. Kirby also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series.
Kirby is described in his games as a young male pink ball, who is a citizen of on the planet Pop Star. In the main game, he almost always has the same abilities; he can walk, run, jump, float, slide, and inhale, spit out, or devour his enemies.
Kirby often journeys across the planet Pop Star, defeating antagonistic forces such as the greedy King Dedede or the evil Dark Matter. On other occasions, he encounters the enigmatic Meta Knight. To defeat his foes, he uses his signature ability of inhaling large objects and spitting them out with great force. From Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure, known as in Japan, is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released March 26, 1993 in Japan, and was later released in North America on May 1, 1993, and in Europe on...
onward, Kirby was able to gain the abilities of the enemies he swallowed, better known as his Copy Abilities. In several games in the series, he obtains a mystical weapon during the climax of the battle against his enemy; this weapon is usually required to defeat the final boss.
Concept and creation
Sprite (computer graphics)
In computer graphics, a sprite is a two-dimensional image or animation that is integrated into a larger scene...
during the development of what would be the first Kirby game, originally titled 'Twinkle Popopo' instead of the current Hoshi no Kābī (translated as 'Kirby of the Stars'). After a while, creator Masahiro Sakurai
Masahiro Sakurai
is a Japanese video game designer, the creative force behind both the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series on Nintendo platforms. He is currently Director of Software Development for the video game developer's Sora Ltd. and Project Sora. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu...
started to prefer Kirby's placeholder design over the original concept. He later stated that he envisioned Kirby as a 'game for beginners'.
As Kirby's first appearance was on the monochrome screen of the Game Boy
Game Boy
The , is an 8-bit handheld video game device developed and manufactured by Nintendo. It was released in Japan on , in North America in , and in Europe on...
, his "true" color could not be represented in-game. Sakurai intended Kirby to be pink. However, Shigeru Miyamoto
Shigeru Miyamoto
is a Japanese video game designer and producer. Miyamoto was born and raised in Kyoto Prefecture; the natural surroundings of Kyoto inspired much of Miyamoto's later work....
had envisioned him as yellow. This may be why in multiplayer modes in most kirby games,second player is yellow. Because of this ambiguity, Nintendo of America
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
was left with some confusion when the game was ported to the West. The American box art, cartridge label, instruction booklet, and even the television commercial for Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
features Kirby entirely white in color. The Japanese box art, however, depicts Kirby as pink.
There is a debate on the origins of Kirby's name. One widespread view is that Kirby adopted his Western name from the Kirby Corporation
Kirby Company
The Kirby Company is a manufacturer of vacuum cleaners and home cleaning accessories, based in Cleveland, Ohio. It is a subsidiary of the Scott Fetzer Company which in turn is part of Berkshire Hathaway. Dealers are located in over 70 countries throughout the world...
, a vacuum cleaner manufacturer, leading to the belief the name is a play on Kirby's ability to inhale just about anything. The other possible explanation is that Kirby was named in honor of Nintendo's legal counsel, John Kirby
John Kirby (attorney)
John J. Kirby, Jr. is an American attorney employed by the law firm Latham & Watkins LLP, that has represented a number of notable corporations in legal disputes. One of his most well-known cases was Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd...
of Latham & Watkins LLP
Latham & Watkins
Latham & Watkins LLP is a global law firm, one of the largest in the world. Latham currently employs approximately 2,000 attorneys in the United States, Europe, the Middle East and Asia. The firm was started in Los Angeles in 1934 and has extensive Californian roots, but its largest office is now...
, who represented them in the courtroom during a copyright infringement lawsuit
Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd.
Universal City Studios, Inc. v. Nintendo Co., Ltd. was a case heard by the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York by Judge Robert W. Sweet. In their complaint, Universal Studios alleged that Nintendo's video game Donkey Kong was a trademark infringement of King Kong, the...
over Donkey Kong filed by Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
. However, Masahiro Sakurai has been quoted as saying he does not remember how Kirby got his name.
Actor portrayal
Kirby is voiced by female seiyūSeiyu
Voice acting in Japan has far greater prominence than in most other countries. Japan's large animation industry produces 60% of the animated series in the world; as a result, Japanese voice actors, or , are able to achieve fame on a national and international level.Besides acting as narrators and...
Makiko Ōmoto
Makiko Omoto
is a Japanese voice actress from Kurashiki, Okayama Prefecture, affiliated with Aoni Production.She is best known for her work in the Kirby's Dream Land series , Corrector Yui , Zoids: Chaotic Century , Cheeky Angel , Cutie Honey Flash , Onmyou Taisenki , and Battle B-Daman: Fire Spirits .-TV...
in the Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros., known in Japan as , is a fighting game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on January 21, 1999, in North America on April 26, 1999, and in Europe on November 19, 1999. Super Smash Bros. is the first game in the Super...
series, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64...
, Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn, known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed for the Wii video game console by Good-Feel and HAL Laboratory, and published by Nintendo. It is the tenth installment of the Kirby video game series....
, and in both versions of the anime
Anime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Kirby: of the stars, known in Japan Kirby right back at ya!', is an anime series based on Nintendo's Kirby franchise. The series was produced by Warpstar Inc., a company formed between a joint investment between Nintendo and HAL Laboratory, Inc.The series, which takes place in a village called...
since Kirby does not display extensive linguistic skills in the latter media. She considered the time doing Kirby's voice and working with others on the show and games to be a great experience. In a previous 1993 educational video called Mario Kirby Masterpiece, Kirby was voiced by Mayumi Tanaka
Mayumi Tanaka
is a Japanese voice actress from Tokyo currently affiliated with Aoni Production.She is best known for the roles of Ryuunosuke Fujinami in Urusei Yatsura, Pazu in Laputa: Castle in the Sky, Monkey D. Luffy in One Piece, Krillin, Yajirobe and Uranai Baba in Dragon Ball...
.
Characteristics
Kirby is a small, pink, spherical creature (occasionally described as a living pink marshmallowMarshmallow
The marshmallow is a confection that, in its modern form, typically consists of sugar, corn syrup, water, gelatin that has been softened in hot water, dextrose, vanilla flavourings, and sometimes colouring, whipped to a spongy consistency. Some marshmallow recipes call for egg whites...
) with large red feet, stubby arms, and trademark pink cheek-blushes. His body is soft and flexible, allowing him to be flattened. He is supposedly 8 inches tall, according to the Super Smash Bros. games. His weight is unknown, although several parts of the anime, the game Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, and the Super Smash Bros. series suggest that he is light enough to be carried and for the wind to cause him to move in an unwanted direction. He hails from the planet Pop Star, where he lives in a dome-shaped house in the kingdom of Dream Land. His appearance has changed subtly over the years, becoming more rounded and defined, mainly in his face and larger eyes. The new design has been used in all subsequent games.
Personality
Kirby has a positive attitude, and helps to save Dream Land through the use of his unique powers. His age is never stated, although he is called a "little boy" in the manual for Kirby's Dream LandKirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
, literally acts like a baby in the anime, and is referred to as being a "pretty jolly guy" in Kirby Super Star. This, along with his high-pitched voice, suggests that Kirby is young.
Kirby is cheerful and innocent. He loves to eat, sleep, color, and play, especially during the day. His favorite food is tomatoes, since the Maxim Tomatoes in the games which fully restore his health (although in the anime, his favorite food appears to be watermelons). He is said to dislike caterpillar
Caterpillar
Caterpillars are the larval form of members of the order Lepidoptera . They are mostly herbivorous in food habit, although some species are insectivorous. Caterpillars are voracious feeders and many of them are considered to be pests in agriculture...
s. His other hobbies include singing, although he is tone-deaf
Tone deafness
Tone deafness is the lack of relative pitch, or the inability to distinguish between musical notes that is not due to the lack of musical training or education...
. He sometimes acts in an impulsive nature, such as when he accuses King Dedede of interfering with the Fountain of Dreams (also known as the Dream Spring) in Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure, known as in Japan, is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released March 26, 1993 in Japan, and was later released in North America on May 1, 1993, and in Europe on...
, and then leaves to retrieve the pieces of the shattered Star Rod without even letting Dedede explain himself.
The same personality and nature is presented in the Super Smash Bros. titles. In Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
, his trophy profile states that he is an "extremely skilled technician". Kirby has been seen to have made the biggest, and most playable role in Subspace Emissary (as he collects all of the trophies,) the story mode of Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
. Meta Knight and King Dedede also play a prominent role in the Subspace Emissary mode as well. Unlike most trademark Nintendo villans,(Bowser, Ganondorf,etc.) King Dedede plays a hidden good role in the Subspace Emissary.
Although (or perhaps because) he appears cute and innocent, many commercials and ads have showcased this as a contrast to his extreme fighting skills when he takes on the abilities of an enemy.
Kirby is a character of few words and rarely speaks in-game. His dialogue is largely limited to appearances in some games' instruction manuals, and brief comments such as 'Hi' in games including Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros., known in Japan as , is a fighting game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on January 21, 1999, in North America on April 26, 1999, and in Europe on November 19, 1999. Super Smash Bros. is the first game in the Super...
and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64...
. Despite his lack of dialogue, Kirby narrates the functions of certain Copy Abilities on the pause menu in Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land, Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, known as in Japan, is a Kirby video game released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. It is Kirby's last game for the system and is the only Kirby title where Kirby's nemesis King Dedede does not make an appearance. The game has been re-released in Europe for Club...
, and Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby: Squeak Squad
Kirby: Squeak Squad, known in Europe as Kirby: Mouse Attack and in Japan as , is a 2006-07 platforming video game developed by Flagship and Natsume and published by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console.Unlike the previous Nintendo DS title, Kirby: Canvas...
. Kirby gives short descriptions of various menu options when they are highlighted. The concept of Kirby being mostly mute is supported by Masahiro Sakurai's insistence that Kirby does not speak in the anime series, although he does occasionally say the names of his special attacks and certain foods and sometimes repeats other words that he hears. In the Super Smash Bros. series, when Kirby copies a foe's ability, Kirby says the name of some attacks, such as Captain Falcon
Captain Falcon
Douglas Jay Falcon, better known by his alias, , is a playable character in the racing video game series F-Zero. He first appeared in F-Zero, and has been called the poster boy of the F-Zero franchise. Nintendo first envisioned Captain Falcon as a flagship character to represent the release of a...
's "Falcon Punch", Ness' PK Flash, and Lucas' PK Freeze (See: Kirby Anime Development). There are some notable exceptions where Kirby actually does speak in-game, such as Kirby's Avalanche
Kirby's Avalanche
Kirby's Avalanche, known in Europe as Kirby's Ghost Trap, is a Puyo Puyo game developed by Compile and HAL Laboratory, released by Nintendo in 1995. It is a localization of the Japanese game Super Puyo Puyo in much the same way that Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine being the localization of the...
, Kirby no Kirakira Kizzu and Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn, known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed for the Wii video game console by Good-Feel and HAL Laboratory, and published by Nintendo. It is the tenth installment of the Kirby video game series....
.
Abilities
Kirby's main attack is inhaling enemies (both his mouth and body expand to allow him to inhale things much larger than himself) and swallowing them. He can also attack others by spitting enemies out as star-projectiles. Certain enemies, when swallowed, grant Kirby new powers called Copy Abilities.In Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
, Kirby did not have Copy Abilities. He collected power ups, such as a mint leaf, which enabled him to shoot out endless air pellets for a limited amount of time, and curry and chicken(which makes a reappearance in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
as Superspicy Curry), which let Kirby shoot out fireballs from his mouth until the item's effect wore off or he lost a life.
In most early games, an ability does not change Kirby's appearance drastically, aside from his color changing to orange or snow white in Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure, known as in Japan, is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released March 26, 1993 in Japan, and was later released in North America on May 1, 1993, and in Europe on...
, or wielding a weapon for abilities like Sword
Sword
A sword is a bladed weapon used primarily for cutting or thrusting. The precise definition of the term varies with the historical epoch or the geographical region under consideration...
or Hammer
Hammer
A hammer is a tool meant to deliver an impact to an object. The most common uses are for driving nails, fitting parts, forging metal and breaking up objects. Hammers are often designed for a specific purpose, and vary widely in their shape and structure. The usual features are a handle and a head,...
. However, with Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star, known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and as in Japan, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 1996, in North America on...
, Kirby gains a unique hat for each ability, such as an "ice climbers" for freeze, a frozen crown for Ice, or a backwards baseball cap for Yo-Yo and Wheel. While this would be overlooked in later games not designed by Masahiro Sakurai (such as Kirby's Dream Land 3
Kirby's Dream Land 3
Kirby's Dream Land 3, known as in Japan, is the fifth platformer video game starring Kirby. Specifically, it is the third game under the Kirby's Dream Land name. Although the first two games were largely unrelated, Dream Land 3 features many similar characters to Dream Land 2...
and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64...
) the hats soon became a staple of the series (with the exception of Kirby: Canvas Curse
Kirby: Canvas Curse
Kirby: Canvas Curse, known in Europe as Kirby: Power Paintbrush and in Japan as , is a 2005 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo DS handheld video game console...
).
In Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star, known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and as in Japan, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 1996, in North America on...
, Kirby could sacrifice his copied ability to create a 'Helper', an allied version of the enemy he had devoured. The new Helper would be controlled by the game or a second player. The 'Helper' would fight enemies with Kirby. This feature has not yet been included in later Kirby games, although it was included in Kirby Super Star's remake, Kirby Super Star Ultra.
Kirby also uses his powers to attain food or other special items like lollipops that grant him beneficial effects such as healing or temporary invulnerability. Kirby Super Star,"Kirby Super Star Ultra" and Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, known as in Japan, is a Kirby video game released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. It is Kirby's last game for the system and is the only Kirby title where Kirby's nemesis King Dedede does not make an appearance. The game has been re-released in Europe for Club...
contain a feature where Kirby can share his food with the second player.
Kirby can inhale air to make himself more buoyant, flying slowly by flapping his arms. He can attack enemies by quickly exhaling a puff of air. This technique is known as the air gun. Whilst in most games he can float indefinitely, this ability is limited in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, known as in Japan, is a platform game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64...
and Super Smash Bros. Other games have developed his powers even further, such as allowing him to block attacks in Kirby Super Star. As a whole, however, his basic moves have remained the same, although more Copy Abilities are added in each new game. In Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
, Kirby displays an ability called "Cook Kirby", that was taken from Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star, known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and as in Japan, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 1996, in North America on...
and other recent games, as his Final Smash Attack. For this power, Kirby acquires a chef's hat, cooking utensils, and a boiling pot. All objects, including Assist Trophies, Pokémon
Pokémon
is a media franchise published and owned by the video game company Nintendo and created by Satoshi Tajiri in 1996. Originally released as a pair of interlinkable Game Boy role-playing video games developed by Game Freak, Pokémon has since become the second most successful and lucrative video...
, and players within a limited range are drawn into the pot. Various items then rain from above into the pot, and the players shoot out.
In Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn
Kirby's Epic Yarn, known in Japan as , is a platform video game developed for the Wii video game console by Good-Feel and HAL Laboratory, and published by Nintendo. It is the tenth installment of the Kirby video game series....
, at the start of the game, Kirby inhales a yarn-based Maxim Tomato(referred to by Yin-Yarn as a Metamato) transforming him into yarn, granting Kirby the ability to transform into a car, a surfboarding penguin, a UFO, and many other forms. Also, since Kirby cannot suck up enemies in this game ( since air just goes through him ), he uses a yarn whip to grab enemies and turn them into yarn balls, which can by thrown at other foes, attached to buttons, move zippers and more.
Species
While Kirby is the one most often emphasized, he is not the only member of his kind. His similar kind is evidenced by similar looking characters seen in the ending of Kirby's Dream LandKirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
, the remake Spring Breeze in Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star
Kirby Super Star, known as Kirby's Fun Pak in Europe and as in Japan, is a 1996 platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Super Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released in Japan on March 21, 1996, in North America on...
, and potentially Meta Knight along with the final boss of Kirby Super Star Ultras Meta Knightmare Ultra, Galacta Knight, who appears to look nearly identical to Kirby. In Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land and Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror
Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, known as in Japan, is a Kirby video game released in 2004 for the Game Boy Advance. It is Kirby's last game for the system and is the only Kirby title where Kirby's nemesis King Dedede does not make an appearance. The game has been re-released in Europe for Club...
, different colored Kirbys appear as other players in multi-player games. In the case of the latter, they are the result of Kirby being divided into four by Dark Meta Knight.
In general, members of the species all look similar, but sometimes have different colored skin, eyes, and shoes. They are commonly referred to as Kirbys, just as 'Yoshi
Yoshi
, is a fictional dragon-like character who appears in video games published by Nintendo. His debut was in Super Mario World on the Super Nintendo Entertainment System as Mario and Luigi's sidekick , and he later established his own series with several platform and puzzle games, including Super...
' in the Mario series
Mario (series)
The video game series, alternatively called the series or simply the series, is a series of highly popular and critically acclaimed video games by Nintendo, featuring Nintendo's mascot Mario and, in many games, his brother Luigi. Gameplay in the series often centers around jumping on and...
is the name of both the species and character. As a name, however, 'Kirby' refers to only one character. Terms like creampuffs or puffballs are also used to describe the species, referring to their soft, round appearance. In the English manual of Kirby & the Amazing Mirror, the term Kirbys is used at points, to illustrate the feature of having four differently colored versions of Kirby active in the game simultaneously.
Another common term is Dream Landers, a term used in the instruction manual for Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure
Kirby's Adventure, known as in Japan, is a platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo Entertainment System video game console. It was first released March 26, 1993 in Japan, and was later released in North America on May 1, 1993, and in Europe on...
. This term, however, also refers to anyone who lives in Dream Land, including characters like King Dedede. The biography of Kirby in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
says Kirby is a citizen
Citizenship
Citizenship is the state of being a citizen of a particular social, political, national, or human resource community. Citizenship status, under social contract theory, carries with it both rights and responsibilities...
of Dream Land.
In the anime, Kirby has also been called a Star Warrior, along with Meta Knight and other characters that have appeared in the Kirby animated series. It's a common belief that this refers to their species, but this is untrue as there is another person referred to as a Star Warrior who looks nothing like them. It is said that Kirby is just a young Star Warrior or an underdeveloped one. In the first episode of the animated series, Kirby's space ship prematurely crashed on Pop Star. The trip was supposed to take him several hundred years and in that time he was supposed to be dormant; however, his ship drifted into a space rift causing it to warp to Dream Land and making his trip shorter, not allowing him to develop into the Star Warrior he was going to become. Kirby was also called a Warpstar Knight or a Warpstar Warrior, but this was only occasionally seen in select advertisements. Although it is unclear, the possibility also exists that he may be one of Holy Nightmare's (NME or Nightmare Enterprises in the English dub) monsters that turned against his creator.
In Kirby's Dream Land 3
Kirby's Dream Land 3
Kirby's Dream Land 3, known as in Japan, is the fifth platformer video game starring Kirby. Specifically, it is the third game under the Kirby's Dream Land name. Although the first two games were largely unrelated, Dream Land 3 features many similar characters to Dream Land 2...
, mysterious characters appear called Batamon. They resemble Kirby aside from a more flattened shape and different face. They are always seen walking past walls or ceilings beyond Kirby's reach, with the exception of a single stage in Cloudy Park, where Kirby can continue past the exit and come into contact with one.
Main series
Kirby set off on his first adventure in Kirby's Dream LandKirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
when the self-made ruler of Dream Land, King Dedede, stole everyone's food and the Sparkling Stars they needed to get more food. Since this act of greed, more dangerous enemies have threatened Kirby's home. His journeys have become more daunting as creatures like Dark Matter possess and control his friends against their will. Kirby maintains a brave and cheerful personality despite it all, gaining new powers and allies to aid him.
Super Smash Bros. series
Kirby also appears in the Super Smash Bros. series of games as a playable character, which is also created by Masahiro SakuraiMasahiro Sakurai
is a Japanese video game designer, the creative force behind both the Kirby and the Super Smash Bros. series on Nintendo platforms. He is currently Director of Software Development for the video game developer's Sora Ltd. and Project Sora. He is also the author of a weekly column for Famitsu...
. He was the series' sole representative in Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros.
Super Smash Bros., known in Japan as , is a fighting game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Nintendo 64. It was released in Japan on January 21, 1999, in North America on April 26, 1999, and in Europe on November 19, 1999. Super Smash Bros. is the first game in the Super...
and Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee
Super Smash Bros. Melee, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBM or simply as Melee, is a crossover fighting game released for the Nintendo GameCube shortly after its launch in . It is the successor to the Nintendo 64 game Super Smash Bros., and the predecessor to the Wii game Super Smash...
, but is accompanied by fellow characters Meta Knight and King Dedede in Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Super Smash Bros. Brawl, known in Japan as , often abbreviated as SSBB or simply as Brawl, is the third installment in the Super Smash Bros. series of crossover fighting games, developed by an ad hoc development team consisting of Sora, Game Arts and staff from other developers, and published by...
.
Anime
The character Kirby is represented in an animeAnime
is the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
titled Kirby of the Stars (Japanese: 星のカービィ Hoshi no Kāabīi). It was originally in Japanese but was later remade in English by 4kids. Hoshi no Kaabii was licensed in North America
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
by 4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
and the Canadian
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
company Nelvana
Nelvana
Nelvana Limited is a Canadian entertainment company founded in 1971 known for its work in children's animation. It was named by founders Michael Hirsh, Patrick Loubert and Clive A. Smith after a Canadian comic book superheroine created by Adrian Dingle in the 1940s...
, and produced by Nintendo and HAL Laboratory. It aired on 4Kids TV
4Kids Entertainment
4Kids Entertainment is an American film and television production company in bankruptcy since April 2011. It is known for English-dubbing Japanese anime and specializing in the acquisition, production and licensing of children's entertainment around the United States...
, via Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting
is a regional radio and television service serving Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. Its radio service is affiliated with the Japan Radio Network and its television service affiliated with the Japan News Network and the TBS Network.-Radio:Frequency...
(since 2001 which has done 100 episodes). Kirby was also in a short educational video that was only released in Japan, designed to teach kanji
Kanji
Kanji are the adopted logographic Chinese characters hanzi that are used in the modern Japanese writing system along with hiragana , katakana , Indo Arabic numerals, and the occasional use of the Latin alphabet...
to young children. The feature was not animated, but contained illustrations.
Kirby's image in the animated series is similar to his in-game image. His feet are a deeper shade of red than in the games, although most anime-related merchandise does not reflect this change. Though Sakurai prefers Kirby not to speak, he has allowed him to use a small vocabulary.
Only in the anime series is Kirby's background given any significance. On the show, he is a legendary Star Warrior who, according to legend, is fated to save Pop Star from destruction. No such legends are ever referred to in the games. It is implied early in the series that he was a creation of an ancient evil entity called Nightmare. It is also said that Kirby was meant to sleep for 200 years, but was awoken too early by mistake, which is why he has baby-like qualities. Because of his age, he depends even more on the help of his friends to pull through tough situations.
Unlike the games, the anime contains darker themes such as war, blood, violence, and death (although mostly in the Japanese version), though it still maintains most of the cheerful and surreal themes from the games. Kirby's creator, Masahiro Sakurai, was greatly involved in its creation, so it did not stray far from his vision of how Kirby should be.
A main trademark of the show is his Warp Star, which, although it appeared in some of the games, is used in almost every episode in the series. It is, apparently, his source of power. He only needs to see it to get his power, but he can't keep it safe for himself. Unlike the games, there is only one Warp Star that Kirby uses for transportation.
Manga and comics
Manga
Manga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
series, most of which haven't been released in a language other than Japanese. The longest running series is titled Kirby of the Stars: The Story of Dedede Who Lives In Pupupu, running up to 25 books, and was written by Hirokazu Hikawa (ひかわ 博一 Hikawa Hirokazu). Other Kirby manga are typically one-shot comedy 4koma
Yonkoma
thumb|right|150px|Traditional Yonkoma layout, a comic-strip format, generally consists of gag comic strips within four panels of equal size ordered from top to bottom...
based on the games, and have multiple artists. They usually have recurring themes and running gag
Running gag
A running gag, or running joke, is a literary device that takes the form of an amusing joke or a comical reference and appears repeatedly throughout a work of literature or other form of storytelling....
s, despite having different creators.
A few comics published in the German Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo
Club Nintendo is the name of several publications and a more well-known customer loyalty program provided by Nintendo. The loyalty program is free to join and is committed to providing rewards in exchange for consumer feedback and loyalty to purchasing official Nintendo products...
magazines feature Kirby as a detective and King Dedede as his friend. His animal friends Rick, Kine and Coo appear in the comics as pets of a female Kirby look-alike, ostensibly one of Kirby's girlfriends. In one comic, he meets Lolo, Lala and Lulu, the stars of the Adventures of Lolo series. These comics were advertisements for Kirby games that would be released in Germany.
It was originally confirmed that Viz Media
VIZ Media
VIZ Media, LLC, headquartered in San Francisco, is an anime, manga, and Japanese entertainment company. It was founded in 1986 as VIZ LLC. In 2005, VIZ LLC and ShoPro Entertainment merged to form the current VIZ Media LLC, which is jointly owned by Japanese publishers Shogakukan and Shueisha, and...
would release the manga beginning on September 2010. It was then pushed back to October 4, 2011. Suddenly, on May 16, 2011, the manga was removed from Viz Media's website.
Reception
Since he first appeared in Kirby's Dream LandKirby's Dream Land
Kirby's Dream Land, known as in Japan, is a 1992 third party developed platforming video game developed by HAL Laboratory and published by Nintendo for the Game Boy handheld video game console. It was first released in Japan, and was later released in North America. It is both the first video game...
, Kirby has received positive reception. Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power
Nintendo Power magazine is a monthly news and strategy magazine formerly published in-house by Nintendo of America, but now run independently. As of issue #222 , Nintendo contracted publishing duties to Future US, the U.S. subsidiary of British publisher Future.The first issue published was...
listed Kirby as their 19th favourite hero, commenting that he doesn't get the respect that he deserves. Kirby ranked second on GameDaily
GameDaily
GameDaily was a video game journalism website based in the United States. Launched in 1995 by entrepreneur Mark Friedler under the name Gigex and focused on free game demo downloads, The site changed its business model from a flat fee per download CDN distributed service network to an...
's Top 10 Super Smash Bros. characters list. GamesRadar
GamesRadar
GamesRadar is a multi-format video game website featuring regular news, previews, reviews, videos, and guides. It is owned and operated simultaneously in the UK and US by worldwide publisher Future Publishing...
listed Kirby as one of the most lovable blobs, calling him one of the cutest things to appear in a Nintendo
Nintendo
is a multinational corporation located in Kyoto, Japan. Founded on September 23, 1889 by Fusajiro Yamauchi, it produced handmade hanafuda cards. By 1963, the company had tried several small niche businesses, such as a cab company and a love hotel....
game, yet also calling him nothing in the way he defeats his enemies. He ranked sixth on IGN
IGN
IGN is an entertainment website that focuses on video games, films, music and other media. IGN's main website comprises several specialty sites or "channels", each occupying a subdomain and covering a specific area of entertainment...
's top 10 veteran Super Smash Bros. characters, described as the "pinkest badass ever made." An issue of the webcomic VG Cats
VG Cats
VG Cats is a webcomic written and drawn by Canadian cartoonist Scott Ramsoomair. Published on its own website, it features the adventures of a pair of anthropomorphic cats, who often play the roles of characters in popular video games that are parodied in the strip. Strips are usually presented in...
depicts Kirby in 100 forms from both video games and other forms of media, such as characters from The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda
The Legend of Zelda, originally released as in Japan, is a video game developed and published by Nintendo, and designed by Shigeru Miyamoto and Takashi Tezuka. Set in the fantasy land of Hyrule, the plot centers on a boy named Link, the playable protagonist, who aims to collect the eight fragments...
, Metal Gear
Metal Gear
Metal Gear is a series of video games.Metal Gear may also refer to:*Metal Gear , bipedal tanks appearing in the Metal Gear series-Metal Gear video game series:...
and Gundam
Gundam
The is a metaseries of anime created by Sunrise studios that features giant robots called "Mobile Suits" ; usually the protagonist's MS will carry the name Gundam....
. UGO.com listed Kirby on their list of "The Cutest Video Game Characters" stating "It’s easy to get on board with someone who will eat anything."