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    Kirby

    Character » appears in 63 games

    Kirby is the pink, puffy, and powerful hero of Planet Popstar. He was a young traveler who came to Dream Land with the Spring Breeze, and has lived there ever since. He's famous for his ability to inhale anything, including his enemies, to copy their abilities and transform.

    Short summary describing this character.

    Kirby last edited by Dededisciple on 01/29/24 09:30AM View full history

    Overview

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    Kirby is a pink puffball from Dream Land and is the hero of the Kirby franchise created by Masahiro Sakurai. Since his debut in Kirby’s Dream Land in 1992, Kirby has starred in 17 other games. Kirby has also been featured in the Super Smash Bros. franchise (also created by Masahiro Sakurai) as a playable character. Kirby has been in various other media as well, such as various manga and even a series of light novels. A television show featuring Kirby called Kirby: Right Back At Ya! aired for 100 episodes. In Japan, there is an official chain of restaurants completely themed after the Kirby franchise called Kirby Café.

    Concept and Creation

    No Caption Provided

    Kirby had originally retained his image by the name of Popopo and was to appear in the original concept game titled ' Twinkle Popopo'. He was set into programing as an incomplete placeholder for the main character, featured only as a blob sprite in the early development, of what would know be known as the first entry of Kirby in the series of games to come. However, in the final release for the public in 1992, he become well accepted in Japanese title release "Hosi no Kābī" (translated as "Kirby of the Stars"). When given the choice of character design, game creator Masahiro Sakurai preferred Kirby's placeholder mold over the originally intended concept design.

    Characteristics

    Personality

    Tomorrow's wind blows tomorrow.
    Kirby's favorite phrase • Super Smash Bros. official website (translated from Japanese)

    Kirby is usually characterized as a carefree young boy, who enjoys eating and napping and spending time with his friends, like any child would. He's a kind and friendly person who will hear out any strangers' plight and help them, such as Ribbon in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Elline in Kirby and the Rainbow Curse, and Elfilin in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. Kirby is forgiving, and has befriended many of his former enemies, most notably would be King Dedede, Meta Knight, and Bandana Waddle Dee, who have grown to become his most prominent allies. Kirby is also, of course, adventurous, and will sometimes seek out treasure such as in The Great Cave Offensive in Kirby Super Star, and it's remake Kirby Super Star Ultra, and in the It's Kirby Time book, Take Courage. Kirby is also often shown fishing as a hobby.

    "So you're up to you're old tricks again, eh Dedede?!" accused Kirby.

    "What are you talking about, young pudge ball?" Dedede looked surprised. "I thought I'd do everyone a favor by..."
    "No, no no!"
    Kirby shook his head. "I won't listen to your tricks! What have you done with the Star Rod?!"
    "Oh, that old thing,"
    Dedede said nonchalantly. "I broke it into seven pieces and gave each piece to one of my friends..."
    "What was Dedede thinking?!"
    Kirby wondered. Before hearing any more of what Dedede had to say, Kirby set off on the long trek to gather the pieces of the Star Rod and return them to the Dream Spring.
    Kirby's Adventure Instruction Booklet

    However Kirby is not without his flaws. While being helpful to strangers can be a good thing, Kirby can be pretty gullible, which has lead to him being tricked and betrayed by Marx in Kirby Super Star, and it's remake Kirby Super Star Ultra, and Magolor in Kirby's Return to Dream Land and it's remake, Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe. Kirby has also been shown to be impulsive at times, such as when he unintentionally released Nightmare in Kirby's Adventure, which could have been avoided had he bothered to hear King Dedede out, or when he stormed Castle Dedede and beat Dedede up because he wrongly assumed that he had stolen his strawberry shortcake in Kirby: Squeak Squad.

    Also, while Kirby will inhale and swallow just about anything under the sun, apparently caterpillars are an exception for him, since he finds them icky. Ironic, since he's often seen chasing butterflies.

    Powers & Abilities

    “He's a youngster who came to Dream Land alongside the spring breeze, and a glutton who'll suck up anything. With his special Copy Abilities, he becomes able to use his opponents' powers, but when it comes to his singing... That's one thing he can't improve.
    Sometimes he changes shape, splits up, or rolls around for some reason, he really is a strange fella!”
    A non-canon, in-character King Dedede describing Kirby as an entry in The Great Dedede-Directory (translated by Kaialone) • Official Kirby JP twitter, post of Jul 10, 2019
    Kirby's body morphing into different shapes.
    Kirby's body morphing into different shapes.

    Most of Kirby's abilities are owed to his strange physiology. His round body is incredibly malleable, being capable of getting squashed, squished, or stretched with little to no ill effect, allowing him to inhale and swallow objects and enemies far larger than him, such as when using the Hypernova ability in Kirby: Triple Deluxe or his various Mouthful Modes in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. His lightweight body allows him to puff himself up like a balloon and hover across obstacles, even to a size large enough to lift Castle Dedede into the sky in the ending of the very first game, Kirby's Dream Land, and in Spring Breeze in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra.

    But most famously, Kirby can gain a "Copy Ability" by swallowing certain enemies he inhales, making him extremely versatile and adaptable, even being able to combine multiple abilities in Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards or evolve them into stronger versions in Kirby and the Forgotten Land. The ever-growing library of Copy Abilities that Kirby has at his disposal would make this page far too long, so here's an entire official playlist showcasing all of Kirby's Copy Abilities (and more) for your convenience! In Kirby: Squeak Squad, Kirby can store up to 5 Copy Abilities at once in his stomach, but in Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra's Milky Way Wishes, Kirby can use any Copy Ability whenever he wants once he gains their Copy Essence. In Kirby Super Star and Kirby Super Star Ultra, Kirby can give up his Copy Ability to summon a Helper, or alternatively, turn enemies into allies with the power of Friend Hearts in Kirby Star Allies.

    Even without a Copy Ability, Kirby isn't defenseless, as he can spit out whatever he inhales as a Star Bullet, which can grow larger depending on the size or amount of what he inhales. Well, that and he has the raw strength to split his entire planet in half, as shown in Kirby Super Star's Megaton Punch Sub-Game. Kirby has gained quite a reputation for being incredibly powerful despite his cute and cuddly appearance, capable of defeating foes that are planetary, galactic, or even universal threats, earning him titles such as "the Pink Terror" and "the Pink Demon."

    Its energy signature far exceeds that of the Invader Armor, our combat mech. The nearly infinite power within this life-form is astounding. Calculating probability of survival... It doesn't look good.
    ― Star Dream's final thoughts before being defeated by Kirby, narrated in a pause screen description • Kirby: Planet Robobot

    Relationships

    Bandana Waddle Dee

    “I'm glad I can keep up with you out there, Kirby. Kinda makes me feel like a real hero, y'know?”
    ― Bandana Waddle Dee Kirby and the Forgotten Land

    Bandana Waddle Dee is Kirby's best friend, and supports him on his adventures, either by giving him food in Kirby: Triple Deluxe and Kirby: Planet Robobot, or fighting alongside him in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, it's remake Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe, and Kirby and the Forgotten Land. In Kirby: Super Star Ultra, Bandana Waddle Dee is King Dedede's most loyal subject, and fights Kirby out of loyalty to the King, but that doesn't seem to get in the way of their friendship considering Dedede is also on good terms with Kirby.

    King Dedede

    “Planet Popstar's destined rivals!” That's how King Dedede usually describes this special relationship, so he was crestfallen when he arrived in the new world and couldn't find Kirby.”
    ― Destined Rivals figure description • Kirby and the Forgotten Land
    Kirby and Dedede leaving on good terms after defeating Nightmare
    Kirby and Dedede leaving on good terms after defeating Nightmare

    In Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby's first impression of Dedede was that of a selfish troublemaker, and who could blame him after he stole all the food in Dream Land and its' Sparkling Stars? So in Kirby's Adventure, when Dedede stole the Star Rod and shattered it into pieces, robbing the people of Dream Land of their ability to dream, Kirby believed him to be up to his old tricks again. But it was later revealed that Dedede had good intentions behind his actions, as it was to prevent the Fountain of Dreams from being corrupted by Nightmare.

    After defeating Nightmare with the help of Dedede, Kirby began to understand that Dedede wasn't all bad and could be trusted. In Kirby's Dream Land 2, Kirby's Dream Land 3, and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards, Dedede also began to warm up to Kirby after he saved him from being possessed by Dark Matter.

    Dedede embracing Kirby
    Dedede embracing Kirby

    And ever since settling their rivalry for good in Kirby Super Star Ultra's Revenge of the King, the both of them have become good friends. Although they still compete, their rivalry is more comparable to a sibling dynamic, where their competitions are all in good fun, and while they will still get on each other's nerves and playfully tease each other, they don't mean anything by it and will always have each other's back when it calls for it, because they care about each other more than they let on. As Kirby games don't have much dialogue, their dynamic is mostly shown in their in-game animations, promotional artwork, or in media outside the games such as manga and light novels.

    “I'm stuffed! I don't think I can eat another bite!”
    “You're not thinking, Kirby! I'm stuffed too, but you gotta remember the hotel's got an all-you-can-eat snack-bar too! So I'm gonna cram in some more!”
    “I just remembered! Okay, I'm gonna run alllll the way to the hotel to empty out my stomach some!”
    “That's the spirit! I'll race ya, Kirby!”
    ― Kirby and Dedede bonding over their shared love of food • Kirby: Come On Over to Merry Magoland! (translated by The Starcutter and the Lying Wizard)

    Kirby embracing Dedede
    Kirby embracing Dedede

    It shouldn't be a surprise that they get along as well as they do, considering they have a lot in common, such as being gluttonous and carefree people who enjoy the peaceful status quo of Dream Land, and will step up to defend their lifestyle whenever it is threatened, while also showing to be childishly impulsive at times. Because of their similarities and Kirby having the lengthiest history with Dedede out of anyone else from the main cast due to them both being rivals from the very beginning, they are considered to be destined rivals. Being his definitive rival, Dedede arguably knows Kirby's strength better than anyone, and has accepted him as the true hero of Dream Land, now being content with aiding him on his adventures whenever he can or simply putting his faith in him even when things look bleak. According to several in-game texts, Kirby's Hammer Copy Ability skills were taught to him by King Dedede himself personally, and in Kirby and the Forgotten Land's post-game, Dedede lends Kirby an upgrade for the Hammer Copy Ability, which is his own Forgo Mask and Hammer, as if giving him a hand-me-down.

    Meta Knight

    Beneath his mask, Meta Knight closed his eyes.
    “My heart greatly wishes for power. I’m aware it may bring about a great disaster, but I still cannot stop.”
    “……Hmmm……”
    Kirby thought of it as strange. There are plenty of better things to do than becoming stronger. Like eating yummy stuff, playing with a friend until you’re tired out, or taking a nap in the cool shade of a tree. Still, he felt like he could understand his feeling a little.

    “You wanna become stronger and protect everyone, huh?”
    Said Kirby, where Meta Knight hung his head and muttered in a low voice.

    “Sometimes, I would forget that wish and desire power only for myself.”
    “Eh?”
    “No, never mind. In any case, as the battle ended, I feel like I became a bit stronger than before. Rather than Galacta Knight, I owe it to you guys.”
    “Huh? What do you mean?”
    “True strength isn’t to defeat a formidable foe. I wanted to tell you that.”
    Kirby was puzzled. Meta Knight always thinks about complicated stuff, where Kirby wouldn’t really get it. But Kirby was happy that Meta Knight whose attitude became all weird has returned back to normal.

    “Let’s go to the lobby and have snacks with everyone, Meta Knight!”
    “No, I……”
    “You don’t like snacks? You don’t eat sweet stuff?”
    “……I’m not saying that.”
    Meta Knight was pulled by Kirby and left the deck. As he walked along the long passage, he muttered in his heart instead of as a voice. (-What I desire isn’t Galacta Knight, but to possess a strength like you have.)

    Kirby talking to Meta Knight • Kirby: Meta Knight and the Galaxy's Greatest Warrior (translated by friendship-ended-with-pokespe)

    Meta Knight is Kirby's second rival. Meta Knight is a mysterious swordsman with a code of honor who prides himself on his strength, and is constantly searching for worthy opponents to quench his thirst for battle, but whereas Meta Knight sees Kirby as one of the few worthy opponents left for him to face, Kirby doesn't exactly share the same interests and doesn't really understand Meta Knight's desire to train and become stronger, so this rivalry is more one-sided.

    Underneath his mask, Meta Knight heavily resembles Kirby, but his relation to him is a mystery. It's likely that Meta Knight sees himself as a mentor towards Kirby, and him challenging Kirby is his way of training him, but Kirby himself has never went out of his way to seek his guidance, so this "mentor and student" relationship is also one-sided. Still, there is a mutual friendship and respect between them and they have teamed up to save their planet on several occasions.

    Notably, in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, Meta Knight lends Kirby his prized legendary blade, Galaxia, in the final battle against Dark Mind, and in Kirby: Planet Robobot, lends him his battleship Halberd in the final battle against Star Dream. And in the ending cutscene of Kirby: Planet Robobot, judging from the shadow the quickly leaves in the shot before Kirby wakes up, it was Meta Knight who safely retrieved Kirby after he was left floating in space.

    Special Appearances

    Super Smash Bros.

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    Kirby is a playable character in all of the Super Smash Bros. games and has left several marks in the games of the Smash Bros. series. Kirby is always playable at default.

    Kirby retain various specialized movesets of is his own, such as inhale

    Kirby uses a moveset similar to the Master Hand moveset in all three games, but instead of a punch as the neutral B attack, Kirby has the Inhale attack. Kirby’s other attacks are Hammer (In Melee and Brawl only) as side-B, Final Cutter as up-B, and Stone and down-B. Kirby’s inhale can be used on all characters besides for Kirby to steal the neutral-B move of that character. Once a move is gained, Kirby can no longer use the inhale ability. Kirby can get rid of his current ability by taunting.

    Kirby's Meme Presence

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    The BGM tracks from various Kirby games have been used in the creation of many popular Japanese "Madness" videos, also called MADs, using compiled footage from various anime, game and live action to create presentations cued to the music. The music from the "Gourmet Race" minigame in Kirby Super Star, and the "Sand Canyon" stage of Kirby's Dream Land are particularly popular, though the music from any stage seems to be fair game.

    The video from this Giant Bomb news post is an example of the "Gourmet Race" meme in action.

    Additional Information

    • Kirby's name may have connections in its origin from the Kirby Company, known for manufacturing vacuums in their production, as it may refer to the character's abilities to inhale and impale foes with intense wind-powered might.
    • Kirby is known to cause intense squealing, various intonations of "D'awwwww!" and restoration of the ability to feel childlike wonder again after so, so long.
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