With 26 iterations and counting, Kirby has remained one of Nintendo's most popular video game characters since its introduction via Kirby's Dream Land 1992. The beloved amorphous pink puff most recently appeared in Kirby Fighters 2, which was released on Nintendo Switch on September 23, 2020. Of course, Kirby can always be found in the Super Smash Bros. series, the fifth installment of which (Super Smash Bros. Ultimate) was released in 2018.
With the recent news of an Kirby game in 2021, it's time to redirect the focus onto the character itself. Although it's has been around for three decades, here are some little-known tidbits about Kirby.
Not Created By Nintendo
While Kirby will always remain synonymous with Nintendo, the fact is that Nintendo did not create the character or the game. Rather, Kirby was a product of HAL Laboratory, Inc.
Nintendo licensed the character and first introduced it in the 1992 Gameboy release of Kirby's Dream Land. HAL Laboratory also created Super Smash Bros., in which Kirby also makes several appearances.
Designed By A 19-Year-Old
Kirby's Dream Land was created by the 19-year-old Japanese game designer Masahiro Sakurai. The formless look of the character was meant to be replaced by advanced graphics for the protagonist to be added later, but Sakurai felt it suited the character better and kept the design.
Now age 50, Sakurai continues to work on Kirby and its various offshoots and iterations. Sakurai most recently wrote, directed, and voiced the role of King Dedede in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Name Change
While many fans know that Kirby was named after John Kirby, the American lawyer who defended Nintendo in a 1984 copyright case, fewer know that the original name of the character was Popopo. The name Gasper was also briefly considered.
Popopo was changed when it was decided the "guttural" name didn't fit the adorable appearance of the character. The name Kirby was chosen as a replacement, although the masculine connotation of the name does not mean Kirby is a boy. As most fans know, Kirby's color was also changed throughout history.
Gender Neutral
In fact, despite bearing a distinctive male name, Kirby is officially gender-neutral. In Japan, the character is referred to using non-gender-specific pronouns. However, in America, the character is often referred to as a boy.
Kirby has also been voiced by Japanese actress Makiki Ohmoto since 1999. In addition to Kirby, Ohmoto voiced the characters Lyn, Ness, and Viridi in Super Smash Bros. and Inahime in Samurai Warriors.
Multiple Manga Appearances
Fans of the countless Kirby video games may have missed the fact that the character has appeared most of which were solely published in Japan.
The longest-running Kirby manga belongs to Hirokazu Hikawa's Kirby of the Stars: The Story of Dedede in Pupupu, which includes 25 books. Plans to release the series in America were scrapped in 2011. In , Club Nintendo re-envisioned Kirby as a detective in a comic series with King Dedede as his partner.
Kirby Right Back At Ya! Anime
In addition to Kirby's manga output, fans of the games may not know that the character has starred in its very own Japanese anime series entitled Kirby Right Back At Ya! The standalone spinoff series disregards events in the videogames and reimagines Kirby's world.
The series ran for three seasons and 101 episodes from 2001 to 2003, and aired on 4Kids TV in America. Makiki Ohmoto voiced the role of Kirby in that series as well, with Kirby creator Masahiro Sakurai writing 100 episodes.
Level Name Acronyms
Beginning with Kirby's Adventure, hidden acronyms were planted in the game that would be partially revealed each time players conquered a level. After beating the level in each area of Kirby's Adventure, the letters spell ROYGBIV in reverse.
In Kirby Triple Delux, the acronym is revealed as FLOWERED. In Return to Dream Land, the word is CROWNED. In Canvas Curse, the word is RAINBOW, and in Planet Robobot, the word is PROGRAM.
Height
Throughout the myriad depictions of Kirby in games, anime, manga series, and the like, its onscreen size and stature tend to vary. Sometimes he appears larger than others, while in games like Super Smash Bros. he appears quite lilliputian.
According to an official Japanese Kirby profile, the amorphous pink blob measures in at 20cm, or roughly seven inches tall. To compensate for its lack of height, Kirby often floats while dancing and singing.
Hates Caterpillars
According to the same Japanese profile, Kirby is listed as hating caterpillars. No rhyme or reason is given for Kirby's hatred of the insects, but it is the sole item listed among its dislikes.
What's more interesting is Kirby is often seen surrounded by butterflies in video games. Kirby's Dream Land, Kirby Super Star, Kirby Squeak Squad, and Kirby Triple Delux all begin with Kirby accompanied by butterflies.
Legacy
On the character's 20th anniversary in 2012, GamesRadar declared Kirby the 40th "most memorable, influential, and badass" protagonist in the history of video games.
Unsurprisingly, his popularity has been consistent in the intervening time, and he remains as one of the most iconic and recognized video game characters ever made.
