Kirby/Characters

Everything About Fiction You Never Wanted to Know.


Tropes relating to Kirby and his friends and foes. For anime-only characters and tropes only present to a character in Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, go here. Kirby's Return to Dream Land also has its own character page.

WARNING: CONTAINS SPOILERS


Playable Characters

Kirby

The eponymous character of the series is a happy looking pink Walking Head who likes to eat a lot of things.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland

Tropes associated with Kirby:

  • American Kirby Is Hardcore: Nintendo loves to put an angry expression on his face for the American covers and ads of the games.
  • Badass Adorable: The current page picture.
  • Be the Ball: One of his abilities is to become a ball so he can strike his enemies. The Canvas Curse games permanently lock him into this form. There was also a series of minor games featuring him as a ball yet again, with one making him into a baseball, stitches and all.
  • Big Eater: Egad.
  • Black Hole Belly: Also the current page picture.
  • Blue Eyes (His earlier appearance had Black Bead Eyes instead)
  • Blush Sticker: He has them all the time.
  • Blow You Away: When flying, Kirby can shoot a burst of air to damage a foe in front of him. Pretty much just an Emergency Weapon.
  • Breath Weapon: See above.
  • Butt Monkey: In any cinematic not related to the "plot", Kirby will get abused. Case in point, the world title cards in Dreamland and Adventure, and the blooper reel in Super Star Ultra.
  • Catch Phrase: "Hi!"
  • Cheerful Child: He has the mannerisms of one.
  • Extreme Omnivore
  • Evil Counterpart: Subverted. In Amazing Mirror, which has this for both Kirby and Meta Knight, Shadow Kirby actually protects the Mirror World, much like Kirby to Dreamland.
  • Good Is Not Nice: In Kirby's Avalanche, where he actually trash-talks some of his opponents in full sentences.
  • The Hero
  • Heroic Mime: In most games, he can't manage more than a "Hi!" or a "Poyo!" He does speak in Epic Yarn, but only with narration.
  • Idiot Hero: Of course, his level of intellect somewhat varies between games.
  • Kid Hero: His age is never specifically stated in the games, but the Kirby's Dreamland manual called Kirby a 'little boy'
  • Killer Rabbit
  • Mega Manning: Starting with Kirby's Adventure, Kirby gained the ability to absorb the powers of certain enemies he eats. He may even be more famous for it than the trope namer himself.
  • Nice Hat: Kirby gets one for almost every ability he can copy.
  • Nice Job Breaking It, Hero: He's rather infamous for unwittingly unleashing unspeakable horrors with his "heroic" acts.
    • Granted, half the time, no one tells him there's an unspeakable evil sealed up in the MacGuffin.
  • Real Men Are Pink: His habits aren't exactly the most masculine out there.
  • Red Oni, Blue Oni: With Meta Knight. Kirby is the red.
  • Ridiculously Cute Critter
  • Silent Snarker: In Avalanche. A few of his reaction shots also have shades of this, such as giving the camera a look when the Tutorial calls him jolly.
  • Trademark Favorite Food: Maxim Tomatoes, as well as that one strawberry shortcake he went on a rampage for.
  • Transformation Sequence: Whenever he copies an ability; although it's quicker than most examples. It's made more elaborate in the anime, as well as with the Super Abilities in Return to Dream Land.
  • Unwitting Pawn: In Kirby Super Star's Milky Way Wishes, Kirby arrives at NOVA, only for his wish to be stolen by Marx. Also, in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Magolor tricks him into defeating a dragon named Landia to obtain the Master Crown for him, only for Magolor to use it to try and take over the universe.
  • Video Game Flight: Achieved by sucking in air and flapping his arms.
  • Walking Head
  • What Could Have Been: Shigeru Miyamoto wanted him to be yellow instead of pink, though since Miyamoto has little, if any, involvement in the games' development since they're developed by HAL Laboratory while Miyamoto works for Nintendo's EAD division, this may have just been a suggestion when it came up. However, yellow Kirby is usually the first choice for Kirby's alternate costumes.
  • You Are Who You Eat: Kirby takes this saying quite literally.

Gooey

A friendly little blob of Dark Matter. He's Kirby's best friend. He and Kirby share many of the same hobbies and abilities.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 2

Tropes associated with Gooey:

  • Ascended Extra: In his debut game, he's merely a health recovery pickup for Kirby. In Kirby's Dreamland 3, he's the character controlled by player 2.
  • The Cameo: He appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. Melee. Sadly, this is his latest appearance.
  • Chuck Cunningham Syndrome: Despite being Kirby's best friend, he hasn't appeared in a game since 1997.
  • Dark Is Not Evil
  • Griefer: Somewhat. If player 2 doesn't feel like cooperating, he could hijack your animal friend or take one for himself (meaning you automatically dismount yours). Of course, Kirby himself can do this as well.
  • Prehensile Tongue: This is how he snags enemies for Mega Manning.

Prince Fluff

The prince of Patch Land. He joins Kirby so he can reunite Patch Land and stop Yin-Yarn.

First appearance: Kirby's Epic Yarn

Tropes associated with Fluff:

Animal Friends

In Kirby's Dreamland 2 and 3, Kirby may come across his animal friends and hitch a ride from them (sometimes flipped). Typically, they change his copied powers in some way, and have a different sort of movement: for example, Kine has very fast and tight underwater controls (but is a bit awkward on land). All have appeared in the anime, although with very small roles.

Tropes associated with all animal friends:

Rick the Hamster

Suitable for land, Rick is a white and brown-spotted hamster that was one of the first three animal friends. He's described as "friendly and energetic". He doesn't skid on ice, can stand rough terrain, and somehow transforms with Kirby for some attacks.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 2

Tropes associated with Rick:

Kine the Fish

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 2

A blue Sunfish that assists Kirby in the underwater levels, and was one of the three starting helpers. Described as "laid back and relaxed", he shows the least amount of emotions. His special ability is allowing Kirby to swallow enemies underwater and using those there and then.

Tropes associated with Kine:

Coo the Owl

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 2

A purple owl and the air specialist and one the first Animal Friends, Coo is able to fly through fast currents like Kine. Originally a guy, the anime implies that he's a she. For some reason, Coo doesn't have any friends, but doesn't seem to mind.

Tropes associated with Coo:

Nago the Cat

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 3

Although Rick appears along side Nago, Nago is usually far better than Rick; he's faster and can Triple Jump, as well as able to climb walls. He has a love interest/girlfriend named Shiiro, but a comic shows that the two don't get along as well as you think.

Tropes associated with Nago:

Chuchu the Octopus

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 3

A pink octopus with a red red bow. Similar to Kine, when Kirby's paired with Chuchu, he can swallow enemies underwater. Through the moves that she does with Kirby (and the manga), it's implied that she's in love with him (as they hold hands, spin together, ect).

Tropes associated with Chuchu:

Pitch the Bird

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 3

A tiny, green bird that functions like Coo, but can't last as long. Although Coo could be seen as better, Pitch's skills are much more useful, thus the Killer Rabbit trope below.

Tropes associated with Pitch:

  • Expy: Tokkori is seen as this to Pitch, although all it is in some minor appearance.
  • Killer Rabbit: He's the smallest of the animal friends, but he's probably the best. His copied powers are generally highly effective and fun to use. He also handles almost exactly the same as Kirby, so the transition is natural.


Bosses and Other Antagonists

King Dedede

"You can't be mean to my Waddle Dees! Only I can be mean to my Waddle Dees!"

Hammer-wielding penguin (possibly) and self-proclaimed ruler of Dreamland, though he never really does anything related to administration. Usually ends up as the villain through Greed or Demonic Possession.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland

Tropes associated with King Dedede:

Meta Knight

A Walking Head with a mask, bat wings, a sword, and an unknown agenda. His morality is highly ambiguous, but he generally seems to be a Hero Antagonist.

First appearance: Kirby's Adventure

Tropes associated with Meta Knight:

Whispy Woods

A big, sentient tree who tries to attack Kirby & co. by dropping apples and shooting air blasts.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland

Tropes associated with Whispy Woods:

  • Blow You Away: For some reason, he shoots air blasts like Kirby. They're much longer-ranged, though. In Revenge of the King and Return to Dream Land, he can sometimes shoot out small tornadoes, which are stronger.
  • Go-Karting with Bowser: He's sometimes shown to be friendly with Kirby.
  • Recurring Boss: Kirby and the Amazing Mirror and Kirby: Squeak Squad are probably the only platformers where he's not the first boss of the game, and the former uses an Expy anyways.
  • Warmup Boss: In every game he appears in, without fail. Except for Kirby's Epic Yarn, where he's actually fairly tough. Return to Dream Land improves his abilities a bit, but overall he's comparatively easy.
  • When Trees Attack

Lololo and Lalala

A pair of closely-related friends who live at Castle Lololo. Or Float Islands. Or Illusion Islands.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland
Also appear as Kirby's friends in the anime Kirby: Right Back At Ya!

Tropes associated with Lololo and Lalala:

Kracko

An eye in a spiky stormcloud. He attacks mostly with lightning.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland

Tropes associated with Kracko:

Paint Roller

An artist on the go who attacks Kirby by drawing enemies.

First appearance: Kirby's Adventure

Tropes associated with Paint Roller:

Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright

Mr. Shine is the moon, and Mr. Bright is the sun.

First appearance: Kirby's Adventure

Tropes associated with Mr. Shine and Mr. Bright:

Nightmare

The Final Boss of Kirby's Adventure and Kirby Nightmare in Dreamland.

First appearance: Kirby's Adventure

Tropes associated with Nightmare:

Dyna Blade

A huge bird responsible for stealing all of the crops in Dreamland. She was only doing it to feed her babies, though.

First appearance: Kirby Super Star

Tropes associated with Dyna Blade:

Dark Matter

Dark Matter is not any one individual, but a group of black, malevolent clouds, usually with a single red eye and a ring of orange spheres around the back. Their core and controller is Zero.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 2

Tropes associated with Dark Matter:

Zero

A huge, white eye with a red iris. Is capable of creating and controlling Dark Matter. Revived in Kirby 64 as Zero-Two, with wings, a halo, and a freaky green tail.

First appearance: Kirby's Dreamland 3

Tropes associated with Zero:

Marx

A friendly-looking Walking Head who wants Kirby to ask the wish-granting comet Nova to stop the sun and moon's fighting... except he's actually evil and is just using Kirby as a pawn in order to wish for control of Pop Star. In Kirby Super Star Ultra, he reveals a Nightmare Fuel-riffic new form, Marx Soul. Basically a Sugar Bowl version of The Joker.

First appearance: Kirby Super Star

Tropes associated with Marx:

Galacta Knight

The Final Boss of Meta Knightmare Ultra in Kirby Super Star Ultra. Galacta Knight is the greatest warrior in the galaxy, but was sealed away for fear that he was too powerful. Meta Knight unseals him in order to kick his ass.

First appearance: Kirby Super Star Ultra

Tropes associated with Galacta Knight:

Dark Mind

The Big Bad and Final Boss of Kirby and the Amazing Mirror; was trying to conquer the Mirror World until Kirby defeated it.

First appearance: Kirby and the Amazing Mirror

Tropes associated with Dark Mind:

  • Big Bad
  • Clipped-Wing Angel: The last part of the battle has its mind clearly unstable and is very easy to defeat.
  • Expy: Shows a clear resemblance to both Dark Matter and Nightmare.
    • Its final form looks like a flaming version of Zero.
    • Its final form immediately brings to mind the Eye of Sauron.
  • Faceless Eye: His second form.
  • One-Winged Angel: The actual mind for the last 2 phases of the battle.
  • Sequential Boss: It's fought 4 times in its standard form, then twice as its mind. To date, this is the boss with the highest number of times you're supposed to fight it in the series.

Drawcia

The Big Bad and Final Boss of Kirby: Canvas Curse, she's a Wicked Witch who wanted a land of paint and carried out her wish by turning Dreamland into a painting. Her true form is that of an unknown painting that she was created from.

First appearance: Kirby: Canvas Curse

Tropes associated with Drawcia:

  • Art Initiates Life: She creates clones of Paint Roller, Kracko, and King Dedede to serve her as part of boss mini-games at the end of the seven levels before her.
    • Her main mode of attack in her first boss form is through drawing paintings of enemies that you're forced to defeat.
  • Big Bad
  • Eldritch Abomination: Subverted, she's said to be a painting that came to life, which is not too strange in this setting. The fact that it isn't may actually be worse.
  • Ominous Pipe Organ: The first phase of her fight has this.
  • One-Winged Angel: After her initial defeat, she transforms into her soul, which is a giant multi-eyed screeching ball of paint.
  • Wicked Witch: Her high-pitched cackle is more than enough to creep you out.

The Squeaks

A group of mouse bandits traveling the universe in search of treasure, the Squeaks are the Big Bads and titular characters of Kirby: Squeak Squad. Daroach is the leader, Spinni is the speed, Storo is the muscle, Doc is the brains, and the Squeakers are the Team Pets.

First appearance: Kirby: Squeak Squad

Tropes associated with the Squeaks:

Dark Nebula

The Bigger Bad and Final Boss of Kirby: Squeak Squad. It was sealed away in a chest until the Squeaks opened it and were possessed by it. Meta Knight knew the secret of the chest and therefore fought Kirby to prevent it from being released.

First appearance: Kirby: Squeak Squad

Tropes associated with Dark Nebula:

Yin-Yarn

The Big Bad of Kirbys Epic Yarn.

First appearance: Kirbys Epic Yarn

Tropes associated with Yin-Yarn:

  • Affably Evil: Despite going through a very ambitious plan to take over a kingdom by kidnapping and mind-controlling its de facto leaders and succeeding in doing so with virtually no effort, Yin-Yarn has no idea what to do with the kingdom once he has it and seems to have no real motive.
  • And Then What?: Pulls this on himself at one point in the game. He really doesn't have a plan for what to do after conquering Dreamland, but he says he'll think of something.
  • Art Initiates Life
  • Demonic Possession: Performs this by turning people into yarn.
  • Evil Overlooker: He does this in the box-art for the game.
  • Macross Missile Massacre: One of his attacks in Mecha form.
  • Martial Arts and Crafts

Necrodeus

The Big Bad of Kirby Mass Attack. He's the leader of the Skull Gang and he split Kirby into ten smaller versions of himself in the beginning, setting off the story for the game.

First appearance: Kirby Mass Attack

Tropes associated with Necrodeus:

Magolor

A friendly-looking alien who crash-landed on Popstar with his ship, the Lor Starcutter. Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight and Bandanna Dee volunteered to help him recover the parts that broke off the ship. In truth, Magolor wants them to recover a magical item called the Master Crown from Landia so he can use it to become the supreme Evil Overlord of the galaxy.

First appearance: Kirby's Return to Dreamland

Tropes associated with Magolor:


Supporting Characters

Ribbon

A fairy from Ripple Star. She is trying to collect all the shards of the Power Crystal that was shattered by Dark Matter and has the good fortune of meeting Kirby.

First appearance: Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Tropes associated with Ribbon:

Waddle Dee

Waddle Dees are normally The Goombas of Kirby, but this particular one is an ally in Kirby 64.

First appearance: Kirby's Dream Land; as an ally, Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Tropes associated with Waddle Dee:

Adeleine

One of Kirby's friends. An aspiring young artist able to bring her drawings to life.

First appearance: Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards

Tropes associated with Adeleine:

Galactic NOVA

The wish-granting comet in Milky Way Wishes. Kirby sought it out to help stop the sun and moon fighting each other before Marx interferes and send it in a Colony Drop, but Kirby managed to stop it. In Meta Knightmare Ultra, Meta Knight sought it out to give himself a Worthy Opponent.

First appearance: Kirby Super Star

Tropes associated with NOVA:

Bandana Dee

A seemingly high-ranking Waddle Dee. He always wears a blue bandana, which sets him apart from other Waddle Dees.

First appearance: Kirby Super Star

Tropes associated with Bandana Dee:

  1. ↑ The letter "O", subscript two.
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