Editing Kirby's characteristics

Kirby is among the smaller and simpler [[Nintendo]] characters, as a pink ball standing only 8 inches (20 cm) tall<ref name="20cm">

*{{Cite|The 8-inch high Kirby hails from a distant, peaceful star.||Kirby's in-game description in ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]''}}

*[[Masahiro Sakurai]] explains in his ''Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games'' video about [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_B0cpF8fQ4s units of speed] that the speeds in ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'' are rather low because Kirby is the size of a 20cm cube.</ref><ref name="OnlineMagazine">[http://web.archive.org/web/20230327141303/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/nom/0003/miryoku/ Nintendo Japan (Nintendo Online Magazine - Kirby's profile - March 2000 issue covering ''Kirby 64: the Crystal Shards'' release)]</ref><ref name=20th>{{Cite book|quote=高さ:20cmくらい　好きな物:トマト　苦手な物:毛虫　性別:不明　出身:不明 (Height: About 20 cm tall, Likes: Tomatoes, Dislikes: Caterpillars, Gender: Unknown, Birthplace: Unknown)|book=[https://web.archive.org/web/20200609004402if_/https://shogakukan.tameshiyo.me/9784091065117?page=4 20th Anniversary Kirby Pupupu Encyclopedia]|publisher=Shogakukan|page=15}}</ref><ref name="20th_himitsu">Profile of Kirby and other characters compiled to answer questions from magazines, as shown on [https://i.imgur.com/liSCa0L.jpeg page 119 of the Pupupu Encyclopedia] ([https://gigi9714.wordpress.com/2022/07/11/translation-of-kirbys-secrets-from-the-20th-anniversary-kirby-of-the-stars-pupupu-taizen-book/ translation])</ref> with stubby arms and feet. Kirby's mouth is very important as well — it looks small, but it can open wide to [[inhale]] many objects. Kirby's cheeks feature slight pink blushes, and his eyes are long dark ovals featuring white glare and blue irises. Sometimes, often when surprised, Kirby's eyes change dramatically to be white circles with small black pupils. In ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'', Kirby's eyes have iridescent reflections and change color from blue to teal or even green depending on which angle they are viewed from (as demonstrated in [[:File:KatFL Mouthful Mode Trailer Screenshot.png|this image]]).

Kirby's red feet are often mistaken for shoes, but design documents from around the time of ''Kirby's Adventure'', and later statements by [[Masahiro Sakurai]], confirm that they are his actual feet.<ref name="20th_himitsu"/><ref name="smashflash">Sakurai answering fan questions following the release of ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'', pages [http://web.archive.org/web/20041207182342/http://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/syukeiken/return534.html 34] (ちなみに、カービィの足はクツではありません。) and [http://web.archive.org/web/20041207180203/https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/flash/syukeiken/return549.html 49] (カービィに骨はありません。 いちおう歯もありませんよ。); [https://i.redd.it/rjr9m83io3l41.png translation] via [https://old.reddit.com/r/Kirby/comments/feiz16/psa_sakurai_once_stated_that_kirby_does_not_have/ Reddit]</ref> [[Shinya Kumazaki]], meanwhile, replied to a question about Kirby's feet by saying that "the mysterious composition of Kirby's body is top secret".<ref name="feet">Interview with Shinya Kumazaki: ''[https://kotaku.com/the-truth-about-kirby-s-feet-is-top-secret-developer-1833727024 The Truth About Kirby's Feet Is 'Top Secret,' Developer Says]''</ref> While still evidently squishy, they are his primary utensils for fighting when using martial-arts-based abilities.

Kirby is generally pink with red feet, but the exact shades vary — his feet are sometimes only a shade darker of pink than his body. Some early games also depict Kirby as changing color when copying an ability, such as ''[[Kirby's Adventure]]'' and ''Kirby Super Star''. Certain abilities in older games even have their own unique colors associated with them, such as red for [[Fire]], blue for [[Ice]], green for [[Plasma]] (or [[Spark]] as shown in one of his older artworks) and yellow for [[Beam]] (or [[Needle]] in ''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]''), though this has largely been abandoned. The only legacy of this concept is [[Hypernova]], which causes his skin to become a swirling rainbow. While [[Color|color variants]] of Kirby continue to appear, they tend to represent other members of [[Kirby (species)|his species]] rather than himself.

{{quote|Some of the more popular hypotheses suggest that Kirby is made of marshmallow or pillows, but until Kirby agrees to provide a tissue sample, we'll never know for certain.|Nintendo of America's ''Kirby 64'' website<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20001017152408/http://www.kirby64.com:80/low/about.htm Kirby 64: Frequently Asked Questions]</ref>}}

[[File:Smash 64 Zapped.png|thumb|250px|A collage of various fighters from ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' (64) being zapped and 'X-rayed'. Kirby is the third from the left in the middle row.]]

Kirby's enigmatic anatomy is difficult to understand beyond his surface. The particulars of his inner workings are unclear and often contradictory between appearances, and this fact is often played up in official marketing, such as [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-frSnkublk this trailer for ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'']. Shinya Kumazaki has stated that Kirby's insides are a mystery, but that he is "filled with dreams."<ref name="polygonint">{{Cite web|author=Chris Plante|date=March 24, 2023|url=https://www.polygon.com/23652624/kirby-questions-answered-directors-nintendo-interview|title=‘What happens if Kirby swallows a hot man?’ His directors give answers|site=Polygon|retrieved=March 24, 2023}}</ref>

Kirby appears to require regular nourishment, and typically finds it in the form of various [[food]] items scattered across the land. When not in a hurry, Kirby will eat in a normal manner, but can [[inhale]] the food as well. In some games, such as ''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]'', Kirby can store things he's swallowed and use them at a later time. This, along with certain episodes of ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'', seems to indicate that Kirby's stomach leads to another dimension. Other sources within the series, such as ''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]'', portray Kirby's stomach as a black hole, especially when the [[Hypernova]] ability is used.

[[File:KSA Sleeping Kirby.jpg|thumb|left|150px|Kirby is an entity that needs regular sleep (note the bubble).]]

Kirby does not appear to have a skeleton (see image to the right) or teeth (outside of some manga series, and certain sprites in 2D games), an appearance supported by statements from Sakurai following the release of ''Super Smash Bros. Melee''.<ref name="smashflash"/> He does, however, have a tongue, as evidenced by more recent games when he inhales. Kirby is also described to have lungs which he uses to inhale, as explained in the instruction manual for ''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]''.<ref>{{cite manual |quote=Kirby's lungs are so powerful that he can inhale large enemies and faraway items. |game=Kirby: Squeak Squad |print=NA |page=12}}</ref> Kirby does not appear to have a nose, but earlier games and media suggested he had nostrils (even if they were too small to be seen), given his distended [[Sleep]] bubble, his sneezing within the [[Castle Lololo]] cutscene in ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'' ([[Bubbly Clouds]] in the [[Spring Breeze]] remake), and his ability to "sniff" in the ''[[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!]]'' episode [[Shell-Shocked]].

 

Kirby's arms, while normally short and stubby, are capable of stretching whenever he needs to grab or punch something. They can also slide around all over his form, whether across his sides or even his face. The designers do have restrictions on how far Kirby's limbs can move; generally, they do not move any further than a human would. Although Kirby does not have fingers, he is perfectly capable of holding onto things he's grabbed. This is sometimes depicted in artwork as Kirby wrapping his hand around the object in question (such as in [[:File:KBR Sword artwork.png|this artwork]]), though in 3D renders, it is usually seen as the object merely sticking to the end of Kirby's hand (such as in [[:File:KRtDLD Sword.png|this artwork]]).

Kirby's skin is highly flexible and completely hairless. Kirby's younger design in ''[[Kid Kirby]]'' features a large protrusion on his forehead with a similar aesthetic function to wavy hair, but as the game was canceled, it cannot be considered of the series' [[Continuity|continuities]]. The texture of Kirby's skin was once described as "squishy" or "soft",<ref name="OnlineMagazine"/> and more recent sources, particularly the developer issues for ''Kirby Star Allies'' and ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'' in Nintendo Dream, suggest that Kirby has a more "rubbery" texture to him, although when Kirby was first given HD textures in ''Kirby Star Allies'', there were debates on whether or not to give him fur.<ref>''"I think Kirby itself is soft like a rubber ball, and that’s what we’re trying to keep in mind. As for the surface texture, there was a lot of discussion about whether or not he should had fur like fuzzy hairs (laughs)."'' <small>--[[Shinya Kumazaki]], in the May 2018 developer interview for ''Kirby Star Allies'' in Nintendo Dream Magazine, as translated by [[User:Gigi|Gigi]]; [https://gigi9714.wordpress.com/2021/06/05/kirby-star-allies-vol-2-interview-direct-from-yamanashi-part-2-from-the-may-2018-issue/ translated article link]</small></ref><ref>''"The new world’s blend of civilization and nature also got its initial start through gameplay. We reexamined “Kirby” and thought about what only Kirby could do as a rubbery ball, a mysterious creature that can be pulled and twisted with no problem. By combining Kirby’s special skill of “inhaling” and this idea of him being a “mysterious creature like a rubber ball”, the idea of “Mouthful Mode” was born."'' <small>--[[Tatsuya Kamiyama]], in the June 2022 developer interview for ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'' in Nintendo Dream Magazine, as translated by [[User:Gigi|Gigi]]; [https://gigi9714.wordpress.com/2022/07/31/translation-of-the-kirby-and-the-forgotten-land-interview-from-the-june-2022-edition-of-nintendo-dream/ translated article link]</small></ref> Kirby's body can expand to great sizes to accommodate the objects that he inhales, as seen with the "Full Belly" Kirby in ''[[Kirby's Blowout Blast]]'' and [[Mouthful Mode]] in ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'' (though it's implied the latter is a side-effect of entering the portal to the new world). As seen in several games, Kirby is also able to sweat, typically when surprised or low on health.

Shinya Kumazaki has said that Kirby's movements are based on that of a human, specifically a young child, addressing the discrepancies with his movement by explaining that certain parts of his anatomy (such as thighs, legs, and ankles) are invisible but nonetheless accounted for.<ref name="feet"/> Concept artwork from ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' also shows that a muscular adult human was used as a model for Kirby's movements.<ref>[https://twitter.com/obscurekirby/status/1495060424622055427 Concept art from ''Kirby Super Star'']</ref>

==Abilities==

[[File:KSA HiAD Happy Ending final card.png|thumb|250px|Kirby's soft squishy body is surprisingly tough and malleable. It helps solidify his appeal as a character.]]

Kirby has a malleable and flexible form which is useful in a number of situations. On his own, Kirby is usually rather weak. However, his ability to mimic his foes' characteristics, known as [[Copy Ability|Copy Abilities]], provides him plenty of strength. Utilizing these abilities, Kirby becomes highly versatile, capable of solving any puzzle with ease. When Kirby gains an ability, he famously also obtains a special hat or another sort of costume to signify its presence, though this distinction was not present in the series until ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'' introduced it. This usually removes his ability to [[inhale]] for the sake of gameplay mechanics.

What happens to items, living things, and other objects when they are swallowed is [[List of mysteries|unclear]]. Should Kirby inhale an enemy and spit it back out, however, it usually transforms into [[Star Bullet|a star]] that shatters on impact. Kirby appears to have control over whether or not something is transformed in this way, as he can inhale his friends and spit them back out without transforming them in ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'', and even enemies transformed into projectiles maintain their appearance in some games like ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'' and ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''. In ''Super Smash Bros.'', inhaled and swallowed fighters do transform into stars when spat out, but then immediately revert to normal afterward.

Kirby has stellar [[health|vitality]], often able to take many hits before being knocked out. In most games, Kirby is able to [[hover]] in the air indefinitely, which allows him to cross otherwise impassable barriers such as tall walls or [[bottomless pit]]s with ease. In most circumstances, he is able to breathe underwater and in deep space; he can also withstand extremes in temperature with no lasting harm.

It depends on the portrayal whether Kirby can talk in full words, but he is always very vocal. [[Kirby's voice]] is high-pitched, with inflections similar to a toddler first learning how to speak. It should be noted that this is a more unique quality to Kirby himself, as [[Meta Knight]], who is generally considered (but not confirmed) to be the [[Kirby (species)|same species]], has a deep voice befitting a warrior of his stature.  Kirby does not speak in full sentences in any of the main-series games and resorts to grunts, shouts, and monosyllables, adding to his infantile nature. Typically, the only intelligible word he says is his signature elongated "Hi!"

It is generally understood that Kirby can comprehend spoken language, and may be able to speak, but just like how [[zeldawiki:Link|Link]] and [[mariowiki:Mario|Mario]] are often portrayed, the player does not hear his side of any given conversation. In certain cases, such as instruction manuals and pause screen descriptions, Kirby is able to speak in rather eloquent language, at least while monologuing. Meanwhile, in ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]'', it is said that Kirby was unable to understand a letter sent to him, but it's unclear if it was because the letter in particular was hard to read, or if Kirby himself can't read at all.<ref>{{quote|{{Color|orange|King Dedede}} and {{Color|orange|Meta Knight}}... Many times before have they stood in Kirby's path, even allying with one another on occasion.<br>Now, to finally defeat Kirby, the old rivals have become partners, taking on Kirby as a battle {{Color|orange|team}}! And so they sent Kirby a challenge.<br>They lay in wait on the {{Color|orange|Summit}} of a lofty tower reaching to the heavens, known as the {{Color|orange|Buddy Fighters Tower}}.<br>Kirby couldn't understand what the letter said.|[[Narration]], ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]''}}</ref> In ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land'', Kirby is shown to be able to write, although his handwriting is said to be somewhat hard to understand.<ref>{{quote|This dutiful delivery Dee works for Waddle Dee-liveries in town. He gets helpful items to your doorstep with blinding speed! Kirby’s handwriting makes it hard to read the Present Codes sometimes, but this kind soul approves the orders anyway.|[[Delivery Waddle Dee]] [[Figure]] description, ''Kirby and the Forgotten Land''}}</ref>

That said, unlike his [[Kirby (anime character)|anime counterpart]], Kirby has occasionally been shown to speak full sentences, going as far back as the manual for ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'', where he directly mentions he will restore the [[Sparkling Star]]s, and explains the game's controls to the reader. His first in-game dialogue was in ''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]'', but only in its Japanese version. In more recent games, when he does speak, it is usually conveyed indirectly, such as through the [[narrator]] in ''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'', or [[Elfilin]] in ''[[Kirby and the Forgotten Land]]''.

[[File:KTnT Story Artwork.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Kirby often displays a cheery, carefree attitude, even when confronting dangerous situations.]]

[[File:KPR Susie Encounter.png|thumb|250px|However, Kirby is not totally oblivious, and can be serious when he needs to be. This is often the case when fighting bosses.]]

Kirby's childlike nature is reflected in his persona.

[[File:K64 Crystal Clear scene 08.png|thumb|200px|Kirby's voice actress, Makiko Ohmoto, has suggested that Kirby's response to being kissed by others has no bearing on Kirby's gender.<ref>{{Cite person|quote=一人称ボクの女性もいるし、同性異性関係なくキスされたら誰でも照れるし、私の呼び名もまきちゃんか大本くんです。" ("There are women who use 'boku' to refer to themselves in the first person, and regardless of same- or opposite-sex, being kissed will evoke a bashful response from whomever. I'm often called Maki-chan or Ohmoto-kun as well.")|name=Makiko Ohmoto| url=https://twitter.com/Makiko_Ohmoto/status/1215115634498867201|title=Twitter (translated from Japanese)}}</ref>]]

In Japanese, Kirby is written as a gender-neutral character. However, in most languages, he is almost always referred to with masculine terms and pronouns (with notable exceptions being certain official Play Nintendo videos that refer to Kirby with both masculine and neutral pronouns).<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ta51B9_O7xk "Meet Kirby: A Cute, Pink, and Brave Hero"] and [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJy5PwPtJaQ "Kirby Quiz for Kids!"] both notably refer to Kirby with [[wikipedia:singular they|singular ''they'']].</ref> This is likely because it is less difficult to use gender-neutral writing in Japanese, which is a [[wikipedia:pro-drop language|pro-drop]] and [[wikipedia:genderless language|genderless language]], compared to other languages. For example, in the manual for ''Kirby's Dream Land'', Kirby is referred to as a "spry little boy" in English, but a more general "young person" (若者, ''wakamono'') in Japanese. However, there are times in Japanese text where he is referred to with ''kare'' (かれ), which is a masculine pronoun. Additionally, whenever Kirby speaks in full sentences in Japanese text, he tends to use a masculine manner of speech, such as the first person pronoun ''boku'' (ボク), which is usually used by young boys. This does not necessarily contradict him being a gender-neutral character.<ref>[https://kaialone.tumblr.com/post/636742650015481856/ive-read-that-kirbys-gender-is-ambiguous-in Kaialone on Tumblr]</ref>

The Japan-exclusive official artbook ''[[20th Anniversary Kirby Pupupu Encyclopedia]]'' lists Kirby's gender as "unknown",<ref name=20th/> as does a profile written by [[Masahiro Sakurai]],<ref>[https://www.nintendo.co.jp/n01/n64/software/nus_p_nalj/smash/PostReturn117.html ''Super Smash Bros.'' official website (translated from Japanese)]:<br>''"…I wanted to ask a question about Kirby's profile. 'Name: Kirby. Gender: Unknown. Favorite phrase: [[A New Wind for Tomorrow|Tomorrow's wind blows tomorrow]]. Things I want to do but can't: Push-ups, Cossack dancing, rock-paper-scissors.' Was this Mr. Sakurai's idea?"''<br>'''Sakurai:''' ''"Oh, I came up with that profile in the past. I just had to do it…"''</ref> which he reaffirmed in the [[Kirby 25th Anniversary Orchestra Concert]] according to unofficial accounts.<ref>[https://twitter.com/L_kurobato/status/876366502198247424 Tweet explaining that Sakurai considers both Kirby and Meta Knight's gender "a mystery"], [https://twitter.com/5656bomb/status/876364677713870849 another tweet claiming the same thing]</ref> Kirby's voice actress, [[Makiko Ohmoto]], has also stated that Kirby's gender is unknown,<ref>{{Cite person|quote="カービィの性別は不明です。" ("Kirby's gender is unknown.")|name=Makiko Ohmoto| url=https://twitter.com/Makiko_Ohmoto/status/1214819520918872065|title=Twitter (translated from Japanese)}}</ref> and that she is instructed to voice him as a gender neutral character.<ref>[https://htwmc.hateblo.jp/entry/2017/09/07/200000 A blog post with a summary of the June 16th 2017 Osaka concert]</ref> Reflecting this, the games have seen Kirby wearing costumes with both masculine and feminine qualities (examples of former include the Sumo Topknot and the Pirate's Tricorn in ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]'', while examples of the latter include the Magical Girl Coiffure in ''[[Team Kirby Clash Deluxe]]'' and the Nurse Cap in ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''), and commemorative artwork on the [[Kirby JP Twitter]] has shown Kirby taking on typical gender roles of both men and women, such as appearing as the Empress on [[wikipedia:Hinamatsuri|Hinamatsuri]] and baking sweets with both [[:File:Twitter commemorative - Valentine's Day 2018.jpg|female characters]] on [[wikipedia:Valentine's Day|Valentine's Day]] and [[:File:Twitter commemorative - White Day.jpg|male characters]] on [[wikipedia:White Day|White Day]]. In addition, Kirby is often featured in merchandise that may be considered more traditionally feminine, such as make-up lines, where more definitively male characters such as King Dedede and Meta Knight are never featured.

Japanese spin-off material does not always adhere to this. Some manga write Kirby as male outright; this may be due to his implied attraction to female characters, such as [[ChuChu]] and [[Ribbon]], in the games. The [[Kirby (novel series)|novels by Mie Takase]] also write Kirby with masculine speech patterns, and he shows aversion to cross-dressing as a woman in ''[[Kirby and the Dangerous Gourmet Mansion?!]]'' — though he sees himself as "cute" while wearing make-up. Neither of these correlate to Japanese games' continuities, however.

Kirby can be seen as the main representative of a species that is named after him. Unlike traditional species, however, it is unclear how Kirby's could be classified, as apart from its eponymous member and the various clones of him that have appeared throughout the series running, there are no confirmed cases of other entities which are the same species as Kirby, though many are suspected.