User:Superbound/Sandbox/List of misconceptions: Difference between revisions

*'''Kirby does not use gender-neutral pronouns in Japanese.''' Kirby ''is'' a gender-neutral character in Japan, but this misconception stems from misunderstanding how Japanese pronouns work, which is very different from how they work in English. Third-person pronouns are rarely used in Japanese, while there are dozens of first- and second-person pronouns.<ref name=JPFirstPersonPronouns>[https://legendsoflocalization.com/personal-pronouns-in-japanese/ Legends of Localization - Japanese First Person Pronouns] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20191111214634/https://legendsoflocalization.com/personal-pronouns-in-japanese/ Wayback Machine snapshot])</ref> Japanese pronouns may ''reflect'' the speaker's gender (as well as age, social status, and relationship to the listener), but are not strictly tied to it. Kirby consistently uses the first-person pronoun ボク (''boku'') in Japanese media, and when necessary, is referred to by the third-person pronoun かれ (''kare''). These both have masculine connotations, but do not mean that Kirby is not a gender-neutral character. Relatedly, it is commonly said that Kirby was deliberately made gender-neutral in Japan to give him "universal appeal", but there is no source for this claim.<ref>[https://kaialone.tumblr.com/post/636742650015481856/ive-read-that-kirbys-gender-is-ambiguous-in Kaialone on Tumblr] ([https://web.archive.org/web/20201217072404/https://kaialone.tumblr.com/post/636742650015481856/ive-read-that-kirbys-gender-is-ambiguous-in Wayback Machine snapshot])</ref>

*'''Kirby does not have bones.''' There is a popular image of Kirby's skeleton circulating the internet that is often mistaken for official material. However, this is unofficial and merely an artist's speculation of what Kirby's skeleton could look like. Similarly to the above, Sakurai was asked on the ''Super Smash Bros. Melee'' website if Kirby has bones, and the answer was that he does not.<ref>{{cite|'''[...] ところで気になったのは、話の途中でカービィ達が脊椎動物の話をしていたのですが、<br>カービィって脊椎動物なんですか？<br>気になって朝早く起きてしまいました。(←昨日３時間昼寝したせい)<br>よろしくお願いします。<br>チェケダッ'''<br><br>えーと、ここで答えるのもナニですが、<br>カービィに骨はありません。<br>いちおう歯もありませんよ。<br><br>'''[...] is Kirby some sort of vertebrate?<br>I kept thinking about it and got up early today (<- cause I took a 3 hour nap yesterday)<br>Thank you very much.<br>Check it!'''<br><br>Umm, it might not be my place to say this here, but<br>Kirby does not have any bones.<br>And he doesn't have any teeth, either.|Exchange between "Scamander" and Masahiro Sakurai|[https://twitter.com/kaialone02/status/1235660580201119745 translation by Kaialone on Twitter]}}</ref> The games have never depicted Kirby with bones, and have only rarely depicted Kirby with teeth in certain sprites in 2D games. Manga series often depict Kirby with bones or teeth, but these are different continuities.