List of references in the Kirby series: Difference between revisions
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=== ''Kirby Star Allies'' === | === ''Kirby Star Allies'' === | ||
*The [[Plasma]] move 'Light-Speed Dash' is similar to [[bulbapedia:Quick Attack|Quick Attack]], a move commonly associated with the Pokémon [[bulbapedia:Pikachu|Pikachu]]. | *The [[Plasma]] move 'Light-Speed Dash' is similar to [[bulbapedia:Quick Attack|Quick Attack]], a move commonly associated with the Pokémon [[bulbapedia:Pikachu|Pikachu]]. | ||
*[[Yggy Woods]] is named after [[wikipedia:Yggdrasil|Yggdrasil]], | *[[Yggy Woods]] is named after [[wikipedia:Yggdrasil|Yggdrasil]], an ancient and sacred tree in Norse legends. | ||
*[[Void Termina]]'s first form bears a striking resemblance to [[zeldawiki:Ganon|Beast Ganon]] from ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time''. | *[[Void Termina]]'s first form bears a striking resemblance to [[zeldawiki:Ganon|Beast Ganon]] from ''The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time''. | ||
*Qbby cameos in one of Kirby's rare [[Stone]] transformations. | *Qbby cameos in one of Kirby's rare [[Stone]] transformations. |
Revision as of 23:48, 17 January 2022
- This article is about references within the Kirby series to things outside it. For the inverse list, see List of references to the Kirby series.
This page consists of a list of references in Kirby media (games, the anime etc). This list does not include internal references to other Kirby series material or general fictional tropes shared between large amounts of media.
Copy Abilities
- The Fighter ability takes inspiration from moves in the Street Fighter series, including the Hadoken, the Shoryuken, and the Tatsumaki Senpukyaku.
- The Yo-Yo and ESP abilities are a nod to Ness from EarthBound.
- The Staff ability is a possible reference to Sun Wukong, from Journey to the West.
- The Sword ability references Link from The Legend of Zelda.
- Some of Kirby's rarer Stone transformations are references to other video game series, such as Mario, Metroid, and BoxBoy!.
- The Smash Bros. ability's name and moveset are based on Kirby's moveset from the Super Smash Bros. series.
- The Whip ability is most likely a reference to action-adventure film hero Indiana Jones.
- The Wrestler ability shares similar moves to Incineroar's appearance in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate.
Characters and enemies
- Adeleine slightly resembles Satsuki Kusakabe, a character from the Studio Ghibli animated film My Neighbor Totoro, in body proportions and hair color, although their color scheme and interests differ from each other.
- Apolo resembles (and is presumably named after) a type of chocolate confection called 「アポロ」Aporo (Apollo), which is produced by Meiji and sold in Japan. This is likely the reason why Kirby is healed when he swallows one.
- Bo is extremely similar in look to the Black Boe from The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask. Both that game and Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards shared a release year (2000), so it is possible the enemy was developed for one game, then borrowed for the other.
- Booler resembles the Boo enemy from the Mario franchise.
- Burning Leo seems to be inspired by the lion spirits of traditional Chinese Kabuki. Burning Leo's hair vaguely resembles that of a lion spirit, and his name may also reflect his relation to them.
- Capsule J bears resemblance to the titular character of Konami's TwinBee series.
- Chef Kawasaki is named after Kawasaki motorcycles[1].
- Computer Virus - the boss from [[Kirby Super Star|Template:KSS KFP]] and Kirby Super Star Ultra - appears to be a reference to classical Japanese RPGs such as the Dragon Quest games. Its windows in Template:KSS KFP are also based on those of the Classic Mac OS.
- Cret and Tury are very similar in appearance to Lakitu from the Super Mario games.
- Efreeti's name is likely based on the Efreet (more commonly known as Ifrit), a demon in Islamic mythology.
- Gabon bears similarities to both the Pokémon Cubone and Marowak, as well as the Little Skull Mouser enemies from Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island, due to the fact that all of these creatures wear oversized skulls over their heads, as well as the fact that both Gabon and the Cubone line throw bones to attack and the fact that both Gabon and Little Skull Mousers can be unmasked.
- Gator from [[Kirby Super Star|Template:KSS KFP]] and Kirby Super Star Ultra is based on the gators from the HAL Laboratory game Revenge of the 'Gator. This reference is made more specific with the gator-based attack from Kirby Quest in Kirby Mass Attack.
- Gobchomplin looks and behaves similarly to a Piranha Plant from the Super Mario series.
- Great Gear's visage bears a strong resemblance to the famous Aztec sun stone found in the ruins of Tenochtitlan.
- Grindarr, I³, and Thudd are similar to that of Thwomps from the Mario franchise in how they look and operate.
- Gruegloom is very similar to (and its name possibly inspired by) a much older video game monster called the Grue, which would eat anyone who ventured out into the dark.
- Haley appears to be named after Halley's Comet; a fitting name given its comet-like appearance and its common sightings in outer-space regions.
- Kabula's modern look, starting with Kirby Super Star Ultra, resembles Banzai Bill, with some of her projectiles bearing a much more direct resemblance.
- Keke resembles the eponymous protagonist of Kiki's Delivery Service, a 1985 Japanese novel and subsequent 1989 animated film.
- Kirby himself was named in part to honTemplate:Or the late attorney John Kirby, who defended Nintendo from a lawsuit from Universal Studios over the use of "Kong" in the name "Donkey Kong".
- Lololo & Lalala are directly taken from the Eggerland series, where they were originally known as "Lolo" and "Lala".
- Master Hand & Crazy Hand appear as bosses in Kirby & The Amazing Mirror, hailing from the Super Smash Bros. series. They would make cameo appearances in a few subsequent titles.
- Moto Shotzo is based on the playable tank from the HAL Laboratory game Trax.
- Mumbies typically share a similar behaviTemplate:Or to that of the aformentioned Boo enemy from the Mario franchise in Super Mario games.
- Pacto bears a vague resemblance to that of Namco's mascot Pac-Man.
- Pompey's name may be a reference to the old Roman town of Pompeii, which was destroyed by the volcano Vesuvius.
- Pon & Con are a reference to the recurring duo of the tanuki (Japanese raccoon dog) and kitsune (fox) in Japanese folklore.
- Simirror resembles earlier appearances of Wizzrobe, an enemy of The Legend of Zelda series.
- Squishy bears resemblance to the Blooper enemy from the Mario franchise in both appearance and behaviTemplate:Or.
- Starman's name may be a reference to the Starman enemy from the EarthBound/Mother series.
- Togezo is very similar in design to the Mario franchise enemy, Spiny, sharing names with that enemy in the Japanese releases of Kirby's Adventure and Kirby's Dream Land 3.
- Two Face is likely based off of the Phanto from Super Mario Bros. 2.
- Wappa's Japanese name is "Wampa", a reference to the species from Star Wars of the same name.
- Zoos' name is a pun on the Greek god Zeus. This is compounded by the fact that it throws lightning from a cloud.
References by game
The following are more specific references by game which are not mentioned in the characters section above:
Kirby's Dream Land
- Many areas of Castle Lololo are decorated with blocks that are marked with question marks, likely referencing ? Blocks from the Mario universe.
Template:KAv KGT
- [[Kirby's Avalanche|Template:KAv KGT]] - being effectively a reskin of the Japanese game Super Puyo Puyo - shares many commonalities with that title.
Kirby's Dream Land 2
- In the Japanese version of Kirby's Dream Land 2, one of the characters that Kirby can rescue from a bag is Chao from the Japanese game Yūyūki. She is replaced with the character Girl blob in international releases.
- Additionally, the image depicting Kirby, Rick, Kine and Coo inside a tavern in the Sound Test screen is a recreation of a scene from Yūyūki.
Template:KSS KFP and Kirby Super Star Ultra
- Mario, Luigi, Peach, Toad, and Wario make a cameo appearance in Spring Breeze, as part of the audience watching Kirby battle King Dedede. Several of these characters can also be seen in Megaton Punch.
- Many of the treasures in the Great Cave Offensive are also references to other Nintendo franchises, such as Mario, Metroid, Earthbound, Fire Emblem, and Donkey Kong.
- The ending theme of Revenge of Meta Knight - My Friend and the Sunset - is partially based on the traditional folk song "The House of the Rising Sun", particularly the 1964 blues cover by British rock band The Animals. The credits sequence, which features Wheelie Rider Kirby in riding through a barren desert at sunset, appears to be a reference to the credits sequence of the 1971 anime Lupin the Third Part I.
- In the Milky Way Wishes stage Halfmoon, one of the background decorations in the starry areas is an image of Saturn's moon Mimas.
Kirby's Dream Land 3
- Several of the friendly characters that Kirby helps are cameos from other video games. More details can be found on the Heart Star page.
- Metroids appear as enemies in this game, as part of a mission involving Samus Aran.
Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards
- The planet Shiver Star, which serves as one of the levels in the game, bears a striking resemblance to Earth, albeit frozen over.
- The Spark-Cutter Power Combo gives Kirby a staff with blades of light extending from both ends. This is likely a reference to the double-bladed lightsaber first seen in Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace - which came out a year before Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards released - and elsewhere in the Star Wars franchise.
Kirby Tilt 'n' Tumble
- The way levels are structured in this game is strikingly similar to the layout of the original Super Mario Bros., with eight levels consisting of four stages each, each fourth stage being a castle setting with a boss at the end, and two hidden places where the player can skip levels, similar to Super Mario Bros.' three Warp Zones.
Kirby & The Amazing Mirror
- The concept of Kirby possessing three copies of himself to help him is similar to Link receiving three copies of himself in The Legend of Zelda: Four Swords.
Template:KCC KPP
- Some of the objects that Paint Roller can paint in Paint Panic are references to other media, as follows:
- A Nintendo GameCube.
- The logo of the Super Smash Bros. series.
- The Triforce from The Legend of Zelda.
Kirby's Epic Yarn / Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn
- The boss Squashini is named after the famous escape artist Harry Houdini.
Kirby Mass Attack
- The core gameplay concept of Kirby Mass Attack is very similar to that of the Pikmin games, though more heavily focused on action and platforming rather than strategy.
- The Kirby Mass Attack sub-game Kirby Quest has several references to media outside the Kirby series, as follows:
- The title screen is a direct reference to a 1992 video game produced by HAL Laboratory called Arcana. Its Japanese name, "Kirby Master", is a reference to Arcana's own Japanese name, Card Master.
- The game over screen is a direct reference to a scene from the opening of Arcana, with Dark Matter in place of the wizard Galneon. This scene was the same one in which Kirby made a cameo appearance a month before his official debut.
- One of Kirby's "Excellent" attacks calls on a horde of 66 Gators to attack the enemies. This is a reference to the 1989/1990 Game Boy game Revenge of the 'Gator, also produced by HAL Laboratory (called Pinball: The Great 66-Alligator Parade in Japanese).
- Another "Excellent" attack has Kirby ride a Moto Shotzo while being chased by a mechanical dragon with boxing gloves that highly resembles a boss from HAL Laboratories' 1991 game Trax. As mentioned above, Moto Shotzo itself greatly resembles Trax's main protagonist.
- The title screen is a direct reference to a 1992 video game produced by HAL Laboratory called Arcana. Its Japanese name, "Kirby Master", is a reference to Arcana's own Japanese name, Card Master.
Template:KRtDL KAW
- Goriath is a possible reference to Saiyan warriors from the Dragon Ball franchise.
- The Stomper Boot item appears to be based on the Goomba's Shoe from the Super Mario series, as it functions in much the same way.
- In some areas throughout the game, a variant of Scarfies known as Hunter Scarfies appear. The actions of these Scarfies are similar to those of the Phanto enemies from Super Mario Bros. 2, as they only attack when Kirby or one of his friends picks up a Key.
Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition
- The first area in the New Challenge Stages stage Smash Combat Chamber features a layout similar to the Battlefield stage in the Super Smash Bros. series. In addition, the distinct ability-providing enemies that appear in sequence to fight Kirby there is likely a reference to Multi-Man Smash.
- The Kirby's History hallway makes numerous mentions of real world events that coincided with the release of certain Kirby games.
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
- The Dreamstalk is a nod to the fairy tale of Jack and the Beanstalk.
- The end of Old Odyssey's 5th stage is a reference to The Three Little Pigs.
- The battle with King Fuwa Rover may be a reference to Luigi's Mansion.
- In the game's backstory, Queen Sectonia is said to have been bewitched by a magic mirror and driven mad with the desire for perfect beauty and power. This is likely a nod to the tale of Snow White, particularly the character of the Evil Queen who also possesses a magic mirror and desires both beauty and power.
Template:KatRC KatRP
- In [[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse|Template:KatRC KatRP]], there is an area of the stage Infiltrate the Junk Factory! where Kirby picks up some Invincible Candy and defeats several Shockcreepas in a vertical maze consisting of tight corridors. This scenario is very similar to the Pac-Man arcade game, mainly due to the nature of the Shockcreepas, the layout of the room, and the fact that lines of Point Stars appear in a similar manner to dots on a Pac-Man board.
- Some of the Play Nintendo comics feature references to other games:
- The comic "Saved by the Rainbow" takes places in a Super Smash Bros. game.
- In the comic "An Evening Out", Kirby takes on the persona of Mario from the Mario franchise.
- In the comic "The Waddle Dee Three", the green Waddle Dee says "I am error", referencing the same infamous line from Zelda II: The Adventure of Link.
Kirby: Planet Robobot
- Qbby from the BOXBOY! series makes an appearance as one of the collectable stickers.
- One of Kirby's rare Stone transformations in this game depicts Tom Nook from the Animal Crossing series.
- Star Dream somewhat resembles the HAL 9000, a fictional sentient computer from 2001: A Space Odyssey, and after whom HAL Laboratory is named.
- Kirby's final attack on Star Dream may be a reference to the Giga Drill Break attack from the Tengen Toppa Gurren Lagann anime series.
Team Kirby Clash Deluxe / Super Kirby Clash
- In Team Kirby Clash Deluxe and Super Kirby Clash, one of the Hammer Lord's purchasable weapons - the Lucky Mallet - is directly based on a common luck symbol in Japan. Likenesses of the mallet can be seen in the real world as decoration, as well as charms and trinkets.
Kirby Battle Royale
- One of Kirby's alternate costumes for the Bomb ability is based on Qbby, though it can only be unlocked with the Japan-exclusive Qbby amiibo.
- One of Meta Knight's alternate costumes, the Party Mask, may be a reference to Tuxedo Mask from the Sailor Moon series.
Kirby Star Allies
- The Plasma move 'Light-Speed Dash' is similar to Quick Attack, a move commonly associated with the Pokémon Pikachu.
- Yggy Woods is named after Yggdrasil, an ancient and sacred tree in Norse legends.
- Void Termina's first form bears a striking resemblance to Beast Ganon from The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time.
- Qbby cameos in one of Kirby's rare Stone transformations.
- Morpho Knight may be based upon valkyries, deities in Norse legends who choose those who live and those who die in preparation for Ragnarök ("judgment day"). Its Japanese name appears to incorporate the words "valkyrie" and "Freyja", a Norse goddess sometimes depicted as the leader of the valkyries.
Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
The anime series Kirby: Right Back at Ya! is packed full of references to other media and events, with several episodes being directly based on other media or even real world events. Characters also make frequent references to other media through their dialogue.
Episode titles
Many of the titles of episodes directly reference other media, as follows:
- Japanese titles
- Viva! Welcome to DedeVegas - Viva Las Vegas, a musical film from 1964 starring Elvis Presley.
- Ultimate Iron Man Cook Osaka - Iron Chef, a Japanese cooking TV show from the 1990s.
- A Midsummer Night's Scream! - A Midsummer Night's Dream, one of the comedic plays of William Shakespeare.
- English titles
- The Fofa Factor - Fear Factor, an American reality TV show aired in the early 2000s.
- Escargoon Squad - The Monster Squad, an American comedy/horror film from 1987.
- A Fish Called Kine - A Fish Called Wanda, a 1988 British-American heist comedy film.
- Here Comes the Son - Here Comes the Sun, a famous song by The Beatles.
- Hour of the WolfWrath - Hour of the Wolf, a Swedish horror film from 1968.
- A Spice Odyssey - 2001: A Space Odyssey, a famous science fiction story by Arthur C. Clarke and Stanley Kubrick.
- War of the Woods - The War of the Worlds, a famous science fiction story by H.G. Wells.
- The Chill Factor - another reference to Fear Factor.
- Waddle While You Work - Whistle While You Work, a song from the Walt Disney movie Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.
- Born to Be Mild - Born to Be Wild, a famous song by the band Steppenwolf.
- Hunger Struck - Thunderstruck, a song by the band AC/DC.
- Cappy Town Down - Black Hawk Down, a non-fiction book from 1999 which was later adapted into a movie with the same name.
References by episode
Beware: Whispy Woods!
In the Japanese version of Beware: Whispy Woods!, King Dedede remarks after building his country club that though Whispy Woods is gone, Tiger Woods is now here, in reference to the name and occupation of the famous golf player.
Un-Reality TV
There are numerous references to other T.V. shows and media in Un-Reality TV, mainly revolving around the show titles for Channel DDD. Specific references include the following:
- "Wheel of Head Wounds" references Wheel of Fortune.
- "Dededeep Space Nine" references Star Trek: Deep Space Nine.
- "Globzilla" references Godzilla.
- "King Klong" references King Kong.
- "Who Wants to Be a Dedede?" references Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?.
- "Everybody Loves Dedede" references Everybody Loves Raymond.
- King Dedede's line "Hasta la vista, chump!" references Arnold Schwarzenegger in several of his movie roles.
- Escargoon's line "Ahh, Sire, the studio's gone with the wind!" references Gone with the Wind.
More references exist in the Japanese version, as follows:
- "Super Dededeman" references Superman.
- "It's Dedede, Everyone Come On!" references a Japanese T.V. show called It's 8 O' Clock, Everyone Come On!.
- "Dedede Mystery Discovery" references a Japanese T.V. show called World Mystery Discovery.
- "Gone with the Planet of the Apes" references the Planet of the Apes franchise, and may also reference Gone with the Wind.
Curio's Curious Discovery
The overall plot of Curio's Curious Discovery is likely a reference to the Japanese Paleolithic hoax, in which an archaeologist made famous for stone age tool discoveries was eventually ousted as a fraud when he was caught planting artifacts at dig sites.
Cappy New Year
In the Japanese version of Cappy New Year, Escargon refers to his rocket as the "Teppoudon", which is a reference to the North Korean ballistic missile called "Taepo Dong". Additionally, while Kirby is being flung around by the robotic arm, King Dedede says he'll "have Kirby depart on his 2,001-year space odyssey", explicitly referring to the science fiction story of the same name (while also making reference to the year that the episode first aired).
Labor Daze
In the Japanese version of Labor Daze, Fumu remarks that the pollution from King Dedede's factory is severely damaging the environment of Dream Land, which could result in a "Silent Spring". This is a reference to the famous environmental science book of the same name, published in 1962.
Abusement Park
In the Japanese version of Abusement Park, when the Dream Landers are fighting over the Walky in the karaoke contest, Mayor Len attempts to sing Y.M.C.A. by the Village People but gets the acronym wrong, singing "Y.W.C.A." instead. Cabinet Minister Pāmu later tries to sing Frank Sinatra's songs I Left My Heart in San Francisco and My Way.
A Dental Dilemma
In the Japanese version of A Dental Dilemma, Lady Mēmu promises Bun a "CubeGame" if he goes to the dentist, which is likely a reference to the Nintendo GameCube; the newest Nintendo console out at the time.
Watermelon Felon
In the Japanese version of Watermelon Felon, an advertisement appears on Channel DDD promoting "DDDLAND", which is a reference to Disneyland.
A Novel Approach
The premise of A Novel Approach revolves around characters reading a new bestselling novel called "Pappy Pottey and the Fool's Stone", which is a direct reference to the Harry Potter series of books. Likewise, the story also features Castle Dedede stylized as a "magic school" similar to Hogwarts, and a character called Rowlin appears, who is a stand-in for J.K. Rowling.
Prediction Predicament - Part II
In the Japanese version of Prediction Predicament - Part II, the asteroid heading towards Dream Land is called Phantom Star Gerath, which is a reference to the Japanese film Gorath, which involves a white dwarf star heading directly toward Earth. Additionally, In the Japanese version, King Dedede sings a song on the swings that can be translated as such: "Life is short...fall in love, Dedede..." This is a reference to a famous Japanese film called Ikiru, directed by Akira Kurosawa. The scene being referenced can be found at this link: YouTube clip.
Scare Tactics - Part II
In Scare Tactics - Part II, King Dedede and Escargoon reenact the murder in the shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's film Psycho.
Don't Bank on It
The ending of Don't Bank on It references the final scene in the film 2001: A Space Odyssey.
Snack Attack - Part II
Some of the Martial Arts All-Stars that Kirby faces in Snack Attack - Part II are references, as follows:
- Kung-Fu Lee is a reference to Bruce Lee.
- Boxer Dyson is a reference to Mike Tyson.
- Karate Kid is a reference to the titular movie's main protagonist.
One Crazy Knight
The guest character of One Crazy Knight - Sir Gallant - is a reference to the main character of the classic novel Don Quixote. Likewise, the monster that features in this episode - the Windwhipper - references Don Quixote's battles against windmills in the book.
Mabel Turns the Tables
The scene in Mabel Turns the Tables where Mabel and Kirby part the sea is a reference to the biblical Book of Exodus, where the Abrahamic prophet Moses parts the Red Sea with Yahweh's power to lead the Hebrews out of Egypt.
The Kirby Quiz
In The Kirby Quiz, the N.M.E. Sales Guy reveals that the winners of the game show will receive a trip to "Planet Hawahu". This is a reference to the real-world location of Hawaii, and the image shown appears to be that of the city Honolulu.
Waddle While You Work
In Waddle While You Work, the scene where King Dedede eats a turnip and cries out that he will never go hungry again is a reference to Gone with the Wind.
Caterpillar Thriller
This episode revolves around a giant moth-like monster called Mosugaba who lives on a remote island with two tiny fairy twins called the Island Sisters. These are direct references to the equivalent characters from the Japanese monster film Mothra.
Fossil Fools
In both parts of Fossil Fools, numerous references to both the science fiction film Jurassic Park and the H.G. Wells story The Island of Doctor Moreau are made, with the latter primarily taking the form of the villain Doctor Moro.
Dedede's Monsterpiece
The episode Dedede's Monsterpiece revolves around the Dream Landers looking at several examples of real-world famous paintings and sculptures.
Right Hand Robot
In Right Hand Robot, the scene where Escargoon empowers the Escar-droid using lightning is a reference to Mary Shelley's horror story Frankenstein.
Goin' Bonkers
In the 4Kids version of Goin' Bonkers, several characters have lines that reference the movie Planet of the Apes. Additionally, while Bonkers is in his monster form, his actions mimic scenes from the movie King Kong. Lastly, in the Japanese version, when Bonkers first shows up, Chef Kawasaki speculates that Bonkers might be a Terminator.
Shell-Shocked
In Shell-Shocked, when King Dedede is imagining what Escargoon would look like without his shell, he pictures the famous painting The Birth of Venus with modifications to make Venus resemble Escargoon.
Tooned Out
There are several references to cartoons and other subjects related to animation and film in Tooned Out, as follows:
- In the Japanese version, King Dedede mentions that his animation aspirations had "gone with the wind" while the recap montage shows the scene in Waddle While You Work that references Gone with the Wind.
- When the townsfolk are coming up with cartoon ideas, Gengu proposes an anime where a space hero fights monsters only to find out that he is actually a toy. This is a Toy Story reference.
- Additionally, Professor Curio proposes "Curio Jones", which is inspired by Indiana Jones.
- In the Japanese version, the character Mayor Len proposes for it is called "Wooltaro". This is a reference to the popular anime series Hamtaro.
- In the Japanese version, Hohhe proposes a robot character called "Ovangelidan". This is a reference to the anime series Neon Genesis Evangelion.
- In the Japanese version, Honey proposes a cartoon idea similar to Kiki's Delivery Service.
- The monster Anige is initially disguised as "Dis Walney", who is a direct stand-in for Walt Disney.
Born to Be Mild
Melman's alter-ego "Steppenwolf" is a reference to the band of the same name.
Hunger Struck
In the Japanese version of Hunger Struck, when King Dedede and Escargon are being chased by the Waddle Dees, Escargon says (translated) "This is a revolt! No...it's a revolution!" This may be a reference to the famous line offered to King Louis XVI of France when the Bastille was stormed in 1789.
Cowardly Creature
In the Japanese version of Cowardly Creature, when King Dedede is hammering Phan Phan, he repeats the line (translated) "Defense only!" This is a reference to Japan's policy of keeping an army only for defense purposes.
Frog Wild
In Frog Wild, the way Mabel reacts after Devil Kirby cracks her crystal ball in two is a reference to the famous painting, The Scream.
Cappy Town Down
In the Japanese version of Cappy Town Down, when King Dedede and Escargon first see the Halberd, they reference the anime Space Battleship Yamato, which the Halberd itself was based on. The composer for the Japanese version of the anime, Akira Miyagawa, has worked on the Space Battleship Yamato franchise and is the son of the series' original composer, Hiroshi Miyagawa.
Kirby 3D
The monster Lobzilla is named after the film monster Godzilla in English; his name is Ebizō in Japanese, after a famous family line of kabuki actors, Ichikawa Ebizō. Fittingly, he gives Kirby the Kabuki ability.
Other references
- In the Japanese version of the show, the Booma-Dooma Volcano is referred to as Gilauea, which is a reference to Kīlauea volcano in Hawaii.
- The location Babagahara is likely a reference to the real-world Japanese forest Aokigahara, also known as the Sea of Trees, located near Mount Fuji.
- The veteran Star Warriors Sir Arthur, Sir Galahad, Sir Lancelot, and Sir Percival are named after various Knights of the Round Table.
- The giant Destroya starships greatly resemble the alien motherships from the science fiction film Independence Day.
- eNeMeE's Fortress is very similar to the Death Star from the Star Wars franchise.
Other media
- In Kirby Manga Mania Volume 1, there is a comic strip named "Mario Kirby" in which Kirby dresses as Mario, and says he will rescue "Princess Peaches". King Dedede tries to correct him, but with no success. At the end, Princess Peach herself shows up, saying it might be easier to just go with "Peaches".
- In Hoshi no Kirby: KiraKira Pupupu World Volume 1, two of the 4koma strips feature Kirby meeting Qbby. Kirby compliments Qbby on his ability to make boxes. Qbby then asks Kirby what his special ability is, and Kirby answers by saying that he can inhale. Afterwards, Kirby ends up inhaling Qbby and the nearby boxes created by him.