Square Kirby

Official artwork of Square Kirby

Square Kirby is Kirby but with a square body, which was introduced on April 1st, 2019 as the official Japanese Kirby website's April Fool's prank. It was preceded by the Waddle Dee 25th Anniversary prank in 2018.

Description

Japanese description of Square Kirby

The official website gives a description of Square Kirby in Japanese:

Original	Translation (unofficial)
星のカービィが四角くなります	Kirby Has Become Square
1992年に誕生して以来、まんまるピンクの変わらぬスタイルで 世界中のみなさまにご愛顧いただいて参りましたが、 このたび、カービィのかたちが「まる」から「しかく」に変わります。	Since his birth in 1992, Kirby has been loved by people all over the world for his unchanging round and pink style. But now, Kirby's shape has changed from "round" to "square".
これから先も長く愛されるキャラクターを目指して、 より多面的な活躍、多角的な発展を遂げ、 よりエッジィな魅力を持った存在に成長すべく、 カービィとにスタッフ一同邁進して参ります。	With this, the staff hopes to give Kirby an edgy charm that will allow for the multi-faceted development of multi-angled products, so that we can create a character who will be loved for years to come.
四角くなって安定感をすこれからのカービィを、 今後ともよろしくお願いいたします。	We look forward to your support for a more stable, square-shaped Kirby.

Descriptions like 多面的 (multi-faceted), 多角的 (multi-angled), エッジィな魅力 (edgy charm), and 安定感 (stable) are all references to squares, in addition to being interpreted as character traits.

Miscellaneous

The official websites for Kirby Star Allies and Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn had their main artwork temporarily replaced with equivalent art of Square Kirby; the banner links to these game's sites on the main page were also changed to match. The Kirby series' Japanese name, 星のカービィ ("Kirby of the Stars"), is altered into 四角のカービィ ("Kirby of the Squares"), with 四角 stylized as a single kanji (四 at the top and 角 at the bottom) to resemble 星. These links lead to pop-up illustrations of Marx, Hyness, or King Dedede clarifying the April Fool's prank, providing actual thumbnails and links to games' sites. The merchandise section of the Square Kirby website features actual square/rectangular products, such as carrying bags for the Nintendo Switch console and a rectangular power bank. The "return to top" button also features Square Kirby with a square helmet in a cannon.

When the prank was over, the site was moved from the main Kirby page to a sub-page, where it can still be accessed today. The bottom of the website is appended with a notice that Square Kirby is a joke and Kirby will remain round as always. The official websites for the previously-mentioned games were also reverted back to their original forms, though their Square Kirby versions were not preserved like the main page was.

In a tie-in to the Square Kirby joke, Qbby became round, and BOXBOY! was changed to マルボーイ ("Round Boy") for April Fool's Day in 2019. In the Channel PPP post announcing Kirby's return to normal, Qbby can be seen in the bottom right corner of the poster. Additionally, Channel PPP speculates that Kirby might have inhaled something strange, implying that he may have inhaled Qbby.

Trivia

Kirby after copying Steve in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

• Before this April Fool's prank, Square Kirby had appeared as jokes in several official manga series. In addition, official plushes of Qbby and Kirby by Sanei Boeki were released along with BYE-BYE BOXBOY! in Japan in early 2017, in which Kirby takes the form of a cube (albeit with a look similar to Qbby).
• In Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, Kirby's copy ability when copying Steve resembles Square Kirby due to Minecraft's cubical art style.

Gallery

• Square Kirby
• 

  Square Kirby waiting in a cannon

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  Square Kirby launched from a cannon

• 

  Square Kirby for Kirby Star Allies

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  Altered logo of Kirby Star Allies ("Kirby of the Squares: Star Allies")

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  Square Kirby for Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn

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  Altered logo of Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn ("Yarn Kirby Square Plus")

• Clarification
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  Caution icon featuring Square Kirby

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  Hyness clarifying the April Fool's joke

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  Marx clarifying the April Fool's joke

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  King Dedede clarifying the April Fool's joke

External link

• Square Kirby permanent link (JP)

Names in other languages

Language	Name	Meaning
Japanese	四角いカービィ Shikakui Kābii	Square/Rectangular Kirby This Japanese name is used as the Twitter hashtag.