Editing Kirby (species)

[[File:KatamPoster.jpg|200px|thumb|right|Four different hues of Kirby from ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'' and [[Meta Knight]], who is suspected to be related to Kirby.]]
{{quote|So many Kirbys to talk to!|[[Waddle Dee]] in ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''}}
[[Kirby]]'s species is unknown, but he does not appear to be the only one of his kind. Many '''Kirbys''' have appeared throughout the [[Kirby (series)|''Kirby'' franchise]], and outside of the series too. The following will list other examples of Kirby's species (referred to as "Kirbys" for the sake of simplicity), both confirmed and suspected:

==Examples==
===Kirby===
[[File:KTD Kirby artwork.png|thumb|125px|Naturally, the most notable member of Kirby's species is Kirby himself.]]
{{main|Kirby}}
Naturally, [[Kirby]] himself is the most notable of his species, and is typically seen as its representative. Despite all of the examples of Kirby clones illustrated below, Kirby is often depicted as the only one of his kind in games that he appears in, with most examples of additional Kirbys being directly derived from him in some way. Notably, Kirby's birthplace is unknown,<ref>{{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> but he did not originate from [[Dream Land]]; he made his home there after he "blew into Dream Land one day on a spring breeze".<ref>Kirby's [[figurine]] description from ''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''</ref>

[[File:Kirby pyramid KMA art.png|thumb|left|125px|The ''Kirby'' series has a habit of splitting Kirby into several copies, but these copies are generally understood to be the same "being" as Kirby.]]
It should be noted that, willingly or not, Kirby often splits into multiple copies of himself; the most prominent example is when he performs his [[Kirby Dance|victory dance]] at the end of levels and stages. This trope goes all the way back to the original ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]''. These clones are produced just ahead of the dance and do not persist after the level or stage fades out. According to [[Masahiro Sakurai]], these clones exist "because it's more fun that way".<ref>{{Twitterlink|sora_sakurai|1386877766465949696}}</ref>

Other examples of such ephemeral Kirby clones include the Kirbys that come pouring out of the cloud in the opening cutscene for [[Bubbly Clouds]] and the mysterious "Kirby-like creatures" seen in [[Mt. Dedede]] in ''Kirby's Dream Land'', the Kirbys operating the [[Goal Game]] cannon in [[Dyna Blade (main game)|Dyna Blade]] from ''[[Kirby Super Star]]'', and instances of splitting Kirby into multiple copies for gameplay purposes, such as in ''[[Kirby's Block Ball]]'' and ''[[Kirby and the Rainbow Curse]]''. In the case of ''Kirby's Dream Land'', Sakurai explains these instances of Kirby splitting up as simply part of "embracing the mystery" of Dream Land.<ref>[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZUY2AtBD6Sk&t=714s "Development Secrets of the Original Kirby" - Masahiro Sakurai on Creating Games]</ref> In ''Kirby Mass Attack'', Kirby is split into ten weaker copies by [[Necrodeus]] for the entire duration of the game; however, they are all still considered parts of "the" Kirby, and they rejoin into a single Kirby by the end of the game.

===Clones of Kirby===
[[File:Twitter commemorative - KBR release.jpg|thumb|right|200px|''Kirby Battle Royale'' is a prominent example of Kirby being cloned.]]
In contrast, there are examples of more persistent and distinct clones of Kirby who operate separately from him, and are often distinguished by body color. The two most prominent examples of Kirby clones with a story-related purpose (i.e. not counting [[Color|simple palette swaps]] for multiplayer modes, [[#Other|detailed below]]) are in ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'' and ''[[Kirby Battle Royale]]''. In the former game, [[Dark Meta Knight]] strikes Kirby with his sword and splits him into four different Kirbys, each with a different color. Aside from this superficial difference, each Kirby has the same abilities and presumably the same motives. Notably, these Kirbys persist past the story's conclusion, though what becomes of them is unknown. In the latter game, [[King Dedede]] is in possession of a [[Kirby Printer]] which is capable of mass-producing Kirby clones (which come in every color except for pink). These clones come pre-equipped with a [[Copy Ability]], and never discard them, though they are apparently much less formidable opponents than the real deal. When the Kirby Printer is eventually destroyed, all the clones it created vanish.

===Team Kirby===
[[File:Twitter commemorative - TKCD release.jpg|thumb|left|200px|The ''Kirby Clash'' series features at least four distinct Kirbys.]]
''[[Team Kirby Clash Deluxe]]'' and ''[[Super Kirby Clash]]'' take place in an alternate-universe version of [[Dream Land]] known as the [[Dream Kingdom]], where one of the prominent differences is that there is not one Kirby, but four. These heroes are all named "Kirby" and all have similar skillsets, with their only differentiation being color. Furthermore, even more wandering Kirbys can be summoned using the [[Adventurer Bell]]. As such, it is likely that there are many of Kirby's kind in the Dream Kingdom, in stark contrast to the main Dream Land, where other Kirby-like beings are rarely seen.

===Keeby===
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|footer=Keeby (left) and Shadow Kirby (right) are the only two examples of Kirby lookalikes who have distinct names and identities.
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{{main|Keeby}}
The player 2 character in ''[[Kirby's Dream Course]]'' is a yellow version of Kirby called [[Keeby]]. In the game, he serves as player 2, competing against Kirby. Like Kirby, he is able to copy abilities from enemies, though it is unknown whether he can float or inhale. "Keeby" was used by the game's developers as a nickname for what was originally an unnamed yellow Kirby; it is speculated that other appearances of yellow Kirby are Keeby, or that "Keeby" is simply a nickname for all yellow Kirbys, but this has not been officially confirmed.

===Shadow Kirby===
{{main|Shadow Kirby}}
[[Shadow Kirby]] is a dark version of Kirby from the Mirror World that appears in ''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]'' and the ''Kirby Fighters'' games. He appears to share the ability to copy and hover, and his motives are not entirely clear. Unlike the other clones of Kirby, his personality differs notably: he is mischievous and somewhat reclusive, though he does not appear to be evil at heart.

===Other===
[[File:KNiDL Kirby Colors artwork.jpg|thumb|left|125px|Kirby along with three common other colors of Kirby.]]
[[File:KDL Bye-bye.png|thumb|At the end of ''Kirby's Dream Land'', Kirby appears before what looks to be a crowd of other Kirby-like entities.]]
{{main|Color}}
In most Kirby spinoff games and [[Sub-Game]] that involve [[multiplayer]], players 2-4 can play as [[Color|alternately colored]] Kirbys. Notable standalone games that include the ability to play as such include ''[[Kirby 64: The Crystal Shards]]'', ''[[Kirby: Nightmare in Dream Land]]'', ''[[Kirby Air Ride]]'', ''[[Kirby: Squeak Squad]]'', ''[[Kirby Super Star Ultra]]'', ''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land]]'' (''[[Kirby's Return to Dream Land Deluxe|Deluxe]]''), ''[[Kirby: Triple Deluxe]]'', ''[[Kirby Fighters Deluxe]]'', ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]'', ''[[Kirby Star Allies]]'', ''[[Kirby Fighters 2]]'', and ''[[Kirby's Dream Buffet]]''. It is worth noting that these Kirbys are never acknowledged within the story of these games, meaning that their appearances are unexplained and may not be considered part of the actual story.

Much like Keeby, the green color of Kirby from ''[[Super Smash Bros.]]'' has an official nickname: くさもちカービィ (''[[wikipedia:kusa mochi|Kusa mochi]]'' Kirby). However, unlike what is implied to be the case with Keeby, it does not appear to be a distinct character from Kirby.

At the end of ''[[Kirby's Dream Land]]'', Kirby can be seen returning stolen food to a crowd of other round creatures that look a lot like him. In [[Spring Breeze]], however, this crowd was [[Continuity|retconned]] into one made mainly of [[Waddle Dee]]s.

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==Possible relatives of Kirby==
===Meta Knight===
[[File:KRtDL Meta Knight Artwork 1.png|thumb|200px|Meta Knight is often seen as the same species as Kirby, due to their similar body shape and faces. However, Meta Knight has never been shown to have Kirby's other distinct powers, such as the ability to inhale and copy abilities.]]
{{main|Meta Knight}}
It is popularly speculated and widely believed that [[Meta Knight]] and Kirby are the same species. Evidence pointing in favor of this conclusion includes their similar shape, body structure, and face (when unmasked). Additionally, [[Kirby: Right Back at Ya!|the anime]] explains that both Kirby and Meta Knight are part of an order of [[Star Warrior]]s who tend to share a similar origin (though even if taken into consideration, this reasoning is imprecise, as Star Warriors themselves also tend to come in different types), although the anime is a different continuity from the games.

However, a number of key differences exist between Kirby and Meta Knight, many of which were established in later titles. Meta Knight is often depicted with wings, which is a feature that Kirby cannot obtain without the use of the [[Wing]] ability. However, in the ''[[Super Smash Bros. (series)|Super Smash Bros.]]'' games, these wings are shown to be a transformation of his cape, which eventually was demonstrated in the ''Kirby'' series proper in the opening cutscene of ''[[Kirby: Planet Robobot]]''. Meta Knight also has glowing yellow (but otherwise featureless) eyes, which is another trait that Kirby lacks. As a final note, Meta Knight has never been shown to be able to [[inhale]], which is something that Kirby and all of his clones are capable of doing.

Ultimately, there is no conclusive proof in either direction, though fans tend to speculate that the two are somehow related. This is augmented by the way Meta Knight is often compared to Kirby in the games and in descriptions, with examples including both the eighth [[Color|palette swap of Kirby]] and his description in [[smashwiki:Palutena's Guidance|Palutena's Guidance]] starting with ''Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS / Wii U''. [[Shinya Kumazaki]] once addressed their relationship on the [[Kirby Star Allies Channel|''Kirby Star Allies'' Channel]] as one of the [[List of mysteries|mysteries]] of the ''Kirby'' universe, similar to the relationship between [[The Three Mage-Sisters]] and [[Hyness]].

===Dark Meta Knight===
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{{main|Dark Meta Knight}}
As a dark copy of Meta Knight from the Mirror World, Dark Meta Knight resembles Kirby in much the same ways that Meta Knight does. Only seen for a brief moment after he is defeated at Radish Ruins in ''Kirby & The Amazing Mirror'', [[Dark Meta Knight]]'s unmasked form resembles a black Kirby, darker than even Shadow Kirby.

===Galacta Knight===
{{main|Galacta Knight}}
[[Galacta Knight]] in many ways resembles Meta Knight and therefore Kirby in shape and size. However, Galacta Knight's maskless form is never seen, even when he is defeated.

===Morpho Knight===
{{main|Morpho Knight}}
Similarly to Galacta Knight, [[Morpho Knight]] is an entity that bears a similar appearance to that of the Kirby species, although notably lacking a mouth. Unlike other characters like Kirby, Meta Knight and Galacta Knight, Morpho Knight doesn't always display the likeness of the Kirby species, as it normally has the body of a [[butterfly]], only gaining its Kirby-like appearance after absorbing the soul of a powerful being, like that of Galacta Knight or Soul Forgo.

===Prince Fluff===
[[File:KEY Prince Fluff Cutscene screenshot.jpg|thumb|250px|Prince Fluff and Kirby are nearly identical in shape and ability when in Patch Land, but unlike Kirby, Fluff retains his yarn form when in Dream Land after Yin-Yarn's spell is broken.]]
{{main|Prince Fluff}}
In ''[[Kirby's Epic Yarn]]'' and ''[[Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn]]'', Kirby's primary helper is [[Prince Fluff]], who, like Kirby in his yarn state, is unable to [[inhale]] or [[hover]], but is capable of [[Transformation (Kirby's Epic Yarn)|transforming]] himself into other shapes. It is unclear if Fluff is the same species as Kirby, or if they just happened to look similar when Kirby was transformed into a yarn outline like him. Notably, Prince Fluff was designed this way before the game was turned into a ''Kirby'' game.<ref>{{cite|'''(Etsunobu) Ebisu:''' When we made our original character, I thought it faintly resembled someone. (laughs)<br>'''(Satoru) Iwata:''' Faintly, uh-huh… (laughs)<br>'''Ebisu:''' The resemblance was there, but we had thought of it on our own, and as one of the creators I was happy to see it used.<br>[...]<br>'''(Atsushi) Kono:''' Hmm, well…when I was making the first character, I wanted to make it with one single piece of yarn. And I wanted to make use of the texture of yarn to create a soft, warm, cute character. That meant I needed a simple design, so I started with a round shape, and it needed legs, so I added legs, and then cute eyes.<br>'''Iwata:''' That's starting to sound similar to someone we know. (laughs)|[https://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/wii/kirbysepicyarn/0/1/ "Why Not Make It Kirby?"]|Iwata Asks: Kirby's Epic Yarn}}</ref> However, one noticeable difference between the two is that Prince Fluff has large, wide eyes, whereas Kirby's eyes are beady.

===Batamon===
[[File:KSA Batamon cameo.jpg|thumb|left|Batamon looks superficially similar to Kirby, but has a different face and none of his powers.]]
{{main|Batamon}}
In ''[[Kirby's Dream Land 3]]'', mysterious enemies known as "[[Batamon]]" are often seen in locations impossible for Kirby to access. These enemies look very similar to Kirby, but bear a slightly different body shape and face structure. Their name, derived from a Japanese slang term for counterfeit products, suggests that they are "knock-offs" of Kirby.

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==In the ''Kirby'' novel series==
[[File:V9 Illustration 24.png|thumb|200px|Kirby alongside three other Kirbys in ''[[Kirby Clash Team Unite!]]''.]]
In the [[Kirby (novel series)|''Kirby'' novel series]], [[Kirby (novel character)|Kirby]] himself is implied to be the only member of his species. However, in some occasions copies or clones of him have appeared, with each case having their own explanations for their existence.

In ''[[Kirby Clash Team Unite!]]'' and ''[[Kirby: Super Team Kirby's Big Battle!]]'', Kirby gets sent to the [[Dream Kingdom]], where he meets three other Kirbys: one yellow, one blue, and another green, and, much like him, are all named "Kirby" as well. Their personalities are vastly the same as Kirby's own (in particular, the other three Kirbys share the same appetite as Kirby himself), with minor differences. Due to the lack of Copy Abilities in the Dream Kingdom (instead, the Kirbys rely on [[Gear]] and their [[Role]]s for battle), it's unclear if these Kirbys can copy abilities as well.

In ''[[Kirby's Decisive Battle! Battle Royale!!]]'', ''[[Kirby Fighters: The Destined Rivals!!]]'' and ''[[Kirby: Full Stomach, Perfect Circle, Dream Buffet!]]'', Kirby copies appear as well, and, unlike their Dream Kingdom counterparts, they do not speak and mostly lack emotions, being purely motivated by battles. In ''Kirby's Decisive Battle! Battle Royale!!'', Kirby copies pre-equipped with Copy Abilities are created by the [[Kirby Printer]] to compete in [[Dedede's Cake Royale]], and eventually disappear at the end of the novel when the Kirby Printer is destroyed. In ''Kirby Fighters: The Destined Rivals!!'', Kirby copies also pre-equipped with Copy Abilities appear after [[King Dedede (novel character)|King Dedede]] wishes for Kirby to have strong opponents in the Buddy Fighters Tower. These copies presumably disappear after the tower collapses at the end of the novel. Finally, in ''Kirby: Full Stomach, Perfect Circle, Dream Buffet!'', three Kirby copies appear at the end of the novel, when the [[Server Hands]] wish for the [[Dream Fork]] to give them "the strongest power" after those in the gourmet fest decide to go against them. Much like Kirby, they can use the [[Copy Food]]s to get Copy Food Abilities. Kirby eventually manages to beat them by knocking them out of the field in a [[Battle Royale (Kirby's Dream Buffet)|Battle Royale]].

<gallery>
Novel Yellow Kirby Artwork V9.png|Character artwork of Yellow Kirby from ''Kirby Clash Team Unite!''
Novel Blue Kirby Artwork V9.png|Character artwork of Blue Kirby from ''Kirby Clash Team Unite!''
Novel Green Kirby Artwork V9.png|Character artwork of Green Kirby from ''Kirby Clash Team Unite!''
Novel Yellow Kirby Artwork V15.png|Character artwork of Yellow Kirby from ''Kirby: Super Team Kirby's Big Battle!''
Novel Blue Kirby Artwork V15.png|Character artwork of Blue Kirby from ''Kirby: Super Team Kirby's Big Battle!''
Novel Green Kirby Artwork V15.png|Character artwork of Green Kirby from ''Kirby: Super Team Kirby's Big Battle!''
</gallery>

==Trivia==
*There is some confusion as to whether the proper pluralization for Kirby is "Kirbys" or "Kirbies". Only "Kirbys" has seen official use, and this is the correct pluralization due to Kirby being a proper name.<ref>{{cite|He's been split into four Kirbys of different colors, and with his trusty cell phone, he can call up his colorful clones to lend a hand!|''[[Kirby & The Amazing Mirror]]''|back cover description}}<br>{{cite|More Kirbys, More Power!|''[[Kirby Mass Attack]]''|back cover tagline}}</ref>
*In ''[[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening|The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening]]'' and its [[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening DX|subsequent]] [[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening (Nintendo Switch)|remakes]], there are enemies called '''[[zeldawiki:Kirby|Anti-Kirbys]]''' who can attack Link by inhaling him, and then spitting him out. These Kirby-like foes are immune to standard sword swipes, and must be defeated using bombs or another item. Interestingly, these enemies are referred to as "Kirby" in Japanese and sometimes in English material as well.<ref>'''Nakago:''' ''"And it wasn't just Mario and Luigi, but something like Kirby, too."''<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"Huh?"''<br>
'''Tezuka:''' ''"Um...  Kirby was in there, too. I think we asked for permission, but..."''<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"Oh."'' (laughs)<br>
'''Tezuka:''' ''"But some people at HAL Laboratory might say they never heard anything."''<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"I suppose so. Oh well. I'm not sure how many people at that time recognized it was Kirby."''<br>
'''Aonuma:''' ''"But that character appeared as one of Link's enemies, and if you got close, he would suck you up!"'' (laughs)<br>
'''Iwata:''' ''"About that time, Kirby was still just a fledgling character, so I think people thought that it was an honor to have him appear in a The Legend of Zelda game."''<br>
'''Aonuma:''' ''"And the Chomps who appear in the Mario games were also enemies. Partway through you could have them walk along with you."''<br><small>Conversation from [http://iwataasks.nintendo.com/interviews/#/ds/zelda/1/1 "Iwata Asks": The History of Handheld The Legend of Zelda Games (Volume 2)]</small></ref> The ''[[Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition]]'' booklet says that the reason why so many [[treasure]]s are references to other Nintendo franchises was to "return the favor" for [[Kirby]]'s appearance in that game.<ref>{{Cite|In The Great Cave Offensive, Kirby can find treasures based on classic Nintendo games like Super Mario Bros.™, EarthBound™, and The Legend of Zelda™. We thought it was only right to return the favor, since Kirby got to make a guest appearance in The Legend of Zelda™: Link's Awakening™!||[https://web.archive.org/web/20231213151303/https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/323530530681520129/831862216851849216/image0.jpg ''Kirby's Dream Collection Special Edition'' booklet]}}</ref> This text also seems to imply that Anti-Kirby and Kirby are the same entity, but it can also be interpreted as appearance in physical sense. The official ''The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening Player's Guide'' calls them "Kirby's evil twins".<ref>{{cite book |quote=These must be Kirby's evil twins. Their vacuum-like attack sucks up heroes and everything, but you can fight your way out into fresh air. |book=[[zeldawiki:The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening — Nintendo Player's Guide|The Legend of Zelda: Link's Awakening — Nintendo Player's Guide]] |publisher=[[Nintendo]], [[wikipedia:Tokuma Shoten|Tokuma Shoten]] |page=100}}</ref>

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