Qbby
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Qbby is a small box-shaped entity who serves as the main protagonist of the BOXBOY! series. His defining power is the ability to generate boxes from his body, which can be carried or laid down around him in different patterns to solve puzzles. These boxes can also come with powers of their own, further adding to Qbby's arsenal.
Description
Qbby is extremely simple in look, being little more than a white cuboid box with two black dots for eyes and two small lines for legs. He appears to be flat in his world, but is actually a cube, hence his name. Apart from his ability to generate boxes from his body, Qbby is capable only of walking, swimming and jumping short distances.
Qbby's special ability to generate boxes from his body can take on many forms and functions. He has to concentrate in order to do so, and can create up to five at a time, which emerge one-out-the-other. From there, Qbby can either carry them or toss them in order to surmount various obstacles. The boxes on their own can be used as stepping stones, to weigh down switches, or to act as a shield. Qbby can also slide up cliffs by re-merging with boxes that he is carrying. Qbby would gain further box-related abilities down the line, from being able to generate two sets of boxes in BOXBOXBOY! to making boxes with special properties of their own, (including bearing rockets, teleportation devices, and the ability to move autonomously) in BYE-BYE BOXBOY!.
Qbby has a significant other known as Qucy, who looks just like him, but she has a bow and eyelashes to distinguish her from Qbby's simpler look. Qbby has a friend of their race known as Qudy, who is twice as high as Qbby/Qucy. Qbby also has several children, referred to as Qbabies. They are also white cubes, but are slightly smaller and have more distinguishing characteristics, like cheek blush and a colTemplate:Ored upper corner. They can help Qbby solve puzzles by being secondary actors.
Relation to the Kirby series
While both Qbby and Kirby were created by HAL Laboratory, they are not of the same franchise or universe. However, there has been some amount of cross-over in terms of reference materials, all of which are not canon to either series.
Kirby in the BOXBOY! series
On the BOXBOY side of things, using Kirby series amiibo in BYE-BYE BOXBOY! will give Qbby a makeover to resemble the character portrayed by the amiibo in question (which includes Kirby, King Dedede, Meta Knight or Waddle Dee). Using any of these costumes will also cause the boxes he generates to resemble Star Blocks.
Kirby also appears in several BOXBOY in-game comics:
- In BYE-BYE BOXBOY!, the comic "So Close, Yet..." has Qbby mimicing Copy Abilities like Fire, Hammer and Sword, but meeting Kirby with Ultra Sword in the end; another comic named "Suit Up!" has Qbby piloting a box-made robot to mimic the Robobot Armor, but meeting Kirby in his real armor in the end.
- In BOXBOY! + BOXGIRL!, the comic "How to make friends!" has Qbby throwing boxes to mimic throwing Friend Hearts, but accidentally hitting Kirby.
Qbby in the Kirby series
On the Kirby side, Qbby's likeness appears as a sticker in Kirby: Planet Robobot. A special costume for the Bomb ability representing Qbby can also be unlocked using Qbby's amiibo in Kirby Battle Royale. Qbby also appears as part of the Stone transformation representing HAL H.Q. in Kirby Star Allies.
Trivia
- Qbby's name is very similar to that of Kirby's. This is probably not a coincidence.
- As a bit of a joke, while Kirby was celebrating his 25th anniversary in 2017, Qbby celebrated his 2.5th.[1]
- Qbby appears as a Support Spirit in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. He is represented by a monochrome Kirby in his spirit battle, and his spirit has the skill of equipping the fighter with an Ore Club which costs 3 slots.
- On April 1, 2019, HAL did an April Fools joke by swapping both Kirby's and Qbby's bodies, making Kirby square and Qbby circular.
- To celebrate Kirby's 27th anniversary, Qbby turned yarn as a homage to Kirby's Extra Epic Yarn.[2]
Names in other languages
Language | Name | Meaning |
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Japanese | キュービィ Kyūbii |
Qbby
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German | Qbby | Qbby |
External links
- Qbby's house - BOXBOY! series official website (JP)
- Qbby's house - BOXBOY! series official Twitter (JP)