Kirby: The Return of the Star Warrior

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Kirby: The Return of the Star Warrior, known in Japan as Kirby the Star Warrior (スターウォリアーのカービー, Sutāu~oriā no Kābī), is a Japanese anime series based on Nintendo's Kirby franchise and is a reboot of the original Kirby: Right Back at Ya. Produced by TV Tokyo for the broadcasting, Xubo Productions for the design of the characters, Comet Studio handling the CGI animation, VoiceStarz for handling the voice dubbing and Toei Animation handling the animation. The series ran for one hundred episodes from October 6, 2001 to September 27, 2003 in the original, while the reboot are remaking the 100 episodes and also add arcs to the show.

## Plot

### **Original**

The anime follows Kirby, a pink, spherical, childlike creature who does not speak coherent words but possesses the ability to take on new magical powers temporarily by sucking up their owners. Kirby crash-lands on a planet called Popstar and quickly befriends two yellow-skinned siblings named Tiff and Tuff. Over the course of the series, Kirby and his friends fight to bring down evil emperor Nightmare, all the while evading King Dedede and his assistant Escargoon, who try to get rid of Kirby using numerous monsters provided by Night Mare Enterprises.

### **Gourmet Grand Prix**

Based on the sub-game “Gourmet Race” from Kirby Super Star/Ultra, King Dedede stole all of Cappy Town’s food and challenge Kirby and the Cappies to a food race. The rules are to race through three courses of Dreamland, eat more food than King Dedede and his teammates, and finish first. Winners will get their food back as well as having Dedede’s 5 month supply of food. Losers will have to pay 1,000 D-Bills each for all the food they ate throughout the race.

### **The Squeak Squad**

Based on the game "Kirby Squeak Squad", Kirby and his friends chased down a gang of mice who'd stolen a precious, delicious treasure and infiltrate Dedede’s castle.

### **Kirby Cavern Explorers**

Based on the sub-game “The Great Cave Offensive” from Kirby Super Star/Ultra, Kirby and his friends are seen taking a walk- but they accidentally falls through a hole. They ventures through what seems to be a cave, and must escape while collecting all 60 ancient and expensive treasures and artifacts.

### **Revenge of Dark Meta Knight**

Based on the sub-game “Revenge of Meta Knight” from Kirby Super Star/ Ultra,Dark Knight intends to take over Dream Land and "put an end to its lazy lifestyle."

### **Crystal Shards**

On the planet of Ripple Star lives a group of kind and peaceful fairies. The planet itself is protected from danger by the power of the great Crystal, which watches over Ripple Star. This power, however, draws the attention of Dark Matter, who wishes to use the great Crystal for its own evil agenda. Its gigantic mass attacks and searches for the Crystal, blackening the sky and sending the fairies into panic. In response to the threat Dark Matter presents, the queen of Ripple Star orders a fairy named Ribbon to take the Crystal to a safe place. Ribbon tries to fly away with the Crystal in tow, but is stopped by three orbs sent by Dark Matter. The Crystal shatters into 74 shards scattered throughout several planets, and Ribbon crashes onto Planet Popstar. Kirby finds one shard and gives it to Ribbon, whereupon the two set out to find the others. Once Kirby and his friends collect every Crystal Shard and defeat Miracle Matter, Dark Matter flees Ripple Star and explodes. The victory is cut short, however, as the Crystal detects a powerful presence of Dark Matter energy within the Fairy Queen and expels it from her, manifesting over the planet to create Dark Star. Kirby and his friends infiltrate Dark Star, and King Dedede launches them up to challenge 0². Kirby and Ribbon, armed with their Crystal Gun, destroy 0² and the Dark Star.

### **Dream Patchland**

Based on the game "Kirby Epic Yarn", Yin-Yarn the sorcerer runs amok in Dreamland, turning everything, citizens included, into yarn. While, Kirby, Tiff and Tuff notice the threat, they turn into yarn too.  In this form, Kirby couldn't inhale or use Copy Abilities, but he gained new powers and could change his shape in amazing ways. With the help of Prince Fluff, the heroic prince from a place called Patch Land, Kirby set out to defeat Yin-Yarn and restore Dreamland back to its peaceful grassy landscape.

### **Return to Dreamland**

On another peaceful day in Dream Land, Kirby is holding a Strawberry Shortcake while being chased by King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee. The three of them run past Meta Knight, who is sitting on top of a small hill, reading a book as he slightly glances over at them. Just then, a bright light shines in the sky and catches the attention of Meta Knight before he could continue reading. It also catches the attention of Kirby, who stops in his tracks as King Dedede and Bandana Waddle Dee bump into him before looking into the sky as well, causing Kirby to drop his cake. As the four look on, a dimensional rift opens, and a ship named the Lor Starcutter emerges from it and begins to plummet from the sky. In the process, it loses all 120 of its Energy Spheres, its oars, its wings, its emblem, and its mast, which scatter throughout Dream Land. The heroes chase down the wrecked ship, as it crashes right into the ground.

### **Triple Deluxe**

After a day of fishing, flying, and relaxing, Kirby goes to bed and awakens to find that a massive beanstalk called the Dreamstalk had lifted his house high above the ground while he was sleeping. Upon noticing this, he runs out of his house in shock and falls from his home onto a part of the Dreamstalk before seeing that Castle Dedede was also lifted. He climbs the Dreamstalk to reach the castle, and spots a spider-like creature named Taranza entering the castle. Kirby curiously follows Taranza and watches as he easily dispatches many of King Dedede's Waddle Dee guards before he proceeds to capture Dedede, surrounding him in a strange purple aura. Taranza breaks through the castle's glass ceiling and ascends the Dreamstalk with the self-proclaimed king in tow. Kirby follows close behind and enters Floralia, a series of floating islands, to rescue Dedede..

### **Robo-Rampage**

Based on the game "Kirby: Planet Robobot", a group of robotic invaders from the Haltmann Works Company descend from the skies of Dream Land and overrun Planet Popstar with machinery.

## Cast

Kirby-Tara Strong

Tiff-Grey DeLisle

Tuff-Tara Stands

King Dedede-Ted Lewis

Escargoon-Tom Kenny

Meta Knight-Eric Stuart

NME Salesman-Dan Green

Nightmare-Jim Cummings