Kirby: Right Back at Ya!

4Kids TV

Kirby: Right Back at Ya!, known in Japan as Hoshi no Kirby (星のカービィ, Hoshi no Kābī) is a Japanese anime series created by Warpstar, Inc. and based on Nintendo's Kirby franchise. The series ran for one hundred episodes from October 6, 2001 to September 27, 2003. The series aired on Chubu-Nippon Broadcasting in Japan and in the United States on Fox Box.

The anime follows Kirby, a pink, spherical, childlike creature who does not speak in coherent words but possesses the ability to take on new magical powers temporarily by sucking up their owners. Kirby arrives on a planet called Popstar, near the village of Cappy Town, when his spaceship crashes there. He quickly befriends two yellow-skinned siblings named Tiffand Tuff and their friends Fololo and Falala. Over the course of the series, Kirby and his friends evade King Dedede and his assistant Escargoon, who try to get rid of Kirby using numerous monsters provided by NME (NightMare Enterprises).

The series aired extensively on 4Kids TV, as well as being picked up in numerous other languages across the world. Episodes have also been released on a channel for the Wiigame console, and on the game compilation Kirby's Dream Collection.

The series received mixed reviews in the U.S.

## Plot

Thousands of years ago, a being known as Nightmare appeared and created a company called Night Mare Enterprises, often abbreviated as N.M.E. (Holy Nightmare in the Japanese version). It was in truth a front for his great armies of monsters, which he used to take over much of the universe. They devastated countless planets using this massive army of creatures of all origins. But there were those who stood to combat his evil, in the form of the Star Warriors and the Galaxy Soldier Army. They fought for many thousands of years, but Nightmare's monsters outnumbered them, and killed most, forcing the survivors to retreat to parts unknown. However, everyone is quite surprised when Kirby's ship crashes close to Cappy Town (Pupupu Village in the Japanese sub) on the planet Popstar. They find he is tiny, round, and pink, unlike Tiff's now rejected desire of a strong knight she perceived to be the "Star Warrior". Despite his hardly warrior-like characteristics, he is quick to save anyone who is in danger, almost if by instinct. He is soon befriended by the siblings Tiff and Tuff, along with their servants Fololo and Falala. Together, the kids face off against Dream Land's tyrannical ruler and his brigade of brutes.

The ruler of Dream Land, King Dedede, is jealous and suspicious of Kirby from the start. He and his right-hand man Escargoon constantly try to get rid of Kirby with monsters provided by the company for a high fee, and ultimately, their plans always backfire when Kirby interferes. Just as in the games, Kirby can inhale enemies and temporarily gain their powers, transforming into forms such as Fire Kirby with the ability to spit flames, or Sword Kirby to literally slice foes into pieces.

Kirby grows and becomes stronger before his final battle with Nightmare. In the end when Kirby and Tiff face Nightmare, which is in a dream, Tiff throws the Warp Star at Kirby, who swallows it and becomes Star Rod Kirby. Star Rod Kirby has the Star Rod which is Nightmare's sole weakness, allowing Kirby to defeat him.

## Characters and Voice Cast

* Kirby

Voiced by Makiko Ohmoto (Japanese); Amy Birnbaum (English)

* Tiff

Voiced by Sayuri Yoshida (Japanese); Kerry Williams (English)

* Tuff

Voiced by Rika Komatsu (Japanese); Kayzie Rogers (English)

* King Dedede

Voiced by Kenichi Ogata (Japanese); Ted Lewis (English)