Recap: Kirby Comes to Cappy Town

Hello everyone. Well, since this month marks the 25th anniversary of Kirby’s Dream Land being released on the Game Boy in the US, I thought I would do the first episode of Kirby: Right Back at Ya before I get back to my Pokémon movie marathon. This star warrior has since starred in many wonderful games that can appeal to both young and old players. I am also eager for the new games coming out for the occasion, especially a planned entry on the Nintendo Switch next year. Let’s open up “Kirby Comes to Cappy Town.” 

We open a farm, where a field of sheep is being attacked by a massive octopus! Well, this is definitely consistent with much of what happens in the games: the cute imagery is often juxtaposed with monsters of varying degrees of menace. One notable example I remember is that while Kirby and the Crystal Shards on N64 may have been one of the system’s more lighthearted games as it was making way for the GameCube, the final boss rivals Giygas for sheer nightmare fuel.

As the farmer wakes up, all we see next are the bones of the sheep being spat out by the octopus. … It’s been years since I watched this, and even I have to admit that’s rather dark for a series like this. I haven’t seen the Japanese version, “Kirby of the Stars,” but I might look into it soon.

We then get the theme song, and it’s surprisingly catchy. However, the amount of times they use “Kirby” is astonishing. If you try to make a drinking game out of it, you’ll be hammered within moments and at possible risk for liver damage or death. Going to be using some Mountain Dew SA to avoid this.

After the theme song, we see Kirby journeying across the stars in a small spacecraft; asleep at the wheel, no less! It’s one thing when you’re doing that on the ground, but it’s another when you’re doing it at sub-light speeds.

Suddenly, Kirby hits warp speed and rockets across the galaxy; which jostles him from his nap! Well, somebody watched Star Trek before animating that sequence.

At Dedede’s castle, Dedede’s right hand snail Escargoon rebukes the townsfolk’s claims that there are monsters around; all while Ted Lewis does his best Paul Lynde impression! Lewis also voices King Dedede, who has a demeanor akin to a “fat southern sheriff” stereotype similar to Sheriff Pepper in Live and Let Die or Sheriff Roscoe in The Dukes of Hazzard.

While Escargoon scoffs at Dedede’s involvement, a couple kids known as Tiff and Tuff vow to get to the bottom of this, much to his chagrin!

Dedede, upon finishing his dinner; reveals that the octopus that attacked the farm is now small enough to fit in his fish tank! Disregarding any jokes about “shrinkage,” the way they’ve rendered Dedede actually isn’t that bad. I have made no secret of how I have mixed feelings towards conspicuous CGI, but how the king is rendered actually isn’t that bad for the style of the series. 

Not convinced by the king’s words, the townsfolk consult a guardian known as Kabu! While this quasi-Easter Island head is a recurring enemy in the games, here; Kabu often provides guidance to the town as well as contains the Warp Star for safekeeping. Kabu tells Tiff when asked about the monster that the land is in grave danger! 

Kabu also tells of a Star Warrior known as Kirby, who will be their great hope! As for Tiff’s fantasy: you play too much Xenoblade, Tiff.

Kabu is also an oracle, as right before Dedede tries to fire a tank at him, Kirby’s ship crash lands in a nearby field!

Everyone is shocked that this is their great pink hope, most of all, Tiff! To be frank, I prefer this pink ball to some male model cosplaying as a hero. Dedede tries to to knock Kirby down a crevasse, but luckily, he’s OK! Yet, Tiff dismisses the idea, saying that “heroes are big and strong, not small and pink!” Don’t sell him short, Tiff: this pink ball has easily manhandled most of Nintendo’s other characters in the Super Smash Bros. series, and even with the American Kirby is Hardcore trope in mind; going after his cake is generally a death sentence.

Kirby then runs over the hill, and he sees Cappy Town on the horizon! Tuff also exposits the citizens of the land are known as “Cappies!” Imagine that.

Kirby is given a welcome dinner by the townsfolk, and Kirby eats everything in one fell swoop! Tiff tells him that was wrong, and he runs off! I remember reading the photo story of this episode in Nintendo Power; and I miss that magazine.

Then, everyone is confronted by Sword and Blade, two assassins who are after Kirby, and we’re introduced to this anime’s version of Meta Knight! While the character in the games is still very cool, I rather like how the dub gave them this semi-Zorro Spanish accent. It even proved to be so popular that it was integrated into the character’s appearance in the Super Smash Bros. games from Brawl onward.

However, while Dedede sent them to kill Kirby, Meta Knight says they need to find the real threat! Of course: time to make the chimichangas! 

They head toward Dedede’s castle’, and it turns out the King and Escargoon are having trouble fixing Kirby’s spacecraft.

Careful you fool! You think this is like working on your old Pinto?

Dedede finds a Warp Star inside a jewelry box, and as Kirby tries to storm the castle, Escargoon sheepishly tries to play it off; to no avail.

The King is also dissatisfied with how his monster has turned out, and calls the Salesman of Nightmare Enterprises, or NME for short! Wordplay, ha! 

While the Customer Service rep in the Japanese version is somewhat friendly, Dan Green’s rendition of the Salesman has this aura of a corrupt corporate executive or a stereotypical used car salesman. I especially like how he emphasizes that the octopus he sold Dedede will “grow on him”, so to speak. 

If you're dumb enough to buy a new car this weekend, you're a big enough schmuck to come to Big Bill Hell's!

Sure enough, Dedede takes another look at the monster, and his eyes turn green as the envy of anyone who bought a Vita instead of a 3DS! As for the CGI: while most of the characters are fine in this style, the 3DS shorts they had in this style depicted the Salesman rather strangely. While the actors reprised their roles (minus Maddie Blaustein, who passed on in 2008) worked fine, and the designs mostly translated well, the Salesman’s gaunt face and overly long chin were like a fusion of Jay Leno and the Arkham Series Joker! 

Meta Knight is able to rescue Tiff and Tuff from getting crushed by debris, and Tiff even catches the Warp Star after Dedede drops it! Also, for some reason, his mallet sounds like Quickdraw McGraw’s guitar. Bit of an older one, some of you might have to Google it.

Sure enough, the cephalopod grows into the massive beast Octacon and begins wrecking the castle!

Sword and Blade try to hold the beast off, but it can spawn more hatchlings! Kirby is able to fight them off, but they’re sapping his strength! Meta Knight tells Tiff to give Kirby the Warp Star, as it’s his power source!

Kirby absorbs the remaining hatchlings, and even fends off more as Octacon sets them on fire! I’m not doing that joke, by the way.

Kirby then assumes the form of Fire Kirby to take on Octacon! Let’s make calamari out of this overgrown Octillery! 

Kirby mounts the Warp Star and continues his assault on Octacon!

As Octacon is sent blasting off, the Salesman reports to his superior that the pink fellow really is a Star Warrior! 

Kirby tries to leave, but Dedede shoots down his ship! So, we close on Kirby deciding to stay with his new friends!

“Kirby Comes to Cappy Town” is a surprisingly fun start to what’s actually a fairly underrated video game anime. While I enjoyed it when I was younger, in many ways, it’s actually better than I remember it. It was among many that I experimented with when I was a kid, and I can say the experiment was a success for the most part. 

Since this month also marks the 18th anniversary of Digimon, I think before I go back to doing the many other Pokémon movies; I will do another episode of Digimon Tamers, and one I’ve been wanting to do for a while centered on Rika! See you, space cowboy!