Kirby

Kirby was conceived by Masahiro Sakurai, a video game designer then under HAL Laboratory's employment when designing a game for Nintendo's Game Boy. He was originally created as a blob placeholder sprite for the game, originally titled "Twinkle Popo" (ティンクル・ポポ, read Tinkuru popo). Over time, Sakurai grew fond of the placeholder sprite, and preferred it over the conception of the original protagonist of the game it was being designed for, so Kirby became the star of his first game. Despite the developers keeping Kirby's model, he was known as ポポポ (Popopo) for a time before being renamed Kirby. The game was renamed 星のカービィ (Hoshi no Kābī) meaning "Kirby of the Stars" in Japan, and became known in North America and most other parts of the world as Kirby's Dream Land. Kirby's original name, Popopo, would later be referenced in Kirby Mass Attack, as it is set on the Popopo Islands. He can be considered the main character of Kirbstomp.