Kirby has moved from the video
game console to the television screen
and it's not just Japan who is getting a
dose of the loveable cream puff, the US
finally gets it's turn.
For years Kirby fans have been
waiting on the sidelines while other
Nintendo characters (especially Pokémon)
have gotten shows, trading cards and
multiple merchandising attention.
However, even with (until now) poor
publicity Kirby still has the staying
power and popularity to fuel his
appetite.
The series originally started in
Japan, which is home to Kirby and his
success. Kirby is much more popular in
Japan and definitely more received than
in America, where saturation of Pokémon
(no offense!) and other products have
drowned out any potential. When it was
announced to air in Japan, it was highly
unlike at the time America would ever
see it, except for those lucky enough to
pick up Japanese bootlegs and then even
be able to understand it.
However, in Japan the show did so
well that Nintendo decided to extend the
marketing and open the U.S. audience to
Kirby. Debuting on September 14th, 2002
with 28 episodes on the Fox Box (Channel
11) the show was no doubt an amazing
success. With two episodes, Kirby fans
across the U.S. got to watch and hear
the characters they'd known for long and
became hooked.
Rainbow Resort itself received
over 2,500+ hits within three hours as
people voted in the poll of what they
thought about the show. The results?
See for yourself!
Out of 1,359 people that voted in RR's
poll, only 128 of them (9.4%) had
something less than positive to say.
So
what do people dislike about the show?
Talk has been going on that King Dedede
sounds like a southerner while Meta
Knight speaks with an accent and drawls
like a vampire.
Some
hard core Kirby fans are even upset by
the fact the names of Lololo and Lalala
from the games were changed to Fololo
and Falala in the show. Unfortunately,
we all have our ideas and opinions to
just how the show should be, and some
people feel that Kirby may become a sell
out if he strays too far from his roots.
With
all the negative aspects aside, what
good things are people saying? That the
show is unique and that it is an overdue
treasure that Kirby has been deserving
for a while. Speculation and theories
have been made about Kirby and and the
characters that go beyond what a
platform game could detail, and with the
series there are a lot of answers and
surprises.
The
origin of Kirby, and his link to certain
characters in the show have potentially
complex plots, while the show cheerfully
presents it for everyone to understand.
One of the most fascinating is the
relationship between Kirby and Meta
Knight, or even Kirby's origin in
particular.
In
short, it appears that people either
love the show or dislike it. However
which way you choose to go, it's a big
step for Kirby bringing him even closer
to a platform up with the big Nintendo
stars which once again, people either
like or dislike the idea of it all.
Personally,
I think the only thing I don't like
about the show is having to get up at
9:00 a.m. on Saturday mornings, but like
that saying from one of Kirby game
manuals, every cloud has it's silver
lining.
