| “ | Use stealthy skills learned from secret techniques known from ancient times.” |
| — Collectible description • Kirby Battle Royale |
Ninja is one of Kirby's Copy Abilities, first appearing in Kirby Super Star.
General Information
Ninja is best known for being one of Kirby's fastest abilities, meaning it is able to deal steady damage in a short amount of time. It is also one of the rarest abilities, as only two regular enemies in the Kirby series yield it when inhaled.
In order to do sufficient damage, Kirby must execute many attacks at a time. This is because Ninja is predominantly projectile-based. Because these projectiles are weak on their own, Kirby must remain at a safe distance and throw tons of them at the enemy. This is where Ninja Kirby's quick reflexes come in handy. This ability also allows him to cling to walls and jump-climb them.
In Kirby: Squeak Squad, Ninja was given more properties based off the stereotypical ninja rather than the traditional kind demonstrated in Kirby Super Star. These properties entail walking on water and harnessing "jutsu" (simply Japanese for method or technique).
The Ninja hat originally had the same design as the Stone hat, only with different colors, along with a different skin tone for Kirby in Kirby Super Star Ultra. As of Kirby's Return to Dream Land, Kirby wears a skullcap with a metal forehead piece imprinted with a star insignia. He wields a katana like he does in the anime, which replaces his kunai from previous games.
Moveset
| Move | Controls | Description | Element | Damage
 |
Damage
 |
Damage
 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knife Throw | Press and release B/Y/1 | Kirby throws a piercing kunai straight forward. This can be done rapid-fire to deal constant and heavy damage. Kunai have infinite range and can hit an enemy from off-screen. | None | 7 (all hits) | 8 (1st hit), 7 (repeat hits) | 8 |
Shuriken Throw
 |
B | Kirby throws a shuriken at his foes. This was the equivalent for Kirby Super Star’s Kunai Throw, but this attack deals more damage and is considerably slower. It works when Kirby is wall-clinging, walking on water and in midair as well. | None | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Shock | Press and hold B/Y/1 | Kirby swings his knife/katana in front of him. This move also works in midair. | None | 25 | 25 | 25 |
| Stealth Slash | Dash + B/Y/1 | Kirby swings his kunai forward as he dashes. Kirby is only invincible for half the attack. In Kirby: Squeak Squad, this attack looks like Quad Shock without the shock waves. In Kirby's Return to Dream Land onward, the animation is different in that Kirby unholsters his katana and dashes through his target at high speed with a quick-draw-and-re-sheathing strike. The re-shealthing itself is made more noticeable in Kirby: Triple Deluxe as it is accompanied by a sound effect. |
None | 18 | 8 (1st hit), 7 (2nd, 3rd, 4th hits) | 8 (all hits) |
| Ninja Kick | Press ↓ + B/Y in midair | Kirby dives diagonally-forward with his foot outstretched to kick his target. He can repeatedly kick the enemy if the player can maintain Kirby's midair altitude. | None | 18 | 18 | 18 |
Smoke Screen
  |
↓ + B/Y/1 | Kirby creates a puff of smoke around him, slightly damaging nearby enemies. Kirby cannot be damaged while he is hidden by his distraction. | None | N/A | 16 | 16 |
| Blossom Storm
|
↑, and then ↓ + B/Y/1 | Kirby abruptly rises up and, with a fan in hand, swings downwards to conjure a plantation of cherry blossoms. Both his fan and the blossoms abruptly damage enemies before fading. | None | N/A | 10 (fan swing), 17 (blossoms) | 11 (body), 24 (blossoms), 11 (late) |
| Quad Shock | Press and hold B/Y/1 near an enemy | If Shock collides with an enemy, Kirby will slash upward to create a rising serial shock wave that does lots of damage to foes. This move also works in midair, but it will not create a shock wave (excluding Kirby's Return to Dream Land). The shock wave's range extends much further in Kirby's Return to Dream Land. |
None | 24 | 21 (near), 24 (far) | 24 |
| Air Drop | Either of ↑→ + B/Y/1 near an enemy | Kirby grabs the enemy or defeated mid-boss, and he will then proceed to jump into the sky and slam the enemy down into the ground with massive force, doing massive damage to anyone in the way. This attack was in Fighter's Kirby: Squeak Squad moveset. The diving hit can't combo with the thrown object's damage. | None | Untested | 50 (rising hit), 50 (diving hit), 60 (thrown object) | 50 |
| Wall Cling | Hold ←→ against a wall in midair | Kirby clings onto a wall. for as long as the directional button is held. | None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wall Strike | B/Y/1 during Wall Cling | Kirby throws a knife/shuriken while clinging to a wall. | None | N/A | 8 (1st hit), 7 (repeat hits) | 8 |
| Wall Jump | A during Wall Cling | Kirby jumps off the wall.  |
None | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Clone Technique | L/R right before being attacked
B/Y (While taking damage) |
Kirby becomes invisible. By pressing B/Y/1, Kirby reappears in an explosion, damaging nearby enemies and bosses. | None | 26 (explosion) | 26 (explosion) | 26 (explosion) |
| Pyrotechnics
|
B (Hold) | Requires the Ninja Ability Scroll. Kirby starts building up power around himself. Releasing B causes Kirby to slam his fist into the ground, creating multiple fireballs that heavily damages foes. Because this attack is terrain based, if the powerful technique is used near water, the fireballs evaporate on the water, creating steam. | Sizzle | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Stealth Water Gun | B/Y/1 while floating on water's surface | Kirby uses a bamboo stick to shoot water upward instead of forward. | Splash | N/A | 16 |
Kirby Battle Royale Moveset
| Move | Controls | Description | Damage (Robo Bonkers) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shock | B | Kirby slashes his katana in front of him. | 35 |
| Flurry Swipe | B + B | Kirby perform a backward somersault with an upward slash, creating a shock wave. Similar to Quad Shock. | 20x5 |
| Stealth Slash | B + B + B | Kirby finishes his katana slashing with a quick dash forward while slashing. | 115 |
| Ninja Kick | B during jump | Kirby performs a diving kick. | 30 |
| Pyrotechnics | Hold/release B | Kirby charges up, then creates a pillar of fire in front of him. | 350 |
| Knife Throw | Y | Kirby throws a kunai. Similar to Kunai Throw, but can't be used as rapidly. | 30 |
| Wind-Up Trick | Hold/Release Y | Kirby creates a wind-up decoy that homes in on foes and explodes upon impact. Copies the player's color and headgear. | 250 |
| Ninja Jump | Jump while holding B/Y | Kirby jumps and creates a large smoke cloud from the position he had jumped from. Similar to Smoke Screen. | 0 |
Video
Kirby Battle Royale Parasol and Ninja Showcase
Elemental Attributes in Kirby Star Allies
| Move | Blizzard | Bluster | Sizzle | Splash | Zap |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Knife Throw | Kirby throws frozen knives that leave behind a mass of crystalline ice on contact. | Kirby throws knives that travel in loops diagonally upward and release a small whirlwind on impact. | Kirby throws fiery knives that release a blaze on impact. | Kirby throws knives encased in water that release a splash of water on impact. | Kirby throws knives with electric trails that burst into sparks upon impact. |
| Stealth Slash | Kirby creates four icicles, then slashes them in half, shooting ice debris behind him. | Kirby dashes diagonally upward, creating a brief cyclone at the end of the move. | Kirby creates four small pillars of flame as he dashes that soon explode and disappear. | Kirby shoots three large drops of water that splatter behind him as he dashes forward. | As Kirby dashes forward, bolts of lightning strike the space behind him. |
| Smoke Screen | Kirby creates four icicles, two to either side of him. | Kirby creates a small whirlwind around himself. | Kirby creates a blaze that extends to either side of him. | Kirby shoots a large drop of water to either side of him. | Kirby summons a bolt of lightning down, which creates a small electrical explosion around him. |
| Blossom Storm | Kirby creates four large icicles, two to either side of him. | Kirby leaps high into the air, creating an inverted cyclone beneath him. | Kirby creates a large, fiery explosion that briefly sets any surfaces, walls, or ceilings impacted on fire. | Kirby releases four large drops of water, two to either side of him. | Kirby summons a bolt of lightning onto himself that he shoots below him, creating a large electrical explosion. |
| Quad Shock | Kirby freezes the enemy with a slash before knocking them away, creating four increasingly-large icicles in front of him. | Kirby slashes the enemy, then catches them in a whirlwind that carries them diagonally up. | Kirby slashes the enemy, then knocks them away in a series of fiery explosions. | Kirby slashes the enemy, then overwhelms them with a wave of water. | Kirby slashes the enemy, then hits them with a series of lightning bolts. |
In Kirby: Right Back at Ya!
Ninja Kirby in the anime
Ninja appears in Kirby: Right Back at Ya! in episode 24, Ninja Binge, which is its only appearance in the series. In the anime, Kirby shows moves that can't be performed in the games.
Transformation Sequence
Ninja Kirby Transformation (English)
Ninja Kirby Transformation
In the transformation sequence, an energy shuriken forms from a flash of light. Autumn leaves blowing in the wind surround Kirby. The shuriken and leaves vanish, forming his hat. He then pulls out a katana.
In the Super Smash Bros. series
Air Drop is used as Kirby's up throw in the Super Smash Bros. series (forward throw in Super Smash Bros.). Ninja Kirby appears as a trophy in Super Smash Bros. for Wii U. The trophy uses his design from Kirby's Return to Dream Land.
Flavor Texts
| Game | Flavor text |
|---|---|
 | Copy the famous Japanese Ninja to hide in shadows and vanish into the darkness! |
 | 忍 |
 | Hide in shadows and darkness. Use ninja skills on your mission. You're a ninja! A NINJA! Cool... |
 | Hide in shadows and fade into the darkness. Become a master Ninja and no one will expect your Blossom Storm! |
  | Reinforcements have been called in from a nearby ninja village! Slide into the shadows, and vanish in the darkness. When the time is right, unleash the Blossom Storm technique! |
 | Excelling in the art of covert combat, this ability contains various moves found in ancient documents from foreign lands. Science cannot explain this ability. |
 | Use stealthy skills learned from secret techniques known from ancient times. |
 | Some battle backup from the village of ninjas! Add a friend's power to the sword and knives to slash with wind, fire, and other attributes. Has a ninja ever been seen wielding such elemental blades? Impressive! |
Related Quotes
| “ | Making his debut in Kirby's Return to Dream Land, the Moonja enemy looks about as ninja as you can get. If you copy its ability, Kirby can become a master of the ninja arts! With a variety of useful skills like Knife Throw and Blossom Storm, you might want to remain a ninja forever! ” |
| — Trophy description • Super Smash Bros. for Wii U |
| “ | Use ninja attacks to take down foes!” |
| — Kirby Battle Royale - Kirby's 25th Anniversary Copy Ability Poll |
| “ | When you use your Ninja ability, you'll have lots of fierce moves! With those, you can unleash quick attacks for a decisive win.” |
| — Knuckle Joe • Kirby Battle Royale |
| “ | Perform stealthy moves from ancient times.” |
| — Official Kirby Battle Royale Website |
In Other Languages
| Names, etymology and in other regions | ||
|---|---|---|
| Language | Name | Definition, etymology and notes |
|
ニンジャ | Translates to Ninja. |
|
Ninja | |
 (Traditional) |
忍者 | Translates to Ninja. |
|
닌자 | Translates to Ninja. |
|
Ninja | Same as English. |
 (General) |
Ninja | Same as English. |
|
Ninja | Same as English. |
 (General) |
Ninja | Same as English. |
Trivia
- In the Super Smash Bros. series, Kirby could use a similar move to Ninja's Kunai Throw by inhaling Sheik.
- The hanzi/kanji used for Kirby: Squeak Squad’s flavor text (忍) means "do by stealth, endure".
- In the Ninja ability's Kirby Super Star artwork, Kirby's skin is pink; however, in the game, Kirby's skin is purple. This was corrected in promotional artwork of Kirby Super Star Ultra.
- In one piece of Kirby: Squeak Squad artwork, Ninja Kirby appears to be wearing a short mantle on his back, similar to the one worn in the anime. This is not seen in-game, in which it is still a palette swap of Stone (from the Game Boy Advance games).
- In Kirby: Squeak Squad, Ninja Kirby can walk on water. On water, he can jump and use all of his attacks, but can't wall cling.
- Kirby's Ninja Scroll attack switches its element to water instead of fire when walking on water.
- In Kirby: Squeak Squad, if Ninja Kirby is standing still, he will be in a fighting stance.
- Ninja Kirby attacks using kunai; however, they are meant for stabbing rather than being used as a throwing weapon in real life.
- Despite the fact that the current icon for Ninja Kirby depicts a shuriken, he hasn't been able to use shurikens since Kirby: Squeak Squad.
- Kirby's appearance and abilities in Kirby Super Star seems to be inspired by the character Takamaru from The Mysterious Murasame Castle.
- Ninja Kirby's forehead protector appears to be based on the ones featured in the Naruto series.
- In Kirby Battle Royale, Ninja Kirby has a new attack where he throws out a clockwork mechanical bomb on treads with a wind-up key in its back, which moves forward on its own. Resembling a wooden doll of Kirby, it appears to be inspired by Karakuri puppets.
- In Kirby Star Allies, combining the Ninja with any of the five elements with produce different flowers when using Blossom Storm:
- If no elements were combined, Kirby will produce cherry blossoms.
- As Blizzard Ninja, Kirby will produce white camellias.
- As Bluster Ninja, Kirby will produce clover flowers.
- As Sizzle Ninja, Kirby will produce red peonies.
- As Splash Ninja, Kirby will produce blue hydrangeas.
- As Zap Ninja, Kirby will produce yellow orchids.
Videos
Kirby of the Stars Copy Ability "Ninja" Introduction Video
Artwork
Gallery
Kirby Battle Royale
Sprites and Models
Other Ability Icons
Kirby Super Star Ultra
Kirby's Return to Dream Land
Kirby: Triple Deluxe
Kirby Battle Royale
