I went to meet Kirby on the Hankyu Railway. (Part 1/Kobe & Takarazuka)

Nintendo's popular game "Kirby" has collaborated with the Hankyu Railway. Wrapped trains will run on the Kyoto, Kobe, and Takarazuka lines, and Kirby-themed one-day passes will also be sold.

The Nose Electric Railway, part of the Hankyu Group, will also feature headmarks, decorated trains, and photo spots. The "Nissei Express" direct limited express from the Hankyu Railway will also be assigned a "Kirby Train" at least once a week.

Hankyu Bus will also feature wrapped buses and replace some bus stop signs with Kirby-themed versions at two business offices in Kawanishi, Hyogo and Suita, Osaka.

This is part of the annual Hankyu character collaboration, which has featured "Miffy," "Chiikawa," and "Tom and Jerry." This time, it's a game that has been around for over 30 years since its debut. Nintendo, the creator of Kirby, is headquartered in Kyoto and has ties to the Kansai region. They seem like a good match. I went to see these Kirby trains.

Kirby on the Kobe Line

The "Kirby Train" was parked at the Kobe Line platform at Osaka-Umeda Station. The "pink devil" makes a great accent against the maroon background.

1000 series / 1300 series

The 1000 series was chosen for the Kobe and Takarazuka lines, and the 1300 series for the Kyoto Line. These are the most common models across the three lines, so there are many wrapped trains. Because their motors are highly energy-efficient, they have become symbols of SDGs and carbon neutrality. The Myaku-Myaku train also uses these models.

Kirby @ Passenger Seat

On all lines, a Kirby wearing a maroon conductor's cap and holding a "KIRBY×HANKYU" plate is seated in the passenger seat of the lead car heading toward Osaka-Umeda, keeping everyone safe.

Visuals

The intermediate cars only have stickers next to the doors. In addition to Kirby and Waddle Dee, major characters such as the final boss "King Dedede" and the mysterious warrior "Meta Knight" are also depicted.

Waddle Dee Army

In addition to Kirby, many "Waddle Dees," who are both minor enemies and residents of Dream Land, also appear. They are dressed as pandas or cooks, shopping in Kobe, or taking pictures. The Waddle Dees' conductor caps are dark blue, not maroon. I wonder if this reflects the fact that the Waddle Dee wearing a bandana is blue.

Poster

The posters inside the train introduce every Kirby game from 1992 to 2025. Early Kirby had smaller eyes and was even chubbier than he is now.
Wait! Is this Kirby!?
He looks like a character from 'Jigoku no Misawa'!! lol

Front of the train heading to Kobe

In the passenger seat of the lead car opposite Kirby, 'Waddle Dee' is watching over safety on the Kobe, Kyoto, and Takarazuka lines. Even if he's a 'small fry among small fries,' he wouldn't do anything small when it comes to safety, right? 😏

Kirby's inhale trick

Kirby also shows off his special 'inhale' skill. He is inhaling delicious things along the Hankyu line. He also has the 'copy ability,' where he gains weapons or costumes by inhaling enemies. Could his cosplay be from inhaling things too?

Kirby on the Takarazuka Line

Following the Kobe Line, I also took photos of the Takarazuka Line. The Kirby on the headmark is different for each line. The Kirby on the Takarazuka Line is laughing with its mouth open.

Kirby & Waddle Dee @ Takarazuka Line

The Takarazuka Line features Kirby interacting with three cities along the line: Osaka, Minoh, and Takarazuka. Past wraps have also featured these three cities in their designs.

Takarazuka Line exclusive 'Star Window'

There are three types of Kirby trains, each with original decorations for its line. On the Takarazuka Line, some of the windows are shaped like stars. I missed getting a shot of the Kobe Line one.

I actually wanted to take photos of the Kyoto Line version too, but unfortunately, it was sleeping in the depot. The official website showed a schedule for that day where it would only make two round trips between the Senri Line and the Osaka Metro Sakaisuji Line at night.

In the second part, I will introduce the Kyoto Line version that I couldn't photograph, along with some surprises and just some simple train spotting. To be continued.