TrinityXaos#

Which numbered Kingdom Hearts title had the best interpretation of Kairi's personality?

1 hour ago, DestinysUnion said:

Hey, I saw where you were asking for help with Kairi’s character, and I thought I’d give my two cents.

I like the points you brought up in the other thread, like Kairi’s hobbies, her education, the idea that she could be a little too dependent and need to learn to stand on her own sometimes, and I’m always up for expanding on friendships and interactions. And exploring someone at their highest and lowest points always has the potential to be very insightful and relatable.

But I don’t think the tone of the story itself fits Kairi too well?

When I think about Kairi’s personality, the three things that come to mind are that she’s bubbly, pure, and mature.

I feel the story’s viewpoint is a bit too aggressive for Kairi? I understand she’s hurting, but she no longer feels like a purehearted character. I think that’s a common occurrence when people try to humanize her. [unless you intend to have her lose her PoH powers after KH3, but even then, I think she’d still remain pretty pure?] I get maybe you’re going for a darker approach with her, maybe you want to explore her struggling with darkness, but it still seems too aggressive to me.

I saw where you asked if she hates sacrifice, and I see where you’re coming from with that idea, but I don’t think Kairi would view sacrifice as something so completely selfish, even despite being on the hurting end of it. I think her feeling hurt over Sora‘s sacrifices is a good direction, but instead of feeling anger and hatred, I think she’d feel more guilt at the fact that Sora had to sacrifice himself for her. And that could channel into her desire to become stronger.

I think Kairi has a quiet maturity to her despite all her purity, so I feel she would understand the action of sacrifice and respect her friends’ decisions, even if she wishes there was another way to do the right thing. I mean, I’m pretty sure she would sacrifice herself for any of them in a second if she needed to.

And I’m not sure why Aqua gets so strict by the end? She’s a gentle soul, despite her strict upbringing and heavy responsibilities. That could be on me, though, for just not getting the insinuation there.

These are just my thoughts, you don’t have to agree with them, of course. And I’m so sorry if I came off harsh at all! I think everyone has their own ideas on the traumas the main characters do and don’t, should and shouldn’t, suffer from, so everyone’s viewpoints are going to be a little different. I feel like I always disagree with the levels of guilt and trauma people give them, and I also happen to be someone who wants everyone on the happier end after KH3, so maybe I don’t even count here. Lol

Regardless, I think you’ve got some cool ideas and I wish you the best with your story!

Thanks for your feedback.

I honestly wasn't sure how dark I was going with this story. I also wasn't sure how well I have written Kairi, maybe I really don't know her.

I probably shouldn't have been listening to music like "Blood Upon The Snow" from God of War Ragnarök for inspiration. That had added to the dark/aggressive nature of the viewpoint. I did have this idea an unknown entity inflicting Kairi's heart with darkness and locking away her Keyblade powers, but it would have come after this story.

Sacrifice, to me, becames less noble when you think about it. Even if the sacrifice came from a selfless place, it would still carry negative consequences. For example, Aqua's sacrifice to save Terra-Xehanort had severe consequences in the long run. It could be seen similar to an upsetting topic where those who remain are left without complete closure or understanding. So, I'm not sure where to go about tackling Kairi's actual response to sacrifice yet.

Sometime today, I was thinking about using Noctis' Final Fantasy XV personality as a basis for writing Kairi as a person. There might have some similarities to Noctis' feelings about his last moments with his father when Kairi thought about Sora's actions.

I also thought of Kairi just releasing her anger because of what she learned about the Wayfinder's choices. She found out her birth parents and her beloved grandmother were lost because Aqua saved the man who took her away from them. That anger also had consequences as Aqua starts to become concerned.

About Aqua, I guess I wanted her to carry some of Eraqus and that will end up making her viewed negatively in the possible future. Aqua had just seen Kairi's past anger as a warning sign and something that needed to be addressed or monitored. In a way, Aqua is repeating a past mistake in not seeing the whole story like with Terra. Also, there is the whole Princess of Heart matter about Kairi, so Aqua will try to keep Kairi under further watch. 

Thank you again for your feedback. I hope you don't take offense to some of my reasoning in this reply. I also hope my reasoning wasn't too argumentative.

Maybe I should revisit Kingdom Hearts and study the characters as best I can.

Sacrifice.

What a despicable thing, Kairi thought to herself. How can anyone be okay with doing such a thing?

This question has been trapped inside her mind since she left the Final World. Every time she thought about him disappearing, not once, but twice, doesn’t just give her sorrow. It provided her with anger. The anger she didn’t know she could have.

Why did he smile when he left her? Left them? Didn’t he think things through? How much it would hurt everyone? He didn’t save her. He just gave grief to her and everyone else.

Perhaps learning from Master Aqua could give her a chance to release her pain. Kairi didn’t think about it when she announced her decision to Master Yen Sid. If she had, would he permit it? Would he understand? Would the others?

Maybe they just wouldn’t care.

…

It was sometime after she arrived and started her training with Master Aqua that Kairi came to regret it. Even though she knew he wasn’t Xehanort, Kairi couldn’t shake off the resemblance Terra had to the man who took her away from her grandmother. Ventus was so much like Sora, with his smile and his gestures, Kairi wasn’t sure if she wanted to ask Ventus about Sora. Or if she could use him as practice for when she screams her grief at the real deal. Then there’s Master Aqua. She seemed so absolute in her teaching and philosophy; Kairi felt a chilling resemblance to Sora. That selflessness hurts.

Then she was told their stories… Kairi had to turn away from the three. She had to go to the training grounds. She didn’t remember what happened next, except for a heavy scream. When she came to, she saw the poles torn to pieces and the shocked expressions of her teachers. The return to the castle was in silence.

…

Maybe she had darkness in her heart. Yet, she didn’t care.

She hated it. She hated sacrifice.

She hated them for sacrificing themselves.

She hated him for sacrificing himself.

She didn’t care if she had darkness. She wanted it. She wanted it to grieve. To cry, to scream, to rage, and to fall.

What would everyone say about it? Darkness was the ultimate evil in their eyes.

Well, maybe not Roxas and the others in Twilight Town. But Kairi didn’t want to think about Axel and Xion right now. They made the same choice as everyone else she knows with the Keyblade. All but Roxas. He didn’t get the choice. He was forced to give up.

…

Master Yen Sid called before Master Aqua could call him. He had a task for her. Some worlds were behaving oddly as if they are connected. Such interaction between worlds shouldn’t be possible, nor is it allowed. The task was to investigate these worlds and determine if the World Order needed to be restored.

Just what is the world order, Kairi wanted to ask. What was the point of it anymore? She had been in Traverse Town, and she had seen Hayner, Pence, and Olette on her Island’s beach with the others. Too bad Master Aqua was the only one to talk to Master Yen Sid and no one else.

Kairi volunteered to go with her to these worlds. Kairi needed to leave the Land of Departure. She reasoned to everyone that if the only Master went, she should follow and learn further from both Master Aqua’s teachings and experience. Terra seemed to have agreed with her argument. Ventus was silent. Perhaps he was afraid of her?

Kairi saw it on Master Aqua’s face – she didn’t believe Kairi’s words. But Terra’s support and Ventus’ fear must have convinced her. Master Aqua nodded slowly and told Kairi to gather what she needed. Kairi only sighed in relief when she left the master’s harsh gaze.

It was only when they were outside Master Aqua give Kairi a cold, stern glare. She told her student that she must follow her orders at ALL times and disobedience would immediately send her off to Master Yen Sid for discipline. For the first time since she met the woman, Kairi fear her. So, she wisely and formally replied yes.

…

Despite the fear Master Aqua imposed on her, Kairi felt she needed to do this. She wanted to journey to different worlds with Riku and Sora once upon a time. Now, she was finally going to see these new places with her own eyes. Not from reading or through someone else’s eyes.

28 minutes ago, Yugin said:

Totally not talking about my story and Kairi's negative change arc

I actually have some ideas of my own with Kairi...

1 minute ago, HellboundOrc said:

Is getting banished to another reality not enough of a consequence?

I guess I want more human consequences.

Just now, Snakeskin94_1642611873 said:

Actually Sora didn't seem to mind lol

I am asking, because I want to believe there should be consequences for Sora's actions. The consequences being negative opinions about Sora from his friends. I think it's worth exploring that area on how Sora's sacrifices impact everyone. Do they accept it willy-nilly, or do they have serious problems that they need to let out?

1 minute ago, TrinityXaos said:

Just thought about how sacrifice has been used a lot in the series: do you guys think Kairi may come to hate sacrifice as an action?

This is just me on Discord...

Does Kairi hate sacrifice?

So far, I think Kairi would be fine around elderly characters. Two out of three major relationships with elderly characters were positive, after all. As for the third one...it's Xehanort. 

The major known hobby Kairi has so far is writing. Specifically, writing letters. I mean, outside secret reports, the only other person who writes about their experiences was Roxas with his diary. So maybe Kairi could keep personal records of her own adventures if given the chance. I don't know if I want her to be stuck with any traditional hobbies like shopping and cooking. The only other hobby she had was crafts, since she made the Oathkeeper Wayfinder in the original Kingdom Hearts.

As far as we know about Kairi's education, she was probably in high school. Sora and Riku end up losing a year of education because they were away from Destiny Islands. I know school doesn't always mean experience, but Kairi might have some advantages over the boys thanks to her learning.

Kairi at her best and at her worst: I'm thinking about when Ellie (The Last of Us Part II) and Atreus (God of War) were at their individual best and worst versions of themselves. Ellie at her best in The Last of Us Part II is someone who can love and can have fun with those she loves. One example of Ellie in her darkest hours would be how she dealt with Nora. Atreus is generally a good and friendly kind, but he does become violent and rude with people during one segment of his initial game. Now, what about Kairi, when will she be at her best and how far will she go into her "darkness?"

How dependent is Kairi? I fear she is too dependent on Sora and that needs to be addressed eventually. There is also the question about how dependent Kairi is with her Keyblade. If she can't use it, how far can she go through her adventures without it?

Her relationships with characters like Sora, RIku, and Aqua are also important. We tend to think of Kairi and Sora as romantic partners, but we never get their daily interactions like Roxas and Xion had. We are told that Riku and Kairi are good friends, but when they chat, it's either about Sora or the plot. Hopefully we get to SEE something from her time with Aqua.

The final question can be the basis for a story about Kairi and her own adventures while Sora is AWOL. Maybe give her a journey where she can't rely on the other Guardians of Light for help. One that explores her life and her humanity. 

Okay, I just wrote up some ideas about writing Kairi, including a few goals, inspirations/benchmarks, and questions about Kairi.

KINGDOM HEARTS How to Write Kairi.docx

I might have already asked this before; I maybe should ask this on the Kingdom Hearts general forum, but I'm going to ask:

How would you write Kairi as an actual character or a living person?

Kairi may have an inconsistent character based on the source material. The numbered titles were written by different writers, and the spin-offs rarely showed Kairi. So, how would anyone do justice when writing Kairi? 

Looks like, at this time of writing, Drakengard and Parasite Eve are in a three-way tie. What are the "[other] game" though?

Hello,

In case any Kingdom Hearts fan has missed it: the online fan event, March Caprice, is coming back around next year. I already signed up to be an illustrator and a writer. Although I have time to create my contributions, I don’t fully know what they will be about.

Right now, I have an idea about drawing Sora with Final Fantasy Versus XIII in mind. It’s the writing part that I want to figure out. So far, I am thinking about writing something for Kairi, whether it’s a story or a discussion piece. Maybe if I bounce off some ideas, I can come up with a base plan to work off of.

If I take the story path, I want the time setting planted in-between Kingdom Hearts: Melody of Memory and the upcoming Kingdom Hearts IV. The current ideas for the actual story are to focus on Kairi’s mentality and her opinions about her history, or rather her “weakness.” Would Aqua be a good mentor for Kairi or would Aqua end up restricting Kairi’s growth? Will there be a problem that requires the Guardians to deal with? Aside from Sora’s disappearance and the Lost Masters/Foretellers.

If I take the discussion path, I might end up talking about what I would like for Kairi’s future post-Melody of Memory. I may have already mentioned a few ideas for a Kairi game (click here for reference), but I wouldn’t mind talking about it more as a conversation. All while coming up with new ideas that add up. There are already some concepts worth exploring, like the World Order.

Ultimately, I want to see a game story that is about Kairi as the active protagonist. I want to know more about her as a human being, and none of the magical damsel role from the previous games. Who is Kairi without relying on Sora in any form? Who is she on her own and with other people? What does she like and dislike?

Here is the question I should ask: how do you write Kairi as a person?

Thanks for reading.

(Also on DeviantArt)

I have two series: Drakengard and Parasite Eve. 

I voted for Drakengard.

I want to play Crisis Core on my PS5.

On 10/20/2022 at 4:47 PM, StarStruck said:

Here’s the trailer: 

  SPOILERS: Click to reveal

 

The visuals look stunning, of course, as does what little of the UI we did see. 

We’ve only seen crumbs and the occasional infographic on the characters and the worlds, but I’m so curious about all of these characters. The list of the different nations just kept getting longer. 

They showed us pretty clearly which characters can summon which eikons, so I wonder how big of a deal it really is? I had expected it to be some sort of mystery as to who had which one. Either they’re not caring too much about the surprise or there’s a lot to uncover 

The whole list of nations had been introduced on Final Fantasy XVI's website since the "Awakening" trailer.

I'm hoping for the Eikon identities, it will be the latter.

While this trailer was fine, I think I prefer the previous two trailers ("Awakening" and "Dominance") for some reason.

On 10/29/2022 at 1:45 AM, SoraDaxjer28 said:

That's another game to add to my list of "'Final Fantasy Main Titles To Complete'"!!
Nice to see it's going back to a more Medieval setup like the early games did.
I wonder in what manner Chocobos shall be included?

  
 

They have been shown in the first trailer. Clive was near a white colored Chocobo before gameplay happened.

I beaten him on standard back in 2020. It was difficult.

I am surprised by the writers for both IV and Missing Link. I never would have thought a FFXIV writer would contribute to Kingdom Hearts.

Then again, I don't have much experience with Final Fantasy XIV's content or staff.

Hello there.

I haven't seen any of these films. Only a little bit of Raya's ending.

I have read about the film though. Best choice for combat, exploring and the themes being connected to Sora.

I think Riku would survive the longest.

August 21, 2021

Final Fantasy XVI

Interview Questions I Would Have Before Release

Hello, I was originally thinking of information that Square Enix could give out about Final Fantasy XVI before it releases. Instead, I've gone and made questions that I would want to ask both producer Naoki Yoshida and director Hiroshi Takai about the upcoming title. So, here are seven possible interview questions I would want to ask the two creators about Final Fantasy XVI.

-

• About gameplay, will we have a party that fights alongside Clive? How will they be implemented?

I think many of us are wondering about party members since the game was announced. For me, I want to know the basic details, such as if we will have party members, if they are temporary or permanent, and what roles can they provide in gameplay.

Based on what we saw, though, we probably have temporary party members that are available at certain points. I just want to know about this aspect before release.

• About a certain comment made about voice acting, how is the Japanese voice acting progressing?

We know that the English voice acting is almost complete, but I think there might be confusion about the Japanese dub. In the original announcement trailer, we have both English and Japanese dubs of the video. I feel like the Japanese dub should be progressing at a good pace than just starting off. If they were just starting the Japanese voice acting about a month ago, we wouldn't have the game until another full year or two. Yoshida-san, please clarify your statement about the Japanese dub.

• Will we be getting more character bios, artwork, and renders soon?

More like a personal request than an actual question. I would like to see more of the cast of this game, like the council members, Clive's companions in the start of the Awakening trailer, and possibly older versions of Clive, Jill and Joshua.

This is also because we are in an info drought like with Final Fantasy Versus XIII. Or, for the Sonic fans' case, last year where we received no new game information/announcements.

• Should we be expecting any DLC?

The question is self-explanatory. I believe that YouTuber NightSkyPrince made a good argument about how DLC should be handled compared to Final Fantasy XV, check his video out: Final Fantasy 16: The CRITICAL Lessons to Learn from FFXV - YouTube.

• How will Clive be handled as a protagonist?

Another reference to Yoshida-san's past interviews, I am curious to know what the creator's intent to do with Clive during the story of Final Fantasy XVI and what Yoshida-san meant by “Clive's psychology”.

• Is the timeskip shown in the trailer a gradual shift or an immediate shift?

For this question, I am thinking of two examples of how the timeskip would work: Final Fantasy XV and The Last of Us Part II. For Final Fantasy XV, we are immediately sent ten years into the future where everything is shot to hell. Meanwhile, The Last of Us Part II, in its own way, has us seeing how Ellie and Abby have physically and emotionally changed in their lives over the four year gap between the first game and the second via flashbacks.

Will we see a linear timeline where we play through Clive's life from 15 years old to his current situation? Or are we going to have this unexplored time gap like in Final Fantasy XV?

• Based on the violence shown in the Awakening trailer, will we be expecting a higher age rating for Final Fantasy XVI?

The only other Final Fantasy game to have a lot of blood on display was Hajime Tabata's Type-0 which was rated M mostly for its violence. Currently, we have seen a few different deaths in the Awakening trailer, so we are probably going to see this game rated based for its violence and blood. I doubt there will be any gore presented however as this is a Japanese game and Japan has different restrictions to content compared to the Western world.

-

And there you have it, seven interview questions that I would want to ask Yoshida-san, Takai-san, or both. Have any other ideas for interview questions, please list them in the comments.

Thank you for reading.

From,

TrinityXaos

I'm not fully sure but the two realities, like the worlds, could be on different timelines. Riku may have ended up in Quadratum in an earlier time than when Verum Rex took place.

Some of the Kingdom Hearts community have found Yozora to be talller than Riku via Data Greeting photo comparisons. So Riku's body could have grown up to not only be Yozora's height but also his age by the time "Verum Rex" and Sora happened.

Not only that, time placement is tricky, as Union Cross started to show with Maleficent going back to the future of Kingdom Hearts II while Ventus somehow (via unknown means) ended up 4 years before Birth by Sleep.

Also, Dream Drop Distance played around with time displacement with the two Traverse Towns and the TWEWY cast. Some characters had more or less time than their partners once they were reunited. Of course, that is related to dreams, so this may subtract from my evidence.