#but would riku do that to kairi

[snowflakebottles-art]

yeah okay wise guy. *neopets your kingdomhearts*

PART 2 HERE

#kingdom hearts #kh kairi #kh sora #kh riku #neopets #i do really wanna do more of these #mostly because i already know what i want to make like. everyone already #and also because chia demyx would be really fucking funny #snowflakebottlesart #the great un shadowbanning of 2023

[goldensunset]

if kh4 wants to be good it’s gotta have like sora excitedly telling strelitzia all about his best friends and how great they are but then it cuts to them acting insane

like ‘my buddy riku is really cool and heroic!’ he’s always got a clear rational head’ ((cuts to riku flipping over cars and/or threatening ppl in quadratum screaming ‘WHERE IS SORA’))

‘oh oh oh and kairi is so kind and brave… her pure and strong heart never falters!’ ((cuts to kairi having a full-on mental breakdown blubbering and sobbing in aqua’s arms))

#you could add on here about his other friends but we gotta at least do these two #does anyone else see my vision #newsflash sora no one is coping well with your disappearance #kingdom hearts #kh #kh4 #mine: kh #destiny trio #i love sora but like. i think he Missed A Lot during that year he was asleep lol #he doesn’t even know what riku did to roxas and xion #does he know how much kairi resents being abandoned again and again #etc #they would never play anything like this for humor even remotely. but like #consider

[daylighteclipsed]

But honestly. Why would Nomura choose to start the paopu sharing scene with Sora focused on Riku. Why would Nomura choose to have Sora frowning and reluctant to share paopu with Kairi until Kairi clarifies it doesn’t mean they’re a couple. Why would Nomura not tell the voice actors this scene is romantic if it’s meant to be romantic. Why would Nomura consider not having Sora and Kairi share paopu at all. Why would Nomura choose to have Sora start questioning what romantic love and true love are in KH3. Why would Nomura have Sora notice the parallels between himself & Riku and Anna & Elsa just to begin wondering what he and Riku are (according to the novel, Sora doesn’t feel like ‘siblings’ is the right answer). Why would Nomura directly parallel Riku’s feelings for Sora with Hercules’ romantic feelings for Megara. Why would Nomura choose to not show Sora acting ‘romantic’ (in the eyes of the general audience) with Kairi until after Sora forgets Riku’s true love sacrifice (and arguably other things about Riku) and associates Kairi with his savior — a situation that parallels another romantic Disney tale, The Little Mermaid, and is not unlike Sora associating Namine (and then Kairi) with the person most precious to him in CoM when it’s actually Riku that Namine has replaced in Sora’s most precious memory, the meteor shower promise… another memory that Sora may have forgotten. Why would Nomura choose to show Riku’s true love sacrifice multiple times, emphasizing how important it is, if that moment/memory is not going to be vital later. Why would Nomura choose to visually parallel Riku’s true love sacrifice with the meteor shower promise. Why would Nomura specifically shut down the possibility of Riku/Namine when he’s usually pretty indifferent to shipping. Why would Nomura choose to not have Kairi’s memories hold an important connection to Sora beyond the knowledge that unreality exists, and then in the same breath, give Riku an important, personal connection to Sora through his dreams. Why would Nomura choose to make Riku the only one who can go after Sora, who has the power to save him? Why would Nomura choose to parallel Riku with Cinderella and Aurora whose “dreams lead her to her true love”? Why would Nomura do any of this if Sora/Riku’s not happening.

#me: do NOT get your hopes up #also me: #kingdom hearts #soriku #i hope that dudebro from 9 years ago who said nomura’s waiting for homosexuality to be more accepted/mainstream before confirming sora’s #into men knows they’re a prophet that was living a decade ahead of everyone else #probably getting too deep but it IS interesting that the little mermaid — the original and disney version — were heavily influenced by #gay men struggling with their sexualities #the disney version has a significantly happier ending bc howard ashman #believed in a happy ending for him and people like him #if they ever do a modern remake it should and would most accurately be a love story between two boys #or girls #anyway. i think it’s also significant that nomura has said the characters like aqua or axel are not getting a ton of focus in kh4 #and kairi is with these ‘unrelevant’ characters #like not only is she staying behind she’s probably going to be part of the side character b-team that comes in to fight in the bigger #battles later #i hate the way she’s treated in these games but nomura’s making it p clear this way that this isn’t about kairi #this is about sora and riku and possibly probably concluding their stories #since arguably kairi’s story irt sora has mostly wrapped up. that’s probably why nomura chose to have them share paopu #so that nobody would be left wondering if/when it’s going to happen #i didn’t forget nomura paralleling riku & sora with yozora & nameless star #it’s just unclear right now what yozora and nameless star’s relationship is #it leans towards romantic but I’d rather wait for confirmation

[last-flight-of-fancy]

“Kingdom Hearts being an epic slow burn gay romance would be incredibly impactful to people both personally and as a landmark in queer representation by extremely popular and established characters. It has decades of legitimate buildup and has the potential to be both incredibly validating to queer fans everywhere and even possibly sway the minds of those who love the characters but may not have much contact or knowledge of queerness.”

and

“The Kingdom Hearts series is honestly kind of unique in its unabashed emotional sincerity. How it treats friendships and non-romantic bonds as being both extremely important and powerful, never giving the impression that friendship is lesser to romance, is depressingly still somewhat of a rarity in media. This is very important and validating to many, particularly aromantics but also most everyone who is just Tired of how friendships and romance are often presented in tiers of importance.”

are concepts that can and should co-exist.

#like i get it. there really is nothing quite like kh when it comes to how it treats the bonds between characters #and the latter is just as legitimate! #but i do think that the people who argue (in good faith) that kh shouldnt make anyone canon- #-are kind of missing the forest for the trees #(i specify in good faith bc we all know the bad faith ones are just co-opting the argument to hide their homophobia) #(and oh boy are *most* of them in bad faith. but i wanna take a sec to talk about this bc there are good faith ones out there) #and what i mean by that is that... well first of all making one ship canon doesn't invalidate all the other examples of stunning displays of #-the power of friendship #second of all i would like you to consider the framing of this #if no ship becomes canon and it's purely platonic for all the OC's... how is it different from any other kids show with no couples? #in terms of representing friendship as not being less than romance? #it's still not bad don't get me wrong. what i'm saying is that media DOES exist #there are shows and books and games out there where there are no couples to speak of #maybe not terribly common but they're out there #but a slow burn epic gay romance where platonic connections are legitimately just as important and powerful? i sure af havent seen it #sora being in love with riku and still willing to sacrifice himself (TWICE) to save kairi... is that not exactly what you want? #to show that the platonic connection is not lesser? that its just as important? #i dunno i've been turning this over in my brain all afternoon thinking about it #stop talking to yourself flight

[syndianites]

has anyone made a Kingdom Hearts 2 AU where when Riku went to nab Roxas, Roxas managed to escape? Because I'm seriously considering writing that, and would LOVE to see what ideas other people had.

my general premise would be that Roxas, realizing that if he almost got grabbed by Riku that the Org would probably be able to take him down, decides to go into temporary hiding to get stronger and such. This leads him to the worlds Sora went to in KH2, and maybe leads him to DDD and him jumping into Sora's dreams as a means of escape (which would require me to revist DDD because its been a minute).

I also have the idea that while Riku would be the main "antagonist" the final boss would be Sora himself- either as a battle of wills where Roxas, either finally caught by Riku or forced to encounter Sora's sleepy body, tries to fight to keep his existence, or where Roxas fights of a representation of Sora's memories? dreams? Basically, Roxas tries to wake up Sora without giving himself up by fighting the memory leak/body disconnect Sora has.

It sounds complicated, but what about KH isnt? lol

#kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts 2 #roxas #sora #riku #kingdom hearts 2 au #kh2 au #idk what i would call this #Roxas Escape Au #something like that #also i know absolutely no ones last names #this would also be a great chance to build a relation between Kairi and Roxas #tempted to add some SoRiku in here #but also maybe SoRoku or RokuRiku? #Riku wanting his best friend back so bad he's willing to essentially take another life to get him back #VS #Roxas hating Sora for being the reason people want him dead so to speak but also wanting and envious of Sora's life #whereas Sora would only want for Roxas to have his own life and to have a great respect for Roxas being willing to fight so hard for himsel #and his own life where Sora was and is so willing to do anything for everyone else at his own expense #VS. #Roxas being envious of Riku's dedication to Sora and how much strength he has in trying to save his friend where Roxas failed #(and Roxas would still vaguely remember Xion but couldnt remember her name just that she was his friend that he was forced to end) #and Riku being grudgingly appreciative of Roxas' strength and ability to reject darkness where Riku fell victim to it and relies on it #but also hating him for 'taking away' Sora and being the reason Sora can't come back #etc etc #i have many feelings about htis

[nebuvoid]

Oh also you know how Sora says something to Kairi at the end of KH3 and it drives me up the wall not knowing what it is? He actually pulls the same shit at the end of KH1 too while Destiny Islands rebuilds around Kairi. Speak UP boy I can't HEAR you!!!!

#for kh3 people have been guessing #take care of him (riku) - i. hm. its nice and would be a good callback but also well. if so she doesnt really do a good job at it does she #or #i love you - gag. please #speaking of not doing a good job actually. sora didnt exactly do a good job taking care of kairi either did he ksjfhkdfhskdf #these kids just say shit and nothing comes of it #kh talk

[honestsister]

Kingdom hearts is leaking out of its containment chamber in my brain and is infecting my TOH thoughts so here are some crossover prompts I'm never gonna write but won't leave me alone.

Sora and luz talking about people's perceptions of them and their self depreciative guilt and how it affects them

Literally any keyblade wielder looking at belos and going "Ayo, wtf is THAT?"

Roxas or xion or literally any of the walking identity crises meeting(and befriending) Hunter

Discussions on the difference between humans and witches and where keyblade wielders stand on that(cause wtf)

If a witch lost their Heart, who gets the bilesac? The nobody or the heartless?

Gay disasters Riku and Amity mutually lamenting their cringe fail antics

Willow and Kairi friendship (not a prompt I just think they'd vibe)

The return or Soras competitive streak ft. Delivering potions for eda

#honest blurbs #au dump #kingdom hearts #soriku #implied #lumity #luz noceda #toh spoilers #ig #kairi #sora #riku #hunter noceda #listen.... wtf do we consider goop belos??? #is that a heartless? a nobody? a corpse? #this ended up being hc and au sorry #but sora and luz friendship means sm to me but it will never exist :( #my babies got hero complexes and i would like them to talk about it

[bluerosesburnblue]

I voted kh3 because I didn't play DDD, Sora seemed stupid compared to in 2 imo, he also came across as whiny at points, like the scene in Olympus after Pete mocks him, he felt more so 10 than 15

Ahh, that is interesting! I hadn't considered the idea that KH3 Sora would look different to someone with no knowledge of how DDD's story is all about tearing Sora down. How his good nature and desire to help people is ultimately how Xehanort draws him in and leaves him more vulnerable than he's ever been, ultimately causing him to lose in the end with Riku being forced to bail him out

Part of what I appreciate about KH3's portrayal is how it manages to recover from DDD. It's actually one of the few times I can think of in the series where Sora is allowed to carry over some development from a previous game, in this case having him carry over how much DDD shattered his sense of self-worth, especially when compared to the other Keyblade Wielders. Of course Sora is testy when Pete mocks him in Olympus, because Pete is directly calling out what happened in DDD! Sora failed spectacularly, lost most of his abilities because of it, it's so obvious that even Pete sees it, and because of it he's getting shafted from the "important" duties with nothing he can do about it other than run these side missions while Mickey and Riku do the saving

But if you don't have the context from DDD, that won't hit. Because you don't know that Sora feels like he let everyone down by being tricked by Xehanort and KH3 to him feels like he's trying in vain to catch up to Riku. You're missing the entire point of his characterization in KH3 without DDD

And if you thought KH3 Sora was stupid, you prooooooobably shouldn't touch DDD

#anon asks #liz answers #now do i think that if sora was in-character in ddd that he would have gotten to the point that he failed? absolutely not #ddd had to contrive his stupidity to make that plot work the way that it did #but kh3 did such a good job bringing him back and actually trying to do something with it that i find it very respectable #also 'stupid compared to kh2 sora' kh2 sora couldn't figure out that roxas who looked just like him and shared most of the #letters of his name was related to him until riku spelled it out directly #kh2 sora couldn't figure out that 'ansem' was riku despite not acting like ansem at all until kairi told him directly #kh2 sora was not particularly bright in a number of areas so imo at worst he and kh3 sora are on par

[share-the-skye]

Other headcanons absolutely no one asked me for and no, I don’t care what canon says.

There is no way in hell Riku was comfortable with leaving Kairi or Naminé unconscious with Ansem the Wise, aka the man who thinks we’ll all forget him dissecting children because he said sorry, blew up a moon and took a time out in the RoD. Everyone else saw Riku pull up in a gummiship at the end of KH3 and went “shipping discourse!” And I just said “hell yes he better go get her from the man who LITERALLY ORDERED HIM TO MURDER HER”.

Personally I think Riku was only okay with Kairi being studied there in MelMem because Aleaus was there. Riku pulled him aside like, “Hey, I know I killed your Nobody but if he tries anything fishy will you take care of it?” And Aleaus did that head nod that universally translates to “I got you”. Because Aleaus doesn’t fuck around.

#we hate AtW on this blog and are not shy about it #worst character in the whole franchise #I would light him on fire if I could #and I would bet money that Riku hates him more than I do #but not as much as Roxas #headcanon #kingdom hearts #kh #Riku #ansem the wise #fuck Ansem the wise #kairi #naminé #namine

[oveliagirlhaditright]

So for no reason at all I'm thinking about this:

Sora was not chosen by a Keyblade Master to be a Keyblade wielder, but he becomes a Keyblade wielder before anyone else in the Destiny Trio (yes, I know, Riku's Keyblade--the Kingdom Key--had shown up on the Destiny Islands for Riku, but when Riku chose darkness over light, it opted to go with Sora instead: and there it would ultimately stay and Riku would get a different Keyblade later).

Riku was chosen by a Master to be a Keyblade wielder, and he's the third of the Destiny Trio to get his Keyblade, though still treated so much better than Kairi is, and truly gets to use his Keyblade before her (in having big adventures where he gets to use it, and whatnot): as I'm sure no one is really counting the three Heartless that Kairi killed with hers in KHII.

Kairi was accidentally chosen to be a wielder by a Keyblade Master (Aqua triggered the Keyblade Inheritance Ceremony with her by accident, that is), and this actually happens before the scene where Terra chooses Riku. But it's an accidental thing, which definitely stings a bit. And Kairi is the second of the Destiny Trio to get her Keyblade... though in a lot of ways, you wouldn't guess that.

Edit: I'm wrong. Riku gets his Keyblade second, and Kairi gets hers third, as Riku has his Keyblade when he protects Kairi and Naminé from Saïx. I, and another user on her at what point, just got confused because of Riku (if you talk to him as Sora when you beat Luxord) mentioning how he doesn't think Sora needs the power of darkness or his Soul Eater yet, which almost sounds like he still has Soul Eater at the time, when he doesn't. What a weird line just overall. -shrugs-

#and yes: before someone says it i know terra. technically. was not a master when he did the keyblade inheritance ceremony with riku #as he had not passed his mark of mastery exam (that was rigged anyway) and thus hadn't been given the title #but he was at master level--according to nomura--which is how he was still able to do this #i mean the aqua and kairi scene hurts less with how aqua realized that kairi was someone worth protecting (she was realizing she was a #princess of heart). and she also cast that magical spell on her necklace because of it: so that whenever she was in trouble the light withi #her would lead her to someone else in order to keep her safe. so maybe all of that is part of the reason the keyblade inheritance ceremony #kicked in and NOT just because aqua and kairi were both touching aqua's keyblade at the same time. (this is the only way i can live with #this. and i honestly think it makes MORE sense this way). though you do still have to wonder 'why?' why is kairi always shafted in every #single way possible? #maybe they were going for some 'all three of the destiny trio has a different tie with the keyblade and how they were chosen' thing. but as #always kairi's the one who gets the short end of the stick. really #the only thing i even remotely like about it is that it means that both sora and kairi can bond over actually BOTH of them weren't chosen b #a master then

[theophagie]

Don't think twice/Chikai is a beautiful song but I really disagree with lots of people on its meaning, mainly because its two versions themselves really don't come together in harmony to me... Don't think twice's story sounds anything but happy or hopeful to me

#it gives desperation and fear. vs chikai's actual hopeful tone #''hey if you stop loving me don't tell me pls okay'' like girl you really live like this #which is why i do think it fits kairi. how she would like things with sora to be (chikai) vs her insecurities (don't think twice) #like it's still not a 100% fit. but i think that this is true all ways around no matter if you interpret the song and its two versions #to be about her or about sora and riku #mytext #video games #kingdom hearts

[p-kmatt]

Doodled this last night,, Destiny Island Trio but Splatoon + what I think they’d choose for the upcoming Splatfest

-

Sora: Milk Chocolate

Kairi: White Chocolate

Riku: Dark Chocolate

--

I still haven’t gotten down what species they’d be plus their tentacles so I just went with Sora n Riku being Inklings and Kairi an Octoling :o

#kingdom hearts #kingdom hearts fanart #kh sora #kh riku #kh kairi #splatoon #splatoon 3 #digital artist #i do have ideas for other characters #i was thinking xion and roxas would be both inkling and ocotling due to their respective somebodies + other hearts #like roxas is half inkocto #cause i think ven would be an octo while sora ink #n xion is half inkocto cause kairi is octo but sora is ink #lol

[goldensunset]

riku’s whole series-spanning journey of redemption and trying to become the hero he was supposed to have been is kind of interesting to me. bc he like hardcore beats himself up over what he did but it’s not even the worst thing he did. yeah he gave in to darkness in kh1 but it’s really hard to blame him for all that much imo. not trying to say it was fine but in the grand scheme of things idk. again in the sequence leading up to kh2 he resorts to using the power of darkness to defeat roxas and in kh2 he’s beating himself up for that again. all like oh man i’m not worthy to be sora’s friend i’m not worthy of anything. meanwhile sora has never once this whole time felt resentment for riku and just wants him to come home and really riku you don’t have to beg him for forgiveness. but riku is really trying to forgive himself. bc he’s so hurt by the fact that he ever hurt sora at all. we see it all the way up to kh3 how much regret he feels for what happened all the way back in kh1. he is deeply devoted to sora and it makes him blind to the fact that hey um. you’ve actually like hurt several other people along the way maybe like apologize to them and earn their trust maybe it’s actually your bond with other people you gotta work on. like maybe go talk to roxas actually maybe go communicate clearly with kairi for the first time in years maybe say hey xion sorry for telling you to uhhhhh do that. like

#he DID need a whole redemption arc. but for something else entirely #riku’s whole thing is like he’s like the best person imaginable toward sora. everyone else better watch out though #i don’t personally find it admirable… #i know i know. guy who would kill anyone for you = coolguy. but only in certain contexts #like humor. orrrr being classified as a villain or at least morally gray #i love the development of his relationship with sora but ultimately it makes him. kind of the same as kairi #if his identity becomes based on one person #he has more agency and gets to fight more but his motives are much the same #not that it’s bad to have a single favorite person #but both riku and kairi are really in need of some other friends to round out their characters #of course they do have other people. including each other. but none of those bonds are fleshed out enough #kingdom hearts #mine: kh #mmm i won’t tag this any more i’m just getting thoughts out not trying to be controversial

[daylighteclipsed]

i still can't believe people looked at that one 20 second scene, which doesn't even have any dialogue, and took it to mean riku/namine is canon. it's so wild to me how i originally, when getting into kh, thought people were just saying the ship was cute and popular but no, so much of the fanbase just... thinks it's canon? because of that?

The general populace assuming a boy character and girl character who haven’t interacted in almost 20 years are together after the boy politely offers his hand once (1) time is fucking hilarious — and by hilarious I mean it proves just how insane heteronormativity is.

The problem is there are so many het romances written like this, where one positive interaction, even just a smile, is all it takes for these characters to become a couple. How many stories pair up side characters of opposite genders in the end just because? We are so conditioned to assume that any boy and girl who are friendly to each other must be attracted to each other. It’s pathetic.

#meanwhile mlm and wlw w years upon years of development have to spell it out for ppl to stop seeing them as brothers or sisters #riku ending up w namine while sora ends up w kairi would be the straightest StraightTM bullshit ending imaginable #if i have to suffer w so/kai at least don’t pair riku up with some chick he was nice to one time in the end #that’s the WORST thing they could do to his character #but i feel p confident nomura wouldn’t do that. he seems to care a lot about riku and already shot down riku/namine

[road2manjuumaster]

things i am learning while practicing drawing the boys:

- mitsuki in glasses is just orange makoto

- i draw nagi better when i think about him being wataru and eichis weird love child

- like SPECIFICALLY him making them sit down and watch magicona with him or wataru giving him theater lessons or some weird shit

- i thought it ONCE and now it's essential to my nagi making process

- wow i can't believe ittoki otoya and syo kurusu are in TWO different idol projects together

- they're all either enstars characters or utapri characters to me. some of the designs i cant NOT compare

- like seriously if you put natsuki in a centrifuge he would separate into mitsuki and nagi

- i cannot draw yamato he just ends up looking like a cracked out keito

- i hate iori's hair

- i thought this before i even got into i7 but tamaki looks like riku kingdom hearts and i keep getting mixed up and forgetting his name bc i wanna call him riku but there's already a riku and it's not him

- sougo is fun. he just ends up looking like shion but that's okay :)

#my art #i7 #the tamaki thing HAUNTS me #WHAT DO YOU MEAN thats not islander teen heartthrob riku kingdom hearts #he would make a good idol #oh my god. #kh idol au. #sora would be SO into it #namine designs kairi makes sure the mockups are practical #riku writes embarrassing lyrics #they travel rhe worlds performing with each other. . . #but THATS a ramble for another day

[kitkat-the-muffin]

Kingdom Hearts roleswap au where Xion, Naminé, and Roxas grow up together on Destiny Islands, Riku has the power to tamper with memories, and Sora and Kairi are members of Org13 🤔

#just late night thoughts #in this au Xion would be Riku. Riku would be Naminé. Naminé would be Kairi #Kairi would be Roxas. Roxas would be Sora. Sora would be Xion #idk it’s late and I’m not thinking straight there’s definitely some confusing stuff in this #gender swapping nobodies I can get behind that #I’m joking idk do what u want #i mean I’m not opposed to it I just think it’s mote confusing than it has to be if suddenly Kairi is Roxas’s nobody #ima go to bed ok bye #kingdom hearts