Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
- Details
- Published on June 11, 2014 @ 01:18 am
- Written by Joey
In the Japanese interview during Square Enix Presents, Series Co-Director Tai Yasue was asked about the Kingdom Hearts III teaser at the end of the Kingdom Hearts -HD 2.5 ReMIX- trailer.
Zephy has translated his response, and thanks to him, is available for you all.
- We heard little from KINGDOM HEARTS III and what was the purpose of recording those lines in the latest trailer?
Although the footage may change, KINGDOM HEARTS III will be about those words from the start of the game. It's a secret but as for whom is the person speaking, you may be able to pin down immediately from the figures seen.
- Has the story been finalized together yet?
I can't say for sure but a portion of it has been set in stone. When creating a KINGDOM HEARTS game, the storyline must usually be completely determined; how it will play and its system will be quickly developed simultaneously. New information is expected to be released soon as soon as we're ready. Please stay tuned!
What do you think this suggests? Will Kingdom Hearts III start off with Young Xehanort? Will we be seeing some more concrete news soon?
Kingdom Hearts Insider will be at E3 this year. You can tweet questions to us at KHInsider on Twitter or follow us on Tumblr & Facebook for all the latest E3 and Kingdom Hearts news.
Source: Dengeki Online
COMMENTS
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Sounds like either we start the game off following Young Xehanort and Eraqus (like how DDD followed Apprentice Xehanort), or more will be explained about "King Mickey and Riku search for previous Keyblade wielders". and how they're really looking for those 3 + this Lost Master.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Hmm, this has potential to be interesting. Admittedly, this might turn out better than what I had in mind, mainly "Ok, let's run around world to world until every loose plot element is covered!" This might be a good way to tie it all together into one flowing narrative
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Sora and Xehanort multi-scenario. Just watch.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Good to know they have a good portion of the storyline done, and that they're working on everything else with it simultaneously.
Personally, ever since we heard this snippet, I thought it would be the beginning to III for some reason. It just seemed like it would be a good way to get into the mindset of it all.
And maybe even allow us to somewhat care about Xehanort. This has been his story too, after all. And this is the last time we're ever going to get to see him. To that end, I wouldn't mind learning some about the normal person he was before he went down his dark path.
It would also tie in well with KH3D's opening...
Also, didn't they say they wouldn't be doing a music video esque flashback intro after 3D? If so, I can see why they would have opted to go this way instead.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Even though it's unlikely, I'd so be game for a KH2 style prologue, but from Young Xehanort's POV during his time as a Keyblade trainee.
But either way, games that start off with Xehanort (BbS and DDD) tend to have to best narratives SO if this is another Xehanort opening scene, I'll be escastic.
I guess that also explains why they only showed the teaser for the Japanese audience and not the English-speaking audience. Which is kinda mean but whatever.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I'm betting it'll be like DDD and the first scene of KH3 will be of that discussion between bishie/young Xehanort & Eraqus like DDD started the game with a scene of the Apprentice going all stabby stabby with MX's keyblade.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
young xehanort playable scenario please for the love of god
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
It would be badass if they would include an unlockable CG-animated secret trailer in KH2.5... but uh...
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
young xehanort playable scenario please for the love of god
This....this would be awesome. ;A;
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Hoping for a 3 teaser in 2.5, much like KHFM teased KH2 and KH2FM teased BBS. Maybe they'll be sadistic and make it so that once you get all trophies for all three games in 2.5, you unlock the teaser for KH3 :D
And here's to hoping that by "new information soon" for KH3, he's referring to Comic-Con.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
They seem to be prepping FFXV news for San Diego Comic Con so hopefully they'll throw KH3 in there with them.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
And here's to hoping that by "new information soon" for KH3, he's referring to Comic-Con.
Is Comic Con a place where we even get video game news? Or at least, new about KH? I feel like "soon" with SE is TGS.
They seem to be prepping FFXV news for San Diego Comic Con so hopefully they'll throw KH3 in there with them.
Ah, nevermind. I thought Comic Con was totally not a place we'd get info.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I can see it now.
"Wah!!!!"
"Heehee."
"Give me a break Eraqus!"
"Xehanort, you studious bookworm! Don't you ever sleep?"
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I can see it now.
"Wah!!!!"
"Heehee."
"Give me a break Eraqus!"
"Xehanort, you studious bookworm! Don't you ever sleep?"
And thus a new candidate to the never ending shipping wars will appear.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I can see it now.
"Wah!!!!"
"Heehee."
"Give me a break Eraqus!"
"Xehanort, you studious bookworm! Don't you ever sleep?"
I think I have a new headcanon for the series.
If this doesn't happen I will be dearly disappointed.
Playing as Xehanort?
I think it would absolutely awesome to do one of two things:
1) Have a Prologue like in KHII where you instead play as a Young Xehanort in the Land of Departure
or
2) Imitate Final Fantasy VIII's Laguna Flashbacks and have us occasionally flash back to play as Xehanort for a few minutes.
Am I not the only one who would freak out? I think we should be able to play as Xehanort during KHIII. There are so many things that need to happen. I don't know how they're going to tie it all up. I just really hope that Terra, Ven, and Aqua all come back somewhat in the beginning of the game so we get to see them a lot.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I would love the frequent flashbacking to Xehanort. Would be absolutely fascinating to learn more about him throughout the adventure and how his experiences relate to what is happening currently.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I would love to see glimpses of Xehanort and Eraqus` younger days throughout KH3. Also if we do get flashbacks, I hope we actually get to see their master. The recent trailer made me really curious about him/her.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Do you know how many birds we could kill with one stone if we got to play as Xehanort as he left the Island and met his master?
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I swear, if I get to play as Young Xehanort and Young Eraqus I will lose MY MIND! I really hope they have that be a part of the new game and back story, need the back story for … well everyone basically needs more character development in KH.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Am I the only one that interprets "
KINGDOM HEARTS III will be about those words from the start of the game. " as that Sora and co. will be aware and acting on the idea of lost masters from an early point in the game, rather than it being part of a twist near the end.
Not that it wouldnt be cool if it started with a playable xehanort (or more likely eraqus imo), I dont think its likely and whilst that dialogue being the opening scene is super plausible, i think its still rather early in development for them to have decided on an opening scene.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Oh man, I was already saying that they should make Xehanort actually playable. If this is what they're going to do, then wow :D
Obviously, they're going to show more of Xehanort's past so that's always a plus, they really have to go all-out now, seeing how this is going to be his last game.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I would love to see glimpses of Xehanort and Eraqus` younger days throughout KH3.
I agree, and it would work as an echo of the first KH, too (the way memories of Riku and Sora flashed back throughout the game).
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Playing as either young Xehanort or Eraqus would be a good excuse for starting the game at level 1 and no abilities! Kind of how we played as Roxas in KH2 for only the beginning.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I think starting off as Xehanort before his fall to villainy could be pretty sick, would definitely be a change of pace from the happy go lucky guys we've gotten so far. Perhaps a look into his childhood on destiny islands some? =o
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I like to imagine KH3 opening with a black screen and just dialogue between Young Xehanort and Eraqus talking about the Keyblade War and such. And as they're talking, it fades into a cutscene of the Keyblade War, and it plays out much like the intro of the first LotR movie, where the narrator (Xehanort in this case) is detailing events of what happened in the battle as we are seeing them happen. And of course, once it gets to the part where the war gets to an end and the "precious light" is found, it would cut out and switch to actually show us Xehanort and Eraqus speaking, and that's where Xehanort would be discussing his curiosity of what actually took place at the end of the war and such.
Somehow, I feel some sort of flashback type intro would be better than jumping straight into the events that occur post-DDD. KH2 is famous for starting out in a wtf type way because no one understood who Roxas was or why we were playing as him and not Sora. I imagine they could pull a similar ruse with a flashback intro for KH3.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I actually liked DDD starting off with a small little tease, and then immediately into the adventure. No long prologues please! They might be fun once, but they become a huge blemish on replaying the game.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Maybe we'll get another three hour tutorial intro, much like Kingdom Hearts II with Roxas. Only this time it would delve into Eraqus' and Xehanort's pasts and when they were younger which then leads into who we eventually see them in Birth by Sleep
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I wouldn't mind it. One of the big things people were asking for with BBSv.2 was playing as Apprentice Xehanort in the lead up to the destruction of KH3D. BBSV.2 was cancelled and a scene featuring that was added to 3D. Nows a perfect opportunity to add that, and more, to KHIII.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I feel like there's just so much possibility with what to do with stories from the past.
Maybe this intro could be a "spiritual successor", for lack of a better term, for BbSV.2 and give us as much insight to their motives and such as much as the story demands. Maybe even slip in some hints for the future (which may be unlikely since I'm sure this Xehanort saga will be as contained as possible)
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I think the idea of periodically flashing back throughout the course of the game to play as either Youthful Xehanort or Eraqus would extremely beneficial to the flow and telling of the story. One of my favorite aspects of Lost was how they would flash back to a time that was relevant to what they were going through at the moment. Even if we don't get to play as either one of them, they at least need to do that in the form of cutscenes. I'm little concerned on how they're going to convey all this and introduce these "Lost Masters" while at the same time sorting out the undeveloped mess of already existing characters.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Since one of the biggest mysteries remaining is how exactly Xehanort's "body-snatching" and "heart-invading"-power works as well as the total mess that is/was the composition of Ansem/Xemnas and "current" Xehanort in regards to Xehanort himself, Eraqus and Terra, it makes sense that there would be some more background on Xehanort's "career" throughout his long life as well as shed some light on his relationship with Eraqus.
Who knows, maybe we'll even learn why exactly Eraqus still remained so trusting and "lenient" towards him even four years before BBS (with the Ven-incident) and during BBS itself when it became apparent that Xehanort was up to no good.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
| Since one of the biggest mysteries remaining is how exactly Xehanort's "body-snatching" and "heart-invading"-power works as well as the total mess that is/was the composition of Ansem/Xemnas and "current" Xehanort in regards to Xehanort himself, Eraqus and Terra, it makes sense that there would be some more background on Xehanort's "career" throughout his long life as well as shed some light on his relationship with Eraqus. |
Given his aversion to the issue of Xehanort and his mess of a heartless, nobody and the apprentice (the apprentice being the source of confusion) combined with the fact he seems to have brought back MX as his old self separate from Terra/Eraqus (at least going by what we seen in DDD, it could be more convoluted than we realize) I wouldn't put it past Nomura to have decided to just avoid the whole thing all together.
If he really has brought MX back separate from Terra/Eraqus then that, to me, makes it look like he's doing so to easily resolve his own mess.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Can anyone else see Xehanort becoming a good guy at the end of KH3? I feel like Sora is going to befriend him and then he will warn all of your buddies about the new bad guys in KH4. thats my worst fear for the game.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Can anyone else see Xehanort becoming a good guy at the end of KH3? I feel like Sora is going to befriend him and then he will warn all of your buddies about the new bad guys in KH4. thats my worst fear for the game.
There is nothing, nothing, redeemable about Xehanort, even if it happened, it won't happened.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Can anyone else see Xehanort becoming a good guy at the end of KH3? I feel like Sora is going to befriend him and then he will warn all of your buddies about the new bad guys in KH4. thats my worst fear for the game.
I don't think Xehanort's resolution will be that hammy. At most, Xehanort will perhaps acknowledge that bonds and friendship is true power and all his exploits meant nothing right before he disappears or gets locked away or whatevs. Unless a villain is portrayed as either sympathetic or more a shade of grey, they usually get a swift kick in the ass.
I can perhaps see him giving Sora snd co a foreboding message about the future, though less as a friendly gesture and more because he's a man of secrets who likes to hear himself talk.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I know its probably not going to happen but there is always that fear in the back of my mind that the story may take that turn.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I know its probably not going to happen but there is always that fear in the back of my mind that the story may take that turn.
Just because series like KH put a lot of epitasis of bonds and friendship doesn't mean that'll happen. He already took many lives and ruined them, many wor;\lds were lost because of him, Sora, Riku, and Kairi's lives are never going to be the same because of him, he's not going to become good because of 'Nakama Power' or "Talk no Jutsu' because shit you not those are actual fanmade terms.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I know its probably not going to happen but there is always that fear in the back of my mind that the story may take that turn.
If they do that to Xehanort after all this douche body stealing and life wrecking build up I'll seriously rage and just quit I mean...just...no.....
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I think it'd be smarter to let players play as Eraqus in the past instead of Xehanort. Xehanort is a body snatching child molesting super murderer, and even if he was good as a kid, I think it'd be a bit unsettling to play as him. I'd end up throwing him off a cliff or get him killed by enemies for funsies. He's supposed to be enigmatic, and this is the final game where we'll kick his ass or something. Playing as Eraqus would be super cool, though.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
^ Gotta agree playing as a young/bishie Eraqus interacting with Xehanort sounds more appealing.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
It'd be very interesting to be able to play as either Xehanort or Eraqus. It might be good to be Eraqus and see Xehanort through the eyes of a friend.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Playing as Young Xehanort appeals to me because I like the design of all the Xehanorts :)
Not only that, it would be great to explain the plot, as you would experience encounters with Brown robe guy and others from his perspective. I don't think playing as Eraqus would be able to explain that. If you played as Eraqus, because all this stuff is happening behind the scenes, you would just gradually see YX changing.
What if... MX is possessed by one of those "Lost Masters", and once they defeat him in KH3, he is freed from it, and so becomes a good guy. It's entirely possible. I just hope not. MX must always be evil!! :>
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Can anyone else see Xehanort becoming a good guy at the end of KH3? I feel like Sora is going to befriend him and then he will warn all of your buddies about the new bad guys in KH4. thats my worst fear for the game.
Noooooo way. Xehanort considers light to be a tyranny over darkness. And even though he doesn't believe in evil for evil's sake and believes in restoring the balance between light and darkness, the origin story of life in the KH universe before the worlds were separated proves that light was the original state of being and that darkness was only born after people became selfish and began to try to hog all the light for themselves. Therefore, the two are actually not a balance to be maintained, apparently. And Xehanort is never going to see it this way.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Xehanort pulling an Obito? Oh God...
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
*sees plot now, Xehanort pulls and Obito then Sora's mom pulls a Kaguya....sora will have his fucking dinner!*
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
*sees plot now, Xehanort pulls and Obito then Sora's mom pulls a Kaguya....sora will have his diddlying dinner!*
You gotta be kidding, please be kidding. It was bad enough with Obito, now Madara out staged by her.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Don't worry guys, Kingdom Hearts is not Naruto.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Don't worry guys, Kingdom Hearts is not Naruto.
And I'm grateful for it. I'm already on or off the manga, and the calls to one character has spread to everything I follow, it's insane. That and Tsunderes, I can only handled them if they're more than just the joke.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Don't worry guys, Kingdom Hearts is not Naruto.
Until Nomura gives into the fan pressure to give Sora the gimmicks and powers of all the other characters & enemies in which it'll become Bleach. 8D ...........Okay that thought even appalled me......
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Nah, he won't get back on his words that Sora is your everyday kid, a normal boy.
Or would he? Really, he'd better not.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Nah, he won't get back on his words that Sora is your everyday kid, a normal boy.
Or would he? Really, he'd better not.
It's becoming more and more difficult to justify that Sora is just a normal boy. He's always sort of tiptoed the line between ordinary and extraordinary.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
To be really frank, I too feel he's anything but ordinary right now. I guess the fact that he was an ordinary boy inadvertently getting caught in the middle of this mess (and actually righting things) already makes him special. He's one of a kind.
That, to me, still doesn't justify him getting the powers and uniqueness of other characters, though. He can draw power from them and the bonds he had formed with them - it's always the power of friendship after all - but I'd rather he doesn't "absorb" others' aspects all for himself.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
It's becoming more and more difficult to justify that Sora is just a normal boy. He's always sort of tiptoed the line between ordinary and extraordinary.
^^^^
I think it was fine to call Sora a normal boy in the beginning, but he is absolutely not one now. To pretend he is at this point is kind of... silly. I mean, considering him to be down to earth (which he still is) isn't the same as arguing that he's still "normal".
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
^^^^
I think it was fine to call Sora a normal boy in the beginning, but he is absolutely not one now. To pretend he is at this point is kind of... silly. I mean, considering him to be down to earth (which he still is) isn't the same as arguing that he's still "normal".
Having had watch him start off as a normal boy then grow to what he is now is all part of it, at least I think. A plus also being that it went to his head slightly at the beginning of DDD but he dropped right back down a couple pegs, throwing the 'see he makes "normal" mistakes just like anyone else' out there.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
guys, with this comparing kh to anime discussion, your all wrong. clearly, based on his connection to everyone, sora is super saiyan god goku.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
I think it was fine to call Sora a normal boy in the beginning, but he is absolutely not one now. To pretend he is at this point is kind of... silly. I mean, considering him to be down to earth (which he still is) isn't the same as arguing that he's still "normal".
Well now let's look into it deeper. Can we honestly deny that he isn't normal (at least, as normal as it gets in the scope of the series)? Let's take some other characters into consideration:
[LIST]
[*]Kairi, while seemingly a "normal" girl, is actually one of the princesses of light and is a major key (pun, pun) in Xehanort's plot.
[*]Riku had given in to darkness, betrayed all his friends, then did whatever he could to save them afterwards and is now a keyblade master.
[*]The organization casually meddles in other worlds in the hopes of gaining hearts; at some point they're taken over by Xehanort, who hopes to form the x-blade/KH.
[*]Terra and Aqua were raised and trained to be masters, already giving them something special. Might be a stretch, though.
[*]Xehanort is Xehanort.
[/LIST]
So, it seems like what makes a lot of these characters special is that they have some sort of higher purpose/power. The only one that makes an exception here is Ven, who also seems to be normal, honestly - after all, he's almost like a parallel to Sora.
So, what makes Sora (and for that matter Ven, if you like) normal? Sora hasn't really wanted anything really significant. He was perfectly happy with the way he lived, and he was the victim of everyone else's actions (well, Xehanort's, really). He only cares about his friends, and in the end they're what make him who he is - not some life-altering event. I'd say it's a safe bet to call him normal, even after everything he's been through. I like how Sdog puts it:
Having had watch him start off as a normal boy then grow to what he is now is all part of it, at least I think.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
On the topic of playing as either Xehanort or Eraqus, I think it would be much better if it was Xehanort. Playing as him in his younger years would show us that he was a normal keblade wielder like Eraqus, but then over time went over time developed into who he is now. Obviously he wouldn't turn all good at the end of KH3 but it would still give his character more depth and make him an even better character than he is already. During his short backstory we would probably see Eraqus as a "goody two-shoes" type of guy which would explain why he obsessed over light.
So basically, playing as Xehanort would be more interesting and beneficial than Eraqus. We need to know our enemy to beat him.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
If they do that to Xehanort after all this douche body stealing and life wrecking build up I'll seriously rage and just quit I mean...just...no.....
I agree that all the build up for Xehanort and the sheer scope and amount of shit he pulled throughout the whole series so far would make a heel-face-turn not only look pathetic on Xehanort's side, it would surely also not sit well with a majority of the fanbase.
While it may be true that no one is beyond redemption, there are some lines and Xehanort definitely crossed not one but several lines.
The Emperor of Star Wars also didn't get a redeeming power of friendship thingy, and Xehanort is as bad if not even worse than the Emperor.
Even Darth Vader himself, who did "redeem" himself by saving his son and killing the Emperor, was only redeemed in the eyes of a select few individuals, most notably Luke Skywalker himself.
Not even Princess Leia could forgive him (at least it was shown like that in an EU-work):
"Maybe Vader had died heroically, but ten minutes of contrition did not make up for years of atrocities."
This very quote would certainly also apply to Xehanort if they really "dare" to go the sympathy route with him in the end.
Playing as Young Xehanort appeals to me because I like the design of all the Xehanorts :)
Not only that, it would be great to explain the plot, as you would experience encounters with Brown robe guy and others from his perspective. I don't think playing as Eraqus would be able to explain that. If you played as Eraqus, because all this stuff is happening behind the scenes, you would just gradually see YX changing.
What if... MX is possessed by one of those "Lost Masters", and once they defeat him in KH3, he is freed from it, and so becomes a good guy. It's entirely possible. I just hope not. MX must always be evil!! :>
I agree that for the purpose of gaining background knowledge Young Xehanort would probably be the best bet, although as "true successor" Eraqus certainly also did get some classified knowledge as well.
I would certainly hope not. We already had the "man behind the man"-scenario more than once in KH throughout the saga and to, figuratively speaking, put another layer on top of the pyramid would really make the whole issue look more silly than it already is.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
It's been about a year and I have no idea if anyone's still gonna pay attention to this...
It's becoming more and more difficult to justify that Sora is just a normal boy. He's always sort of tiptoed the line between ordinary and extraordinary.
This.
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]I never saw Sora as ordinary ever since the end of KH1. It just felt like the concept of an ordinary boy was just completely removed from Sora after the end of the first game. I mean, what characters like Yen Sid and Ansem the Wise said about Sora makes it seem like he's not as ordinary as he was in the first game. Calling him the "Key that Connects Everything"? Portraying him somewhat as a messiah chosen to fulfill a duty to save everyone who is hurting? Should an ordinary boy be portrayed in such a way instead of just finding someone else that can be portrayed exactly like that? The answer is no. [/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue] [/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]Because of this, I don't believe Sora is ordinary at all if he's able to be THIS (Key that connects everything) or THAT (One who is chosen to save those who are hurting).
Plus, never once had anyone verbally emphasized Sora's ordinary status in both Chain of Memories or KHII. [/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue] [/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]Also in DDD, compared to Riku, Sora has managed to connect to anyone just instantly. Even Neku, who is an extremely aloof firetrucker that blasts loud music in his ears because he hates people. No one from TWEWY was able to get him out of his shell so quickly like Sora could. Riku had trouble connecting to people instantly (I don't have much to say about him right now. I've seen the game and cutscenes, but I just don't feel like talking much more about Riku), but I guess that's because of the Darkness but still. It's almost like Sora's heart just automatically connects to the hearts of others. Some say that this unique ability to connect with anyone is specifically for Sora.[/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue] [/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]This paragraph may have some points that anyone here could use to counter my points, but anyways, Roxas had pointed out how Sora's heart was connected to so many others, whether they were of Disney or Square Enix, or both (KH). Ansem the Wise had pointed that Sora may even have the power bring back lost ones from the brink of existence.[/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue] [/FONT]
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]In my perspective, I feel like the concept of an ordinary boy for Sora has been damaged enough to convince plenty of people that Sora is not ordinary. No longer is he the Batman of the Justice League (I'm not saying he's not awesome anymore. If anything it's his personality that makes me think he's awesome), but rather something just a little bit bigger.[/FONT]
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
[FONT=Helvetica Neue]In my perspective, I feel like the concept of an ordinary boy for Sora has been damaged enough to convince plenty of people that Sora is not ordinary. No longer is he the Batman of the Justice League (I'm not saying he's not awesome anymore. If anything it's his personality that makes me think he's awesome), but rather something just a little bit bigger.[/FONT]
When you bring up everything that you just said, it is hard to buy the ordinary boy aspect of Sora. But I still think the idea of that contrasts in a somewhat unique way. Sure, Sora has done all these things, connect to so many people without trying (or knowing... and I think still not knowing lol), and have been said by both Mickey and Ansem the Wise that he may be the key to saving people/kingdomhearts/openingthedoor and all that.
But think about it... how? In the grand scheme of things, there really isn't anything special about Sora besides the things he's done. Sure he's done amazing things but it wasn't because he was born a PoH, a boy who controls the darkness, or a master villian with a genius mind and resources who can plan out everything; he's not the son of a king, someone destined to be king, a chosen one, a knight, a warrior, or a hero destined to save the world. He's just Sora. Just a kid with a simple, kind heart. So it's nothing but his ordinary heart doing the work. I mean, you could also say because he was the chosen keyblade wielder in KH1 but honestly, the whole chosen one thing for me got dropped at the end of KH1 when we see Mickey himself with a flipping keyblade. And although his keyblade is an incredibly huge factor in it all, keyblades have become the norm at this point. I wasn't even remotely surprised when more characters starting getting keyblades.
So he isn't some special kid based on his keyblade or its power but his heart. His ordinary heart tied by the friends he's met that give him strength to pull through. That's why everyone clings to him because of a self-intentioned contradictory the series created with Sora's character. He's special because he isn't special yet he can do incredible thing. It's kind of a lesson of even the ordinary can extraordinary by just being themselves while relying on your friends(or family, something this series has yet to tackle, if ever) to help you through because they believe in you and who you are as a person and that you can do great things; that's what makes a person able to pull off great things (well, not the only thing but you get the idea lol).
With this series, it's hard to see it in that sense but that's kind of how it is.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
But think about it... how? In the grand scheme of things, there really isn't anything special about Sora besides the things he's done. Sure he's done amazing things but it wasn't because he was born a PoH, a boy who controls the darkness, or a master villian with a genuis mind and resources who can plan out everything, he's just Sora. It's nothing but his heart. I mean, you could also say because he was the chosen keyblade wielder but honestly, the whole chosen one thing for me got dropped at the end of KH1 when we see Mickey himself with a flipping keyblade. I wasn't even remotely surprised when more characters starting getting keyblades. So he isn't some special kid based on his keyblade or its power but his heart. His ordinary heart tied by his friends that give him strength to pull through. That's why everyone clings to him because of a self-intentioned contradictory the series created with Sora's character. He's special because he isn't special.
It's hard to see it in that sense but that's kind of how it is.
THIS.
The whole idea behind Sora being "ordinary" is pretty much tied to this series' mantra: "My friends are my power." Unlike so many others that were chosen by the Keyblade, Sora didn't have a great, inner strength of his own. As Xigbar gleefully pointed out at the end of DDD, Sora's strong only because of his ties with others. "As if the Keyblade would choose a wimp like you."
And yet despite not initially having the outstanding qualities that would normally be required of a chosen wielder, he still got the key and saved the worlds. Alone, Sora IS weak. Supreme subversion of "The Chosen One" trope. Ordinary. The opposite scenario is pretty much the epitome of this story's main theme: the connections, relationships, and experiences that we build with others strengthen us, and can make even someone initially unremarkable and frail a force to be reckoned with.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
And yet despite not initially having the outstanding qualities that would normally be required of a chosen wielder, he still got the key and saved the worlds. Alone, Sora IS weak. Not worthy of the Keyblade. Ordinary. The opposite scenario is pretty much the epitome of this story's main theme: the connections, relationships, and experiences that we build with others strengthen us, and can make even someone initially unremarkable and frail a force to be reckoned with.
That's what's always been the entire theme of this series, in every entry we've had so far. The two best supporters of this message to me is 358/2 Days and Re:coded.
With 358/2 Days, it was all about Roxas' forming relationships with his friends and how because of that he was forming his own personality, same with Xion and Axel (until everything goes to shit). They became there own people in a way. With Re:coded, it was the same thing with DataSora but explained a little bit deeper and even more analytical in some aspects.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
That's what's always been the entire theme of this series, in every entry we've had so far. The two best offenders of this message to me is 358/2 Days and Re:coded.
With 358/2 Days, it was all about Roxas' forming relationships with his friends and how because of that he was forming his own personality, same with Xion and Axel (until everything goes to shit). They became there own people in a way. With Re:coded, it was the same thing with DataSora but explained a little bit deeper and even more analytical in some aspects.
Offenders? They seem to support this theme, not refute it...
But yeah, now that I think of it, if connecting and interacting with others was enough to make an ordinary schmuck's heart grow so strong that it could seize a Keyblade from a chosen wielder, it actually makes complete sense that the exact same activities could grow a heart from scratch, so long as whatever entity that's growing it can perceive, remember, contemplate, and react to what happens around it.
Hell, the "burgeoning replacement" concept may have been explicitly confirmed in DDD, but all the evidence that this could happen was there from the very beginning!
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Offenders? They seem to support this theme, not refute it...
My bad, I meant supporters. Massive brain fart on my part lol
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
| But yeah, now that I think of it, if connecting and interacting with others was enough to make an ordinary schmuck's heart grow so strong that it could seize a Keyblade from a chosen wielder, it actually makes complete sense that the exact same activities could grow a heart from scratch, so long as whatever entity that's growing it can perceive, remember, contemplate, and react to what happens around it. Hell, the "burgeoning replacement" concept may have been explicitly confirmed in DDD, but all the evidence that this could happen was there from the very beginning! |
It's like Noruma planned this from the very beginning! ...I mean, probably lol.
Or he probably just knows how to connect one thing to the other and makes things make sense in the rules of the universe without completely contradicting itself. I'll give KH credits, everything pretty much does connect and make sense in its own universe... well, expect time travel. I don't know how you suddenly gain time travel abilities just because you don't have a body and just a floating heartless with a brown cloak on.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Well, unfortunately, I still can't see it after everything I've seen and played so far. But opinions (mine) are opinions after all.
I get Nomura's intentions of having Sora relatable to the player, but it just felt like Riku and Roxas were more relatable than Sora was. Like, Riku actually HAD to struggle through everything to get to where he's at to do extraordinary things, while with Sora, these "struggles" just seemed to last way shorter than Riku's own struggles. If anything, I felt I could relate to Riku more because sometimes, we ordinary people have to struggle not only with whatever things, but with ourselves first before we are even able to do extraordinary things in life.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Riku struggled because he made the wrong choices. What makes Sora exceptional is that everyone has the potential of his kind of child-like love and enthusiasm but most people don't embrace it. When Sora forges the connections with those people, it's because he's making the choice of accepting them into his heart. That's not to say he's without struggles, but his are totally different because he's a different person. Riku's path is one of redemption, and Sora's is one of self-discovery.
Sometimes people are rewarded for doing the right thing, and that's okay.
Anyway, generally speaking, it's usually frowned upon to bump a topic so old. This is probably better suited to a new thread specifically for it though the point has been argued soooooo many times
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
Well, unfortunately, I still can't see it after everything I've seen and played so far. But opinions (mine) are opinions after all.
I get Nomura's intentions of having Sora relatable to the player, but it just felt like Riku and Roxas were more relatable than Sora was. Like, Riku actually HAD to struggle through everything to get where he's at to do extraordinary things, while with Sora, these "struggles" just seemed to last way shorter than Riku's own struggles. If anything, I felt I could relate to Riku more because sometimes, we ordinary people have to struggle first before we are even able to do extraordinary things in life.
That's totally cool. Opinions are like butts, everyone's got one but not all are the same. Like I said, sometimes it is hard to see it that way, given that there are way more relatable characters in this series. Not everyone has a Sora-esque personality or just takes everything in stride and hopes for the best no matter what. Also I don't know if its Nomura wanting Sora to be something we can relate to but a person can aspire to be. Sora is essentially suppose to be the Link of this universe, in a sense. We are ordinary just like Sora and we can as the player can achieve amazing things. It's sort of relatable in that sense.
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
This thread getting bumped made me think that there was news about KH3... like new info... I'm depressed :(
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
But yeah, now that I think of it, if connecting and interacting with others was enough to make an ordinary schmuck's heart grow so strong that it could seize a Keyblade from a chosen wielder, it actually makes complete sense that the exact same activities could grow a heart from scratch, so long as whatever entity that's growing it can perceive, remember, contemplate, and react to what happens around it.
Hell, the "burgeoning replacement" concept may have been explicitly confirmed in DDD, but all the evidence that this could happen was there from the very beginning!
Yea, someone else gets it, lol.
The very first instance I can remember about this topic which also shows exactly what Sora's "specialty" is was in Chain of Memories when Sora told the Riku Replica that he has his own heart. He did not see the Replica as just a puppet (like i.e. Larxene or Axel) or a "fake" (like the "real" Riku) but like an individual and entity of his own that deserves to be his own person, despite looking like Riku.
Sora respects life and individuality even if it was not "born" the "natural" way.
Riku struggled because he made the wrong choices. What makes Sora exceptional is that everyone has the potential of his kind of child-like love and enthusiasm but most people don't embrace it. When Sora forges the connections with those people, it's because he's making the choice of accepting them into his heart. That's not to say he's without struggles, but his are totally different because he's a different person. Riku's path is one of redemption, and Sora's is one of self-discovery.
Sometimes people are rewarded for doing the right thing, and that's okay.
Anyway, generally speaking, it's usually frowned upon to bump a topic so old. This is probably better suited to a new thread specifically for it though the point has been argued soooooo many times
Yup, that's exactly what Sora's "specialty" is about, not some fancy superpowers or destined greatness or messiah, but using the innate powers everyone has the potential for but hardly anyone uses to its fullest extent.
I didn't even notice the topic being from 2014 at first...<__<
Re: Tai Yasue speaks about Kingdom Hearts III's Story!
We let threads on Tai Yasue slide (just don't do it again, guys :| )
OathkeeperRoxas XIII
June 11, 2014 @ 01:42 amOffline