Mega

No, that is definitely Roxas/Ventus' Japanese VA as Leopardis. Pretty sure Unicornis is Mamoru Miyano, though.

https://www.fanfiction.net/s/10955229/1/Antipode-Act-3-All-That-s-LeftWeehee! Act 3 has been up and running for quite some time. Currently doing an Emperor's New Groove world!

I vote Christopher Lloyd. He has the right gravely texture to his voice, and he's done some awesome voice acting roles in the past.

I want a happy ending for Sora, Kairi, and Riku, please. They're a trio, yet out of the KH trinities, their dynamic is the most unbalanced in representation, with little focus on Riku and Kairi's friendship... which I have complained about before, but I think it bears repeating.I'd much rather KH3 focus on friendship and leave shipping to the fans for a multitude of reasons, many of which have to do with Kairi's overall lack of development outside of her bond with Sora. Plus, I thin with all the characters that are getting involved in this big finale, the ending sequence should have all of them together. I'd kill for something like IX's ending, actually, with snippets from everyone before they all come together for one last hurrah to end the Xehanort saga.

The Year Between is now complete! Want to read the whole series in one convenient place? You can find it all here on Archive of Our Own! Starting with the next story, I will be posting the chapters here on the board for those who don't wanna go all the way to fanfiction.net.

The Year Between has a new chapter! Well, several new chapters, really. It's been a while. Side Stories also has a new scene that is a companion piece to chapter 45 of TYB.

I actually like this insight. Xion stands on her own as a solid character, but there are definitely elements of Kairi's as well as Sora's personality in her. And honestly, this makes me want to see the three interact in KH3 somehow. Kairi's interactions with female characters have been depressingly brief, which is a shame because it's clear she's friends with Selphie, and her short interactions with Naminé showed that there's potential for friendship to form. Same with Olette. As for FF7 ships... eh, every fandom has its ships. I never really understood why ship wars are such a big deal and why people can't just let people ship what they want.Anyway... Even so, these scenes are extremely short, and a lot of her interactions still hinge upon Sora. My problem with the ship becoming canon in KH3 is that it basically shoehorns Kairi into the role of love interest before letting her gain some agency and show her individuality outside of a very narrow range of character relations. Not so much a problem with the ship so much as how Kairi is utilized in the games vs the manga. She's probably the least developed of KH's original leads, and if anything, I'd love to see what traits we have seen expanded. I definitely like the comments here on her daydreaming about doing some heroic deeds herself. Kh2 shows that she does not like being left behind. In fact, she wanted to go along for the ride in KH1 after she was revived.

Why does Sora need to become a Master?No, really. I don't get it. Sora's a free spirit, eager to help his friends an the worlds. He doesn't need a title to be valid as a hero, and KH3D showed that he wasn't remotely upset that he didn't earn the title. Even at the start of the game, he was confident in his ability to fulfill his role as Keybearer. And given that Keyblade Masters are supposed to fulfill a great deal of responsibilities, I think that thematically it suits Riku so much better in the first place.Idk, for me, if he doesn't become a Master, it won't make him any less of an enjoyable character.

I really hope not. Now, before you grab your torches and pitchforks, hear me out. There is nothing wrong with shipping Sora/Kairi. There is plenty of evidence to support it. However, I feel that making them a couple in KH3 will not only be a detriment to the story but to Kairi's character. The thing with Kairi is that she's already underdeveloped as it is. She lacks agency, and almost all of her scenes hinge upon Sora to a point where we haven't seen enough of her as an individual. We do have elements of this in KH1, such as her love of racing with the boys and collecting seashells, but that's about the extent of it. The rest of the time, Kairi's character is shown through forced shipteasing, typically through Sora's POV, or through interactions with Sora and, very sparingly, Riku. And yes, the shipteasing is forced. A case of tell vs show. In KH1, it is shown that she cares about Sora, but the rest of it is... ridiculously blatant. In KH2, Donald teases Sora about Kairi twice. We have the dancing scene in Halloween Town. The really out of place moment with Roxas and Naminé in TWTNW. All of this just hammers it in, but the pairing isn't earned or developed. You could argue that KH3 could develop it, but frankly, I want to see Kairi develop beyond Sora, as an individual and interact with other characters. Can we please see her interact with Riku on his own? Have her interact with Lea, the Disney characters, and form her own bonds. Showcase her own personal growth and desires rather than religating her to the role of forced love interest. KH is ultimately a series about friendship, and I don't think putting a pairing into the mix will help the story at all. A pair does not have to be 100% canon for you to enjoy it, but frankly, I think KH3 has more than enough to draw upon from a plot perspective. We don't need a romance angle to distract from the bigger conflict and character arcs. EDIT: Kairi may be sweet, but she's never been just a sweet, passive girl. In KH1, she's incredibly spunky. Even hits Sora on the head when she thinks he's being dumb. And in KH2? She jumps off a freaking balcony. The manga really shows that Kairi has the potential for being more than your token nice girl. I mean, she bites Axel's arm when he tries to kidnap her. Actually punches Demyx in the face. She's still as friendly as ever, but she's not just standing there and looking pretty.T There's also this:

The Year Between has underwent several updates since my last post here, and I also have a collection of side stories! Antipode: Side Stories The most recent update features an appearance by Ringabel from Bravely Default, too.

Fragmented Truths has been completed! Here are the last few chapters... Chapter 44: Truth At Last Chapter 45: Memories Unchained Chapter 46: What Lies Ahead And the next fic has been going strong. The Year Bewtween Summary: Trapped in a digital realm, Riku is oblivious to the perils outside. Kairi struggles to take his place, but in a universe overrun with darkness, she's all but alone. Sora has left to find an old friend, Riku Replica is on the run, and Xion is busy hunting. In the time it takes them to pick up the pieces, the Organization's dark plan nears fruition. This fic centers on the main cast, exploring their struggles over the year between Act 2 and the next fic, Act 3. It's broken up into segments focusing on Kairi, Donald, and Goofy, Sora and Aqua, Riku Replica and Naminé, Xion, Riku, and XIII/Roxas and is planned to include worlds based on Monsters Inc., Pocahontas, Gargoyles, and a couple other surprises. Right now, I'm on the Monsters Inc. world.

Why are you calling people weirdos for shipping Sora and Riku? Yes, there are heavy Sora and Kairi implications, but there IS a lot of material that I can see being used to support a ship. I don't personally ship it, but there's enough for fans to see it in a romantic light if they wish. Fact is, Sora and Riku's development has been MUCH more organic than Sora and Kairi's because they've just had more time to interact and show how much they care for each other, be it platonic or otherwise. With Sora and Kairi, I think the problem stems from her not being developed enough outside of her interactions with Sora and the fact that the games prefer to tell us Sora cares about Kairi more than show it. KH2 is a pretty big offender at that, though there are scenes that are at least somewhat subtle. The fact is, SxR fans make up a huge chunk of the fanbase and, thus, the revenue Square obtains from game sales. This is particularly true of the Japanese fanbase. Canonizing one ship over another risks loss of sales either way, so keeping it ambiguous is a fair compromise, methinks. This isn't a series where romance is front and center.

I'd rather it be Riku Replica, frankly, because the poor guy seems to have been all but forgotten, and it sucks that everyone under the sun but him is being acknowledged. KH1 Riku is a possibility, but I think Riku Replica would create a more interesting conflict, and I can easily see the 'norts persuading him to join their cause.

And that's fine! Personally, I don't think any pairing is absolutely perfect, and I think ships of all kinds can be handled well with the right execution-- I just don't think it needs to be a focus of KH canon. That kind of territory is great for fanworks, and it's why I like things being at least somewhat open ended. As I've said before, just because Sora and Kairi haven't kissed doesn't mean people can't ship them. There's something satisfying, I suppose, of seeing a pairing you like justified, but I don't think it's downright necessary.My reasons for liking RxK are basically a matter of personal preference. I think their personalities compliment each other well, and to me it's just more interesting... but I also have a strong preference towards Riku in general and think he's one of the best developed characters in the series. I really sympathized with him during KH1. For me, Sora and Kairi seem a bit too safe and expected, but I'm not gonna knock the people who do like it. It's pretty heavily hinted at, so if any pair were to happen, it probably would be that.At the same time, I'm almost certain Nomura is aware of how crazy ship wars get in this fandom, so I can see him pulling a FFVII and keeping it ambiguous.

As someone who does ship them, I'd like to offer a different perspective. See, while I don't disagree that Riku was joking, it's possible to be aware of a friend's feelings for someone while still having feelings for them yourself. If anything, Riku's teasing may stem in part from that. It's very clear that Riku cares about Kairi, and I can see it being interpreted as a crush given the way he speaks to her at the beginning of the game, the ridiculous lengths he goes to save her once he's convinced Sora has stopped caring, and the line "take care of her," which I kinda see as him giving up/passing the torch. You can also look at the Chain of Memories novels, which, while selective canon, do certainly imply something similar. Not that I'm arguing against him trying to save her as a friend-- Riku's actions in KH1 are very complicated and can be interpreted in a number of ways, none of which are necessarily incorrect. The wonderful thing about KH is that there is room for different perspectives. This is part of why I'd rather they not fully canonize ships in the first place. The reason why I'm making this case is mostly because I do feel there is a bit of discredit towards RxK shippers within the fandom overall.

Two new Fragmented Truths chapters have arrived, marking the beginning of the final battle. Chapter 42: The End Begins Chapter 43: Shattered

No killing Riku. :| He's the most compelling Kingdom Hearts character, IMO, and after all his character growth, I think death is the last thing he deserves.

I don't personally ship it outside of OT3, but I don't think it's necessarily invalid? There's enough material in the games that I can see why people DO ship it (KH3D comes to mind), and I mean, there's enough to ship Kairi and Riku, too. I doubt Sora/Riku would happen simply because western media is heteronormative, though. There's this idea that slash pairings are inappropriate for kids, which is pretty weird, IMO. Really, though, keeping it vague allows for more freedom of interpretation. There's a very clear Sora and Kairi spark, but I can also see how people might interpret it as really close friendship, I suppose. I'd actually prefer KH3 to end with the trio holding hands together. That would be cute.

Never was a fan of his KH2 hair. It was just too long for my liking, and it made it hard to see his face. I think his KH3D hair is adorable, so I'd rather they keep it short or keep it at KH1 length. The sheepdog look just doesn't do it for me.

I'd rather they didn't. It's cool that people ship it and all, but I stand firm in my belief that KH should not canonize ships when it's a series about friendship and... Kairi needs some serious character development beyond her bond with Sora. I think they've set up enough seeds so that people can ship it if they wish, but I would much rather see them dedicate time to showing Kairi's connections with other characters. I want to see her be training buddies with Lea, interact with Disney characters, and the writers need to stop neglecting her friendship with Riku.Basically, I feel like a kiss should not be a major part of the story. BBS was great in its lack of focus on shipteasing. It allowed the trio to seem like genuine friends without too much focus on one member of the trio. The Destiny Islands trio by comparison is... unbalanced in its depiction. There's only been a strong focus on how Riku and Kairi relate to Sora, barring Riku's dedication to saving Kairi in KH1 and Kairi keeping Riku from running off in Kh2. Other than that? Nothing. Yes, that's my problem with the Sora and Kairi ship as well, ESPECIALLY in KH2, where they had other characters basically talk about how much Sora likes her, how romantic it is, etc. It just doesn't feel as genuine than actually showing them without putting too much emphasis on romance. I personally don't care for the pairing (in a perfect world, I'd want OT3), but I can see the appeal when it's done with a bit more subtlety and the writers let the characters' interactions sell the ship. Ultimately, though, I think that keeping pairings ambiguous is just better for the KH community. This fanbase already has a habit of using "canon" to validate/invalidate pairings. There's a lot of ship drama between all the SxR and SxK fans... That drama would not go away by canonizing a ship. If anything, Square would be risking upsetting a huge portion of the fanbase, losing money... And I dunno. I think it's refreshing when a story doesn't get too conclusive with romance.This is probably going to be an unpopular opinion. I have expressed it before as well, but eh. That's just how I feel.

Unfortunately, it is a fake. It started circulating around the time that KH3D came out, actually.

Yeah, that's my biggest concern. I understand that a lot of people love Sora and Kairi as a pairing, but is it really what the series needs at this stage? The SRK trio's representation lacks balance because the games have largely only focused on how Riku and Kairi relate to Sora. KH1 shows Riku being very dedicated to Kairi and KH2 shows Kairi keeping Riku from running away, but... their friendship has barely been acknowledged otherwise. And other than some lines of dialogue with Saïx, Naminé, and Axel, most of her conversations with other characters are just assumed or really short.Before worrying about forcing a romance angle, let Kairi stand on her own. I think she has great potential to become a strong character. In Kh1 she's presented with a spunky, upbeat personality and is shown to be a bit more assertive than some of the other girls. She teases, and she klonks Sora on the head. That's kinda amazing, and in the manga she's shown to be even more hardcore by punching Demyx in the face among other things. But that's the manga and not the game, where she's really limited in what she can really do. All the other KH females have more going for them.Plus, the shipwars in this fandom are vicious. It's clear that Sora/Riku and Sora/Kairi both have massive followings-- canonizing one or the other would agitate a significant chunk of the fan base no matter what. Square and Disney would be wise not to make a ship 100% canon because otherwise they would lose customers and therefore money. Ugh, what bothers me is that everyone else seems to be on the to save list but him. Maybe I'm just bitter, but I think Rep deserves it more than Roxas and Naminé, who at least became whole in a sense.

re: Sora and Kairi kissEh, I'd rather not. Aren't there enough hints to satisfy the people who do ship it? Kingdom Hearts is a series about friendship first and foremost. A lot of stories try to push a romance angle and end up detracting from the main plot, and I like the openness in that there are some shipteases, but it's generally not shoved in your face too much... except in KH2. That got a little annoying at times.I acknowledge that this is a really unpopular opinion, though. Maybe it's 'cause SxK isn't really my thing, but I'd really rather they take the time to flesh out Kairi's relationships with other characters. We've seen enough to guess regarding her bond with Sora, so let's build upon her character so that she doesn't feel like an obligatory love interest and nothing more.Also, I've said this in other topics, but gimme Riku Replica closure, darn it. The poor guy deserves something.

I do think that Sora's character arc is faulty. He's a likeable enough character, but he's never challenged enough to really push him past his comfort zone. Don't get me wrong, Sora goes through some pretty serious circumstances, and he has a slight maturity spike by the end of KH1. The problem is that you never really see him suffer. Compare his plight to a similar character: Ventus. What I think makes Ventus a more dynamic character is that he has more personal conflicts to attend to. He worries about what's going to happen to Terra and frets when his two best friends suddenly fight. As someone very sheltered, Ven doesn't understand how his friends could suddenly be at each others' throats, and it prompts him to seek out new friends in the second half of his story. He has his happier moments and shows a mature and insightful side when he encourages Stich about his broken Wayfinder and gives up Terra's wooden Keyblade. He moves beyond being the little kid his best friends treated him as, believing his memories are what matters... and then all hell breaks loose when he learns about the χ-blade. Ven's past comes back and shatters his understanding of his life before. He suddenly must face the fact that he's a pawn in Xehanort's scheme, his Master hid the truth from him all along, and the creation of the χ-blade could very well threaten the worlds.He's willing to die to prevent Xehanort's scheme from succeeding, but you can tell by the cutscene that he's scared. Very scared. At least when he tells his friends to put an end to him.What I find great about Ven is that you see a very broad range of emotions from him and you see him pushed to the limit. Sora... you kind of get that in KH2 when Kairi's kidnapped and you get a moment of doubt when he learns how the Organization plans on exploiting the Heartless, but otherwise, there's just not much turmoil for him beyond the threats he faces on his journey.It's why I find Riku a more interesting hero-- he falls far and then climbs his way back up throughout the games, creating a compelling character arc from start to finish. Character flaws and suffering make characters more endearing. if they go through hell, it's so much more satisfying when they succeed. KH3D had the right idea, but I feel that there needs to be more pain in Sora's future. More personal stakes.