MY (LIGHTNING ROUNDED) THOUGHTS ON FINAL FANTASY IN KINGDOM HEARTS || THINKBOX CHRIS

Actually Nomura did design the world ends with you characters didn’t write them but did design them

You have a point with FF representation not being a real push in what makes KH "Kingdom Heartsy" these days--I do think the series is much more about interacting with the Disney of it all, like you said. I also haven't played any FF games aside from FF15 and 7R to completion lol, so I also don't have the context of these characters' roles in their respective properties. I'm also super with you (11:00) in regard to how the series generally treats...almost every character who's not a protagonist hahah. (Yen Sid please be interesting *cough*) My experience with FF's representation in KH is not so much that I really want to see new FF characters show up, but I think it's important to have some checkup with Sora's friends from previous games: Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, Cid. (I think if I'm honest, I would rather have visited these folks than Winnie the Pooh again, who I felt had a wonderful resolution by the end of KH2 and that revisiting the 100 Acre Wood wasn't incredibly necessary for KH3's narrative). For me, they're not important because they're FF folks--but they played a major role in the restoration efforts of one of the most important worlds in the series, on top of befrending Sora immediately after his island was swallowed. Watching Sora interact with them is such a treat because it helps to show and develop Sora's character in interesting ways, I think. Sora talking with these folks in the endgame of KH1 and throughout KH2 feels like some of the few times when Sora's not having to suddenly befriend and make a good impression with another nice Disney character; he can relax a little bit and banter with old familiar buddies who he's comfortable with ribbing a little. So, for me, KH3's lack of FF representation was not so much like a "aw, no Lightning?" and more of a "I hope Yuffie and the gang are doing well amidst this Xehanort threat lol" and "Did Cloud and Sephiroth resolve their KH1 & KH2 battle offscreen or...?". There may be a case here for the quality of some of KH3's interstitial cutscenes to have been improved with slower lore stuff being explained by a Cid or Leon rather than a Yen Sid, Ienzo, or a Mickey. I do think the series has moved beyond needing to show fanfav FF starpower for an audience hook (and I've never felt like the Gullwings, Vivi, Auron, or Zack added a ton to their respective world appearances) but I feel the Leon gang is as an important of a friend group for Sora as Hayner, Pence, and Olette are and I'd love to be able to check in on them from time to time. Remind's Limit Cut scenario was a balm for my worried KH heart, as somewhat hamfisted and fanservicey as it was hahah

I couldn't agree more, the first time I got into KH wasn't because of Final fantasy nor Disney(Ikr, pretty hard to believe). I got into the series because it was something new, normally I would only play 2d Jump and run games like Mario or Sonic on my Gameboy advanced, but as soon as I found out about KH and its 3d enviroment as well as combat System, I just couldn't help but fall in love with the series. KH1 and Re:com made me love Sora more and more over time and nowadays I honestly can easily say that Sora, or the OC cast in general, is a big part for why I love this series so much. Ofc I love every second FF characters are on screen and if theres ever going to be a FF centered game it should be KH4 or at least another game which plays in Quadratum, but Im not sad or mad at anyone if they aren't going to appear as much anymore(because lets be honest, even back then they didn't appear often, aside from KH1). For me Kingdom hearts isn't Disney+Final fantasy, its an original Story with a loveable OC cast which uses Disney and Square Enix elements to improve itself and I stand by that.

I've always thought of Kingdom Hearts as a Final Fantasy x Disney crossover fanfic with OCs (and I mean that in the best way)

So my personal thoughts on the use of Final Fantasy characters. If Nomura can't incorporate new FF characters then that's perfectly fine to me. However, I don't think he should just write out the restoration committee as if they never existed. These guys were the ones that told Sora about the worlds, the heartless, Ansem and his notes as well as Maleficent. Hollow Bastion/Radiant Garden is their home world and they were the ones that went of the way to restore it to its original form by the time we got to KH3. In a way I'm saying these versions of Leon, Yuffie Aerith and Cid are KH characters and shouldn't be left in the dust ya know.

I rather hope that Final Fantasy characters return in Kingdom Hearts 4 because Kingdom Hearts is the reason I got in to Final Fantasy in the first place

Hmmm You seem to like this game /j, seriously tho another great video, well organized and nicely put points! Enjoyed watching :)

Hey man this is cnf39 hope you remember me I'm happy to hear you are in college

How the heck did Auron come off as an a-hole you? 😂 To answer some questions you had. Most FF don’t come from the games they originated from. Yuffie doesn’t live in the world of FF7 she’s from Radiant Garden, along with Leon(Squall) from 8. Speaking of 8, some characters that should be the same age as Leon are living as teen both Destiny Island and Twilight Town. That mainly is why there are no main game FF worlds within KH Also Nomura likes to only use characters that he has at least he helped created.

I respect everyone's opinions but honestly as someone who got into KH because of FF and not the other way around, I just find it all a little disappointing. I don't think these characters were that crucial and I won't miss them too much but it's more so Nomura's reasoning that frustrates me. The idea that the KH cast has gotten so large that they have to cut half of the original crossover aspect is all emblematic of a bigger problem imo. I think the KH cast has gotten way too large for its own good, especially considering how half the characters aren't even that... good? Like I'm sorry but the inclusion of pretty bland characters like Ienzo, Aeleus or Dilan does not justify the removal of FF characters to me. I really think this unwillingness to kill off any protagonist will be a fundamental flaw by the end of the saga when you have a cast of 20 something heroes from entirely different time periods and most of them don't have any stake in the story. Of course I could be proven wrong, but that's what I think for now. Also apologies for the long comment I get carried away with these things sometimes lmao