Riku doesn't actually suggest going to Yensid's place until after the threat is dealt with. His immediate thought after Kairi's death is how to stop Xehanort (after failing to attack him). I agree with you about Kairi being fridged and it not being written we but I don't think Riku's reaction is too unbelievable, particularly for him. It can happen that when someone close dies it doesn't really hit you for a while and Riku is a practical, collected person so I can imagine him focusing on the task at hand. And even when he suggests going to Yensid's tower it's to figure out a way to retrieve Kairi. Just because you don't immediately burst into tears doesn't mean you don't care. It would be better if there was more indication he really did care though.
Riku showed more emotion and concern when Sora was simply in danger, not only here, but in other games. Riku is very much capable of acting like he just lost someone in front of his very eyes. Not some five second "grrr" only to then act like nothing happened. Where's the sadness, where's the lingering effect where we see him struggling with what they just witnessed. There was
nothing of the sort. How about Aqua speaking out and showing worry. No one mentions that Naminé got offed with her either.
Axel/Lea? He got his friends back so that means he's sucked into the RAX blackhole the same way Roxas was in this game despite that they've made connections outside Xion. So I guess he forgot he was supposed to care about Kairi.
This is the problem with KHIII. Lack of personal character resolutions because it was a check off list Nomura wanted to get over with rather than execute well with build up. Got the sappy trio reunions done, tear, tear, cry, cry, awesome. Returned characters, great, that was done.
Oh crap, people are mad that I fridged Kairi and didn't have other Guardians of Light actually interact with
other characters outside their trio? Nani? Well, here's the DLC focusing on Kairi having purpose, and uh, oh, let's have the Guardians quickly exchange shallow quips during the middle of a fight, that should satisfy the audience enough (I will say this, Nomura definitely knows the fanbase is passive with his shenanigans).
All the characters felt like they were one-dimensionally just there to finish the saga, lifeless to anything that doesn't happen beyond their trios and then relegated to boring chess pieces once those reunions were over with. No interpersonal closure with their other bonds or issues. Skip to the beach where everyone's happy and having fun and all them are together without us knowing how it got even got there. We're just supposed to accept that it did.
In addition to Namine, I can totally understand why she was send to Twilight Town, with the strongest reason, that a friend, Roxas, is there. Having a room is also nice, sure, but after having lived in so much isolation, I can strongly see why she would look after a place where she can interact with other people, at best with familar faces around.
Exactly.
Roxas, Kairi, and Riku Replica were really the only ones that were shown to care for her in that game. Kairi with her introductory yet beautiful words concerning Naminé's existence...that didn't go anywhere. Roxas missing Naminé (Sora confirmed) and flashing over Sora as he gazes at her window in the Twilight Mansion, seemingly sad (or Sora acted seemingly sad as he processed what Roxas was feeling). That
also didn't go anywhere. Riku Replica we all know, even though I heavily disagree with how it was handled because it romanticizes brainwashing. And then Naminé is seen with Xion at the beach. So really, she's where she's supposed to be.