Yeah, honestly for a KH show to work, it has to be stripped down to the most barebones version of itself possible. A simple conflict, a simple story, and simple lore. It can be built up from there but it needs to be able to explain itself concisely within the confines of its own story.
For example, let’s look at the Mandalorian. I’m going to speak as though I am new to Star Wars. The show introduces us to Mando. We get auxiliary Information from the events and characters around him that explain what his job is, who he is, and what a Mandalorian is. We get clues about the economy of this universe and how there is a fallen power that led to money being scarce.
We learn the Empire fell and while they are scattered, they still hold some soft power and wealth like a mob. They are looking for something, Mando takes the job.
It’s a simple set up and simple premise. As the episode moves forward we learn more about Mando’s culture and his people. We see Mando arrive on a planet and as a newcomer he is also learning about that world. He meets somebody who takes the time to explain what is happening on that world.
He goes out to accomplish his mission, we learn a little bit more about this universe and how it operates, and then he meets a baby and we are introduced to the true plot of the story.
Regardless if you know what the Child is related to, the show shows you that he is special. As the show progresses, it never assumes you know the lore but it also doesn’t hold your hand. You are able to piece the world together within the show without having to ever touch any other Star Wars media. It even treats the Force as an unknown, which makes it an accessible concept to an audience who might not have any cultural awareness about the franchise.
There are small references that are meant for fans, but it is never anything that won’t also get some explanation in the show or aren’t just surface level callbacks.
This is what a KH series would, in my opinion, need to be. It can still be about the Keyblade and the Heartless and visiting worlds, but it should not assume the audience has been keeping up with the series. It should be an entry that exists and teaches you the world of KH while also being a natural, wholly separate entry into the franchise.
Now, the Mandalorian was made by a team of highly talented writers, directors, and producers who all thought about these things. They knew they wanted a show that appealed to fans but was detached from the Skywalker saga so you didn’t NEED the films to understand the show. It’s a show affected by actions that occur in the Skywalker saga but it exists in its own corner of the galaxy.
They had the skill and the talent to be able to show their story, not tell it.
Nomura is very much the opposite kind of storyteller. He likes telling versus showing. Certainly things get shown but a lot of KH3 is just characters talking to each other explaining something until something happens. It doesn’t make for great cinematic storytelling. When Nomura does employ the show, not tell method, it ends up being some of the best and memorable moments of the game.
There isn’t anything wrong with telling, especially when there is a lot going on in KH3, but like instead of hearing the Organization talk about the new members, it should have been us seeing them recruited or the process of them being brought to the present time into their replica bodies. We should have seen Vexen restarting his replica program.
If this show is real and Nomura is in charge, I am worried. I don’t think he is incapable of employing consistent and engaging visual storytelling. Advent Children does do this plenty of times. In fact, it sometimes begs you to learn it’s story by only visual cues. I’m worried that he won’t make the show something removed from the main story at hand which will mean it has to use a lot of verbal storytelling to make sure the audience knows wtf is going on.
Remind/Limit Cut has this issue, too, now that I think about it. It was like 5 minutes of Roxas explaining about their X and how they wanted and needed it back. Ugh. We skip a whole year in which stuff happens but we don’t see it and just brief looks at where things are or who is doing what before we get info dumped about data.
I guess what I’m saying is that I want this to be the Mandalorian, not KH3.75.
I’m going to be disappointed by this, aren’t I?