I really struggle to understand why they asked Hayden back in 2012 for like two lines for Xion, but not for KH3. It makes NO sense to me. I guess they used her for 0.2 for whatever reason and then decided they had to commit?
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This makes me want to see Kairi and Xion interact. Alyson talking to herself while recording lol.My favorite Kairi has always been Risa Uchida, but I am a bit biased in that respect considering I am more personally attached to the Japanese cast as a whole. Risa doesn't really do too much outside of her Kingdom Hearts work, but I'm glad that they have kept her on this whole time because I think she does a very good job of making Kairi and Xion seem unique and full of personality.
Same as with others, I had the hardest time feeling like Alyson was Kairi either because English Kairi always had a different voice before, or Alyson didn't do enough to separate her performance. I think she does a very good job as Xion, but I disagree with the direction that she took Kairi in. There were quite a few lines that I wish were delivered stronger. I was actually talking to a friend over this recently as well, in that I actually think Alyson's Kairi comes across as far less sure of herself in places where she should be more confident. As a result, I think it is far easier for an audience to assume a more "meek"/"weak" personality to her simply because of the vocal direction, which is a huge part in what I think angered many people towards her character. That they wanted her to be strong and she seemed too weak.
I don't think they should redub KH3, but I would like if they actually brought Hayden on to voice her in the future. Perhaps Alyson can grow into the role, but at the moment I am slightly doubtful and I would be very sad for people to disregard more of what Kairi's character does simply because of a lacking vocal direction. Especially if there is a more Kairi-centric game, or a game where Kairi and Xion have to interact frequently.
Spoiler ShowI was so bummed I didn't get Kairi's reaction to Xion's face even in ReMind. They cared enough for Sora/Vanitas. Why didn't I get this interaction, why?!
My fault on the misinformation then. Even so, because of this, odds are she's not coming back at all, either.Hayden wasn't even asked back for KH3. She made this abundantly clear on her Twitter amount that SE and Disney didn't reach out, which means she didn't step aside or reject any offer. She wasn't offered at all.
I really struggle to understand why they asked Hayden back in 2012 for like two lines for Xion, but not for KH3. It makes NO sense to me. I guess they used her for 0.2 for whatever reason and then decided they had to commit?
I do hope she gets better.Hayden's had mental health issues (post-partum depression) after the birth of her child. Based on her own various interviews, she seemed to really struggle with it off and on even to the point it affected her working. Unfortunately she has also been dealing with some domestic issues with her partner. I'm not aware of what she is currently working on but perhaps there was schedule conflict between voice recording and filming. Perhaps even her agent just turned down any roles due to her mental health situation. It could be a number of things. I just hope things work out for Hayden.
Yeah, I do prefer Hayden as Kairi. Compared to Alyson, Hayden as this spunk in her voice that she used for Kairi, which Alyson is lacking. The problem I have with Alyson's performance is that she makes Kairi sound too girly and sweetiepie-like for her character compared to Hayden's tomboyish spunk. As for Kairi's KH3 appearance, the only thing I don't like about is the hairstyle. As you said, she looked younger than she actually was. The hairstyle didn't help at all.Yeah I do wish Hayden came back. I didn't think Alyson did a bad job but when she voiced Kairi she sounded like a completely different character.
Between the new voice and Kairi's KH3 outfit, she looked and sounded younger then she actually was
Wasn't it the same voice director though? I'm pretty sure I still saw Bob Buchholz's name in the credits.I should note that KH3 had a new voice director. They were the reason characters like HPO were recast. There is more but I’m not at liberty to discuss any of it.
Wasn't it the same voice director though? I'm pretty sure I still saw Bob Buchholz's name in the credits.
HPO WERE REPLACED!?I should note that KH3 had a new voice director. They were the reason characters like HPO were recast. There is more but I’m not at liberty to discuss any of it.
Yep.HPO WERE REPLACED!?
I didn't even realize! That casting director needed to do that with Kairi's voice, if they were going to go in that direction of replacing her. If you're replacing someone, make it not noticeable.Yep.
In II they were voiced by Justin Cowden, Sean Marquette and Jessica DiCicco but in III they all received new VA’s - Zachary Gordon, Tristan Chase and Ashley Boettcher.
I didn't even realize! That casting director needed to do that with Kairi's voice, if they were going to go in that direction of replacing her. If you're replacing someone, make it not noticeable.
I didn't mean replace them. I want the originals back at all times, when possible. But if they're going to replace them, at least find people that sound like the originals. I didn't even realize HPO were replaced and I thought the only original voice actor that they actively replaced was Hayden.No... the way these three actors were replaced is really not how they should proceed.
Although I have no proof, isn't this similar to how the FF7R cast was replaced? A friend sent me a link to a podcast Steve Burton was doing and it seems they weren't even told that they wouldn't be doing the remake, and Quinton Flynn's (kinda sore and unprofessional) reaction seems to line up with that.No... the way these three actors were replaced is really not how they should proceed.
I don't think their has been a new voice director in Kingdom Hearts III going by your comment given the ones your describing are responsible for being the creative directors for Disney Character voices, but not the majority of Kingdom Hearts III.I should note that KH3 had a new voice director.
I don't see how the Final Fantasy 7 situation is similar. From my understanding, there were multiple voice actors to play those characters in various media, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that some of the other voice actors weren't asked back. HPO were only ever voiced by the people in KH2, so they should have been asked back.Although I have no proof, isn't this similar to how the FF7R cast was replaced? A friend sent me a link to a podcast Steve Burton was doing and it seems they weren't even told that they wouldn't be doing the remake, and Quinton Flynn's (kinda sore and unprofessional) reaction seems to line up with that.
Is it just an SE thing now? Replacing cast without letting them know? Doesn't seem very fair, and while I agree that the HPO (and 7R for that matter barring Reno) replacements were fairly good, it still kinda smarts how they were fired. Iirc Justin Cowden tweeted a reply to someone that essentially confirmed that didn't he? Although I may be misremembering, maybe it was just a congrats tweet to Zachary Gordon instead
I do feel sorry for Kairi fans, even though I'm not one of them. Kairi gets the shaft for years and in KH3 she didn't even get her voice actor back. I think only Namine comes close to having been treated as badly.
I personally would prefer to have Panettiere back (if she would even come back). I don't think Stoner did "bad." I think she did the best she could, but she just didn't really sound anything like Kairi. Sort of like Zane's replacement; I'm sure he tried the best he could, but I can't pretend I enjoyed it.