[SPOILER] KH2.8 Special credits (the one on the game selection menu)

[Grono]

Ugh, okay I'm done. Kairi just has so much wasted potential and it is frustrating to think about.

Truer words have never been spoken.

c: yeah, we can agree to disagree

Yay!

 

[BlackOsprey]

tbh I'm half-convinced that almost everything story-wise from KH2 is meaningless or unintentional because it's very plain to see that the writing was completely FUBAR for most of the game.
Like, there are a ton of legitimate points here, but at the back of my mind, I can't help but wonder if whatever we're inferring here was the result of a sloppy script rather than actual intent. >__>

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

tbh I'm half-convinced that almost everything story-wise from KH2 is meaningless or unintentional because it's very plain to see that the writing was completely FUBAR for most of the game.
Like, there are a ton of legitimate points here, but at the back of my mind, I can't help but wonder if whatever we're inferring here was the result of a sloppy script rather than actual intent. >__>

It is totally because it was a sloppy script. Why else are there 4 games that essentially invalidate everything that happened in KH2?

Alas, there is nothing else we can do but interpret what they gave us since it is all we have.

 

[Pacrolash]

To be fair, we haven't the slightest clue how Sora and Riku got to the Mysterious Tower but whatever got them there could have been used by Kairi as well.

dont wanna jump back do your little discourse but as far as I've seen people believe (Or naybe even Nomura stated that) that they traveled on Gummy Ship here. Mickey took them I suppose

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

dont wanna jump back do your little discourse but as far as I've seen people believe (Or naybe even Nomura stated that) that they traveled on Gummy Ship here. Mickey took them I suppose

Nomura never talked about it as far as I can remember.

 

[Pacrolash]

Nomura never talked about it as far as I can remember.

I cannot state that surely, It' s just a thing I saw was said here and there and I took it as a fair explanation tbh

 

[BlackOsprey]

dont wanna jump back do your little discourse but as far as I've seen people believe (Or naybe even Nomura stated that) that they traveled on Gummy Ship here. Mickey took them I suppose

This series is full of magical transportation, the writers probably figured "eh minor detail, let the fans assume w/e if they even think about it" if they didn't overlook it themselves.

Considering that the lanes to all the worlds seem to be closed (not really sure why, it's not like anybody mentioned anything of the sort happening at the end of KH2, but apparently it did because the Gummi Ship needs Keyblade gates to travel to a world that it previously visited in KH2?? Ugh.), I'd bet they all travelled by Star Shard.

 

[Yamuraiha]

What baffles me in general when it comes to straight ships is that every little interactions suddenly weighs so much more but when you have interactions between two same sex characters that can be interpreted as romantic too, just like with straight ship, it doesn't mean as much because the friendship label is easily put on same sex characters who have a strong bond than f/m characters who share the same bond. It's more likely for people to interpret romantic feelings into f/m pairs than same sex pairings.

For me personally there is no chemistry between Sora and Kairi I never got into that ship and as a couple it doesn't make me feel anything. I like Kairi but the way KH treated her made me less interested about her role in the plot because she's to me just this side character, kinda?. SoKai in my opinion would be just a bad move because as I said the chemistry is missing and if they end up being a couple it would be just bad writing (imo) since the series focuses more on friendships and bonds than romance.. even though Sora loves his friends equally, the series doesn't focus much on Kairi especially compared to like Riku? and it limits her interactions with Sora too so I rather stay away from that ship but I enjoy their friendship.

Let's just hope for KH3 that everything will be less messy to be honest because sometimes it's just really annoying to have things up for interpretation. @ SE please stay away from making anything canon LOL.

 

[Riruru]

Hello, first post here. I've been lurking up until now and couldn't help but join in. It's a long post too. I hope we can get along.

Yeah, more than romantic stuff with anyone Kairi just needs more time to develop as a character. Because yeah, the little glimpses of personality we've seen seem like there could be potential there. Just make her talk about something other than Sora, please. Even that scene with Riku was kinda ruined for me because of the whole comparison to Sora. Kairi and Riku are good friends too, I want to see them interact more, I want to see all three of them together, too.

I agree. One of my favourite scenes in all of the franchise has to be in KH II when Kairi was the one who ran up to Riku and asked him not to leave. It was just the first time that we've ever seen any significant interaction between them, and it gained Kairi a lot of points in my book from seeing how she really did care about Riku as well and not just Sora. The hand-holding scene right after that between the three of them was legitimately heartwarming too. I want to see more of that kind of stuff.

If we wanted to stick to a business perspective, SE would benefit by pandering to everybody. Get the SoKai fans with dropping hints every now and then. Get the SoRiku fans with pretty much anything.

I used to think that too, but Yuri on Ice's overnight spike in popularity/sales to become one of the most successful sports anime of all time because the creator was ballsy enough to make the homosexual pairing with the main character canon halfway in the series is making me second-guess myself. Even those who were initially against it decided to finished the show while admitting that the pairing was sweet. So it's certainly possible not to commit the business-equivalent of a kamikaze by doing that kind of thing. But it's definitely too early to expect a huge franchise aimed at kids and young teens to take that kind of risk. That is unless they decide to pull a Legend of Korra.

Not quite, I listed a lot of other things other than the dance, which is also the most minor thing in my book.
Physical contact is of the least relevance to me: if we gauged who loves who based on hugs and hands on shoulder, I married so many times with so many people.
I get why such acts are regarded highly in fantasy works, they are one of the few actual interactions so it keep our heads spinning and our shipping fuel going, but truthfully people hugs friends and lovers alike everyday. At least I hope we all do. Hugs are nice *-*
I mean, if we wanna use hugs to confirm RikuMickey, count me in everyday.

The Paopu/red string of fate theme, the constant and never disproven mention that Kairi is number 1 in Sora's heart and was the only thing that actually made him remember everything else, the fact that Sora sees himself and Kairi when looking at other couples like Jack and Sally are the main dish of my argument.

Which doesn't mean I hate these gifs or pretend they don't happen: I just personally see two good friends having fun (I mean, the KH II one isn't "fun", but you get my point). Riku and Sora as friends are actually one of my favourite bro combo, tbh.

PS: I hope my answers aren't coming on as too rude or anything. I swear I am trying to fix that.

That's the thing though. When KH II first came out and Kairi and Sora hugged, it was the biggest piece of evidence on the face of the earth that Sokai was the be-end of all pairings. Then 7 years later when Sora and Riku got one too, it suddenly doesn't mean anything. When Kairi and Sora had that whole paopu fruit connection between them in KH I, it meant they would marry one day. But when Sora and Riku combined the literal materialization of their bond into a giant heart-shaped keyblade that has a paopu fruit on it, it's just bros being bros. When other characters in the series keep mentioning that Kairi is Sora's number one, it obviously means that they're in love. But when Sora is on the cusp of "dying" (giving into darkness) and calls Riku's name as his last word, thus implying that he's possibly also Sora's number one, the fandom ignores it. It's cool to ship what you like and interpret things differently, of course, but when trying to convince others that Sokai is more romantic, the double-standard does become jarring without anything deeper to differentiate them other than "just because".

On the other hand, the "Sora imagining him and Kairi dancing during the Jack and Sally scene" would be a legitimate point. But so is "Sora goes two entire games (three if you count BBS) not thinking of Kairi at all and instead spends it thinking of Riku." Both sides have good points against each other, a lot of those points of which they both share in the first place. There is no clear cut winner outside the eye of the beholder.

 

[FarmerRaguna]

I honestly doubt Nomura will ever fully canonize one relationship. That may be wishful thinking on my part, but Sora and Kairi, specifically, would need way too much time devoted to them in KH III to ever turn into a legitimate couple. I mean, a part of me understands that Nomura could easily slap the romantic label on them at the end and go the "Shonen route" and basically do the relationships as an afterthought, but I feel like it'd be a way smarter route to end the series in a more "unifying" note for our main trio of friends, probably showing them in Destiny Islands, being closer than ever before because of their adventure and all that jazz. But even for that, Kairi needs to get a HUGE overhaul in KH III to be made into a character that can actually manage to accompany the other two. I just wonder how Nomura will go about doing this.
Overall, I'd be happy with Nomura focusing mostly on closing well all of the insane amount of plot threads he left us hanging with. And I think this might mean his plate is already too full to dedicate the time necessary to make a fully fledged romantic relationship a thing on the series.

 

[DarkosOverlord]

Hello, first post here. I've been lurking up until now and couldn't help but join in. It's a long post too. I hope we can get along.

When trying to convince others that Sokai is more romantic, the double-standard does become jarring without anything deeper to differentiate them other than "just because".

I did wonder where you materialized your dark corridor first. ^^

Thats IS true, I think both sides can agree on the frustration of having to defend each ship with constant assumptions and complex readings of simple moments, just to give our thesis some ground.
I still, as many, believe I'm right of course, but man a simple "x love y because this scene here" without debating would've been hella easier.

I honestly doubt Nomura will ever fully canonize one relationship. That may be wishful thinking on my part, but Sora and Kairi, specifically, would need way too much time devoted to them in KH III to ever turn into a legitimate couple. I mean, a part of me understands that Nomura could easily slap the romantic label on them at the end and go the "Shonen route" and basically do the relationships as an afterthought, but I feel like it'd be a way smarter route to end the series in a more "unifying" note for our main trio of friends, probably showing them in Destiny Islands, being closer than ever before because of their adventure and all that jazz. But even for that, Kairi needs to get a HUGE overhaul in KH III to be made into a character that can actually manage to accompany the other two. I just wonder how Nomura will go about doing this.
Overall, I'd be happy with Nomura focusing mostly on closing well all of the insane amount of plot threads he left us hanging with. And I think this might mean his plate is already too full to dedicate the time necessary to make a fully fledged romantic relationship a thing on the series.

In the end, the trio of friends could also work, but that's also something that's been very lacking in the series. BbS was supposed to be the game with the three lifelong friends, and man it was poorly executed.
Friendship or love, I'm also pretty confident Nomura isn't going to do much in the long run, with the final Xehanort chapter and all these plots at stake.
Then if he can, all the better.

 

[Deleted member]

the series has already slapped the romantic label on sora and kairi, many times, from the very first game. they just aren't an actual couple yet.

 

[FarmerRaguna]

In the end, the trio of friends could also work, but that's also something that's been very lacking in the series. BbS was supposed to be the game with the three lifelong friends, and man it was poorly executed.
Friendship or love, I'm also pretty confident Nomura isn't going to do much in the long run, with the final Xehanort chapter and all these plots at stake.
Then if he can, all the better.

That may be my biggest worry. The ending with their friendship (which could be interpreted as being on shaky grounds at best during KH I, due to the doubts and envy on Riku's part, and the seeming resentment for Riku from Kairi on the scene she proposes they go without him) becoming stronger could be very satisfying given the themes that the whole series seems to be going for. I, however, feel like Nomura either won't be able to do this, or will do it in the blandest way possible. However, if something has to be sacrificed, I understand it would be this aspect.

As long as it's more satisfying than what BbS has to offer, though, it'll be okay. At least we already have more "implied" development between the main trio, if nothing else.

the series has already slapped the romantic label on sora and kairi, many times, from the very first game. they just aren't an actual couple yet.

This is sort of what makes me feel anxious about the whole thing. Nomura sort of did this build up, but since he never expanded on it, I sorta hope he doesn't feel like he needs to fully realize this aspect. Then again, if he really wants, he could just make a giant time skip at the end of KH III and say "Stuff happened and they're now a couple, you just didn't see it", but I don't feel like the series actually developed this enough to "earn" a full relationship. But that's just how I feel about it.

 

[*TwilightNight*]

I'm just focusing on RokuNami and Clerith being thrown in the couple montage, lol. Finishing it off with SoKai isn't that surprising.

I never liked shipping in this fandom. There are 13 Xehanorts and everyone else is Sora in some way, shape, or form.

Which is an unfortunate aspect of the series, I have to say.

Makes "saving" everyone a little hard to swallow, all you'll mostly have is Sora and Kairi clones running around. Nomura didn't even try with Ventus or Vanitas. It was copy pasta. With different hair color.

Roxas and Naminè was one thing...but after that, it somehow got out of control.