A part TWO to this video is out now, featuring not just me and FilmOtter but other additional Kingdom Hearts fans like SuperButterBuns and SarahKey! Check it out: th-cam.com/video/ri-sOzmgznI/w-d-xo.html
THANK YOU for not only not discounting Kairi’s character, but giving her character the analysis it deserves. She’s my favorite character and her treatment makes me so sad. I was so happy when I got to her part in this video and it said “strength”
Well she IS a very strong character. Maybe not a master at physical combat (YET at least) but her personality always stood out to me. Her love for the people in her life and her faith in everyone is truly inspiring. And her sassy, fierce attitude also doesn't hurt at all.
This was wonderful to watch. The emotional impact of Kingdom Hearts is something I will always treasure. This video had me in tears. Thank you for the hard work and happy 20th anniversary!
I think something I noticed throughout the years are the times of day that character reflects. Sora and Kairi represent daylight, riku and terra represent the waning sun, Ventus represents dawn, aqua represents the setting sun just on the edge of the horizon, while Roxas is the night. It seems a bit weird but it’s sort of where their journeys prior to kh3 trail off. Sora and kairi always are bound to the light, with their sun shining bright over head. Riku and terra have fallen to darkness once but have risen from the shadows, or who’s will has always tried to be resolutely in the light. Aqua the brightest star did as she needed to save those around her, though her efforts were in vain as Ventus perished and faded, and terra consumed by xehanort was lost to dark; she may have saved terra but in the end she herself was lost in the realm of darkness. Ventus is the tragic child, born from the darkness and shattered so that only the light came through him and the gates of shadow through his counterpart vanitas; in the end when made whole, the star that shines fell back beyond the horizon and waited for another. Roxas is a tragedy as well, born of the nothing was always caught in the waning twilight, bordering on it. Though as night fell, the moon lit his way, the pale mirror of another’s light; escaping the endless dark city for good.
For me it’s the music. Like this series would be nothing without its music. The story is alright and the world while fun is pretty simple but the music makes everything click. Like every time I hear Xions, Roxas or Aquas theme I tear up even if I’m not playing the game
Roxas has always been a tricky character for me. Would it have been better if he never came back, giving us an actual tragedy from his story. And yet, when you called him hope, it kinda clicked for me. Despite his tragedy, he was a person with his own experiences and developments. Worries and curiosities different from Sora. He shows us that every person, no matter how short their life is, is a person that deserves to live. And even when it would have been more impactful for him not to come back in KH3, we all hoped he would. Roxas is the embodiment of hope. And he is my favorite character because of that.
18:47 I’m pretty sure the only time Aqua is considered the leader of the Wayfinder trio is in Melody of Memory, meanwhile in other titles each of the Wayfinder trio were shown to be independent on their own with no obvious leader.
There's a lot of issues you can voice with KH, its storytelling, some gameplay decisions they made. But the emotions the franchise made me feel over the years and just the things I experienced through all these characters to me at least are monumental. That's why I decided to get the keyblade and crown symbols (similar to the game logos) tattooed on my arm. So far, no regrets.
I think the emotional narrative, and it's character writing is what makes the kingdom hearts so emotional and full of heart despite how confusing it's plot And some of its gameplay is.
People hate tetsuya Nomura because they can't understand what open ending means. Sure, he has a hard time tieing it all together xD and story is kinda nutty but you gotta admit, it's different. It's heart warming. It's inviting. Its a series that helps you forget about the real world and saps you into its atmosphere. To me, kh is perfect for the long time fans. And yoko's music defines video game standards with it's songs
I adore 3, and I get the complaints against it, but I think the people who say it's straight up bad were victims of unrealistic expectations, though that's generalizing it a bit.
@@FauxRetro I think you have a healthy view of it. Unrelated, but what in your opinion is the funniest running meme in the KH community? Is there a meme you wish would catch on? Personally I think it’s a huge missed opportunity that nobody’s made “Our ____ are missing” from the beginning of KH2 into an exploitable meme format where you can just fill in the blank.
I was going to make a "who's that guest star?" joke here but I just want to say thank you again for having me on this video, Faux. It really means a lot! You really outdid yourself with the editing for this one.
I had to replay this a few times to get everything soaked in because this franchise makes me so emotional. All the Music, the scenes, and the way you both broke it down... EXCELLENT. Thank you for making this. I have some friends to show this too.
I really found this interesting and the way this video is structured to play each character's theme is very effective at illustrating the emotion that they personify. I am always blown away at how well the music of this series conveys the emotions characters are going through and represent. Thanks for all of the hard work on this Faux and Otter, truly top-tier!
This video perfectly encapsulates two of the main reasons I love Kingdom hearts: the raw emotion that characters express in their highs and lows, and the relatability that people like me have to Xemnas
What a great video. The Xemnas part was interesting to me, since I never really saw his character in that way after the "twist" in DDD. It would've never occured to me that he might have been projecting his experiences onto other nobodies.
My first ever game was actually Kingdom Hearts on the PS2, my mom actually started playing it first and then I saw what she was playing and instantly got into the franchise.
This was absolutely beautiful to hear, especially the Xemnas part cause he was always my favorite villain in the series. I felt his need for a heart (on top of his amazing voice which is high key sexy and epic fighting style). P.s. Of course you don't have to but I'd like to see another video discussing how characters fell into darkness, like Terra. One who was taught from a young age to hate the darkness instead of understanding it like riku did, which set off the chain of events leading to him fighting Eraqus and isolating himself from his closest friends. Aqua's been trained to doubt him and Terra wants Ven to be safe, so he pushes him away, leading into his eventual split between heart, mind, and body. I honestly think it's underrated and I love to hear your awesome cover of said events.
Thank you for the kind words about the Xemnas section! I was lowkey pretty nervous to bring up such a heavy topic into the video. But I'm glad it seems to be resonating with a few people. Means a lot!!
Yes, the prologue to KH2 is amazing and really serves to set up the game well. It's a nice, down to earth story that slowly unraveled into a tragic mystery with deep themes of identity, friendship, melancholy, death, and rebirth. Roxas is such a deep, complex character and we have to follow his last days as he realizes the truth around him. Making him do such normal things makes sense as that's what anyone would do when not expecting their end to come. Just live. It may seem slow to some, but whether we know it or not, when our end is coming, it seems like our days are longer, counting down until the end. When my girlfriend and her sister first played this game - and it was their first time playing a Kingdom Hearts game - by the time they got to the title drop their jaws had dropped at the fact Roxas' story was just the freaking prologue when it was a deep game in its own right. Roxas' story may be the tutorial, but it was amazing at how much went into the story and characters for it. It couldn't help but get you pumped for what was to come in the rest of the game. It is one of the best tutorials there is, in my opinion.
You just put how I felt about Kingdom Hearts into words I couldn't have put myself mostly because I was a kid that never understood each character's nuances back then. Being an adult now, this video really hit me hard as I now am able to understand the reason of why character is this way and/or represents instead of one-dimensonal thinking child me did. Thank you so much for the video essay and it reinforces my love for my childhood game that I still hold today!
I think what I’ve concluded is that this game got people through tough times and I’m glad to hear. It definitely has left an impact me and holds a special place in my heart. I think it taught me one of my most core values in life which is to be optimistic, even when times are rough as long as you have loved ones around you everything will be okay. Def a masterpiece of a franchise
This video was absolutely top tier. As someone who also takes Kingdom Hearts FAR too seriously, you took the thoughts I’ve had about the characters for so long and explained them in such a well-written and coherent way. It honestly made me tear up at times, what with the deep dive into the emotional reasoning and experiences of the characters and remembering those moments in the games (Sanctuary: After The Battle, man. Gets me every time). Aside from Master Xehanort (I’ve personally never been a fan of him), the characters you considered here are literally all my favourites, especially Riku, Xemnas and Aqua. Fantastic job, I look forward to seeing more of your video essays in the future
Amazing video, couldnt have said it better. Despite the series' often flawed narrative, theres just so much to love too, especially character wise, that it really makes it all worth it. I loved the Kairi section, while Im not a big fan of her, I place most of that blame on the writting team choosing to shove her to the back over and over for too many years. I especially liked you mentioning her personality, I peronally really apreciated how she wasnt just some soft spoken wooden plank princess steriotype, she was spunky, sassy and energetic. And that's where my my gripe with KH3 comes from, we can all agree on how iffy the decision was for how her story would go in KH3, but I dont think enough attention is brought to how she was written as a character... she almost feels like a completely different character in 3 and I dont think Alison Stoner's to blame, she just has a different voice to Hayden and was used to playing a very different character personality wise, KH3 kairi has none of her sass or energy anymore and it was truly jarring for me, I really hope they correct this in the future.
I kinda felt her fierceness in Melody of Memory when she was fighting that Xehanort memory/illusion. I loved her saying "I've had enough of this!". I was just like "Yeah! This is the girl i know and love!"
@@mellemadswoestenburg1296 Agreed, that was a welcome change in MoM, though I still feel even in that game she was made a bit too soft-spoken, which she never really was aside from KH3. We'll see how they do going forward but at least MoM did seem to try to adress her portrayal in 3 slightly.
God I love this video so much. It feels so good to hear someone passionately talking and dissecting these characters especially Xehanort. I have always identified with Sora, Aqua, and Roxas on a deep personal level, but Sora has always been the biggest. Something about his optimism and go getting attitude has always resonated with me and yeah he falls down but he never gives up. I love that about him. This deserves so many more views seriously! So glad to see a genuine positive video on my favorite franchise and game.
what a perfect video to celebrate the anniversary! kingdom hearts was also my first ever ps2 game, and i played every entry since. i could never put into words why i love this franchise to death, but you summed it up to a T. thank you so much, this was amazing to watch and i'm looking forward to a part 2! ❤
My favorite character in KH would be Roxas, almost last year I binged through the entire KH series for the first time and get hit with Roxas in KH 2 was confusing but as I was playing through KH2 and 358/2 Days I immediately fell in love with most likely because I see a bit of myself in him for a lot of reason but everytime I get to see him its just makes me smile
i feel silly because I cried for like 11 minutes of this video. That's just how much these characters mean to me tho. I just want to give Roxas a hug and tell him it's not fair what he had to deal with. I'm tearing up again writing this comment lol.
Thank you for watching, I hope you enjoyed it! And its not silly, the whole point is how hard the character's stories hit emotionally! I think your reaction really is a testament to why KH is just so memorable.
I've been playing this game since 6. It was my first game I ever played back on PS2. It taught me so many things about love and friendship. I got hooked with the franchise. For me it's a masterpiece of a game.
Riku is the character I resonate with the most, and Sora's good qualities are what I aspire to be. This was a nice video. Happy 20th anniversary, Kingdom Hearts!
xehanort in particular always had a different sense of self compared to his 2 halfs of xemnas and ansem, outside of the things that were needed to get the old man to his 2 others, his entire journey in BBS really established that what he was trying to do was not the use of light or darkness, but a end means. what the exact plan by the time he finnaly says exactly what hes attempting to do at the end of 3 actually had alot of thought put into it even if it wasnt fully layed out in BBS. days trio riunion still hits me
Great video, especially the breakdown on riku’s character. You could honestly have a segment about Xion in this video too, with her character being a struggle with identity
I almost teared up 4 times with only this video, the kh franchise has grown so much, and has helped me grow as a person so much too, all the characters, the sadness, and the light pouring from it, makes it a great franchise, and a great guide for all of us, who feel like we live in the shadows
Well this made my morning. Great job with the characters. I would love to see a follow up at some point analyzing a few of the other characters. Keep up the good work!
I was honestly hoping for more videos like this Kingdom hearts helped so many people during the years in so many ways it even helped me with Depression I always knew what Kingdom hearts was when I first saw my uncle play the beginning of 2 I was fond of it even though I never played it. But when I did last year…I loved every second of it especially 2 of course I still remember beating Ansaum while my friends were in the call with me cheering me on which is the most memorable moments in my life for a difficult fight but the Roxas vs Sora fight was the most special to me in any video game it took a huge difficulty spike in the game I was getting my ass whooped so many times yet I still loved the fight because it was fair and honest I didn’t expect to type this long but thanks dude so much ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for making this video and thank you for making me realize why I connect with Roxas so much. He has always been my favorite and I've always had an emotional connection with him. This video was amazing and made me have a wider viewpoint about Xemnas, thanks to FilmOtter. Happy 20th to mine and others favorite series.
Honestly, Terra. I just found him super relatable and a lot of people's complaints about him I feel are either completely backwards or only able to be made because the player has more information than he does.
Roxas hands down. He was my first look into the series when I accidentally started with two and his story was amazing as a starting point. It even made me resent Sora for taking away someone I had a genuine connection with before it all came to a head with the Roxas fight cutscene: then I got to the actual fight in 2.5 and mastered it to the point that I can basically fight his data form almost flawlessly. It’s also just interesting to look back nowadays. Everyone was probably annoyed with Roxas in 2 without knowing the context while Sora brought them intense joy with his fun combat. But for me it was the opposite for the whole game. So yeah, Roxas hands down is my favorite. Just too fucking amazing of a character and a beginning to my exposure to this series
This is my favorite series of all time. No game has come close to making me come back. Every system I ever got was because I wanted to by the next kingdom hearts game. It had such a big impact on my life.
This was wonderfully thoughtful. This series came to me in the most perfect time, and it's hard for me to put into words how meaningful these characters and their stories are - but I think you did a great job! Nothing will top the "my friends are my power" moments throughout the series. Thank you for making this and happy 20 years! Here's to more emotional gutpunches and joyful vibes for years to come!
Kingdom Hearts is what kept my going throughout the years dealing with depression. I grew up with these games so it has had a HUGE impact on my life. From the gameplay to the plot and especially the music. Riku, Aqua, Xion and Roxas always stood out to me the most, being that they had more things I could relate to. Seeing them all struggle as individuals made them feel more real to me, and seeing each journey became extremely impactful. I never really loved sora as a favorite since he was so optimistic but seeing him doubt himself and breakdown in KH3 really just HIT, seeing such a hopeful character go though that created a huge impact. I know many people didn’t enjoy kh3 but honestly I really enjoyed the final parts of the game, it was very bittersweet in some aspects but that’s what allows me to continue being so emotionally invested.
I love how you basically summarized these characters perfectly as they center around the theme you gave them ^^ I am a bit confident in understanding these characters when I explore them deeply but you've really filled the lines in between that I couldn't exactly put my fingers on for some :) Wondering if you plan on doing the rest of the Guardians of light: Terra, Ven, Xion, Namine and Axel or other villains like Ansem SoD or even Riku Replica because every single one of these characters are so complex and so rich and it's amazing considering how big of the KH cast is ^^
After playing depressing games such as Nier automata and Nier replicant and after playing them gave me a feeling of emptiness aswell as bits of disappointment and depression. this video and this game is what i needed to Actually make me feel abit better thank you.
Your segment on Xemnas is exactly why I always loved Xemnas and Org 13/the nobodies. I always said "they are 100% an allegory for depression" and Xemnas' final words in KH3 made me cry. You earned a new subscriber, I cant wait to see even more of your KH content 🖤
What a wonderful way to put the heart of this series into words with your video, Faux, it is truly beautiful. Kingdom hearts was given to me at a tough time in my young life and at its core, the emotions tied to the hearts of the characters, struck me and stayed with me, even into adult hood. This is incredibly well put together, and a wonderful gift of a video. Be proud, you've achieved so much and I hope more amazing things come your way. 💜🎉😊
Yoooo! Been a while since we've had this good of a Kingdom Hearts video! Nice work! The themes you chose for each character was outstanding, and you could tell that this was a topic you were passionate about. I look forward to watching more of your content! (19 days before the 20th anniversary!)
this as a really good video to watch, and i started crying a few times while watching this video. this series means so much to me and it always will be. Happy 20th Anniversary and May Your Heart Be Your Guiding Key!!! :)
The child-like wonder of adventure of Kingdom Hearts 1.... The coming to age feeling in Kingdom Hearts 2... and the eventual emotional climax of Kingdom Hearts 3..... these are the pillars....and these are the ways Kingdom Hearts made me emotional time and time again.... This series hit me at certain parts of my life and that was a factor... but man I'd give anything to do it again ❤
Xemnas realizes that he does have a heart at the end of Kh3, and it took Sora to beat him for good for him to see that he was just clouded, manipulated by his nothingness into his actions. He inflicted his depression onto others and only reassuring his darkness/nothingness within him. But only when he passes does he comes to terms and or is cured of depression to some extent. He was both the concept of depression with his actions onto others with telling them they are nothing or empty, and a depressed person struggling with himself.
The way you described these characters was an emotional experience that I will treasure forever as you and otter opened my eyes to the pain and misery these characters actually experienced but in a way that doesn’t paint them as villains per se but more as real people who struggled with problems some of us face each and every day thank you so very much for making this video regardless of the popularity or expanse of your channel you’ve earned each and every subscriber and I’m now one of them thank you for helping my childhood game make even more sense as to why I played them so much you’re an amazing person thank you for everything this video described I loved every minute of it making my childhood make sense meant more to me than you’ll ever know I sincerely and wholeheartedly appreciate you and I’m now a permanent subscriber and will look forward to all you do thank you again
Thank you so much for watching! I mean, believe it or not, this is actually the first time TH-cam's been recommending a video of mine! Glad to see it finally happen!
Thank you for this lovely tribute! I love all of the characters in Kingdom Hearts, but for me personally Terra hits hardest. He gets a lot of flack in the fandom for being a gullible idiot and listening to everything that obviously evil Xehanort says, for going along with the villains of the Disney franchise, but like... in context? He doesn't have the information we have. He lands in worlds and has the awful luck of running into exactly the wrong person first and being fed a warped point of view. In almost every situation he turns on the bad guy once he gets a better grasp of what's going on. He's a well-meaning kid being emotionally manipulated by much older antagonists who abuse his good nature for their own benefit. Like an abuse victim, the Guardian's mouth is covered in bandages, Terra's voice silenced and his own will stifled. But Aqua and Ventus' love and friendship help him find his voice again, and he tears off the bandages and declares that he will no longer be Xehanort's victim.
Excellent video essay. I truly think KH has some of the most powerful symbolism of any game I've played, though not everyone can see past the surface. Thanks for the content.
what I find funny about Xehanort, ( and idk if this is really true, the ending of Union X was a bit confusing) it is hinted that we, the player, get reincarnated as Xehanort later on. So we’re basically fighting ourselves in the games
This was excellent. Thank you. The enemy farewells when you beat them at the end of KH3 (particularly Ansem and Xemnas) were moving, SBC that final fight between Roxas and Axel at the beginning of KH2 is tragic. Thank you again for the video! Stay well out there everybody, and Jesus Christ be with you, friends. ✝️ :)
Im so confused how Kingdom Hearts manages to make me sob like a bixxh!? The dialogue is some the worst written, most corny, forced, cringy and nonsensical bullshxx I've ever seen. But it just HITS SOOO HARD!!!!
I????? I AM SPEECHLESS. Look I’ve been an evangelist for KH’s emotional resonance and character writing for basically the entire time the series has existed so this is great on that level but NOBODIES AS A METAPHOR FOR DEPRESSION IS A CONNECTION I MADE LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE HOLY SHIT I FEEL SO FUCKING VALIDATED
I wish Terra got the same connection to his fragments like Sora has to Roxas and Namine. If Xemnas and Ansem had more aspects of Terra in them, or if Terra regained the memories of those halves, I feel like more people would appreciate my favorite Keyblade Weilder.
Sora and Xehanort are the perfect opposites. They both have directly contrasting goals and motivation that perfectly represent the battle between light and darkness. Whilst Sora let's people use his body, Xehanort takes people's bodies for himself. Sora tries to find the good in others yet Xehanort is constantly trying to target others weaknesses in order to bring the worst out of them. Xehanort fights literally by himself while Sora fights alongside his allies. Sora is also the Disney young good natured protagonist with Xehanort being the wicked old villain. These guys are the perfect representation of kingdom heart as a whole or at least the Dark seeker saga which is all we have now.
A fantastically written video. I would like a further look at the main characters and their emotional drives. I love this series and their emotional story's will always keep me coming back. Regardless of the convoluted main story, the story between the lines are just wonderful.
I really love this video please make more character emotion videos like this. Sora is by far my favorite character when I first played Kingdom hearts I fell in love with the Scene and hollow bastion where Sora said my friends are my power it has changed my life and now I live to make my friends my power jus as sora did.
"and kiari's great dont get me wrong" i mean dont get me wrong but all they did for like 6 games was like "YO SHES LIKE REALLY IMPORTANT" but what does she do? "WERE STILL THINKING OF THAT" so? "COME BACK IN 13 YEARS, WELL THINK OF SOMETHING"
I've always resonated with Sora, as a kid I tried to always approach things with a positive attitude and dive in and have fun, and make sure everyone else was having fun too. Now that I'm older, it feels strange to say I relate more to Xion and Aqua / Ventus floating downwards into darkness for a few years. But I have a feeling I'm going to find my way back and be cheerful like Sora again. This is a beautiful video guys, amazing job.
This was a joy to watch, and I'm so happy to see you getting some recognition from this and to find your channel myself for the first time, hearing your passion talking about my favourite series put a smile on myself, makes me wanna discuss about the series myself Great job can't wait to see what you come out with next!
I am so late to this but oh man, this was beautiful and rang so true. And opened new perspectives too, I had never really thought about Xemnas being an allegory for depression. Thank you so much for making such a wonderful video!
A part TWO to this video is out now, featuring not just me and FilmOtter but other additional Kingdom Hearts fans like SuperButterBuns and SarahKey! Check it out: th-cam.com/video/ri-sOzmgznI/w-d-xo.html
Hi, Kairi's name is misspelled in the video chapters. It says "Kyrie" instead of Kairi. :')
THANK YOU for not only not discounting Kairi’s character, but giving her character the analysis it deserves. She’s my favorite character and her treatment makes me so sad. I was so happy when I got to her part in this video and it said “strength”
Well she IS a very strong character. Maybe not a master at physical combat (YET at least) but her personality always stood out to me. Her love for the people in her life and her faith in everyone is truly inspiring. And her sassy, fierce attitude also doesn't hurt at all.
This was wonderful to watch. The emotional impact of Kingdom Hearts is something I will always treasure. This video had me in tears. Thank you for the hard work and happy 20th anniversary!
Thank you for watching, Violet! Happy 20th!
10/10 for the Kairi section alone. It's so nice to see someone who gets her nuances ❤️
Honestly I never understood kairi until kh2.
Yeah i was not expecting it to be this good.
I think something I noticed throughout the years are the times of day that character reflects. Sora and Kairi represent daylight, riku and terra represent the waning sun, Ventus represents dawn, aqua represents the setting sun just on the edge of the horizon, while Roxas is the night.
It seems a bit weird but it’s sort of where their journeys prior to kh3 trail off. Sora and kairi always are bound to the light, with their sun shining bright over head. Riku and terra have fallen to darkness once but have risen from the shadows, or who’s will has always tried to be resolutely in the light. Aqua the brightest star did as she needed to save those around her, though her efforts were in vain as Ventus perished and faded, and terra consumed by xehanort was lost to dark; she may have saved terra but in the end she herself was lost in the realm of darkness. Ventus is the tragic child, born from the darkness and shattered so that only the light came through him and the gates of shadow through his counterpart vanitas; in the end when made whole, the star that shines fell back beyond the horizon and waited for another. Roxas is a tragedy as well, born of the nothing was always caught in the waning twilight, bordering on it. Though as night fell, the moon lit his way, the pale mirror of another’s light; escaping the endless dark city for good.
Ive played games like Batman Arkham, GTA V online, Halo, but I always come back to this series. I'm happy its entire series is available on Xbox now.
For me it’s the music. Like this series would be nothing without its music. The story is alright and the world while fun is pretty simple but the music makes everything click. Like every time I hear Xions, Roxas or Aquas theme I tear up even if I’m not playing the game
Yoko Shimomura is a genius.
I really loved this video, faux! I can see how much effort you put into it. Gets me even more excited for the anniversary. 🥺
Thank you so much, Sarah!
King Supporting kings
Roxas has always been a tricky character for me. Would it have been better if he never came back, giving us an actual tragedy from his story. And yet, when you called him hope, it kinda clicked for me. Despite his tragedy, he was a person with his own experiences and developments. Worries and curiosities different from Sora. He shows us that every person, no matter how short their life is, is a person that deserves to live. And even when it would have been more impactful for him not to come back in KH3, we all hoped he would. Roxas is the embodiment of hope. And he is my favorite character because of that.
I think roxas coming back is a great testament to that hope cause keep in mind that he himself also wanted to live.
18:47 I’m pretty sure the only time Aqua is considered the leader of the Wayfinder trio is in Melody of Memory, meanwhile in other titles each of the Wayfinder trio were shown to be independent on their own with no obvious leader.
Well by the end of Kh3 she is clearly the leader of the trio
There's a lot of issues you can voice with KH, its storytelling, some gameplay decisions they made. But the emotions the franchise made me feel over the years and just the things I experienced through all these characters to me at least are monumental. That's why I decided to get the keyblade and crown symbols (similar to the game logos) tattooed on my arm. So far, no regrets.
I think the emotional narrative, and it's character writing is what makes the kingdom hearts so emotional and full of heart despite how confusing it's plot And some of its gameplay is.
People hate tetsuya Nomura because they can't understand what open ending means. Sure, he has a hard time tieing it all together xD and story is kinda nutty but you gotta admit, it's different. It's heart warming. It's inviting. Its a series that helps you forget about the real world and saps you into its atmosphere. To me, kh is perfect for the long time fans. And yoko's music defines video game standards with it's songs
Only just got into the series but holy hell it’s so good. I think It’s a little weird how 3 is considered “bad” by so many though.
I adore 3, and I get the complaints against it, but I think the people who say it's straight up bad were victims of unrealistic expectations, though that's generalizing it a bit.
@@FauxRetro I think you have a healthy view of it. Unrelated, but what in your opinion is the funniest running meme in the KH community? Is there a meme you wish would catch on? Personally I think it’s a huge missed opportunity that nobody’s made “Our ____ are missing” from the beginning of KH2 into an exploitable meme format where you can just fill in the blank.
I was going to make a "who's that guest star?" joke here but I just want to say thank you again for having me on this video, Faux. It really means a lot! You really outdid yourself with the editing for this one.
Ugh, Otter's in this?
Thank you for your part in this Otter and thank you for the compliments!
....EVERYONE SUBSCRIBE TO OTTER
I had to replay this a few times to get everything soaked in because this franchise makes me so emotional. All the Music, the scenes, and the way you both broke it down... EXCELLENT. Thank you for making this. I have some friends to show this too.
Thanks for watching as always!
I really found this interesting and the way this video is structured to play each character's theme is very effective at illustrating the emotion that they personify. I am always blown away at how well the music of this series conveys the emotions characters are going through and represent. Thanks for all of the hard work on this Faux and Otter, truly top-tier!
Thanks, Chadley! HONESTLY the music does a lot of the emotional heavy lifting for this video imo but I'm not complaining!
This video perfectly encapsulates two of the main reasons I love Kingdom hearts: the raw emotion that characters express in their highs and lows, and the relatability that people like me have to Xemnas
This series will always hold a special place in my heart. Getting to play it as a kid was one of the coolest things I've ever seen.
What a great video. The Xemnas part was interesting to me, since I never really saw his character in that way after the "twist" in DDD. It would've never occured to me that he might have been projecting his experiences onto other nobodies.
Oh I guess I have to do a thing for Filmotter here... The way you said "Let's Talk about depression" absolutely Killed me. Ded. Dead.
My first ever game was actually Kingdom Hearts on the PS2, my mom actually started playing it first and then I saw what she was playing and instantly got into the franchise.
This was absolutely beautiful to hear, especially the Xemnas part cause he was always my favorite villain in the series. I felt his need for a heart (on top of his amazing voice which is high key sexy and epic fighting style).
P.s. Of course you don't have to but I'd like to see another video discussing how characters fell into darkness, like Terra. One who was taught from a young age to hate the darkness instead of understanding it like riku did, which set off the chain of events leading to him fighting Eraqus and isolating himself from his closest friends. Aqua's been trained to doubt him and Terra wants Ven to be safe, so he pushes him away, leading into his eventual split between heart, mind, and body. I honestly think it's underrated and I love to hear your awesome cover of said events.
If/when a second part is made Terra will DEFINITELY be included!
@@FauxRetro Awesome!
Thank you for the kind words about the Xemnas section! I was lowkey pretty nervous to bring up such a heavy topic into the video. But I'm glad it seems to be resonating with a few people. Means a lot!!
@@filmotter No problem dude! It was an awesome piece of work that really spoke to me.
Yes, the prologue to KH2 is amazing and really serves to set up the game well.
It's a nice, down to earth story that slowly unraveled into a tragic mystery with deep themes of identity, friendship, melancholy, death, and rebirth. Roxas is such a deep, complex character and we have to follow his last days as he realizes the truth around him. Making him do such normal things makes sense as that's what anyone would do when not expecting their end to come. Just live. It may seem slow to some, but whether we know it or not, when our end is coming, it seems like our days are longer, counting down until the end.
When my girlfriend and her sister first played this game - and it was their first time playing a Kingdom Hearts game - by the time they got to the title drop their jaws had dropped at the fact Roxas' story was just the freaking prologue when it was a deep game in its own right.
Roxas' story may be the tutorial, but it was amazing at how much went into the story and characters for it. It couldn't help but get you pumped for what was to come in the rest of the game. It is one of the best tutorials there is, in my opinion.
You just put how I felt about Kingdom Hearts into words I couldn't have put myself mostly because I was a kid that never understood each character's nuances back then. Being an adult now, this video really hit me hard as I now am able to understand the reason of why character is this way and/or represents instead of one-dimensonal thinking child me did. Thank you so much for the video essay and it reinforces my love for my childhood game that I still hold today!
I think what I’ve concluded is that this game got people through tough times and I’m glad to hear. It definitely has left an impact me and holds a special place in my heart. I think it taught me one of my most core values in life which is to be optimistic, even when times are rough as long as you have loved ones around you everything will be okay. Def a masterpiece of a franchise
This video was absolutely top tier. As someone who also takes Kingdom Hearts FAR too seriously, you took the thoughts I’ve had about the characters for so long and explained them in such a well-written and coherent way. It honestly made me tear up at times, what with the deep dive into the emotional reasoning and experiences of the characters and remembering those moments in the games (Sanctuary: After The Battle, man. Gets me every time). Aside from Master Xehanort (I’ve personally never been a fan of him), the characters you considered here are literally all my favourites, especially Riku, Xemnas and Aqua. Fantastic job, I look forward to seeing more of your video essays in the future
Amazing video, couldnt have said it better. Despite the series' often flawed narrative, theres just so much to love too, especially character wise, that it really makes it all worth it.
I loved the Kairi section, while Im not a big fan of her, I place most of that blame on the writting team choosing to shove her to the back over and over for too many years. I especially liked you mentioning her personality, I peronally really apreciated how she wasnt just some soft spoken wooden plank princess steriotype, she was spunky, sassy and energetic. And that's where my my gripe with KH3 comes from, we can all agree on how iffy the decision was for how her story would go in KH3, but I dont think enough attention is brought to how she was written as a character... she almost feels like a completely different character in 3 and I dont think Alison Stoner's to blame, she just has a different voice to Hayden and was used to playing a very different character personality wise, KH3 kairi has none of her sass or energy anymore and it was truly jarring for me, I really hope they correct this in the future.
I kinda felt her fierceness in Melody of Memory when she was fighting that Xehanort memory/illusion. I loved her saying "I've had enough of this!". I was just like "Yeah! This is the girl i know and love!"
@@mellemadswoestenburg1296 Agreed, that was a welcome change in MoM, though I still feel even in that game she was made a bit too soft-spoken, which she never really was aside from KH3. We'll see how they do going forward but at least MoM did seem to try to adress her portrayal in 3 slightly.
God I love this video so much. It feels so good to hear someone passionately talking and dissecting these characters especially Xehanort. I have always identified with Sora, Aqua, and Roxas on a deep personal level, but Sora has always been the biggest. Something about his optimism and go getting attitude has always resonated with me and yeah he falls down but he never gives up. I love that about him. This deserves so many more views seriously! So glad to see a genuine positive video on my favorite franchise and game.
Great video, Idc what anyone says, anyone who's played all theses games knows just how life changing this series is!
happy 20th everyone!!
not gonna lie this person has the best takes, and character analyst's I've ever heard
Demyx time!
And luxord. I want to see him in the future
what a perfect video to celebrate the anniversary! kingdom hearts was also my first ever ps2 game, and i played every entry since. i could never put into words why i love this franchise to death, but you summed it up to a T.
thank you so much, this was amazing to watch and i'm looking forward to a part 2! ❤
Had tears flowing during this video, just wondering what emotion would you associate with Yozora based on what we know so far?
Perseverance, maybe? He needs a full arc of some kind before something can be really pinned down!
My favorite character in KH would be Roxas, almost last year I binged through the entire KH series for the first time and get hit with Roxas in KH 2 was confusing but as I was playing through KH2 and 358/2 Days I immediately fell in love with most likely because I see a bit of myself in him for a lot of reason but everytime I get to see him its just makes me smile
i feel silly because I cried for like 11 minutes of this video. That's just how much these characters mean to me tho. I just want to give Roxas a hug and tell him it's not fair what he had to deal with. I'm tearing up again writing this comment lol.
Thank you for watching, I hope you enjoyed it! And its not silly, the whole point is how hard the character's stories hit emotionally! I think your reaction really is a testament to why KH is just so memorable.
@@FauxRetro I very much enjoyed and I'm happy to have a new channel to look forward to!
I've been playing this game since 6. It was my first game I ever played back on PS2. It taught me so many things about love and friendship. I got hooked with the franchise. For me it's a masterpiece of a game.
Riku is the character I resonate with the most, and Sora's good qualities are what I aspire to be. This was a nice video. Happy 20th anniversary, Kingdom Hearts!
xehanort in particular always had a different sense of self compared to his 2 halfs of xemnas and ansem, outside of the things that were needed to get the old man to his 2 others, his entire journey in BBS really established that what he was trying to do was not the use of light or darkness, but a end means. what the exact plan by the time he finnaly says exactly what hes attempting to do at the end of 3 actually had alot of thought put into it even if it wasnt fully layed out in BBS.
days trio riunion still hits me
Great video, especially the breakdown on riku’s character. You could honestly have a segment about Xion in this video too, with her character being a struggle with identity
Thank you! And Xion will DEFINITELY be included when I get to a part 2!
I almost teared up 4 times with only this video, the kh franchise has grown so much, and has helped me grow as a person so much too, all the characters, the sadness, and the light pouring from it, makes it a great franchise, and a great guide for all of us, who feel like we live in the shadows
I started kingdom Hearts 4 years ago Though I don't have 20 years with the memories with it but I can happily say that it has changed my life.
Referring to Goofy as just Goofy screaming "HELP" at 3:45 is sending me
Also I learned that Riku is just a sexy guy
He's just a sexy guy.
Emotional damage! Happy KH20 everyone and enjoy this video!
this was really good and well produced. I could listen to discuss what the other characters represent emotionally. my favorite is Xion.
Thank you!
Well this made my morning. Great job with the characters. I would love to see a follow up at some point analyzing a few of the other characters. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! Also I'm planning on a follow up/part 2 in September for the anniversary of the KH1's NA release!
Happy 20th anniversary to 👑 kingdom hearts! 🧁🧁🎁🎂🎈🎈🎈🎉🎈🎂🍰🥳🍰🎂🎈🎁🧁🍰🎂🧁🎁🎈🎁🧁🍰🎂🎈🍰🧁🎈🎈
I was honestly hoping for more videos like this Kingdom hearts helped so many people during the years in so many ways it even helped me with Depression I always knew what Kingdom hearts was when I first saw my uncle play the beginning of 2 I was fond of it even though I never played it. But when I did last year…I loved every second of it especially 2 of course I still remember beating Ansaum while my friends were in the call with me cheering me on which is the most memorable moments in my life for a difficult fight but the Roxas vs Sora fight was the most special to me in any video game it took a huge difficulty spike in the game I was getting my ass whooped so many times yet I still loved the fight because it was fair and honest I didn’t expect to type this long but thanks dude so much ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for making this video and thank you for making me realize why I connect with Roxas so much. He has always been my favorite and I've always had an emotional connection with him. This video was amazing and made me have a wider viewpoint about Xemnas, thanks to FilmOtter. Happy 20th to mine and others favorite series.
Documentaries, comedy, video essays, AND emotional philosophy?! Faux, what can't you do???
Juggle
Thank you all for watching, I'm super proud of how this turned out! Now a question: Who's YOUR favorite character in Kingdom Hearts?
Namine and Roxas always held a special place in my heart.
Honestly, Terra. I just found him super relatable and a lot of people's complaints about him I feel are either completely backwards or only able to be made because the player has more information than he does.
Roxas hands down. He was my first look into the series when I accidentally started with two and his story was amazing as a starting point. It even made me resent Sora for taking away someone I had a genuine connection with before it all came to a head with the Roxas fight cutscene: then I got to the actual fight in 2.5 and mastered it to the point that I can basically fight his data form almost flawlessly. It’s also just interesting to look back nowadays. Everyone was probably annoyed with Roxas in 2 without knowing the context while Sora brought them intense joy with his fun combat. But for me it was the opposite for the whole game. So yeah, Roxas hands down is my favorite. Just too fucking amazing of a character and a beginning to my exposure to this series
Roxas, hands down, no contest. Dude is loyal, a fierce fighter, and smart. Sora, according to Donald, can't even count...
I'm a sucker for main protagonists. Sora is my favorite. Roxas is a close second. I love them all. OMGOSH
this is an absolutely beautiful love letter to the series. thank you SO much.
Such a beautiful tribute to the series and its emotional impact - thanks for this amazing work, Faux & Otter!
Thanks, Guides!
This is my favorite series of all time. No game has come close to making me come back. Every system I ever got was because I wanted to by the next kingdom hearts game. It had such a big impact on my life.
This was wonderfully thoughtful. This series came to me in the most perfect time, and it's hard for me to put into words how meaningful these characters and their stories are - but I think you did a great job! Nothing will top the "my friends are my power" moments throughout the series. Thank you for making this and happy 20 years! Here's to more emotional gutpunches and joyful vibes for years to come!
Thanks, and happy 20 years to you too!
Not sure who I relate to exactly but, if I had to choose, I'd be Namine.
And my favourite character is Sora all the way :D
What a great video. Kingdom Hearts is really an awesome game, full of feelings. Greetings from Brazil.
Thank you!
It’s so rare to find KH fans in Brazil! E aí!
@@dekuisagreatmaincharacter Raro é apelido...haha. você conta nos dedos de uma das mãos!!!
Truly explained beautifully. This video is so moving, it has touched my heart. Thank you for making me cry tears of joy.
Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed it!
Beautifully edited and very insightful.
The KH2 ending puts my heart through the wringer every single time. It means so much to me
Kingdom Hearts is what kept my going throughout the years dealing with depression. I grew up with these games so it has had a HUGE impact on my life. From the gameplay to the plot and especially the music. Riku, Aqua, Xion and Roxas always stood out to me the most, being that they had more things I could relate to. Seeing them all struggle as individuals made them feel more real to me, and seeing each journey became extremely impactful. I never really loved sora as a favorite since he was so optimistic but seeing him doubt himself and breakdown in KH3 really just HIT, seeing such a hopeful character go though that created a huge impact. I know many people didn’t enjoy kh3 but honestly I really enjoyed the final parts of the game, it was very bittersweet in some aspects but that’s what allows me to continue being so emotionally invested.
I love how you basically summarized these characters perfectly as they center around the theme you gave them ^^ I am a bit confident in understanding these characters when I explore them deeply but you've really filled the lines in between that I couldn't exactly put my fingers on for some :)
Wondering if you plan on doing the rest of the Guardians of light: Terra, Ven, Xion, Namine and Axel or other villains like Ansem SoD or even Riku Replica because every single one of these characters are so complex and so rich and it's amazing considering how big of the KH cast is ^^
Absolutely planning on covering more characters in a part 2 later this year!
After playing depressing games such as Nier automata and Nier replicant and after playing them gave me a feeling of emptiness aswell as bits of disappointment and depression. this video and this game is what i needed to Actually make me feel abit better thank you.
Your segment on Xemnas is exactly why I always loved Xemnas and Org 13/the nobodies. I always said "they are 100% an allegory for depression" and Xemnas' final words in KH3 made me cry. You earned a new subscriber, I cant wait to see even more of your KH content 🖤
What a wonderful way to put the heart of this series into words with your video, Faux, it is truly beautiful. Kingdom hearts was given to me at a tough time in my young life and at its core, the emotions tied to the hearts of the characters, struck me and stayed with me, even into adult hood. This is incredibly well put together, and a wonderful gift of a video. Be proud, you've achieved so much and I hope more amazing things come your way. 💜🎉😊
this essay is incredible
100% agree on 0.2, Disney Hell, and very well done and legitamately disturbing while relying only on pure psychological torment.
Yoooo! Been a while since we've had this good of a Kingdom Hearts video! Nice work! The themes you chose for each character was outstanding, and you could tell that this was a topic you were passionate about. I look forward to watching more of your content! (19 days before the 20th anniversary!)
Thank you so much! After playing KH for the actual last 20 years I have arguably TOO MANY feelings about it!
I absolutely love kingdom hearts and you did amazing putting into words exactly why!
Thank you!
this as a really good video to watch, and i started crying a few times while watching this video. this series means so much to me and it always will be. Happy 20th Anniversary and May Your Heart Be Your Guiding Key!!! :)
another great video
Thank you, Chili!
The child-like wonder of adventure of Kingdom Hearts 1.... The coming to age feeling in Kingdom Hearts 2... and the eventual emotional climax of Kingdom Hearts 3..... these are the pillars....and these are the ways Kingdom Hearts made me emotional time and time again.... This series hit me at certain parts of my life and that was a factor... but man I'd give anything to do it again ❤
Xemnas realizes that he does have a heart at the end of Kh3, and it took Sora to beat him for good for him to see that he was just clouded, manipulated by his nothingness into his actions. He inflicted his depression onto others and only reassuring his darkness/nothingness within him. But only when he passes does he comes to terms and or is cured of depression to some extent.
He was both the concept of depression with his actions onto others with telling them they are nothing or empty, and a depressed person struggling with himself.
The way you described these characters was an emotional experience that I will treasure forever as you and otter opened my eyes to the pain and misery these characters actually experienced but in a way that doesn’t paint them as villains per se but more as real people who struggled with problems some of us face each and every day thank you so very much for making this video regardless of the popularity or expanse of your channel you’ve earned each and every subscriber and I’m now one of them thank you for helping my childhood game make even more sense as to why I played them so much you’re an amazing person thank you for everything this video described I loved every minute of it making my childhood make sense meant more to me than you’ll ever know I sincerely and wholeheartedly appreciate you and I’m now a permanent subscriber and will look forward to all you do thank you again
This video made me laugh and cry as well as took me back to forgotten memories after hearing BHK again! Thank you for this beautiful essay!
There's actually just no way you only have 765 subscribers, this is really quality stuff, so happy it got recommended to me.
Thank you so much for watching! I mean, believe it or not, this is actually the first time TH-cam's been recommending a video of mine! Glad to see it finally happen!
Watching this video made me so nostalgic. You've got a new subscriber now
Thank you so much!
I'm seeing this when I get off work so I can cry in happiness 😊 but my body is ready
Starting the video off with Kingdom Hearts 2 dearly beloved perfect. Also 2 is the game that got me in the series
Thank you for this lovely tribute! I love all of the characters in Kingdom Hearts, but for me personally Terra hits hardest. He gets a lot of flack in the fandom for being a gullible idiot and listening to everything that obviously evil Xehanort says, for going along with the villains of the Disney franchise, but like... in context? He doesn't have the information we have. He lands in worlds and has the awful luck of running into exactly the wrong person first and being fed a warped point of view. In almost every situation he turns on the bad guy once he gets a better grasp of what's going on. He's a well-meaning kid being emotionally manipulated by much older antagonists who abuse his good nature for their own benefit. Like an abuse victim, the Guardian's mouth is covered in bandages, Terra's voice silenced and his own will stifled. But Aqua and Ventus' love and friendship help him find his voice again, and he tears off the bandages and declares that he will no longer be Xehanort's victim.
WOW! Thank you for giving this man the recognition he deserves! I agree with everything you just said!
I think I relate to most with Sora and Riku. Wanting to be a light in the life of my friends but struggling with my own self doubt.
Excellent video essay. I truly think KH has some of the most powerful symbolism of any game I've played, though not everyone can see past the surface. Thanks for the content.
what I find funny about Xehanort, ( and idk if this is really true, the ending of Union X was a bit confusing) it is hinted that we, the player, get reincarnated as Xehanort later on. So we’re basically fighting ourselves in the games
I haven’t watched yet, but I’m thoroughly looking forward to this.
This was excellent. Thank you. The enemy farewells when you beat them at the end of KH3 (particularly Ansem and Xemnas) were moving, SBC that final fight between Roxas and Axel at the beginning of KH2 is tragic. Thank you again for the video!
Stay well out there everybody, and Jesus Christ be with you, friends. ✝️ :)
I love this video so much, I think I’ve only seen 1 other video from someone who doesn’t look at kh’s story as completely stupid and confusing.
Im so confused how Kingdom Hearts manages to make me sob like a bixxh!? The dialogue is some the worst written, most corny, forced, cringy and nonsensical bullshxx I've ever seen. But it just HITS SOOO HARD!!!!
I????? I AM SPEECHLESS. Look I’ve been an evangelist for KH’s emotional resonance and character writing for basically the entire time the series has existed so this is great on that level but NOBODIES AS A METAPHOR FOR DEPRESSION IS A CONNECTION I MADE LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO AND I THOUGHT I WAS THE ONLY ONE HOLY SHIT I FEEL SO FUCKING VALIDATED
15:05 the Roxas KHII intro is literally my favorite part of all of Kingdom Hearts
I wish Terra got the same connection to his fragments like Sora has to Roxas and Namine. If Xemnas and Ansem had more aspects of Terra in them, or if Terra regained the memories of those halves, I feel like more people would appreciate my favorite Keyblade Weilder.
Sora and Xehanort are the perfect opposites. They both have directly contrasting goals and motivation that perfectly represent the battle between light and darkness. Whilst Sora let's people use his body, Xehanort takes people's bodies for himself. Sora tries to find the good in others yet Xehanort is constantly trying to target others weaknesses in order to bring the worst out of them. Xehanort fights literally by himself while Sora fights alongside his allies.
Sora is also the Disney young good natured protagonist with Xehanort being the wicked old villain. These guys are the perfect representation of kingdom heart as a whole or at least the Dark seeker saga which is all we have now.
Sora is my favourite character
A fantastically written video. I would like a further look at the main characters and their emotional drives. I love this series and their emotional story's will always keep me coming back. Regardless of the convoluted main story, the story between the lines are just wonderful.
I really love this video please make more character emotion videos like this.
Sora is by far my favorite character when I first played Kingdom hearts I fell in love with the Scene and hollow bastion where Sora said my friends are my power it has changed my life and now I live to make my friends my power jus as sora did.
"and kiari's great dont get me wrong"
i mean dont get me wrong but all they did for like 6 games was like "YO SHES LIKE REALLY IMPORTANT"
but what does she do?
"WERE STILL THINKING OF THAT"
so?
"COME BACK IN 13 YEARS, WELL THINK OF SOMETHING"
She’s one of those characters who could be great… but the writers refuse to make a strong and good female character.
This was phenomenal! Thank you so much for this video. Thoroughly enjoyed it.❤️
I've always resonated with Sora, as a kid I tried to always approach things with a positive attitude and dive in and have fun, and make sure everyone else was having fun too. Now that I'm older, it feels strange to say I relate more to Xion and Aqua / Ventus floating downwards into darkness for a few years.
But I have a feeling I'm going to find my way back and be cheerful like Sora again.
This is a beautiful video guys, amazing job.
Thank you!
Well written, well produced. The music really gets you, doesn’t it? 💜
I truly had the music used in the video set to "emotional manipulation"
This was a joy to watch, and I'm so happy to see you getting some recognition from this and to find your channel myself for the first time, hearing your passion talking about my favourite series put a smile on myself, makes me wanna discuss about the series myself
Great job can't wait to see what you come out with next!
Thank you so much!
I love this especially the Kairi section it's nice to see her get respect she deserves. I love these characters so much especially Riku. Great video.
Thank you so much!
I am so late to this but oh man, this was beautiful and rang so true. And opened new perspectives too, I had never really thought about Xemnas being an allegory for depression. Thank you so much for making such a wonderful video!