The Princess and her Knight

[divineduckling]

Well, hopefully you know why you're here.

If not - you might wanna check out the rest of the essay. This is the third part.
As it stands - this is the part about Sora and Kairi - and why their relationship is borderline nonexistent to me.

• Introduction
• Kairi
  
• Namine
• Sora/Kairi (You are Here)
• Sora/Namine

Comments

[divineduckling]

I agree about SoKai - it felt like "ok we invested too much in Sora and Riku's relationship - we need a girl ASAP

[divineduckling]

At their age I find it hard to believe TRUE LOVE!!!11 is even an option. Maybe in KH2 but not in KH1. Also that is strictly my opinion, of course - seeing how this is something I wrote. While you and your friends might see abuse as a form of affection, I cannot see it as anything too healthy in the long run. That is why - while you support SoKai while using that 'abuse' as basis, I cannot believe in it

[divineduckling]

but there is a clear indication of friendship between all three of them that the creators of the game clearly wanted us to see before their world got thrown into DARKNESS!!!1, so as to make what they'd do to get that friendship back understandable.

While I agree there is a certain motive of friendship there, I still hold true to what I said before - Riku gets to have Sora chase him all through the three games. Kairi's lack of an active-role pretty much makes Sora's intense reaction towards her seem odd at best. They tell us she's that important without backing it up (as opposed to Sora and Riku's constant interaction and the FM flashbacks) and I'm beefed about it.

The point also annihilates itself, as you've proved to your own satisfaction in previous essays that Kairi is not a strong female character - weak and replaceable to say the least. What then is this threat to Sora's character that you seem to see?I didn't mean Kairi truly was strong, but more stating which place in the 'pack' she was attempting to fulfill by teasing Sora.

[leaute]

And here's where we just won't see eye to eye. Again, hope you don't mind my comments

[divineduckling]

I found their relationship to be the most interesting thing about Kairi as a character.

Seeing how being Sora's romantic interest seems more important than the rest of her plot (like how we don't even care about her past in Radiant Garden as long as she's with Sora now), I can't argue with that.

I will say now that I cared very little about Kairi in KH1 the first time I played. It was after I saw Namine that I began to be frustrated with Kairi. As such I tried to find more meaning in her KH1 actions but found what I found.
As for Riku teasing Sora and why I care little for that as opposed to Kairi teasing Sora, there's a huge difference between boys teasing each other and teasing between boys and girls, especially since we're talking about the girl teasing the boy and not the boy teasing the girl.
More on this can be found here - where I replied to it more in depth

[leaute]

It really can be chalked up to how differently people see things. I didn't find the teasing terrible offensive on either front, but I suppose I can see the opposing point of view. Sora has strong feelings for Kairi or at least a crush, and to be teased even in good humor might be hard for him to swallow. Especially at that age. Though, I would point out that they were all fairly young. Too young for ZOMG true love, but it also explains if not excuses Kairi's behavior. Princess or not, she's very much a typical girl from what I gathered about her character. She likes boys, she's giggly, etc. And I know a lot of people around that age poke fun or tease people they have crushes on. Like I said, not an excuse, but maybe a bit of an explanation

[divineduckling]

The problem with saying they're too young is that it's a two-sided blade. If you say they're young so the teasing isn't horrible than you're saying at the same time it's not overly romance. That part is really difficult to handle, especially since being children never seems to be much of a motive for Sora or Riku. Kairi can maintain this since she slept through most of the first game and even then was left behind afterwards, but when you chalk it up in general the whole concept of "they're kids in love" bothers me to no greater end.
Now, I think I'm starting to see a bit of my mistake in that aspect.
I only talked about Kairi's part in there.
The point is that to me, Sora hardly displayed any special treatment to Kairi on Destiny Islands, which is part of why Destiny Islands hold that little SoKai value to me. So in a way, I had nothing to write about

[crysiana]

It's interesting to see your thoughts out here; I'm not going to address most of it because I can tell we come at the game from really different directions. I just wanted to mention one thing; I know I'm picking at nits here, but in reference to Kairi's name, Nomura explicitly said in an interview that it's meant to refer to the sea. Not that the theme of separation doesn't run through Kingdom Hearts, but it's not the stated meaning of the name as per the creator.

[divineduckling]

One of the things I've taken from high-school (ugh) is this -

The creator's thoughts, when dealing with a piece, matter very little once the piece gets released to the public.
Even if the creator says something should be there, he has to base it.
Even if the creator didn't mean for something, if it's base-able, then it's legitimate.

Kairi's name as Separation is just as fitting.
See in the first game's opening movie, it's shown all but bluntly how the Ocean is what comes between Sora and Riku when it drowns Riku inside it yet washes Sora away.

Also, him saying 'yes, it was meant to be separation' is nigh on impossible seeing how Disney'd rip his head off within instants XD

Thank you for reading :)

[crysiana]

The misuse of "Death of the Author" is one of the most distressing things about modern literary teachings. Though Barthes would probably agree with you that limiting yourself to a certain meaning based on authorial intent defeats the purpose of engaging with a text. I have the most fun when people interpret Kairi's name as "beaver" - it is after all the first iteration of the word based on kana in the dictionary, and the symbolism around a beaver - hardworking and dedicated, applies to the virtues of a character such as Kairi. It's probably not the author's intended meaning, but there are endless possibilities of discussion - does Kairi build dams between others, that Sora and Riku have to bridge the gap in their relationship? She does, and that interpretation, too, can apply

[divineduckling]

The problem I have with your assertion is that in your Kairi and Namine essays in particular, you don't ascribe wholly to the idea of separating the work in its entirety from it's context

I didn't really get what you were trying to get at. Would you mind explaining it? ^^;;

one must then relate to you on a case to case basis as to what extra-canon content applies and does not apply to your analysis.I personally don't see anything wrong with that, seeing how I basically did the same thing only to my point of view. The issue is that since I believe in this view, I can see little to no relevance in what many other canon facts would claim - as shown throughout the debates this essay part induced

[anonymous]

Well, this certainly is a thought-provoking read. Although I don't necessarily agree with all of it, I acknowledge that you do make some good points that should be addressed in future installments of the game.

Now, I have a question for you (if you don't mind): If you could rewrite Kairi's character and her role in the games, what would you have done to make her better? Also, would you have included the romantic angle or just have the trio as very good friends?

I can't help but wonder what Kairi's character would be like if she wasn't shoved into the role of the hero's love interest. If you think about it, mostly everything that makes her character so aggravating can be traced back to Sokai (the raft scene, only thinking about him, etc). If she ended up with Riku, or even no one at all, I doubt she would be so hated (I've always liked the idea of a RiKai SoNami ending myself, although I suppose having Namine not be a nobody would be too drastic of a change).

[divineduckling]

If you could rewrite Kairi's character and her role in the games, what would you have done to make her better? Also, would you have included the romantic angle or just have the trio as very good friends?

How I'd make her better, for starters, ties in with yes/no putting in romance.
Kairi, all through the games, displays what in my opinion is a sickening disregard towards Riku. That is what brought my dislike of her character to something much closer to passionate hatred.
Even joking about taking the raft and go; writing Riku off as having lost his Heart, yet refuse to let Sora go when he really did lose his heart; say in KH2 that Riku could take care of himself, but the moment she remembers Sora, waiting just isn't good enough

[divineduckling]

If she ended up with Riku, or even no one at all, I doubt she would be so hated

She's hated because she's poorly written, amongst other reasons. It's just that her attitude really helps to bring out the intense feelings towards her :\

(I've always liked the idea of a RiKai SoNami ending myself, although I suppose having Namine not be a nobody would be too drastic of a change).

I actually heard that Namine wasn't supposed to be originally Kairi's Nobody. And if that's the truth I forever more hate them for it. Even Xion (Days) seems to be there mostly so they can pretend that through Xion and Roxas (with help from Riku's comments) they base SoKai.
Only then came KH2 and you saw what I had to say about that.
Other than that though, I agree completely. Kairi would've gone so much better with Riku (she'd get bored with Sora so quickly. She acts tough but she's not. She's clingy and needy and could use someone like Riku who can be both strong and defendant - and warm and gentle). And SoNami just works, aside from it being officially

[anonymous]

"Kairi, all through the games, displays what in my opinion is a sickening disregard towards Riku. That is what brought my dislike of her character to something much closer to passionate hatred