Kingdom Hearts: More information than you ever wanted to know...
So I've always wanted to do one of these journal entries, but unfortunately I haven't come across any good fanfiction lately, which is usually the thing that makes me squee so much or want to type something like this out, so no dice. But then I found this amazing Larxene/Demyx story (so what? I know it's weird, you don't have to tell me!) that just made my day, so I had to type this out.
Anyway, I'll try to make this orderly, otherwise I'll be typing random things with absolutely no connection to each other as fast as I can and probably with the capslock button on as well making a general mess of things, but...right. Orderly. Here we go, list format:
History
-And we begin with my favorite fandom at the moment, which has been my favorite since I finally beat the first game, so...almost 2 years now. Whew, has it really been that long? Anyway, I originally got into this fandom mainly because I love Disney, and that was also what made me love it so much even after I beat the first game and then the second game came out and...but that's for later. The game itself probably isn't all that hightech or anything but I had absolutely no prior video game experience at all (unless you count GameBoy Advance) so I thought it was The Most Amazing Game in the world. The graphics were good, the story was awesome, and the characters were fun and interacted well within the game. So nothing to squee over yet, right? But then!
-But then the second game came out and...well...it was squee-overload. We are talking mega-squee. Super omega-squee. And I don't even know what that means. At first I hated Roxas. I know what you're all screaming at the screen right now: WHAT?!?!!11! But it's true, I swear! It's because I was used to Sora and I didn't want to have another main character because Sora was my hero and I didn't need anyone else. But then...ah then...the plot developed and we moved from incredibly annoying summer jobs that take up way too much time and "research" for independent study homework that made no sense to...Axel and DiZ and Roxas angst and confusion and forgotten friends and modified pictures and sea-salt ice cream (Do they eat anything else?) and it was just one big fangirlistic dream come true! The only time I cried through the entire game was when Roxas walked up to his friends the day that he gets his heart back and they run straight through him because to them he's not there anymore and he picks up the picture and it's just his three friends instead of all four of them. Yeah. As soon as the cutscene came back into normal gameplay I couldn't do anything but stare at the screen for five minutes and the lack of the usual friendly, lazy (albeit slightly annoying) Twilight Town music only made it so. much. worse. Ah! So yeah. From that point on, Roxas was my hero. It was almost sad that I had to play as Sora at first...but then I remembered why I loved him so much in the first game. :-)
-And one more thing: Kingdom Hearts was my introduction into anime. I know it's really not anime since it's computer animated, but it was the first time I had ever come in contact with anything associated with that style of drawing or expressing emotions, so it was kind of hard for me to get used to the crazy hair and clothes that some of them wear, especially in contrast to the Disney characters. That's probably why it took me so long to finish the first game before I became obssessive.
Main Characters
Sora-There's so much to say about this crazy kid. As the main character, he should be interesting, but he just skips straight over interesting and right to downright fascinating. He's energetic, cheerful, and sometimes a little annoying for most of the first game with really strange periods of listlessness and slight depression. He's also really weird, knows how to have a little too much fun, and can adapt to almost any situation. I've laughed out loud countless times because of his antics or the strange things he's said; he has a very unique sense of humor that is unexpected and always hilarious, partly because most of the time he doesn't realize he's being funny.
Kairi-Originally I thought Kairi was a good female role against Sora and Riku, but I never really liked her until the second game when she became much more interesting and actually grew a backbone...or the beginning of one. I find a lot of people that hate her simply because she's there and is "interfering" with their OTP, whatever one that may be. This kind of attitude has really only strengthened my support of her because I end up feeling sorry for her. The only qualm I've ever had with her was that she just let herself be pushed around by people or the other forces in the game without even bothering to stick up for herself, a trait that has always bothered me in other females. But when she finally started to speak out and make her own choices, I thought there would be much less people that hated her. But they just seemed to redouble! I didn't understand...I still don't, as a matter of fact. She finally grew a personality, so you decide that's even more cause to give her crap every chance you get? So yeah, all in all, Kairi is a vaguely interesting character that's a good contrast to the other two, but not one of my favorites.
Riku-Hmm...how to start? Riku is by far one of the most interesting characters in the entire game, though I didn't really think that until about four months ago, when I started to actually analyze all that he's been through and how drastically his personality has changed through just one year. He was supposed to be the Keybearer, but blew his one chance because he had chosen the wrong side. He's always followed his heart, trusting that it would lead him to a better place, but most of the time it only got him further into trouble. And through it all, he's still managed to be the same good friend, slightly aloof teenager prone to displays of ego-boosters, but still a good person at heart. Plus there's always the fact that he can wield the darkness in a way that nobody else can, which makes him so much cooler. Although it took me quite a long time to get used to his 'silver' hair. It's still slightly unnatural. And of course, you can't forget the Dark Riku half-hula skirt he had going on there for a while. Now that was interesting. :-)
Namine-Namine (yes, I know there's an accent on that last e, but I'm too lazy to figure out how to include it) has come to be my favorite character in the games. And I'm not even really sure why. Most people tend to characterize her as either pyschotic or innocent and leave it at that, but what they fail to grasp is that she can be something in between. She's not innocent. She probably was really innocent at one time...but that was before she was exposed to the Organization. But even though that's changed her and caused her to be wary and somewhat mysterious, she still hasn't lost her sweet and kind aura that is distinctly Namine, something that even Kairi doesn't have to that degree. I also think people underestimate her a lot. And I do mean a lot. She has an awesome power. And by that I don't mean awesome as in 'cool! radical!' but as in awe-inspiring, what the original word meant. She can manipulate the minds, memories, and therefore the hearts of anyone she comes in contact with by just touching a pencil to a piece of paper. Sometimes she doesn't even need to do that. People tend to forget that very easily and it bothers me to no end. Of course, some people try to understand her character without having seen the cutscenes from Chain of Memories and you really can't understand Namine unless you've seen those. The only thing I have to say is, I wonder if the fanbrats would ever underestimate her again if they saw her when she was angry or desperate. ...No, definitely not. They wouldn't even be able to speak, let alone insult her again. :-) I love Namine.
Roxas-Roxas isn't included in the Organization because I would really need to see how he acted while he was in the Organization before I said anything about that. The Roxas in the Organization and the Roxas in Twilight Town are slightly different people to me, so I don't want to mix them up. That said, Roxas is by far one of my favorites as well, although the squee factor has worn off slightly by now, mostly because I'm busy squeeing over the Organization at the moment. The Roxas I know doesn't have nearly as much personality as his other, but he's still interesting in his own way. Although he can be dark and brooding sometimes, even in Twilight Town, he usually balances the angst out with just the right amount of quiet happiness. I really hate how many people say that Sora and Roxas are the same person. It's not true. Sure, scientifically (or as scientifically as Kingdom Hearts can get) they share the same heart, but their personalities are so drastically different, you can't really say that they're the same. In fact, the only thing that I think they really share is their somewhat bipolar mood swings. But other than that, nothing. To me, Roxas is kind of like a milder version of the dark, broody heroes that are common in the Final Fantasy games. He knows when to angst, how to not overdo it, and when to be quietly cheerful with just a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth that makes him oh-so-squeeable! *sigh* Sorry, I know, I'm letting my fangirl show. But, needless to say, Roxas is a highly interesting character that people need to realize would be just as interesting even if he wasn't an adorable little kid. His personality says it all.
The Organization
-Wow, so much to say about these characters right now. They are the absolute best set of...I almost hesitate to call them villains because they're just so insane it's kind of hard to take them seriously sometimes. I really hope we get to see some more of them, or at least their stories, just because I've never fangirled something this hard before. Ever. It's amazing. Anyway, moving on...
Xemnas-Honestly, this guy bothered me a lot when when I first played through KH2. And I mean a lot. The way he talks, the way he has to accentuate. every. single. word. he. says. with. blantantly. annoying. arm. and. hand. gestures. Yeah, it's annoying. But as soon as I could actually sit down and analyze his personality and not just his annoying habits (and he has a lot of them, I'm sure) I found him to be a very interesting leader and certainly not an average villain. Eloquent, mild-mannered (except in fights of course), and poetically inclined (I mean, take a look at some of those room names in the World that Never Was. What the heck?), he definitely doesn't fit your average final boss. Although I do find him intimidating and vaguely scary, I think that's only because of his inability to care, which is the only 'villainy' factor I think going for the entire Organization. Because you know that even if you beg and plead on your knees, they wouldn't be able to really have pity on you. And that's scary. And I'm getting off topic. So, although he's not really one of my favorite members, Xemnas is still highly interesting as a character, a leader, and a villain. There's just something about him that really makes you want to hang around him for a day, just to look at all the different things he does or says; he's so quirky that way. Very amusing.
Xigbar-I really kind of overlooked this guy during the game. I found him slightly amusing the few times you get to see him talk or interact with Sora. The second time through though, when I finally understood things a little more, was a lot more interesting. I really hate how people grab onto the easiest recognizable thing about him and make him into something he's not. He's not a pirate. He's not a California surfer. And there's no way in Tartarus that he's a frigging valley girl. Honestly people. I think he's been through an awful lot and learned a lot of valuable things because he gives off this sort of strange 'wise' feeling almost like he knows a lot more than he lets on. And I'm sure he does. And even though he still has that mysterious persona thing going on, he still knows how to have fun and not take himself too seriously, a thing that a lot of the Organization members have fallen into. Not my favorite, but very close.
Xaldin-I love Xaldin. I really do. He cracks me up. And he really shouldn't because he's dangerous, confident, and highly manipulative, besides the fact that he's one of the best fighters in the Organization. But even without the braids and the eyebrows and the...*snerk* sideburns...he would still make me laugh. He takes himself entirely too seriously and is a little too overconfident, in my opinion. But I wish that he could hear himself sometimes... :-)
*A side note-All of the Chain of Memories members are pretty much assumed since, even though I've seen all the cutscenes and dialogue, that's all I can really base it on because some of them didn't have the greatest expression icons in the world, so it was kind of hard to see what they were thinking. And some members really communicate more with their bodies than their faces anyway *cough* Xemnas *cough*, so it would be next to impossible to really know what they're like until the Final Mix comes out.
Vexen-Oh Vexen. If anyone takes themselves too seriously, it would be Vexen. He amuses me almost as much as Xaldin, but I haven't seen him in action yet, so I can't really tell if he would be about the same or even more amusing. :-) Even though he's not quite as young as some of the members (what? he doesn't look like he's 25 or younger?? Kill!!...sarcasm, just sarcasm) he still can hold his own...maybe not quite so often as he should, but he can still do it. There's really not too much to say about this guy except that if people actually paid more attention to him, I might be able to actually understand him better, but as it stands...there's really not much of a fanbase. More of a desert island really. Poor Vexen.
Lexaeus-And if Vexen has a desert island, I'm sure Lexaeus has a rock in the middle of the ocean. Which is really, really sad, because this guy is great. Really great. He's almost great enough to make it onto my favorite list, but for some reason, he's not quite there yet. Maybe when Final Mix comes out. Unlike a lot of the members, he doesn't take himself seriously, but he can be very serious and almost...philosophical about things as simple as daily life. He also seems to have this very peaceful and gentle aura that follows him around that reminds me a lot of Namine, which I really don't understand but I still seem to be drawn to. I think it might have something to do with his element and the fact that I have always loved nature. Earth just seems to be a very solid element, gentle yet strong, powerful, and occasionally destructive. And wouldn't you know it? Those are the same words I associate with Lexaeus. I think he fits his element the best, although they all fit their elements really well, come to think of it.
Zexion-And here we come to my first favorite. This guy...is incredible. He's squeeworthy to the max. I don't even need to see Final Mix to die happy. His dialogue speaks for itself. He can be teasing and slightly sarcastic one moment, but never enough to really do damage, then cold, unforgiving, and completely calculating the next. He is just...amazing. And the hair...even though it really is a bit much, I think it helps his overall image a lot too. I just absolutely HATE it when people characterize him as a bratty little EMO kid. Just because he's short does not mean he's a kid. Just because he has a bit more personality than most of the original six members doesn't mean he's a brat. And just because he has hair over one of his eyes does NOT mean he's emo. Got it? Good. I could go on for hours here, but I think you get the point. I also think his element and the way he can use it is really interesting, just as interesting as Riku. I almost wish that the gamers could know more about him, about his powers, his weapon (if he has one), anything at all, but that would make the mysterious air vanish and he wouldn't be quite so cool as he is now with his quiet scheming and clever plots that are probably really mindboggling confusing until you realize that they're really just simple games. Oh Zexion, never change.
Saix-I honestly don't have much to say about Saix. Although he's interesting, I think he's the least interesting in the entire group. He acts a lot like Xemnas, which immediately puts me off, but he also has his own unique way of doing things that is very subtle and almost poetic. But beyond that, he does what he's told (as far as we know), he never spares a word more than necessary for whatever his task may be, and he has a very strange distant sort of attachment to Xemnas that is very solid and almost tangible. And that's all I can think of. Told you it wasn't much.
Axel-Although Axel has enough of a fan population to take on both Sora's and Roxas's, he not one of my favorites. Why? Several reasons. The most important one is that although he's definitely squeeworthy, he's a little too generic for me. He fits the mold of the snarky slightly bad guy that hangs around in the back a lot and seems to be really unapproachable until he does something that shows he actually has a heart (figuratively speaking of course) somewhere in there and is not afraid to show it on certain occasions. Before I saw the Chain of Memories cutscenes and only had KH2 scenes to go on, I really didn't find that much interesting about him. Sure, he was awesome and all, but so were many others, so he didn't really stick out for some reason. After CoM though, he was a lot more interesting and I really wonder why they changed so much of his personality in KH2. I think Roxas probably had a major impact on that change, but he's probably not the only thing. So Axel, although important and certainly appreciated, is not a favorite. Sorry, fangirls.
Demyx-Hoo boy, here we go. Demyx is the favorite. At first he certainly wasn't, but after drifting through his fanbase, I was corrupted. And the virus only spread when I replayed the game. If we had gotten to see more of him in cutscenes then I would probably be dead from fangirl overdose by now. He's funny, adorable, quirky, slightly bipolar, but can also be serious and powerful when he wants to be (which is hardly ever). In fact, he reminds me a lot of how I picture Sora although he has a vicious streak, probably a result of being in the Organization, that Sora does not have at all. And besides that, he has the coolest character design in the entire group, in my opinion. His hair...*snerk* I love it! And his eyes are a really interesting color as well. They remind me a lot of Riku's eyes because they're somewhere in between being blue and green but really can't decide which one they want to be, kind of like his personality! Oh so amazing! And there's absolutely nobody like him in the entire Organization, which makes me really want to see how he would react with each of them. And the fact that he's a musician and a water element makes him pretty much the coolest character ever. And I better stop now otherwise I'll just keep going.
Luxord-Eh...nothing too much to say about this guy. He's hard to read (at least for me), which makes it really hard for me to decide if I like him or not. I'm sure he knows more than he lets on, but the feeling's not nearly as strong as it is for Xigbar, so either he hides it better or he really doesn't know that much. He likes using more complicated phrase structures and enunciating strange words, which makes me like him a little, but not nearly enough to place him on a favorites list. Sorry, Luxord.
Marluxia-I was introduced to Marluxia's fanbase a little before I saw the Chain of Memories cutscenes...with very strange results. After seeing all the ways that people love to make fun of him...it's just a little too easy, right?...I thought that he would be this easygoing guy that loves nature and even though he's a relatively good leader, tends to get a little weird (goofy weird) sometimes. Man was I ever wrong! How on earth do those people watch the cutscenes in CoM and come out with this slightly bizarre, silly, and flower-loving guy who bears absolutely no resemblance to Marluxia at all except for some slight physical appearances? Of all the Organization members, this guy is the scariest, hands down. Even compared to vicious Larxene, pyschotic Saix, or cold Zexion...none of them come close! I thought the element of flowers would really be able to bring him down a little to our level and not on the high pedestal that he sets himself on but to no avail! He uses his element in such a way that you really can't accuse him of being feminine or fruity at all because he's just so...terrifying! He's like one of those mafia guys in the old movies who seems pleasant enough; he's very charismatic and charming, but has this barely controlled cruel streak that you can feel right below the surface that's just ready to break through at any moment, and it's downright alarming. And I also don't understand how people think he's this lean little stick of a thing like Axel. He's nothing like Axel. Even in the CoM sprites, you can tell that he's much taller and broader, but still has his charismatic nature about his figure so that you don't really realize how big he actually is until he's standing right next to you, breathing down your neck with that absolutely unnerving smile on his face that just makes you want to flee the room shrieking at the top of your lungs. And that seems to be enough to say on that subject. I probably just caused all of his fans to form an angry mob to come trample me to death...oh well.
Larxene-The last favorite. This girl is something else. When I first heard of her, I thought it was interesting that the Organization actually had a female in their ranks and that she must have some pretty amazing qualities in order to be included. And boy oh boy, does she ever! Not saying that sadism is an admirable ideal, I think it's downright disgusting, but Larxene is one of those characters (like most of the Organization) that I find highly interesting but I would never want to meet in real life. I think I really like her character design as well and the choice of lightning as her element, it just fits so incredibly well. Sharp, quick, and very dangerous. The way she fights and her weapons are also very, very interesting. I think I'll enjoy that fight in Final Mix the most, without a doubt. And did I mention the arrogance? Because there's a lot of it. She almost exudes it from her very pores. It's that pronounced. And I still like her. Wonder why. There's just something about her light, flippant attitude with her horrible cruel streak running so close to the surface that I find very intriguing. And she was needed to complete my three favorites: Demyx, Zexion, and Larxene. Absolutely no interaction time whatsoever, but still very, very interesting. And oh so squeeworthy!
-Whew, that was long. On to the next category!
Favorite Pairings
Sora/Kairi-AKA Sori, Kaira, or any other ridiculous combination the fans come up with. I myself prefer Sora/Kairi. Why? Because it makes sense and it's easy to understand and remember. These two are are a pretty good completion couple, though not as good as their nobodies. Sora's wacky, somewhat spontaneous, and very open and honest. Kairi's a little shy and reserved, but always there by Sora's side to give him support or anything else he might need. Nothing highly squeeworthy, but still one of my favorites because there's nothing holding them back. It's a very honest, open, almost clean-feeling relationship that makes me feel very warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it. Plus the fact that they're just oh-so-cute together.
Roxas/Namine-I'm not going to bother stuffing their names together, I'm sure you've seen those before. These two are probably my favorite couple in the KH fandom. Why? They really are the perfect completion couple. Roxas is withdrawn, moody, and very quiet about his feelings, although he can certainly stand up for himself and what he believes in. Namine is also very quiet, but in a much different way. She's kind and gentle, something that Roxas lacks a bit. She can also stand up for herself, but she does it in a way that fixes the problem yet doesn't cause any unwanted hostile feelings towards her or anyone else involved. She is a lot more careful about situations as well, while Roxas usually just rushes in without really thinking it through, although he does have enough experience to be wary about certain things. But why my favorite? Well, I just gave you a pretty good reason, but honestly, I just think they're both absolutely adorable in that quiet, uncertain sort of way, although they both give off a strong bond for each other. Even though it's faint, you can tell it's there and that just makes them so much more cute. But enough squeeing, moving on...
Demyx/Larxene-Yeah, yeah, I know. This pairing defies all logic and should be outlawed because it would never work and you're stupid to even read about such a pairing. I know, I've heard it all before, but that still hasn't stopped me...for some reason. But anyway...perhaps you're hoping I'll give you an explanation to the madness? Well not really, but here's something at any rate. These two are in my favorites, as I've already said, so that gives a big push for the pairing since you really have to like both of them a lot to even look at the fanfic. It seems that I just always have to have at least one pairing in a fandom that makes absolutely no sense and would never happen in canon even if they were locked up in the same room together for a year, but hey! That's what makes it interesting. I think it would be a very interesting balance and make for a very entertaining relationship that would be as spontaneous and quirky as they come. I also think someone would have to enter Larxene into extensive therapy/intensive training before she would lower herself to so much as kiss him, but I can still dream, right? Right.
And that concludes this exciting episode! Stay tuned for more fandoms coming your way!
Anyway, I'll try to make this orderly, otherwise I'll be typing random things with absolutely no connection to each other as fast as I can and probably with the capslock button on as well making a general mess of things, but...right. Orderly. Here we go, list format:
History
-And we begin with my favorite fandom at the moment, which has been my favorite since I finally beat the first game, so...almost 2 years now. Whew, has it really been that long? Anyway, I originally got into this fandom mainly because I love Disney, and that was also what made me love it so much even after I beat the first game and then the second game came out and...but that's for later. The game itself probably isn't all that hightech or anything but I had absolutely no prior video game experience at all (unless you count GameBoy Advance) so I thought it was The Most Amazing Game in the world. The graphics were good, the story was awesome, and the characters were fun and interacted well within the game. So nothing to squee over yet, right? But then!
-But then the second game came out and...well...it was squee-overload. We are talking mega-squee. Super omega-squee. And I don't even know what that means. At first I hated Roxas. I know what you're all screaming at the screen right now: WHAT?!?!!11! But it's true, I swear! It's because I was used to Sora and I didn't want to have another main character because Sora was my hero and I didn't need anyone else. But then...ah then...the plot developed and we moved from incredibly annoying summer jobs that take up way too much time and "research" for independent study homework that made no sense to...Axel and DiZ and Roxas angst and confusion and forgotten friends and modified pictures and sea-salt ice cream (Do they eat anything else?) and it was just one big fangirlistic dream come true! The only time I cried through the entire game was when Roxas walked up to his friends the day that he gets his heart back and they run straight through him because to them he's not there anymore and he picks up the picture and it's just his three friends instead of all four of them. Yeah. As soon as the cutscene came back into normal gameplay I couldn't do anything but stare at the screen for five minutes and the lack of the usual friendly, lazy (albeit slightly annoying) Twilight Town music only made it so. much. worse. Ah! So yeah. From that point on, Roxas was my hero. It was almost sad that I had to play as Sora at first...but then I remembered why I loved him so much in the first game. :-)
-And one more thing: Kingdom Hearts was my introduction into anime. I know it's really not anime since it's computer animated, but it was the first time I had ever come in contact with anything associated with that style of drawing or expressing emotions, so it was kind of hard for me to get used to the crazy hair and clothes that some of them wear, especially in contrast to the Disney characters. That's probably why it took me so long to finish the first game before I became obssessive.
Main Characters
Sora-There's so much to say about this crazy kid. As the main character, he should be interesting, but he just skips straight over interesting and right to downright fascinating. He's energetic, cheerful, and sometimes a little annoying for most of the first game with really strange periods of listlessness and slight depression. He's also really weird, knows how to have a little too much fun, and can adapt to almost any situation. I've laughed out loud countless times because of his antics or the strange things he's said; he has a very unique sense of humor that is unexpected and always hilarious, partly because most of the time he doesn't realize he's being funny.
Kairi-Originally I thought Kairi was a good female role against Sora and Riku, but I never really liked her until the second game when she became much more interesting and actually grew a backbone...or the beginning of one. I find a lot of people that hate her simply because she's there and is "interfering" with their OTP, whatever one that may be. This kind of attitude has really only strengthened my support of her because I end up feeling sorry for her. The only qualm I've ever had with her was that she just let herself be pushed around by people or the other forces in the game without even bothering to stick up for herself, a trait that has always bothered me in other females. But when she finally started to speak out and make her own choices, I thought there would be much less people that hated her. But they just seemed to redouble! I didn't understand...I still don't, as a matter of fact. She finally grew a personality, so you decide that's even more cause to give her crap every chance you get? So yeah, all in all, Kairi is a vaguely interesting character that's a good contrast to the other two, but not one of my favorites.
Riku-Hmm...how to start? Riku is by far one of the most interesting characters in the entire game, though I didn't really think that until about four months ago, when I started to actually analyze all that he's been through and how drastically his personality has changed through just one year. He was supposed to be the Keybearer, but blew his one chance because he had chosen the wrong side. He's always followed his heart, trusting that it would lead him to a better place, but most of the time it only got him further into trouble. And through it all, he's still managed to be the same good friend, slightly aloof teenager prone to displays of ego-boosters, but still a good person at heart. Plus there's always the fact that he can wield the darkness in a way that nobody else can, which makes him so much cooler. Although it took me quite a long time to get used to his 'silver' hair. It's still slightly unnatural. And of course, you can't forget the Dark Riku half-hula skirt he had going on there for a while. Now that was interesting. :-)
Namine-Namine (yes, I know there's an accent on that last e, but I'm too lazy to figure out how to include it) has come to be my favorite character in the games. And I'm not even really sure why. Most people tend to characterize her as either pyschotic or innocent and leave it at that, but what they fail to grasp is that she can be something in between. She's not innocent. She probably was really innocent at one time...but that was before she was exposed to the Organization. But even though that's changed her and caused her to be wary and somewhat mysterious, she still hasn't lost her sweet and kind aura that is distinctly Namine, something that even Kairi doesn't have to that degree. I also think people underestimate her a lot. And I do mean a lot. She has an awesome power. And by that I don't mean awesome as in 'cool! radical!' but as in awe-inspiring, what the original word meant. She can manipulate the minds, memories, and therefore the hearts of anyone she comes in contact with by just touching a pencil to a piece of paper. Sometimes she doesn't even need to do that. People tend to forget that very easily and it bothers me to no end. Of course, some people try to understand her character without having seen the cutscenes from Chain of Memories and you really can't understand Namine unless you've seen those. The only thing I have to say is, I wonder if the fanbrats would ever underestimate her again if they saw her when she was angry or desperate. ...No, definitely not. They wouldn't even be able to speak, let alone insult her again. :-) I love Namine.
Roxas-Roxas isn't included in the Organization because I would really need to see how he acted while he was in the Organization before I said anything about that. The Roxas in the Organization and the Roxas in Twilight Town are slightly different people to me, so I don't want to mix them up. That said, Roxas is by far one of my favorites as well, although the squee factor has worn off slightly by now, mostly because I'm busy squeeing over the Organization at the moment. The Roxas I know doesn't have nearly as much personality as his other, but he's still interesting in his own way. Although he can be dark and brooding sometimes, even in Twilight Town, he usually balances the angst out with just the right amount of quiet happiness. I really hate how many people say that Sora and Roxas are the same person. It's not true. Sure, scientifically (or as scientifically as Kingdom Hearts can get) they share the same heart, but their personalities are so drastically different, you can't really say that they're the same. In fact, the only thing that I think they really share is their somewhat bipolar mood swings. But other than that, nothing. To me, Roxas is kind of like a milder version of the dark, broody heroes that are common in the Final Fantasy games. He knows when to angst, how to not overdo it, and when to be quietly cheerful with just a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his mouth that makes him oh-so-squeeable! *sigh* Sorry, I know, I'm letting my fangirl show. But, needless to say, Roxas is a highly interesting character that people need to realize would be just as interesting even if he wasn't an adorable little kid. His personality says it all.
The Organization
-Wow, so much to say about these characters right now. They are the absolute best set of...I almost hesitate to call them villains because they're just so insane it's kind of hard to take them seriously sometimes. I really hope we get to see some more of them, or at least their stories, just because I've never fangirled something this hard before. Ever. It's amazing. Anyway, moving on...
Xemnas-Honestly, this guy bothered me a lot when when I first played through KH2. And I mean a lot. The way he talks, the way he has to accentuate. every. single. word. he. says. with. blantantly. annoying. arm. and. hand. gestures. Yeah, it's annoying. But as soon as I could actually sit down and analyze his personality and not just his annoying habits (and he has a lot of them, I'm sure) I found him to be a very interesting leader and certainly not an average villain. Eloquent, mild-mannered (except in fights of course), and poetically inclined (I mean, take a look at some of those room names in the World that Never Was. What the heck?), he definitely doesn't fit your average final boss. Although I do find him intimidating and vaguely scary, I think that's only because of his inability to care, which is the only 'villainy' factor I think going for the entire Organization. Because you know that even if you beg and plead on your knees, they wouldn't be able to really have pity on you. And that's scary. And I'm getting off topic. So, although he's not really one of my favorite members, Xemnas is still highly interesting as a character, a leader, and a villain. There's just something about him that really makes you want to hang around him for a day, just to look at all the different things he does or says; he's so quirky that way. Very amusing.
Xigbar-I really kind of overlooked this guy during the game. I found him slightly amusing the few times you get to see him talk or interact with Sora. The second time through though, when I finally understood things a little more, was a lot more interesting. I really hate how people grab onto the easiest recognizable thing about him and make him into something he's not. He's not a pirate. He's not a California surfer. And there's no way in Tartarus that he's a frigging valley girl. Honestly people. I think he's been through an awful lot and learned a lot of valuable things because he gives off this sort of strange 'wise' feeling almost like he knows a lot more than he lets on. And I'm sure he does. And even though he still has that mysterious persona thing going on, he still knows how to have fun and not take himself too seriously, a thing that a lot of the Organization members have fallen into. Not my favorite, but very close.
Xaldin-I love Xaldin. I really do. He cracks me up. And he really shouldn't because he's dangerous, confident, and highly manipulative, besides the fact that he's one of the best fighters in the Organization. But even without the braids and the eyebrows and the...*snerk* sideburns...he would still make me laugh. He takes himself entirely too seriously and is a little too overconfident, in my opinion. But I wish that he could hear himself sometimes... :-)
*A side note-All of the Chain of Memories members are pretty much assumed since, even though I've seen all the cutscenes and dialogue, that's all I can really base it on because some of them didn't have the greatest expression icons in the world, so it was kind of hard to see what they were thinking. And some members really communicate more with their bodies than their faces anyway *cough* Xemnas *cough*, so it would be next to impossible to really know what they're like until the Final Mix comes out.
Vexen-Oh Vexen. If anyone takes themselves too seriously, it would be Vexen. He amuses me almost as much as Xaldin, but I haven't seen him in action yet, so I can't really tell if he would be about the same or even more amusing. :-) Even though he's not quite as young as some of the members (what? he doesn't look like he's 25 or younger?? Kill!!...sarcasm, just sarcasm) he still can hold his own...maybe not quite so often as he should, but he can still do it. There's really not too much to say about this guy except that if people actually paid more attention to him, I might be able to actually understand him better, but as it stands...there's really not much of a fanbase. More of a desert island really. Poor Vexen.
Lexaeus-And if Vexen has a desert island, I'm sure Lexaeus has a rock in the middle of the ocean. Which is really, really sad, because this guy is great. Really great. He's almost great enough to make it onto my favorite list, but for some reason, he's not quite there yet. Maybe when Final Mix comes out. Unlike a lot of the members, he doesn't take himself seriously, but he can be very serious and almost...philosophical about things as simple as daily life. He also seems to have this very peaceful and gentle aura that follows him around that reminds me a lot of Namine, which I really don't understand but I still seem to be drawn to. I think it might have something to do with his element and the fact that I have always loved nature. Earth just seems to be a very solid element, gentle yet strong, powerful, and occasionally destructive. And wouldn't you know it? Those are the same words I associate with Lexaeus. I think he fits his element the best, although they all fit their elements really well, come to think of it.
Zexion-And here we come to my first favorite. This guy...is incredible. He's squeeworthy to the max. I don't even need to see Final Mix to die happy. His dialogue speaks for itself. He can be teasing and slightly sarcastic one moment, but never enough to really do damage, then cold, unforgiving, and completely calculating the next. He is just...amazing. And the hair...even though it really is a bit much, I think it helps his overall image a lot too. I just absolutely HATE it when people characterize him as a bratty little EMO kid. Just because he's short does not mean he's a kid. Just because he has a bit more personality than most of the original six members doesn't mean he's a brat. And just because he has hair over one of his eyes does NOT mean he's emo. Got it? Good. I could go on for hours here, but I think you get the point. I also think his element and the way he can use it is really interesting, just as interesting as Riku. I almost wish that the gamers could know more about him, about his powers, his weapon (if he has one), anything at all, but that would make the mysterious air vanish and he wouldn't be quite so cool as he is now with his quiet scheming and clever plots that are probably really mindboggling confusing until you realize that they're really just simple games. Oh Zexion, never change.
Saix-I honestly don't have much to say about Saix. Although he's interesting, I think he's the least interesting in the entire group. He acts a lot like Xemnas, which immediately puts me off, but he also has his own unique way of doing things that is very subtle and almost poetic. But beyond that, he does what he's told (as far as we know), he never spares a word more than necessary for whatever his task may be, and he has a very strange distant sort of attachment to Xemnas that is very solid and almost tangible. And that's all I can think of. Told you it wasn't much.
Axel-Although Axel has enough of a fan population to take on both Sora's and Roxas's, he not one of my favorites. Why? Several reasons. The most important one is that although he's definitely squeeworthy, he's a little too generic for me. He fits the mold of the snarky slightly bad guy that hangs around in the back a lot and seems to be really unapproachable until he does something that shows he actually has a heart (figuratively speaking of course) somewhere in there and is not afraid to show it on certain occasions. Before I saw the Chain of Memories cutscenes and only had KH2 scenes to go on, I really didn't find that much interesting about him. Sure, he was awesome and all, but so were many others, so he didn't really stick out for some reason. After CoM though, he was a lot more interesting and I really wonder why they changed so much of his personality in KH2. I think Roxas probably had a major impact on that change, but he's probably not the only thing. So Axel, although important and certainly appreciated, is not a favorite. Sorry, fangirls.
Demyx-Hoo boy, here we go. Demyx is the favorite. At first he certainly wasn't, but after drifting through his fanbase, I was corrupted. And the virus only spread when I replayed the game. If we had gotten to see more of him in cutscenes then I would probably be dead from fangirl overdose by now. He's funny, adorable, quirky, slightly bipolar, but can also be serious and powerful when he wants to be (which is hardly ever). In fact, he reminds me a lot of how I picture Sora although he has a vicious streak, probably a result of being in the Organization, that Sora does not have at all. And besides that, he has the coolest character design in the entire group, in my opinion. His hair...*snerk* I love it! And his eyes are a really interesting color as well. They remind me a lot of Riku's eyes because they're somewhere in between being blue and green but really can't decide which one they want to be, kind of like his personality! Oh so amazing! And there's absolutely nobody like him in the entire Organization, which makes me really want to see how he would react with each of them. And the fact that he's a musician and a water element makes him pretty much the coolest character ever. And I better stop now otherwise I'll just keep going.
Luxord-Eh...nothing too much to say about this guy. He's hard to read (at least for me), which makes it really hard for me to decide if I like him or not. I'm sure he knows more than he lets on, but the feeling's not nearly as strong as it is for Xigbar, so either he hides it better or he really doesn't know that much. He likes using more complicated phrase structures and enunciating strange words, which makes me like him a little, but not nearly enough to place him on a favorites list. Sorry, Luxord.
Marluxia-I was introduced to Marluxia's fanbase a little before I saw the Chain of Memories cutscenes...with very strange results. After seeing all the ways that people love to make fun of him...it's just a little too easy, right?...I thought that he would be this easygoing guy that loves nature and even though he's a relatively good leader, tends to get a little weird (goofy weird) sometimes. Man was I ever wrong! How on earth do those people watch the cutscenes in CoM and come out with this slightly bizarre, silly, and flower-loving guy who bears absolutely no resemblance to Marluxia at all except for some slight physical appearances? Of all the Organization members, this guy is the scariest, hands down. Even compared to vicious Larxene, pyschotic Saix, or cold Zexion...none of them come close! I thought the element of flowers would really be able to bring him down a little to our level and not on the high pedestal that he sets himself on but to no avail! He uses his element in such a way that you really can't accuse him of being feminine or fruity at all because he's just so...terrifying! He's like one of those mafia guys in the old movies who seems pleasant enough; he's very charismatic and charming, but has this barely controlled cruel streak that you can feel right below the surface that's just ready to break through at any moment, and it's downright alarming. And I also don't understand how people think he's this lean little stick of a thing like Axel. He's nothing like Axel. Even in the CoM sprites, you can tell that he's much taller and broader, but still has his charismatic nature about his figure so that you don't really realize how big he actually is until he's standing right next to you, breathing down your neck with that absolutely unnerving smile on his face that just makes you want to flee the room shrieking at the top of your lungs. And that seems to be enough to say on that subject. I probably just caused all of his fans to form an angry mob to come trample me to death...oh well.
Larxene-The last favorite. This girl is something else. When I first heard of her, I thought it was interesting that the Organization actually had a female in their ranks and that she must have some pretty amazing qualities in order to be included. And boy oh boy, does she ever! Not saying that sadism is an admirable ideal, I think it's downright disgusting, but Larxene is one of those characters (like most of the Organization) that I find highly interesting but I would never want to meet in real life. I think I really like her character design as well and the choice of lightning as her element, it just fits so incredibly well. Sharp, quick, and very dangerous. The way she fights and her weapons are also very, very interesting. I think I'll enjoy that fight in Final Mix the most, without a doubt. And did I mention the arrogance? Because there's a lot of it. She almost exudes it from her very pores. It's that pronounced. And I still like her. Wonder why. There's just something about her light, flippant attitude with her horrible cruel streak running so close to the surface that I find very intriguing. And she was needed to complete my three favorites: Demyx, Zexion, and Larxene. Absolutely no interaction time whatsoever, but still very, very interesting. And oh so squeeworthy!
-Whew, that was long. On to the next category!
Favorite Pairings
Sora/Kairi-AKA Sori, Kaira, or any other ridiculous combination the fans come up with. I myself prefer Sora/Kairi. Why? Because it makes sense and it's easy to understand and remember. These two are are a pretty good completion couple, though not as good as their nobodies. Sora's wacky, somewhat spontaneous, and very open and honest. Kairi's a little shy and reserved, but always there by Sora's side to give him support or anything else he might need. Nothing highly squeeworthy, but still one of my favorites because there's nothing holding them back. It's a very honest, open, almost clean-feeling relationship that makes me feel very warm and fuzzy inside just thinking about it. Plus the fact that they're just oh-so-cute together.
Roxas/Namine-I'm not going to bother stuffing their names together, I'm sure you've seen those before. These two are probably my favorite couple in the KH fandom. Why? They really are the perfect completion couple. Roxas is withdrawn, moody, and very quiet about his feelings, although he can certainly stand up for himself and what he believes in. Namine is also very quiet, but in a much different way. She's kind and gentle, something that Roxas lacks a bit. She can also stand up for herself, but she does it in a way that fixes the problem yet doesn't cause any unwanted hostile feelings towards her or anyone else involved. She is a lot more careful about situations as well, while Roxas usually just rushes in without really thinking it through, although he does have enough experience to be wary about certain things. But why my favorite? Well, I just gave you a pretty good reason, but honestly, I just think they're both absolutely adorable in that quiet, uncertain sort of way, although they both give off a strong bond for each other. Even though it's faint, you can tell it's there and that just makes them so much more cute. But enough squeeing, moving on...
Demyx/Larxene-Yeah, yeah, I know. This pairing defies all logic and should be outlawed because it would never work and you're stupid to even read about such a pairing. I know, I've heard it all before, but that still hasn't stopped me...for some reason. But anyway...perhaps you're hoping I'll give you an explanation to the madness? Well not really, but here's something at any rate. These two are in my favorites, as I've already said, so that gives a big push for the pairing since you really have to like both of them a lot to even look at the fanfic. It seems that I just always have to have at least one pairing in a fandom that makes absolutely no sense and would never happen in canon even if they were locked up in the same room together for a year, but hey! That's what makes it interesting. I think it would be a very interesting balance and make for a very entertaining relationship that would be as spontaneous and quirky as they come. I also think someone would have to enter Larxene into extensive therapy/intensive training before she would lower herself to so much as kiss him, but I can still dream, right? Right.
And that concludes this exciting episode! Stay tuned for more fandoms coming your way!