It's a beautiful evening on Destiny Islands, and the sun is warm on your skin. The sand shifts under your feet as you move. A younger version of Selphie is playing in the surf nearby, in a desperate effort to prove that this is still a Final Fantasy VIII website.
Uh-oh. The original Selphie, who disembarked with you from Balamb Garden, has just run over to talk to the Kingdom Hearts version. Having two Selphies in the same place seems likely to end in explosions. You hastily move further along the beach.
Let's talk about the Kingdom Hearts series. Yes, I know that, on top of not being Final Fantasy VIII, this isn't even a Final Fantasy game. It's got Final Fantasy characters in it, so it's fine. This website is still somewhere adjacent to being on-topic. Leave me alone.
In my experience, there are two main categories of Kingdom Hearts fan: the ones who came to it because of Final Fantasy, and the ones who came to it because of Disney. Both of which are completely valid reasons; the friend I talk to most about the series originally played it because of the Disney connection! But, in my case, it was my love of Final Fantasy that drew me in.
I first heard about this upcoming Disney and Square collaboration in a magazine, probably the UK's Official PlayStation 2 Magazine. I was surprised but intrigued; it sounded like fun! The magazine had some art of Sora on Destiny Islands, if I recall correctly, and I cut it out and put it up on my wall.
I just tried to find a picture of that art, but, alas, with no luck. I did find this piece of art, though - the original game's cover art - which I also used to have up on my wall, cut out of a later magazine.
In my teens, my bedroom walls were very Square-focused. I also had posters of Yuna and Tidus from Final Fantasy X, some pictures from an article about Final Fantasy XI (a game I never even played), and, uh, a friend's pencil drawing of Squall Leonhart kissing me. Don't give me that look.
When Kingdom Hearts actually came out, I absolutely loved it. I was Sora's age at the time, so it's been fun to watch him grow up alongside me over the course of the series, although Sora has admittedly been ageing considerably slower than I have!
The Kingdom Hearts series is bizarre and frequently incomprehensible, but it's also fun and charming and heartfelt. The end of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is the hardest I have ever cried at a videogame. After the final boss, I had to pause and mop up my tears so I could see the DS screen.
I like Sora a lot as a protagonist, but my favourite Kingdom Hearts character is Riku. Give me a character who makes horrible mistakes and hates themselves for it, and I will almost certainly love them.
I mean, obviously my favourite character is Squall Leonhart in any universe that includes him. But my favourite character created specifically for Kingdom Hearts is Riku.
Writing this page was a bad idea, because I've made myself really impatient to play Kingdom Hearts IV, a game that (as of right now, in mid-2024) is unlikely to come out any time soon. Whenever these kids return to our consoles, though, I'll be there to welcome them.
Considering how much and how long I've loved this series, it's a little surprising that I've never written much Kingdom Hearts fanfiction. But, well...
As you stand ankle-deep in the water, looking out at the horizon, something nudges your foot. You bend down and pick up a glass bottle. There's a message inside.
When you take it out and unfurl it, you discover that it's a short story about Kairi and Axel training together during Kingdom Hearts III.