Published: December 12th 2024, 3:40:19 am
What follows is a portion of my script for my Kingdom Hearts 1 Retrospective. Yes, I will be doing this for all the worlds, and then cobbling them together for a giant video, lmfao. Enjoy!
We begin, as all great stories do, with trippy, abstract visuals as the main character contemplates the nature of reality betwixt ominous dark clouds. Who hasn’t been there?
Let me tell you, this is pure, unfiltered, “I’m 14 and this is deep” energy, and I live for it. Much of Kingdom Hearts’ story, especially in the first couple games, centers around the painful metamorphosis of growing up. Of leaving your childhood behind as you become an adult, while also struggling not to lose all the lighthearted innocence in a dark, frightening, and unpredictable world.
Given the age of most people when they first played Kingdom Hearts, this is the perfect approach to endear the audience, since they’re likely to share this struggle as they themselves try to navigate the world as they find their footing. And a lot of that is this process of discovery, where at so many points you think to yourself, “Is this real life? Is this chaotic, painful mess really what it’s all about?”
Casually, if you don’t give the line much thought, you can write it off as trying to appear deep without losing much, but the sincerity of the question and its underlying apprehension do tonally match the rest of the game’s story and themes. And I dig that.
What then follows is what many Kingdom Hearts fans like to call, “AMV Material,” because these games’ opening cinematics are ripe for angsty edits. Set to the PLANITb Remix of “Simple and Clean” by Utada Hikaru, the intro shows us the three main characters: Sora, Riku, and Kairi, all trying to enjoy a day at the beach, all the while realizing the answer to Sora’s question is, “Um, I’m not sure? Because reality is melting right in front of me, and it’s terrifyingly immaculate.”
Again, the imagery on display is wild, and immediately eye-catching. Like in a music video, the visuals can seem to be solely for the purpose of capturing the viewer’s imagination, drawing them in with absurd, dreamlike spectacles. But when you take a closer look, there’s hidden depth… well, not quite hidden - more obscured.
There’s a visceral story going on here that clicks into place as you play the game, but you can still gather what’s going on intuitively without that context. Think of it like… dream interpretation. Your brain takes subconscious thoughts, beliefs, and anxieties, and manifests them into stories and images in your dreams.
We begin with Sora floating through the dark depths of the sea, only to awaken back on the shores of his island. He sees his friend Riku standing out in the water. Before he can run to his friend, the water recedes, forming a tidal wave coming to engulf them both. Sora rushes out to Riku, but Riku is totally unbothered. He just reaches out his hand. Even when the wave hits, and they’re both submerged, Riku remains calm and collected, and the tide pulls Sora away as he struggles to reach him.
In this case, the visuals foreshadow the disaster about to befall Destiny Islands, the boys’ homeworld. Riku remains unfazed by the disaster, deciding to embrace the darkness, which explains why he seems perfectly unaffected by what should be killing him. The whole game, Riku descends a dark path from which Sora is unable to pull him back.
Sora is then pulled back to the beach. Sunset has fallen over the island, and Kairi calls out from shore, awaiting Sora. Kairi seems cheerful, just happy to see Sora, and the feeling appears mutual. However, the mood shifts as they look to the sky to see, among a meteor shower, another Sora falling from the sky. The Sora down on the back falls back in shock, falling into the sky as Kairi vanishes in a ripple of water.
Okay so… falling into the sky? Iconic. Obsessed with this visual 100%. Also a bit funny given the meaning of the trios names: in Japanese, “Riku” means “land,” “Kairi” means “sea,” and “Sora” means “sky.” Weird the “land” guy got devoured by the sea, but can’t win ‘em all I suppose.
Kairi vanishing here does track with events later on. Given the moment of laughter here, it’s likely to show the moment of peace that gets interrupted by the anomaly they’re about to witness. Another version of Sora - made funnier by events of later games - here could just mean another facet of Sora’s character or personality. In this case, the version of Sora changed by what he just experienced with Riku.
Sora then falls through the sky, into the sun, and back into the depths of the sea, literally transcending the celestial borders of his world to enter the great unknown. It’s ethereal, life changing, but equally frightening. We then effortlessly shift into the tutorial stage, as Sora’s first step releases a burst of light. Doves fly out in all directions, leaving behind the mural of the first Disney princess as the ground upon which Sora walks: Snow White.
This transition from the ending visual into gameplay absolutely eats. Fantastic way to grab your audience’s attention, and foreshadow events and themes to come, without necessarily giving it all away. And given the tutorial stage is later revealed to be a dream of Sora’s, we can assume the intro sequence was as well, so perhaps the use of dream interpretations wasn’t too far off.
And real quick, I wanna say I adore “Simple and Clean.” The lyrics match that struggle of growing up and realizing things aren’t as straightforward as they seemed when you were young, told through the story of a young romance awkwardly stumbling through adolescent milestones. What should be simple - the idea of falling in love with someone and that being enough - turns out to be quite difficult when faced with all the complex issues that come with growing up in a complex world. It. EATS.
Apparently, Nomura knew right off the bat he wanted Utada to do the main theme for Kingdom Hearts. His staff were like, “Um, no, she’s never gonna do it, please be real,” but he went for it anyway, and Utada immediately went “… Sure, why not?” If that’s not the epitome of Kingdom Hearts’ entire existence, I don’t know what is.
Oh, and the PLANTIb remix is definitely one of my favorite versions of the song. The fast pace gets you hyped to play the game, and works well paired with the cinematic, especially when certain actions match the beats of the song.
The tutorial takes place in what’s known as the Station of Awakening. This mysterious, otherworldly realm is an endless dark void filled with a faint fog, the only walkways being large cylindrical platforms made of stained glass. The tops of these platforms bear illustrations of different characters. In short, this realm represents people’s hearts. They are the manifestation of the interiors of their hearts - hearts in this case essentially being a person’s soul or essence.
And for the record, I mean this in the sense of a metaphor, cuz the later games get obsessed with trying to literalize everything, and even differentiate between souls and hearts, and it gets frustrating very quickly as they seem not to realize the metaphorical realm the earlier games were operating in.
There are five platforms in this tutorial stage, four of which representing Snow White, Cinderella, Aurora, and Belle. No, I’m not sure why Cindy is a brunette here, nor why Belle is a ginger, but their looks do slay, as does Aurora’s purple dress. I’m guessing the changes were made to suit the aesthetics here? Truth be told, Cinderella kinda kills it with this brunette look.
Given Kingdom Hearts as a series is basically one-third Disney (the other chunks being Square Enix and Nomura’s psyche), it makes sense to have different aspects of the Disney brand play prominently into the story, including the Disney Princesses. It ties the Disney stuff into the story early on, and in a way that matches the lucid, mystical tone this opener radiates.
As we’ll see later on in the story, this dream works not only as a tutorial, but also a premonition of what’s to come for Sora. These four princesses’ current states can be surmised from their presence here, especially in concert with the fifth platform not reflecting one particular princess, but rather the silhouettes of three princesses. This one confused me for years, especially since the silhouettes don’t match the remaining prominent princesses.
But they’re not supposed to. They represent the idea of a princess so as to hide the identities of the remaining ones, as these three are still free from the encroaching darkness that’s already consumed the four we’ve seen. It’s, again, something that clicks by the end of the game, but on your first playthrough, you still get the important information that these characters - and likely other well-known, recognizable Disney characters - will later be present. Something I think both kids and Disney fans will appreciate, without compromising the serious tone of the game.
Across each platform, you learn the basics of movement, combat, and interaction, all through the Command Menu. Now, I won’t be going too into detail about the combat since I’m a story and writing girlie, but I do wanna say… I love the Command Menu. It might seem a bit clunky for a real-time action game, but you get accustomed to it quite quickly, and it allows access to a wide array of actions that wouldn’t be possible otherwise.
Things like jumping, guarding, and rolling - things you’ll need at all times, both in exploration and combat - are done through different face buttons. For reference, we’ll use the classic PlayStation controller. Circle is jumping, Square is for guarding when still, and when in motion, Square lets you roll, once you get the necessary abilities of course. The Command Menu, meanwhile, relies on the X button, thus keeping things like choosing spells or different items from clogging up the other buttons.
I do appreciate the change made in the HD remasters, where reaction commands - which pop in for brief situations such as opening chests or talking to characters - are moved to the Triangle button. Previously, they’d pop up in the last slot of the Command Menu, forcing you to scroll down to it and hit X before it vanished. Not exactly great for something that can vanish in the blink of an eye. By moving to the flashy green Triangle button, it becomes far easier to access in the heat of the moment, and far fairer.
At the start of this stage, you’re asked to choose between three weapons: a Sword, a Shield, and a Staff. You must choose one weapon to wield, and another to give up, which will translate into how your stats are balanced for the rest of the game. Don’t know the exact details, but I do know it will also impact at what level you learn certain skills. It asks what you prioritize, and tailors your progression to your answers.
And I can’t help but enjoy the way this ties into the uncertainty that comes with growing up. Being unsure of your own choices as you move forward, wondering if you made the right call, and figuring it all out as you go. Personally, I go for the Sword, and then give up the Staff, cuz I can’t imagine waiting past Level 9 to get the Scan ability.
You also encounter Shadows, the most basic enemy in the game. You’re not quite sure what they are aside from creatures of darkness. Their design is simple but deeply memorable, with glowing yellow eyes that are both adorable and ominous. Their little hunch, their zigzaggy antennae, and their sharp claws again walk that fine line between cute and threatening, making them perfect base villains for a game meant to be accessible for kids. Silly and not too scary, but just scary enough to be clear as a threat.
And mechanically, they help you get the basic feel of combat. Since they sink into the ground like their namesake, swimming through the floor around you, you have to wait until they rise back up to strike them before they strike you.
But none of this would work without the illustrious Yoko Shimomura. Seriously, this woman makes magic. The main theme here is “Dive into the Heart,” an eerie melody carried by an ethereal choir, and a deep, bassy boom that I think is a piano? I’m not a music girlie, so please don’t bully me, but I absolutely love how haunting this sounds. It really helps sell the idea that this is a foreboding, liminal place we shouldn’t be treading.
As it picks up, it becomes “Destati,” which evolves that eerie feeling into a deep, blaring terror, perfect for the boss fight at the end of this stage. Now, to make it even better, this song is apparently cursed - I assume by a county fair witch. Whenever the chorus was loaded - like, in the software - bad shit would go down, like all the power in the Square building going off.
Ya know, fun curse stuff, instead of killing anyone, or stealing your firstborn among a swarm of locusts. Though let’s be real, if any human would be capable of opening the door to such primal terrors, it would be Yoko Shimomura.
The soundtrack was reorchestrated for the HD remasters. Originally, the score featured synthesized, MIDI instruments, but the remastered score features real ones, and I must say, the glow up is astounding. Both versions have their merits. Personally, I find the MIDI instruments hold a certain charm, especially for eerie tracks like “Dive into the Heart” that feel more foreboding with the uncannily synthetic choir so choppily hopping between notes.
Between these platforms, you’re taken back to Destiny Islands, where you’re greeted by your Final Fantasy besties asking you invasive questions about the meaning of life. This very existential opener has undoubtedly shaped my turbulent perceptions of reality.
Now, I’m not a Final Fantasy girlie. I now know who these characters are… in the same I know what games they come from, but I don’t know them intimately, and I had no clue who they were growing up. I just knew they were cool and edgy, and I vibed with that. And perhaps that’s why Final Fantasy characters are basically just cameos in these games?
Final Fantasy characters tend to be confined to either selective Disney worlds, or the original worlds, rather than having worlds corresponding to their games. As a Tales fan, I assume it’s cuz entire worlds based on JRPGs would be way too complex, and clash tonally with the Disney worlds.
I tend to feel the Final Fantasy characters are underwritten, and from what I’ve heard from Final Fantasy fans, their personalities tend to differ drastically from their original games. Now, if these games had Tales character cameos, and they gave this treatment to my favs like Luke, or Milla, or Velvet, there would absolutely be hell to pay. The Final Fantasy girlies have their moments in the first couple games, but I do wish they had more prominence, especially as the series goes on.
In this case, we have Selphie from Final Fantasy 8, and Tidus and Wakka from Final Fantasy 10, who in the universe of Kingdom Hearts all live on Destiny Islands with the main trio. They’re basically just background characters meant to make the island feel more fleshed out, and also as optional fights to help you get more accustomed to the combat mechanics.
For right now, they’re here to prompt your existential dread. Selphie asks what’s most important to you, Tidus asks what you’re afraid of, and Wakka asks what you want out of life. And each of them will bully you for your answer, just to dig at your insecurities - or in the case of tiny me, establish them.
Depending on your answers, you’ll be told your journey begins at either dawn, midday, or the dead of night, which changes the rate at which you level up. For dawn, you’ll level up quickly from Levels 1 to 50, then slower afterwards. It’s the inverse for dead of night, and midday keeps you at an even pace throughout. It’s ultimately up to what you prefer, and to my knowledge, could also be useful for runs on harder difficulties.
Personally, I always answer that friendship is most important to me, that I fear being indecisive, and that I want to broaden my horizons. Yes, to be cheesy, they’re all what’s most true for me, but they also result in a midday journey that I tend to prefer. I like the steady pace that doesn’t make my life harder than it needs to be at any point.
Once you hit the Save Point on the Aurora Platform, you’re then prompted by the light to ascend the stained-glass platforms to another pillar in the distance. Naturally, you follow, and tiny me was terrified to turn around and see the platforms disappear behind me. Like, what do you mean there’s no turning back?! I see where a lot of my anxieties started, I guess.
Once you reach the Belle platform, your shadow decides it’s tired of following you, crawls its way out of the ground, and grows into the shape of a freaky monster known as the Darkside. It’s a larger, stronger, more grotesque version of the Shadows. It’s still got the weird, zigzaggy little footsies, but it’s far more muscular, with a larger chest and arms to suggest overwhelming strength, but also an uncanny factor given how unbalanced it is. Very topheavy there, Darkside.
The heart-shaped cut through the chest adds to the uncanniness, while also being… literally Heartless. I dig it. And the face being obscured by shadowy hair tentacles mimicking Sora’s spiky hair, with only the same eerie, glowing yellow eyes as the Shadows peering through? Oh, it’s such a good design. I think this fight gave me my fear of giant boss fights.
Now, you don’t have to win this fight, which is nice for a tutorial stage. It doesn’t punish you if you’re not quite acquainted enough with the combat. But once you understand the Darkside’s behavior, the fight becomes surprisingly easy, which again, works perfectly for the game’s first boss.
You’ll also discover Tech Points. If you parry an enemy’s attack, or hit a weak spot through clever tactics, you’ll be awarded special points that go towards your experience, speeding up your leveling process. It’s a great reward for learning to fight more intelligently and exploiting the enemy’s weaknesses, and I’m so sad it’s only present in this game. Also, this is the only game where you gain experience from boss fights. No clue why, but I’m also pissed it was cut from the later games.
Whether you win or lose, ultimately, your weapons deserts you, and you’re consumed by the darkness as the Darkside falls on you. As you’re consumed, a disembodied voice - a voice which has been guiding you for the rest of the tutorial - tells you to have no fear, for you hold the mightiest weapon of all, and you are the one who will open the door.
Now, we don’t know who this voice is. I assume there’s still heated debates over it to this very day. Truthfully, I don’t think it matters - it’s more of an inner voice reassuring you in the face of absolute, all-consuming dread. If this is a premonition of what’s to come for Sora, then the voice is the inner wisdom and strength guiding him forward.
And that’s the tutorial stage! And might I say… the vibes are immaculate. You’re being introduced to this dark, surreal tone to get an idea of what you’re in store for, and it definitely helps to hook the player. If the game just started with the kids on Destiny Islands, I doubt it’d capture the same interest. It hooks new players and helps them learn the fundamentals, but it also has enough mystery to make them wonder what the rest of the game will be like, while still clicking perfectly into place once you have all the information.
Awakening from the dream, Sora finally finds himself on the shores of the real Destiny Islands. Boi took a nap on the sands, and dozed off long enough to have prophetic dreams of a dark future - haven’t we all been there? I mean, just look at this place. Who wouldn’t dream of snoozing along these sands? Listening to the rolling tides, the faint chirps of the seagulls overhead, letting your eyes wander along the waves towards the deep-blue horizon.
Before Sora can nod off again, Kairi jumpscares him, chewing him out and teasing him for his laziness. He tries to tell her about his dream, but she’s not taking any of it seriously, and I must say, Kairi’s got more personality than I remember. Sora’s just generally kinda aloof, and Kairi is the one teasing him and spurring him on. Likewise, I remember Sora as more naive and kind, but KH1 Sora kinda is a bum, like Kairi says.
He’s got this lazy side where he’d rather just veg out, not focusing on anything too serious, yet it’s also so easy to get him flustered. Both Riku and Kairi make it a point to get Sora’s goat. It helps to characterize Sora and make him far more than “generic good boi protagonist.”
Real quick, Sora also drops that Kairi wasn’t born on the islands, like him and Riku. Kairi came from somewhere else, but she doesn’t remember. While she is a tad curious about where she came from, she still considers Destiny Islands her home, as this is where the people she loves are, as well as the memories she’s shared with them.
Spoiling the moment, Riku wanders over, teasing both Sora and Kairi about how they’re both goofing off while he’s left to do all the work on their raft project - naturally, tossing the giant log he’s carrying onto Sora to get him to stop lazing about. Immediately, he’s far more amicable than he seemed in the opening cinematic, but still clearly a bit more in conflict with the others.
Kairi then challenges the boys to a race, and with her goofy but also unnerving giggle, the camera pans from their race to the sky, showing us not only the game’s title, but also the world’s official name and logo, further grounding us into the environment.
I utterly adore these three’s friendship. Right away, you’re endeared to each of them, and get enough of their personality to understand the dynamics of their friendship. Kairi is the playful one who can be a bit wiley, Riku’s the more practical, focused on who wants to get the work done, and Sora’s the aloof, braindead one whose husk of a brain you’re piloting. It also helps learning that Riku is a year older than the other two, explaining why he can feel not only the edgiest, but also like the one who has to get the others in line.
Characters are what most people will remember when they leave a story, and Kingdom Hearts does a really solid job at endearing you to these main three right off the bat. That said, most of the focus kinda goes to Sora and Riku, while Kairi is a third wheel. She’s gonna spend the majority of this game offscreen in a more supportive role, and it’s only gonna get worse as the games go on. But for right now, she’s shining a lot more than I remember, and I’m gonna appreciate it while it lasts.
But real quick, let’s talk design. Now, given these three are Nomura’s original characters, they still have to tow the line between Disney and Final Fantasy. Which is to say iconic, colorful, and memorable, but without leaning too far into either cartoony or overly-edgy anime aesthetics. We only have prototype designs for Sora, but originally, he was far, far edgier, sporting a chainsaw weapon, a crown, and even a lion’s tail. He kinda reminds me of a lot of the anthropomorphic or human-adjacent protagonists of platformers from the 2000s, like Jak and Daxter or Sly Cooper.
The crown got to stay for certain illustrations, and as one of the game’s most iconic symbols, but Disney likely told Nomura to tone down the edgy bullshit. Instead, Sora is a normal human boy, who’s still sporting aggressively anime clothing. A red one-piece shirt and poofy shorts, with an obnoxious silver zipper, a matching crown necklace, a black cropped jacket with white sleeves, white fingerless gloves, and goofy yellow clown shoes. Oh, and spiky brown hair.
It’s a very… silly look, but it’s definitely memorable, and feels appropriate for the tone of the game. Trying to be serious, but still maintaining the silliness of childhood, especially since the poofy, kinda goofy silhouette is meant to resemble that of Mickey Mouse. He’s even got the Mickey colors! I really appreciate that each of the trio also has their own signature color. For Sora, that’s red, offset by his crystal-blue eyes.
Riku, meanwhile, sports a sleeveless yellow top, with black straps and gloves, and then… dark blue pants, with more saturated-blue wading pants. For the longest time, I had no clue why he dressed this way, especially if he was trying to look more mature. But I guess that tracks with the attempts of edgy teenagers trying and failing to dress like adults.
Supposedly, these are actually fisherman’s pants, meant to be waterproof for their eponymous wearers. I suppose that does track given they’re all islander kids. Still, as silly as the look is, it definitely feels the edgiest of the three, working well for Riku’s character, and I think that’s due not only to the silver hair, but also the contrast of the colors.
The blacks in Sora’s outfit are less saturated, and more grayish, while Riku’s look sports jet black. The yellow and blue in his look also clash a bit with how saturated they are, but not so much that they make the outfit become too busy. It’s still colorful and easy to remember, especially thanks to the silhouette the pants create, without looking childish.
And at last, we have Kairi. Hers is simple: a white tank top with purple and black trims, a silver bead necklace, cute purple shorts with a lacy skirt overtop, and white-and-purple shoes. Unlike future looks, Kairi sports purple rather than pink, and I must admit, I kinda prefer her in purple.
It just suits her so well, and is a nice reprieve given Kairi is basically just regarded as “the girl” for most of the series - she at least doesn’t have to be stuck in “the girl color” here. And I say that as someone who adores pink (put it on a boy, you cowards). Not to mention, if Sora’s color is red, and Riku’s is blue, then why not have Kairi balance them out in the middle with purple?
Kairi’s look is cute and feminine, but still practical. It allows her to still play with the boys, and potentially kick ass, while remaining adorable, and I dig that. I wouldn’t say it gives tomboy, but more… sporty, especially with the short red hair.
Also, I’m only just realizing it now… but all of the trio have the same crystal-blue eyes. The only one who seems to differ a bit is Riku, ironically having slightly lighter eyes. Not sure if that was intentional, but I kinda love this? It helps connect them all, and honestly makes me think of the clear-blue seas and skies of the world they all grew up on together.
These three, when Sora isn't busy foretelling our doom through gyromancy, are building themselves a raft. They long to see what lies beyond their island. Not just the rest of their world, but entirely different worlds. I guess they're gonna pull an Aisha and use the ocean gates for interplanetary travel. I just hope they don't wind up accidentally building Gwen's face.
Destiny Islands will be your testing grounds for the prologue, and it’s an excellent location for it. It’s completely safe (for now), letting you feel relaxed and go at your own pace. The inclusion of original worlds that are exclusive to the Kingdom Hearts games helps the series forge and maintain its own identity, independent of the properties it borrows from, and Destiny Islands is among the favorites. Like, who wouldn’t wanna live here?
Once you get to play again, Kairi sends you on a fetch quest to get supplies for the raft: a cloth, a rope, and two logs. They’re spread out across this area, forcing you to get acquainted with the space and get familiar with the movement mechanics, while also establishing that you’ll sometimes be doing more than just fighting enemies.
The cameo characters are here if you wanna chat with them, or even fight them. They’re kept optional, so these are if you need some more time learning how to fight, or if you just like beating the shit out of people. We don’t judge. You can also fight Riku if you’d like, and he’s definitely a more competent combatant than the others. We’ll talk about he and Sora’s rivalry later, but I love that from here, Sora keeps count of his and Riku’s victories. If you have the time and patience, these numbers can get real comical.
The music here is tranquil and tropical, as to be expected. The melody will get stuck in your head, and I adore these laid-back strings paired with the playful percussion and synths. Perfect for a day of fun in the sun. And same goes for “Bustin’ up on the Beach,” which is energized enough to work as the combat version, while still remaining playful.
Once the day’s done, the trio chills alongside this wayward-ass palm tree, basking in the sunset. Real talk, sunsets are always gorgeous, and I never get sick of them. The way the sky and sea turn this warm red-pink color, golden flecks shining on the water. You know in Japanese, they have a word for the way light passes through tree branches - komorebi. I wish we had an English equivalent, and lowkey, I wish we had another word for the way sunlight’s reflected off the sea.
For a game from 2002, the visuals hold up so well, be they remastered or otherwise. A lot of that is owed to the excellent art direction and texture work. Fun thing I learned from picking up 3D art as a hobby, is that older games faked all their lighting in their textures, since older consoles would’ve exploded if they had to handle realtime lighting. That ironically forces you to artfully, thoughtfully paint shadows and light effects onto textures.
The character models have probably aged the least gracefully. They’re not bad by any means, but most of them have high and low poly versions that switch out depending on what the game needs. Most of the time, the low poly versions are used in gameplay and cutscenes, featuring textures for eyes and mouths rather than a fully modeled face, along with certain details being textured rather than modeled. It’s to keep the processing power of the console down.
If there’s a dramatic moment in a cutscene that requires a closer, more detailed look of the character, that’s when they’ll switch in the high poly version with the fully modeled face. It’s a thing you can’t unsee once you notice, but personally, I think I’m more in awe of the craftsmanship than anything else. Especially cuz I am a sucker for low-to-mid poly aesthetics.
Also, love the little conveyances of personality through the way the characters hang out in the space. Riku leans against the tree’s base, arms crossed and broody, contemplating about the meaning of life. Kairi just sits, calmly kicking her legs. And Sora leans back, lazily lying along the tree and staring blankly ahead, either at the tree’s leaves, the sky, or… whatever the hell he’s foretelling next.
They’re all chatting amongst themselves about their plans. Their goal is to use the raft to see other worlds, which tracks with the general sentiment of kids around their age (Sora and Kairi being 14, and Riku being 15). The imagination of a child to wonder what mysteries could lie just out of sight, in tandem with the teenage desire for the freedom of adulthood.
Out of the three, Riku is the most fascinated with the idea of leaving the islands behind. He’s the one taking this seriously, which is probably why he’s having to tell the others to quit goofing off when it comes to the raft. With the way his story goes, it tracks with his strong desire to grow up fast and become an adult, even if that means embracing its darker side.
Riku casually drops that it’s Kairi who gave him this idea of seeing other worlds. And while it is sweet, it does carry an undercurrent of, “Oh no, you’re gonna become obsessed with this and lose your mind, aren’t you?” You can even kinda hear that Kairi’s not sure what to make of Riku’s fixation when she talks to him.
This does make sense, that Sora and Riku would be the ones interested in seeing other worlds, with Riku being the most obsessed with feeling suffocated by the islands as he’s trying desperately to grow up, all the while Kairi is kinda just going along with the boys. She’s not against the idea, but she’s fond of this home she’s found. It’s a little ironic touch that I’m absolutely enamored with.
And honestly, as much as I love Sora, the more I describe this, the more I wish Kairi got to be the protagonist, forced to leave the home she’d come to know as she’s thrown into the unfamiliar, ultimately culminating in her return to her homeworld, now a bastardized, hollow version of itself.
As they head for their boats to head home, Riku tosses Sora a Paopu fruit: a star-shaped fruit which only grows on the trees of Destiny Islands. According to local legend, if two people share one, their destinies become intertwined, with a heavy implication that they’ll be considered soulmates. Can I just say how much I love little tidbits of lore like this when they flesh out the world, while also connecting to the characters’ stories?
Riku says he knows Sora wanted one and wanted to try it, presumably with Kairi, laughing at him while Sora is all, “Shut up, Riku, you’re embarrassing me!” Peak teenage behavior. Admittedly, while it’s very cute here, it falls flat for me later on in the series with how neglected Kairi’s character becomes, and by extension, both the friendship and suggested romance between her and Sora. For right now though, it’s cute, it’s perfect, and it’s everything.
And with that, the first day is done, and we’re one step closer to joining the characters on their interstellar voyage.
We then transition to Disney Castle: an original location inhabited by the most iconic of Disney characters. Given characters like Mickey, Donald, and Goofy originate from various shorts rather than one specific film, it makes sense to ground them in their own world that suggests prominence. They don’t rule over the other Disney worlds, since all the worlds just kinda do their own thing, but the aesthetic very much gives Disney Magic Kingdom energy.
And by seeing this now, the game is also telling you that there’s more to its universe than just the mundanity of Destiny Islands. That there are, in fact, other worlds out there.
We’re first introduced to Donald Duck, dressed in wacky blue sorcerer garb. Again, love the color association, especially since it matches Donald’s usual blue wardrobe. These characters get lots of original looks, and I absolutely love that they feel aggressively JRPG coded. Donald’s little wizard hat with the squiggly, pointed top? Iconic.
He walks down a long hall, up to a giant door… and a smaller door opens within. Grade-A humor right there. He walks down the even longer, echoey throne room, ready to address King Mickey, only to find an empty throne. From behind it emerges his dog Pluto, a letter in hand. And after Donald finishes reading it, he rushes out screaming for dear life.
Out in the gardens, he finds Goofy - here, a knight - snoozing about, not dissimilar to Sora snoozing along the beach. Can I just say I love Goofy’s pointed metal shoes, the big gauntlet on one hand, and the beak-shaped helmet acting more like a hat? Like his name suggests, Goofy never fails to appear goofy.
Donald tries to get Goofy’s attention, using a Thunder spell to wake him up, establishing Donald as a magic user in yet another bit of comedy gold, which also is on point for their personalities, with Donald being a neurotic, fiery bean, and Goofy being a laid-back airhead who remains ever unbothered, even when his weirdly-shaped face is caved in.
Donald says that there’s a crisis afoot, and he and Goofy need to take care of it in secret. No one can know, not even the queen, and when Goofy asks about her and Daisy, Donald thinks he’s asking if they can no. But he’s not. He’s addressing them both. PEAK. FUCKING. HUMOR.
Also, love that Minnie is a cute lil queen, and Daisy gets to be a noblewoman. And their fits? To die for! Daisy looks great in this indigo dress. It goes well with Donald’s blues while still being her own shade of blue. And Minnie? This red-and-pink dress? That golden crown with the Mickey emblem jewel? To die for.
They don’t tell you exactly what’s going on, but it’s very clear that King Mickey is missing. As the most iconic Disney character, you immediately go, “Wait, where is he? Where’s the king?” We’ll get into the reasons why he’s not present later, but I absolutely love the intrigue that builds, and how it makes you wonder how it ties into whatever journey awaits Sora.
Returning to Destiny Islands for the second day, you now have access to the back side of the island, which is far more treacherous. The island’s front is mostly the beach, with a walkway out to the islet, and the giant wooden ship and treehouse. The back, meanwhile, features a rickety, breakable walkway high above the water, and a small, hidden cove beneath a zipline, filled with tall coconut trees. You can’t get hurt here, but it’s making sure you understand how to move about the environment.
We don’t get to see the main island the kids live on, save for cutscenes in later games, mostly because it doesn’t matter to the story. Our focus is kept here, on the island where the kids have autonomy, so that they can be independent for the sake of gameplay, story, and theming.
Kairi’s fetch quest is a bit more complicated than yesterday. Firstly, you have to go find her, and you actually have to race against Riku to even start. We’ll talk about the race later, but as for items, Kairi needs a seagull egg, fresh drinking water, two coconuts, three fish, and three mushrooms. Not sure all of this will keep us alive for several weeks at sea, nor where on the raft we’d store it, but A for effort. Sora and Moana would make for great friends… well, that, or Moana would have a nervous breakdown seeing how ill prepared these kids are.
The items are easy enough to find, though I will say… I wish we got to fight a seagull while getting the egg. It’d probably be a nightmare, especially when climbing the tree is already a nuisance, but it would be fun to say, “Yes, in one of the games I grew up on, I got to fight off a homicidal seagull with a wooden sword. I barely escaped with my life.”
During this, Kairi makes a cute little charm made from thalassa shells. She says that supposedly, sailors would wear them to ensure a safe voyage. With this charm, the trio will never struggle in finding their ways back to each other - no, this totally doesn’t read an attack on my feelings whatsoever. Again, love all the little lore drops like this. And Kairi being all craftsy? More of this please. I’d love her later on learning to make magical charms. Perhaps a nod to a… certain mentor she got robbed of learning under?
Now, to no one’s surprise, Riku is staring ominously at the horizon. He wants to name the raft Highwind, giving you a chance to suggest your own name… and there are no restrictions. I appreciate them enabling my inner gay chaos gremlin.
Kairi runs over, and naturally, she acts as a referee for a race between the boys. Whoever wins gets to name the raft, and to boot, Sora says that if he wins, he’s captain. And Riku then suggests, like the troll he is, that whoever wins also gets to share a Paopu fruit with Kairi. Sora’s like, “Wuh,” and Kairi’s like, “No time for confusion, fool, you must run like the wind!”
Now in terms of gameplay… gurl, fuck this race. As much as I appreciate the attempt to include platforming to spice up the gameplay, it has not aged well. Sora’s jumps feel floaty, especially if you’re used to a much tighter platformer of that era, and he doesn’t jump that high or far with his ordinary jump. It’s especially hard to try and aim for specific trees while you’re hopping across.
And that zipline? Fuck. That. Zipline. I can never use it correctly, because there’s no interaction like this in the rest of the game. I always forget whether I just have to jump and automatically be carried, hit a button, or hit and hold a button, so nine times out of ten when I replay KH1, I fall immediately. Fun.
Oh, and this walkway? A falling hazard. Genuinely, I am shocked none of these children have brain damage. Then again, maybe that’s why they think minimal supplies on a raft in the middle of the sea won’t kill them all.
Interestingly, while Riku is friendly with Kairi, he doesn’t go out of his way to interact with her, and he doesn’t seem all that romantically interested in her. In fact, he seems more focused on teasing Sora about it, and riling him up with the idea of posing as a rival for her affection, than actually pursuing Kairi himself. Look, gays are seen as an other that could never exist in “normal” media, so let the gays have their delulu crumbs where they can get them. Sincerely, a gay who grew up on Kingdom Hearts.
Their rivalry feels about right for kids their age, especially with the way their personalities clash, but I also love that undercurrent of Riku almost vying for Sora’s attention as he’s… not even paying more attention to Kairi, but kinda just empty-headedly vibing. Kairi and Riku are the ones who have to snap this boi back to reality every five minutes.
While searching for one of the mushrooms, Sora enters the Secret Place - a hidden cave beneath the giant tree. This place has scared me since I was a kid. It’s not dangerous, it has no hidden enemies or threats, but it always felt like somewhere I didn’t belong. A place where if you linger too long, bad things might happen.
But also, a place kids definitely would love exploring - at least, the more adventurous kids who think they’re invincible. And that’s exactly what this is to the trio. In particular, Sora and Kairi would always scribble drawings on the walls, and in the present, Sora decides to update one of him and Kairi. He adjusts it to himself now sharing a Paopu fruit with Kairi. Adorable.
Alas, the cuteness cannot last. A strange hooded man, his face obscured, emerges from the darkness, chilling in a corner as he also foretells doom. But this time it’s in the voice of Billy Zane, so you know he means business. Again, this traumatized me as a child. Made me terrified of weird hooded figures looming in the shadows.
It sounds like nonsense on a first listen, but again, makes perfect sense later. He’s essentially saying that Destiny Islands is doomed, and that Sora is far too simple-minded to understand the complex universe currently in crisis. Rude. But Sora, clocking this guy’s from another world, asserts he’s gonna see what lies beyond. Again, he and Moana are kindred spirits.
But his mention of a door does check out, given there’s a giant, glowing goddamn door in this cave. Yes, it was there the whole time. Been there for years, actually. No one’s been able to get it open, and no one really knows how long it’s been there, how it got there, or where it leads. Really helps to add even more intrigue as to not only what the door is, but what it means for the nature of the world itself.
That sunset, Sora and Kairi chill at the end of the dock. Kairi says Riku has changed, but downplays it when Sora asks. They don’t specify, but it’s kinda plain to see with what we’ve seen of the characters thus far. That Riku is gearing up to leave all this tranquility behind, while Kairi becomes apprehensive of what lies beyond.
I’m just now processing the fact that Kairi making the charm to keep the three of them tied together kinda shows not only her love for these bozos, but also her fear of them being taken from her. That sense that inevitable change is just over the horizon, and the knee-jerk reaction to find ways to keep the people you love near; to keep them from changing, and thus, from leaving.
All the while, Sora’s oblivious. Sounds about right. I say this lovingly, y’all, Sora is my favorite dumb boi, especially since his dumbness at this stage is more endearing and cute airheadedness, rather than the mind-melting stupidity it’s going to metastasize later in the series.
To lighten the mood, and likely distract from her own anxiety, Kairi jokes about taking the raft with Sora, and the two of them leaving on it without anybody else. Sora’s taken aback, and Kairi’s like, “lol jk,” to which Sora says Kairi’s the one that’s changed. I’m assuming that Kairi was probably a lot shier and more timid when she first arrived on Destiny Islands, but became far more jovial and witty as it became her new home.
God, I miss this jokey, unserious side of her so bad, concealing the deep feelings and fears eating away at her. She’s got so much depth this early on that the games really just refuse to work with, and it’s so deeply frustrating.
Also, love Kairi’s theme here. There’s a few versions of it throughout the game, and I ADORE character leitmotifs. I blame this and RWBY for that, really. Kairi’s theme is soft and warm, much like the feeling of watching a sunset at the beach. There’s a hint of sadness in that piano and those woodwinds (at least, I think they’re woodwinds?), but the poignancy feels… accepting. Like it’s Kairi reflecting on her fond memories, and even though she knows it can’t last forever, she’s still choosing to cherish these moments with her friends.
And I love the faint vocals running along the piano. For me, I appreciate a good production that feels spacious, where all the elements occupy different spaces. It keeps them from overpowering each other. The piano feels like what’s grounding me in the music, while the vocals carry me off along the tides, yet the woodwinds are the breeze brushing past me.
Will say, I’m bitter Sora’s theme had to wait til KH2, but maybe you could argue it’s cuz he hasn’t “found himself” yet. I dunno, but the more I talk, the more I wish I lived in a timeline where Kairi was the one running around hitting people in the head with a giant car key.
Really, this is the last moment of true peace for these characters. The moment before everything changes forever. And for that, it’s best to savor the joy while it lasts, and to remember it fondly in the darker hours ahead.
Back at Disney Castle, we get to fully read the king’s letter. There’s no narration here, which always pissed me off when I couldn’t read through fast enough, but we’ll get to why there’s no voiceover in a bit.
The letter mentions stars vanishing from the sky, and how calamity looms ahead. The king has headed off in secret to deal with this himself, leaving Donald and Goofy the “key” to their survival - no, literally, a key. And it’s some kind of person, apparently.
The lack of voice admittedly helps to build intrigue and drama around the king. We all know it’s Mickey, and well know what Mickey looks and sounds like, but that doesn’t change the significance the game gives his character. It helps him to hold an incredibly important presence, and I appreciate how sincerely the game handles this, without ever joking about, “Lol isn’t it so funny Mickey Mouse is a badass king? Let’s take a moment to laugh at ourselves so everyone knows how irony-poisoned we are.”
In truth, this absence is due to Disney limiting how much Mickey could feature in the game, just in case Square ruined him and, by extension, their brand. And while Disney restrictions will wind up destroying the creative process later on, in this case, I’d argue it did wonders in helping establish Mickey’s presence, even when he isn’t present. You’re just wondering where he is, what he’s up to, and how he’ll be portrayed.
So Donald and Goofy, naturally, set out to follow the king’s wishes. But they won’t be alone. They’ll also be accompanied by Jiminy Cricket - the cricket who served as Pinocchio’s conscience. He serves as a gameplay mechanic to chronicle the game’s events, but in terms of story, he mentions how he lost his world - likely one of the vanishing stars the King’s letter mentioned.
This bit is building out the crisis that’s going on just out of sight. You’re sitting there, terrified of how this disaster is going to affect Sora, Riku, and Kairi, especially cuz we’re not quite sure what it even looks like. But we know it must be bad if it’s enough to destroy an entire world.
Thanks to Chip and Dale manning the hangar, Donald, Goofy, and Jiminy set off in the Gummi Ship - their version of a starship. It’s this cute, colorful ship that looks like it’s made of colorful blocks, but truthfully, the name always made me think it was made of the same stuff as gummy bears. So like… odds are I’d die in space because I couldn’t help but eat the ship.
Again, this whole section shows there’s more that’s out there. Many worlds, many characters, and many dangers.
Speaking of which, it’s time for trauma!
Sora is chilling in his bedroom, thinking over what Kairi said, as the camera focuses on little dolls on a wooden toy ship. Real talk? I appreciate how much love goes into all the different environments in the game, even the ones we don’t get to explore ourselves. All the toys, the knick knacks, the scattered clothes? It feels like an actual boy’s bedroom… minus the other horrors that would get this game rated M, but I digress. Will say though, I am disguised Sora is wearing his shoes on the bed. Fucking sinful behavior.
Sora can’t seem to sleep, which is lowkey perfect, given the end is nigh. He hears a storm brewing in the distance, and worried the raft will be destroyed, he heads out. No concern for his safety, doesn’t tell anyone where he’s going. Just… goes. Very main character behavior, I must say.
We then hear a line that shall live on in infamy: Sora’s mother calling from downstairs, saying that dinner is ready. People love joking about this line, and it’s because it’s a running gag in Kingdom Hearts, and a lot of media with young protagonists, how criminally neglectful and uninvolved parents are of their kids. Like, either Sora’s mom gives no shits her son is about to leave the planet, or she’s having a hundred heart attacks waiting up for him.
And really, the parents don’t matter, at least at this point in the story. A lot of these stories will try to remove the parents in order to give the younger protagonists agency, be that by killing the parents or sending the kids to a boarding school. But in the case of Kingdom Hearts, it’s just the kids goin’ off on their own as their parents are consumed offscreen by the ever-encroaching darkness. At least that sounds like a proper description of adulthood.
Arriving at the island, Sora finds Riku and Kairi’s boats, suggesting they’ve already made it here. But there’s no sign of them. Instead, Sora is greeted by Shadows: the monsters from his nightmare. The wooden sword can’t hurt them, making you feel utterly helpless, and forcing you to frantically run around and figure out what the hell is going on.
The music here? Also excellent. Yoko is just so GOOD at communicating the mood and creating an atmosphere, and let me tell you - “Night of Fate” still lives rent-free in my head. It’s frantic and frightening, while retaining the eeriness that accompanies the mystery of these invading creatures.
Suddenly, Sora’s premonition is coming true. It wasn’t just a dream. And that’s about to be proven again as he finds Riku staring at the giant orb of cosmic horror in the sky. He babbles on about how the door has opened, and it’s their chance to see the outside world. When Sora mentions Kairi, Riku asserts that Kairi will join them, and he’s scary when he says it.
Riku admits he’s unafraid of losing everything here. His home, his parents, his friends, but he doesn’t care. This is what he’s been waiting for, and he’s not going to let this opportunity go. Even if it’s through the darkness, he sees this as his chance to really fulfill his dream… and he wants Sora to join him.
Just like in the dream, Riku reaches out his hand, except instead of a tidal wave, darkness erupts from the ground to consume Riku. Sora desperately tries to reach his friend, but the darkness consumes them both before he can grab his hand. Everything goes black. And then, in a flash of light, the darkness vanishes, along with Riku. And in Sora’s hand is a weapon; a silver blade, with prongs and a golden handle in the shape of a key: the Keyblade.
Yeah, so all that talk of keys before? Yeah, that was all setup for this moment, and it EATS. It’s now that Sora’s able to fight the Shadows, and it really sells just how powerful this weapon is, along with the fact that it’s now mystically appeared in Sora’s hands.
Of course, the fear for Riku is still there, but he kinda chose his path right here. And now, Sora has to find Kairi. There’s a door to the Secret Place now, matching the door from Sora’s dream, and through it waits Kairi, standing before the other door in the cave. She turns to face Sora, but something is… off. She seems weak, and so does her voice.
The door suddenly opens, and a powerful wind is released. Before Sora can figure out what’s happening, Kairi is flung into his arms, only to vanish into thin air before he can grab her. Sora is then flung back outside. Except now, the beach has been ripped from the earth, flying - along with other whole chunks of the island - up into yon dark orb of cosmic horror.
This is doing such a good job at selling the sheer terror that’s happening here. It’s going so fast, feeling like a dream, but it’s all too real. Your home is being torn from her, completely destroyed before your eyes, by the unimaginable darkness that’s been haunting your nightmares. And of course, with that also comes the big bad boss of your nightmare: the Darkside.
He’s a bit tougher this time, but now, you must win. This is when the game demands you prove your worth; that you’re ready to leave your world and step out into the larger universe, and that you can handle yourself. Once you win, the Darkside is pulled up into the storm, and so are you.
This entire prologue is a chef’s kiss. It doesn’t last that long, but it still takes its time not only to get you used to the mechanics, and make sure you know what you’re doing, but also to endear you to the characters. You’re experiencing the mundanity of Sora’s life, while steadily being given bits of intrigue, right before that normalcy is ripped from you.
Most of this prologue is focused on the dynamics of the main trio, given their friendship is the story’s emotional core. And damn, they do such a good job at establishing these characters and getting you to care about them in such little time. Even with my gripes at how they’ll be written in later games, I must admit I love how much depth there is to each of them.
And really, the fact the prologue takes its time to establish tone, characters, themes, and gameplay mechanics makes it feel so cozy. Like you’re settling in before you head off on your big adventure. Perfect for both a child playing one of their first video games, and for an adult wanting a bit of whimsy to escape the horrors of their real life.
If we were to kick it off immediately with a Disney world, I doubt Kingdom Hearts’ opening would be nearly as gripping. You need that eerie, unique segment in the Station of Awakening, followed by the laid-back vibes of Destiny Islands, all leading to the tragic Night of Fate. It’s absolutely a memorable way to start a game.