Does Sora not care for Kairi???

[Decrith]

We can always blame the writers /sarcasm

 

[Smile]

We can always blame the writers /sarcasm

I think most of us do that. Quite a bit of the problem in SoKai is how the writers treat it. It's like some holy, untouchable concept that we're all supposed to take as granted, but then you turn and look at what was actually done with it (hint - giving two girls her face and say because of THEM Sora loves Kairi) and doubts start to rise.
KH2 was more self-contained in that sort of shenanigan because they at least seem to have tried this time around, but because they kept coupling Sora's concern for Kairi with his concern for Riku it downplayed Sora's reactions towards Kairi imo. It's more "oh no, Kairi too?!" than "oh no, Kairi?!"
The problem is you can blame the writers as much as you want. At the end, Sora does interact with Kairi directly several times throughout the series and he does interact with other people, and that lets us compare and see what to me is quite a harsh contrast.

 

[terraisawesome12]

I just thought of something.

Like I said before, he seemed to care more about kairi in KH1 than KH2. Remember how in CoM, Namine altered Sora's memories so Kairi was REPLACED by her? What if after the whole Marluxia battle, she gave him back his old memories, but slightly altered them so he could care less for Kairi, while he gets attacked to her(Namine)?

 

[Smile]

Remember how in CoM, Namine altered Sora's memories so Kairi was REPLACED by her?

I'd sooner say she replaced Kairi not in the literal sense (it would be tricky, seeing how Sora had Memories with both Kairi and Namine in them and then he forgot about everything other than Namine), but in a role place, being "the girl with Sora and Riku".
The Memory of the Promise in particular is tricky, being most likely a Memory Riku and Sora shared with each other (thus both Repliku who had Riku's Memories and Sora had it). The Meteor Shower puts it at the almost certain chronological date of when Kairi reached the islands, so Kairi wouldn't have even been there for Namine to replace.
Xion also makes matters much worse seeing how with her in the series, Sora didn't just forget Kairi, he literally lost his Memories of her. Thus, Xion got her face when Sora forgot Kairi. Timeline wise it adds up.

What if after the whole Marluxia battle, she gave him back his old memories, but slightly altered them so he could care less for Kairi, while he gets attacked to her(Namine)?

If anything, I'd say it was the other way around. Namine's not only a firm believer in SoKai, but also that SoNami is bad for Sora. If she suspected there were any traces left in Sora that would get him to like Namine, she'd direct them at Kairi.
Regardless, I don't think she's the type to mess anything up intentionally.

 

[terraisawesome12]

If anything, I'd say it was the other way around. Namine's not only a firm believer in SoKai, but also that SoNami is bad for Sora. If she suspected there were any traces left in Sora that would get him to like Namine, she'd direct them at Kairi.
Regardless, I don't think she's the type to mess anything up intentionally.

Makes sense, but still doesn't explain why he stopped caring for Kairi as much. The only reason I can think of is the writers, and MAYBE his hormones.

 

[Smile]

Makes sense, but still doesn't explain why he stopped caring for Kairi as much. The only reason I can think of is the writers, and MAYBE his hormones.

Like I said, KH2 didn't really leave all that much room for him to show he cared. And to be frank, it's not like he did in KH1 either. The first round of worlds were indeed looking for Kairi and Riku, but seeing how Sora saw the two vanish before his eyes and then learned his whole world went kapoot, that's less reason for him to care about Kairi herself than about one of the only friends he had left in the freaking universe.
You already have a rather lacking basis when it comes to them basing Sora and his "concern" for Kairi. In many ways, CoM and Days were the best things to have happened to that couple since they weren't there to show us that Namine saying Sora loved Kairi didn't add up quite that nicely with reality as she'd like us to think. Then KH2 comes and Kairi's safe for most of the game, not really needing Sora to pay attention to her.
About the only place which really shows his arguable lack of concern is the reunion scenes. But for that all I can say is that they were following a trend more than breaking anything.

 

[Ulti]

The writers have obviously been trying to make it SoraxKairi from the first game. They just really, really fail at concluding this. Probably due to the milking KH has been getting. It seems like they want to solidify their relationship at the end like typical of a lot of games. So, you can assume when KH3 finally arrives, it will be clear.

 

[Smile]

The writers have obviously been trying to make it SoraxKairi from the first game.

I actually didn't feel it. Sure, Riku told Sora to take care of Kairi but seeing what happened between those two throughout the game, it's easy to relate it to Sora-Riku complications (Riku admitting Sora can take care of both himself and someone else after all the Neverland and Hollow Bastion shiz? word) and I dare say SRK if not downright RiKai rather than Sora-Kairi specific.
Also, the pure plot weight of the whole Heartless-fying on Sora's side makes a lot of people incapable of taking it as the "oh lawd so adorable romance <3" other people take it as. Not like Sora really had a choice, regardless of it being specifically Kairi's Heart or someone else's.

They just really, really fail at concluding this.

I donno, a lot of Sora/Namine, for instance, seems intended. Not saying that's what they're rooting for, just that SoKai isn't the one couple to end all. Re:Coded's opening movie makes me laugh whenever I see it, with Namine being in a similar position to Kairi in the start of KH2 where there was a process 'remembering' her 'properly'. And then the end where Sora rubs his eyes, looks up, and then there's Kairi turning into Namine
Also, if they really were aiming that much at SoKai, I truly do believe they could've put in some effort. Sora has many established friendships with many people, Riku and Namine being prime examples. But the most they could do for Kairi was to have Sora leave her behind and have Namine tell us Sora loves Kairi, when with all due respect to Namine seeing Sora's Memories, plot wise it works just as well if Sora even hated Kairi (intended to be extreme).
At this point SoKai feels like this sick inside joke on the developers' part where they properly base EVERYTHING BUT SoKai, but still black-hole everything into it. Namine replaced Kairi; Xion has Kairi's face because Sora loves Kairi; Roxas cares about Xion because he's Sora and she's Kairi; let's ignore all the plot tidbits which not only provide alternative explanations but also break this to pieces, herp derp.

Probably due to the milking KH has been getting. It seems like they want to solidify their relationship at the end like typical of a lot of games. So, you can assume when KH3 finally arrives, it will be clear.

I'm not sure. It's not like they did too good a job when KH wasn't being milked. I mean about the biggest charm they had in KH1 was when they didn't try to force it down our throats, but left it at the innocent, can-be-more level of friends. I understand Kairi wasn't really too active a character or even all that prominent a plot device since, but in order for me to buy what Namine said in CoM, I'd need more in KH1. And not to have Xion kill this more by eating up the Memories Namine was supposed to have replaced, lol.

Iono. I wouldn't mind SoKai all this much if they would actually bother with the couple itself rather than say Sora loves her because ten thousand other characters think/say so, and then have Sora break it to pieces himself.

 

[Ulti]

The fruit? The wall pictures? The dancing scene? How else do you take that?

 

[Smile]

The fruit? The wall pictures? The dancing scene? How else do you take that?

Friendship :\
BBS nicely killed the Paopu's romantic meaning. And while I do know KH1 didn't go down that line yet, I understand what went on there. They were about to go on this huge, potentially life-hazardous trip. It was a good luck charm that ties in with what they don't flesh out enough about Kairi - her role as being home representative to both Riku and Sora.
Also, like I keep saying, it doesn't hold water in the long run. Other relationships still have a much firmer basis and Sora's attitude towards other people just strikes me as a lot more considerate and meaningful than towards Kairi.
A lot of stuff that Sora did for Kairi, I ask myself "would he have done those for Selphie, as well?" and the answer is often yes. Because if Sora'd have seen Selphie disappear in KH1, I doubt he'd have left her for dead. If she'd have been kidnapped in KH2, I doubt he wouldn't have bothered. But then comes CoM and suddenly, it's personal. He tells his entire personal history with Namine and even the crown jewel trumps SoKai. Replace Namine, you replace the relationship she built in Sora's Heart, and you don't get the same end result.
Why? Because in KH1, Selphie was busy batting her eyelashes at Sora while saying, along with Tidus and Wakka, how good Riku and Kairi'd be for each other. And as non-canon as it is, the KH2 manga comes and shows us Sora actually promised to bring Riku back to Kairi at the end of KH1. And then in CoM, TSW all tease Sora about being basically Namine's zombie pet. Part of the Org's plot? Yes, but it still creates something to put in comparison to SoKai.

 

[impart]

he assumed she was safe sure, but she wasn't
he could have gone to check on her instead of a sing along in Atlantica that's for sure

on that note

dosn't Riku save her from Axel on DI
in the manga they confirm it's Riku she sees before going in the portal to twilight town

 

[Smile]

he could have gone to check on her instead of a sing along in Atlantica that's for sure

I think we already confirmed that he couldn't seeing how they could only traverse the paths the worlds opened for him and his Gummi Ship. No route to DI, no visiting Kairi.

dosn't Riku save her from Axel on DI
in the manga they confirm it's Riku she sees before going in the portal to twilight town

I think that was easy enough to understand from the game itself. But Riku had the advantage of using the Corridors, something Sora didn't have.
Some saving that ended up being though, lol.

 

[vnnk]

Ah Smile i was expecting you to comment on this and basicly prove SoKi is flawed =D

 

[Lord betrayus]

I wonder if the writers and developers could make So-Kai more believable. I kind of hope they can salvage So-Kai. If not we do have Riku.

 

[Smile]

Ah Smile i was expecting you to comment on this and basicly prove SoKi is flawed =D

I didn't call it out as flawed so much as baseless. Hard to find flaws in something that isn't there.

I wonder if the writers and developers could make So-Kai more believable. I kind of hope they can salvage So-Kai. If not we do have Riku.

They seemed to kind of get a clue in Blank Points. There wasn't too much of an "SRK" as a trio feel, but the Sora-Kairi interactions nonetheless felt not as forced and shoved as it usually does. The situation was understandable and believable, and whether or not you wanted to see something more in it was up to you as a viewer. Nothing like the whole "Sora loves Kairi, therefore we got half the plot of the series" shenanigans. Which is yet another reason why I liked it - it wasn't forced in that regard either. "Ooh Sora saved Kairi so he must love her", no. This is the thing he'd save her FOR if/when she ever needs saving again, and I can only hope they keep at it. It'll do both the relationship as well as the girl herself some good.

Now, Kairi-Riku is a sad state of affairs to worry about in another thread :\

 

[skyfoxx]

It has nothing to do with Sora "not liking Kairi." Sora thought Kairi was safe back in Destiny Islands so he wasn't really concerned about her. Did he miss her? Yes, but he wasn't really concerned for his safety because he thought she was safe at Destiny Islands. Riku on the other hand, last time he saw Riku was sealing him to the realm of freakin' darkness. For all Sora knows, he is still trapped in there, being tormented, or dead. It is definitely natural that Sora would react much more emotionally to Riku than Kairi. It's not gay at all.

And to those who say "He could've visited Kairi in Destiny Islands every once in a while!" Ha, of course they can, it's not like they have to, you know, SAVE THE FREAKIN' UNIVERSE or anything major like that. Heck, while we're at it, maybe Sora could've just stayed at Destiny Islands and forget all about the dangers out there.

EDIT: And I just now recall that in KH2, certain roads were lead to random worlds. SDG couldn't really choose which worlds they'd be opening a road for. In fact, the road to Destiny Islands was never made in KH2 at all.

I wonder if the writers and developers could make So-Kai more believable.

Relationships aren't important in Kingdom Hearts. Otherwise, we would've seen SRK's parents :/

 

[Smile]

It is definitely natural that Sora would react much more emotionally to Riku than Kairi.

I think most people's problems with that scene isn't so much how emotional Sora got with Riku so much as how chilly he was with Kairi. Childhood friend who lost her Heart once, was in danger and now was kidnapped again? And he couldn't even take half a step closer towards her? Especially with Sora being by now established as a physically affectionate "worrier", it feels unnatural for him to have reacted in that way towards Kairi, is part of what irks me about their reunion.

And to those who say "He could've visited Kairi in Destiny Islands every once in a while!" Ha, of course they can, it's not like they have to, you know, SAVE THE FREAKIN' UNIVERSE or anything major like that. Heck, while we're at it, maybe Sora could've just stayed at Destiny Islands and forget all about the dangers out there.

To be petty and nitpicky, KH2 isn't really the best game to praise Sora's order of priorities in. Like raised before in the threat, he preferred helping a love-struck mermaid princess and then joined in on her royal crab's freaking musical.
That aside, I do think Sora could've spared a short trip back home. Tell his family and friends he was ALIVE - especially should they have forgotten about him like Leon, for instance. I think his mother's traumatized for life. I'm surprised she let him out of his room to wonder around in 3D.
But way I see it - it's more that he couldn't. The only means of true free transportation in the series so far seems to be using the Corridors, an option Sora couldn't really utilize.

Relationships aren't important in Kingdom Hearts. Otherwise, we would've seen SRK's parents :/

Relationships aren't important. I guess that's why the series' plot for most of it was "Sora needs to find his missing friends all over the multiverse". That's why CoM is basically "this is the Namine in my Memories, I'll save her". That's why Days' majority is RAX sitting on the clock tower eating ice cream and Saix and Axel are arguing like a married couple before being referenced in BBS. That's why TAV still keep running into each other and thinking about each other. That's why Reverse Rebirth was Riku thinking about what he did to his friends.
Unless of course you mean romance-relationships but I doubt it.
Also, their parents are referenced in several places. Even Riku showed some doubts about leaving because they might not see their parents again. Sora mentioned his parents in CoM/Re:CoM about knowing the truth about Namine, and then in BBS - while never shown, Sora's father is mentioned to have been there, since they were too young to row to the island on their own.

 

[skyfoxx]

To be petty and nitpicky, KH2 isn't really the best game to praise Sora's order of priorities in. Like raised before in the threat, he preferred helping a love-struck mermaid princess and then joined in on her royal crab's freaking musical.

To be honest, I like to consider that world non-canon since the world is 100% completely optional.

I think most people's problems with that scene isn't so much how emotional Sora got with Riku so much as how chilly he was with Kairi. Childhood friend who lost her Heart once, was in danger and now was kidnapped again? And he couldn't even take half a step closer towards her? Especially with Sora being by now established as a physically affectionate "worrier", it feels unnatural for him to have reacted in that way towards Kairi, is part of what irks me about their reunion.

This I do understand. The scene pretty much went "Oh, hai Kairi, nice to see you. How have you been the past year?"
But, eh, that's KH2's writing for you, I guess.

Relationships aren't important. I guess that's why the series' plot for most of it was "Sora needs to find his missing friends all over the multiverse". That's why CoM is basically "this is the Namine in my Memories, I'll save her". That's why Days' majority is RAX sitting on the clock tower eating ice cream and Saix and Axel are arguing like a married couple before being referenced in BBS. That's why TAV still keep running into each other and thinking about each other. That's why Reverse Rebirth was Riku thinking about what he did to his friends.
Unless of course you mean romance-relationships but I doubt it.
Also, their parents are referenced in several places. Even Riku showed some doubts about leaving because they might not see their parents again. Sora mentioned his parents in CoM/Re:CoM about knowing the truth about Namine, and then in BBS - while never shown, Sora's father is mentioned to have been there, since they were too young to row to the island on their own.

I mean ROMANTIC relationships, not general friend relationships. Sorry for not being so specific.
And the only reason SRK's parents are mentioned is just so that we don't think "Oh, I guess these kids are just parent-less" but we still never actually see them.

 

[Smile]

This I do understand. The scene pretty much went "Oh, hai Kairi, nice to see you. How have you been the past year?"
But, eh, that's KH2's writing for you, I guess.

The same KH2 that gave us SoRiku's uber-emotional, clingy reunion and then their Dark Beach dialogue. The same KH2 that still managed to somehow flesh out SDG and M's relationship when it was needed despite it all. So forgive me if I blame this more on SoKai's writing than KH2's in general, but that's nothing new.

I mean ROMANTIC relationships, not general friend relationships. Sorry for not being so specific.

In this case I guess SoKai really MUST be romantic. I mean, look at all the other FRIENDSHIPS they base all over the place, but never seem capable of bothering with this. Derp.