Official Shipping Discussion | ships ahoy | sharing is caring: fan creations (fic, art, etc.)

[Oracle Spockanort]

I still don't understand why you're getting so worked up about this, but okay. I can tag you when I post the story if you want. (I have to say I'm a little scared that you'll flame me if I share them though ^^")

Oh no I’m already excited for your fic

 

[Zackarix]

Anyone interested in my conspiracy theory? Most of the time when people accuse Tomoco Kanemaki of being a glorified fanfic writer it's because she was able she was able to get her OC Donut Steel canonized. But there's another, more subtle fanficcy element that I think originated with her.

Apparently Kanemaki will sometimes retweet AkuSai content (I have not been able to verify this because I don't know what her account is.) And given how involved she was in writing Days it's entirely possible that she was the one who came up with the idea of their relationship in the first place.

If my theory is true she didn't manage to canonize Axel/Saix, but she did promote it from a rarepair with little basis in canon to a relatively popular ship with a decent foundation in canon. That's an opportunity most rarepair shippers could only dream of.

 

[Absent]

Anyone interested in my conspiracy theory? Most of the time when people accuse Tomoco Kanemaki of being a glorified fanfic writer it's because she was able she was able to get her OC Donut Steel canonized. But there's another, more subtle fanficcy element that I think originated with her.

Apparently Kanemaki will sometimes retweet AkuSai content (I have not been able to verify this because I don't know what her account is.) And given how involved she was in writing Days it's entirely possible that she was the one who came up with the idea of their relationship in the first place.

If my theory is true she didn't manage to canonize Axel/Saix, but she did promote it from a rarepair with little basis in canon to a relatively popular ship with a decent foundation in canon. That's an opportunity most rarepair shippers could only dream of.

I mean its very likely. The novels have so much subtext and events more focused on the Sora and Riku dynamic all the way since the first KH novel so I can vibe with that.

The CoM and KH2 novel have so much heavy handed queer subtext that I truly believe that Kanemaki is pushing the boundaries of what she's allowed. I mean and all of this is more than possible seeing how she already has experience with BL.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

This is sort of what people should have expected from a BL author. Kanemaki absolutely put in the work to make AkuSai the dominant pairing, but I think people fail to consider the fact that Nomura put her in the position to make this happen in the first place haha

Nomura: Actually the shipper trying to make his rare pairs popular. Nomura ain’t slick. Nomura handpicked a Boys Love light novelist to write his Kingdom Hearts light novels then she was hired to be a scenario writer.

To this day he still lets her write this stuff. Look at the KH Character Files. Kanemaki has Sora and Riku throwing out the common BL novel tropes of “I played the big brother role” “is Riku and I’s relationship like siblings? ???” questioning crap. AkuSai longing is persistent. Also coincides with the decrease in things that would make people interested in Akuroku and a heavy, heavy push in the opposite direction.

I just read a bunch of really, really awful BL novels from the 2000s so I feel like a sudden expert on the subject.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Also @Zackarix, I read your headcanon before you deleted it and I like the idea of it and think it is perfect for this thread so please don’t be afraid to share.

 

[palizinhas]

KH2 akusai is fun, they don't have the same depth and weren't going to be as big as The Big One, but the blue-red hair colors, the moon-sun vibes, the fact that their storyline in the game is very tied together (they are the ones who give Sora information, both kidnap Kairi).

If It was her idea to tie their backstory together she absolutely chose the right Org duo to do it to. Absolutely can see why Kh2 would make her ship it.

 

[Elysium]

Honestly, I would've never known all this stuff about how the Axel / Saix pair probably got its start from someone with the novels. The only novel I own is the one for 3D... Maybe I'll check out the CoM and KH2 ones then going by comments above.

It does feel at times like Nomura is the one spurring on the shipping of SoRiku, Axel/Saix, and even Eraqus/Xehanort now (although I'm not as attached to that one as the former two). I'm not sure if that's because he's actually interested in those relationships while knowing that companies like Disney and SE wouldn't allow it to become canon in any scenario, or if he's cynically smart enough to know that queerbaiting often causes fandoms of anime to grow or become super-charged thanks to shipping. Both are possible, I suppose. Either way, the content is nice regardless; I didn't really ship Saix / Axel until after BbS and especially Days--but I didn't see the additional KH2FM scenes until it was released stateside in the 2.5 ReMIX years later--so the writer probably has more responsibility than anyone else in making it. And, on another note, I'm glad Saix in particular is latched onto a popular character like Axel in that way (if they're doing it purposefully) since it probably means the character'll stick around in the spotlight for longer, too.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Honestly, I would've never known all this stuff about how the Axel / Saix pair probably got its start from someone with the novels. The only novel I own is the one for 3D... Maybe I'll check out the CoM and KH2 ones then going by comments above.

It does feel at times like Nomura is the one spurring on the shipping of SoRiku, Axel/Saix, and even Eraqus/Xehanort now (although I'm not as attached to that one as the former two). I'm not sure if that's because he's actually interested in those relationships while knowing that companies like Disney and SE wouldn't allow it to become canon in any scenario, or if he's cynically smart enough to know that queerbaiting often causes fandoms of anime to grow or become super-charged thanks to shipping. Both are possible, I suppose. Either way, the content is nice regardless; I didn't really ship Saix / Axel until after BbS and especially Days--but I didn't see the additional KH2FM scenes until it was released stateside in the 2.5 ReMIX years later--so the writer probably has more responsibility than anyone else in making it. And, on another note, I'm glad Saix in particular is latched onto a popular character like Axel in that way (if they're doing it purposefully) since it probably means the character'll stick around in the spotlight for longer, too.

I agree. I feel like he has to know it looks a certain way to a certain audience.

 

[Launchpad]

the way I wholly recognize and headcanon Riku's romantic love for Sora while simultaneously not feeling emotionally invested in the ship itself.

extended: I guess I like what that dynamic does for Riku without having to imagine Sora reciprocating Riku's feelings, which I really don't think he does/would. Riku makes Sora his ideal while also striving to protect him/give him hope. Riku's love for Sora doesn't need to be rewarded by Sora loving him back in order for it to have value or a positive yield.

 

[Absent]

I just read a bunch of really, really awful BL novels from the 2000s so I feel like a sudden expert on the subject.

Listen I was there too, we were victims not experts. 2000s BLs are either trauma inducing or comfort material, no middle ground.

EXHIBIT A:

 

[Zackarix]

Also @Zackarix, I read your headcanon before you deleted it and I like the idea of it and think it is perfect for this thread so please don’t be afraid to share.

Sometime during KH3 after the Keyblade war but before the beach party Riku stumbles upon Isa, who is watching RAX but keeping his distance from them. Riku asks why Isa is hiding. Isa responds that Roxas and Xion are obviously much better friends to Lea than he ever was, and it would be wrong for him to disturb their happiness, and-

Riku interjects to to tell Isa to stop the nonsense, his best friend does not hate him just because he made more friends and won't better off without him, and that Isa clearly wants a reunion even with all the emotional difficulties and putting it off will only make him feel foolish when it happens anyway.

Isa is forced to acknowledge that Riku is right and sheepishly goes to reunite with Lea.

KH2 akusai is fun, they don't have the same depth and weren't going to be as big as The Big One, but the blue-red hair colors, the moon-sun vibes, the fact that their storyline in the game is very tied together (they are the ones who give Sora information, both kidnap Kairi).

If It was her idea to tie their backstory together she absolutely chose the right Org duo to do it to. Absolutely can see why Kh2 would make her ship it.

It really was a great choice. It goes a long way toward fleshing out both characters while still feeling organic. I wonder if it also was her idea to have them be from Radiant Garden.

I'm not sure if that's because he's actually interested in those relationships while knowing that companies like Disney and SE wouldn't allow it to become canon in any scenario, or if he's cynically smart enough to know that queerbaiting often causes fandoms of anime to grow or become super-charged thanks to shipping.

Given completely unnecessary element like Subject X turning out to be Axel and Saix's motivation all along I'm inclined toward more cynical interpretations. But they certainly know how to tease...

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Listen I was there too, we were victims not experts. 2000s BLs are either trauma inducing or comfort material, no middle ground.

EXHIBIT A:

Oh my god please end me because that hand horrifies me so much that I don’t want to live anymore

the way I wholly recognize and headcanon Riku's romantic love for Sora while simultaneously not feeling emotionally invested in the ship itself.

extended: I guess I like what that dynamic does for Riku without having to imagine Sora reciprocating Riku's feelings, which I really don't think he does/would. Riku makes Sora his ideal while also striving to protect him/give him hope. Riku's love for Sora doesn't need to be rewarded by Sora loving him back in order for it to have value or a positive yield.

I vibe with that. Honestly it is where I stand with the existing canon. It’s unrequited, but not in an overly tragic way. Sometimes people love others who don’t love them in the same way, and it’s normal and okay and doesn’t have to be heartbreaking. As you said, Riku’s love doesn’t have to be rewarded with reciprocation. I could never actually see Riku confessing his feelings, either, which would mean Sora would never have to confront them.

Sometime during KH3 after the Keyblade war but before the beach party Riku stumbles upon Isa, who is watching RAX but keeping his distance from them. Riku asks why Isa is hiding. Isa responds that Roxas and Xion are obviously much better friends to Lea than he ever was, and it would be wrong for him to disturb their happiness, and-

Riku interjects to to tell Isa to stop the nonsense, his best friend does not hate him just because he made more friends and won't better off without him, and that Isa clearly wants a reunion even with all the emotional difficulties and putting it off will only make him feel foolish when it happens anyway.

Isa is forced to acknowledge that Riku is right and sheepishly goes to reunite with Lea.

I can easily imagine this happening. Isa and Riku were cut from a similar cloth, after all. Both put aside their friendships for their goal, become jaded and jealous of others, and then feel like they aren’t worthy of friendship once they atone.

 

[Elysium]

I wasn't able to get many BL novels when I was in middle and high school, only those I could slip under the radar of my homophobic-adjacent parents. FAKE and Gravitation were the only ones, and I don't like Gravitation... I do love FAKE though, because it included murder / mystery and it was a slow-moving monogamous relationship. I figured I could get that one without them noticing what it was because it has guys with guns on the cover, that surely can't be "gay" can it, even with all the flowers, lol. I usually re-visit it once a year, maybe the fact it was the "first" is part of my attachment to it.

I definitely do see Riku's feelings towards Sora as canon. I feel the same way about Isa and his out-of-control jealousy over Lea, but now, as Zackarix mentioned, there's the female character being introduced to divert away from that and "re-write" the story in a sense. Wasn't Xehaqus practically confirmed a while back (the company promoted the two on some LGBT day) or am I just remembering wrong? I thought it was a shame they'd probably only allow that because they were both more irredeemable villains. Why not do that with Saix and Axel at least? /sigh

For me, I can't really get into Xehaqus because I never really liked either character. I think what that ship is ideally going for reminds me of Magneto / Xavier or Dumbledore / Grindelwald, where you see them from when they were young teenagers up to when they're old, they were always on opposing sides of an argument over how the world should work while still having a love and respect for one another. But while Eraqus had that for Xehanort going by BbS and 3, I don't feel Xehanort had that for Eraqus? The way he talks about Eraqus in BbS is mostly with disdain that felt like it went beyond their difference of opinion.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I wasn't able to get many BL novels when I was in middle and high school, only those I could slip under the radar of my homophobic-adjacent parents. FAKE and Gravitation were the only ones, and I don't like Gravitation... I do love FAKE though, because it included murder / mystery and it was a slow-moving monogamous relationship. I figured I could get that one without them noticing what it was because it has guys with guns on the cover, that surely can't be "gay" can it, even with all the flowers, lol. I usually re-visit it once a year, maybe the fact it was the "first" is part of my attachment to it.

I definitely do see Riku's feelings towards Sora as canon. I feel the same way about Isa and his out-of-control jealousy over Lea, but now, as Zackarix mentioned, there's the female character being introduced to divert away from that and "re-write" the story in a sense. Wasn't Xehaqus practically confirmed a while back (the company promoted the two on some LGBT day) or am I just remembering wrong? I thought it was a shame they'd probably only allow that because they were both more irredeemable villains. Why not do that with Saix and Axel at least? /sigh

Gravitation was trash and should be burned from the face of the planet so you chose the better series. I need to reread FAKE because I barely remember anything about it. Haha yeah the guns and manly men definitely subvert the idea of it being BL.

I think people were joking that DR released during Pride Month lol But also I vaguely remember something everybody screamed over…Eraqus and Xehanort were pretty damn close in that one update even though they really didn’t need to be…

Oh yeah, Xehanort and Eraqus are in the heart. But idk I am sure there was one more instance…

 

[palizinhas]

Y'all talking about xehaqus being likely while us shippers are deeply aware that Dark Road might make them brothers.

 

[Elysium]

I’ve never seen that heart image! Wow.

And what at Xehanort and Eraqus possibly being brothers? I’m learning a lot from this page.

 

[MATGSY]

Listen I was there too, we were victims not experts. 2000s BLs are either trauma inducing or comfort material, no middle ground.

EXHIBIT A:

 

[palizinhas]

I’ve never seen that heart image! Wow.

And what at Xehanort and Eraqus possibly being brothers? I’m learning a lot from this page.

Xehanort and Eraqus now canonically have the same home world and the woman who gives away Xehanort in the end of khux - assumed to be his mother - has Eraqus' hair and eye color. Add that to Xehanort's jealousy of Eraqus' status as a blue blood, I wouldn't be surprised if beyond Xehanort turning out to be a blue blood as well the twist will be that they are from the same line.

What I'm hoping for is that since khux ended making a big deal of Ephemer and Brain's connection, it will be revealed that Xehanort is Ephemer's descendant and Eraqus is Brain's, making it so their blood line has resulted in more than one friendship. But them being related would not surprise me.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Xehanort and Eraqus now canonically have the same home world and the woman who gives away Xehanort in the end of khux - assumed to be his mother - has Eraqus' hair and eye color. Add that to Xehanort's jealousy of Eraqus' status as a blue blood, I wouldn't be surprised if beyond Xehanort turning out to be a blue blood as well the twist will be that they are from the same line.

What I'm hoping for is that since khux ended making a big deal of Ephemer and Brain's connection, it will be revealed that Xehanort is Ephemer's descendant and Eraqus is Brain's, making it so their blood line has resulted in more than one friendship. But them being related would not surprise me.

If they are brothers I’ll fucking riot

I want what you are hoping for. Descendants of Brain and Ephemer.

 

[MATGSY]

Incest hasn't stopped the Roxas/Xion shippers, why would it stop this pairring?