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It's hard to believe it's been so long already since we caught that first glimpse of what's probably the most adorable thing in the KINGDOM HEARTS universe. September 12th, 2011, that day was, when the Nintendo 3DS Conference took place just before the Tokyo Game Show. Who wants to volunteer and cast aside their bodies to travel back in time to see those events unfold again?
Thinking back, we really had no idea what on earth that creature was. Each and every one of our guesses were so far from the mark, it's almost embarassing to think back and relive those moments. We were nearing the end of the Nintendo 3DS Conference stream, and Kingdom Hearts was nowhere to be found at all. Those of us who remained continued to watch with bloodshot eyes, staring at what seemed to be a neverending replay of Gatchaman ads. Even saying the name still makes me cringe. Those ads went on for a full half an hour after the stream "concluded." Yeesh.
We were just about ready to finally close the tab and move on with our lives when we heard something unbelievably familiar. And there it was, cleverly hidden behind 30 minutes of our lives that we'll never get back, the FINAL FANTASY prelude, like a light shining down from the heavens to free us from the Gatchaman curse! The rainbow of music notes burst out from screen, and the Theatrhythm logo appeared. After a brief series of gameplay clips, we creep our way through Square Enix headquarters, encountering Composers Hiromichi Tanaka (FINAL FANTASY XI, FINAL FANATASY XIV) and Akitoshi Kawazu (SaGa, FINAL FANTASY CRYSTAL CHRONICLES) in the labyrinth of cubicles. After a brief lesson (and thrashing) in Theatrhythm, we're off among the walls again, not knowing who we'll encounter nex- hey, wait a second... is that Director Nomura? He looks just as surprised as we do, but it appears the stars were not in position for our meeting. Another time then!
Or now. Now works. After a meeting with Yoshinori Kitase, we rendevous with Nomura for a surprise visit to Traverse Town! Here's the tricky part. It'd probably be accurate to say that the entire community spent probably about an hour outright staring at that tiny 3DS screen on the stream, squinting our eyes and trying to discern what on earth Sora was partnered with! We did figure one thing out though. Whatever it is, it's very... round. And colorful. Hey, Goofy's shield is round, and he's a colorful kinda guy! Maybe it's him! Then that means that white blob underneath him must be Donald! Hooray, we figured out the mystery of the party members! Party at the Usual Spot! The sea salt ice cream is on me!
-Is what I'd like to say, if only that were true. Back in those days, after experiencing three games with an absolute bare minimum of our furry and feathered friends, many were yearning to be reuinited with them for a new adventure. We missed the good-hearted bumbling Goofy, and the stubborn hot-headed Donald. It goes without saying that we were esctatic for even one moment that they'd return for a good old-fashion rumble.
I don't know. Personally I was convinced the round thing was a Trick Ghost. It appeared bright and looked like a blob with odd spots of colors, but of course I had completely forgotten about the Sleeping Worlds and Heartless not being able to access it so that obviously didn't work out! Let's just accept that we were all wrong and move on with our lives!
~♥~
Though, how exactly did we react when Meow Wow was revealed for the first time? We were more or less formally introduced when the Kingdom Hearts 3D keyart was revealed at Tokyo Game Show 2011. It was so strange, to see something like it appear in this series at all. All the enemies we've encountered have been mysterious creatures leaping out when we least expected it. This is so, so... cute. It was dumbfounding.
Let's start at the top. What defines a Dream Eater? According to Director Nomura, Dream Eaters must
- Be awkward but cute.
- Have a pet-like behavior (goof off every now and then rather than fully supporting the player).
- Be capable of being far more trouble than they're actually worth.[1]
They called the first creation "ワンダニャン," and was originally colored lavender and turquoise with a light cream base rather than the blue and pink it sports with the white underbelly. This name was almost immediately translated as to be "Wanda Nyan," "Wonder Nyan" and finally "Wonder Meow." It seemed to make sense. It sure does look like a cat, and it's quite wonderful. It wasn't until several months later did someone begin to entertain the possibility that it wasn't "Wanda Nyan" but perhaps "Wan da Nyan," for "Bark's Meow"? This strange little creature as a dog-cat hybrid, and one that not even the game could figure out![2] Though to be perfectly honest, I think my brother's nickname for it, "Squishy," fits it much better, don't you? Just look at it. It's so... squishy. Well anyways, whatever it is, it quickly won the love of the community, and many couldn't wait to get a chance to play with it, literally!
Yet its introduction wasn't entirely met with open arms. The moment it was revealed that you could collect and create a wide variety of creatures to aid you in battle, one of if not the first thing most thoughts went to was Pokemon, though the basic concept has been used many times in various sources of media. Funny how that just slipped the mind, right? But if we all liked the same things, what kind of community would we be? Let there be controversy!
After all, Meow Wow isn't particularly popular within the development team either, if you weren't already aware! Co-Director Tai Yasue actually cringed when he first saw the concept art for it, and loves to tease it in-game, poking it rather than the usual lovingly stroke and beating it up in Flick Rush! Was it because of his amusing dislike of Meow Wow that it somehow ended up with "gross bug-like movements with wiggling legs" at one point?[1]
Like it or not, Meow Wow stayed from beginning to end, and had such a great impact that the development team had actually contemplated on making one of Riku's bosses in The World That Never Was a Nightmare version of Meow Wow, to further represent the nightmare Sora was trapped in. Although that didn't make the cut, they retained the original inspiration and intentionally colored the Anti Black Coat after the Nightmare Meow Wow.[3]
And it's influence continued to spread even after the game was released resulting in it being the first in a line of official Kingdom Hearts plushies. How we managed to go an entire decade without even one I'll never know, but I'm so grateful that they finally exists, with Meow Wow to thank!
Perhaps we'll be reunited one day.
[1] Famitsu Weekly interview - May 13 2012
[2] In-game description: "Cat or dog? Boy or girl? Friend or fiend? One thing's for sure: this Dream Eater is adorable. Warning: fire freaks it out."
[3] Kingdom Hearts 3D [Dream Drop Distance] Ultimania Staff Interviews - Mai Okauchi (Art Director)
I thought he was so cute <3 And I still do haha.
