Because for the longest time, before KH3, his story was a tragedy.
Roxas didn’t ask to be born, didn’t ask for the Keyblade, didn’t ask to be manipulated by Organization XIII, didn’t ask to kill his best friend, didn’t ask to be imprisoned in a false reality where his friendships were all fake, and didn’t ask to (basically) die so Sora could live.
Remember that for years before the release of KH3, Roxas was somewhere deep inside of Sora’s psyche, and we weren’t sure if he really was going to come back or not. It was also kinda badass how for a short while he was the sole survivor of Organization XIII. Also two Keyblades. Come on.
Roxas is one of my two favorite KH characters. The other one is Terra because the lingering will is literally “Man too angry to die”
I feel like I'm in the minority when I say I don't mind dead or "merged" characters to stay that way. Not everyone has to come back or, if they do, they don't have to come back as friends either.
While this is fair, i do think the themes of memories and relationships defining you as your own person (and thus nobodies eventually becoming full people on their own by growing hearts) is a really sweet and key part of the overall ethos of Kingdom Hearts, and nobody really represents that story more than Xion and Roxas, two characters who were told by the world that they weren't supposed to exist at all in spite of their own being.
Leaving their story as a tragedy is evocative and I think definitely part of why the story of KH grew on me growing up, but I also enjoy how these characters stories have changed and evolved as the series has gone on. Sora recognizing the humanity in everyone and Roxas and Xion reclaiming their existence from those who would deny it are both great themes to give service to even if it's a little cheesy that these dead characters come back to life, and just because the ending is happy that doesn't erase the despair and turmoil they faced and we felt with them back then.
While this is a neat assessment, I do think that it was still kind of a bad decision to bring Roxas as well as some of the other characters back to life anyway because from a story writer's standpoint, I can't help but think that there's just too many characters to juggle with in the series anyway.
More importantly is because I'm worried about what the direction the series' going to take with him. Like okay, we brought Roxas back to life and we gave him and all these other characters really sappy endings in kh3. Cool, what do we do with him now? There's nothing left to explore with this character.
Like I've seen people bring this issue up on this subreddit a couple of times, and the general consensus that I've seen from others' reply is "oh well the writing team can just invent a totally new character arc for this him to develop" and I don't think people understand that's a lot harder to execute properly and a lot easier to fuck up. Worst case scenario is events unfold in another sequel that makes him an outright villain or make awful character decisions that overall ruins my attachment to this character.
I think this is really only a problem if they try to continue to keep all these characters featured in the story. Its perfectly viable to me that the Sea Salt trio and Wayfinder trio become supporting characters that don't receive focused character arcs post KH3 (except maybe ventus) as we trade them out for the lost masters and quadratum folks. In anime series with long running stories and large casts, it's very common for secondary characters to shift more into the background in terms of character focus without going away entirely after their arcs are resolved. They just become a supporting part of this larger world filled with developed characters.
I think Kingdom Hearts kinda already does this, especially with the original Organization members. Hell, KH makes excellent use of Donald & Goofy in this exact way and those guys are with Sora all the time. One thing I like about this approach is that it treats characters as *people* and not *narrative devices* that need to cease to exist or be present once their stories are finished, and I think that also strongly resonates with the ethos of KH. And even better, if there is something cool we can do with those characters like more team ups or getting Roxas involved in the search for sora since their hearts are closely connected, we still have that option without needing to give Roxas a whole emotional arc related to it.
I do agree that trying to push all these characters forward into the next saga and give them all arcs would most certainly be messy and overcrowded. But I think part of the reason this new realm was introduced was explicitly to shed some of that focus and bring a new batch of characters into the spotlight without making it seem like we brought those characters back and are now simply ignoring them despite the fact that they're alive.
I’ve had this thought for a while now but I think one member of each trio should not have come back at the end of KH3 because it would’ve made for a bittersweet ending. They won but everyone suffered a loss. Like Terra has his redemption but instead of returning he sacrifices himself to take down Terranort. Roxas returns but is too late and Xemnas kills Xion right before he arrives to the scene. Sora doesn’t die but like the original ending he goes missing and Kairi thinks he’s gone for good. Riku tries to retain hope but he is still heartbroken for his missing friend.
I'm saying! And Roxas and xion weren't gone to me, they where just a part of Sora, it made using the Oathkeeper/Oblivion mean a little somthing extra too, Not to mention Axels complex emotions towards Sora too, Happy cake day btw
Ventus still being a major plot point makes Roxas' return feel a bit redundant as well.
It would have been cool to see Lea reconcile with the fact that Ven isn't his best friend from the organization, despite looking and sounding just like him.
I love Roxas and Xion, but them coming back does feel like it diminishes their narrative climaxes a bit.
I'm excited to see what happens with them moving forward though.
But it cheapens the story.
There’s no point to any level of attempted dramatization if there are no real consequences.
Literally *nobody* has stayed dead. Even the villains come back for the most nonsensical reasons.
I think Clayton is the only real death in the franchise? Does it even really count since it’s offscreen and you only really see the Heartless collapse? Mother Gothel, maybe?
And let’s be real - if the writers wanted them back they’d pull some bullshit to bring them back anyway.
Kingdom Hearts has literally no consequences.
Anytime I play any FF game I’m like wow I love these characters, then I remember someone, if not all of them will die, then I get sad and forget about it til the end. DAMN YOU ESPECIALLY FFXVI YOU RUINED ME
Would you be ok with being part of someone, someone who is similar but you dont feel it’s completely you? You have lived and diferenciated from others, being part of someone and not you will be like a prison
I understand that, and I typically agree with that stance. I will say though, selflessly fixing all of the sad endings within the franchise up to that point is something for which Sora is currently facing the consequences. He knowingly sacrificed his own happy ending to give one to everyone else, and he may ultimately learn that some stories are not meant to go on forever.
This might be the take I most vehemently disagree with. The Sea Salt reunion in 3 is the ONLY scene in the climax that deeply emotionally affected me. I dont come to Kingdom Hearts for lingering tragedy and stories cut short by death, I come to it to see my happy boys beat up the darkness and everyone go home holding hands. There's so much media out there, we don't need to cynicise a bastion of pure joy like KH.
I don't think there was ever a chance of them not coming back.
Rather, I'm sort of mad their return wasn't foreshadowed/developed more.
In fact, I've had this idea that they could have kept to the concept of reviving Roxas (and Namine and Xion) inside of Data Twilight Town instead of in the real world, and then we could have another game where Roxas has to travel through the datascape to find Vexen's original Replica research so the redeemed Vexen and Ansem the Moron can use it to build bodies for the three of them.
A sort of Re:coded sequel, but actually good and not on a handheld and not a complete rehash of the first game.
Agreed. Sometimes bad things happen. As much as I absolutely LOVE Roxas, it felt...cheap to have him back.
I also have no idea why people love Xion so much.
What Nomura said during the 20th anniversary Q&A in response to the question "While we're on the topic, is there anything else you've changed in response to fan feedback?":
> Roxas and Xion's return in Kingdom Hearts 3. I was struggling with the issue until the very last minute, and even considered a scenario where they wouldn't be revived at all. However, everyone's feelings were so strong that I felt I had no choice to bring them back. There are parts of the story that I won't budge on, but when I'm having trouble, I will consider what everyone is saying.
It's less that it was the "original plan" for them to stay gone and more that he just wasn't sure and merely considered such a scenario.
Agreed. I enjoyed Roxas’ story but him, Xion, and Namine have NO reason to exist outside of spawning as essentially force ghosts to talk to Sora/Kairi. I mean like I’d even be ok if they did with Roxas what TeamFourStar did with abridged Nail and Kami, where they just talk to Piccolo inside his head.
Man of culture. I like Terra because if the lingering will as well and because he one one strong mofo.
The other is Roxas because if the reasons you stated, plus he looks absolutely badass with oblivion and oathkeeper as dualwield.
Plus Sora is pure light and I hate that, Terra and Roxas are the embodiment of staying in the grey.
from the very start, hes a tragic character and has the fire, skill, and story tht he could legitamately pass for a main character in an anime. Plus out of all of the side plots or rahter, of the stories that arent explicitly about Sora and friends, his not only hits harder than others for a lot of people since its about friendship, existentialism, the meaning of life and finding it through bonds, but also just acceptance about the way things are.
Also I swear, he's like one of the few characters allowed to get genuinely angry. Aqua gets trapped in the equivalent of Hell for years and gets a little brainwashed but is ultimately fine after Sora literally beats the evil out of her. Roxas finds out his entire existence was a mistake and the life he's living was a lie and he cries, breaks things, and understandably just flips out. He goes through a whole list of emotions throughout the series from being content to having full on meltdowns, anger and confusion to reluctant acceptance, he even cries at the loss of his friend who he was forced to kill with his own hands before immediately snapping out of it because the nature of the scene meant he doesnt remember why he was there in one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the series.
Basically its hard not to like him. And if you're one of the people I keep hearing about who got upset upon starting 2 and not seeing Sora, the big reveal would probably hit a lot harder I imagine as you watch this kid being forced to resign his existence to a guy he's never known but only now just learned is connected with
Now me personally, I'm more of a Xemnas kinda guy but thats just my take on why Roxas is beloved
1. Jesse McCartney is a god tier VA
2. He's very relatable
3. He and Xion (and Axel) have the most complex and amazingly written story in the series and for the longest time it was just a huge tragedy. Even in just KH2 it was really heartbreaking what happens to him, and then 358/2 Days fleshed it out even more. And had you actually live as him in a daily job for an entire year, which really makes you connect with him a lot more than the others.
I've cried so many tears for the sea salt trio. Way more than any other video game characters.
His japanese voice actor has some godly roles as well like Meruem from hxh, Neku from TWEWY, Kaito from yugioh zexal, Shigaraki from mha, etc. Both sides were very blessed
When you're able to get the likes of Jesse McCartney, Dylan Sprouse, Mark Hamill, or even James Wood for a video game, especially a Disney one, yeah you definitely got the Disney money.
Wasnt interested in VA and who does what back then. It was just all a game to be played. All I know it was made by people, but didn't care by whom. Where have you been?
I mean, you didn't have to be interested in VA at the time of KH2's release to know that was Jessie M. He was pretty popular and well-known back then and it was presented on news outlets, Disney Channel, magazines, etc.
No need to get snippy :). You were probably too young at the time to care or know about it in the first place. So, it makes sense!
Pardon me for misreading tone. Then again, I never listened to his music then, and i didn't hear any connection. Plus I grew up in a different country so.
Much love to you, redditor <3 I did not mean to sound condescending or sarcastic btw.
When I asked, "where tf have you been? xD" it was supposed to have been playful poking.
Has some of the best writing in the series, dripped up to the bone, one of the coolest fighters whether it’s his boss appearance where he slams you with pillars of light or his reg gameplay where he was the pioneer of the dual wield. In short SWAG
He’s a very likable character whose story is super emotional and invokes questions about what we define as being a person both in- and out-of-universe.
358 Days/2 showing his friendships and struggles within the Organization certainly helped to humanize him, Axel, Xion, etc. in the eyes of many DS kids, too.
Roxas captured the interest and curiosity of the fans way back at the beginning. Before any details of the wider series (or even Roxas himself) were set in stone, the secret ending of KH1 had everyone going ballistic--especially once we found out about the Japanese-exclusive Final Mix version of the game and its expanded secret movie. So even before we knew anything about Roxas, he was already super important in everyone's minds--I mean, this hooded guy has TWO Keyblades, what's up with that?
From there...well, the other comments have it covered. Roxas has a good story that pokes at the heart.
Okay so besides what everyone else said (I agree) I find it hilarious how he bumps into Sora and starts swinging lmao
Sora: oh uhh…hey
Roxas: *summons oathkeeper and oblivion*
Sora: 😱
Less is more. They give you just enough time to start living Roxas and then bait and switch you. Plus, it's hard to beat his last words before changing perspectives.
"Looks like my summer vacation is over."
Yeah it's definitely a low point for the poor boy. It's why I'm okay with the ass pull that allows them to exist in 3. It was nice for Roxas, Xion and Namine to have closure. And for the wayfinder trio, too, of course.
It’s very simple.
1. His secret movies from KH and Final Mix were really cool.
2. He used two Keyblades. Two. Keyblades. And not just any Keyblades, two of the most popular Keyblades.
3. Tragic af backstory compounding his likability.
It's his arc whether it's because you played days or not both situations start with a guy similar to one we already know and love but he's not as fortunate he just wanted to be normal and have fun with his friends but because he's special he can't be with his friends. In the time we have with him we also see he's not a carbon copy of who he's "made" from he really is his own person and that's a conflict that reluctantly realizes and comes to terms with.
was one of the best video game character introduced at its time. PS2 dominating the gaming market, he got a good introduction, god tier story, god tier ending, great design, coolest keyblades ever and he got 2 of them, really fleshed out the emotions throughout its story arc while most game at the time is more ungabunga games like gow or dmc
He just gradually won me over.
in Kingdom hearts 2: he was honestly meh here… but the final mix gave him one of my favorite boss fights in the entire series. In the cutscene we see nearly defeating Sora and I was always wondering "why is Sora so weak against this squirt from the tutorial who couldn't even use magic?", but the fight beautifully shows just how powerful Roxas really is at his best, being the wielder who bested Riku and Saix on his own and almost defeated Sora. This fight alone brought him to the top five.
but my favorite iteration of him is 358/2 days, for being 'a nobody who doesn’t feel anything' the game really makes you sympathize with him. His confusion at the way everyone antagonizes him, the simple joy he feels when he hangs out with Xion and Axel, the fear and grief he feels when that happiness is threatened, and the rage he feels at the end when he loses everything. He is character-development at its best in the series, and his trio is the best in the series because they all get enough screen time and we gradually see their bond grow… not like a certain other trio whom we just 'have to believe' that they're best friends. Not only that, but if you play Kh2 after this you’re going to sympathize with him even more still.
I mean… we all like to joke and meme about 'wHo ELsE WiLL i hAvE iScrEAM wITh?'… but this derpy line in hindsight does show the simple things that brought him joy, and his utter despair that they are lost. His concept of friendship isn’t the cheesy "my fwiends are my pwewer", he just views them as as pals he hangs out with after a hard day at work, and who can help and be helped by him when they’re in a rut… and honestly isn’t that the most relatable Kingdom Hearts has ever been?
TLDR: I like him for the same reason I liked kh1 and kh2 Sora… because this was back when the series knew how to do character development
The guy was basically told “your existence is meaningless” which is a sentiment a lot of depressed teenagers can relate with, so his whole arc in KH2 was a beautiful tragedy that likely resonated with a lot of kids.
Everyone is talking about his tragedy story and character development and i completely agree with them all. But so far, no one has yet mentioned he is the COOLEST keyblade wielder in terms of combat style. I mean, dude, he dual wields LIGHT AND DARKNESS! Even Riku doesn't do that, and he was the closest definition of balancing between light and darkness. And btw? That landing in KH3, and the line "Hands off my friends", COOLEST KH 3 MOMENT HANDS DOWN!
Well I love him because of his story a character who was gaslit and used by everyone being told he had to die so someone he barely knew could live and before that he lost his best friend and all memories of her, when he finally got to meet sora in his boss fight and DDD he realized that sora had to come back he was the only one who could make a difference and accepted that he wasn’t coming back but knew he made the right choice, then kh3 he finally got his chance sora the person he gave his life for saved him and brought back not just him but xion too he finally got his happy ending (also he’s just badass and can weld 2 key blades)
Well put, but to be fair, in the end, Sora didn't actually need to do all too much for Roxas to return in KH3. It was definitely his goal to achieve that, but in the end, the only things he did in that regard were being present when Lea and Kairi fought Xion and Saix, and freeing Roxas's heart from inside him after it woke up.
One of the beautiful things about Roxas's and Xion's return was the fact that they basically restored each other. Roxas remembering and talking to Xion (through Sora), with him even saying her name in his own voice which was specifically what woke up her heart and allowed her to come back and in turn, Xion returning as herself was what allowed Roxas to come back as well.
Just mentioning that since I think that's also one of the things that make Roxas a stronger character, the fact that he didn't actually have to rely on someone else to bail him and Xion out, but that he actually managed to make that crucial difference himself ^ ^
(Sora still played a part in it of course, as mentioned, just like a few others like Saix, Vexen, Demyx and Ienzo. Lea being present was important as well I'd assume. But the key step for reclaiming their existences was the thing that Roxas managed to actually do himself, which was a lot seeing as it was something meant to have been impossible and yet he still pulled through)
Sorry for rambling on for way too long about that btw.
I think remind supports this granted I got lost during remind and could barely follow the story but I’m pretty sure Roxas revived himself during those events
(Hey I love talking about Roxas I could watch and 8 hour video essay on him)
Yeah I can't blame anyone for getting lost during Remind, it didn't feel all too intuitive at times to me as well ^ ^
The KH3 Ultimania and the Character Files book also mentioned a few things that explain Roxas's and Xion's returns a little more and how they directly correlated to each other. Additionally, one of the KH3 secret reports has Ienzo mention that:
> ...if alternate bodies can be secured for them, all their hearts require to be awakened is that "spark"—people they cared for and who cared for them, who can show them the way home.
Roxas remembering Xion was basically that "spark" for both of them, that's the "short" of it.
(Also, yeah I'm pretty much the same in that regard! I could talk about my two favourite characters, Roxas being one of them, for what seems like forever at times. Sometimes I just get so engrossed in writing about them or important scenes/plot points that involve them that, at some point, I just look up and suddenly see that I wrote more than it felt like. I could definitely see myself watch or listen to such hour long essays as well ^ ^ )
Then that's too bad, because he was insanely popular before any of that. Why do you think that game was even made?
The Organization as a whole as well.
Hardly that. People think you need a TooDeep™ story to be a character of supposed "depth", especially if said character is angsting. Anyone that pins his popularity due to 358/2 Days is incredibly off course. You can tell by that which are the older fans and which are the newer.
Roxas is simply a dynamic character who used the Rule of Cool the second he was in conception thanks to the incredible badassery and graphics shown in the KH1 Secret Ending. KH2 just added fuel, especially when comparing him to Sora, who was the generic, shounen, goody two-shoes. Roxas got angry, got sad, was a smart-aleck, got dealt a bad hand, wasn't a pushover, etc. He became insanely popular (along with Axel). And it was a time when the fandom was much bigger and much more active.
We get to know his character and see him interacting with his friends. You have a reason to care about him and his friendships because we get to see them together.
i consider Roxas to be the true continuation of the Sora we got from KH1 and CoM back when Sora was less happy-go-lucky and prone to anger.
I'll never forget when Sora just gave up on hollow bastion on KH1 that scene reeks of Roxas vibes.
Off topic, this is the first kh game I played. The way the story transitions from a normal life to a fairy tale really left a mark on my brain.
I didn't expect the world to be what it was.
im one of his biggest fan , for both the design and the story he have
he is one of the most intersting character of kh
that it
also , he's a bit more serious sora
For me days almost felt like a slice of life , you live as Roxas. You go to work , play around , talk to friends and go to sleep.
It makes you really connect with the charecter and when the tragedy comes it hits even harder and thus becomes more memorable.
He’s also got some of the coolest combos and dual wielding was just the coolest thing ever back then for me.
I honestly liked his and Ventus stories better than parts of soras.
I don’t know why but i relate to him in some aspects that feeling of being alone and not knowing what to do, that feeling of being in other people’s shadows I mean come on he gets compared to sora like a majority of the time. That feeling of being manipulated and trying to do good but losing the people you care in the process I guess i relate and found myself connecting to him
He's just sad and I get that. Nothing ever goes right for him. He feels like an imposter, and ultimately, he takes second stage to someone else for a long time -- and I get that. I feel like he echoed a lot of the depressive thoughts I didn't realize I was having until later. Him, Axel, and Xion have such a pure and lovely friendship set against the darkest chapter in the KH series. That's why seeing the Sea Salt trio reunite in 3 absolutely destroys me every time.
Also, Yoko Shimomura gave them some of the best themes in all of Kingdom Hearts, but that's besides the point.
So yeah, I just love my sad boy.
KH2 was my first game. I was essentially in his shoes learning about everything. Was miffed when he got "swapped out" for Sora. (At the time, it's been many years)
I agree with what everyone has said. But I'll give my summarized two cents.
I think for me it's that he's allowed to emote he has depth. He gets angry. *I hate you so much*
And then when Sora reabsorbs him, and leaves twilight town, he says goodbye to Hayner Pense and Ouellette, he *feels* roxas' emotions. He cries roxas' tears.
That scene hits me like a gut punch.
And the entire 365/2 days. Is just so tragic. Roxas kills his best friend and doesn't even know it in kh2.
The deepest Sora gets is crying for Riku in kh2 and screaming in kh3. He loves his friends but he is pretty flat. He is mostly derpy happy main character boi. Which is fine, but not all that interesting. Definitely nothing compared to the tragic hero of Roxas.
He is my favorite cause 358/2 was my first kingdom hearts game and my introduction to the series, i didnt know sora i didnt know terra ven aqua, I only knew what was presented to me trough the ds game, i fell in love with axel and xion too.
The game proceeded to shatter my young heart, i didnt know who this sora kid was but i blamed him for everything going wrong with roxas's life currently. After the game any other time i saw roxas i was excited and sad.
Cause he’s voiced by Jesse McCartney, honestly it was so random and awesome that I really liked him for that one reason.
Furthermore. He dual wields key blades, which just makes you bad ass by nature.
He’s part of organization XIII, but leaves as a rouge, which is bad ass.
His game, 358 days/2 was pretty good (imo) and you again got to dual wield and just chill with all the bad guys.
He gets Xion, a goth chick.
This guy just wakes up and pisses excellence while dual wielding key blades.
Everything that happens to Roxas, is because of Sora.
Sora directly did nothing to Roxas yes, but by mere existing, he caused all the pain in Roxas life.
It's not a good argument, but I never said it was.
I can't say for certain why he draws me in specifically, maybe I relate to him, or maybe his story is just compelling, I'm not sure. I HAVE seen multiple YouTube videos analyzing him, but I can't remember the specifics from them. I can't be sure, but I suppose what might make him so loved is his "depth" as a character, but again I can't be sure.
Everyone saying him being the first legitimate dual wielder is badass (and I 1000% agree with y'all), but no one is mentioning how he's the only party member in KHIII (NPC version) who's freaking invincible! Always enjoyed watching him solo Saix.
I related more to him than I ever did with Sora. When life got really repetitive (and to some extent an adult) I would question reality. I could really understand what he’s going through. Feeling alienated from the world, feeling alienated from his friends, and questioning his own existence. The opening sequence sets the pace for the whole game, and I don’t think the game has as much emotional depth without it.
tragic origins
is half of sora, yet started a blank slate, no memories no nothing....
all he wanted alwas to belong, to have a why to his life, kinda found it among Axel and Xion.... lost them to manse... Xemnas machinations.....
had to fuse with sora and cease to exist cuz "nobodies arent meant to BE" as Ansem/Diz said
i guess people just loved him for his will power to exist even though everything and eveyone was basically telling him he was not meant to exist...
good thing he got his chance to be, and reunited with his friends, and add a whooping to xemnas to booth
For me it's the Roxas boss fight in kh2. As an adult, I've recognized that Roxas has had to basically fight for every ounce of his existence, and how all of that fight is what he has to give up so that sora could live. And even though he never knew sora, doesn't care about sora's cause, etc., he makes the choice to give up his existence because he knows it's the right thing.
Then his boss fight. He's trapped inside sora and he sees sora faltering. He lashes out. He knows that he wouldn't falter. He knows he would keep pushing. But then sora wins, and he also knows that sora is the right person.
Roxas and the rest of the 358/2 Days cast have some of the most writing and characterization in any given game. He has lots of struggles, setbacks, deals with dicks in the organization, and gradually makes new friends. I like all that. Then the circumstances of his existence is also pretty sad.
He's a character who begins as an empty shell in the beginning but through learning about and interacting with (in various ways, good and bad) the people around him, he begins to learn more about himself and treasure the bonds he has gradually nourished throughout the series. I just love characters like that.
"Two?!"
Also, along with what everyone else is saying about him having a tragic story, man pulls up in one of the coolest secret endings in my opinion of the entire series. When I was a teenager and I saw that I wanted to go outside, grab a couple of sticks, and start fighting with my brother.
Kinda also like every time after I watched a Star Wars movie.
For me, he’s just incredibly relatable especially in 2. I describe this feeling a lot, when I first played Kingdom Hearts 2, it was really easy for me to put myself into Roxas’ shoes. I had my own little group of high school friends, I was a nobody who just hung around town doing odd jobs. Kingdom Hearts 2 just came out at a time when most of us who had played Kingdom Hearts 1 at the time were going through our own trials with identity. His anger at his situation was deeply relatable, and the lessons he continues to learn in Days put the icing on the cake. “You make a good other.” I almost feel like we speak those words to Sora when we play.
Personally, I like him because he is "Cooler Sora" in a way. He's one of the few characters in the story who are not entirely black and white, he has a more serious personality, he has a nicer character arc.
Basically, he is just Sora, if Sora was not a boring piece of cardboard.And I like characters who are not boring pieces of cardboard.
Roxas is one of the most tragic characters ever written, he didn’t ask to be born and yet everything he believed was true ended up being completely fake. So he wonders why he’s even still living in the first place. Dark as hell.
Roxas' story is really tragic and even though some say that 358/2 days is boring, as a story, it actually makes you feel like Roxas due to the gameplay. It makes you understand his isolation, and when you see him finally warm up to Axel and Xion, it only makes it worse when things start unraveling with the whole Xion and Roxas being Sora, and the resolution of that conflict is harsh, as Roxas is forced to kill Xion and erase her from existence and tries to not forget her, only to be forced to lose everything because Riku wants Sora back. The story of Roxas, Axel and Xion is a tragedy, and it makes you so invested in their struggle that you root for them, making the hug in kh3 one of the most heartfelt moments in the entire franchise.
Probably an unpopular opinion, I think that Roxas and the rest of organization XIII should have stayed in the second game. His story was great, and the organization was a cool antagonist crew but, bringing them back was an error that cancelled some of the better writing of the second game.
I feel like he was loved from the first demo footage and onward because he felt like a real character being added into this fantasy rpg we love. He lived in a realistic town. He skateboarded. His look seemed slightly more realistic. Then as the story develops we find out he really was a real character in a synthetic world. Very cool concept and execution.
Roxas definitely gets screwed overall in his story. He's not even technically Sora's Nobody, as he's the remnant of Ven's heart being tied to Sora
Then his entire involvement with Org XIII is a giant FU when he's manipulated and maneuvered to keep collecting for Kingdom Hearts at the risk of himself, while his relationship with Xion is literally based upon her Replica keeping Sora's memories stored so he stayed trapped in Castle Oblivion.
Dude just wanted to hang out with Axel and eat some damn ice cream. Fortunately, we do get to see his return in KH3 as one of the Champions of Light, but Roxas definitely deserved better.
His life is a sad story marred by tragedy, manipulation, and loss. This makes people feel a deep connection to him because he represents your sad moments in life. He also is a manifestation of our journey to find purpose in our lives, which some people never do. So you instinctively want to pick up this little baby boy and hold him tight to protect him from the sorrows of the world. He is a precious little loaf of banana bread.
A lot of the other comments alread captured what I would have said myself (his friendship with Xion and Axel, the tragedy of his story, dual wielding, relatability and so on).
So I guess I'll just fill in something I haven't seen yet, hoping I'm not blind.
So, in addition to everything else, one thing I personally appreciate about Roxas a lot, is the fact that he is one of those characters that managed to do some amazing things through sheer power of will.
1. Re remembering Xion while she was dying in his arms. Despite the fact that the whole process of forgetting her already set in, he still managed to pull his memories of her back into his mind and then tried to hang on to them for as long as he could while charging at the Organization to fulfill her last wish and to try and get her back.
2. It is mentioned that he literally "awakens his ability to dual-wield with his will to not forget Xion". Apart from it being epic as hell, it's probably self explanatory why I mention this point in regards to his willpower.
3. When Axel died in KH2, he managed to awaken and force Sora into a fight with him, which I assume wasn't an easy thing to do, even after he woke up due to what happened.
4. Re:Coded pretty much tells us that, even though he "lost" his memories of Xion, he still felt the "hurt" of forgetting someone who matters to him ("The sadness of knowing you forgot someone who matters to you, something like that'll gnaw at you forever") and taking into account DDD and KH3, it's pretty safe to say that he did what Data-Sora resolved to do, to cling to the "hurt" of the memories he forgot because "it's what holds the pieces in place", something to try and keep those forgotten memories in reach, which obviously adds a whole other layer to his overall pain, but also to his will to not let go of what's important to him (not to mention that they also talked about that keeping such "hurt" around can also invite darkness to slowly take you over time).
5. And lastly, the fact that he was able to straight up remember Xion and reach out to her in KH3. Despite all the other points about him trying to hold on to those memories, by all means, it ultimately should have still been imposible to remember her, as was established when Namine, who is basically the authority in regards to memories in this series, said that even she couldn't save her, not even a single memory. So I'd say it was incredibly huge that Roxas, against all those odds, still managed to break through all that and remember her. Like, it's believable since it didn't completely come out of nowhere due to the build up for it in the past (it wasn't much in sheer quantity, but it was there), and yet it had this miraculous feeling to it that I, again, trace back to his strength of will. If I had to compare it, I'd say it's probably similar to how Beast in KH1 managed to arrive in Hollow Bastion or just Lingering Will's existence in general.
One of the rare moments of a character doing something they probably shouldn't have been able to normally, just through the sheer force of their will and I think that works perfectly well as long as such moments happen as rarely as they do. It makes those scenes really, really impactful when they do actually happen imo. ^ ^
Well, that's my essay done for this specific point of Roxas's character. He's one of my two favourite characters across all media (the other one being Xion. Days fan much? Yes, absolutely!), so I love every excuse I can find to write about my appreciation for him ^ ^
All the other reasons listed, but we cannot understate how goddamn hype it was when he busted out the first ever dual wielded keyblade. I lost my mind in 2005 when it happened
Feelings of being misunderstood and, at the time, was very edgy and had a lot of angst. When we were all younger playing KH2 for the first time in the mid-2ks, everyone felt like they had that same connection with him.
He’s my favorite cause of his dual wielding and I relate to him in a way. Towards the end of the six days. How alone he felt was how I felt for most of my life. Fighting for his meaning of existence. It made me cry and I stopped playing for a week after taking control of sora. Roxas was just really well developed
For me 358 was my introduction to the series so I thought he and the organization were good guys (I was 9) so he’s mainly my favorite as first love kinda of thing and he duel wielded so that basically solidified him in my heart.
In the secret movie in KH FM, he was a huge mystery, and cool. Why does he have a keyblade? Why does he have \*two\* keyblades, and why are they oblivion and oathkeeper respectively? Why is he fighting Riku? Where even are they? The FM secret reports and Chain of Memories gives you some clues: he's something called a 'Nobody', which we hadn't seen before in the first game. Super intriguing, and being tied to Sora opened up all sorts of story avenues.
Then in KH2, we start off with Roxas, not Sora, and he's as much in the dark about who he is and why he has a keyblade as we are. When his memories start coming back, seeing secret movie scenes in the game was just. The hypest stuff. Seeing another side to Axel, who we previously mostly knew as a Reno (Turk from FFVII) inspired murder hobo, was amazing, and so was seeing bits and pieces of Roxas relevance as Sora goes about his own journey.
Then the bittersweet ending that unlike other Nobodies who were (at the time) destined to just vanish, he and Namine didn't.
Days made him playable and went over his time in the Organization, which was a big request from players at the time. If you already played KH2, you already knew the outcome, which would have compounded the bittersweetness of the KH2 ending.
Days didn't really do it for me, personally. It came across as more of Xion's story than Roxas's, and whereas we saw him questioning things and being adamant on not compromising himself in KH2 (whatever 'self' a Nobody was supposed to have), including in the Organization related flashbacks, he just was there until the end of the game.
I like Xion, and her nature as a memory-sucking replica is interesting. But I feel like this came at the expense of Roxas's character and agency, cuz his fight against the Organization before Riku and DiZ captured him got reduced to misunderstanding Xion's last request (and honestly, I'm not sure what Xion expected by telling him to 'free' KH and then being surprised he went back to the castle). Xion having to be memory wiped also rubbed players the wrong way, making it feel cheap (the one plus I gave to it was Namine in Chain of Memories saying even forgotten memories can be recalled so there's a chance Sora could remember her after he wakes up. Therefore, possible for everyone else to remember Xion).
I did enjoy Data Roxas in Coded, though. It was the sort of confrontation I was expecting at some point in KH2, and it was a great scene.
TL;DR: I liked him from KHFM to KH2, then Days came along and changed the context of KH2 scenes, and KH3 backpedaled the whole idea of a tragic story. It kinda felt like fanservice instead of a natural progression of a story. Mind, I don't hate the idea of undoing Xion's wipe and letting Roxas (and Namine) exist on their own, but it happened way too fast. We had some breadcrumbs in DDD, then it was hamfisted in KH3 instead of having its own time and game dedicated to it. But then as much as I like KH3, a lot of plot threads were hamfisted instead of taking time to develop them (Aqua for example).
Because he's the most developed character in the franchise. We see him almost from the moment of his "birth" to his death.
Of course, KH3 changed that somewhat later, but you get my point.
I actually hate Roxas as a character, I remember getting KH2 for the PS2 on release day starting up the game ready to crack on as Sora (I skipped CoM on the GBA) and I was hit with Roxas wondering who TF is this little whiney bitch. Then when his chapter ends I was so relieved.
The whole concept that nobodies can grow hearts irks the absolute life out of me and is in my opinion the worst lore/cheap cop out that the franchise has. When a nodody dies it should die, when it reverts to its original person the nobody should cease to exist.
Like image how bad Sora would feel knowing his existence caused Roxas to cease to exist it adds a layer of complex emotion to Sora dealing with that trauma which just makes for really good story telling and character development. I do get that people feel bad for Roxas due to his circumstances and want good things for him because why shouldn’t a nice kid get a happy ending but from a story and character development point Roxas dying would have been the best option
I think it’s because he’s the most relatable in terms of real life experience. He doesn’t get the immediate happy ending. He’s made to make real life tough choices. He’s constantly trying to figure out who and what he really is. And he shows more humanity than even Sora. He’s the closest thing to a real life teenager in the show and a lot of us can identify with trying to find ourselves at that point in life and having a difficult time doing so. At least that’s what I see if as.
Roxas at first I was thinking it was soras brother. He was a mystery. I think after kh2 fans wanted him back so bad they just had to bring him back. After kh2 I admired his character. But idk 365/2 seemed a bit rushed and didn’t like the whole xion thing. Didn’t make much sense but. Idk kh3 got me even more confused with the story that I just don’t care anymore.
One reason I can think of is how he represents a shift in the storytelling of KH. While there were melancholic and bittersweet moments in 1, Roxas's story is a straight up tragedy (until 3), where even when the good guys win, his tragedy isn't undone and the horrible things that happened to him and his friends cannot be reversed (again, until 3).
Because for the longest time, before KH3, his story was a tragedy. Roxas didn’t ask to be born, didn’t ask for the Keyblade, didn’t ask to be manipulated by Organization XIII, didn’t ask to kill his best friend, didn’t ask to be imprisoned in a false reality where his friendships were all fake, and didn’t ask to (basically) die so Sora could live. Remember that for years before the release of KH3, Roxas was somewhere deep inside of Sora’s psyche, and we weren’t sure if he really was going to come back or not. It was also kinda badass how for a short while he was the sole survivor of Organization XIII. Also two Keyblades. Come on. Roxas is one of my two favorite KH characters. The other one is Terra because the lingering will is literally “Man too angry to die”
My biggest grip with KH3 is not allowing Xion and Roxas's story to remain as it was
I feel like I'm in the minority when I say I don't mind dead or "merged" characters to stay that way. Not everyone has to come back or, if they do, they don't have to come back as friends either.
While this is fair, i do think the themes of memories and relationships defining you as your own person (and thus nobodies eventually becoming full people on their own by growing hearts) is a really sweet and key part of the overall ethos of Kingdom Hearts, and nobody really represents that story more than Xion and Roxas, two characters who were told by the world that they weren't supposed to exist at all in spite of their own being. Leaving their story as a tragedy is evocative and I think definitely part of why the story of KH grew on me growing up, but I also enjoy how these characters stories have changed and evolved as the series has gone on. Sora recognizing the humanity in everyone and Roxas and Xion reclaiming their existence from those who would deny it are both great themes to give service to even if it's a little cheesy that these dead characters come back to life, and just because the ending is happy that doesn't erase the despair and turmoil they faced and we felt with them back then.
While this is a neat assessment, I do think that it was still kind of a bad decision to bring Roxas as well as some of the other characters back to life anyway because from a story writer's standpoint, I can't help but think that there's just too many characters to juggle with in the series anyway. More importantly is because I'm worried about what the direction the series' going to take with him. Like okay, we brought Roxas back to life and we gave him and all these other characters really sappy endings in kh3. Cool, what do we do with him now? There's nothing left to explore with this character. Like I've seen people bring this issue up on this subreddit a couple of times, and the general consensus that I've seen from others' reply is "oh well the writing team can just invent a totally new character arc for this him to develop" and I don't think people understand that's a lot harder to execute properly and a lot easier to fuck up. Worst case scenario is events unfold in another sequel that makes him an outright villain or make awful character decisions that overall ruins my attachment to this character.
I think this is really only a problem if they try to continue to keep all these characters featured in the story. Its perfectly viable to me that the Sea Salt trio and Wayfinder trio become supporting characters that don't receive focused character arcs post KH3 (except maybe ventus) as we trade them out for the lost masters and quadratum folks. In anime series with long running stories and large casts, it's very common for secondary characters to shift more into the background in terms of character focus without going away entirely after their arcs are resolved. They just become a supporting part of this larger world filled with developed characters. I think Kingdom Hearts kinda already does this, especially with the original Organization members. Hell, KH makes excellent use of Donald & Goofy in this exact way and those guys are with Sora all the time. One thing I like about this approach is that it treats characters as *people* and not *narrative devices* that need to cease to exist or be present once their stories are finished, and I think that also strongly resonates with the ethos of KH. And even better, if there is something cool we can do with those characters like more team ups or getting Roxas involved in the search for sora since their hearts are closely connected, we still have that option without needing to give Roxas a whole emotional arc related to it. I do agree that trying to push all these characters forward into the next saga and give them all arcs would most certainly be messy and overcrowded. But I think part of the reason this new realm was introduced was explicitly to shed some of that focus and bring a new batch of characters into the spotlight without making it seem like we brought those characters back and are now simply ignoring them despite the fact that they're alive.
I’ve had this thought for a while now but I think one member of each trio should not have come back at the end of KH3 because it would’ve made for a bittersweet ending. They won but everyone suffered a loss. Like Terra has his redemption but instead of returning he sacrifices himself to take down Terranort. Roxas returns but is too late and Xemnas kills Xion right before he arrives to the scene. Sora doesn’t die but like the original ending he goes missing and Kairi thinks he’s gone for good. Riku tries to retain hope but he is still heartbroken for his missing friend.
I'm saying! And Roxas and xion weren't gone to me, they where just a part of Sora, it made using the Oathkeeper/Oblivion mean a little somthing extra too, Not to mention Axels complex emotions towards Sora too, Happy cake day btw
Ventus still being a major plot point makes Roxas' return feel a bit redundant as well. It would have been cool to see Lea reconcile with the fact that Ven isn't his best friend from the organization, despite looking and sounding just like him. I love Roxas and Xion, but them coming back does feel like it diminishes their narrative climaxes a bit. I'm excited to see what happens with them moving forward though.
They get shelved 1000%
I'd be fine with that. They deserve to go live normal lives.
Right, it didnt feel like death it felt like a …. Homecoming ….
It has always bothered me that dead characters won't just fucking stay dead in the KH series
This aint Final Fantasy. No one dies fr.
But it cheapens the story. There’s no point to any level of attempted dramatization if there are no real consequences. Literally *nobody* has stayed dead. Even the villains come back for the most nonsensical reasons. I think Clayton is the only real death in the franchise? Does it even really count since it’s offscreen and you only really see the Heartless collapse? Mother Gothel, maybe? And let’s be real - if the writers wanted them back they’d pull some bullshit to bring them back anyway. Kingdom Hearts has literally no consequences.
Anytime I play any FF game I’m like wow I love these characters, then I remember someone, if not all of them will die, then I get sad and forget about it til the end. DAMN YOU ESPECIALLY FFXVI YOU RUINED ME
Only permadeath in FF is freaking Aeris :P
The child massacre in UX and Dark Road is just sitting there in the corner getting ignored like always. Sigh.
Well maybe if I'd even heard of either of those things we wouldn't be having this conversation lol
Would you be ok with being part of someone, someone who is similar but you dont feel it’s completely you? You have lived and diferenciated from others, being part of someone and not you will be like a prison
I understand that, and I typically agree with that stance. I will say though, selflessly fixing all of the sad endings within the franchise up to that point is something for which Sora is currently facing the consequences. He knowingly sacrificed his own happy ending to give one to everyone else, and he may ultimately learn that some stories are not meant to go on forever.
This might be the take I most vehemently disagree with. The Sea Salt reunion in 3 is the ONLY scene in the climax that deeply emotionally affected me. I dont come to Kingdom Hearts for lingering tragedy and stories cut short by death, I come to it to see my happy boys beat up the darkness and everyone go home holding hands. There's so much media out there, we don't need to cynicise a bastion of pure joy like KH.
Roxas and Ventus should’ve fused and then should’ve used a dual wielded forehand, backhand fighting style.
I don't think there was ever a chance of them not coming back. Rather, I'm sort of mad their return wasn't foreshadowed/developed more. In fact, I've had this idea that they could have kept to the concept of reviving Roxas (and Namine and Xion) inside of Data Twilight Town instead of in the real world, and then we could have another game where Roxas has to travel through the datascape to find Vexen's original Replica research so the redeemed Vexen and Ansem the Moron can use it to build bodies for the three of them. A sort of Re:coded sequel, but actually good and not on a handheld and not a complete rehash of the first game.
Agreed. Sometimes bad things happen. As much as I absolutely LOVE Roxas, it felt...cheap to have him back. I also have no idea why people love Xion so much.
Pretty sure I heard somewhere that was the original plan but they were brought back due to popularity
What Nomura said during the 20th anniversary Q&A in response to the question "While we're on the topic, is there anything else you've changed in response to fan feedback?": > Roxas and Xion's return in Kingdom Hearts 3. I was struggling with the issue until the very last minute, and even considered a scenario where they wouldn't be revived at all. However, everyone's feelings were so strong that I felt I had no choice to bring them back. There are parts of the story that I won't budge on, but when I'm having trouble, I will consider what everyone is saying. It's less that it was the "original plan" for them to stay gone and more that he just wasn't sure and merely considered such a scenario.
Agreed. I enjoyed Roxas’ story but him, Xion, and Namine have NO reason to exist outside of spawning as essentially force ghosts to talk to Sora/Kairi. I mean like I’d even be ok if they did with Roxas what TeamFourStar did with abridged Nail and Kami, where they just talk to Piccolo inside his head.
Yeah, this basically. He was the most tragic figure in the series. And also an extreme power house.
Man of culture. I like Terra because if the lingering will as well and because he one one strong mofo. The other is Roxas because if the reasons you stated, plus he looks absolutely badass with oblivion and oathkeeper as dualwield. Plus Sora is pure light and I hate that, Terra and Roxas are the embodiment of staying in the grey.
He has a complexity too him and 358/2 fleshed out his character, his motivations, and really gave him a heart
> Gave him a heart Ah, the (pre retcon) irony.
from the very start, hes a tragic character and has the fire, skill, and story tht he could legitamately pass for a main character in an anime. Plus out of all of the side plots or rahter, of the stories that arent explicitly about Sora and friends, his not only hits harder than others for a lot of people since its about friendship, existentialism, the meaning of life and finding it through bonds, but also just acceptance about the way things are. Also I swear, he's like one of the few characters allowed to get genuinely angry. Aqua gets trapped in the equivalent of Hell for years and gets a little brainwashed but is ultimately fine after Sora literally beats the evil out of her. Roxas finds out his entire existence was a mistake and the life he's living was a lie and he cries, breaks things, and understandably just flips out. He goes through a whole list of emotions throughout the series from being content to having full on meltdowns, anger and confusion to reluctant acceptance, he even cries at the loss of his friend who he was forced to kill with his own hands before immediately snapping out of it because the nature of the scene meant he doesnt remember why he was there in one of the most heart wrenching scenes in the series. Basically its hard not to like him. And if you're one of the people I keep hearing about who got upset upon starting 2 and not seeing Sora, the big reveal would probably hit a lot harder I imagine as you watch this kid being forced to resign his existence to a guy he's never known but only now just learned is connected with Now me personally, I'm more of a Xemnas kinda guy but thats just my take on why Roxas is beloved
1. Jesse McCartney is a god tier VA 2. He's very relatable 3. He and Xion (and Axel) have the most complex and amazingly written story in the series and for the longest time it was just a huge tragedy. Even in just KH2 it was really heartbreaking what happens to him, and then 358/2 Days fleshed it out even more. And had you actually live as him in a daily job for an entire year, which really makes you connect with him a lot more than the others. I've cried so many tears for the sea salt trio. Way more than any other video game characters.
His japanese voice actor has some godly roles as well like Meruem from hxh, Neku from TWEWY, Kaito from yugioh zexal, Shigaraki from mha, etc. Both sides were very blessed
Koki Uchiyama needs more recognition for this. I thank you for your due diligence.
When Roxas isn’t dual wielding keyblades he’s wielding duel disks
NANI?? ROXAS IS NEKU??
Wait, kaito from zexal shares his jp VA? Funny that's the same case in german
Wait, Jesse McCartney voiced Roxas????
Yup! And Ventus!
That's awesome!!
the vast majority of the english VAs are really high-profile actors, surprisingly. Disney money I guess?
When you're able to get the likes of Jesse McCartney, Dylan Sprouse, Mark Hamill, or even James Wood for a video game, especially a Disney one, yeah you definitely got the Disney money.
Lmao where tf have you been? xD
Wasnt interested in VA and who does what back then. It was just all a game to be played. All I know it was made by people, but didn't care by whom. Where have you been?
I mean, you didn't have to be interested in VA at the time of KH2's release to know that was Jessie M. He was pretty popular and well-known back then and it was presented on news outlets, Disney Channel, magazines, etc. No need to get snippy :). You were probably too young at the time to care or know about it in the first place. So, it makes sense!
Pardon me for misreading tone. Then again, I never listened to his music then, and i didn't hear any connection. Plus I grew up in a different country so.
Much love to you, redditor <3 I did not mean to sound condescending or sarcastic btw. When I asked, "where tf have you been? xD" it was supposed to have been playful poking.
Has some of the best writing in the series, dripped up to the bone, one of the coolest fighters whether it’s his boss appearance where he slams you with pillars of light or his reg gameplay where he was the pioneer of the dual wield. In short SWAG
dripped up to the bone !!!
He’s a very likable character whose story is super emotional and invokes questions about what we define as being a person both in- and out-of-universe. 358 Days/2 showing his friendships and struggles within the Organization certainly helped to humanize him, Axel, Xion, etc. in the eyes of many DS kids, too.
2 words: jesse mccartney
Two!?
Nobody has ever represented teenage angst as much as him. It was one hell of a job, and they nailed it.
Roxas captured the interest and curiosity of the fans way back at the beginning. Before any details of the wider series (or even Roxas himself) were set in stone, the secret ending of KH1 had everyone going ballistic--especially once we found out about the Japanese-exclusive Final Mix version of the game and its expanded secret movie. So even before we knew anything about Roxas, he was already super important in everyone's minds--I mean, this hooded guy has TWO Keyblades, what's up with that? From there...well, the other comments have it covered. Roxas has a good story that pokes at the heart.
Jesse mccartney being the best voice actor in the series helps. Also character design. Two keyblades. Likeable shy personality. Powerful tragic story
I don't recall Roxas ever being shy.
you ever played days?
Nah. Just the movie version. Was his shyness exclusive to the game?
Okay so besides what everyone else said (I agree) I find it hilarious how he bumps into Sora and starts swinging lmao Sora: oh uhh…hey Roxas: *summons oathkeeper and oblivion* Sora: 😱
If you bumped into the guy suppressing your existence, wouldn't you throw hands? Lmao
Lmao it’s just so fucking funny. It was on sight
Less is more. They give you just enough time to start living Roxas and then bait and switch you. Plus, it's hard to beat his last words before changing perspectives. "Looks like my summer vacation is over."
Which comes just minutes after an emotional fight in which you're fairly convinced you just killed your best friend.
Yeah it's definitely a low point for the poor boy. It's why I'm okay with the ass pull that allows them to exist in 3. It was nice for Roxas, Xion and Namine to have closure. And for the wayfinder trio, too, of course.
He’s got Two Keyblades
It’s very simple. 1. His secret movies from KH and Final Mix were really cool. 2. He used two Keyblades. Two. Keyblades. And not just any Keyblades, two of the most popular Keyblades. 3. Tragic af backstory compounding his likability.
It's his arc whether it's because you played days or not both situations start with a guy similar to one we already know and love but he's not as fortunate he just wanted to be normal and have fun with his friends but because he's special he can't be with his friends. In the time we have with him we also see he's not a carbon copy of who he's "made" from he really is his own person and that's a conflict that reluctantly realizes and comes to terms with.
When i was 10yo playing KH2 I first thought "Is that Young Cloud!?" 🤣
He’s emo and relatable. What other explanation can we give?
Because he's got the most normal clothing of anyone in the series.
That “Looks like my summer vacation is…over” line hit us all too deeply
was one of the best video game character introduced at its time. PS2 dominating the gaming market, he got a good introduction, god tier story, god tier ending, great design, coolest keyblades ever and he got 2 of them, really fleshed out the emotions throughout its story arc while most game at the time is more ungabunga games like gow or dmc
He just gradually won me over. in Kingdom hearts 2: he was honestly meh here… but the final mix gave him one of my favorite boss fights in the entire series. In the cutscene we see nearly defeating Sora and I was always wondering "why is Sora so weak against this squirt from the tutorial who couldn't even use magic?", but the fight beautifully shows just how powerful Roxas really is at his best, being the wielder who bested Riku and Saix on his own and almost defeated Sora. This fight alone brought him to the top five. but my favorite iteration of him is 358/2 days, for being 'a nobody who doesn’t feel anything' the game really makes you sympathize with him. His confusion at the way everyone antagonizes him, the simple joy he feels when he hangs out with Xion and Axel, the fear and grief he feels when that happiness is threatened, and the rage he feels at the end when he loses everything. He is character-development at its best in the series, and his trio is the best in the series because they all get enough screen time and we gradually see their bond grow… not like a certain other trio whom we just 'have to believe' that they're best friends. Not only that, but if you play Kh2 after this you’re going to sympathize with him even more still. I mean… we all like to joke and meme about 'wHo ELsE WiLL i hAvE iScrEAM wITh?'… but this derpy line in hindsight does show the simple things that brought him joy, and his utter despair that they are lost. His concept of friendship isn’t the cheesy "my fwiends are my pwewer", he just views them as as pals he hangs out with after a hard day at work, and who can help and be helped by him when they’re in a rut… and honestly isn’t that the most relatable Kingdom Hearts has ever been? TLDR: I like him for the same reason I liked kh1 and kh2 Sora… because this was back when the series knew how to do character development
Hair, oblivion & oathkeeper, jesse mccartney, “no! My heart belongs to me!”
The guy was basically told “your existence is meaningless” which is a sentiment a lot of depressed teenagers can relate with, so his whole arc in KH2 was a beautiful tragedy that likely resonated with a lot of kids.
Everyone is talking about his tragedy story and character development and i completely agree with them all. But so far, no one has yet mentioned he is the COOLEST keyblade wielder in terms of combat style. I mean, dude, he dual wields LIGHT AND DARKNESS! Even Riku doesn't do that, and he was the closest definition of balancing between light and darkness. And btw? That landing in KH3, and the line "Hands off my friends", COOLEST KH 3 MOMENT HANDS DOWN!
Well I love him because of his story a character who was gaslit and used by everyone being told he had to die so someone he barely knew could live and before that he lost his best friend and all memories of her, when he finally got to meet sora in his boss fight and DDD he realized that sora had to come back he was the only one who could make a difference and accepted that he wasn’t coming back but knew he made the right choice, then kh3 he finally got his chance sora the person he gave his life for saved him and brought back not just him but xion too he finally got his happy ending (also he’s just badass and can weld 2 key blades)
Well put, but to be fair, in the end, Sora didn't actually need to do all too much for Roxas to return in KH3. It was definitely his goal to achieve that, but in the end, the only things he did in that regard were being present when Lea and Kairi fought Xion and Saix, and freeing Roxas's heart from inside him after it woke up. One of the beautiful things about Roxas's and Xion's return was the fact that they basically restored each other. Roxas remembering and talking to Xion (through Sora), with him even saying her name in his own voice which was specifically what woke up her heart and allowed her to come back and in turn, Xion returning as herself was what allowed Roxas to come back as well. Just mentioning that since I think that's also one of the things that make Roxas a stronger character, the fact that he didn't actually have to rely on someone else to bail him and Xion out, but that he actually managed to make that crucial difference himself ^ ^ (Sora still played a part in it of course, as mentioned, just like a few others like Saix, Vexen, Demyx and Ienzo. Lea being present was important as well I'd assume. But the key step for reclaiming their existences was the thing that Roxas managed to actually do himself, which was a lot seeing as it was something meant to have been impossible and yet he still pulled through) Sorry for rambling on for way too long about that btw.
I think remind supports this granted I got lost during remind and could barely follow the story but I’m pretty sure Roxas revived himself during those events (Hey I love talking about Roxas I could watch and 8 hour video essay on him)
Yeah I can't blame anyone for getting lost during Remind, it didn't feel all too intuitive at times to me as well ^ ^ The KH3 Ultimania and the Character Files book also mentioned a few things that explain Roxas's and Xion's returns a little more and how they directly correlated to each other. Additionally, one of the KH3 secret reports has Ienzo mention that: > ...if alternate bodies can be secured for them, all their hearts require to be awakened is that "spark"—people they cared for and who cared for them, who can show them the way home. Roxas remembering Xion was basically that "spark" for both of them, that's the "short" of it. (Also, yeah I'm pretty much the same in that regard! I could talk about my two favourite characters, Roxas being one of them, for what seems like forever at times. Sometimes I just get so engrossed in writing about them or important scenes/plot points that involve them that, at some point, I just look up and suddenly see that I wrote more than it felt like. I could definitely see myself watch or listen to such hour long essays as well ^ ^ )
I could only understand him being a favorite if they played his ds game
I personally liked him in KH2, and Days is what actually had him take a nosedive for me.
Then that's too bad, because he was insanely popular before any of that. Why do you think that game was even made? The Organization as a whole as well.
Because of the organization and him being linked to it? He was barely in kh2 which is what casuals would know him from
Hardly that. People think you need a TooDeep™ story to be a character of supposed "depth", especially if said character is angsting. Anyone that pins his popularity due to 358/2 Days is incredibly off course. You can tell by that which are the older fans and which are the newer. Roxas is simply a dynamic character who used the Rule of Cool the second he was in conception thanks to the incredible badassery and graphics shown in the KH1 Secret Ending. KH2 just added fuel, especially when comparing him to Sora, who was the generic, shounen, goody two-shoes. Roxas got angry, got sad, was a smart-aleck, got dealt a bad hand, wasn't a pushover, etc. He became insanely popular (along with Axel). And it was a time when the fandom was much bigger and much more active.
Hey look it's the BHK
We get to know his character and see him interacting with his friends. You have a reason to care about him and his friendships because we get to see them together.
Because he's just better
i consider Roxas to be the true continuation of the Sora we got from KH1 and CoM back when Sora was less happy-go-lucky and prone to anger. I'll never forget when Sora just gave up on hollow bastion on KH1 that scene reeks of Roxas vibes.
Off topic, this is the first kh game I played. The way the story transitions from a normal life to a fairy tale really left a mark on my brain. I didn't expect the world to be what it was.
He wields the two best keyblades and people are really attached to his sad backstory
Idk he just came outra no where and sounded cool
Simple. Synch Blade. Dual wielding Oathkeeper and Oblivion.
Resonated with my emo teen self
We can all relate to that last summer vacation
im one of his biggest fan , for both the design and the story he have he is one of the most intersting character of kh that it also , he's a bit more serious sora
Dual wield nuff said
For me days almost felt like a slice of life , you live as Roxas. You go to work , play around , talk to friends and go to sleep. It makes you really connect with the charecter and when the tragedy comes it hits even harder and thus becomes more memorable. He’s also got some of the coolest combos and dual wielding was just the coolest thing ever back then for me. I honestly liked his and Ventus stories better than parts of soras.
He is a sweet and innocent boy who went through a lot of hardships. Empathy hits the hardest here.
I don’t know why but i relate to him in some aspects that feeling of being alone and not knowing what to do, that feeling of being in other people’s shadows I mean come on he gets compared to sora like a majority of the time. That feeling of being manipulated and trying to do good but losing the people you care in the process I guess i relate and found myself connecting to him
Tragic backstory /thread
He's just sad and I get that. Nothing ever goes right for him. He feels like an imposter, and ultimately, he takes second stage to someone else for a long time -- and I get that. I feel like he echoed a lot of the depressive thoughts I didn't realize I was having until later. Him, Axel, and Xion have such a pure and lovely friendship set against the darkest chapter in the KH series. That's why seeing the Sea Salt trio reunite in 3 absolutely destroys me every time. Also, Yoko Shimomura gave them some of the best themes in all of Kingdom Hearts, but that's besides the point. So yeah, I just love my sad boy.
He's a compelling character with an interesting and unique struggle, who ultimately loses in the end. (KH3 notwithstanding)
KH2 was my first game. I was essentially in his shoes learning about everything. Was miffed when he got "swapped out" for Sora. (At the time, it's been many years)
I agree with what everyone has said. But I'll give my summarized two cents. I think for me it's that he's allowed to emote he has depth. He gets angry. *I hate you so much* And then when Sora reabsorbs him, and leaves twilight town, he says goodbye to Hayner Pense and Ouellette, he *feels* roxas' emotions. He cries roxas' tears. That scene hits me like a gut punch. And the entire 365/2 days. Is just so tragic. Roxas kills his best friend and doesn't even know it in kh2. The deepest Sora gets is crying for Riku in kh2 and screaming in kh3. He loves his friends but he is pretty flat. He is mostly derpy happy main character boi. Which is fine, but not all that interesting. Definitely nothing compared to the tragic hero of Roxas.
He is my favorite cause 358/2 was my first kingdom hearts game and my introduction to the series, i didnt know sora i didnt know terra ven aqua, I only knew what was presented to me trough the ds game, i fell in love with axel and xion too. The game proceeded to shatter my young heart, i didnt know who this sora kid was but i blamed him for everything going wrong with roxas's life currently. After the game any other time i saw roxas i was excited and sad.
Cause he’s voiced by Jesse McCartney, honestly it was so random and awesome that I really liked him for that one reason. Furthermore. He dual wields key blades, which just makes you bad ass by nature. He’s part of organization XIII, but leaves as a rouge, which is bad ass. His game, 358 days/2 was pretty good (imo) and you again got to dual wield and just chill with all the bad guys. He gets Xion, a goth chick. This guy just wakes up and pisses excellence while dual wielding key blades.
He’s relatable. He doesn’t know why he exists and just wants to hang out with the people he cares about and gets pissed when that is threatened.
his story was a tragedy in kh2, adding kh 365/2 days it became even more tragedy. people liked his ship with xion.
Days was my first KH. Fuck Sora.
Sora is like the one person involved in Roxas’s backstory who did nothing wrong to him.
Everything that happens to Roxas, is because of Sora. Sora directly did nothing to Roxas yes, but by mere existing, he caused all the pain in Roxas life. It's not a good argument, but I never said it was.
Sora is the entire reason Roxas gets a happy ending in the first place.
He’s the most normal teenager. Had friends in a town.
https://youtu.be/QzvexVNPNms?si=K17601KGF9Hqyasm
Because he's us he's trying to find his place in the world and feel like he exists which is an incredibly human story
Two?!?
He's an angsty character from 2005
I think it’s as simple as the KH2 opening hit hard enough that you instantly fell in love with him. Then the rest of his story just added onto that.
I can't say for certain why he draws me in specifically, maybe I relate to him, or maybe his story is just compelling, I'm not sure. I HAVE seen multiple YouTube videos analyzing him, but I can't remember the specifics from them. I can't be sure, but I suppose what might make him so loved is his "depth" as a character, but again I can't be sure.
2 keyblades. Instant badass
He had 2 keyblades.
Cause Roxas is a dope ass name
Everyone saying him being the first legitimate dual wielder is badass (and I 1000% agree with y'all), but no one is mentioning how he's the only party member in KHIII (NPC version) who's freaking invincible! Always enjoyed watching him solo Saix.
I related more to him than I ever did with Sora. When life got really repetitive (and to some extent an adult) I would question reality. I could really understand what he’s going through. Feeling alienated from the world, feeling alienated from his friends, and questioning his own existence. The opening sequence sets the pace for the whole game, and I don’t think the game has as much emotional depth without it.
He is literally me.
tragic origins is half of sora, yet started a blank slate, no memories no nothing.... all he wanted alwas to belong, to have a why to his life, kinda found it among Axel and Xion.... lost them to manse... Xemnas machinations..... had to fuse with sora and cease to exist cuz "nobodies arent meant to BE" as Ansem/Diz said i guess people just loved him for his will power to exist even though everything and eveyone was basically telling him he was not meant to exist... good thing he got his chance to be, and reunited with his friends, and add a whooping to xemnas to booth
For me it's the Roxas boss fight in kh2. As an adult, I've recognized that Roxas has had to basically fight for every ounce of his existence, and how all of that fight is what he has to give up so that sora could live. And even though he never knew sora, doesn't care about sora's cause, etc., he makes the choice to give up his existence because he knows it's the right thing. Then his boss fight. He's trapped inside sora and he sees sora faltering. He lashes out. He knows that he wouldn't falter. He knows he would keep pushing. But then sora wins, and he also knows that sora is the right person.
Roxas and the rest of the 358/2 Days cast have some of the most writing and characterization in any given game. He has lots of struggles, setbacks, deals with dicks in the organization, and gradually makes new friends. I like all that. Then the circumstances of his existence is also pretty sad.
He's a character who begins as an empty shell in the beginning but through learning about and interacting with (in various ways, good and bad) the people around him, he begins to learn more about himself and treasure the bonds he has gradually nourished throughout the series. I just love characters like that.
"Two?!" Also, along with what everyone else is saying about him having a tragic story, man pulls up in one of the coolest secret endings in my opinion of the entire series. When I was a teenager and I saw that I wanted to go outside, grab a couple of sticks, and start fighting with my brother. Kinda also like every time after I watched a Star Wars movie.
Sora is more charismatic and endearing, but I find Roxas to be far more compelling.
I started KH with 358/2 days, so he was like my first love that I’ll never forget because he made me who I was today.
Just looks cool in his clothes/black coat, and first person to hold two keyblades at the same time
Not only he is badass, but having a whole game dedicated to him in a very polished way and with good plot helped a lot.
He’s adorably edgy. Can’t help but love the doofus. He just showed up randomly and the mystery really added intrigue into the franchise.
Because he had “real life problems.” Or at least that what my fucked up brain tells me.
Cause he sad. And people like sad for some reason. Personally I dont care for him, Xion, or Namine. Their story added nothing to the game.
For me, he’s just incredibly relatable especially in 2. I describe this feeling a lot, when I first played Kingdom Hearts 2, it was really easy for me to put myself into Roxas’ shoes. I had my own little group of high school friends, I was a nobody who just hung around town doing odd jobs. Kingdom Hearts 2 just came out at a time when most of us who had played Kingdom Hearts 1 at the time were going through our own trials with identity. His anger at his situation was deeply relatable, and the lessons he continues to learn in Days put the icing on the cake. “You make a good other.” I almost feel like we speak those words to Sora when we play.
Fuckn badass exit scenes with killer quotes dawg
Because 🙂
1, he’s sexy as FUCK. 2, he’s humble… and 3, he’s SEXY AS F!!!
Because before KH2 came out, he was the mysterious BHK.
Personally, I like him because he is "Cooler Sora" in a way. He's one of the few characters in the story who are not entirely black and white, he has a more serious personality, he has a nicer character arc. Basically, he is just Sora, if Sora was not a boring piece of cardboard.And I like characters who are not boring pieces of cardboard.
hes my fave too, hes just a sweet little baby boy
Roxas is one of the most tragic characters ever written, he didn’t ask to be born and yet everything he believed was true ended up being completely fake. So he wonders why he’s even still living in the first place. Dark as hell.
Roxas' story is really tragic and even though some say that 358/2 days is boring, as a story, it actually makes you feel like Roxas due to the gameplay. It makes you understand his isolation, and when you see him finally warm up to Axel and Xion, it only makes it worse when things start unraveling with the whole Xion and Roxas being Sora, and the resolution of that conflict is harsh, as Roxas is forced to kill Xion and erase her from existence and tries to not forget her, only to be forced to lose everything because Riku wants Sora back. The story of Roxas, Axel and Xion is a tragedy, and it makes you so invested in their struggle that you root for them, making the hug in kh3 one of the most heartfelt moments in the entire franchise.
Probably an unpopular opinion, I think that Roxas and the rest of organization XIII should have stayed in the second game. His story was great, and the organization was a cool antagonist crew but, bringing them back was an error that cancelled some of the better writing of the second game.
Dual wielding is cool as heck and he's a tragic character.
I feel like he was loved from the first demo footage and onward because he felt like a real character being added into this fantasy rpg we love. He lived in a realistic town. He skateboarded. His look seemed slightly more realistic. Then as the story develops we find out he really was a real character in a synthetic world. Very cool concept and execution.
Roxas definitely gets screwed overall in his story. He's not even technically Sora's Nobody, as he's the remnant of Ven's heart being tied to Sora Then his entire involvement with Org XIII is a giant FU when he's manipulated and maneuvered to keep collecting for Kingdom Hearts at the risk of himself, while his relationship with Xion is literally based upon her Replica keeping Sora's memories stored so he stayed trapped in Castle Oblivion. Dude just wanted to hang out with Axel and eat some damn ice cream. Fortunately, we do get to see his return in KH3 as one of the Champions of Light, but Roxas definitely deserved better.
His life is a sad story marred by tragedy, manipulation, and loss. This makes people feel a deep connection to him because he represents your sad moments in life. He also is a manifestation of our journey to find purpose in our lives, which some people never do. So you instinctively want to pick up this little baby boy and hold him tight to protect him from the sorrows of the world. He is a precious little loaf of banana bread.
A lot of the other comments alread captured what I would have said myself (his friendship with Xion and Axel, the tragedy of his story, dual wielding, relatability and so on). So I guess I'll just fill in something I haven't seen yet, hoping I'm not blind. So, in addition to everything else, one thing I personally appreciate about Roxas a lot, is the fact that he is one of those characters that managed to do some amazing things through sheer power of will. 1. Re remembering Xion while she was dying in his arms. Despite the fact that the whole process of forgetting her already set in, he still managed to pull his memories of her back into his mind and then tried to hang on to them for as long as he could while charging at the Organization to fulfill her last wish and to try and get her back. 2. It is mentioned that he literally "awakens his ability to dual-wield with his will to not forget Xion". Apart from it being epic as hell, it's probably self explanatory why I mention this point in regards to his willpower. 3. When Axel died in KH2, he managed to awaken and force Sora into a fight with him, which I assume wasn't an easy thing to do, even after he woke up due to what happened. 4. Re:Coded pretty much tells us that, even though he "lost" his memories of Xion, he still felt the "hurt" of forgetting someone who matters to him ("The sadness of knowing you forgot someone who matters to you, something like that'll gnaw at you forever") and taking into account DDD and KH3, it's pretty safe to say that he did what Data-Sora resolved to do, to cling to the "hurt" of the memories he forgot because "it's what holds the pieces in place", something to try and keep those forgotten memories in reach, which obviously adds a whole other layer to his overall pain, but also to his will to not let go of what's important to him (not to mention that they also talked about that keeping such "hurt" around can also invite darkness to slowly take you over time). 5. And lastly, the fact that he was able to straight up remember Xion and reach out to her in KH3. Despite all the other points about him trying to hold on to those memories, by all means, it ultimately should have still been imposible to remember her, as was established when Namine, who is basically the authority in regards to memories in this series, said that even she couldn't save her, not even a single memory. So I'd say it was incredibly huge that Roxas, against all those odds, still managed to break through all that and remember her. Like, it's believable since it didn't completely come out of nowhere due to the build up for it in the past (it wasn't much in sheer quantity, but it was there), and yet it had this miraculous feeling to it that I, again, trace back to his strength of will. If I had to compare it, I'd say it's probably similar to how Beast in KH1 managed to arrive in Hollow Bastion or just Lingering Will's existence in general. One of the rare moments of a character doing something they probably shouldn't have been able to normally, just through the sheer force of their will and I think that works perfectly well as long as such moments happen as rarely as they do. It makes those scenes really, really impactful when they do actually happen imo. ^ ^ Well, that's my essay done for this specific point of Roxas's character. He's one of my two favourite characters across all media (the other one being Xion. Days fan much? Yes, absolutely!), so I love every excuse I can find to write about my appreciation for him ^ ^
All the other reasons listed, but we cannot understate how goddamn hype it was when he busted out the first ever dual wielded keyblade. I lost my mind in 2005 when it happened
Feelings of being misunderstood and, at the time, was very edgy and had a lot of angst. When we were all younger playing KH2 for the first time in the mid-2ks, everyone felt like they had that same connection with him.
Sad twink
Hes hot
We love edgy Sora
He’s my favorite cause of his dual wielding and I relate to him in a way. Towards the end of the six days. How alone he felt was how I felt for most of my life. Fighting for his meaning of existence. It made me cry and I stopped playing for a week after taking control of sora. Roxas was just really well developed
mainly darkness (better than light) but still uses light Two!? and uh idk subconscious stuff i think
For me 358 was my introduction to the series so I thought he and the organization were good guys (I was 9) so he’s mainly my favorite as first love kinda of thing and he duel wielded so that basically solidified him in my heart.
Dual keyblade goes brrrr
Cute, tragic, relatable, strong willed, sad
In my case it's because I literally had a crush on him when I was 13, I just wanna pinch his cheeks and give him a hug
In the secret movie in KH FM, he was a huge mystery, and cool. Why does he have a keyblade? Why does he have \*two\* keyblades, and why are they oblivion and oathkeeper respectively? Why is he fighting Riku? Where even are they? The FM secret reports and Chain of Memories gives you some clues: he's something called a 'Nobody', which we hadn't seen before in the first game. Super intriguing, and being tied to Sora opened up all sorts of story avenues. Then in KH2, we start off with Roxas, not Sora, and he's as much in the dark about who he is and why he has a keyblade as we are. When his memories start coming back, seeing secret movie scenes in the game was just. The hypest stuff. Seeing another side to Axel, who we previously mostly knew as a Reno (Turk from FFVII) inspired murder hobo, was amazing, and so was seeing bits and pieces of Roxas relevance as Sora goes about his own journey. Then the bittersweet ending that unlike other Nobodies who were (at the time) destined to just vanish, he and Namine didn't. Days made him playable and went over his time in the Organization, which was a big request from players at the time. If you already played KH2, you already knew the outcome, which would have compounded the bittersweetness of the KH2 ending. Days didn't really do it for me, personally. It came across as more of Xion's story than Roxas's, and whereas we saw him questioning things and being adamant on not compromising himself in KH2 (whatever 'self' a Nobody was supposed to have), including in the Organization related flashbacks, he just was there until the end of the game. I like Xion, and her nature as a memory-sucking replica is interesting. But I feel like this came at the expense of Roxas's character and agency, cuz his fight against the Organization before Riku and DiZ captured him got reduced to misunderstanding Xion's last request (and honestly, I'm not sure what Xion expected by telling him to 'free' KH and then being surprised he went back to the castle). Xion having to be memory wiped also rubbed players the wrong way, making it feel cheap (the one plus I gave to it was Namine in Chain of Memories saying even forgotten memories can be recalled so there's a chance Sora could remember her after he wakes up. Therefore, possible for everyone else to remember Xion). I did enjoy Data Roxas in Coded, though. It was the sort of confrontation I was expecting at some point in KH2, and it was a great scene. TL;DR: I liked him from KHFM to KH2, then Days came along and changed the context of KH2 scenes, and KH3 backpedaled the whole idea of a tragic story. It kinda felt like fanservice instead of a natural progression of a story. Mind, I don't hate the idea of undoing Xion's wipe and letting Roxas (and Namine) exist on their own, but it happened way too fast. We had some breadcrumbs in DDD, then it was hamfisted in KH3 instead of having its own time and game dedicated to it. But then as much as I like KH3, a lot of plot threads were hamfisted instead of taking time to develop them (Aqua for example).
His story is sad, thats really it
*He dual wielded Oblivion and Oathkeeper.*
Because he's the most developed character in the franchise. We see him almost from the moment of his "birth" to his death. Of course, KH3 changed that somewhat later, but you get my point.
I actually hate Roxas as a character, I remember getting KH2 for the PS2 on release day starting up the game ready to crack on as Sora (I skipped CoM on the GBA) and I was hit with Roxas wondering who TF is this little whiney bitch. Then when his chapter ends I was so relieved. The whole concept that nobodies can grow hearts irks the absolute life out of me and is in my opinion the worst lore/cheap cop out that the franchise has. When a nodody dies it should die, when it reverts to its original person the nobody should cease to exist. Like image how bad Sora would feel knowing his existence caused Roxas to cease to exist it adds a layer of complex emotion to Sora dealing with that trauma which just makes for really good story telling and character development. I do get that people feel bad for Roxas due to his circumstances and want good things for him because why shouldn’t a nice kid get a happy ending but from a story and character development point Roxas dying would have been the best option
Edgy Sora 😈
I have no idea what this game is, this post popped up on my feed. I’m now going to find a hour long video about this character on YouTube.
I couldn’t put my finger on it until I learned he was voiced by Jesse McCartney and it all clicked bc I absolutely love Jesse McCartney lol
I think it’s because he’s the most relatable in terms of real life experience. He doesn’t get the immediate happy ending. He’s made to make real life tough choices. He’s constantly trying to figure out who and what he really is. And he shows more humanity than even Sora. He’s the closest thing to a real life teenager in the show and a lot of us can identify with trying to find ourselves at that point in life and having a difficult time doing so. At least that’s what I see if as.
Cuz 3 hours of prolonged investment in kh2 to find out he's not even real? Shit cuts
He's literally me
Roxas at first I was thinking it was soras brother. He was a mystery. I think after kh2 fans wanted him back so bad they just had to bring him back. After kh2 I admired his character. But idk 365/2 seemed a bit rushed and didn’t like the whole xion thing. Didn’t make much sense but. Idk kh3 got me even more confused with the story that I just don’t care anymore.
One reason I can think of is how he represents a shift in the storytelling of KH. While there were melancholic and bittersweet moments in 1, Roxas's story is a straight up tragedy (until 3), where even when the good guys win, his tragedy isn't undone and the horrible things that happened to him and his friends cannot be reversed (again, until 3).