| Riku | |
|---|---|
| Kingdom Hearts character | |
 Riku as he appears inKingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, wielding the Soul Eater | |
| First game | Kingdom Hearts (2002) |
| Created by | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Designed by | Tetsuya Nomura |
| Voiced by | Japanese Mamoru Miyano Eiji Shima (young) English David Gallagher Ty Panitz (young) |
| In-universe information | |
| Weapon | Soul Eater Keyblade (Way to Dawn, Braveheart) |
| Home | Destiny Islands |
Riku (Japanese:リク) is a fictional character in theSquare Enix video game seriesKingdom Hearts. Debuting in the originalKingdom Hearts, Riku is introduced as a teenager who wishes to visit other worlds with his friendsSora andKairi. After their home world of Destiny Islands is destroyed, Riku meetsMaleficent, whose manipulation causes him to oppose Sora and fall into darkness, being possessed byAnsem, Seeker of Darkness. However, he is freed by Sora and returns as a protagonist in subsequent games.
Riku was created and designed byTetsuya Nomura, who wanted him to be a foil for Sora's character and hischaracter arc to represent the series' main theme of being able to choose between light or darkness, with his design and story parallelingTerra. He is voiced byMamoru Miyano and Eiji Shima in Japanese andDavid Gallagher andTy Panitz in English.[1]
Critical response to Riku has been widely acclaimed, particularly for his redemption arc and David Gallagher's performance.
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Kingdom Hearts creatorTetsuya Nomura has stated that Riku's name can be interpreted as "land", since theon'yomi pronunciation of the Japanese word for "land" isriku (陸),[2][3] similar to how Sora's name is identical to the Japanese word for "sky",sora (空).[4] Along with Sora, Riku's character represents one of the series' main themes, "the light and the dark sides of hearts".[5]
InKingdom Hearts II, Riku'sKeyblade is Way to the Dawn, which Nomura designed to resemble his previous weapon, the Soul Eater. Its name is derived from a scene at the end ofChain of Memories, where Riku said that he would walk "the road to dawn."[3] Though Riku has a minor role inBirth by Sleep, Nomura wanted to expand on his connection with Terra, who gave him the ability to wield the Keyblade and would later reunite with him.[6]
On the character's role inDream Drop Distance, Nomura emphasized Riku as the game's main focus, as, despite it featuring Sora and Riku as dual protagonists, it showcases his growth across the series.[7] As a result of the game's plot, Sora and Riku appear in their younger forms from the firstKingdom Hearts game. To avoid misconceptions thatDream Drop Distance was a remake of the original game, Nomura decided to change their outfits for most of the game.[8] For Riku's new design, Nomura altered his hair based on fan response followingKingdom Hearts II.[9]
ForKingdom Hearts III, Riku and Kairi's new designs were made to fit with Sora's; while Kairi's main color remains pink, Riku's main color is blue in contrast to Sora's red, with their outfits sharing agingham pattern due to being given to them byYen Sid.[10] Riku's new Keyblade, Braveheart, was meant to contrast with the Way to Dawn Keyblade.[11]
Riku is a childhood friend and rival of Sora, who lives with him and Kairi on Destiny Islands.[12][13] In the original game, where he is fifteen years old, when theHeartless invade Destiny Islands, Riku immerses himself in darkness to discover new worlds beyond his home. Upon arriving at Hollow Bastion, Riku is manipulated by Maleficent into aiding in her plans for world conquest in exchange for knowledge to restore Kairi's missing heart. He comes to wield the Soul Eater, a manifestation of the darkness in his heart, and is later revealed to be the rightful owner of Sora's Keyblade, which Terra bequeathed to him during the events ofBirth by Sleep, when he was five years old; however, his reliance on the power of darkness caused the Keyblade to reject him in favor of Sora.[14] He is later tricked into allowingXehanort's Heartless, Ansem, to possess his body. Following Ansem's defeat, Riku sacrifices himself to helpMickey Mouse close the door to Kingdom Hearts, stranding them on the other side.[15][16]
InChain of Memories,DiZ helps Riku escape from the dark realm. Initially rejecting his darkness out of guilt, Riku resolves to wield both powers of light and darkness to battle Ansem, whose essence lingers in his heart.[17] A replica of Riku created byVexen, known asRiku Replica, appears inChain of Memories andKingdom Hearts III.[18][19]
InKingdom Hearts II, Riku acquires a new Keyblade, the Way to the Dawn. He is forced to harness Ansem's power to defeatRoxas and restore Sora's missing memories.[20] As a result, he assumes Ansem's appearance, returning to normal after DiZ's heart encoder explodes. He and Sora return to Destiny Islands followingXemnas's defeat.[21]
Riku appears in the multiplayer mode of358/2 Days and in its story mode, where he contactsXion and is the final boss, facing Roxas as seen inKingdom Hearts II.[22] InDream Drop Distance, Riku and Sora undertake the Mark of Mastery exam in preparation for Xehanort's return.[23] Riku is promoted to Keyblade Master after venturing into Sora's dreams as aDream Eater to protect Sora from Xehanort, who attempts to use him as a vessel.[24][25]
InKingdom Hearts III, Riku and Mickey venture into the realm of darkness to rescueAqua, with him being playable in several moments throughout the realm. He is also playable in theRe Mind expansion, where he obtains a new Keyblade, Braveheart.[26] While visiting Radiant Garden, Riku analyzes digital copies of Sora andOrganization XIII's members in hopes of uncovering clues to Sora's whereabouts. After the analysis proves inconclusive, Riku is approached by theFairy Godmother and taken to meet Yen Sid, who suspects that they may find Sora through the dreams of him and two others. InMelody of Memory, Riku explains his dream of a modern metropolis to a girl known as the Nameless Star. She recognizes it as the city of Quadratum in her world and opens a portal for Riku to enter Quadratum and begin his search for Sora.
Riku also makes an appearance inSuper Smash Bros. Ultimate as a spirit.[27] In a collaboration between Square Enix and Japanese fashion brand SuperGroupies, Riku's image was used to create clothing based on his design fromKingdom Hearts III.[28] A perfume based on the character was also released.[29]
USGamer praised Riku's role for giving the narrative a major impact as he takes over the role of the Disney villains in Hollow Bastion, defeating the Beast and taking the Keyblade from Sora. Though he is defeated, the reveal that he was being used by Ansem was noted as giving the narrative a darker tone.[30]Paste Magazine stated that a vital part in Riku's characterization inKingdom Hearts is that he embraces darkness, similar to Terra duringBirth by Sleep.[31] The inclusion of Riku inChain of Memories as a playable character was praised by GamesRadar due to his enjoyable gameplay.[32]Comic Book Resources listed Sora and Riku's fight against Xemnas as one of Riku's best action sequences in the series.[33]
Riku's quest to be free and the sacrifices he makes in the first game to save Sora were commented on by William Humberto Huber fromUC San Diego as symbolizing he and Sora's loss of innocence. The arrival of Heartless in Destiny Islands being caused by Riku's darkness was seen as an "allusion to the arrival" ofMatthew C. Perry's ships in Tokyo Bay in 1853, which had a major impact on Japan.[34] InKingdom Hearts: A Search For Identity, writer Michelle Pina describes Riku as a "bratty" youth who tries to act superior to Sora in early appearances in the first game. However, in later installments, he is described as a teenager who suffers from an identity crisis due to the inner conflict between him and Ansem after he gives up himself to the darkness within him.[35]In the bookKingdom Hearts II (Boss Fight Books Book 16), Alexa Ray Corriea argues that Terra saw Riku's full potential when giving him the power to wield the Keyblade, claiming that, while Riku was a child when they first met, Terra saw through Riku's original intention of wanting to protect others, which may come across as a retcon when contrasting with previous installments.[36]
In "Playing God: An Analysis of Video Game Religion", Riku's inner struggle with the darkness and his eventual sacrifice to seal himself in the Door to Darkness was seen as a reference to the gates of hell being unleashed as demons are about to take over the planet; Riku's actions make him look likeJesus Christ in his sacrifice to save the universe. Riku's constant struggles with Xenahort were as how people face the idea of Christian facing the devil's temptation and choosing the light of Christ instead. Riku was also compared with the inner struggle forMuslims to be better people, givingKingdom Hearts multiple varieties of themes the narrative touches.[37] Riku's new Keyblade, Braveheart, was commented on bySyfy as being one of the most interesting Keyblade designs in the game, citing parallels with the Keyblade Fenrir inKingdom Hearts II.[38]
Hardcore Gamer liked the inclusion of Riku as a playable character in theKingdom Hearts III DLC, but lamented his few possible fights.[39] The character's inclusion in theTokyo Metropolitan Government Building during theKingdom Hearts III secret ending was the subject of analysis as to whether he could interact with the cast fromThe World Ends with You as well asYozora.[40][41] With the end ofRe Mind,GameInformer said that Riku came across as a more developed character than Sora, despite Sora being the protagonist.[42] With the ending ofKingdom Hearts III and the first trailer ofKingdom Hearts IV,GameRant believed Riku should no longer appear in future games as across all games Riku has dealt with a character arc that dealed with his corruption to his redemption throughout his multiple encounters with Xehanort's alteregos. Although Riku keeps looking to the missing Sora in the end ofKingdom Hearts III, GameRant said that "After everything the character has been through, he deserves a break".[43]
The performance ofDavid Gallagher as Riku, along withHaley Joel Osment as Sora andWilla Holland as Aqua, was praised by GamesRadar and Hardcore Gamer as one of the best performances inDream Drop Distance andKingdom Hearts III. His inclusion as a playable character in3D was also praised due to his dynamic with Sora.[44][45] Koinya lamented the fact thatMamoru Miyano's work was never made available for a Western audience, considering him talented alongsideMiyu Irino as Sora.[46] In a poll fromFamitsu, Riku was voted as the series' fourth best male character.[47]
Although Riku and Sora are friends,GamesRadar stated that the several cutscenes they share in the first three games of the series often resulted in fansshipping them while ignoring Sora and Kairi's relationship. Additionally, Riku hasLGBT fans who interpret him through aqueer lens due to parallels seen in his journey with self-acceptance and real-life experiences of accepting one's sexual identity.[48][49]Anime Feminist also saw Riku and Sora as potential lovers across the story due how sensitive both are portrayed whenever a scene involves the other. This is also expanded with how Kairi does not show notable interest in the other two as lovers in the first game. While Sora and Riku act antagonistic to each other in the first gameChain of Memories andKingdom Hearts II were analyzed by the writer to feel like the writer's attempt to fix their relationship so much that Riku's character rotates more around Sora's now that he lost his romantic interest on Kairi. The subtext is downplayed inKingdom Hearts III as Kairi cements her feelings on Sora, making them look like a couple.[50]
InThe Kingdom's Shōnen Heart Transcultural Character Design and the JRPG, Rachael Hutchinson noted that the early characterization of Riku and Sora seems to be influenced by that ofSephiroth andCloud Strife, respectively, in order to portray their rivalry, with Ansem taking elements from Sephiroth's appearance. Riku and Sora being forced to oppose each being caused by Kairi's weakness was compared to the sense of loss that Cloud suffers inFinal Fantasy VII followingAerith's death. Riku's fate was noted to be similar toTidus' disappearance in the ending ofFinal Fantasy X, with his return in latter games being compared to that of characters inshōnen manga as he becomes heroic due to friendship and perseverance, common themes in such manga.[51] In "Kingdom Hearts II Is Full Of Bad Romances And Rad Bromances",Kotaku noted the biggest selling point ofKingdom Hearts II is Sora's obsession of finding the missing Riku to the point of overshadowing Kairi's story. The emotional reunion Sora has with Riku is noted to have a soft soundtrack with Sora acting happy and distraught as he finally found Riku, giving a major romantic subtext. However, the writer found it nonromantic despite how sensitive is the portrayal of the two male characters. This was compared to other male characters fromFinal Fantasy designed by Tetsuya Nomura who share strong friendships like Cloud andZack Fair as well as Auron and Jecht. The bond Riku and Sora share also stands out in gameplay when the two fight Xemnas in the end ofKingdom Hearts II as well as how gameplay works inDream Drop Distance. Following Xenmas' defeat, Sora and Riku have an emotional reunion as they confess how important are to each other in a nonromantic way.[52]
In regards to Riku's characterization inKingdom Hearts III,TheGamer believed the English translation was not completely faithful to portrayal of the original Riku's feelings he has been expressing previous games; When Terra asks the infant Riku why does he want before giving him the ability to wield the Keyblade, the child replies by that he wants to learn what he wants to protect. InDream Drop Distance, Riku gains this answer when saving a comatose Sora by solving Ansem's questions, knowing the power he wants is the one used to protect Sora. This theme is explored inKingdom Hearts III in early cutscenes whereHercules tells Sora that the reason he became strong is due to finding the love he wanted. Similarly, when Riku and Mickey enter the Realm of Darkness, the latter remarks that former became stronger in this world since the last time he was. When Riku reflects on this comment, he recalls his answer fromDream Drop Distance. While the writer does not claim that Riku loves Sora in a romantic fashion, he still views him as one of the most important things he wants to protect and the Japanese version was more direct and appears to reference Hercules' newfound strength.[53]
Riku: Your mind's made up /Sora: Yeah. /.../Sora: Kairi, I... it's just they really need me. I have to go. I am who I am because of them. /Kairi: See you soon.
{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)Sora: What? You... You're not Riku. / ... /Sora: Tell me. Who are you? /Ansem: It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness.
Mickey: Now, Sora! Let's close this door for good! /Donald: Close it, quick! /Sora: But... /Mickey: Don't worry. There will always be a door to the light. /Goofy: Sora, you can trust King Mickey. /Riku: Now! They're coming!
Mickey: Listen, Riku. Just because darkness holds you, don't let go of who you are. You've got to fight the darkness inside you! It won't be easy to do, I know. But please don't forget. Even in the darkest darkness, there's always a little bit of light. /Riku: Light within darkness... /Mickey: You and I have seen it. The far welcoming light inside the door to darkness... The light of Kingdom Hearts---it will show you the way. Please don't give up. Believe in the light. That's a request from my heart.
Axel: Marluxia plotted to use Sora against the Organization...so it's fitting Sora should be his downfall. /Zexion: Then...we won't be needing Riku anymore.
Riku Replica: Surprised? I guess you should be. After all, I look just like you. I'll tell you what I am. I'm an exact replica of you that Vexen made from your data..
Riku: Will it work? /DiZ: If we can maintain the simulated town until Naminé finishes chaining together Sora's memories. /Riku: What will happen to Roxas? /DiZ: He holds half of Sora's power within him. In the end, he'll have to give it back.
Xemnas: Heroes from the realm of light... I will not allow it to end this way---not yet. If light and darkness are eternal, then surely we nothings must be the same... Eternal! /Riku: You're right, light and darkness are eternal. Nothing probably goes on forever, too. But guess what, Xemnas? /Sora: That doesn't mean YOU'RE eternal!
Riku: Xion...your memories...they really belong to Sora. /Xion: So you mean...I'm like a part of him? /Riku: When his memories were scattered, some of them...found their way inside you. Now, Sora has been put to sleep so that we can piece together his memory. Except... /Xion: You can't, because part of it is inside of me. That means...he can't wake up. /Riku: Yeah. You got it.
Yen Sid: Only a true master can teach you the proper way. Both of you are self-taught Keyblade wielders--an impressive feat. However, the time has come for you to let go of preconceived notions, forget what you know about the Keyblade, and begin your training again with a clean slate. Very well, then. Sora and Riku, let your examination begin.
Ansem: At the start of your test, when you struck out from that tiny island, you saw me there dressed in a robe. Immediately you knew something was wrong, so without even knowing it, you dove into Sora's dream. And you exactly what that sigil on your back represents--a Dream Eater to protect Sora from nightmares. /Riku: Me? I'm a Dream Eater?
Yen Sid: Sora and Riku, you both deserve the honor. However, one of you braved the realm of sleep again to unlock the final Keyhole and save a friend. Riku, I name you our new true Keyblade Master.
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