Summary
The inclusion of popularFinal Fantasycharacters was always one of the biggest draws for people to playKingdom Hearts, but coming into the game as a Final Fantasy fan might be a bit hard for most, since some of their beloved characters are a bit different from what they remember. While some of them are quite grating, there are some excellent one-to-one portrayals.
The lows are quite low, but when there are such excellent characters like Seifer or the triple pixies in Yuna, Rikku, and Paine, you might even forget that they were Final Fantasy characters to begin with. From redesigns to personality shifts, Kingdom Hearts has got it all.
There are characters like Lightning from Final Fantasy 13, or the iconic Biggs and Wedge, that appear in Kingdom Hearts, but they do so in passing or in a spin off game, so we decided to focus on the more prominent characters.
15Cloud
Final Fantasy 7
Cloud in Kingdom Hearts is, by far, the most egregious representation of the character in any media outside his own game. This version is hung up on finding Sephiroth, just like in the original Final Fantasy 7, but this time he does so with a way edgier flair, almost mimicking his other party member, Vincent Valentine.
Sure, Cloud is a bit edgy in the first dozen hours of the original game, but as the story goes on, you start to piece together that he’s really just a massive goofball.
14Selphie
Final Fantasy 8
Selphie has very brief appearances in the Kingdom Hearts games, but the small screen time she has shows us that she is quite different from her Final Fantasy counterpart. Kingdom Hearts’ Selphie appears to be quite a girly girl when she participates in a bit of girl talk with Kairi, yet her Final Fantasy version is more akin to a tomboyish character.
She is seen far more spunky and quirky, something the Kingdom Hearts normie Selphie would probably stay away from.
13Setzer
Final Fantasy 6
If you’ve played Kingdom Hearts 2, you clearly remember that tournament in Twilight Town that culminated in a fight with the handsome gambler, but if you think about it real hard, you’ll also remember when he tried to bribe Roxas for the win.
This is not something Final Fantasy 6’s Setzer would do. That man would risk it all on an unfavored bet, all for the love of the game. At least they got the heartthrob part right; otherwise, plenty of fans would be upset.
12Yuffie
Yuffie in Kingdom Hearts has a few similar traits to her Final Fantasy version. She is pretty hyperactive and quite the mischievous one, but her portrayal lacks a bit of color that she had in the original game.
Even though Yuffie is always the hyperactive kid in the back of the class, in Final Fantasy 7, most of the time she is seen scheming, behind the party’s back, on how to get the best materia possible.
11Tifa
Tifa in Kingdom Hearts is quite an interesting iteration of the famous pugilist. She is seen as a caring figure, as she always looks to see where Cloud has gone off to, just like her Final Fantasy counterpart, but her character is not very much developed past her devotion to the blonde swordsman.
She is seen as a loyal companion and a very trustworthy member of the gang, as she can hold her own in arduous combat, but her character falls flat when her Final Fantasy version is such amultifaceted and beloved character.
10Tidus And Wakka
Final Fantasy 10
Tidus and Wakka have brief appearances in Kingdom Hearts so that might give them bonus points for their portrayal, since the small amount of screen time they have is pretty accurate to their Final Fantasy versions. The duo only appear in the Destiny Islands, permanently stuck trying to challenge Sora to a duel.
Tidus is still a competitive boy, and he even mentions a sport resembling Blitzball, while Wakka acts like an older brother to Tidus—even more bonus points for a non-bigoted Wakka.
9Cid Highwind
One of the funnest features in Kingdom Hearts is customizing and flying your gummi ship. And who in the Final Fantasy universe would be the best at guiding your path when it comes to aircraft? None other than Final Fantasy 7’s very own, Cid Highwind.
Even though this version of Cid starts off as a simple merchant, he eventually finds his niche as a scientist and engineer who can provide the party with valuable gummi ship advice. But we’ll knock off a couple of points for missing his iconic cigarette.
8Sephiroth
Most of the time, it feels like Kingdom Hearts takes a lot of liberties when it comes to the Final Fantasy characters, but changing one of the most iconic villains, Sephiroth, seems like a bad move.
Luckily, this version of the one-winged angel is pretty similar to the Final Fantasy version. He is quiet, but determined, similar to the post-Nibelheim Sephiroth. He doesn’t offer much to the main story outside of being a tough-as-hell optional boss battle, but his presence is ever-looming as soon as you encounter Cloud.
7Vivi
Final Fantasy 9
Most people remember the first Vivi encounter in Kingdom Hearts 2, and it may seem quite different from the Vivi we know and love from Final Fantasy 9. In reality, that Vivi was a Nobody husk, and not the Vivi we see later on.
This Vivi is quite accurate to theFinal Fantasy 9version. The small black mage is quite shy, but begins to open up as he hangs around Zidane. This is the iconic Final Fantasy little brother.
6Aerith
As one of the main Final Fantasy characters who are seen around Hollow Bastion, Aerith is an accurate portrayal of her Final Fantasy 7 version. She is sweet and a bit goofy at times, but her appearance just screams Kingdom Hearts.
She got rid of her flower girl dress in favor of something that’s a bit more layered, and instead of combat boots, she dons a nifty pair of cowboy boots this time around.
