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Ventus (Kingdom Hearts)

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Ventus
'Kingdom Hearts' character
.
Concept artwork for Ventus by Tetsuya Nomura.
First gameKingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (2010)

Ventus (ヴェントゥス, Ventusu), commonly nicknamed Ven (ヴェン), is a fictional character from Square Enix's video game franchise Kingdom Hearts. Having first made cameos in Kingdom Hearts II and other related titles, Ventus was introduced in the 2010 prequel Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep as one of the three main characters. In its story, Ventus is introduced as the youngest apprentice of Master Eraqus who trains him alongside his best friends, Terra and Aqua, to become experienced warriors with the weapon Keyblade. When Terra goes on a mission to find the missing Master Xehanort, Ventus follows him as he starts getting concerned about his fate. As he journeys through various worlds, Ventus learns about his origins and his relation with Xehanort and his apprentice Vanitas.

Ventus was designed by director Tetsuya Nomura who wanted him to have an important connection with the series' main character Sora. Ventus bears an extremely striking resemblance to the character of Roxas, both of whom are voiced by Kōki Uchiyama in Japanese and Jesse McCartney in English. After Ventus's first cameo, Nomura had to state that both of them are different characters, and the reason for such connection would be revealed in Birth by Sleep. Video game websites also commented on Ventus's first appearance, first confusing him for Roxas during development of Birth by Sleep, but nevertheless, his role within the game has been well-received.

Appearances

Before being introduced in Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Ventus first made cameos in the secret endings of Kingdom Hearts II and its re-release, Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, which depicted him and his friends Terra and Aqua battling Master Xehanort and Vanitas. Ventus is also shown in a cameo in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days when Xion, a replica of Sora, is seen as Ventus while fighting Xigbar.[1] Ventus is also constantly referenced by Xigbar in Kingdom Hearts II and 358/2 Days while Xemnas, the Nobody of Xehanort, is in search of him in Castle Oblivion.[2]

Prior to the start of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, Ventus was the apprentice of Master Xehanort, who trained him to complete the legendary χ-blade. However, due to Ventus's reluctance to use darkness, Xehanort extracted it from his heart, resulting in the creation of Vanitas,[3][4] but also leaving his heart incomplete and on the verge of collapse. He is brought by Xehanort to Destiny Island, where his heart merges with that of the newborn Sora to keep it safe.[5] Losing his memories, Ventus is placed in the care of Master Eraqus as his youngest Keyblade apprentice alongside Terra and Aqua.[6] At the start of the game, Ventus is goaded by Vanitas into following Terra after he is sent by Eraqus to seek out Xehanort, fearing for his friend's well-being.[7] Ventus travels through various worlds, fighting mysterious creatures called the Unversed and meeting various people. Vanitas attacks Ventus during his journey to test his strength,[8] but he is defeated when Ventus is aided by the Keyblade trainee Mickey.[9] Upon meeting Xehanort, Ventus is forced to remember his purpose as being used to create the χ-blade. Ventus refuses to battle Vanitas to avoid creating the χ-blade, but is forced to after Vanitas threatens to kill Terra and Aqua if he does not.[10] Their battle takes place in the Keyblade Graveyard, where he is restrained by the Unversed as he is forced to fuse with Vanitas to create the χ-blade, his body ending up in Vanitas's control.[11] However, their fusion is incomplete, allowing Ventus to destroy Vanitas within his at the same time that Aqua destroys the χ-blade.[12] As a result, Ventus loses his heart and his body is placed within Castle Oblivion by Aqua until he awakens.[13] Ventus's wandering heart is able to find its way back to the young Sora, who accepts Ventus's heart into his body.[14] In the game's secret ending, he is seen in what appears to be the Land of Departure with Terra, and the two utter Sora's name with newfound hope.

Ventus is mentioned in the ending of Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, when Mickey reveals he has learned where Ventus's heart is, having searched for Terra, Aqua and him over the past ten years.[15]

Creation and development

When first designing Ventus, Tetsuya Nomura already decided the character should look like Sora or Roxas, and decided to choose the latter when thinking that Vanitas's being revealed to have Sora's appearance would give a big impact to the gamers.[2] Despite similarities with Roxas, Nomura wanted Ventus's personality to more closely resemble Sora's, which led to his forward attitude, yet at the same time, he wanted him to be slightly more serious as the game continued in order to differentiate them.[16] Ventus was first shown in the secret endings of Kingdom Hearts II and its rerelease Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix. Ventus's name first appeared as a code in a 2006 Tokyo Game Show promotional video of the games. In the making of the endings, Nomura had only drawn the settings of Terra, Aqua and him, but after finishing them, he had drawn their faces. Despite not revealing their identities, Nomura still said that they were characters from the past from the Kingdom Hearts series.[17] Following their release, Nomura stated that his nickname was Ven, having been first mentioned by the character Lingering Sentiment in Final Mix, while his full name was still unrevealed.[18] He also mentioned a connection between him and Xemnas but wanted to leave it up to people's imaginations as he still could not reveal his identity.[19]

Nomura commented that, despite how similar they are, Roxas and Ventus are not the same character. Additionally, he stated that by playing Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep, players will be able to distinguish Roxas from Ventus,[20] with one of the game's mission being exploring his true identity.[21] In another interview, Nomura implied both characters are related, specifically to Sora, but he wanted fans to imagine reasons for such connection.[18][22] The guidebook Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Ultimania clarified the connection, stating that Roxas and Ventus look alike because Ventus's heart entered Sora's body and Roxas's birth allowed Ventus's heart to reside in Roxas.[23] In early versions of development, Nomura thought that the heart healing Ventus's broken heart in the beginning would be Sora before being born, but due to overseas opinions, such portrayal was discarded.[2] Like Roxas, Ventus has been voiced Kōki Uchiyama in Japanese and Jesse McCartney in English.

Ventus's name means "wind" in Latin; both it and his Wayward Wind (フレッシュブリーズ, lit. "Fresh Breeze") Keyblade have a "sky" theme similar to that of Sora's.[18] During development of Birth by Sleep, the Osaka team in charge of making it thought that Ventus should be related with Vanitas, something which Nomura liked as he wanted to add more connections to the game. Therefore, the name Vanitas was also made to link it to Ventus's name, with both of them having similar meanings. Nomura had troubles designing Ventus's, Terra's and Aqua's armors due how they would be able to summon them. Therefore, an "X" was added to their clothes as a mean to activate the armors as well as due to the fact it was one of the game's keywords. Ever since development of Birth by Sleep started, the staff already decided that Ventus's, Aqua's and Terra's stories would be told in separate scenarios, with Ventus's story being the second one written. They also wanted emphasize the lack of coincidences in the series, leading to the interaction between the three scenarios.[2] In gameplay perspective, Ventus was designed to be the easiest character to play with in Birth by Sleep, although Nomura recommended to players that Ventus should be the second character to play with in order to understand the story better.[24] Additionally, the way Ventus handles his Keyblade backwards is meant to show the gameplay differences between his and Terra's and Aqua's scenarios.[16] Nomura also remarked Ventus's encounter with the characters Lea and Isa as an important event from the game, hoping both newcomers and older gamers will also find it important from Ventus's perspective.[24]

Reception

Due to his resemblance with Roxas, video game publications initially thought that Roxas would be one of the protagonists from Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep when seeing one of Ventus's images.[25][26] However, when it was revealed that the two were different, publications still discussed how similar they were and if there was a connection between them.[27] GamesRadar particularly thought that there would be an eventual connection between the two of them and Sora.[28] Amanda L. Kondolojy from Cheat Code Central also commented on speculations regarding the similarities between both of them, but mentioned that due to the existence of Nobodies in series, it is hard to find them as coincidences.[29] When Jesse McCartney confirmed he was working on the English localization of Birth by Sleep, sites thought that he would voice Ventus, as he also voiced Roxas in previous titles.[30][31]

The character's story and actions shown in the demonstrations were praised for being the "most original take on Kingdom Hearts" and yet "frustratingly traditional". Particular comments were given to shrinking Ventus's height for the Cinderella's world and his interactions in such world.[32] Upon Ventus's introduction in Birth by Sleep, X-Play found the character to be very similar to Sora's due to his friendly attitude.[33] Despite advices to start Birth by Sleep with Terra, IGN's Ryan Clements chose Ventus as the first character to play with due to his similarities with Roxas and wanting to learn about his story.[34] RPGamer's Adriaan den Ouden also chose Ventus to start, noting his similarities with Roxas, but also finding that he had a similar personality to Sora's.[35] GameSpot writer Sophia Tong noted that people had to face the fact that Ventus and Roxas were identical, and also had a spiky hair like Sora.[36] Kevin VanOrd from the same site gave praise to Ventus's character for his "well meaning" personality" and yet not "annoying." The site also said that the time players spend playing with Ventus would be "rewarding" and commented on the English voice acting.[37] PlayStation LifeStyle's Thomas Williams found the trio of Ventus, Terra and Aqua as welcome additions to the franchise, finding their stories enjoyable although the three travel to the same worlds.[38] On the other hand, PALGN found the three characters unappealing, labelling Ventus as "just a Roxas clone, but without his personality."[39] In contrast to 1UP's comments towards Ventus's actions in Cinderella's world, VanOrd commented that such interactions to be "more bothersome than boisterous."[40] Videogamer.com writer Emily Gera stated that players may know little about them due to their role in Kingdom Hearts II, but with Birth by Sleep, players will be able to know about them.[41] Writing for GamesRadar, Crhis Antista later called Ventus a "Roxas-clone", and commented that he still did not understand the importance of him and the other characters being briefly featured in Kingdom Hearts II, although it could be explained once the player finishes Birth by Sleep.[42]

References

  1. ^ キングダム ハーツ 358/2 Days アルティマニア (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2009. ISBN 978-4757525788. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  2. ^ a b c d キングダム ハーツ バース バイ スリープ アルティマニア (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2010. pp. 640–649. ISBN 978-4757527881. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  3. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Xehanort: Pure light against pure darkness, to forge the ultimate key. The all-powerful χ-blade! / Ventus: And I have the power to make it?{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  4. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Ventus: Please don't do this master! I'm not strong enough. / Xehanort: Let the dark impulses waken in the pit of your heart. /.../ Xehanort: Really? You would rather die than use the power? Feckless neophyte. If I must... I will extract the darkness from within you myself. Empty creature from Ventus riven... to you, the name Vanitas shall be given.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Ventus: But my heart is fractured. And now... the little I have left is slipping away / Voice: Then you should join your heart with mine. / Ventus: Huh? / Voice: Now our hearts have touched.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  6. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Terra: You're too young to know. / Ventus: Quit treating me as a kid. /.../ Aqua: You two would make the weirdest brothers.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  7. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Vanitas: Or you'll never see Terra again. / Ventus: What? Get real! I can see Terra anytime I want. / Vanitas: Like right now? He's leaving you behind. And by the time you catch up...he'll be a different person.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  8. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Vanitas: Good. Let's see what you are made of!{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Ventus: Thanks for before. I owe ya. The name's Ventus. What's yours? / Mickey: I'm Mickey.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  10. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Vanitas: The Keyblade Graveyard. There you're gonna see me choke the life out of Terra and Aqua. Then we'll see how long you play the pacifist.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  11. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Vanitas: Correct. I am not Ventus. His heart has become a part of mine now.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Vanitas: Our union was not finished. The χ-blade shouldn't stay broken like this. Join me now, and we can complete the χ-blade! / Ventus: I've got a better idea. How 'bout I destroy you both? / Vanitas: The χ-blade is made of your heart, too, idiot. If you destroy it, your heart will vanish forever. / Ventus: Whatever it takes. Anything to save Terra and Aqua.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  13. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Aqua: Ven! Ventus! / Yen Sid: The boy's heart is sleeping. / Aqua: When will he wake? / Yen Sid: I could not say. It is almost as though his heart has left.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  14. ^ Square Enix PDD 5 (September 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (PlayStation Portable). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Sora: Hey, can you hear me? / Ventus: I heard your voice. It cut through the darkness around me. All alone. I followed the sound into a sea of light...and found myself here, with you. You gave me back something when I needed it the most. A second chance. / Sora: I did? / Ventus: But...now I have to go back to sleep again. / Sora: Are you sad? / Ventus: Would you mind if I stayed here, with you? / Sora: Sure, if it'll make you feel better. / Ventus: Thank you.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  15. ^ Square Enix, h.a.n.d. (October 7, 2010). Kingdom Hearts Re:coded (Nintendo DS). Square Enix, Disney Interactive Studios. Level/area: Reconnect: Kingdom Hearts.
  16. ^ a b Famitsu Staff (August 27). "キングダム ハーツ バース バイ スリープ". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain and Tokuma Shoten. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= and |year= / |date= mismatch (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  17. ^ キングダムハーツII アルティマニア (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2005. ISBN 978-4757516212. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  18. ^ a b c キングダムハーツII FINAL MIX+ アルティマニア (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2007. ISBN 978-4757520134. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  19. ^ Kingdom Hearts Another Report (Included with the video game Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix) (in Japanese). Square Enix. March 2007.
  20. ^ Famitsu Staff (2007). "キングダム ハーツ バース バイ スリープ". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain and Tokuma Shoten. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  21. ^ Gantayat, Anoop (October 2, 2007). "Nomura Discusses Kingdom Hearts". IGN. Retrieved January 25, 2010.
  22. ^ Famitsu Staff (2007). "キングダム ハーツ バース バイ スリープ". Famitsu (in Japanese). Enterbrain and Tokuma Shoten. {{cite journal}}: Unknown parameter |month= ignored (help); Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  23. ^ キングダム ハーツ バース バイ スリープ アルティマニア (in Japanese). Square Enix. 2010. pp. 616–623. ISBN 978-4757527881. {{cite book}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  24. ^ a b Gantayat, Anoop (December 23, 2009). "Tetsuya Nomura Talks Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep". Andriasang. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  25. ^ Parish, Jeremy (September 19, 2007). "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep preview". 1UP.com. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
  26. ^ Hatfield, Damien (October 9, 2008). "TGS 2008: Square Enix Closed Mega Theater Exposed". IGN. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
  27. ^ VanOrd, Kevin (October 10, 2008). "TGS 2008: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Hands-On". GameSpot. Retrieved March 19, 2010.
  28. ^ Glasser, AJ. "Kingdom Hearts: the story so far, page 4". GamesRadar. Retrieved March 22, 2010.
  29. ^ Kondolojy, Amanda L. (October 13, 2008). "Kingdom Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Preview". Cheat Code Central. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
  30. ^ Glasser, AJ (December 2, 2009). "Voice of Roxas Tweets Kingdom Hearts PSP Localization". Kotaku. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
  31. ^ Yoon, Andrew (December 1, 2009). "Jesse McCartney confirms Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep localization". Joystiq. Retrieved September 10, 2010.
  32. ^ Parish, Jeremy (February 8, 2008). "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep preview". 1UP.com. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  33. ^ Marissa Meli (September 3, 2010). "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Review". G4. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  34. ^ Clements, Ryan (August 6, 2010). "Kingdom Hearts: Waking From Reality". IGN. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  35. ^ Ouden, Adriaan den. "Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep - Impression". RPGamer. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  36. ^ Tong, Sophia (August 4, 2010). "TGS 2008: Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Hands-On". GameSpot. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  37. ^ VanOrd, Kevin (September 3, 2010). "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Review for PSP". GameSpot. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  38. ^ Williams, Thomas (September 14, 2010). "PSP Review – Kingdom Hearts: Birth By Sleep". PlayStation LifeStyle. Retrieved September 15, 2010.
  39. ^ Ghiggino, Adam (September 22, 2010). "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Review for PSP". PALGN. Retrieved September 22, 2010.
  40. ^ VanOrd, Kevin (September 3, 2010). "Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Review for PSP". GameSpot. Retrieved September 3, 2010.
  41. ^ Gera, Emily (December 8, 2008). "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Hands-on Preview". Videogamer.com. Retrieved September 9, 2010.
  42. ^ Antista, Chris. "Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep review". GamesRadar. Retrieved September 7, 2010.
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