The Complex Ownership Behind Kingdom Hearts
Origins of the Beloved Series
### Square Enix and Disney collaborated to bring Final Fantasy and Disney characters together. In the late 1990s, Hironobu Sakaguchi and Shinji Hashimoto of Square led a landmark partnership between the Japanese developer and American entertainment giant. This allowed for beloved Disney characters to interact alongside original characters in a new RPG franchise.
How Copyright Shares Were Established
Disney owns the rights to all featured Disney characters, as they were developed as part of the collaboration. However, Tetsuya Nomura, director and creator of the original Kingdom Hearts characters under Square, retains control over how they are used. Disney needs Nomura’s permission to utilize these original characters outside the series due to his role as their designer.
Why Sora Has Yet to Appear in Super Smash Bros.
For Sora or other Kingdom Hearts characters to show up in crossover titles, approval is required from Disney, Square Enix and Nomura. Disney owns the copyright for all Disney elements incorporated, while Square needs Nomura’s sign-off to employ the original characters he conceived. This three-way agreement has hindered cross-franchise appearances beyond the Kingdom Hearts universe.
The Impact of The Spirits Within
The commercial failure of Square’s first full CGI film had massive ramifications. It prompted Sakaguchi to step down as president and create an opportunity for Yoichi Wada to reshape Square with a focus on financial performance. Wada steered the company towards dependable franchises like Final Fantasy for consistent revenue.
Merger Between Square and Enix
Prior to The Spirits Within, Enix expressed interest in merging with Square for stability in the West. However, the film’s box office bomb led Enix to reconsider. Wada’s leadership changes after Sakaguchi departed convinced Enix a union was the best path forward, forming Square Enix.
Wada’s New Strategic Approach
Under Wada, Square Enix prioritized widespread popularity and budget restraint over innovative risks. This directed emphasis onto milking popular IPs like Final Fantasy for predictable sales numbers. Overreliance on a handful of brands and an emphasis on Western tastes damaged new titles’ quality and the company’s critical standing.
A Hopeful Shift Under New Leadership
Recent president Yosuke Matsuda shows more willingness to invest in original Japanese games again. Successes like Bravely Default demonstrate this can attract audiences if quality is high. Matsuda’s openness to creative works offers promise Square Enix may rediscover strengths sacrificed under heavy cost-cutting and a focus on broad appeal over artistic vision.