Character Projection and Creator Intent

Hey all. Sorry if this is in a bad spot...I didn't really know where I should post it ^_^'

I'm still in the process of researching, and I am curious about your thoughts on the subject of character projection. There is a lot more to the subject than what I have written below as an overview…so if you need more information or clarification just ask.

The basics of what character projection is:

The usage of character projection is a form of expression. In other words, it’s a way for a person (in this case, the creators of the game) to communicate their ideas, beliefs, etc. to another person via a character’s speech and action.

Character projection can be a great aid in creating realistic characters—believable ones that real people can interact with and feel, and can predict, with at least some degree of accuracy, what that character would say in any given situation. Because the character is more tangible, an audience member is more apt to listen to the character’s speech and watch their actions, not only because of curiosity, but also because of attachment. [That is getting into another topic altogether, so I am going to leave it at that.] The things that one puts into their mind really does make a difference in how that one acts, feels, thinks, and speaks. I do not think that the creators of the game are ignorant of this fact. In actuality, I think that it makes sense to believe that the creators of the game have looked into this concept with the goal of expressing themselves (speech, actions, ideas, etc.), and by merely expressing themselves, manage to affect their audiences.

Basically I am under the impression that the creators of the game are projecting themselves—their thoughts, feelings, beliefs, ideas, interests—onto the characters while attempting to retain the characters’ original selves.

[I think it’s pretty obvious that thousands of works have some form of character projection; people naturally express their views in the characters they create…it’s an effective way to get a message across. But while I am interested in examples of character projection (as evidence) in the KH series, I am more interested in the implications of the character projection in the series than the character projection itself.]

Some really brief “evidence” for this:

Well, the content of the game seems pretty serious to me. I mean, KH brings up a number of intense philosophical questions…what are we, as human beings? What is the world around us really like—does it really have other worlds within/around it? What is our purpose—if we even have one? What is the meaning of life? Do we have a right to exist? If so, who has a right to exist, and who does not? Who is to determine who has a right to exist, if anyone? Where do we go when we die?

This in itself leads me to conclude that the creators of the game are trying to get some message across by bringing these questions up, even if that message is only to search for answers to these questions (which brings up more questions: why search? Why do we want and/or need answers?).

And then of course there is the usual for FF produced games—“occultic” (to a greater or lesser extent, depending) references, lots of cryptic messages in dialogue and names of people and places…which I can’t understand why anyone would include unless they had a specific goal in mind. These things are obviously planned out; they just aren’t put in a game like this at random. For the most part, I would conclude that the Kingdom Hearts games have artistic unity, meaning that all of the parts of the game come together for a purpose; they aren’t placed “just because.” The parts incorporated are intentional. This concept of artistic unity is really what makes character projection meaningful for me because I know that the creators have a good reason for what they put in the game—and I want to know what it is and what they’re implying with it.

Also, on a lighter note, the characters and their relationships are intricate, delicate, complicated/difficult to figure out, intriguing, heartwarming, and heartbreaking…and yet it is just a game. [I dunno if you could actually consider this evidence, because there are several factors that come into play with how characters are formed and how they interact, etc. Regarding the audience, there could be several reasons why the characters would act this way; maybe it’s because the creators simply wanted the characters to seem more realistic (and I will probably post about the implications of this in a different thread once I figure out what I want to get out of it…or what I could give in posting it). Or maybe it’s because it is a reflection of them. Or maybe…{fill in the blank}. And I could keep going. You get the idea.] It just seems to me like there is another dynamic involved than making the characters seem realistic so the story will be worthwhile and enjoyable.

What about you? Do you think that the creators of the game (like Tetsuya Nomura) are projecting themselves onto the characters—and if so, to what degree? What do you think the creators are trying to say?

I’ll open by stating this:

In KH, the source that the characters claim gives them hope is their memories, their hearts (feelings), and their friends. Because their hearts are connected, they can remember one another, and they won’t fade into darkness, but continue on in one another’s hearts. I think…I understand. To love, to remember, to feel…and to share it with another is something very special and also very desirable.

I think that this is one of the things that the creators of the game are trying to convey: the importance of loving someone, and how important it is to feel, and to share that feeling with another person. They have clearly illustrated how desirable this is, how necessary and vital it is for any human being to exist to have the ability to hope and to feel, with their incorporation of Heartless and Nobodies…and even the replicas. So, they have hit what I call a “key response chord”, which basically means that this desire to feel, to hope, to love and be loved, is universal and universally needed. [I would qualify the above statement, but I’ve already written a lot.]