Disney’s big Kingdom Hearts III reveal for its D23 Expo this past weekend wasn’t as huge as expected. Instead of getting cool new information on gameplay mechanics or some super exciting character reveals, we ended up with something rather anticlimactic. We learned that Big Hero 6 will be appearing in the game as one of the worlds Sora, Donald, and Goofy will visit while hunting down Xehanort.
Which isn’t totally bad. I mean, Big Hero 6 was a good movie. It’s not the best of the Marvel movies Disney has put out, but it was an admirable endeavor. And Kingdom Hearts III picking up in that world after the origin story told in the movie is a nice perk. It’s certainly the most child-friendly choice, but it isn’t the best choice. The Avengers would have been better.
To start, The Avengers are more iconic than the Big Hero 6 characters. The only one someone would probably recognize at a glance is Baymax, because who doesn’t remember a huggable balloon man? People playing Kingdom Hearts III would have appreciated superheroes like Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye more. They’ve have been cooler to fight alongside than Baymax or… well… one of those kids who were part of the Big Hero 6 team.
Also, The Avengers is just as child-friendly as Big Hero 6 is. Thanks to the prevalence of the two movies, kids of all ages know and recognize every member of the team. Even someone like Nick Fury can be identified at a glance, especially thanks to his appearance in the all-ages Disney Infinity 2.0 . Cartoonish levels of violence are always employed in Kingdom Hearts games, so it wouldn’t have been an issue when including these Marvel characters.
Including The Avengers would have been a better decision business-wise as well. Big Hero 6 may have been more appealing to Japanese audiences due to its history and setting, but other Marvel properties are as popular and would fit as well within the realm of Kingdom Hearts III . The Avengers may even be more beloved in Japan, if merchandise seen in the country is any indication.
Square Enix and Disney could very well intend to have more Marvel worlds within Kingdom Hearts III . They certainly would fit, and it would make the final product better. It just seems odd to make Big Hero 6 such a focal point and major announcement at an event like D23, when other properties would have built up more hype.