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I will concede the blasted video is far too small and dark/dim for me to give a 100% evaluation on his condition (I was judging mainly by overall stance), however for someone who is right-hand dominant, I find it *strange* that he leans on his left arm (a detail, if it were an error, would be staggering given the amount of time put forth into making everything else perfect). Xehanort's Heartless also had a habit of folding his arms in the exact same manner.

You're free to speculate, but I assure you all, a loose sock does not equal to an arm brace. Riku might not be a genius but getting a brace for a sprained arm is not beyond basic logic. I know people will probably argue the viability of a sock vs bandages for sprained limbs...but compare the texture of say, what the objects are:
Riku- his arm ornament of great debate.
Raijin- and his OWN wrist ornaments to compare.
Cloud- and his sword's actual...binding/band-aid things.
I doubt Nomura, a reputable artist would make as horrible as an inconsistency of an arm sock with say, Raijin's wristgaurds or Cloud's sword bindings. Check the top and sides especially of Riku's arm sock, it is thick with softness and wrinkles, something which is meant to brace or be stiff will not wrinkle according to Nomura's style (compare how Raijin's wristGUARDS do not wrinkle despite sharing one of the weirdest cloth similarities with each other). And if the boy could find a spare set of clothing I believe he could find a more suitable arm brace....

On a final note, Nomura is not known for making practical character designs, colorful yes, fully-functioning...not so much. I agree Riku had his struggles but I do not think nor believe that he was in a dire enough situation that his arm was sprained/injured and he lacked the necessary supplies to find something better than an arm sock to aid him (and given he could pilfer better things at any moment, I see no reason why he couldn't).

....And long live the Nomura Loop Hole clause. 8D

The bandages you mention, are they the white and black things on his (Roxas's) fingers? If so (as in they are), they're actually rings if you look closely at the game art. The reason why they are blended in on Roxas's hand in the cutscenes is because it's easier to render so.

*also, quick-edited my previous post*

*EDIT*
Most injuries do not exist in KH unless pertinent to story or plot progression. Hence why I doubt this sprained-arm theory as being "canon".

It's aesthetic, it wasn't made a story point therefore speculation is alright but not to the dramatic level it has thus escalated (unless KH3 proves otherwise). Regardless, shame on people who spouted off an "Riku is emo" comment.

What I find immensely astounding is that people comment on something he wears on his arm and make no notice of his entire wardrobe revamping...which if it needs to be pointed out is quite an overhaul between games. I wonder why people cannot connect that, if he can find an entire new set of clothing why can't he find a funny little arm-decoration thing?

As stated earlier, speculation is fine as per the Nomura Loophole clause but I don't really think it is something drastic. And if his arm is indeed burned from the Dark Firaga or whatever other theory was spouted off...shouldn't there be some marks from the times he went into Dark Mode (the black, blue and red...suit thing)?

Doesn't work, one doesn't lean on the arm that is primarily wounded, which he does...it is easy to miss the block though considering how dark it is. I personally think he blocks with both arms in addition to the shield, the actual injury he probably suffers isn't so much from either arm but the effect of the weapon, etc.

However, the bottom line and most confirming evidence he did not injure his left arm is that he LEANS ON IT after going down. He also fires off a Dark Firaga with his right in this.

No, not at all, I actually personally prefer working in an "anime-esque" style (the way I draw certainly isn't extremely realistic). Each style has its merits obviously, but it might be easier if you have an idea on what you currently wish to pursue. I suppose I should have asked what artists you find the most inspiration from, sources or references would have been better...but eh...maybe this unprofessional, generalized listing might help....

EX (All opinionated from my perspective):
"Shonen (Boyish) Style" such as Bleach, Naruto, Shaman King, Eyeshield21, etc.
- leans more towards visual and exaggerated diversity, typically strong in male character concepts, usually weaker female concepts.
-emphasis on action and strong dynamics if not a bit outlandish and over-the-top in terms of design
(ironically the face/body structures in this genre is not as heard about or brought to the attention of those that draw the worst stereotype from the Anime style, maybe because it parallels those of the Western Style, I don't know, especially in the case of Eyeshield21 and Shaman King)

"Shoujo (Girly) Style" such as Fruits Basket, Cardcaptor Sakura, Absolute Boyfriend, etc. (sorry my Shoujo title references aren't that great)
-pros, leans more towards fine and graceful (typically more) details defined by lighter lines
-emphasis on visual emotions, body language and symbolism, leans more to "normal" designs
(*I might get bad looks from this* but is the genre that most likely the "uniform" Anime stereotype came from with the large eyes and tiny mouths, truth be told I have seen it more common in the Shoujo genre than in the Shonen genre)

"Western Style" such as Disney, CN Toons, etc.
-Characteristics drawn from interpretations, visually satirical and usually are employed through a combination of arranging set polygons and fruit in some cases (such as Disney's "cute mascots" bodies being pear shaped) to form a character's structure
-there are usually set, almost subconsciously conditioned physical "classical" archetypes found here, such as the "bulky body, small head" buff-guy body type, "curvy, heart-shaped" beautiful dame body type and so on

Realistic
-heavy attention to accuracy, usually emphasis or highlights are used to bring out a more "realistic" point of view, ironically some of the most "realistic" pieces are not exactly/truly realistically proportionate (Da Vinci in particular exaggerated/elongated proportions and highly defined contrasts such as muscle structures)
-realism can still be accomplished with even small amounts or less details but these are much harder to do (making ipod silhouettes from scratch for instance)

I personally follow a select line of video game artists and the Shonen Style mainly, truth be told I admire the works of some of the Renaissance artists but I don't think I can even begin to claim I can draw realistically. I find that conceptually, artistically and creatively speaking that video game artists seem to have the best handle on "art" currently. That aside, believe it or not if you can improve the skills in one style you will be improving passively in the others even if it is just conditioning. Anyway, if you can identify with one of these it will certainly help, my apologies for not being able to list more with more diversity....

The only falling I recall Roxas ever doing was off that Tower and in his 'dreams'.

....Pun aside I do NOT support nor see the logic of it (call me CRAZY).

You can argue, "but they want to spend time with each other" and that they are "parallels to each other" but that does not equate to loving each other in that sense.

Wanting to spend time with someone does not mean they are automatically an item (romantically), if that is true then Sora wants be as much with Riku as he does with Kairi and in that EXACT sense. (If you dare pull a gender card on this then you have already missed the point.)

Anyway onto the logic, Sora likes Kairi correct? Roxas thinks he IS Sora yet not, therefore he would then like KAIRI. The same rule applies to Namine if not better in her case. Namine wanted to BE KAIRI because Namine LIKES SORA and wants to be liked BACK by SORA, not by Roxas, but SORA. She isn't even aware of Roxas's existence up until an entire story arc later (CoM). And I don't know about you people, but to put the analogy bluntly, I will not settle for HALF of the bloody cake when I can have the ENTIRE CAKE. Especially when the cake is a different flavor (you can't say Roxas wasn't DIFFERENT from Sora in terms of personality).

And if all else fails, I plead the Nomura Loophole in addition to the Logic. :\

I take no offense, art block is as terrible as it is a universal bane to all artists. I'm fairly certain I'm cranky when I can't draw. 8D (You flatter me with the title of teacher Exsahn.) Now as for this batch!

1. The colors are vibrant and I'm not exactly sure what medium you used but there are vivid. The style is overall conveying her demeanor well, the only tweak that would be really necessary would be the lower portion which seems a bit static and out of place considering her overall attitude.

2. Wonderful composition scape, especially the cracked effect with the ground. My only grievance would be the rightmost pillar. Everything else is a wonderful blend of colors to look at.

3. I don't think I've ever worked with that medium so I feel awkward in critiquing it, the colors and forced contrast are a great exercise though.

Back to your art block, could you possibly list the art or art styles you have previously drawn inspiration from (the more detail and specific the better)? Sometimes art block can be remedied with a good surge of different creativity and artistic flair. With any luck I can possibly refer you to something a little different that can give you the little push. 8]

My mistake on my odd wording, you appear to be offended in the first part...to clarify, yes, practice is good, but there is practice that requires input and there is practice that is merely for practice's sake. Usually when one practices for the input of others it is for feedback on the skill they are testing out, or at least in my experience. I would personally suggest style experimentation and posting that up, IE: pick a style (any obviously) and a reference (optional) and go from there. I find word prompts most helpful in this endeavor. Once more, try different methods of "learning", I benefited the most by studying a basic idea (in one case proportions) and trying to adhere to it, but not with pain-staking detail, but more or less with quick sketches, if you can nail down an idea with a quick sketch than the finalized idea will have a better chance of being secure....but that's my personal method.

Also just a quick and probably unnecessary throw-in, examine styles that appeal to you and try to find out why...usually there is a subconscious line of art in it that creates an aesthetically magnetic effect (one would be Da Vinci's paintings, if you look closely there is a perfect circle in the faces he paints and draws, check the eyes and follow the jaw-line of the subject you examine). Again, I look forward to your future work.

I never said that! (And look at Marluxia, everyone calls him gay or girly because of his HAIR COLOR, despite having one of the most masculine physical builds and voices out of all of them!) As for your "muscles" comment, look at TIFA she can function perfectly on her own and she isn't all that muscle-y (so that kills your comment there). I also find it a bit troubling that build-aesthetics make a character based on your comments. ]8

And yes I am aware the the unisex name, which makes me PONDER THINGS. Also, I think your comment that the story would be TOTALLY different is hilarious, as I comment on Riku being a girl, not Kairi being a guy.

But what really wins the prize here is your comment concerning the gender barrier you have set up (ref to the bolded red).

Also I have made a bullet-list about how the story would have "changed" if Kairi was indeed, male, all other parts of Kairi's non-visual characterization held constant.
-Be a PRINCE of Heart (which is to say, why is it limited by gender?)
-Not be Sora's love interest (in the eyes of heterosexual-pairings-only players)
-Omit the Papou scene entirely! -KH1 Exlusive!- *Note that by omitting this scene, the story would not have changed
-Omit the dancing scene entirely! -KH2 Exclusive!- *Again, note that by omitting this scene, the STORY would not have changed
-Male!Kairi's interest in Sora would become a sheerly platonic/friendship interest! (which need I remind you, save for the Papou and dancing scenes, is what it APPEARS TO BE!)
-If Kairi was indeed male there would be A RIOT because a male main character being in DISTRESS would mean breaking the SquareEnix norm, and breaking the mold is a bad thing [/sarcasm].

Anyway, that concludes my response to you...I should also take this time to say I support them being mutual best friends the most.

This comment interests me because who says you can't like your rival? The connotation of "rival" merely means someone you compete with but does not always necessarily mean it is done 24/7, this is what creates the distinction between "rival" and "bully", correct?

Hello again Exsahn and welcome back from your hiatus. Anyway, onto your artwork, your most recent work is apparent of the effort you are putting forth for improving your art. You are doing a wonderful job of maintaining your artistic pace. As you probably already know, art has a very reflexive definition, I think of it as a constant journey where the 'end' is at the artist's own discretion...however this only applies as a hobby. For those who pursue a business career, they must appeal to others.

That aside, if you want a critique on your most recent work...it appears to be fine for the most part, I would suggest smoothing out the shadows especially near her chin/bottom of her face as well as tightening up some of the details such as around the roots of her hair. The clothing, unless really looked at for a longer period of time, seems fine to the casual observer, however if more detail is put into making the clothing look more definitive the payoff will be worth the final product.

As another aspiring concept artist to another this last piece advice can be taken with a grain of salt: References are fine, but you should focus on developing your own ideas and drawing those (you have shown the potential for this already, but more in this case is better). Life drawing, portraits and other such things are perfectly fine but reproducing a photo or promotional image is (in my honest opinion) not the best way to go about seeking critiques for conceptual work as you did not create them...

Regardless, I look forward to your future works.

I don't understand why there is a NEGATIVITY thread, personally I find Vexen's voice of good VARIETY *which was a good thing last I checked* and suitable when he was angry, I will agree it's not the most pleasant voice, but in all honesty I can't think of a VA off the top of my head that would suit him better (not to say there isn't but that isn't the point here). Anyway, Vexen is supposed to sound like his namesake CHILLY Academic, if you aren't feeling chills of SOMETHING when he speaks, then his nickname wouldn't be fully employed to its fullest extent. (I understand it "mainly" applies to his element, but hey, can't be the Ice Master + Avid Scientist without a voice to match it! This applies to the other members as well.)

Also, consider his age and his state of mind in most of RE:CoM/CoM, he's one of the oldest, he's constantly having his authority mocked and the prospect of BEING PICKED OFF AT A WHIM is always hung over his head, dunno about you but I wouldn't be trying to sound soothing in a predicament like that. And we all know we can't have an entire cast of perfect, audio-pleasing voices, it doesn't work like that when you have a variety bag like the OrgXIII. Anyway, what was done was done, Vexen's voice is memorable and that's what really counts now doesn't it?

BACK ON TOPIC: No question, I prefer his Re:CoM voice to the strange sound bite in CoM that I'm assuming was to simulate cackling/chortling/laughter in some form. 8D

I think Lux/Mar/Larx (those three) in any combination of two or as some sort of crazy love triangle...I dunno why but I CAN SEE IT VERY CLEARLY. Luxord would try to be the ULTIMATE gentleman to the only LEGAL female in the Organization, Larxene would be the extremely tempermental cog and Marluxia would think he's above such "petty things".

...But then again I also think Marluxia and Luxord are buddy-buddy in some screwed up way...They both degrade things, toy with others, play life-and-death games, take RISKS and they both have calm poker-faces up until the instant before they die. I also, for some reason, can picture Luxord making bets on how Marluxia does things, and Marluxia being the egotistical person he is, would gladly try to prove him right or wrong (whichever was in his favor.)

....So yeah. I have no idea why I see them getting along so well, maybe it's the similiarities in their "fights" too, both have countdowns, and generally time and death (I don't care what you argue, I say Marluxia's element is death, even with flowery censors) go hand in hand.

Also the Vexen and Demyx thing makes...a lot of sense to me, though they would almost NEVER interpret each other's sentences in the same way. XD

It was considerably darker in the GBA version, or at least...not STARBURST PINK!! 8D

I think the color change was done as an accident of aesthetics or memory. *Compare the change of eye color to Larxene, it's slight but she has blue eyes in some sources and green eyes in others.*

Anyway, if it's a matter of aesthetics going lighter makes sense on the cover art and therefore in game as lighter colors have much greater color range than darker colors, and given the background is white for the half Marluxia was on for the cover art, it makes nearly pefect sense. Another thing to compare would be that Xemnas's hair in the same official art magically has blue shadows/highlights and he is darker in tone. Another character that has a fairly odd "error" would be Xigbar and Xaldin (though their inconsistancies are much smaller). 8D

It's a thought-experiment, not a "it should have been", I know what's canon and I know what is purely speculation, this is speculation.

And...I don't quite understand that last part....could you please rephrase that?

In my opinion it's a matter of the who has better moderation, typically the people who are more open and not as die-hard serious tend to have the better rational. (I repeat, TYPICALLY.)

But really, the most confirming and wise choice on Nomura's part regarding characters is that he states (well, I'm paraphrasing) that "fans are free to intepret it however they wish." In this regard I think the best way to handle encounters with those rabid fangirls/fanboys and their funny acryonmns is to just be the better man/woman and say nothing. You won't win by talking but rather by being silent, and that's the bigger win.

(On a somewhat unrelated note I'm not picky about WHATEVER pairing it is as long at it is somehow worth the space it takes up, be it a crack/gag comic or a thoughtful "what if".)

If you have to level up forms, for Wisdom and Master (this area works well with Valor form too if you need it) you can do it pretty easily in Timeless River because they're all heartless AND there are plenty of LargeBody and Car Heartless that drop orbs, even better is that if you EXIT through the white door while in a drive (any really), you *magically* restore all your drive. Just hope you don't get Anti-Form, because then the drive-restore trick doesn't work.
**Use Firaga in Wisdom and Master Form as well as any Fire Boost abilities and Bond of Flame (on normal Sora) to help level along! 8D

For Final you can go run around in that long area filled with Samurai and Creepers, the only trick is that you need to make it to a save-point while still in drive, WARP OUT so you're on the world map and WARP BACK, your drive will *magically* be filled again. 8D

For Summons just call them out. Then run back to Hades go to solo drive cup (don't remember the name) to restore drive, so just summon in the underworld.

Anyway, good luck with the Paradox Cups. XD

As Repliku stated, yellow eyes are most likely a side-effect of being tainted by the power of Darkness. Nomura also uses this a similar concept in (I believe) FF7, saying that there is a side-effect with being treated with Mako/the Lifestream mainly in addition to gaining power there is also a change of color of their eyes (I think it was to green or something lumniscent?).

The others have already stated the translanted, lay-man's termed and abridged versions of canon information. Though it isn't stated in a cutscene...if you want confirmation and specifics refer the the Ansem reports of both games, specifically the first one concerning what are Heartless..

If you want my personal take on it, Sora and Kairi did heart juggling with each other, and Nobodies are very special in their existence-non-existence (as in it technically should be breaking the laws of conservation). I actually think that they regain their bodies by "remembering" who they were, hence why Sora was able to hop between a shadow and back to his normal self.

I was under the impression that Xehanort's Heartless somehow morphed Riku's body (they never really say how he does it in either KH or KH2). Especially when you compare the physical appearance, power and voice pitch.

None taken, I'll just elaborate.

Disney most likely set up limitations for his original character designs but not their character attributes. Example, the modifications to Cid, he acts fairly the same (disgruntled, and not allowed to do his classic #$%^ cussing) but he doesn't SMOKE, rather he chews some straw. Also if you check the character design and planning, Nomura and some other person (who is not associated with Disney) is in charge. Nomura also works for SQUARE ENIX, KH was a collaboration...also in terms of Disney acknowledging the existance of KH, it isn't there on their end. And no I don't think Kairi is part Disney, on the orginal character art(s) it states Nomura's signature, she ALSO comes from an "original" KH world if that has an impact on your view of her being "part Disney". (Also if Disney wanted a vice-grip on KH's production we would be seeing progress simultaneously in the US instead of recieving word of it from Japan!)
My points about the character comparisions is that Disney would create Villains that leave no question of their vileness, you can even compare the Disney villains (gander at their designs, listen to their voices and notice their personalities and traits) in KH to the ones Nomura created for KH. The same applies to their heroes as well.

I would also like to see that quote where Nomura states he wanted to do things but couldn't because of DISNEY...most of the time he states things that hinder him as being 1.) not enough time or 2.) not enough space on the disc or even the rare 3.) "I [being Nomura] didn't like the idea anymore", something along those lines.

Also Kairi is more than allowed to be girly! I have no qualms against that, but being designated as a main character she should have some strength of her own (being a princess of heart is not a viable strength)! Sprouting a spontaneous instance of using a keyblade is not an example of that (Riku even had to give her it!). I have also seen PLENTY of perfectly feminine female characters but they also had their own strengths to contribute or at least showed significant growth as an individual. Kairi was unconcious for a majority of KH1 OR telling Riku and Sora to do things for her, in KH2 she was literally baggage that was being captured, idling (while in custody of someone else) or being held by the hand by someone save for the random keyblade moment. Given this irony, I consider Namine a better main character candidate than Kairi.

Also Xaldin is a villian, he isn't "expected" to have character development....however the additional scenes from KHII: FM+ and MAYBE 365/2 Days will provide more insight on this.