This is a complicated question with no simple answer. Sora is the main protagonist of the Kingdom Hearts video game series, which is a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney. While Disney does not outright own Sora, they do own certain rights to the character.
Kingdom Hearts Background
The Kingdom Hearts series was conceived as a crossover between Final Fantasy characters, created by Square Enix, and Disney characters. The first Kingdom Hearts game was released in 2002 for the PlayStation 2 and was developed by Square Enix in collaboration with Disney Interactive.
The series centers around original characters Sora, Riku, and Kairi along with various Disney and Final Fantasy characters. The story follows the adventures of Sora as he travels across various Disney worlds to fight back against the Heartless, dark creatures that threaten to consume those worlds.
Throughout the series, Sora interacts with and befriends many iconic Disney characters like Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy, Aladdin, Jack Skellington, and more. The collaboration between Square Enix and Disney allowed the developers to use these Disney properties within the Kingdom Hearts games.
Creation of Sora
The character of Sora was created by Tetsuya Nomura, a designer at Square Enix who served as director of the Kingdom Hearts series. The initial design sketches for Sora were done by Nomura and the finalized look was produced in collaboration with Disney artists. Sora’s outfit was designed to combine elements from Mickey Mouse and Final Fantasy protagonist Cloud Strife.
In an interview, Nomura stated “Sora is decidedly different from the brooding and complicated characters found in Final Fantasy titles. Because Disney’s characters have such clearly defined personalities, I wanted Sora to be more lighthearted to better interact with them.” This illustrates how Sora was crafted specifically with Disney characters in mind.
Ownership Status
The exact division of ownership between Square Enix and Disney regarding Sora is not fully clear. However, there are a few key points that hint at the arrangement:
- Square Enix holds the copyright on the Kingdom Hearts games and is credited with the creation of Sora.
- Disney owns the rights to all Disney characters and properties that appear in Kingdom Hearts.
- The collaboration agreement allows for the joint usage of Square Enix original characters and Disney IPs.
- Sora’s character design required approval from Disney artists.
- Disney has used Sora in some promotional material and at their theme parks.
Based on these facts, it seems Sora is a jointly owned creation that required buy-in from both companies. While Square Enix handles the core games, Disney exercises some control over the character. Neither company outright owns Sora completely.
Evidence of Disney’s Influence
There are some specific examples that demonstrate Disney’s influence over aspects of Sora:
- Disney artists reviewed Nomura’s original sketches and requested changes to Sora before approving his design.
- Sora’s outfit incorporates elements of Mickey Mouse’s silhouette and color scheme.
- Sora was originally conceived with a chainsaw weapon but Disney rejected this and had it changed to a standard sword.
- Disney has prohibited certain Final Fantasy characters like Squall from having prominent roles in Kingdom Hearts games.
- Sora has been featured alongside other Disney characters at Disney theme parks and on merchandise.
These examples make it clear that while Square Enix handles the core creative aspects, Disney can dictate certain high level decisions around Sora to protect their interests.
Why Disney’s Involvement Matters
Disney’s level of influence on Sora is significant because they are allowing their cherished characters to interact with and endorsement an original character they don’t fully own. The fact that Disney exerts any control shows they view Sora as tied closely to their brand. Several reasons why this matters:
- Allows Kingdom Hearts to feature Disney worlds and characters, which is a major selling point.
- Sora is viewed by some as an “honorary Disney character” given his role and design.
- Disney can veto aspects of Sora that don’t fit their family friendly image.
- Sora’s prominence in Disney promotions boosts their brand awareness among gamers.
Square Enix benefits from having access to Disney properties, while Disney benefits from having an iconic video game hero associated with their characters. The shared interest results in the joint oversight regarding Sora.
Appearances Outside of Kingdom Hearts
In addition to the core Kingdom Hearts games, Sora has appeared in various other games and media in collaborative efforts between Square Enix and Disney:
- World of Final Fantasy – Sora made a guest appearance in this Square Enix game as a “Champion Summon.”
- Disney Infinity – Sora was added as a playable character in the Disney Infinity 3.0 toy box action game.
- Disney Parks – Sora has been featured as a meetable character at Disney’s theme parks in Japan.
- Merchandise – Disney has produced various toys, clothes, phone cases, and other merchandise featuring Sora alongside Disney characters.
The fact that both companies coordinate to allow Sora’s appearance in these collaborative projects shows the shared nature of his ownership status between the two companies.
Limitations on Sora’s Use
While Disney has some ownership stake in Sora, there are also limitations in how they can utilize the character. Some examples include:
- Sora cannot appear in Disney films, shows, or games without involvement from Square Enix.
- The core Kingdom Hearts games are developed and released exclusively by Square Enix.
- Sora’s backstory, personality, and voice acting are under the direction of Square Enix.
- Disney cannot feature Sora at their parks or on merch without a mutually agreed upon deal with Square Enix.
This implies that while Disney has input on Sora, they do not have 100% free reign to use him however they want. Square Enix still gets the final say in many major decisions as the game developer and creator.
Conclusion
In summary, while Disney does not outright own Sora, they maintain a strong interest and degree of oversight regarding his use. This stems from their desire to protect their characters that appear alongside Sora in Kingdom Hearts. The evidence suggests a joint ownership that requires cooperation between both companies for any appearances of Sora outside the games. Neither Disney nor Square Enix can utilize Sora freely on their own.
Going forward, it’s likely this shared ownership arrangement will continue for future Kingdom Hearts titles and collaborative projects. While it may seem ambiguous from the outside, the companies appear to have an understanding regarding Sora that preserves their respective interests in the context of their mutually beneficial partnership.
