Riku
Also known as: Ansem's vessel, Keyblade Master Riku
Sora's best friend and rival who opened the door to darkness, then spent the rest of the series atoning by walking the road to dawn. His arc from possessed antagonist to Keyblade Master is the saga's strongest redemption story.
Other Kingdom Hearts Characters
Sora
16k works
Keyblade wielder from Destiny Islands whose superpower is essentially loving his friends hard enough to break the laws of reality. He has died, split, and faded for Riku and Kairi more times than the plot can count.
Axel
12k works
Flame-wielding Organization XIII assassin who betrayed everything for Roxas's friendship and burned himself out to prove Nobodies can feel. 'Got it memorized?' remains one of the series' most quoted lines.
Roxas
8k works
Sora's Nobody, who built a real self out of sea-salt ice cream sunsets with Axel and Xion before canon dissolved him back into someone else. Roxas's stolen summer is Kingdom Hearts fandom's defining heartbreak.
Xion
4k works
An imperfect replica of Sora's memories who chose her own end so her friends could live, and was forgotten by everyone she loved. Xion's erasure and eventual return make her the series' purest found-family ache.
Vanitas
4k works
The darkness extracted from Ventus's heart, a masked boy made entirely of negative emotion who insists he feels nothing but spite. Vanitas's tragic origin and Sora-shaped face keep redemption fic flowing.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many fanfics feature Riku?
Riku appears in 13k+ works on AO3, making them one of the most popular characters in the Kingdom Hearts fandom. You can browse all Riku fanfiction using the Fanfict Reader app.
What are the most popular Riku ships?
The most popular Riku ships include Riku/Sora. These pairings feature prominently in AO3 fanfiction.
What tropes are common in Riku fanfiction?
Common tropes in Riku fanfiction include Dark Fic. Use Fanfict Reader to filter and find exactly the type of story you're looking for.
Read Kingdom Hearts on the go
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