The Kingdom Hearts series has always strived to use its child-friendly aesthetic to tell heartwarming stories. With countless Disney properties scattered throughout each game, it makes sense why much of the series can feel a bit silly, but the plot, influenced largely by the Final Fantasy series, is sure to leave fans scratching their heads in response to how absurd this combination can get.
While the original Kingdom Hearts used Final Fantasy and Disney to tell a lot of its stories, the series is now able to thrive without the aid these franchises provided before. That said, it's nice to see them return throughout the series, even if they're not necessary. If not for Square Enix and Disney's collaboration, most of Kingdom Hearts' recurring monsters and characters would never have existed.
7 Jiminy Cricket
Though Jiminy Cricket is largely sidelined for most of the Kingdom Hearts series, he remains one of Sora's most reliable allies in each game he appears in. His introduction in Kingdom Hearts 1 saw him aiding Sora, Donald, and Goofy on their quest to locate King Mickey, Kairi, and Riku.
Since then, Jiminy has become somewhat more of a main character. In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, he acted as the trio's main source of reason, while in Kingdom Hearts 3, he accompanied Sora on his journey to recover his friends' hearts. He may not always seem like the most crucial character in the series, but without him and his journal, Sora would have no way to keep track of the friends he met, the villains he vanquished, and the adventure he went on.
6 Ice Titan
The Ice Titan is first found when Sora enters the Gold Match at Olympus Coliseum. The creature may not seem like too much of a threat at first, but players will quickly come to view it as one of the most challenging bosses in the game.
Since its debut appearance, the Ice Titan has become much less of a threat. In Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, it teams up with its master, Hades, and mounts an attack against Aqua. Even though Aqua defeats it, it managed to return one final time to enact its vengeance in Kingdom Hearts 3.
5 Winnie The Pooh
While players don't necessarily need to complete the 100 Acre Wood in any of Kingdom Hearts' entries, doing so will allow them to experience some of the series' most heartwarming moments. Each visit Sora makes to Pooh's home requires him to partake in a series of minigames to move the plot forward, and though it might feel a bit arbitrary, it can be quite a fulfilling experience.
With so much at stake, it's nice to visit Winnie the Pooh and his friends in the 100 Acre Wood to calm one's nerves. Though he may not be the most iconic Disney character in the series, this silly old bear certainly is one of the most memorable and is, therefore, one of the best.
4 Dream Eaters
Dream Eaters, first introduced in Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance, acted as Sora and Riku's party members during their Mark of Mastery exam. They proved to be faithful little companions, Meow Wow especially, but very little was known about what they truly were.
Since then, Dream Eaters have featured in multiple games, but their role in Kingdom Hearts: Union X [Cross] served to explain their origins. When Daybreak Town fell into chaos, the Keyblade wielders of yore were given two choices: fade into someone else's heart or become a Dream Eater. All those who chose the second option became the lovable creatures fans of the series are familiar with, some of whom Sora met on his journey. In Kingdom Hearts 3, Sora learns how to summon them.
3 Darkside
The Heartless were first introduced in Kingdom Hearts 1 during the game's tutorial segment. To move forward, Sora needed to defeat a few small ones known as Shadows, but they weren't overly challenging. The real threat, Darkside, made itself known in the final area.
Even after defeating the Darkside boss in this dream-like world, it manages to return two more times before the credits roll. Since then, it has appeared in nearly every game since, with its most frightening form existing in Kingdom Hearts 0.2:A Fragmentary Passage. In Kingdom Hearts: Coded, it took the form of Sora's Heartless.
2 Leon & The Gang
Though they may not appear in every entry, Final Fantasy characters usually serve a big purpose in Kingdom Hearts' overarching story. In Kingdom Hearts 1, Leon, Yuffie, Aerith, and Cid mentor Sora on his journey to reunite with Riku and Kairi. Thanks to their help and Cid's space travel experience, Sora can continue his search in other Worlds.
In Kingdom Hearts 2, these characters return to their home in Hollow Bastion and vow to protect it from any dangers that attack. While they were absent from Kingdom Hearts 3, the Re Mind DLC made them a crucial part of the story once again.
1 Sephiroth
Sephiroth's role in Final Fantasy 7 may be a little bit more compelling than what he strives for in Kingdom Hearts, but it's hard to deny how terrifying it is when he reveals himself to Sora in both Kingdom Hearts 1 and Kingdom Hearts 2.
Sora first meets Sephiroth upon entering the Platinum Match in Olympus Coliseum, where he is then forced to battle the One-Winged Angel alone. In Kingdom Hearts 2, Sephiroth plays a somewhat more important role before providing Sora with yet another bafflingly challenging boss fight. He makes a few appearances in Kingdom Hearts: Union X [Cross] and one more in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep, but none have been as iconic as his appearances in the numbered titles.