Kingdom Hearts will mark the debut of four new characters. There is Sora (age 14), Kairi (age 14), and Riku (age 15). At 15-years old, Riku is billed as "cool and collected for his age." In the Square world, in which teenagers are routinely given the task of saving the world from total annihilation, Riku has the makings of being the group’s voice of wisdom and wise old sage. The Heartless, beings without hearts, appeared out of nowhere and their origin and purpose are shrouded in mystery. The Heartless cast the world into darkness, stealing away people’s hearts. The Heartless appear in numerous forms and their attacks and motions vary based on their attributes. The young age of these characters has a lot to do with Disney’s involvement in the project. As it turns out, these characters will become the property of Disney and possibly appear in other vehicles in the future. Disney is clearly taking aim at its preferred market of young children and parents.