I think the key difference between this game and Hyrule Warriors is that the Zelda series is supposed to be one giant timeline instead of separate games with separate universes (supposedly). As a result, the fandom is much less divided than ours, because every game there's always a Link, Zelda and Ganon, and the key things that separate each Zelda game don't lie as heavily on story and characters, but rather gameplay mechanics and gimmicks.
Hyrule Warriors gave Link, Zelda and Ganon new designs, justified by the structure and lore of Zelda games, then sprinkled in some originals and a few fan favourites. It worked really well because the core cast of the Triforce trio was the most important, and what they had to get right the most, and they certainly did. The originals were cool, and the other characters were well-received by the fandom overall. There was salt about missing people, but nowhere near as what it is (and will be) for FE Warriors, because it's all one big cohesive thing.