On October 10th, 2008, KH13 launched with the sole intention of uploading easily accessible high-quality cutscenes from the Kingdom Hearts franchise. And, while those humble beginnings did kickstart the website, KH13 eventually grew to tackle every facet of Kingdom Hearts, from news regarding video games to coverage on various forms of official merchandise.
Now, KH13 boasts an immense, easy-to-navigate series of galleries housing several media such as official renders and artwork. Compiled interviews with series' staff members and timely news articles on the current state of affairs with the Kingdom Hearts franchise have also become embedded in KH13's identity.
Scheduled events like the Fan Art Features, Polls of Week, and giveaways has bolstered our communication and connections with fellow Kingdom Hearts fans. Additionally, our consistent Birthday posts celebrating numerous franchise staff members and voice actors/actresses have aided in connecting the Kingdom Hearts community in ways I doubt anyone would have thought possible a mere decade ago.
We have seen the Kingdom Hearts series grow considerably over the past few years. Kingdom Hearts III was finally released with the Re Mind DLC following only a year afterward. Melody of Memory was an unexpected sleeper hit that has helped prep us for the future with Re Mind's story. Next, Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross] concluded after over 5 years of service. Then Kingdom Hearts Dark Road began and went into hiatus as suddenly as it was announced. Still, its conclusion is only a few months away.
The Kingdom Hearts games made their way to the Xbox platforms and PC, with Nintendo Switch releases looming over the horizon. As a result, the series is growing more accessible than ever before, and while there are still steps that need to be taken, such as the Cloud Gaming controversy of the Switch ports, the fact remains that more fans than ever before will have access to the series.
We can't forget to mention that Sora has recently joined Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, a dream that many thought would simply remain that. A dream. Between that bombshell of an occurrence and the 20th anniversary of the franchise being only months away, the future will undoubtedly be full of equally colossal news, and we ask that you stick with us as we all greet it together.
We want to thank Kimpchuu and Andrew Hankinson for all of the work they have put into creating custom graphics for us such as logos and banners! You can view some of the incredible logos they have made for us via our gallery below:
KH13 has become the undeniable, go-to online locale for everything Kingdom Hearts-related, and we look forward to seeing it grow alongside all of you. On a personal note, while I have only been here for a few years, it's been a joyous time seeing both our community and the Kingdom Hearts series prosper with one another. KH13 has been here for 13 years, and despite this comical numeric tie-in with the Kingdom Hearts series itself, we have no intention of stopping our qualitative and consistent coverage.
Regardless of the uncertainty a post-Kingdom Hearts III world once brought, the future is looking brighter than ever before, and we're eager to see it. Thank you for sticking with KH13 and here's to 13 more years!
After nearly 2 weeks of waiting since his initial announcement, Sora is finally playable in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate! Fans can finally experience the dream of playing as this iconic protagonist after years of sincere hoping. You can purchase his character pack on Nintendo's official website individually or as part of the Fighter's Pass 2 DLC bundle.
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is the fifth installment in the popular crossover fighting game series featuring various Nintendo and other third-party characters. Sora is the last DLC fighter for this beloved and critically acclaimed title, signaling a simultaneous ending of an era and a start of another.
If you missed it, check out our news coverage on the latest Kingdom Hearts news that every fan should be aware of.
Are you excited to finally play as Sora in this legendary crossover fighting game? Let us know your thoughts below!
Twitter user @PushDustIn recently shared translations of a Famitsu column detailing Sora's arrival into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This column states that Sora had an expected arduous barrier of entry to prevail against due to his ties with Disney.
However, a chance meeting at an award show between Sakurai and a Disney executive led to the talks initially beginning. After Sakurai expressed his desire to see Sora join the title, lengthy discussions between Nintendo, Disney, and Square Enix occurred to see this dream finally come to fruition.
Translator Ryokutya2089 also provided his interpretation of this news.
This is quite poetic in a sense, considering how the sheer existence of Kingdom Hearts as a franchise only happened because of a chance meeting.
In addition, Sora's internal codename is "Trail," interestingly enough. This perhaps hearkens to the end of the original Kingdom Hearts, where Sora, Donald, and Goofy chase Pluto across the long and winding trail leading to Castle Oblivion, but that's just speculation on my part.
Square Enix has revealed the Kingdom Hearts III Namine Bring Arts figure, now available for pre-order from their Japan E-store. She comes with a chair, a pencil, and a sketchbook depicting her illustration of Castle Oblivion. Additionally, Namine is priced at ¥9,680 (roughly $84.75), and her planned release date is August 6th, 2022.
You can also pre-order the Kingdom Hearts III Namine Bring Arts figure from AmiAmi for a discounted price of ¥8,170 (roughly $71.53)
We will update this article once this figure is listed in other regional stores.
You can view the Kingdom Hearts III Namine Bring Arts figure via our gallery below:
Are you thrilled to finally see Namine receive merchandise? Let us know in the comments below!
UPDATE: The Kingdom Hearts III Namine Bring Arts figure is now available to pre-order from the North American Square Enix store for a 10% discounted price of $90.00 (base price $99.99). Its release window is December 2022.
Gaming website Nintendo Life recently spoke to Kingdom Hearts series producer Ichiro Hazama about why the Nintendo Switch ports for the remaining games will be Cloud only.
Hazama stated that there have been various difficulties with bringing over the titles to this hardware, with storage capacity being the only explicitly stated one.
Nintendo Life then asked if Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix could at least receive a native Nintendo Switch version. Hazama replied with the following statement:
This is undoubtedly a vague answer, but since it isn't an outright 'no,' then it is possible that fans respectfully expressing their desire for native ports will be the key to this hopeful event occurring.
You can view the article from Nintendo Life containing this exchange here.
If you missed it, check out our Kingdom Hearts Chess Set and Super Smah Bros. Ultimate + Both Fighter Passes giveaways.
We also provided a digestible round-up of all the recent Kingdom Hearts news that every fan should be aware of.
In a collaborative partnership with ALFHEIM NORDIC AS, KH13 is hosting a giveaway for the base game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and its 2 Fighter Pass DLC packs; the second of which contains Sora from Kingdom Hearts!
This giveaway is being conducted on KH13's official Twitter page. Prospective participants must simply retweet the announcement tweet and follow the KH13 Twitter account to be eligible for victory.
There will be 1 chosen winner on October 18, 2021. Further, this giveaway is applicable globally, meaning there are no specific regional requirements. The winner must have a PayPal account to be transferred the $120 (USD) needed for the base game of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and its 2 Fighter Pass DLC packs.
Good luck to all participants!
If you missed it, check out our Kingdom Hearts Chess Set giveaway, which also concludes on October 18, 2021.
Additionally, we have compiled all recent news information that every Kingdom Hearts fan should be knowledgeable of.
This evening, Kingdom Hearts manga artist Shiro Amano tweeted out that the 20th chapter of the Kingdom Hearts III manga, Toy Box 1, is now avaliable to read via GanGan Online. However, only the mobile app has the manga avaliable to read for now, with the browser and PC versions of the application only getting the manga on the 28th of October.
What do you think of this new installment of the Kingdom Hearts III manga? Let us know in the comments!
U-Treasure has announced that pre-orders are currently open for the Kingdom Hearts Trinity Ring Necklaces. These products are rather unique as they can be customized with unique gems and character-related quotes and symbols.
The pre-order period for this product ends on November 1st, 2022, and shipment is expected to occur on February 1st, 2022.
Additionally, they come in gold and silver variants. The former costs ¥66,000 (approximately $583) and the latter costs ¥22,000 (approximately $195).
You can view the Trinity Ring Necklaces, their respective store pages, and the character-specific options via our galleries below:
Kingdom Hearts Trinity Ring Necklace (Silver)
Kingdom Hearts Trinity Ring Necklace (Gold)
Sora：Blue Topaz
Riku：Blue Sapphire
Kairi：Pink Tourmaline
Roxas：Orange Sapphire
Axel：Red Garnet
Xion：Black Diamond
Naminé：Diamond
Terra：Citrine
Aqua：Aquamarine
Ventus：Peridot
These are undoubtedly standout pieces of merchandise, and their customization factors make them readily more appealing. Are you considering purchasing one of these necklaces, and if so, what character options will you pick? Let us know in the comments below!
No, you did not misread this article's title! In a co-sponsorship with ALFHEIM NORDIC AS, we are giving away to one lucky winner the Kingdom Hearts Chess Set, valued at US$700!
In order to enter the giveaway, you must be following KH13 on Twitter, and retweet the giveaway post. The winner must also have PayPal, as we wil transfer the funds to cover the board + shipping fees for the winner. You must make the pre-order yourself through Square Enix's store website.
So what are you waiting for? Participate now to get a chance at winning this exquisite piece of décor! We will be picking the winner on Monday, October 18th.
In case you wish to take a closer look at the chess set itself, you can view them on our Gallery below:
This has certainly been a hectic week, huh? From the reveal of Sora joining Super Smash Bros. Ultimate as its final DLC fighter to the trailer dropping for the Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary next year, there is an unprecedented degree of content for fans to look forward to.
However, it's easy to have forgotten or passed by the intricacies of all the news due to everything that was announced. Therefore, we have compiled and detailed every bit of information fans should be aware of from this week.
Sora Joining Super Smash Bros. Ultimate
So, first thing's first; Sora's inclusion as the final DLC fighter for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. This is obviously the most significant fraction of news, and every fan is undoubtedly aware of it by now. Still, for those who haven't yet dived into the specifics, let's break down his fighting style, the content arriving with his inclusion, his release date, and more.
Before discussing Sora's moveset, Sakurai revealed that Sora was the top requested fighter from the fighter ballot for Super Smash Bros. for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U. After talking to former Nintendo President Satoru Iwata, though, they decided not to disclose these results to the public to avoid needless harassment aimed towards the involved developmental parties.
Thankfully, Sora has managed to make his way into the series regardless, even if it was a game later. Sakurai repeatedly emphasized that immense cooperation was needed to make this impossibility occur, which genuinely is a miracle. Further, Sora's Japanese and English voices will be implemented during release.
Sora's introduction trailer misled at least most of us, I think. It begins where the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate first started, the stage of indescribable darkness with the series logo hanging in the sky with every character present. However, the fire burning from the logo quickly burns out, leading to a single flame remaining on the ground. Afterward, each of the characters reverts to their statue forms, devoid of life.
Though perhaps invigorated with life by the remaining flame, Mario steps off his statue stand and walks toward the remaining light. After some notable hesitation, he shoves his arm into the fire and throws what seems to be an enkindled blade into the air. Suddenly, the flames vanish, and the identity of the blade becomes apparent; the Keyblade.
It shoots out a beam of light, causing an enormous keyhole to appear. As Simple and Clean Orchestral begins to play, Sora slowly arrives in a familiar sleeping posture before opening his eyes. The rest of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate cast finally regains their life, their statue forms dissipating. They each turn back and gaze at the figure engulfed by this shining light.
Sora, now awake, begins to soar through the air in delight as each character stares in wonder. Finally, Sora lands on his feet, and after summoning the Kingdom Key, Sora is Finally Here! appears on the screen.
It was a truly magical trailer that perfectly encapsulates how when Sora sees the heart in something; it becomes real.
As a playable character, Sora was designed to be approachable and easy to play as, unlike other DLC members of the roster who require exceptional dedication to use feasibly. He is an airborne and, community memes aside, floaty fighter. Additionally, his weight is among the lowest of the playable cast, being lighter than even the likes of Isabelle and Young Link.
When it comes to cosmetic alterations, Sora can change into various outfits representing different Kingdom Hearts games. However, it is only his attire that alters, not his actual character model. This means that this is still the original Kingdom Hearts version of Sora wearing these outfits. Moreover, aside from main outfits from several of the Kingdom Hearts games being present, specific forms have also made their way into the title.
Sora's 8 costumes are listed in their respective P1-P8 order below:
The original Kingdom Hearts design
Kingdom Hearts II main outfit
Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance design
Kingdom Hearts III main outfit
Kingdom Hearts II Timeless River design (Has dedicated facial expressions)
Kingdom Hearts II Valor Form
Kingdom Hearts II Wisdom Form
Kingdom Hearts III Ultimate Form
The outfits from P1-P4 have wonderfully recreated artwork of Sora from the respective games. In addition, there are also 5 Spirits reflective of the designs from P1-P5.
The Wisdom Form outfit has the Recusant's Sigil on its chest from the Dream Drop Distance design because P7 is an alternate skin of P3. So, while not a pure representation of Wisdom Form, the point comes across, and this can also be seen as a new take on the design, even if that wasn't the intended case.
You can view each of Sora's official renders across his 8 outfits in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate via our gallery below:
Generally speaking, Sora's moveset is pulled from how he plays as from Kingdom Hearts. For example, his standard 3-hit combo has several variations depending on how long the attack button is held, and the swings are reminiscent of his swordplay in the games themselves. Some abilities from the source material have arrived, too, like Hurricane Blast being Sora's down-air, Sonic Blade being his side-special, and Counterattack being his down-special.
Magic is Sora's netural special, and it cycles through Firaga, Thundaga, and Blizzaga in that order when used. Each spell has neat unique effects dependent on situational contexts, so there is an undeniably deep mental game players will have to be cognizant of on the fly.
Speaking of cycles, Sora's taunts also do just that. While not providing any beneficial effects, Sora's taunt cycles through castings of Stopga, Aeroga, and Curaga. Personally speaking, I find this to be a terrific way to feature some of the spells that didn't make their way into the moveset proper. Pay respects to Graviga, though.
Due to how he excels in the air, Sora's edge guarding game is top-notch, boasting ludicrously adept recovery. Even though his weight is relatively light and his attacks are stated to be moderate in speed, it's clear that this iteration of Sora can more than hold his own.
In the presentation, Sakurai forgot to detail Sora's dash and dash attack, leading him to briefly tweeting about them afterward.
The stage that arrives with Sora is the beloved Hollow Bastion, specifically its original Kingdom Hearts version, which makes sense given how Sora's default design and his abilities are based on the franchise's first entry. Combatants stand on a moving platform that begins from Rising Falls before soaring and giving players detailed views of this lovingly recreated world.
Additionally, when players are on their last stocks or when the match is running low on time, the stage transforms and becomes a Dive to the Heart station that depicts the imagery of a character's heart.
The Dive to the Heart stations that can appear are as follows:
Sora
Riku
Roxas
Xion
Terra
Ventus
Aqua
Official screenshots of the Hollow Bastion + Dive to the Heart stage can be viewed via our gallery below:
Oddly enough, even though Sakurai stated earlier in the presentation that he will forgo the details of Sora's Final Smash, wanting us to see for ourselves, and only providing the name, "Sealing the Keyhole," he then showed it in the middle of Sora's real-time combat demonstration.
"Sealing the Keyhole" consists of literally sealing opponents within a keyhole and then within a door emblazoned with the iconic Super Smash Bros. logo. Afterward, Sora performs the keyhole sealing maneuver from the original Kingdom Hearts before the door explodes, severely damaging its occupants. It's a novel original Final Smash that captures the essence of Sora's tasked actions throughout the first game.
Moreover, as revealed during the end of this combat showcase, when Sora defeats a foe at the end of a Stamina Battle, the game slows down, referencing the same effect that occurred when prevailing in key battles in the original Kingdom Hearts.
Sora has 2 victory poses as shown below:
There are 10 songs included with purchasing Sora, and each track is from the first game. Unfortunately, none of these tracks have been arranged and are instead simply their original versions. These songs are listed below:
Night of Fate
Destiny's Force
Shrouding Dark Cloud
Hand in Hand
Blast Away! -Gummi Ship II-
Hollow Bastion
Scherzo Di Notte
Fragments of Sorrow
Destati
Dearly Beloved -Swing Version- (If the player has save data of Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory on their Nintendo Switch)
Also, while not a track that can be played during battles, Sora's victory fanfare is an arrangement of Hand in Hand composed by Yoko Shimomura!
The Spirit Board contains 8 obtainable Spirits who can be viewed below:
Kairi (1 Star - Novice)
Ventus (2 Stars - Advanced)
Aqua (3 Stars - Ace)
Terra (2 Stars - Advanced)
Riku (3 Stars - Ace)
Xion (2 Stars - Advanced)
Axel (2 Stars - Advanced)
Roxas (5 Stars - Legend)
In the Japanese version specifically, Aqua's and Axel's names will be denoted with the "KINGDOM HEARTS series" because their names match with other spirits.
It is also worth noting that there are no direct references to Disney outside of the Mickey keychain on Sora's Keyblade. This was certainly done for copyright reasons, and it was even taken so far as to alter the characters' Dive to the Heart stations to remove any connotative Disney imagery.
Sora will be released for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on October 18th, 2021. His character bundle, which consists of him, the music tracks, spirits, and the Hollow Bastion stage, costs $5.99. Alternatively, he is included in the Fighter's Pass 2 bundle.
For a more in-depth look at Sora's fighting prowess, check out Sakurai's overview of him below (timestamped):
You can view Sora on the legendary Super Smash Bros. Ultimate banner artwork via our gallery below:
You can view the full Sora character trailer for Super Smash Bros. Ultimate below:
Yoko Shimomura and Tetsuya Nomura shared personal comments regarding Sora's inclusion in this hallmark fighting game, which you can view below:
Official screenshots of Sora in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate can be viewed via our galleries below:
The Rest of the Kingdom Hearts Games Are Coming to Nintendo Switch
While technically part of the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation, this is a separate matter. Sakurai announced that Kingdom Hearts - HD 1.5 + 2.5 ReMIX-, Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and Kingdom Hearts III + Re Mind will be playable on the Nintendo Switch via Cloud Gaming.
For those unaware, Cloud Gaming is a service where games are streamed from an online source. Therefore, a high-speed internet connection is recommended when utilizing this service.
No release dates or prices for any of these Cloud versions have been revealed yet.
The name of this collection is the Kingdom Hearts Integrum Masterpiece for Cloud, though the titles can be bought individually. As a neat bit of trivia, the Integrum Masterpiece part of the title was the name for the All-in-One collection in Japan.
Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Ending This Winter
Soon after the Super Smash Bros. Ultimate presentation for Sora concluded, Square Enix shared the 20th Anniversary trailer for the Kingdom Hearts franchise. The most notable new announcement in this trailer is that Kingdom Hearts Dark Road will be concluding this Winter.
All of the remaining content, including the ending, will be released at once. In addition, the Kingdom Hearts Dark Road game will also be receiving its offline mode version 5.0 update.
No specific date on when this content will drop has been provided. However, since it simply states Winter, I believe it's safe to assume it to be releasing sometime from January 2022 to March 2022 since, even though late December is when Winter initiates, they would have likely stated that month specifically in the trailer if it were releasing then.
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event
At the very end of the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary trailer, Square Enix revealed that a Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event is planned. No details on when this will occur or the like have been provided yet, though.
This is just a guess on my part, but since the original Kingdom Hearts was released in March 2002, I think this Anniversary event will be held in March 2022.
Check out the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary trailer below if you haven't already:
Merchandise
Of course, it can't be a celebration without merchandise. So the final bit of news in the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary trailer is that there is a plethora of planned, celebratory merchandise.
The 2 products shown off during the trailer were the highly anticipated chess set, which is now available for pre-order, and Kingdom Hearts III suitcases currently in development.
Also, while not all necessarily anniversary items, several other Kingdom Hearts-themed products were revealed this week. You can view each of the items revealed below:
Kingdom Hearts ~20th Anniversary~ Ichiban Kuji Sora and Kairi Figures
Kingdom Hearts III Alba & Ater Chess Set
Kingdom Hearts Keyblade Silicon Ice Tray
Kingdom Hearts Mouse Pad
20th Anniversary Kingdom Hearts III suitcases
Lastly, while not merchandise, the announcement of Kingdom Hearts-themed guest rooms returning to the Disney ambassador hotel at Tokyo Disney Resort this Winter is noteworthy.
And that is all of the essential information that all fans should know of from this wild week of immense news drops. The 20th Anniversary of the Kingdom Hearts franchise has not even truly begun yet, and we're already being provided staggering news that will surely amplify once we hit 2022.
What are you looking forward to from the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary and what types of celebratory occurences would you like to see? Additionally, how thrilled are you to finally play as Sora in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate? Let us know in the comments below!
During the Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary trailer, Square revealed that numerous pieces of merchandise are in development, such as the chess set and suitcases!
The suitcases currently lack a store page, but based on an article by the Japanese website Gamer, there will be 5 variations of this product. The only type that has been revealed so far is themed after Sora.
You can view the revealed images for the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III suitcase via our gallery below:
We will keep you up to date on when this product receives more information and is added to stores.
The official Twitter account for the Tokyo Disney Resort has annonuced that Kingdom Hearts-themed guest rooms will be returning to the Disney ambassador hotel this Winter! No further details were provided regarding what to expect from the decor of these rooms.
However, one of the provided images does contain the silhouette of the Oblivion keyblade, perhaps hinting to an available dark coloration.
The Tokyo Disney Resort's official website will be updated with more information in the near future.
Following today's Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary trailer announcing a plethora of news for the franchise, Square Enix has also launched the Japanese version of the anniversary website.
There is no new noteworthy information on the website so far, but it will undoubtedly be edited with further announced content throughout the rest of 2021 and 2022. The English version of the website will likely launch soon.
Square Enix Japan have announced a new item available for pre-order off their E-Store, a mouse pad in the design of Sora's stained glass from Kingdom Hearts!
The mouse pad will release on January 22, 2022, and it is priced at ¥1,650 which converted to US Dollar is roughly $14.79. Keep in mind that this is a converted price and is in no way official to it's actual pricing.
You can view the mouse pad through our gallery below:
You can also view the store page for this item at Square Enix Japan's E-Store.
UPDATE: This mouse pad is now available to pre-order from the European and North American Square Enix stores! Their respective prices, store links, and release dates are listed below:
€16.99 on the European store and releasing on May 28, 2022.
$17.99 on the North American store and releasing in April 2022.
Square Enix Japan has announced a new item available for pre-order for their E-Store, a silicon ice cube tray in the shape of the Kingdom Key from Kingdom Hearts!
The Kingdom Hearts Silicon Ice Tray will be releasing on December 25, 2021, and is priced at ¥2,200, which converted to USD is roughly $19.71. This is not an official price however, it's just a converted one.
You can view the Kingdom Hearts Silicon Ice Tray through our gallery below:
You can view the store page for this item on Square Enix Japan's official E-Store.
UDPATE: This item is now available to pre-order from the North American store! Its provided release window is July 2022 and it's priced at $19.99.
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