Square Enix has revealed numerous apparel available for pre-order via their digital storefronts. You can view each of these T-shirts via our gallery below as well as respective Japan store page links. Each shirt ships from the Square Enix Japan store on June 24th, 2022. AmiAmi store links are at this article's conclusion.
King Mickey Hoodie - ¥9,680
King Mickey T-shirt - ¥5,280
Sora - Dive to the Heart T-shirt - ¥5,280
AmiAmi (All release in late June 2022):
King Mickey Hoodie - ¥8,220
King Mickey T-shirt - ¥4,480
Sora - Dive to the Heart T-shirt - ¥4,480
Aitai Kuji (All release in June 2022) :
King Mickey Hoodie - ¥8,200
King Mickey T-shirt - ¥4,800
Sora - Dive to the Heart T-shirt - ¥4,800
The website Deadline has recently shared an interview they conducted with the English voice of Sora, Haley Joel Osment. This roughly 15-minute interview comprises Haley's personal reflection on the series as a whole and its primary protagonist. It's a rather wholesome watch as Haley expresses his adoration for fans' love of the series, and his desire to voice Sora in the future.
Further, Haley lightly discusses his past with video games and his recollections will undoubtedly ring clearer with older audiences.
It is also worth noting that today is Haley Joel Osment's birthday, so wish him well!
Give the interview a watch and let us know your thoughts!
Square Enix have revealed new Kingdom Hearts II plushes of Naminé and Roxas that are available for pre-order from their Japanese, European, and North American storefronts. Both products are viewable via our galleries below alongside their Japan store pages. Several other available store pages are listed at this article's conclusion.
Kingdom Hearts II Naminé Plush (¥4,180) - October 1st, 2022 shipment
Kingdom Hearts II Roxas Plush (¥4,180) - October 1st, 2022 shipment
Square Enix North America (January 2023 release windows):
Naminé - $44.99
Roxas - $44.99
Aitai Kuji (September 2022 release windows):
Naminé - ¥3,500
Roxas - ¥3,500
AmiAmi (Late September 2022 release windows):
Naminé - Discounted price of ¥3,500
Roxas - Discounted price of ¥3,500
Square Enix Europe (January 13th, 2023 shipments):
Naminé - €44.99 - January 13th, 2023 shipment
Roxas - €44.99 - January 13th, 2023 shipment
Following the onslaught of Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary news, Square Enix announced new upcoming Play Arts Kai figures of Sora, Kairi and Riku.
Riku’s Deluxe figure comes with “two face options, including a smiling face and a battle face, the Keyblade Way to the Dawn, and the broken Way to the Dawn.”
Additionally, Sora’s Deluxe figure has “two extra face parts, one with a smiling face and the other with a battle face, as well as the Shooting Star and Ultima Weapon Keyblades.”
You can view each figure via our gallery below, alongside their respective Square Enix Japan store pages.
NOTE: Square Enix North American, European, AmiAmi, and Aitai Kuji store links are listed at the bottom of this article. Each figure on the North American store front possesses a September 2023 release window. The European store pages provide no estimated release times.
Sora Play Arts Kai Version 2 (¥19,580) & DX (¥21,780) - May 27th, 2023 shipments
Riku Play Arts Kai (¥19,580) & DX (¥21,780) - June 29th, 2023 shipments
Kairi Play Arts Kai - (¥20,680) July 28th, 2023 shipment
Square Enix North American (all possess September 2023 release windows):
Sora Version 2 - $189.99
Sora Version 2 DX - $209.99
Kairi - $199.99
Riku - $189.99
Riku DX - $209.99
Square Enix Europe (no provided release windows):
Sora Version 2 - €164.99
Sora Version 2 DX - €174.99
Kairi - €174.99
Riku - €164.99
Riku DX - €174.99
AmiAmi store links:
Sora Version 2 - Discounted price of ¥16,600 - Late May 2023 release window
Sora Version 2 DX - Discounted price of ¥18,500 - Late May 2023 release window
Kairi - Discounted price of ¥17,500 - Late July 2023 release window
Riku Version 2 - Discounted price of ¥16,600 - Late June 2023 release window
Riku Version 2 DX - Discounted price of ¥18,500 - Late June 2023 release window
Aitai Kuji store links:
Sora Version 2 - ¥16,500 - May 2023 release window
Sora Version 2 DX - ¥18,500 - May 2023 release window
Kairi - ¥17,500 - July 2023 release window
Riku - ¥16,500 - June 2023 release window
Riku DX - ¥18,500 - June 2023 release window
Square Enix has revealed a brand new trailer for the series' 20th anniversary, highlighting several upcoming titles. Firstly, Kingdom Hearts Dark Road has been delayed again to August 2022.
A new mobile game called Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link was announced, with a closed beta test arriving later this year.
Lastly, Kingdom Hearts IV was announced.
You can view the new trailer housing these 3 announcements below:
Tetsuya Nomura has provided a new message following these announcements:
The Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link logo was revealed alongside the logo:
Official Kingdom Hearts IV screenshots have been provided, viewable below:
Official new Kingdom Hearts Dark Road screenshots have been provided, viewable below:
Yoko Shimomura provided a new comment regarding these recent announcements, viewable below alongside a translation:
UPDATE (4/11/2022): The Japanese websites for Kingdom Hearts IV and Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link are now up. For now, they simply link to their respective trailers and have no new information.
It is worth noting that the press release for Kingdom Hearts IV provides the following false statement:
Strelitzia's actual debut was in Kingdom Hearts Union χ.
Square Enix Blog's article on the announcements yesterday clarifies the aforementioned point.
During the currently ongoing Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary event, merchandise retailer Super Groupies has announced that they will be launching 45 wearable accessories in Summer 2022.
Event participants have shared images of the advertisements, viewable below:
During the ongoing Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary event, the Memory Locker website launched, hosting 15 messages from several key staff members. We will be working on providing translations for several of these messages throughout the night.
UPDATE (4/17/2022) : We have translated each Memory Locker message. Messages, 1, 5, 14, and 15 were translated by our team's Ryuji, while the rest were translated by our team's corfidbizna. Keep in mind that these are fan translations and not official!
The Memory Locker website has prevented access to the messages since the anniversary event concluded. However, they are planned to re-launch and we will update you all when that occurs.
For now, check out our translations of each message below:
During the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event currently taking place in Japan, the completed version of Tetsuya Nomura's anniversary artwork was revealed to be on display. The artwork was originally teased on the series anniversary back in March.
You can view the completed illustration in our gallery below
What are your thoughts on the completed 20th anniversary artwork? Let us know in the comments below!
Thanks to @aibo_ac7 for the tip.
The new artwork was fully revealed, viewable below:
This article will be continually updated with news regarding the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event, initiating at 2 PM JST/ 1 AM EDT/ 10 PM PDT in Shibuya Hikarie on the 9th floor of Hikarie Hall. However, while the doors open at that time, the actual event itself begins at 5 PM JST/ 4 AM EST/ 1 AM PDT.
It is worth noting that there is no guarantee of any news being officially shared throughout the event, as embargos will likely be in place for attendees and staff. Regardless, we will be sharing impressions and tweets from event participants as time passes.
Be sure to check back in on this article and view our Twitter for timely updates on the Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event!
UPDATE: 12:10 AM EST
Event participants have begun posting pictures of the venue's exterior. For reference, Aibo's tweet is viewable below:
The new celebratory 20th anniversary artwork has been revealed via Aibo:
A celebratory message from Nomura has been spotted, viewable below. We are working on a translation, though some of the text is blurry:
Our team's Ryuji has translated the message, viewable below. However, please keep in mind that this may not be 100% accurate:
New official merchandise has been spotted at the event, including new Play Arts Kai figures and a new Naminé plushie:
New celebratory pins and a clock have also been shown:
New kitchenware has been displayed:
New perfumes based on Roxas, Xion, and Axel have been spotted:
A Final Fantasy VII-themed display is at the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event venue:
Aibo posted a thought-provoking Q&A response from Nomura, viewable below:
"I was uncertain whether to call it KH4 or Verum Rex but ultimately decided to call it the former because this is about Sora."
An event attendee, Jyaco, detailed their account of the experience. One particular note in their written account is that it was stated that Kingdom Hearts III has sold over 6.7 million copies as of September 2021.
UPDATE (4/11/2022): Various photos of the venue and stage event have been provided by 4Gamer and Game Watch, also viewable via our gallery below:
Dengeki shared exclusive photos from their event coverage, viewable via our gallery below:
After Nomura's video message, five songs were selected from the series' many masterpieces, and were performed live in an arrangement for the 20th anniversary event (via Famitsu) :
Dearly Beloved
Sora's Theme
Vector to the Heavens
Nachtflügel
Link to All
After the performance, Risa Uchida, the Japanese voice actress of Kairi and Xion started hosting the event as the MC, and Yoko Shimomura, composer of the Kingdom Hearts series, took the stage. Regarding the live performance, Shimomura said that since this was a commemorative event for the 20th anniversary of the series, she personally took on the challenge of arranging chamber music (jargon for a small ensemble of musicians) for the first time.
"For the songs chosen, I made sure that they were not only popular songs, but also that there was no bias toward any particular work." she stated. One of the main reasons "Nachtflügel" was chosen was that because it was a newer song that had never been performed live.
Looking back on 20 years of Kingdom Hearts, Yoko said she had many memories of her times with songwriting and concerts. "There are many ideas that I still have in my mind, and I hope to have another concert sometime in the future." she stated.
Sony Japan has announced that to celebrate the Kingdom Hearts 20th anniversary, they will be selling commemorative Walkmen. Unfortunately, even when viewing the announcement page, no images of this item have been revealed. However, those who sign up with their Sony ID will receive a 10% coupon.
We'll be share to share further news on this unique and unexpected product when it is discussed in a greater capacity.
UPDATE (4/15/2022) : The announcement page has been updated to state that the walkman will come with a pair of wireless headphones and "etc," whatever the latter means. There are still no images for this upcoming product.
Just a few days ahead of the 20th Anniversary event, another show on Disney+ has placed in a subtle Kingdom Hearts reference in one of their episodes. This time it's a nod to the games themselves in the latest episode of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
In episode 8 titled "Home School", when Penny calls her friend KG asking for a favor to find her cell phone, we see him playing a version of the 1st Kingdom Hearts game where Sora was in Dive to the Heart. It is also shown on his gaming setup that the other two screens have backgroud depicting the paopu trees on the Destiny Islands. The reference can be seen around the 4:00 mark.
You can check out screenshots from the episode in the gallery below.
UPDATE: The Production Coorinator of The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder Breana Williams (@breanimator) has given some insight about this easter egg on their Twitter. In a series of tweets, they said that when the idea for the episode was being drafted, the director of the show Tara Nicole asked them about which video game(s) should the character KG be playing and Breana replied with Kingdom Hearts.
This is the second show that references Kingdom Hearts in the past two weeks. The first one was the Kingdom Key D appearing in the Mickey Mouse special The Wonderful Spring of Mickey Mouse.
Which show/movie do you think will reference Kingdom Hearts next? Let's know in the comments below!
Kingdom Hearts II is a widely beloved entry in the series, being many fans’ favorite. And, I believe it’s safe to assume that a significant degree of that love stems from it housing the best world in the franchise, Atlantica. Now, while Atlantica is one of the more well-liked worlds in the first game, its musical implementation in Kingdom Hearts II is masterful, causing many fans over the years to question why the entirety of the game and subsequent sequels didn’t play like this world.
Unfortunately, we’ll likely never receive an answer to that prominent, collective fan inquiry, and we’ll have to keep replaying the 5 stellar musical numbers this area boasts.
With it being the series’ 20th anniversary, I found it only fitting to reflect on the peak gameplay of the titles and rank the playable musicals from worst to best.
5. "Part of Your World"
This is easily the most abhorred song of Atlantica, and part of why is because it doesn’t include the magnificent vocal talents or dancing of Donald and Goofy. Sora’s compatriots provide fantastic vocal and visual range, capturing the essence of these performances far more effectively than any of the other characters. It’s also the shortest song, further providing ample reason for this being on the bottom of the list. Lastly, the fact that players can simply obtain 5 Excellent ratings and skimp out on the rest of the track is unfortunate. Fans want to interact with these musical minigames more and not just view them as spectacles, despite how epic they are.
4. "Ursula’s Revenge"
Ah, yes. The best boss battle of not only Kingdom Hearts II but the franchise as a whole. It’s almost depressing how the series hasn’t even come close to reaching the quality of this encounter. Still, that just goes to show how legendary it is. Ursula utilizes the power of King Triton’s trident and enlarges herself, becoming a genuinely threatening foe.
Players have to time cleverly incorporated button presses aligned with Ursula’s ever-growing power, resulting in a climactic encounter that will leave you with an undeniably cathartic sense of delight. While Donald and Goofy don’t sing during this battle, the sheer well-induced terror of this scene nearly absolves that fault. If only Xemnas received such a similarly praiseworthy encounter…
3. "Under The Sea"
"Under The Sea" boasts sublime metaphorical imagery throughout its duration. The right side of the screen hosts a gauge determining Ariel’s yearning for the outside world or accepted complacency with the life she’s come to know. The player’s performance determining the state of Ariel’s mentality illustrates a terrific relationship between their actions and results.
Essentially, the effects of gameplay are transparently depicted in a manner affecting character growth. Further, the necessitated avoidance of Sebastian for success subtly implies his actual existence as a Darkling, serving as a corrupting influence on Ariel’s strained psyche. There is just an almost insane degree of storytelling depth poured into this performance, but the fact that there are still 2 more surpassing it is astounding.
2. "Swim This Way"
Despite being the initial performance, "Swim This Way" expertly introduces players to the majesty of this world’s rhythm-based gameplay. Sebastian being the motivator for Sora, Ariel, and the others is a colossal reason for this monumental quality. As alluded to in the prior placement, it’s evident that Sebastian is a Darkling utilizing some manner of camouflage to veil his authentic, horrific appearance. His motives are still unclear, but Dark Road’s final update may finally shed light on this long-running point of contention the fanbase has possessed for over half a decade. Regardless, what makes this performance so noteworthy is Sebastian’s seemingly two-faced nature.
While he is a force of corruption during "Under the Sea", his congenial deliverance of praise and motivation seems real here. And, if that’s the case, what is Sebastian enduring throughout this world’s story events? Are the influences of Sora and the gang combating the inherent darkness his existence comprises? It’s a simultaneously inspiring and fearsome thought. Aside from Sebastian, though, Sora’s use of magic and the entirety of the group dancing with one another is a wholesome, endearing sight. You’d be hard-pressed to identify a better first song in any rhythm game experience.
1. "A New Day is Dawning"
Finally, we have reached the indisputably best track in the world; "A New Day is Dawning". The sheer, infectious joviality present from every participant in this massive ensemble performance is almost tear-jerking. After defeating Ursula, peace has been restored, and the sea’s denizens celebrate that occurrence, as well as Ariel’s eventual marriage to Prince Eric. King Triton smiling, Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s passionate singing, and the countless dancers emphasize the immense scale of these events. This is also the most challenging song to complete, with a steep score to achieve.
Additionally, the remaining presence of the Sebastian icons that must be avoided informs the player that darkness still lurks within this world, and there’s no telling when it will sprout. When Atlantica returns in a future game, we’ll assuredly witness Sebastian’s tragic reveal as a Darkling. Still, until then, this song represents long-desired fulfilling tranquility.
Alas, it also is a meta-textual metaphor for how the best world is nearing its end, and players will have to move on. After all, A New Day is Dawning. Not all of life can be enthusiastically joyful. So, while the conclusion of this world can be melancholic due to its qualitative nature ceasing, it teaches players the valuable lesson of how life lacks permanence. Change is always approaching from behind the corner, and despite its confrontations differing in timing for every individual, it’s inescapable.
And that was indisputable Top 5 ranking for each Atlantica song in Kingdom Hearts II. Still, do you somehow disagree with this placement? And if so, what does your ranking look like? Let us know in the comments below!
A prominent member of the Kingdom Hearts community, 13th Vessel, has recently shared notable information regarding the origins of the Kingdom Hearts series. In a Twitter post earlier today, he made the SquareSoft 2001 E3 press kit available for public download. Several text documents and early pre-release images of the first Kingdom Hearts entry are viewable, primarily comprising Sora, Riku, Kairi, combat, and the non-finalized logo.
Thanks to 13th Vessel for archiving and sharing these signficant pieces of history, and you can access them via his Twitter post below:
Are there any specific images or statements here that stand out to you? Let us know in the comments below!
UPDATE: (3/30/2022)
We have added the Kingdom Hearts SquareSoft 2001 Press Kit images to our gallery, viewable below:
During the March Caprice 2.0 event, several fans shared new creative content ranging from video essays to celebratory anniversary artwork. One of the former that deserves notable acclaim is a video by creator Chrisora that compared the events of the original Kingdom Hearts between its video game releases, manga adaption, and light novel iteration.
However, at around 28:00 in the video, Chrisora reveals that he got Xemnas' voice actor, Paul St. Peter, to voice the 'Unknown' scenes in Kingdom Hearts Final Mix! For those unaware or have simply forgotten, the Final Mix version of the first Kingdom Hearts added a plethora of new content, including an optional boss battle against who we'd come to know as Xemnas. He is not voiced in either of the two scenes he appears in though, which is what makes this recent revelation truly noteworthy.
Chrisora states that this audio was received via a radio show interview years ago. You can listen to this voicework by Paul St. Peter himself below (timestamped):
It feels oddly cathartic to finally hear these lines voiced by the official voice actor himself. Props to Chrisora for making this happen and check out the rest of the video!
With today being the Kingdom Hearts series' 20th anniversary, I decided to reflect on which scenes in the games impacted me the most. It was a time-consuming process, and my mind will probably change in due time, but each of the following scenes is undoubtedly engraved within my heart.
Of course, there’s nothing objective about this list as it’s primarily dependent on nostalgia and personal impact. Still, there's bound to at least be a few most of us agree on.
Before beginning the piece proper, I'd like to credit the following individuals:
Regular Pat for creating the handy Wayfinder Project, an amazingly convenient tool for finding most of the cutscenes in the series. Identifying the names of most of the aforementioned scenes would have been truly burdensome if not for this resource.
Damo279, since the Kingdom Hearts Union χ screenshots I used throughout this piece are from his video compiling the game's final scenes.
20. An Unexpected Bond
Re:Coded receives a decent amount of flack, and some of it is justified. However, its Castle Oblivion segment is arguably one of the most underrated finales of any Kingdom Hearts title. Data Sora confronting Data Roxas about accepting his pain, even if it consumes him, is one of the few times I was genuinely moved in this game.
Despite this not being the Sora we’ve come to know and love throughout the series, he still is Sora. Further, Roxas’ lashing out afterward is starkly emotive. Frankly, just seeing an iteration of Roxas acting somewhat antagonistically toward Sora directly is noteworthy, especially in Re:Coded, where it is a spread-out, gradual process. Alas, if only the HD 2.5 movie showcased their fight instead of skipping past it.
19. 7 and 13
Due to its platform and genre, I don’t have as much of a connection to Kingdom Hearts Union χ as I do the other games, but following its plot, despite its sporadic updates, was a thrilling experience. The finale contained a bunch of bombshells, such as the final seen conversation between the Master of Masters and Luxu.
The revelations regarding the truth of the Foretellers’ being trained to unwittingly harbor the willful Darknesses, Luxu’s immediate opposition to it, and the Master’s chilling attitude were immensely memorable, to say the least. As heinous as the Master’s acts are, the gray morality showcased here has me indescribably excited for his future endeavors and Luxu’s actions.
18. Disorder
This is most likely the strangest entry on this list, but this is easily one of the most standout scenes in 358/2 Days and the series as a whole. Roxas finds himself on Destiny Islands and sees Xion in the distance. However, after approaching her, she removes her head and reveals herself to be…Zexion?
From then on, it becomes a disturbing mishmash of Riku’s and Zexion’s final conversation from Chain of Memories, with Roxas morphing into various other figures. After realizing that this is essentially a nightmare of Xion’s comprising her struggling with her identity, its oddities become far clearer. Due to its somber subject matter and the legitimately chilling sound design, this is honestly the most unnerving scene in the franchise, and it will likely always stick with me.
17. Fall to Darkness
Back to Kingdom Hearts Union χ, the finale contained yet another notable scene; the Player’s false betrayal toward Ephemer and Skuld. The sheer shock value of this scene alone, alongside the eventual reveal of Ephemer and Skuld being the final bosses, was jaw-dropping, to put it mildly.
Even as an onlooker of this game, I was amazed by the boldness of this twist, and the eventual reveal of the Player faking it all to deceive the Darknesses makes this initial occurrence even more notable. This scenario reminds me of the classic phrase stating that to deceive your enemies, you must fool your friends first, and while that happens here, it’s severely tragic. Skuld and Ephemer aren’t aware that the Player was not taken over. Moreover, the Player perishes soon afterward. A bitter, sudden farewell for all parties involved.
16. Phantom Promise or Not
Chain of Memories has some of the best showcases of Sora’s characterization, and this scene of him, Donald, and Goofy confronting Marluxia exemplifies it. Marluxia threatens Namine to eliminate Sora’s memories which would lead to his demise due to the inherent connective tissue memories boast in this series.
However, Sora doesn’t fear this at all. In fact, he dares for the erasure to occur. His faith in himself and his friends piecing himself back together displays how selfless and open-hearted he is. Honestly, reflecting on moments like this when Sora’s selflessness and love for others ultimately led to his eventual banishment makes exchanges like this somewhat ominous.
15. Closing the Door
The Kingdom Hearts I ending sequence is classic and its placement shouldn’t require much explanation. Admittedly, I can’t deny that my love for this scene, and many forthcoming ones, primarily stems from nostalgia.
Still, the effectiveness of Sora and Kairi parting ways, the worlds’ restorations, and the beginning of "Simple and Clean" hitting as soon as Sora’s and Kairi’s hands leave each other is such magnificent timing. It’s simply a fantastic ending sequence that undeniably struck many of us since our first viewings.
14. Darkness' Call
Despite its mixed reception, I adore Dream Drop Distance’s endgame for a multitude of reasons. One of those reasons stems from Riku’s final conversation with Ansem, where Riku frankly acknowledges his mistakes, even questioning his fittingness for the Keyblade.
His honesty and lack of fear here say volumes when speaking in front of Ansem Seeker of Darkness himself. Additionally, the revelation of Riku being a Dream Eater is a noteworthy, excellent twist. Riku’s growth is stellar, and seeing it so transparently depicted here is remarkably satisfying.
13. Place to Belong
Days has several impressive scenes, with one of the more memorable ones being Axel’s confrontation with Xion in front of Twilight Town’s mansion. Axel is really the star of this exchange, as his simultaneous adoration and frustration with Xion and Roxas reach a boiling point. “…I’ll always be there to bring you back” is an iconic line, perfectly encapsulating Axel’s fervent desire to keep the three of them together for as long as possible.
12. Vexen's End
Speaking of Axel, him eliminating Vexen in Chain of Memories is, as the kids say, ‘kino.’ Throughout this title, Axel remains a consistent enigma. His true allegiances are shrouded in whatever personal goals he’s pursuing, and it isn’t until this instance that the sheer strength of his determination is showcased.
Personally, I find him burning Vexen in Re:Chain of Memories more brutal than the chakram stab in the GBA version. Regardless, Axel’s absence of hesitation makes this a grim departure, and Sora’s exclamation at who precisely these black-robed fellows are aligned with those of us who experienced this game before Kingdom Hearts II.
11. My Friends Are My Power!
My favorite scene in Dream Drop Distance is right before Sora’s final boss in The World That Never Was. While there is a fair amount of exposition here detailed between Xemnas and Xigbar, I found it to amplify the already present tension emitted from Sora’s shock. It also made the tragedies that took place in Days more prominent in efficacy.
Still, even in the face of these veiled truths, Sora’s cheesy yet effective faith in his friends allows him to strive further, even taking Xigbar aback. That visual alone of Sora with the other central cast members makes this scene a top pick.
10. Kairi Awakens
Of all the moments in the original Kingdom Hearts, Sora’s Sacrifice is the most emotionally impactful. Even when removing all context, the imagery of Sora stabbing himself to restore the Princess’ hearts is astounding. The musical choice here is also notable, resulting in this scene being one of the first I think of in relation to this title. Roxas’ and Namine’s eventual creation also stems from this sacrifice, making it truly hallmark.
9. Dreams Connected
Putting an opening here may be cheating somewhat, but this is my favorite visual sequence for any Kingdom Hearts introduction. The well-timed musical beats with the imagery are sublime. It also excellently recaps the previous two games in engaging, distinct ways.
8. Light Expires
The Guardians of Light all falling was an appalling sight. From Donald’s Zettaflare to Riku’s final stand, everything here was a bombardment of surprise. However, what elevates this scene for me above all else, is Sora’s emotional breakdown, highlighting his disconcerting sense of self-worth.
As it turns out, his reliance on others granting him strength has been too severe, tainting his self-image. Ultimately, seeing Sora, of all characters, lose himself in such a state exemplifies the bleakness of this tragedy.
7. You Admit it / Candid Words
The Days trio reuniting provided an indescribable sense of catharsis that few pieces of media have managed to make me feel. Roxas, Axel, and Xion are my favorite of the trios, primarily due to how 358/2 Days' pacing was handled. Its slow-burn focused on the growing friendship between these three, and it was heart-wrenching to see it all ripped away by the end. Honestly, just seeing these three crying and laughing together brought me to tears.
6. Lost Masters
The Kingdom Hearts III Epilogue remains one of the most startling sequences in the series, especially with added retrospect from Kingdom Hearts Union χ. Xigbar being Luxu puts so many prior oddities into newer, wilder contexts, and several scenes make inestimable more sense. I still vividly remember my shock when seeing Luxu pull off his hood and my mind scrambling to arrange puzzle pieces into their proper place.
5. Birth by Sleep
This is an unoriginal and almost cheesy pick, but the secret ending of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix still amazes me. It’s a visual treat boasting intense combat and the masterful “Fate of the Unknown.” When I was younger, I viewed this scene on YouTube countless times, transfixed by what this breathtaking cinematic alluded to in the future, or as we’d come to learn, the past.
4. Blank Points
Blank Points needs no words. It expertly weaves in prior series elements, culminating in a tear-jerking finale where the burden Sora bears is evident. The swapping between multiple perspectives and times amplifies the weight Sora carries. Following the melancholic atmosphere Birth by Sleep tends to embrace, Blank Points provides a profound sense of hope for the future.
3. I've Been Having These Weird Thoughts Lately
Yozora remains an enigmatic existence. Still, the Kingdom Hearts III Re Mind Secret Episode gave us a decent lens regarding his personality and what to potentially expect from the future. And, the scene when losing against Yozora probably gave us more than what any of us expected.
Between Sora’s crystallization and Yozora waking in a recreated shot from Final Fantasy Versus XIII, I was quite literally speechless for longer than I’d like to admit. Then, of course, the addition of the original Kingdom Hearts opening quotes was the cherry on top, ultimately providing a distinct sensation reminiscent of my childhood memories of magical wonder with the series.
2. Tears
If there’s one scene that made me cry unrestrained, it was this one. Xion’s acceptance of her fate, combined with the fading memories and Roxas’ mystification at the events before him, is almost too much to bear. Further, Xion’s hopeful grasping for Roxas to fulfill her wishes despite the memory conundrum is endearing amidst all the grief.
A scene is undeniably effective if it still impacts you after dozens of viewings, and this cleanly fits that bill. The updated scene in HD 1.5 with the shown battle between the two is also very much appreciated.
1. Kingdom Hearts III Ending
Kingdom Hearts III’s ending managed to make me feel what I thought was impossible with an entry this long-awaited; simultaneous satisfaction and yearning. The sheer sight of the vast cast playing together on Destiny Islands always causes me to have a joyous smile when combined with the phenomenal “Don’t Think Twice.”
Furthermore, the updated visuals near the launch of Re Mind only enhanced my appreciation for this segment. Finally, and most notably, Sora’s fading by the end left me hooked. While I completely understand the distaste for this final shot, I've remained enthralled by its implications and what the future will be like with this altered cast.
With the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event arriving April 10th, 2022, us fans will certainly have a whole new era of Kingdom Hearts to look forward to. I, for one, can not wait, and am eagerly looking forward to making more memories with this franchise.
Which Kingdom Hearts scenes are your favorites? Let us know in the comments below!
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