Square Enix Music has announced that they have created a Winter Holiday 2020 themed playlist on both the Apple Music and Spotify music services.
This playlist consists of 18 songs from various Square Enix titles, with the total runtime being 1 hour and 14 minutes.
Two tracks from the Kingdom Hearts III, II.8, Unchained χ & Union χ [Cross] – Original Soundtrack are included in this playlist. These two tracks are "Frozen Wonderland" and "Miracle on Ice", which are the Arendelle world theme and battle theme respectively.
You can listen to this custom made playlist via either Apple Music or Spotify here.
Will you be giving this playlist a listen during the holidays? Let us know in the comments below!
The Square Enix e-STORE has recently revealed a new range of official Kingdom Hearts merchandise, including a Keyblade Charm Collection, Clear Pouches and Totes, and Sora, Riku, and Kairi themed Drawstring Bags.
You can take a closer look at each of the items and their pre-order links below
Kingdom Hearts Keyblade Charm Collection - Square Enix Japan e-Store (¥7,920)
Kingdom Hearts III Drawstring Bag - Sora - Square Enix North America e-STORE ($49.99)
Kingdom Hearts III Drawstring Bag - Sora - Square Enix Japan e-STORE(¥5,280)
Kingdom Hearts III Drawstring Bag - Riku - Square Enix North America e-STORE($49.99)
Kingdom Hearts III Drawstring Bag - Riku - Square Enix Japan e-STORE(¥5,280)
Kingdom Hearts III Drawstring Bag - Kairi - Square Enix North America e-STORE($49.99)
Kingdom Hearts III Drawstring Bag - Kairi - Square Enix Japan e-STORE(¥5,280)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Pouch - Dark - Square Enix North America e-STORE($39.99)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Pouch - Light - Square Enix North America e-STORE($39.99)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Pouch - Dark - Square Enix Japan e-STORE(¥4,180)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Pouch - Light - Square Enix Japan e-STORE(¥4,180)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Tote - Dark - Square Enix North America e-STORE($149.99)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Tote - Dark - Square Enix Japan e-STORE(¥16,280)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Tote - Light - Square Enix North America e-STORE($149.99)
Kingdom Hearts Clear Tote - Light - Square Enix Japan e-STORE(¥16,280)
Currently the Kingdom Hearts Keyblade Charm Collection is available exclusively from the Square Enix Japan e-Store, set to release May 15, 2021. The Kingdom Hearts themed Clear Totes, Pouches, and Drawstring Bags are set to release April 24, 2021 in Japan, and May 2021 on the Square Enix North America store.
Which one of these items will you be adding to your collection? Let us know in the comments below!
Thanks to @aibo_ac7 and @KHxInfo for the tip!
UPDATE: (1/5/2021)
The Kingdom Hearts Keyblade Charm Collection is now available for pre-order from the North American Square Enix store for $80.00! This is a blind box that includes 8 Keyblade Charms that has a release window of June 2021!
The official Japanese Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross] Twitter account has announced that there is a main scenario update scheduled for tomorrow at 15:00 JST! (1:00 AM EST/10:00 PM PT)
There will be developments in both Daybreak Town, and Sugar Rush the Wreck-it Ralph world!
What are your expectations for what will occur in this next update, steadily nearing the finale of Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross]? Let us know in the comments below!
Square Enix has revealed a Kingdom Hearts Multi Hard Case that is currently available for pre-order from their Japanese E-Store!
This product is advertised to store valuables such as a smart phone or smaller gaming consoles. It comes in either black or white variants coating the outside, but the insides of both variants are black. There is also an attachable strap accessory for the case so it can be prevented from falling.
You can view the product via our gallery below:
The Kingdom Hearts Multi Hard Case is available for pre-order for ¥3,960, ($38.07) and is currently scheduled for an April 17, 2021 release date.
Do you have any intentions on purchasing this secure case? Let us know in the comments below!
Square Enix have revealed a Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory themed Tote Bag available for purchase from their Japan online store!
You can take a look at the Tote Bag via our gallery below:
The Tote Bag is priced at ¥2,200, (approximately $21.13) and is currently in stock.
Will you be purchasing this fancy bag for decorative, collecting or practicality purposes? Let us know in the comments below!
A special survey for players who wish to voice their feedback for Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory is now available via the Square Enix Members program, a Japan-only service.
Anyone who fills out the four-page survey will be entered in a raffle to win a special poster that grants the user access to the Kingdom Hearts Magical AR Stage movie, a special video that will play out using AR once the user scans the poster.
They encourage people who did not play the game, people who are planning on buying, or have played Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory.
Campaign Rules:
The survey must be submitted until December 20th, at 23:59 Japanese Time. That corresponds to December 20th, 9:59 AM in Eastern Time and 6:59 AM Pacific Time.
A Square Enix Members account is required to access the survey.
There will be only one winner. All participants will also get 20 Member Points.
The winner must have a smartphone capable of reading QR Codes or install a QR code app reader from his or her local app store.
The winner will not be re-drawn. In such cases, the drawing will be declared null and void.
The winner themselves must be available to receive the prize and must reside in Japan. You cannot provide other addresses to receive it (i.e. use of a proxy service is forbidden.)
For more details, refer to the campaign's page (in Japanese only) here.
Netflix have announced an original series called First Love, inspired by Utada Hikaru's debut album "First Love" and her most recent album "Hatsukoi". This announcement is being met with enthusiasm by many Kingdom Hearts fans, who have naturally come to admire Utada Hikaru's other work outside the theme songs (and their many iterations) she has performed for the series.
The new scripted series, now in production, is set to launch worldwide in 2022. Utada's "First Love" was released in 1999, setting her up for being one of the most renowned Japanese musicians of her time, and becoming the best-selling album in Japan to date. "Hatsukoi" (which in Japanese means "first love") was released in 2018, setting it almost a decade apart from "First Love". Netflix has drawn inspiration from these albums and has fittingly written the series to be about the first love of a young couple, from their first meeting in the 90's through to today.
The series will be directed by Yuri Kanchiku, and will co-star Hikari Mitsushima and Takeru Satoh. Mitsushima will be playing Yae Noguchi, an aspiring flight attendant who was met with a tragic accident, and Satoh will play Harumichi Namiki, an ex-pilot.
Utada has written several songs for dramas, anime, films – and of course, Kingdom Hearts – in her career. Her latest album "Hatsukoi" also features Chikai, one of the main theme songs she wrote for Kingdom Hearts III.
Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory has been updated to version 1.03! This update is 82.51 megabytes large on PlayStation 4.
The update notes simply state that "Various issues have been fixed" which is identical to the update notes for version 1.01.
While it is always nice to see a Kingdom Hearts title get updated, the lack of specifications for this update leave much to be desired. Online functionality remains identical with no way to choose specific players to play against much to many players' dismay. Hopefully Square Enix will implement the highly requested online improvements that players have been hoping for.
Chapter 13 for the Kingdom Hearts III manga is now available in English from Yen Press. Warmth can be bought as a digital download from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Walker, ComiXology, Google Play, iBooks, and Kobo. The issue's price varies from $1.99 for the United States to $2.99 in Canada.
Chapter 13 was released in Japanese on Gangan Online back on November 19th. Chapter 14 is planned to release on Gangan Online on December 17th.
You can also check out the articles for the previous chapters by clicking on the links below!
Chapter 0 Prologue Japanese English
Chapter 1 The New Departure Japanese English
Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum Part 1 Japanese English
Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum Part 2 Japanese English
Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum Part 3 Japanese English
Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum Part 4 Japanese English
Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum Part 5 Japanese English
Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum Part 6 Japanese English
Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum Part 7 Japanese English
Chapter 9 The Dark World Japanese English
Chapter 10 Unbreakable Connection Japanese English
Chapter 11 The Self inside the Mirror Japanese English
Chapter 12 Reunion Japanese English
Chapter 13 Warmth Japanese
In addition, Vol. 1 (which contains Chapter 0 thru Chapter 8 ) is available in Japan and North America.
Yoko Shimomura has announced that she will be sharing a memory of hers each day during December up until the 25th as part of an advent calendar! These memories will be related to the songs included in Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory. KH13 will be continually updating this article and social media with her posts. The translations for these posts will be done by our team's Ryuji, while the graphics will be done by our team's Kimpchuu.
~Day 1 - December 1st~ (source)
~Day 2 - December 2nd~ (source)
~Day 3 - December 3rd~ (source)
~Day 4 - December 4th~ (source)
~Day 5 - December 5th~ (source)
~Day 6 - December 6th~ (source)
~Day 7 - December 7th~ (source)
~Day 8 - December 8th~ (source)
~Day 9 - December 9th~ (source)
~Day 10 - December 10th~ (source)
~Day 11 - December 11th~ (source)
~Day 12 - December 12th~ (source)
~Day 13 - December 13th~ (source)
~Day 14 - December 14th~ (source)
~Day 15 - December 15th~ (source)
~Day 16 - December 16th~ (source)
~Day 17 - December 17th~ (source)
~Day 18 - December 18th~ (source)
~Day 19 - December 19th~ (source)
~Day 20 - December 20th~ (source)
~Day 21 - December 21st~ (source)
~Day 22 - December 22nd~ (source)
~Day 23 - December 23rd~ (source)
~Final Entry - Day 24 - December 24th~ (source)
You can view the official translations provided by the official Kingdom Hearts Twitter account here.
The Japanese Square Enix Bridge website has recently been updated with upcoming content for Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross]! Of these numerous upcoming additions to the mobile title, there is one particular note that stands out. The very end of the update list confirms that new main quest content is scheduled to release at the end of December!
While this does not confirm new developments with the Union Leaders following the recent story bombshells, it is certainly highly probable. Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross] was stated to be in the throes of its final chapter, so more noteworthy story events is seeming likely. However, this update can also just consist of story content for the Wreck it Ralph world. For now, only time will tell.
Are you excited for the upcoming story update for Kingdom Hearts Union χ[Cross]? Let us know in the comments below!
The first volume of the Kingdom Hearts III manga is now available from Yen Press. The volume contains Chapter 0 (Prologue) thru Chapter 8 and can be bought as a physical copy for $13.00 ($15.00 CAN) or as a digital download for $6.99 ($8.99 CAN).
The volume can be bought on Amazon (physical and digital), Barnes & Noble (physical and digital), BookWalker (digital), Books-a-Million (physical), Comixology (digital), Google Play (digital), Apple iBooks (digital), Indigo (physical), Indiebound (physical), Kobo (digital), and Rightstuf (physical).
Vol.1 has been available in Japan since April. The manga is currently on Chapter 13 with Japan receiving it on November 19th and North America receiving it shortly.
Will you be adding this to your Kingdom Hearts collection? Let us know in the comments!
The well known composer for the Kingdom Hearts series, Yoko Shimomura, recently chatted with Square Enix about the iconic track 'Dearly Beloved' and how it has evolved throughout the course of several years and several games.
Shimomura had several notable comments regarding the initial composing of the track.
Shimomura delves into several aspects of this song such as the technology that was used to compose it across its various iterations as well as the inspirations and ideas she had for purposeful theming.
There are also some interesting and unexpected comments, such as her thoughts on fans reacting so emotionally to the 'Dearly Beloved' iteration present in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.
Kingdom Hearts II was when Shimomura began to realize that Kingdom Hearts would become a truly long-lasting series which is why she was quite emotionally invested and put quite a bit of effort into that iteration of 'Dearly Beloved'.
Shimomura has a difficult time choosing her favorite version of the track and believes that wanting to change prior tracks would be denying the efforts she took when she initially composed them.
Also of note, she comments on the version of 'Dearly Beloved' present in the recently released Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory. She states that it was a delight for her since she got to tackle the iconic track from a whole new angle. This was something she wanted to do for years. Additionally, she makes a curious comment about a scrapped version of the song.
Lastly, Shimomura closed off her thoughts by saying:
You can view the entirety of the article at Square Enix's blog, here.
What are your thoughts on these compelling pieces of trivia regarding one of the franchise's most well known tracks? Let us know in the comments below!
Oh My Cafe have announced the upcoming Kingdom Hearts Melody of Memory Cafe taking place in Osaka and Tokyo! This cafe will be opened from December 11, 2020 to January 31, 2021 and will include a variety of dishes, drinks, and merchandise.
Take a look at each menu item and each piece of merchandise via our two galleries below:
Additionally, below is a translation of all of the menu items' descriptions and merchandise descriptions, courtesy of our team's Ryuji!
Do any of these dishes look tasty to you? And what are your thoughts on the various pieces of merchandise? Let us know in the comments below!
UPDATE: 12/10/2020
Dtimes.jp has revealed new photos of products, dishes and the venue the café will be taking place in!
You can view each of these newly revealed photos via our gallery below:
Gangan Online have posted Chapter 13 for the Kingdom Hearts III manga. You can check out the previews for the chapter in our gallery below. You can read the full chapter on their site by clicking here or on their online app.
Chapter 14 will be available on December 17th.
You can also check out the articles for the previous chapters by clicking on the links below!
Chapter 0 Prologue Japanese English
Chapter 1 A New Journey Japanese English
Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum[1] Japanese English
Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum[2] Japanese English
Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum[3] Japanese English
Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum[4] Japanese English
Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum[5] Japanese English
Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum[6] Japanese English
Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum[7] Japanese English
Chapter 9 World of Darkness Japanese English
Chapter 10 Connected Japanese English
Chapter 11 The Self inside the Mirror Japanese English
Chapter 12 Reunion Japanese English
In addition, Vol. 1 (which contains Chapter 0 thru Chapter 8 ) is available in Japan and will be available in December in English.
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