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NoHeartVersed

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  1. Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania, the official companion book for Kingdom Hearts III, released in Japan on February 28, 2019. The 736 page long book mainly serves as a guidebook and a detailed data book for everything in Kingdom Hearts III, but also contains concept art, character renders, and special interviews with the people who worked on the game.

    The Secret Report deep-dive has now been fully translated thanks to @lunesacree. In this section, each Secret Report is laid out, followed by a commentary. Be warned there will be heavy spoilers beyond this point.

    Spoiler

    Secret Reports

    #1
    Reflection—
    Am I alive?
    When I awoke, I found myself in a cell.
    Afterwards, the researchers attempted to learn just who I am.
    Who am I...?
    What I can remember is four friends, a key...
    I, who have no name, became known as "X". (note: the writer of this report refers to themselves as 名もなき私 – a similar pattern to Nameless Star)
    The only joy I've had since coming here is conversing with the two boys who come sometimes.
    Then, one day, someone came to take me out of the cell.
    In the dim light, I saw that the man was one-eyed.
    Though several years have passed, still now, I know not who I am.
    May my heart be my guiding key—
    Author Unknown


    Ultimania Commentary: The writer is a girl known as "Subject X", who was being used as a test subject in Ansem the Wise's castle. She is the same girl being sought after by Ansem SOD, as well as the girl Axel and Saix spoke of.
    - "Four friends, a key...": The wording insinuates a deep relationship between four friends and a "key", the Keyblade. The saying "May my heart be my guiding key" is connected in that it implies she is someone who came from the ancient past.
    - "The two boys who come sometimes": Lea and Isa, who lived in Radiant Garden. In order to see her, they slipped into the castle (see Report #6).
    - "I saw that the man was one-eyed": If we're speaking about one-eyed men who were in Ansem the Wise's castle, Braig (as Xigbar was known during his human days) springs to the forefront of your mind. He became one-eyed during the events of KH BbS, and was around during the same time Lea and Isa were sneaking into the castle.


    #2
    Mark of Mastery Exam Log—
    Some days have passed since I set out on my journey to visit faraway worlds for the Mark of Mastery Exam.
    I had hoped for Eraqus to come along with me, but I was to go first.
    It is a journey to the worlds of fairytales that I had seen in books.
    I, who had been raised in a world surrounded by water, and dreaming of the outside world until just a few years ago, set out from my home, guided from the future.
    And on my journey towards Master, I came into contact with several darknesses.
    Ever since those days, I thought that if darkness was able to be controlled, it needn't be feared.
    Eraqus, who carries within him the blood of Masters from the age of fairytales.
    I don't want to be someone who chases after his silhouette, but instead stands shoulder to shoulder with him as an equal.
    In order to face him (note: the kanji here is "oppose" or "antagonize"), I will need the power that is discovered from the balance of light and darkness.
    -Xehanort


    Ultimania Commentary: This is a report the young Xehanort wrote before becoming a Keyblade Master. It shows that while he was forming the ideology around things like "if darkness was able to be controlled, it needn't be feared" and "I will need the power that is discovered from the balance of light and darkness", he also showed the purehearted desire to mutually improve together with his best friend, Eraqus.
    - "Eraqus, who carries within him the blood of Masters from the age of fairytales": It is revealed that Master Eraqus is descended from the first Masters. Furthermore, according to director Tetsuya Nomura, these "first Masters" are people in the Dandelions who appear in KH Union Cross, and aren't related to the Master of Masters or Foretellers who appear in Back Cover.

    #3
    Memo 1 regarding the heart experiments on Subject X—
    Female, around 15 years old. Found early in the morning in the central plaza.
    After 7 days, she was able to speak, but is amnesiac and cannot remember her own name.
    Seems concerned about which world this is.
    Her words seem to indicate she had friends with her.
    Though she cannot remember her companions' names, it seems she was separated from them in her previous world.
    Shows a rejection response when attempting to recall those memories.
    Experiments of the heart.
    After the first experiments that were done when my master, Ansem the Wise, brought me, who had lost my memories, in as an apprentice, he came to fear something and the experiments were ceased.
    However, would those experiments not be effective on this girl, who, like me, has lost her memories?
    Depending on the investigation into the heart, it's possible to touch those memories.
    Using myself as the test subject, I will get those memories back.
    Learning just who this girl is, and where she has come from, is deeply fascinating.
    "May my heart be my guiding key"...is what I'm sure she muttered.
    - Xehanort


    Ultimania Commentary: Like Report #2, this was written by Xehanort, but Reports 3 and 4 were written during his time as an apprentice. His investigations of Subject X are written here.

    #4
    Memo 2 regarding the heart experiments on Subject X—
    As before, her memories do not return, and our conversations continue with no indication that they ever will.
    Her stories sound almost like a world of fairytales.
    Though it's difficult to imagine so, just from the fragments I get from her speech, it's possible she has traveled through time.
    If this is true, the urge to peek into her heart is uncontrollable.
    During initial testing, there were several candidates on whom tests were performed, but all of their minds became unstable and collapsed.
    There is a chance the girl could be a special test subject.
    In the midst of everything, my master, who had repeatedly performed tests on several subjects, stopped his research, tore up the results and harshly berated me.
    Not only that, but upon the release of many subjects, the girl also disappeared.
    Where is Subject X?
    Is my master hiding her?
    However, I will not cease these experiments.
    With myself as the first subject, I will begin the true experiment.
    - Xehanort


    Ultimania Commentary: The second part of the observation reports apprentice Xehanort wrote on Subject X. He is told [by her] that it seems she has traveled through time from the age of fairytales.
    - "All of their minds became unstable and collapsed": This shows the reality of what happened when Xehanort continued his human experimentation and created many sacrifices out of the test subjects. The cruelty of his actions are also written about, partially, in the secret reports of KH1.
    - "Is my master hiding her?": This is ultimately the way Xehanort interpreted the situation, and Ansem SOD later asked Ansem the Wise [about it] with this as the basis. Actually, as is written in Secret Report #1, Braig is the one who took Subject X away.


    #5
    Memoirs 1—
    To us, as children, that castle was fascinating.
    Inside, Ansem the Wise performed various experiments, and under his blessing the people lived in peace.
    Just that was enough to drive our curiosity, but beyond those closed-off walls, dark rumors existed.
    Night after night, the sound of what seemed like peoples' moans could be heard.
    Dangerous human experimentation was being done.
    Together with my best friend Lea, we hatched a plan to investigate and sate our curiosity.
    First was slipping past the brawny gate guards, who, from their appearances, you would never guess were also researchers.
    Sure enough, we were quickly found, and the days we spent getting thrown out of the castle continued.
    Finally, on the day we managed to infiltrate, at the bottom of a spiral staircase deep within the heart of the castle, we found rows of cells stretching on into the darkness.
    Without even knowing if anyone was in those cells, and unable to call out to anyone, we definitely felt someone's presence and regretted having snuck in.
    Just as we were about to turn and leave, however, we felt that a tiny voice called out to us.
    Following that terrified voice, we found a girl, her faintly shining light glowing.
    - Saix


    Ultimania Commentary: Saix's memoirs about his boyhood days as Isa. You can read about how, to satisfy their curiosity, Isa and Lea snuck into the research castle and met a mystery girl (Subject X).
    - "The brawny gate guards": This is talking about Dilan and Aeleus, whose jobs were to keep watch. During the ending of KH BbS, you can see them throwing Isa and Lea out of the castle after finding them there.

    #6
    Memoirs 2—
    The light was dim, so we couldn't clearly make out the girl's features.
    Concealing our voices, we tried speaking with her, but she had lost her memories.
    Why was she locked up in this place?
    Even that, she didn't know.
    Even so, I thought that I wanted to save her.
    From that point on, our attempts to sneak in and the times we were thrown out grew more frequent, and at times we succeeded and spoke to the girl.
    As we were yet children, that was about all we could do to help her.
    As this continued, Lea and I decided that we were going to rescue her.
    With the single-minded intent of saving her, we snuck into the castle.
    However, though we snuck in over and over, we never saw that girl again.
    Was she just an illusion?
    Lea and I launched a mission to search for her.
    Today we stand before the castle guards, with the intent of becoming Ansem the Wise's apprentices.
    - Saix


    Ultimania Commentary: The second part of Saix's memoirs talking about his exchanges with Subject X. It is revealed that Isa and Lea joined Ansem the Wise's ranks of apprentices in order to search for Subject X.
    - "With the single-minded intent of saving her": Though Saix gives a fairly cold impression, when he was young he had a passionate side that he acted on as well. He thought that joining Xemnas's side would give him a shortcut to saving Subject X.

    #7
    Findings on the regeneration of people according to the Replica Project—
    Perhaps due to the great damage as a result of being erased as a member of Organization XIII, I did not regain consciousness right away.
    Even when I did wake, I remained lying on the floor a while, thinking about what I should do.
    The "Replica Project".
    During my time with Organization XIII, I readied 20 replicas.
    Initially, there were many failures not even deserving of a "No." title, but from the batch, the first success, Replica Riku, was born.
    With the creation of No.i, Xion, a mostly humanlike state was achieved, but her appearance was unstable and changed based on her relationship with those who interacted with her.
    Using those two as the base, I created a number of incredibly lifelike replicas, but just before their completion, my work was interrupted.
    My guess is that Xehanort is using both the initial batch and those that came after.
    Today, I went out for a walk to the plaza for the first time in a while, but "he" appeared to make an unexpected proposal.
    Though quite a bit younger than I, he is a man who serves as Xemnas's advisor (note: the word used here is "staff officer" or "military staff").
    I accepted that proposal and became a Nobody once more.
    It will be convenient to use the Replica Project of the past.
    All is for the sake of atonement.
    - Vexen


    Ultimania Commentary: A report written after the recompleted Even (Vexen) became a Nobody once more. Pay close attention to the details of his greatly important research, the Replica Project. Additionally, it is written that Xemnas's advisor—Saix—offered Vexen the proposal for the sake of atonement.
    - "The great damage as a result of being erased as a member of Organization XIII": This is talking about the part in KH CoM where Axel uses his flames to burn and destroy Vexen. When a Nobody is defeated by an attack, their recompleted body suffers the damage.

    #8
    The structure of the Real Organization XIII—
    The Real Organization XIII is the name generally being used for Xehanort himself and his 12 vessels.
    As the numbers needed for the plan are already sufficient, Demyx and I have been sidelined.
    There are a few others from the old Organization headed by Xemnas who, like me, chose to become Nobodies again after their recompletion as humans, but Xemnas himself is ever an exception.
    At present, the real Xehanort, who is an old man, leads the Real Organization XIII.
    As he is a human, his Heartless and Nobody, who were defeated in the past, as well as the youngest Xehanort, do not truly exist in this time.
    They make use of the prototypes I once created as vessels, with their hearts being torn from the moments they existed in the past.
    Xehanort has ordered me to improve these prototypes so that they achieve a more humanlike state.
    This is also a good opportunity for my atonement, by completing replicas that will be the vessels for flesh and blood humans.
    I will have to think of how to give those vessels to "them" afterwards.
    - Vexen


    Ultimania Commentary: The contents of Vexen's observations on the structure of the Real Organization XIII. The ones who "do not truly exist in this time" are called as such because their bodies are Replicas, and their hearts were called from the past.
    - "Replicas that will be the vessels for flesh and blood humans": This is talking about the progression of Vexen's research, but also one of the aims he entrusts to Sora and friends. In the story, with the help of Demyx, the vessel that is brought before Ienzo is used for Roxas.

    #9
    Regarding the analysis of Ansem the Wise's data 1—
    This is my conclusion after having seen all of the data that my master entrusted to Riku.
    Within Sora's heart are three boxes, each storing three respective hearts.
    The first is Roxas. The second, from around the same time as Roxas.
    The third is from a time before.
    Those three hearts are silently melded into Sora's.
    Potentially removing those hearts, physically speaking, poses a danger similar to when Sora once became a Heartless.
    First, the heart must be placed into a vessel to store it, and then that vessel must be awakened.
    The best method would be retrieving the bodies of those people to use as vessels, but the case of the others is unclear, and Roxas has no human body.
    Namine, who is likely contained within Kairi's heart, is the same.
    As long as there is a body, all that is needed is some catalyst to return the hearts from Sora into the bodies.
    The catalyst is the person who ties all of their hearts together.
    As turning a heart completely into a data is impossible, the hearts can only be restored in pieces.
    Although the the real hearts inside Sora are necessary, their memories can be completely reconstructed using the data Twilight Town.
    For Roxas and Namine, who have no physical bodies, this data is of great importance.
    - Ienzo


    Ultimania Commentary: A report written by Ienzo while analyzing the Ansem Code. He writes about the three hearts inside Sora's, and the way to potentially safely restore them.
    - "The first is Roxas. The second, from around the same time as Roxas. The third is from a time before.": Roxas, one from around the same time as him, which is Xion, and the third from before Roxas, which is Ventus. By the way, there is only a seven-day gap between when Xion's heart returns to Sora and when Roxas's heart does.

    #10
    Regarding the analysis of Ansem the Wise's data 2—
    Replicas can be thought of as replacements for bodies.
    Their data can be pulled from the data of Twilight Town and placed into these empty vessels.
    From their memories, the vessels will take their shape, changing into something very close to a human body.
    The final key is the sleeping hearts inside of Sora.
    For their bodies to be born, as long as there is a catalyst to shake them from sleep, it's likely their hearts will return to their own bodies.
    Replicas...they are innovative ways to serve as someone's vessel, but they weren't supposed to have been completed yet.
    What's more, Even, who plays a crucial role, has gone missing.
    If we're supposing Roxas, Namine, and the other remaining person will have bodies, at the very least three replicas will have to be prepared.
    Either way, it's a difficult problem, but analyzing my master's data like this reminds me of the taste of the ice cream we always used to eat together when I was a child.
    Instead of regretting my betrayal, I must work towards restoring those two [Roxas and Namine], and proving my master's true intentions.
    - Ienzo


    Ultimania Commentary: Writings about the plan to use Replicas to revive Roxas and Namine. It is a plan that would make a complete Roxas by using the data from Twilight Town, and then taking Roxas's heart from Sora's.
    - "...reminds me of the taste of the ice cream we always used to eat together when I was a child": Ansem the Wise's favorite, sea-salt ice cream, was also often eaten by Ienzo when he was very young. You can see the both of them walking and eating ice cream together in KH BbS's secret event "Blank Points".

    #11
    Observation Log—
    As is written on the Lost Page, I have seen the Keyblade War through.
    Next is to pass down the Keyblade entrusted to me by the Master.
    Of the Dandelions left alive, five have been chosen as the Union Leaders.
    I will hand down the Keyblade to one of them, and watch over this fate.
    However, it seems someone has secretly infiltrated the chosen Union Leaders.
    An exception who wasn't chosen by the Master.
    A virus who seeks to sneak into the program written by the Master, as it were.
    This virus has begun their strange machinations.
    They plan a reckless escape of the Five to another worldline.
    Is such a thing possible?
    It's the same as the plan that moved the Dandelions to another worldline after the Keyblade War,
    but I doubt the boy and the others, who are not even masters, can pull it off.
    It seems that a witch invited here [purposely] from the future holds the key.
    Regarding the Union Leaders, I had thought there would be a much simpler plan, but is this, too, the doing of the Master?
    - Unknown


    Ultimania Commentary: Reports 11-13 are written by Luxu, one of the Master of Masters' apprentices who appears in Back Cover. They are fully loaded with information that has a deep connection to what's coming next in the KH series.
    - "As is written on the Lost Page, I have seen the Keyblade War through": The Lost Page is a page that was intentionally left out of the Book of Prophecies, whose contents extremely few people know.
    - "It seems someone has secretly infiltrated the chosen Union Leaders": The five Union Leaders in KH Union Cross are Ephemer, Skuld, Ventus, Brain, and Lauriam. However, Ava, acting under orders from the Master of Masters, was supposed to have chosen a girl named Strelitzia. Whoever took her place is currently unknown.
    - "A witch invited here from the future holds the key": The "witch" is Maleficent. In KH1, when her heart is released by Ansem, she realizes the conditions for time travel she heard from Master Xehanort some time in the past and travels to the ancient past.


    #12
    Observation Log 2—
    Even if there is a worldline without a Keyblade War, it isn't as if there is peace.
    After the disappearance of the Master and we apprentices, "darkness" appeared.
    With the rise of darkness, the end of the world is again approaching.
    Amid this confusion, as the Master instructed, I passed down the Keyblade to one of the Union Leaders.
    Along with this sacrifice, the Five have been sent to another worldline.
    With this, I imagine the lineage of Keyblade wielders will be preserved.
    I, who have lost my Keyblade, must also depart this land in order to fulfill my final role.
    I will discard my body and place my heart into another vessel.
    And I will watch over the ages, proceed to the next era, and someday in the coming ages, perhaps in the separate worldline where the Five were sent, some several years, some dozens of years, or some hundreds of years later, I will meet them again.
    Somewhere in the history of the passing down of the Keyblade, a "chosen one" who will reenact the Keyblade War will appear.
    When this chosen one takes the "Goat of Atonement" Keyblade in hand, I will once again act to fulfill my final role.
    The Lost Masters will awaken.
    - Unknown


    Ultimania Commentary: It is written that the five Union Leaders are sent to another worldline, as even the worldline without the Keyblade War will meet its end. Luxu, at this point, discards his original body.
    - "I passed down the Keyblade to one of the Union Leaders": The Keyblade Luxu had was entrusted to him by the Master of Masters, and is considered the oldest Keyblade. In the text it is called the "Goat of Atonement" and was passed down through the ages until it was given to Master Xehanort.

    #13
    Observation Log 3—
    It seems that this body and name will be my last.
    If I, who have seen many bodies and names, were to have another chance, I must regrettably give up here. (note: this line was really hard to translate since it almost doesn't make sense; it's almost like two sentences got smashed into one. In the English game it says "I must focus on what's most important" or something along those lines, but in JP the emphasis is on the fact that he has to part with something he doesn't want to.)
    The Keyblade has been handed down through generations, one by one, and at last it seems a Keyblade Master devoted to darkness will be born.
    Until now I have watched the Keyblade from far away, but it seems I must now take to the stage.
    All I have to do is pretend to be a fool who wishes for the power of the Keyblade [from up close].
    As his accomplice, I will be at his side and watch over my Keyblade.
    The Gazing Eye.
    The Keyblade entrusted to me by the Master of Masters.
    The Keyblade that was created with the Master's eye that links to the future, and through that eye, the Master can see the future.
    To change my body and watch over this Keyblade through the ages is also my role.
    It has been a long time. It has been an unimaginably long road.
    At last, in this era, the Keyblade War will wage, and Kingdom Hearts will be opened.
    A true Kingdom Hearts, born from the clash between light and dark.
    The reunion with those I once called my friends is near.
    Thereby, my role will be realized.
    And he will return...
    - Unknown


    Ultimania Commentary: A report written by Luxu, as Braig, when he realized that, after witnessing Master Xehanort's rise, the Keyblade War would happen again. It's confirmed once again that the Master of Masters can see the future through the Keyblade he passed to Luxu.
    - "All I have to do is pretend to be a fool who wishes for the power of the Keyblade": You can see the moment Braig and Master Xehanort come into contact in KH BbS.

    Did this help to solidify your understanding of the reports? Lets us know in the comments!

    Here are the other news stories that have previously come out of the Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania:

     Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania will be 736 pages long
    – At least one other Kingdom Hearts title will release before a "KH4", according to Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania
    – *Spoilers* Nomura has commented on a number of mysteries from Kingdom Hearts III
    – Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania interview with Kingdom Hearts III programmer, Tamotsu Goto
    – Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania interview with Kingdom Hearts III programmer Masashi Nakamichi
    – Concept art and renders have been found in the Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania
    – Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania interview with Kingdom Hearts III programmer Kengo Naka
    – Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania interview with Kingdom Hearts III technical director Takashi Isowaki
    – Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania interview with Kingdom Hearts III battle director Tomokazu Shibata
    – Kingdom Hearts III Ultimania interview with Kingdom Hearts III Scenario + Cutscene Director Masaru Oka


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  2. Kingdom Hearts III is now out worldwide and the community aren't holding back with their excitement. The game is now trending on Twitter and Twitch! Earlier this morning, Kingdom Hearts III had the most viewers on Twitch even beating Fortnite! Since then, the game has dropped to number two, being beaten by League of Legends but this is still a big moment for the Kingdom Hearts franchise.

    Screenshot_20190129-102755_Twitter.thumb.jpg.7050105dc3c5ae64f748d00635173264.jpgScreenshot_20190129-102920_Chrome.thumb.jpg.0fd6d6e792df33f944149c69d0aef0b3.jpgScreenshot_20190129-102742_Chrome.thumb.jpg.0525bc42d86f779555dbb8e5c7908505.jpg

    We hope everyone is enjoying their first experience with the game. Head on over to our forums to discuss all things Kingdom Hearts III!

    Latest news:
    Kingdom Hearts III releases worldwide along with Update 1.02; Launch Day! and Launch Commercial videos released

    Kingdom Hearts Snapchat crown filter available for limited time
    Kingdom Hearts III trophy list


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  3. 29 minutes ago, Jonbob said:

    Not to be “that guy” but I thought this was obvious. Well, the bit about dearly beloved anyway - it basically plays the notes as part of the melody if you listen carefully. Skrillex did say he was a huge fan of the series so it’s unsurprising that he would make a nod to key themes. “Face my Fears” is really growing on me and I can’t wait to see it in the context of the game next week! ?

    Not everyone is as musically inclined, and may have missed it. I noticed it too myself but it's worth having it out there for those who didn't.

    Hearing Face my Fears in game while watching the opening scene is going to fill me with too many emotions ?


  4. A discovery has been made in a tweet from helloneet on Twitter. Helloneet tweeted a video showing himself playing Face My Fears on piano and discovering that it uses the same chords as the original Kingdom Hearts' Dearly Beloved!

    Skrillex then replied to this tweet, revealing that Face My Fears is also written in the same key as Passion, making it easier for him to do live mashups of the two songs. You can check out the video below:

    "Face My Fears" is available worldwide; the album song can be bought from the Apple Store, Google Play Music, and Amazon as well as streamed on Spotify. For lyrics and more information, click here.

    The Face My Fears EP just reached number one in the iTunes International Album chart, you can find out more about this here.

    How do you feel about Skrillex' enthusiasm towards Utada Hikaru's music? Share your thoughts in the comments below! 


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  5. The World Music Awards Twitter account has announced that Utada Hikaru's latest EP, Face My Fears has rocketed to number one on the iTunes International Album chart; only a day after it's release! 

    The EP contains the Kingdom Hearts III opening song Face my Fears in both English and Japanese, as well as the English ending theme, Don't Think Twice and its Japanese counterpart Chikai (誓い).

    "Face My Fears" is available worldwide; the album song can be bought from the Apple Store, Google Play Music, and Amazon as well as streamed on Spotify. For lyrics and more information, click here.

    Are you glad to see Utada's music receiving so much attention? Let us know what you think of the songs in the comments below!


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  6. Announced by the Japanese Playstation BlogKingdom Hearts III will be receiving a pop up experience in Akihabara, Japan. It will take place outside Yodobashi Camera on Saturday January 19th and Sunday January 20th from 12pm until 7pm on both days. Attendee's will get the chance to play the Kingdom Hearts III demo just before the games release on January 25th. This will be the same demo build as the demo available at Tokyo Game Show 2018 (currently no ticket is needed to play but depending on congestion, this could change). As well as the demo, fans will receive a Kingdom Hearts III postcard. Be warned, these are available on a first come, first served basis, so you'd better be quick! See postcard below:

    20190116-kh3-04.png

    This experience will return twice more after the games Japanese release; Saturday January 26th - Sunday January 27th and Saturday February 2nd. Once again, these will take place from 12pm until 7pmAll times are JST.

    Will you be attending this event? We'd love to hear about it! Lets us know in the comments below!

     


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  7. The limited edition Kingdom Hearts III PlayStation 4 Pro console has slowly been getting announced for more and more regions and now Spain is getting added to the growing roster! GAME España have posted a tweet stating pre-orders will go live on Tuesday 8th January at 4PM. More information will be revealed at some point on the 8th according to the tweet.

    You can see the console below:

    kh3ps4pro.thumb.jpg.10c6e4dff359971bacc73a46f21bd6c2.jpg

    Are you going to pre-order the console? Let us know in the comments!


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  8. We're at the end of another month and that means it's time for a new round-up for all of Octobers merch! 

    First up we have a new Kingdom Hearts throw being sold by Target. The throw feature multiple Keyblades from the series! The throw is retailing for $19.99.

    Dox8VnYUUAAY5G0.jpg

    Hot Topic are selling 3 different Kingdom Hearts tee's: a long sleeve Kana style, a short sleeve Sora Sun style and a short sleeve Circle Logo style. The prices vary depending on size. For the Kana style, the price is between $26.90 - $30.90. For the Sora Sun style, the price is between $20.90 - $22.90. For the Circle Logo style, the price is between $20.90 - $24.90. You can check these out below: 

    773100718_khshortsun.thumb.jpg.414d34f956942f508f6c0ba57c49835c.jpg1834040087_khshortlogo.thumb.jpg.95f71f03655e84c548328e1ce42e2b2f.jpg714267096_khlongtop.thumb.jpg.d1eadb61d2f99b1d74cc4481615996eb.jpg

    Hot Topic also have their own Kingdom Hearts group throw blanket for $24.90. This throw features Sora, Donald, Mickey, and Goofy.

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    Next up from Hot Topic are 2 Funko Pop!'s; the Soldier Heartless and Kingdom Hearts III Sora, both retailing for $12.50.

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    Next we have some iron on Kingdom Hearts patches from Target. The patches feature the crown, the key, the heart and the Heartless motifs! A price is not currently available and these have only been spotted in-store so they will not be available on the Target website as of now. You can check out these awesome patches below: 

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    Best Buy are now listing the Kingdom Hearts III Sora (Brave Form) Funko Pop! as coming soon with a current release date of 23/11/18, though this is subject to change. The currently listed price is $9.99.

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    Diamond Select Toys had new Q&A where they answered multiple questions regarding new and planned Kingdom Hearts products. The first thing they mentioned is that a new Roxas figure was a the top of the list for the Gallery line, as long as they continue to sell. There will also be more Organisation XIII members and new Keyblades!

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    Diamond Select Toys have also released new Sora and Goofy figures for $49.99!

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    A Sora MetalFig figure was spotted by Churro at GameStop in-store for $24.99.

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    Also from Diamond Select Toys, Maleficent and Sora with the Shooting Star Keyblade figures will be sold as a double pack for $24.99.

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    That's it for DST, now we jump back into clothing with Hot Topic's Kingdom Hearts icon pajama pants retailing at $15.92! These would go well with the throw!

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    Bookwalker are releasing a Kingdom Hearts coaster set coming late January 2019, which will feature 4 coasters, one featuring Sora, one for Mickey, one for Donald and one for Goofy. There is currently no price specified.

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    Bookwalker are also releasing Kingdom Hearts pin sets in late January 2019. There is no price available for this item either. You can check these out below:

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    A set including both the coasters and pins will release alongside Kingdom Hearts III in Japan on 25/01/2019.

    Again from Hot Topic, we have a new Kingdom Hearts lanyard featuring a "Dive into the Heart" stained glass design, costing $8.90 and a Kingdom Hearts symbols beanie costing $19.90. 

    1775119592_khlanyardcharm.thumb.jpg.f5038c28102a858cb9be36aa66ff4d36.jpg12780163_khbeaniefront.thumb.jpg.a2ad99bf329dca24f428fe0c7af5b48b.jpg1406563927_khbeanieback.thumb.jpg.a0dc9153c9c56ab0e1a865d3aa59457c.jpg720207726_khlanyard2.thumb.jpg.265e77605616c5040f8cfbfd38f0f438.jpg

    Box Lunch are selling 2 Kingdom Hearts t-shirt designs! A Light vs Dark design and a Photo design. Both designs are selling for $28.90. 

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    Also from Box Lunch is a Kingdom Hearts Christmas sweater going for $59.90.

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    The final item from Box Lunch is a Kingdom Hearts Keyblade dad hat! The hat costs $18.90.

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    Buckle-Down Inc. have got some Kingdom Hearts belts for sale. There are 5 different designs in total all retailing for $23.95! There's a Sora and Friends design, a 6 character design, a Shadow design, a second Shadow design, and a second 6 character design! It is yet to be confirmed whether these are licensed products.

    1471204736_khbelt1.thumb.jpg.1937f8ac3e984b1ade1e0ef5f1535c3f.jpg1908413430_khbelt2.thumb.jpg.7532e2b3eda40994975f686db30dd21e.jpg51288620_khbelt3.thumb.jpg.06ff89cef3a0750543f395c3d555527b.jpg1893741483_khbelt45.thumb.jpg.4108c9f3d7594ab29a81469f6341cc10.jpg

    Spencer's have released 2 different Kingdom Hearts inspired watches. An LED watch with Keyblades on the strap and a watch with the Heartless/Nobody symbol on the face. The LED watch is retailing for $14.99 and the symbol watch is $24.99.

    1215289408_ledclose.thumb.jpg.00e495ed5a457326b506dfaecab7da47.jpgled.thumb.jpg.6f64d67eb577c4ff1c3f6581f380ad49.jpg1102385083_symbolclose.thumb.jpg.bfd3174a4111cda18f97f128d1151f8c.jpg1627663689_symbolbox.thumb.jpg.7bbffecafdb781ca80de454d3e41bda0.jpg

    This merch round-up was a big one! What items caught your eye? Let us know in the comments below!

     

     


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  9. \Welcome to KH13's analysis of the Tokyo Game Show 2018 Kingdom Hearts III live-stream footage! We will be analysing a total of 4 new pieces of footage shown live during the TGS 2018 live-streams; the extended look at Keyblade transformations, the extended Aqua scene and gameplay, the Toy Box boss fight and the full Arendelle Trinity Sled sequence.

    It goes without saying that there will be spoilers up ahead for those who haven't watched these extra footages.

     

    First up is the footage showcasing Keyblade transformations, link attacks, attraction flow and summons. The footage begins in an area within the Toy Box world which is filled with balls of different colours (something akin to a ball pit) which really showcases how improved the physics are compared to past titles. The first Keyblade transformation we see is that of the Infinity Badge Keyblade called Boost Hammer which interestingly changes Sora's coat red from black and is great for crowd control then it quickly switches to Monstropolis to show off the Smile Gear Keyblade transformation - Twin Yo-Yos.

    Like the Boost Hammer, Twin Yo-Yos changes Sora's design, this time changing from blue fur to yellow.

     

    sora blue Fur

    sora yellow Fur

     

    The Twin Yo-Yos is a quick, versatile transformation, great for closing distances and crowd control in a dazzling fashion. The next transformation is the Assault Claws - a transformation of the Smile Gear Keyblade. This transformation acts like boxing gloves for Sora to hit multiple enemies at once. We then see the yet to be named Arendelle Keyblade and it's transformation; Blizzard Blade. This transformation allows Sora to skate around the area and launch foes with spinning attacks. This then transitions to a ship in the Port Royal world and showcases the transformation of the currently unnamed Port Royal Keyblade. The 2 transformations are High Wind and Storm Flag. High Wind is essentially a spear type weapon that attacks long range and can also rain down pillars of light on enemies. Storm Flag is a flag (as the name might suggest) type weapon that is as flashy as it is effective, it can clear a group of enemies with ease. During this section of gameplay, the San Fransokyo Keyblade, which is yet to be named, is also shown, along with it's transformation; Nano Arms. Nano Arms has the ability to shapeshift through multiple forms, from a standard Keyblade, to a large hammer and even a rocket projectile that can be fired at enemies. The most interesting information given here is the ability to stack finishers. Once a finisher is ready, you can switch to a different Keyblade and get another finisher before unleashing them all consecutively, causing massive damage. A thing to take note of is what appears to be a new heartless that resembles an amphibious creature with a spear.

     

    sahagin heartless

     

    Next up is Attractions! The first to be shown is Merry-Go-Round which seems to pulse each time you time a button press correctly. This attraction flow is being shown off against the Ice Titan and the Lava Titan - the first time they have been revealed to the general public. They were first shown exclusively at the Kingdom Hearts Orchestra. We are then reintroduced to Tea Party Cup which has been shown on several occasions but this time we see that the finisher can actually be used on the balls in the Toy Box world. The final attraction flow shown is Splash Ride, this time shown in Monstropolis. The best point of attraction flow is it seems to render Sora invulnerable while it is active.

     

    Now we take a look at link attacks, starting with Baymax, whose link attack is called Intercept Jet. Intercept Jet allows you to fly aboard Baymax's back while swooping down at enemies while keeping them at a distance. Next up is the Toy Box link attack; Rodeo Rocket. This is activated by teaming up with Woody and Buzz, which then puts Sora, Woody and Buzz atop a large rocket that swoop and spin into enemies before activating the finisher which shoots the rocket off into the surrounding enemies. The final link attack shown is performed with Marshmallow in the Arendelle world. This link attack is called Avalanche Breath and much like Intercept Jet, it has you climbing aboard Marshmallow only this time you will be boxing your way to victory by swinging his claws. The next attack is hard to determine if it is a link attack or a finisher. Sora will grab mike in Monstropolis and bowl him straight into the enemies but the lack of a HUD and the fact it seems more like a movie that will play the same every time you do the attack, it feels more like it would be a finisher.

     

    Next, we'll dive into some of Kingdom Hearts III's summons. The first summon shown is Meow Wow; a Dream Eater from Kingdom Hearts: Dream Drop Distance. The summon is called Wonder Balloon. Once summoned, Sora will climb up on his back and bounce around causing damage to all nearby enemies. Once enough damage is caused, you can activate the finisher which will make Meow Wow drop onto his back and all the Dream Eaters from KH: 3D will come pouring out. The second and final summon to be shown is Simba; a veteran of the Kingdom Hearts series. Simba's summon has the fitting name of King's Flare. This time, Simba is back with a twist - he more resembles a fiery phantom. His attacks all seem to be fire based and cover a wide area; with spinning attacks that cause rings of fire on the battlefield. Once your bar is full, you can pull off Simba's explosive finisher that hits a wide area with a large fire attack.

     

    simba summon

     

    We finally get a closer look at Gummi Ships next. It begins by showing something similar to a Kingdom Hearts II Gummi Ship route; flying along a fixed path while shooting all the enemy ships you can see on the screen. What's interesting is what come next - the ability to completely explore the routes between worlds! When free roaming, you will have a radar on the bottom left of your screen showing your surroundings in 360 degrees. Another thing that seems apparent with Gummi Ships this time around is the ability to attach a super weapon of sorts. On the right hand side of the screen is a bar labelled "weapon" which when full can be used to unleash a blast more powerful than any other cannon or laser.

    Finally, we take another look at the cooking mini-game with Remy from Ratatouille. We can see that Sora is being controlled by Remy pulling on his hair to control his arms. It seems as though you need to use the analogue stick to move Sora's arm, judging by the awkward motions used in the game. It would also seem like you need to press a button with the correct timing to make a good meal.

     

    The next bit of footage shows Aqua after she has succumbed to the darkness (whether she is Norted or just lost the battle for her heart is yet to be confirmed). When the camera pans out we see Sora stood opposite her in the Realm of Darkness wielding the Keyblade received in San Fransokyo. Due to Sora having obtained this Keyblade, we can assume this takes place after the Big Hero 6 portion of the game. Once the battle begins, Aqua begins using many attacks that are reminiscent of the attacks Phantom Aqua used in Kingdom Hearts 0.2: A Fragmentary Passage and because of this, it could further support the theory of her becoming a dweller in darkness rather than a Xehanort vessel. Aqua is also wielding a new variation of the Kingdom Key that seems like it has mixed with the Starseeker - both Keyblades that have been wielded by King Mickey.

     

    aqua keyblade

     

    When Aqua teleports around the arena, a dark portal appears behind her - not too different from the corridors of darkness used by Riku and the Organisation members. It should also be noted that both Sora and Aqua are fighting while walking on water; something not seen in Kingdom Hearts thus far.

     

    The third segment of footage shown takes place in the Toy Box world. It shows off a new boss for that world and judging from the surroundings, it looks as though it takes place inside the Galaxy Toys area. The boss is a new heartless type that resembles a maid doll with rabbit ears. On the right ear is a heartless symbol to show that it is indeed a heartless.

     

    Spoiler
    Toy Box boss

    The boss itself uses a variety of attacks, but mainly flies through the air, plummeting to the ground to hit the party with an area of effect attack before flying off again. Occasionally, it will land and perform spin attacks if you get too close. As well as the main boss, there are also miniature stuffed animal heartless continuously attacking the party along with various heartless and other toys.

     

    The final piece of footage is an extended look at the Trinity Sledge mini-game. This takes place in the Frozen world Arendelle. During this mini-game, Sora, Donald and Goofy are sledding down the side of a mountain on Goofy's shield, moving towards the camera, all while being chased by heartless. The heartless type seen during this mini-game is new and so far has not been named. It resembles an ice dragon which can dive at you as well as fire lasers across your path, leaving it up to you to dodge them. Once you evade the heartless for long enough, you are thrown into free fall mode with the opportunity to collect prizes on the way down. Upon landing, the camera has switched to being behind Sora, Donald and Goofy, and there are now ramps for you to jump over to get across gaps or just to collect more prizes. When you reach the end of the Trinity Sled mini-game you will need to fight 3 of the dragon type heartless.

     

    Ice dragon heartless

     

    It seems as though this could be a mini boss considering each enemy has 2 and a half HP bars plus small health bars for each wing etc. During the fight, Sora is equipped with the Shooting Star Keyblade and uses the transformations for this Keyblade; Two Gun Arrows and Magic Launcher. The enemy itself generally stays above ground and will swoop at Sora and the party but it can also burrow underground and use its tail to swipe at the party from under the snow.

     

    What part of this footage did you find most exciting? Did you notice anything that we might have missed in our analysis? Let us know in the comments below!

     

    Click here to view the article


  10. Playstation UK recently tweeted a live-stream schedule where they will be streaming from the PlayStationEGX stage for all 4 days.

     

    You can view the schedule for each day below:

     

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    The live-stream will be available to watch on

    and Twitch.

     

    Kingdom Hearts III will be shown on Saturday.

     

    What are you most excited to see come from the EGX each day? Let us know in the comments below!

     

    Click here to view the article


  11. Utada Hikaru - the artist known for her work on the Kingdom Hearts theme songs, will be performing the Kingdom Hearts III theme song "Chikai" for the first time at MUSIC STATION ultra FES 2018.

     

    This has been confirmed by her management, @Hikki_Staff on Twitter. MUSIC STATION Ultra FES is an annual even hosted by TV Asahi's "MUSIC STATION" which showcases Japan's biggest performers newest releases and will air September 17th.

     

    As well as performing "Chikai", Utada-san will also be discussing her new album "Hatsukoi" and reminiscing over her 20 year music career with presenter Tomori-san.

     

     

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    [uPDATE]: You can watch Utada's performance at MUSIC STATION Ultra FES here.

     

    Are you excited to hear "Chikai" performed live for the first time? Let us know in the comments below!

     

    Click here to view the article


  12. In a recent interview with Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura, conducted by Everyeye.it, Nomura spoke about the tone of Kingdom Hearts III as well as whether clothes will have an effect on the gameplay.

     

    Nomura also addressed why there are only English and Japanese dubs available for Kingdom Hearts III, how the selection of worlds are decided and expanded on the Gummi Ship portion of the game.

     

    You can read about this below:

    Everyeye.it: It seems that every world is able to embody a different style and type of gameplay. Mount Olympus, Rapunzel’s forest and the Monsters, Inc. Factory show great verticality and ample spaces, in Toy Story everything seems focused on freedom of action (even driving mecha-style toys), in the Arendelle distances can be covered by speed-travel skiing with Goofy’s shield; in Pirates of the Caribbean, finally, we will have naval battles and underwater explorations. Talk to us about the process of creating each world and how you've come to translate these Disney realities into gameplay.

     

     

    Nomura: For this chapter, the development team put a large number of ideas on paper. Starting from the flow of proposals received from all the staff, I then added my personal ideas to ensure that the concepts achieved a certain [degree of] completeness. This does not mean that the ideas of the other developers didn't play an important role; indeed, when, originally, we began to select the worlds that we would have put [in the game], I personally asked each one of them to propose to me a presentation illustrating how each world should be played. The final selection, which of course rewarded the best ideas, of which Disney realities would be part of the final game took place on the basis of this criterion.

    Everyeye.it: Let's talk about the Gummi Ship. From the videos shown so far it seems to be the only feature that has not been particularly revolutionized. Can we expect any surprises, in this sense? How much space will this feature have?

     

     

    Nomura: In the first game, the Gummi Ship had a strong symbolic significance. In the second chapter [of the series], however, it ended up becoming a kind of amusement park attraction. This time, however, the space in which you can move the spaceship will seem much more expanded and very similar to the map of a role-playing game. Clearly we have added some customization options and re-proposed the shooting sections, which make the Gummi Ship what it is. But we also introduced a number of new elements thanks to a specific section of the development team that worked on it. Basically, the element of exploration is now much deeper.

     

    Everyeye.it: Regarding the localization, what are the times and the difficulties of the adaptation and translation of a work such as Kingdom Hearts 3, which collaborates closely with local franchises (Final Fantasy) and with a Western brand as important as Disney and the attached animation brands?

     

    Nomura: The biggest challenge is not so much the differences between the Kingdom Hearts franchise and other brands. When I direct a game, I ask for translations to be as direct and faithful as possible, no matter how complex the subject is. This implies the question of which of the two localizations (Japanese or English) is the best. The truth is that, especially for Kingdom Hearts, an incorrect or defective translation risks compromising the comprehension of the whole story, and this is why I care about it so much. On the other side of the scale, however, I also understand the dynamics that characterize the team's approach to the location of the game, which are quite complicated. After all, it is not an issue I can deal with firsthand, therefore I prefer leaving dealing with this problems to others.

    Thank you to KH13's Aquaberry for the translations!

     

    What do you think of the new information Nomura has given? Let us know in the comments below!

     

    Click here to view the article


  13. Many retailers have began offering exclusive bonuses for pre-ordering Kingdom Hearts III from them. GameStop have jumped on the bandwagon and are now offering an exclusive replica of Monsters Inc Smile Gear Keyblade transformation in certain European territories.

     

    Pre-ordering Kingdom Hearts III from GameStop Sweden, Finland, Norway or Denmark will bag you your very own replica yoyo! (While stocks last!)

     

    exclusive.jpg

     

     

    The bonus has also been spotted on GameStop Ireland, though only the picture is there and it does NOT say you will receive one with your order. Please be aware of this when placing your order!

     

    What pre-order bonus do you want the most? Let us know in the comments below!

     

    UPDATE [August 21, 2018]: The Kingdom Hearts III Smile Gear yo-yo pre-order bonus is also available at Game.uk!

    UPDATE [December 12, 2018]: The Smile Gear yo-yo pre-order bonus now available at German Gamestops!


    View full article


  14.  

    Can you provide the links for the Spencer's items? When I click the links in this article, they online take my to this hide me proxy site and not to the actual items. I also went on the Spencer's website but didn't see any of these items! Thank you!
    Ah, sorry to hear that, unfortunately the sites aren't accessible from the UK and so I can't link to the site without a proxy. I'll see if a different editor can fix the links. I'll keep you updated!

  15. Pre-order bonuses are nothing new to Kingdom Hearts III, with special Keyblade skins and fabric posters being among the incentives already revealed. EB Games Australia have now joined the fray, offering their own bonus - a light-up Heartless keychain.

     

    To receive this awesome keychain, you must pre-order Kingdom Hearts III Deluxe Edition from the EB Games online store or pre-order the same edition in-store. This pre-order bonus is currently exclusive to Australian fans, you can see a picture below:

     

     

    Posted Image

    Has this changed your mind on where you want to order your copy of Kingdom Hearts III?

    What's your favourite pre-order bonus revealed so far? Let us know in the comments!

     

    Click here to view the article


  16.  

    well we probably wont get it here

    Being from the UK, I feel that pain..

     

     

    I wish they would have offered a POTC one...

    I agree! That would have been my choice hands down.

     

     

    I chose Arendelle. I can't help but think about the snow! :D

    I had to pick ToyBox myself, such a big part of my childhood haha


  17. Earlier today GameStop posted a poll on their Twitter account calling all fans to vote for their preferred Kingdom Hearts III pre-order bonus. This bonus will be exclusive to GameStop and the Square Enix store.

     

    The bonus will be 1 of 3 cloth poster variants. Each variant contains Sora, Donald and Goofy standing by a keyhole featuring a character from a specific world - Woody from Toy Story world ToyBox, Sully and Mike from Monsters' Inc. world Monstropolis and Olaf from Frozen world Arendelle.

     

    Posted Image

     

    You can vote by replying to GameStop's tweet with the appropriate hashtag - #KH3ToyBox for Toy Story, #KH3Monstropolis for Monsters' Inc. and #KH3Arendelle for Frozen.

     

    Be sure to act quick to ensure your favourite is chosen!

     

    UPDATE: [Aug 1, 2018]: GameStop has announced the winner. The fans have chosen the Toy Box fabric poster for the GameStop-exclusive pre-order bonus for Kingdom Hearts III. Thanks to all that voted!

    Posted Image

    UPDATE [Aug 10, 2018]: EBGames Canada are also offering the Toy Story fabric poster as a pre-order bonus for the standard and Deluxe versions of Kingdom Hearts III (for both PS4 and XBox One) while stocks last!

     

     

    21

     

     

    Click here to view the article

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