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According to Nintendo Everything, issue 262 of Nintendo Power has included an article on Kingdom Hearts 3D. An extract of this article can be read below. Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts 3D are not the same. However, it is a brand-new adventure starring Sora and Riku. The story is on par with that of a numbered title, and I’m sure the ending will shock fans.

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded Ultimania, the official guidebook for Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, released last week. This book contained many interviews with various members of the development team, concerning Re:coded and the future of the Kingdom Hearts series. The "Scenario Mysteries" interview with the director of the series, Tetsuya Nomura, has been translated by HEARTSTATION.ORG. It can be read below. Data Sora can newly obtain a legitimate Keyblade during his adventure, but are there changes to the real Keyblade when that happens? Nomura: No, it’s a data version the entire time. However like with the first Keyblade, it wasn’t created by someone else. It comes from the heart’s connections with the data, hinting towards the story theme, “Can a heart be born in an existence made of data?” During Re:Coded, Namine seems to have explained the reason for the “pain” mentioned in the journal to Sora and company, but why does she take the roundabout method of accessing the data in the Jiminy Journal and adding to it? Nomura: At the point of time when Namine explained Sora’s secret in the real world, she already knew that by the time Sora and company woke up she would be gone. She thought she wouldn’t be able to speak to them directly. Thus she left a note in Jiminy’s Journal, however she didn’t presume what sort of form the meaning of the message would take when presented to Sora and company. Therefore Jiminy’s Journal was made into data according to the King and co.’s assumptions. Was the message presented in Jiminy’s Journal prepared entirely by Namine herself? Nomura: The very first message, “We must return to free them from their torment,” was the only one by Namine, however the messages “Their torment has been lessened” etc. were transmitted by the data itself when Sora eliminated the bugs, implying that restoring the data would bring him closer to understanding the mystery of the message. As for the outbreak of bugs in Jiminy’s Journal, did they accidentally appear as a result of Namine adding data? Or did Namine intentionally devise the bugs in order to make Sora triumph over the “pain”? Nomura: That occurring wasn’t part of Namine’s intentions. She couldn’t predict that Sora Heartless would take charge and bring about a crisis like that. I see… Roxas appears dressed in the black coat in Castle Oblivion among other worlds too. Was that something else that Namine had not added intentionally? Nomura: Right. Since Roxas and Sora together make up one existence, if there is a Sora made of Kingdom Hearts I data, then data of Roxas must exist too. Roxas says, “It’s my personal duty to check whether or not Sora is ready to take the pain.” However that role was not assigned by Namine, Roxas personally decided that goal and acted upon it accordingly. Who was the person taken from the data of Jiminy’s Journal that took the form of Riku in the data world? Nomura: That wasn’t someone from the real world’s data, more like that was the data itself taking on the body of Riku in order to avoid being eroded by the bugs. When each world is completely debugged, a scene is shown that was not seen in Kingdom Hearts I. Did those scenes occur at the same point in time as Kingdom Hearts I? Nomura: Yes, they were memories deep in the data of the worlds recorded in Jiminy’s Journal, however as a result of Data Riku searching after the worlds were debugged, they were tangible to the King and company. In the final chapter of Hollow Bastion, it happens in the story that if the Jiminy Journal is completely debugged, then the existence recorded in the data will be erased. Then why is it even if Data Sora doesn’t remember, Data Riku’s memories remain? Nomura: Data Sora became an existence whose purpose was to go about debugging, so at the point in time when he had completely debugged the data his memories were gone. In Data Riku’s case, it existed in the main data even without the Jiminy Journal itself being erased, and since its purpose was to solve the mystery first written in the journal, it couldn’t fulfill it until the debugging was complete. Once the mystery was solved, it too would lose its memories. Throughout playing the lines “Restoration Rate X%” appears a few times, when it reaches 100% Sora Heartless begins to run amok. Does that number represent the growth condition of Sora Heartless? Nomura: In Kingdom Hearts II, Sora’s memory restoration rate was expressed that way. In this case it’s basically showing how much of the data world was restored thanks to Sora. However it’s also like an indicator of Sora Heartless’ growth since it grew at the same time as Sora exterminated the bugs. After debugging Traverse Town, the King says to Sora, “That day, your travels began here. Also on that day, I was here too.” Does that mean that the King was in the same place at the same time as Sora adventured into Traverse Town in Kingdom Hearts I? Nomura: Seems so. What he was actually doing becomes the previously mentioned “blank time period”, but in this title, it’s implying that the two crossed paths in the same place. As for the story, the curtain has closed on Sora finally saying “thank you” to Namine. In your Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix Ultimania interview, you mentioned that Sora not having yet thanked Namine was foreshadowing the future. Is that matter considered settled now? Nomura: Although it can’t really be said that it’s completely settled since they haven’t exchanged words in the real world, there’s naturally that implication. This time it’s the data of Sora from before Chain of Memories saying thanks, however it shows there was a special connection beyond the passage of time between Sora and Namine. Additionally, it gives a contradictory answer to the implication that data existences don’t have hearts shown in the story. I’m going to ask about the Secret Movie now. Yen Sid tells, “With Ansem and Xemnas defeated, it means Master Xehanort will be revived.” When Yen Sid explained about Organization XIII in Kingdom Hearts II, did he know this at that point in time? Nomura: He knew, but it couldn’t be avoided. At that time Xemnas existed as the main threat, so nothing could be done until he was defeated. “If you release the heart of the Heartless and annihilate the body of the Nobody, then the real form will be revived.” If those conditions are met, can others outside of Xehanort be revived too? Nomura: It can be considered a possibility. Although it’s what-if speaking, I think that if the members of Organization XIII were restored, they would become there true form. Though he’s a member of Organization XIII, Axel is shown in the end of Re:Coded in the memories of “pain”… Nomura: Since healing the necessary “pain” of Axel’s is different than with other people, if he is revived he will take a form like Xehanort’s. In the end of the story, Namine says, “Those whose memories are sleeping inside Sora need relief.” In the Birth by Sleep secret cutscene “Blank Points”, certain characters call out to Sora, however in that scene Axel is the only one who appears and doesn’t say Sora’s name out loud. Speaking of the Birth by Sleep secret cutscene, Ansem the Wise says that he hid his research results in Sora. This complies with what happens in Re:Coded when Namine says DiZ (Ansem the Wise) has hid something inside Sora. Is that mystery remaining unsolved? Nomura: Yes. Namine added data to the Jiminy Journal in order to convey that the “pain” of those connected to Sora must be healed, but at the point in time Ansem hid the research results inside Sora, he didn’t know that. Accordingly, Ansem’s research results will become the key to healing the “pain” in the future of the story. So even though Namine and Ansem acted independently, as a result of what the two did, it leads to one thing. And speaking of those details… Nomura: Since that will likely become the story for Kingdom Hearts III, please look forward to that until then.

The latest issue of Famitsu Weekly has included an interview with the director of the Kingdom Hearts series, Tetsuya Nomura, where he discusses Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts 3D. Most importantly, Nomura reveals that Sora and Riku are in fact in their original clothing for 3D, and that every Disney world in the game will be new. FF-Reunion have uploaded a scan of this article, which can be seen below in our gallery. HEARTSTATION.ORG have translated the interview, which can be read below. Famitsu Weekly (November 17, 2010) “The events written in the Ansem Reports took place between Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts.” Data Sora had a heart, didn’t he? Nomura: Theoretically he doesn’t, but I entrust the answer to the imaginations of those who’ve seen the ending. In the Secret Movie, it’s said they seem to know the location of Ven’s heart, leaving only Terra left. If we may assume, those two know that Aqua is located in the World of Darkness. Nomura: That is what’s being hinted at. Is it possible that the King met with her in the World of Darkness during Kingdom Hearts I? Nomura: About that, I can’t yet say. Yen Sid asks what if the revived Xehanort isn’t alone. What is the meaning behind that? Nomura: Its meaning is literal. What would you do if there was more than just Xehanort? I get a bad feeling just thinking about it. (Laughs.) So it’s possible that other members of Organization XIII can be revived? Nomura: If their Heartless has been defeated then it’s possible. At what point were Ansem and Xemnas separated from Xehanort? When did they lose their memories? Nomura: Sometime between Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts I. It happened during the events in the Ansem Reports from Kingdom Hearts I. Was it really memory loss? In the Birth by Sleep Secret Movie, Braig doubted it. Additionally, there is only one master right now, and that’s the King. When did the King become a master? Nomura: During Birth by Sleep, the King is in the middle of his Mark of Mastery exam. Therefore, by the time of Kingdom Hearts, he has become a Keyblade Master. Yen Sid is a retired master and he can proctor the Mark of Mastery exam. Thus, this time, he will administer the test to Sora and Riku. So the letter Sora receives in the ending has to do with the Mark of Mastery? Nomura: Well, how about that. Incidentally, even though Kairi can wield a Keyblade, she won’t be a testing candidate. So will Kingdom Hearts 3D be the telling of their Mark of Mastery exam? Nomura: Kingdom Hearts 3D will be the platform for it. We’ve completed the axis for the system, right now we are testing how things are implemented, continuing in the trial and error process. In 3D you will be able to play as Sora and Riku, but we are considering making their main operation systems different. In Chain of Memories they both used cards but they used them differently. We’re thinking about having two types of play styles like that. Sora and Riku appear in their Kingdom Hearts I outfits, why is that? Nomura: That’s still a secret. I can only say that for the story it is necessary. Then the worlds will be the same as in the first Kingdom Hearts? Nomura: No, except for the original worlds like Traverse Town, we plan on using all new Disney worlds. Right now we are selecting worlds, though I have a lot of ideas I want to include. Will it use the solid 3D display that is distinctive of the Nintendo 3DS? Nomura: There’s that, but not just that. Kingdom Hearts 3D connects to Kingdom Hearts III; I plan on showing how they evolutionarily progress. Connected to Kingdom Hearts III?! Nomura: Yes, both the system and the story are tied to Kingdom Hearts III. It’s likely that the ending of 3D will continue into the story of KH3. So, how is the system progressing? Nomura: The Kingdom Hearts series has fundamentally been a single player game. Since it’s different than the Final Fantasy series which is founded on party play, the way the characters level up is different. Because there are various things that can and can’t be done, the things I can’t do in Final Fantasy Versus XIII I’m doing in Kingdom Hearts. Still I think those sorts of differences are there. Is Birth by Sleep Final Mix taking center stage at the moment? Nomura: The manufacturing of Birth by Sleep Final Mix is just about finished. Since the new ‘Secret Episode’ is being included, those fans who pay close attention to the mysteries of the story will want to play it by all means. This Secret Episode, will it be different than the Secret Movies shown so far? Nomura: In the Secret Episode, you’ll be able to virtually move as the character. I think it’ll be a different surprise fans can savor compared to just watching a movie. Will fans be able to play a Birth by Sleep Final Mix demo at Jump Festa this December? Nomura: Yeah, you’ll be able to. A single player and a multiplayer mode are being prepared. In the multiplayer mode you will be able to enjoy battling against Monstro. What other things titles will be exhibited? Nomura: The demos for The 3rd Birthday and Dissidia 012 [duodecim] will be available. One part of the promotional figure display from the Kingdom Hearts Re:Coded launch will also be there. I figured it’d be a good chance for Re:Coded players to cross paths, so please attend if you can. The conference relating to Fabula Nova Crystallis Final Fantasy XIII is occuring in January 2011, how is that coming along? Nomura: We are in the midst of preparing for it. Please wait for a detailed follow up report. Finally, a message for the fans. Nomura: Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep’s release date is January 20th. Since I’m thinking there will be a long wait before I can send a follow up report about Kingdom Hearts 3D, please look forward to it.

The latest issue of Dengeki PlayStation magazine has included an interview with the director of the Kingdom Hearts series, Tetsuya Nomura. Here, Nomura discusses Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix, and mentions small details concerning the future of the Kingdom Hearts series. Below, we have various details from the interview. - After Re:coded, in 2012, it will be the 10th anniversary of Kingdom Hearts. Nomura would like to celebrate in some way. - However, Kingdom Hearts III will still not be out at this time. - Birth by Sleep Final Mix will not match KH2 Final Mix+ in volume.

According to PlayStation LifeStyle, Tetsuya Nomura has recently engaged in an interview where he mentions Kingdom Hearts III, the next console game of the Kingdom Hearts series. Extracts from the interview, featured in EGMi, are shown below. For any sequel of the mainstream storyline of the Kingdom Hearts series, that would be Kingdom Hearts III. But the problem is that the opportunity of developing the sequel is not currently [possible]. The team is busy, I am busy. I’m thinking about what’s going to be next after Kingdom Hearts II, the future that is Kingdom Hearts III. Time has nearly come to [work on] that concept. Yes it might be possible. It is my desire to develop the next Kingdom Hearts on the existing platform, but the problem with a new console is that it has new technical requirements… So, yes, I’m willing to create something on the existing console because when we aim for another non-existing future console, the release of the title will be far in the future. That’s my concern. Lastly, Nomura stated that he often has to “sacrifice my private time, my marriage, my family time” to stay on top of all his current projects. Regarding the future of Kingdom Hearts, all of this means that Kingdom Hearts III will soon be in the concept stage.

Tetsuya Nomura, the director of the Kingdom Hearts series, made an appearance at E3 2010, the gaming event held in USA earlier. At this event, various parties were able to interview Nomura concerning the English version of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep. GameSpot have reported about this interview, which makes mention of Kingdom Hearts III, which can be read below. The full interview can be read at our forum. Question 7: It's been a while since we've seen a new generation of Kingdom Hearts titles. There have been a lot of handheld and mobile version, but no console versions since the PlayStation 2. Are you thinking about making a next-generation Kingdom Hearts? Or do you prefer working on handhelds? TN: All I can say is that if there were to be a Kingdom Hearts III, then it would be on consoles. I have a desire to create this game, but it's just not the right time. I'm under pressure from KH fans, Disney, and Square Enix, and they all want Kingdom Hearts III. I know this, and I don't hide my desire to make this game. The biggest problem we're facing is our main developer on the franchise is busy with Final Fantasy, and the Birth by Sleep team is busy making Kingdom Hearts for the Nintendo 3DS. But we'll do it when the right time comes.

The February 18, 2010 issue of Famitsu Weekly magazine has included an article on the Kingdom Hearts series. This article discusses Sora's involvement in the series, and contains an interview with the series' director, Tetsuya Nomura. This article confirms that Kingdom Hearts III will eventually be released. HEARTSTATION.ORG have scanned this article and translated the interview, both of which can be seen below. Famitsu Weekly (February 18, 2010) Thanks to HEARTSTATION.ORG. Since FFVII of the Final Fantasy series, Nomura has had a hand in designing many characters and is also director in the Kingdom Hearts series. At first his design was like that of an anthropomorphic lion, with ears and a tail too. His weapon wasn’t the Keyblade either; it was something like a chainsaw. He had the tail so he was more along the same design line as the Disney characters. The Kingdom Hearts project was happening during the production of Final Fantasy VIII, and since the series was already progressing and Zidane from Final Fantasy IX had a tail, Sora’s animal traits were removed. Finally, during an exchange of ideas with the Disney staff side, the parts that were too straight line were modified into curvier shapes (The weightlessness of his pants and shoes were striking features.) So in one night, the Sora we know now was completed. In the secret movie in Birth by Sleep, Sora’s long awaited re-entry implies that future developments are in the works. Therefore, please look forward to the appearance of Sora’s future activities when they are prepared. Though saying that, I can’t say what kind of title it might become. Concerning Kingdom Hearts III, since there is demand from the current fans around the world, I will do my best to bring it into realization as quickly as possible.