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From the album: Kingdom Hearts IV
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I can't help but think Kairi is doomed forever going forward. Her character has been fumbled from the beginning. She was built up to have her shining moments in KH3 but she got wasted so bad. Re:Mind did not do enough justice for her. Then MoM, her own game, did her dirty again and sidelined her in favor for Riku. It's like Nomura and KH team just hate her. Xion, Namine, and Aqua are well-developed characters. But Kairi had nothing but failures after failures. She's been under excuses of "training" just to be sidelined. She is the most poorly written character because apparently KH teams don't care about her anymore. My biggest fear is that Kairi's training under Aqua will be yet another let down. She will be sidelined or be harmed again in KH4. Or maybe she won't show up at ALL in future Kingdom Hearts. Out of all KH characters, she is the most victimized one by poor writing and hatred from pretty much everyone. It's such a shame how Kairi has fallen down from her glory in KH1. As a long time Kairi fan, I think I should just give up. I don't see her ever being redeemed. It breaks my heart and I love Kairi to death. But KH clearly does not care about her anymore. I'm so saddened to see the current state of Kairi. I want to be hopeful, but at this point, I lost all hope.
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I was hoping to have a good ol' fashion theory discussion as to where the series is going, and the who's whos, and what's whats. Let me know what you all think. At the very least I hope it's a good read. In the first go around, where time is not altered by anyone, The Master of masters and other beings of light were caught in a war with beings of darkness. The war went on and on until the beings of darkness shed their physical forms and started infecting people from within, which eventually caused the world to end. The Master of masters, and "Darkness" seem to be the only survivors mentionned. The Master was not willing to give himself as a vessel, and the Darkness was losing its will without a vessel to give it form, they had many conversations and battles, but both determined they were at a stalemate. After learning everything there is to know about keyblade wielding, and after witnessing the end of the world, The Master of masters decides to commit the ultimate taboo. The Master of masters dives into the sleeping world of Daybreak town,while there, he notices that his friends along with a past version of himself are trapped in a loop where the keyblade war repeats itself over and over in the world's sleep, coming to the conclusion that the war is the key event that plunges the world into darkness, and comes up with a plan to avert the destruction of the world all the while respecting the laws of the flow of time. But first he would have to abandon his worldline. In preparation, he crafted a keyblade and implanted his eye into it, and with it, observed all of the events that lead to the war. He manages to leave the sleeping world along with 6 keyblade wielders, 5 of which were to be the leaders that participated in the war, the 6th was the Master's past self,and they headed for a new worldline. Once there, they are given new names, and each a keyblade crafted from their hearts, and are trained to be keyblade masters. The Master writes 5 copies of the book of prophecies, and gives 5 of them a copy, detailing the events up to the keyblade war, which is imminent, but leaves out critical information, full knowing he's being watched as it is being written. And so, they are dubbed the Foretellers. Because they are in a new worldline, this new worldline's version of the people who were to become the Foretellers, are spared that fate, and live their lives as members of the Foretellers's unions instead, so the Foretellers wore masks and robes to hide their identities. When the time came and preperations almost complete, the Master wrote another copy of the Book of Prophecies. To his delight, the future had changed, confirming that his plan would work. And it too, was watched as it was written. Knowing himself and his own follow through more than anybody, the Master bequeathed his keyblade to his past self, giving him his role, special instructions, and revealing the fate of the Dandelion leaders, in doing so, he ensured that the future would change, once again. Once Luxu leaves, the Master gives the Foretellers their own roles, rips a page from the new copy, dubbed the Lost Page, and gives it to Gula. Upon speaking with Ava, the Master gave her a special role, which had her found, and recruit all the members of the Dandelions, including their leaders, who, unknown to Ava, were the people who were this worldline's versions of the Foretellers. Ava, noticed this book was different to her own. Sensing something wrong, and inspired by a speech made by Ephemer trying to cheer her up, she decided to follow her own heart, just as Luxu does. She gives the last copy of the Book of Prophecies given to her by the Master meant for Ephemer to Brain instead, and leaves a memo in the book with the names of the leaders the Master had outlined. This was done after this copy of the book was written, and so when the future eventually changed,the book did not contain said changes, just as the copies the Foretellers had ended with the keyblade war as their last pages. This crucial piece of information,and Luxu's intervention is what lead Brain and the others to eventually avoid their fate as vessels of the 4 darknesses. The moment Ava gives the Book to Brain, is the moment The Master vanished just like Sora did, although he was busy before he did, like speaking with Xehanort in the future. His plan changed history, and he crossed into Quadratum. The Foretellers maintain their unions desperately clinging to their Master's teachings and the conflicting roles he imposed on them, inevitably causing the war, the Foretellers are lost along with 5 of the 13 Darknesses. 4 Darknesses, were sealed inside the data world's borders without their intended vessels. 1 Darkness was sent to the future within Ventus. 1 was set free by Maleficient, another was inside of Luxu, while the strongest was sealed within the Master. The keyblade war came to pass, ensuring the flow of time. And the Dandelion leaders are spread out across time, and unknowingly fulfilling their Foreteller counterpart's roles, although in different time periods, but still fulfilling their destinies etched within their hearts. Brain gives the last copy of the Book to Ephemer, the rightful heir, before a meeting with man that had the same face he did, it was with this black robed doppelganger's help that he was able to escape Daybreak Town's inevitable destruction while still being able to help Ephemer, Skuld, Lauriam,a stowed away Elrena and a comatose Ventus to the future. This was Luxu, who later penned that he claimed Brain as an imposter, probably due to him looking exactly like him, but the imposter was actually Ventus. Ira's role of becoming the leader while the Master is gone was fulfilled by his counterpart Ephemer, who founded Scala ad Caelum, his descendants also became powerful leaders, like Master Odin, and Xehanort and all his incarnations. Aced's role "One day, you might think, ewww he stinks at this, in which case it will be your time to step up... You never know, your leadership might just be what everyone needs". This is fulfilled by his counterpart Lauriam, as Marluxia when he tries to stage a coup against Xemnas, which makes Xemnas hasten his plans. Invi's role as mediator, and making sure everyone gets along. Is fulfilled by her counterpart Skuld, who, whisks away a baby Xehanort from Scala ad Caelum. Ava's role will be fulfilled twofold, once as Ava, recruiting the dandelions as a separate organization. While her counterpart Strelitzia, will fulfill this role by helping Sora and Riku back from Quadratum to keep hope alive. And finally, Gula, his role was to find the traitor outlined in the last copy of the book made by the master on the Lost page. As Gula, the traitor was Luxu however it was too late, and he failed to find him, he still wasn't sure who the traitor was when he perished in the war. His counterpart, the Player, in his 2nd life fulfills this role, and finds Xehanort before it's too late. And ends up raising him. Luxu's role was fulfilled by Luxu himself. Passing down the Master's keyblade and standing by until Xehanort inherits it. Recording the future, so that the Master could see it. After Scala ad Caelum was established Ephemer realized that events he had lived through in the past were not inscribed correctly in the copy of Book of Prophecies he had received from Brain, and concluded that the Book had False Pages. And so he founded new unions, called societies and their goal was to uncover the truth and expose the False pages within the Book. Xehanort's role as the Singularity, can be explained by having a connection with all those involved, especially Ephemer. In the end, the Master will return after the X-Blade war, only after all 7 of these roles are fulfilled. Xehanort has already reenacted the war. Strelitzia just needs to bring Sora and Riku back to fulfill the last role. And the game between the Light piece and 7 Dark Pieces will begin. What I'm getting at is that the Master of masters was the Brain from the Original worldline, Luxu is his past self, and Brain is the very same person in the new worldline, who re-appears in the Blank Age as the calamitous star, because his descendant, Eraqus, becomes Xehanort's best friend, is responsible for training Aqua, Terra and Ventus, and in the end helps Xehanort concede defeat and give the x-Blade to Sora, which further changes the future. But ofcourse, the Master foresaw all of this, and is waiting for Sora in Quadratum. So he can come back with him. But yeah, that's what I think is the premise of the Lost Masters Arc. Thanks for reading, and let me know what you think.
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What do you think is the purpose of the phone shown in the recent KH4 screenshots? -
Kairi's current and future character development
LazyDurian replied to LazyDurian's topic in Kingdom Hearts IV
Dear Kairi fans: It seems like Kingdom Hearts has once again disappointed us with recent KH4 teasers. Since KH1 and especially in KH3 and MoM, Kairi has been horrendously trashed and sidelined. Instead of giving her actual growth and development, she has been subject to misogynistic writing and pure hatred, which resulted in Kairi getting no development or love. They can mask it as "realistic growth" all they want, but we all know Nomura simply hates her and wants to get rid of her. Now in KH4 teasers, she was nowhere to be shown. Instead of her (abd maybe Aqua) shown oscreenshot, damage-control screenshots, it looks like Mickey took the spotlight. It's clear that Nomura didn't just add those shots without reason. He's meticulous with details and not including Kairi, the main character of Kingdom Hearts, clearly confirms that he hates Kairi. It's so evident that KH4 will permanently erase off Kairi. Since the game is going through the route of Versus and FF15, Kairi is subjected to yet another sidelining and unnecessary death. This is the reality, Kairi fans. Thry don't care about you. They hate your favorite character and they hate you. KH4 has no place for Kairi because it never made one. As a fellow Kairi fan, I'll say this: CLOSE YOUR WALLETS. DON'T LET SQUARE ENIX HAVE A SINGLE PENNY OUT OF YOUR WALLET. DON'T GIVE MONEY TO THE FRANCHISE THAT HATES YOU. STAY STRONG AND VOTE WITH YOUR WALLET. -
With Summer Game Fest coming up on June 6, would Kingdom Hearts 4 and/or any of the Square Enix games be possibly on the list? Trailers, discussions or any of the sort?
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Since the new screenshots for KH4 came out, would it be possible for the new trailer to come out too? So far: We got a glimpse of Mickey Mouse being a playable character in this game. Sora battling the Heartless. and hopefully we could see the Guardians of Light again. And also Riku and Kairi in action. And as for another topic, is it possible to have multiplayer in KH4?
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Hi everyone, I want to create this special Thread to discuss which Disney films (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Live-Action and Pixar) you would like to see in future games in the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Everyone can contribute and share their ideas on this thread on the latest new Disney film announcements, what Disney films (new and returning) would you like to see show up in Kingdom Hearts and why you want to see them implemented. It doesn't matter if it's short or long, just feel free and let us share our thoughts and ongoing discussions- 79 replies
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In the recent KH4 screenshots, what do you think the two lights attacking Darkside are?
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Square Enix have released new Kingdom Hearts IV screenshots following the cancellation of Kingdom Hearts Missing- Link. These show Sora in Quadratum fighting Heartless, Strelitzia, a playable King Mickey segment, Sora in a parking lot, and a Darkside Heartless. It's worth noting that while the same screenshots were shared across both Japanese and Global social media handles, the Japanese collection of screenshots contains a slightly different variation of the top first image.You can view the screenshots in our gallery below. Alongside these new screenshots, a message was shared with fans on the official Kingdom Hearts social media handles: What do you think about these screenshots? Let us know in the comments below! View full article
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Since we are gonna officially have a playable King Mickey like in the new screenshot of KH4, how will this play out?
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In an announcement on both the Japanese and Global Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link official accounts on X, the Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link development team has shared a message on the decision to cancel the development of the game. You can read the full announcement message below: While the news may be difficult the message does reassure fans that the Kingdom Hearts series will continue, and that the team is hard at work on Kingdom Hearts IV. How do you feel regarding Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link's cancellation? Let us know in the comments below! View full article- 15 replies
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From the album: Kingdom Hearts IV
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Square Enix have released new Kingdom Hearts IV screenshots following the cancellation of Kingdom Hearts Missing- Link. These show Sora in Quadratum fighting Heartless, Strelitzia, a playable King Mickey segment, Sora in a parking lot, and a Darkside Heartless. It's worth noting that while the same screenshots were shared across both Japanese and Global social media handles, the Japanese collection of screenshots contains a slightly different variation of the top first image.You can view the screenshots in our gallery below. Alongside these new screenshots, a message was shared with fans on the official Kingdom Hearts social media handles: What do you think about these screenshots? Let us know in the comments below! -
Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link development cancelled
WakelessDream posted an article in Kingdom Hearts News
In an announcement on both the Japanese and Global Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link official accounts on X, the Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link development team has shared a message on the decision to cancel the development of the game. You can read the full announcement message below: While the news may be difficult the message does reassure fans that the Kingdom Hearts series will continue, and that the team is hard at work on Kingdom Hearts IV. How do you feel regarding Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link's cancellation? Let us know in the comments below! -
Evidence 1: "No Name" is a Keyblade that is called that because Nomura never named it. Evidence 2: The Book of Prophecies is basically a giant planner, and that Nomura adds more on to influence each game to happen. Evidence 3: The black box holds the power of creation and is used with great but dangerous power. -
I know "Miraculous" doesn't really belong to Disney, but recently I couldn't stop thinking about this idea. Do you think "Kingdom Hearts" and "Miraculous" would make a good crossover?
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What is a feature from Kingdom Hearts 1 would you like to see be brought back in Kingdom Hearts IV?
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What Kingdom Hearts related topics do you think Tetsuya Nomura will talk about in his interview with Young Jump?
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What do you hope to see announced during D23?
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In a recent interview with IGN, Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura discusses about her previous work not only in the Kingdom Hearts series, but with many other series including Mario & Luigi: Paper Jam, Live A Live, and more as she is the recipient of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2024 Game Developers Choice Awards. In addition, Shimomura has begun work on the soundtrack for Kingdom Hearts IV. You can read the entirity of the interview here. UPDATE: IGN's story was updated to say the following: Correction: A previous version of this story said Shimomura was working on several songs for Kingdom Hearts 4. That was a misunderstanding, and this article has been updated to reflect that Shimomura instead meant she's working on various tracks for several different games. View full article- 4 replies
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What do you hope to see be revealed by Square Enix at Tokyo Game Show 2023?
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[UPDATE] Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Recap & Breakdown
OrpheusJoshua posted an article in Kingdom Hearts News
This past week has easily been among the busiest periods of the Kingdom Hearts franchise. Between the 20th Anniversary Event releasing a lengthy 7-minute trailer, to the waves of information that came out afterward, fans have had an immense amount of news to parse; perhaps overwhelmingly so. This article aims to compile all of the news we have received and will receive, with various hyperlinks to merchandise and more detailed avenues of coverage. Essentially, this article can be seen as a convenient hub for all of the 20th Anniversary information. I'll also be providing light speculations and breakdowns (though not quite Bio-Roxas level.) Kingdom Hearts Dark Road Kingdom Hearts Dark Road has been delayed yet again, this time to August 2022. This is the most detailed release window we've received since the previous September 2022 window, so hopefully that's indicative of the title being finalized at that time. The new trailer showcased a slew of new story scenes, primarily highlighting Xehanort's upperclassmen. We do not know any of their names, but there is one character who looks strikingly similar to Baldr, likely implying that she's the sister he has been searching for. Additionally, Odin's actions and words are somewhat suspicous. He tells one of the new characters to prioritize studying the darkness, and perhaps more damning, is him approaching Young Xehanort and Young Eraqus with what appears to be a cognizant Darkness entity behind him. These beings made themselves known near the end of Kingdom Hearts Union χ's finale and are pivotal to the overarching narrative going forward, so seeing at least 1 present here is already cause for concern. A common theory going around is that Odin is potentially Luxu, which is definitley probable. Master Xehanort is shown at the trailer's start in the Dwarf Woodlands, specifically in the Queen's chamber where the Magic Mirror resides. One has to wonder how long this experience will be if we'll be viewing the life of Xehanort in both his youthful and elderly days. Those aforementioned points are the entirety of the Dark Road updates we received. The title's full offline release state will have no microtransactions, though its state of playability is still up in the air. Regardless, we'll assuredly learn more as we approach August. Check out the Anniversary trailer's portion on Kingdom Hearts Dark Road. Moreover, new screenshots of this upcoming final Dark Road update were provided, viewable via our gallery below: UPDATE 8/26/2022: The remainder of Kingdom Hearts Dark Road has launched worldwide. Additionally, a Q&A was conducted with Tetsuya Nomura. You can view our translations below, courtesy of our team's Ryuji. However, note that this interview contains spoilers for pivotal Dark Road plot points. Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link is the new upcoming mobile entry, taking place between the finale of Kingdom Hearts Union χ and the start of Dark Road. It utilizes Pokémon Go-esque systems with AR technology, but the specifics of how combat will work have not been specified yet. At the very least, it can be highly assumed that gacha elements will be returning in the form of amiibo-looking statues that will replace the medals seen in Union χ. General information about this game's systems were provided by Nomura at the 20th Anniversary event Q&A, and those points are viewable below (via our team's Ryuji) : Smartphone game, to be released for Android and iOS Promises to have action elements to be as faithful as possible to the main series Max of 6 players can play together. Screen orientation can be switched between portrait or landscape. The story, chronologically speaking, is between Union χ's finale and before Dark Road's start. "All of the mysteries we've had so far will be explained." Keywords: Scala Ad Caleum, Founding Father Ephemer, Keyblade Wielders of a Secret Society Closed Beta Test is scheduled for Fall of this year (Details on how to enter are still unknown, however) Two systems: A story mode where you progress through quests, and a mode where you walk around (Comparable to Pokémon Go, but with ways to play it even without having to walk around in real life) In this walking mode, you'll collect pieces and strengthen your Keyblades. As a minor note, the custom player character seems to be receiving orders from an earpiece in the trailer, possibly implying that they are part of the same organization that Sigurd reveals himself to be a part of in the Union χ finale. He also contacts other individuals via an earpiece when first meeting Brain. The following statement was provided via a press release: Those aforementioned points are all we currently know about Missing - Link, but considering how there's a planned Closed Beta Test this Fall, more news will undoubtedly arise soon. The game's Japanese website recently launched. Check out Missing - Link's specific 20th Anniversary trailer portion. Additionally, official screenshots and the logo were provided, viewable via our gallery below: Kingdom Hearts IV Kingdom Hearts IV was officially announced in the Anniversary trailer's final portion. After brief panning shots of a city-like landscape and a forest, the camera revealed Sora sleeping in an apartment. He looks dramatically different due to his presence in this new reality. Then, after being awoken by a doorbell and seeing the visitor to be Strelitzia from Kingdom Hearts Union χ, she reveals that Sora has been asleep since he arrived in this city 1 week ago; here in Quadratum. This world, as stated by Strelitzia, can be perceived as an "afterworld" for both her and Sora, following their passings in their previous lives. Still, Sora committed a nature taboo, while Strelitzia's circumstances are more questionable when the final scenes of Union χ are taken into account. So, the ways in which denizens of the Kingdom Hearts reality enter Quadratum may differ rather than solely committing nature taboos. A gargantuan monster appears in the city's center, awfully akin to a Darkside except far more terrifying in visage. After some scripted combat sequences where Sora's keychain is highlighted to have a grappling hook, two black-robed figures are shown observing the batttle on top of a nearby building. The general consensus is that the right figure is the Master of Masters, though the one on the left is more up in the air. The most frequent predictions identify the left figure as Luxu/Xigbar, or perhaps Luxord. There are also theories going around about Star Wars being potentially incldued, which we discussed in a separate article, but aside from that, we'll have to look forward to more information. The game's Japanese website recently launched. Check out the Anniversary trailer's specific portion announcing Kingdom Hearts IV, and official screenshots and the logo are viewable via our gallery below: Tetsuya Nomura's 20-Head Anniversary Message Cipher At the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event venue, there was a displayed message by Tetsuya Nomura, which we translated. However, there was a secret hidden within the message that several fans figured out. Essentially, the cipher read that "The voice's identity is Sigurd. Pay close attention." Sigurd, a character introduced in the finale of Kingdom Hearts Union χ, is the narrator of the Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link and Kingdom Hearts IV trailers. The methodology of how this secret was uncovered can be viewed via our Twitter thread below: Tetsuya Nomura Interview with Famitsu Famitsu conducted an interview with series director Tetsuya Nomura about Kingdom Hearts IV, Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link, and Kingdom Hearts Dark Road. The entire interview has been translated by our team's Ryuji and is viewable below. Further, a franchise canon timeline was included in this Weekly Famitsu issue and has been translated by our team's Corfidbizna, also below: Tetsuya Nomura Interview with Game Informer Game Informer recently interviewed Tetsuya Nomura regarding Kingdom Hearts IV, the series' future, and other related aspects. Firstly, Nomura states how some of his favorite fan reactions are to the original Kingdom Hearts' ending, primarily due to how players at the time weren't sure if the story would continue beyond the first entry. The Luxu reveal reactions in Kingdom Hearts III are another of his collective favorites simply because of its severe implications. Regarding Kingdom Hearts IV, Nomura states that the story is focused more on Sora's disappearance and that there's uncertainty about whether the team will be able to include more of the original cast, notably the Birth by Sleep and Days crews. Still, he desires to explore them more at later points. Interestingly, Nomura states how he was the one being picky about Sora's recent inclusion into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, not Disney. The latter party was actually quite eager, while Nomura thought it would clash with the "established lore in Kingdom Hearts and the Disney worlds." The end result ended up being qualitative, though. Moving on to antagonists, Nomura says he's quite happy with their handling of Xehanort's character, citing it as a slow burn that tackled each facet of his character with genuine depth. So now, the Foretellers will be the following antagonists, and Back Cover has already shown the types of characters they are. Moreover, "there will be more new characters as well," though specifics have not been mentioned yet. Sora is reiterated as the only possible main character for the franchise, to the extent that the numbered entries would conclude if he were to stop being the protagonist. Moreover, there will be a "few Disney worlds," so fans won't have to worry about them potentially being absent, even if their inclusion has "slightly" differed from previous entries. Reaction Commands' return was reiterated due to fan demand after their removal in Kingdom Hearts III. They were initially taken out because Nomura didn't find the mechanic's debut reception in Kingdom Hearts II particularly positive. Quadratum is reiterated as the game's initial base, with players returning there as the narrative progresses. Sora's daily life will be approached more, such as seeing him go in and out of his room. Realism is a challenging factor the team has been pursuing to see just how far they can take it. Final Fantasy characters' lacking presence was discussed next, with Nomura stating that their inclusion is not at the core of Kingdom Hearts' identity. Their presence in the first game was a collective device for players to get to know the at-the-time limited original cast. Now, it's difficult to continually include Final Fantasy characters because of how vast the original cast is. There is no word on how Final Fantasy balance incorporation will work in Kingdom Hearts IV. Finally, Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link is brought up as an entry fans should look forward to, as it sheds light on several mysteries throughout the series. It will even have hints and new information pertaining to Kingdom Hearts IV. UPDATE: Notable quotes from Nomura; "As far as the graphic qualities ... since with each new title, the specs have been really increasing and there's so much more we can do in terms of graphics, it kind of limits the number of worlds that we can create in a sense." "Also, some figures that appear in Missing-Link are tied to Kingdom Hearts IV." You can read the full interview via Game Informer's website. Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event Proper Square Enix has stated that they intend on releasing a recording of the stage event, but if you want peeks at how the venue itself looked like, check out our dedicated event coverage where several attendees shared photos of the location. Moreover, 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: During the stage event, a mini-concert was held, where 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. Further, Yoko Shimomura provided a new comment regarding these recent announcements, viewable below with a translation: Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Merchandise A vast variety of celebratory anniversary merchandise was announced, which we intricately covered. Links to our coverage of all of the merchandise announced following the event's conclusion are listed below. Store pages and officially provided images can be accessed via these avenues. SuperGroups announced 45 incoming Kingdom Hearts-themed accessories Sora, Kairi, and Riku Play Arts Kai figures Kingdom Hearts II Naminé & Roxas Plushes Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary T-shirts & Hoodie Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Plate Collection Blind Boxes Kingdom Hearts Light-up Keyblade Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary glass sets, tea cups & bowl Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary jewelry and watches Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary bath towel & face towel Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Die-Cut Memo Pad Set Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Metal Keychain & Pin Badge Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Postcard Set Kingdom Hearts Art Can Badges Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Pin Badge Set Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Amnibus Hoodies Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Tetsuya Nomura Postcard Sets Kingdom Hearts Mini Glass Set Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Soba Set Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Chopsticks & Chopstick Rest Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Bean Plate Set Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Pin Boxes Vol. 1 & 2 Kingdom Hearts II King Mickey 20th Anniversary Plush Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Animate Fair Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Walkman & Earbuds Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Samantha Thavasa Luxury Fashion Merchandise Japan 7-Elevens Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Postcards Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Folding Umbrella Ichiban Kuji lottery prize images revealed Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary U-Treasure Watches Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary 7-Eleven Merch Collab Roxas, Xion & Axel Room Fragrance Mists (not shippable outside of Japan) Super Groupies x Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Apparel Lineup; Behind-the-Scenes Featurette Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Sony Japan Wearable Headphone Speakers Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Mickey, Donald & Goofy nuiMO Plushes Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Caribbean, Timeless River & Halloween Town Tsum Tsum Plush Sets Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary 1000-Piece Puzzles The following merchandise was announced prior to the event, but they still celebrate 20th Anniversary: Sony Japan announces Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary walkman Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Tamagotchi Kingdom Hearts Organization XIII Necklaces Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary glasses, cases & cloths Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Event Q&A A Q&A session was held during the Anniversary event, with our translations of specific questions and responses being viewable below: Q1. Does the finale of Dark Road imply that the Player's heart is now inside Xehanort's? A1: Play Dark Road and you will find out. Q2. This is the first time in KH that there is a story branch (the Yozora battle). What is the meaning behind this? A2: Since Yozora is so strong, I thought it would be better to put something in the game "if he loses". Q3. Was Ephemer aware of the player's true intentions in Union Cross' finale? A3: It was a pretty sad farewell, but there's more to Ephemer than meets the eye. A "Missing Link", if you will. All of the questions will be answered once you play Missing Link. Q4: When did Naminé and Ansem first meet? A4: In Castle Oblivion. Q5: Riku's hair was cut in Kingdom Hearts Dream Drop Distance. Who cut it for him? A5: Well, you all wanted his hair to be cut, so I answered your prayers... Q6: Please tell us about the return of Roxas and Xion. A6: There were some doubts on whether to bring them back or not, but everyone had such strong feelings for them, so we decided to bring them back. Audrey of Aitai Kuji has provided translations for information we did not personally cover, viewable below. This information is sourced from the coverage of Japanese publication, Gamer. Other Notable Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary News A Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary cafe was held in select locations throughout Japan. We provided translations for the menus. Merchandise was also on sale in the cafes', though they have also been made available for pre-order via digital storefronts which we listed 2 sections prior. Additionally, official images of the cafes' dishes can be viewed via our gallery below: The official Final Fantasy VII Remake Twitter account shared celebratory artwork for Kingdom Hearts' 20th Anniversary, viewable via our gallery below: While not specifically tied to the Anniversary event, Sora's English voice actor, Haley Joel Osment, was interviewed by Deadline in which he reflected on his time voicing the iconic protagonist. Utada Hikaru also sang "Simple and Clean" and "Face My Fears" at Coachella 2022. Further, these three following points are not tied to the Anniversary event, but they're remarkably coincidental. One of Mickey's Keyblades, Kingdom Key D, received a cameo in a recent Mickey Mouse short on Disney+. Sora's Dive to the Heart and Destiny Islands received highly detailed cameos in The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder The Kingdom Key appeared in the official trailer for Chip N' Dale: Rescue Rangers. Sora's hair appeared in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers Sora was mentioned in a Taco Bell Mexican Pizza Rap Advertisement (Our Interview with the Rapper) The D23 Gold Member Poster depicts the Kingdom Key Tetsuya Nomura shared a gorgeous Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary illustration. Further, the official Kingdom Hearts media accounts have shared this new artwork in clean, high-quality, viewable via our gallery below: The opening theme for Kingdom Hearts III, "Face My Fears," has been added to Netflix via "Hikaru Utada Live Sessions from Air Studios." Additionally, the Japanese version of the song has been added to several audio services! Former Kingdom Hearts series Producer, Shinji Hashimoto, has retired from Square Enix, and has now become a Senior Advisor at Sony Music Entertainment & Board Member at Forward Works. Kingdom Hearts series Brand Manager, Ichiro Hazama provided the following statement regarding the announcements of Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link and Kingdom Hearts IV, viewable below: Walt Disney Games Director, Nana Gadd, provided the following statement regarding the collective anniversary event, viewable below: Lastly, the Kingdom Hearts Memory Locker website launched, containing 15 quotes from several crucial members of the series staff. Unfortunately, the website's messages went offline following the Anniversary event's conclusion. They will be made viewable again at an unspecified date. However, we have provided translations for each Memory Locker message, accessible via our dedicated coverage. UPDATE 8/8/2022: The English version of the Memory Locker website has launched, with officially translated messages from the series' staff. These translated messages have been transcribed by us and are viewable below: Did we miss anything from the Kingdom Hearts Anniversary event? Inform us! What were your favorite parts of the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary celebration, be it merchandise, game announcements, or more? Let us know in the comments below! Personally, I can't wait to see what the future of Kingdom Hearts has in store, and I'm sure the rest of the KH13 staff agrees. We have some incredible content to look forward to, so let's wait for the future and hype responsibly! -
Game Informer recently interviewed Tetsuya Nomura regarding Kingdom Hearts IV, the series' future, and other related aspects. Firstly, Nomura states how some of his favorite fan reactions are to the original Kingdom Hearts' ending, primarily due to how players at the time weren't sure if the story would continue beyond the first entry. The Luxu reveal reactions in Kingdom Hearts III are another of his collective favorites simply because of its severe implications. Regarding Kingdom Hearts IV, Nomura states that the story is focused more on Sora's disappearance and that there's uncertainty about whether the team will be able to include more of the original cast, notably the Birth by Sleep and Days crews. Still, he desires to explore them more at later points. Interestingly, Nomura states how he was the one being picky about Sora's recent inclusion into Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, not Disney. The latter party was actually quite eager, while Nomura thought it would clash with the "established lore in Kingdom Hearts and the Disney worlds." The end result ended up being qualitative, though. Moving on to antagonists, Nomura says he's quite happy with their handling of Xehanort's character, citing it as a slow burn that tackled each facet of his character with genuine depth. So now, the Foretellers will be the following antagonists, and Back Cover has already shown the types of characters they are. Moreover, "there will be more new characters as well," though specifics have not been mentioned yet. Sora is reiterated as the only possible main character for the franchise, to the extent that the numbered entries would conclude if he were to stop being the protagonist. Moreover, there will be a "few Disney worlds," so fans won't have to worry about them potentially being absent, even if their inclusion has "slightly" differed from previous entries. Reaction Commands' return was reiterated due to fan demand after their removal in Kingdom Hearts III. They were initially taken out because Nomura didn't find the mechanic's debut reception in Kingdom Hearts II particularly positive. Quadratum is reiterated as the game's initial base, with players returning there as the narrative progresses. Sora's daily life will be approached more, such as seeing him go in and out of his room. Realism is a challenging factor the team has been pursuing to see just how far they can take it. Final Fantasy characters' lacking presence was discussed next, with Nomura stating that their inclusion is not at the core of Kingdom Hearts' identity. Their presence in the first game was a collective device for players to get to know the at-the-time limited original cast. Now, it's difficult to continually include Final Fantasy characters because of how vast the original cast is. There is no word on how Final Fantasy balance incorporation will work in Kingdom Hearts IV. Finally, Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link is brought up as an entry fans should look forward to, as it sheds light on several mysteries throughout the series. It will even have hints and new information pertaining to Kingdom Hearts IV. UPDATE: Notable quotes from Nomura; "As far as the graphic qualities ... since with each new title, the specs have been really increasing and there's so much more we can do in terms of graphics, it kind of limits the number of worlds that we can create in a sense." "Also, some figures that appear in Missing-Link are tied to Kingdom Hearts IV." You can read the full interview via Game Informer's website. You can also read the full interview below: View our Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Recap & Breakdown article.
