Nomura empathizes more with Xehanort than Sora and has difficulty keeping track of the many characters, but is confident that Kingdom Hearts III "i...

[Aquaberry 759]

Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura spoke with The Verge at E3 2018 to discuss the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III. He spoke about his own confusion while writing the story for the game, the inclusion of Final Fantasy characters, his feelings towards Sora's character and the pressure he feels with Kingdom Hearts III.

 

Below you can find his quotes from the interview.

Regarding Kingdom Heart's complex plot

“I do have a general storyline in my head. What is the most confusing is that, because there are so many characters in this storyline now, it’s hard to keep track of who actually met who already. I’m always like, 'Okay, so who knows who in this situation, and who’s meeting this person for the first time?’ And that always gets really confusing."

 

Regarding Final Fantasy characters

“It’s a little bit difficult to add in Final Fantasy characters into the main storyline for this title. Because most of the original Kingdom Hearts characters are going to appear in Kingdom Hearts III, that’s just already too many characters to begin with. When I was writing the scenarios, I started to be confused with it as well myself. It is kind of complicated in that sense. It’s just been difficult for me to create a storyline that doesn’t involve those characters." (Note: You can read Nomura's comments on kingdom Hearts not needing Final Fantasy as much as it did before in this interview with USGamer!)

 

About his feelings towards the story's protagonist and antagonist

"I actually don’t sympathize or empathize with Sora at all. I think I’m closer to those characters [like Xehanort, Ansem, etc.], so Sora is like my enemy. How I always think of him is I would unleash my attacks on him, and then I draw him in a way that I think he will be able to make a comeback at me. In that sense, I really think that Sora is just like an opposite personality character to who I am."

 

Regarding fan expectations and the pressure to meet them

"The fan expectations and excitement towards Kingdom Hearts III was much more than I had expected. I actually did feel a little pressurized for the first time pretty much in my life. But the best way to get rid of feeling pressurized is to just have confidence in yourself, that what you’re making is good.

 

“I really have confidence in Kingdom Hearts III, that it is a good game. I was really able to get rid of that pressure that I was feeling.” (Note: Check out this picture of Nomura looking at all the awards Kingdom Hearts III received at E3 2018!)

What were your impressions of this interview? Were you shocked about Nomura's feelings towards Sora versus Xehanort? Do you agree or disagree with him? Let us know in the comments!

 

Kingdom Hearts III releases on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on January 25, 2019 in Japan, and January 29, 2019 to the rest of the world. You can now watch the latest Frozen trailer, Square Enix E3 Showcase trailer, and Pirates of the Caribbean trailer!

 

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[ienzo628 548]

It sounds like they are going down the route of multiple endings this time.  That's probably a good choice.

[Ultima Spark 753]

It sounds like they are going down the route of multiple endings this time.  That's probably a good choice.

 

please no

[Smithee 327]

Welp, Xehanort confirmed for Creator's Pet.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dctocak6Hw

Edited August 13, 2023 by Smithee

[Ultima Spark 753]

Welp, Xehanort confirmed for Creator's Pet.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Dctocak6Hw

 

Nomura's always liked the edgy characters, he made Riku in Kain Highwind's image after all...

[Iamkingdomhearts1000 1,170]

It sounds like they are going down the route of multiple endings this time.  That's probably a good choice.

 

 

please no

 

I agree, please HELL no.

[PromisedOath 26]

In all honesty, I think if the game does have multiple endings, there will be a set, hard canon ending so that the main series can continue (As KH4 is practically confirmed, or at the very least, and sequel). So I don't think there's anything to worry about. Although, I would prefer if they focused on having one actual ending, since this is a pretty big project already, and placing resources in joke/out of cannon endings would be largely redundant lols.

[RikuFangirl2008 1,368]

I'm not all that suprised. I mean he did say one time that he was more on the dark side with Ansem and the others (I guess when some KH book came out. And it has his message in there.). And he did say once that Ansem (or was it Xehanort) was his favorite character, back in E3 2013 was it? 

 

There was one time he said, Sora is like a son to him. Now he's saying that Sora is his enemy.

 

Like, dang Nomura! Lol 

Edited June 18, 2018 by RikuFangirl2008

[LeYenrz 276]

Honestly it makes sense. People say that Sora is a blander sort of protagonist because we're supposed to project ourselves onto him. But how can you relate to a character that basically is immune to hardship? 

[Erik / Amalthea Fairy 0]

Okay:

“I do have a general storyline in my head. What is the most confusing is that, because there are so many characters in this storyline now, it’s hard to keep track of who actually met who already. I’m always like, 'Okay, so who knows who in this situation, and who’s meeting this person for the first time?’ And that always gets really confusing."

 

"What is the most confusing is that, because there are so many characters in this storyline now"

 

I dont want to say Anything but, i have my own Story/Book going on and there are now +80 Characters build up over 5-6 Years.

 

If I can handle this, he has to be able to do it above all.

I mean, i handle this Really f****** Well, and i am just some Random person. And my Stuff reaches the Complexity of KH. 

 

Dont believe him when he says: "Its Hard to keep Track"

[Smithee 327]

But how can you relate to a character that basically is immune to hardship? 

 

Yeah, how can you relate to a character (Xehanort) that basically is immune (via so many "It was me all along!" retcons) to hardship?

Edited June 18, 2018 by Alan Smithee

[LeYenrz 276]

Yeah, how can you relate to a character (Xehanort) that basically is immune (via so many "It was me all along!" retcons) to hardship?

You can relate to Xehanort solely because of his role. He's the villain, which adds some sort of dynamic to the whole series. It isn't as necessary to have a relatable villain than as the hero. 

 

You're right though. Xehanort is a op bland piece of cardboard

[Crossχ 32]

It sounds like they are going down the route of multiple endings this time.  That's probably a good choice.

as long as they don't go full shadow the hedgehog, which is really hard not to do (especially because this is nomura we're talking about here)

 

"I actually don’t sympathize or empathize with Sora at all. I think I’m closer to those characters [like Xehanort, Ansem, etc.], so Sora is like my enemy. How I always think of him is I would unleash my attacks on him, and then I draw him in a way that I think he will be able to make a comeback at me. In that sense, I really think that Sora is just like an opposite personality character to who I am."

nomura, circa. 2002: wow look at sora my beautiful baby boy

nomura after putting up with 16 years of sora's shit: BITCH I WILL UNLEASH MY ATTACK ON YOU