Famitsu: Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater summary

After the Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater event, held on November 3rd, 2015, Famitsu Weekly published an article detailing almost every aspect of the special D23 event. Take the time to read about the new details from Kingdom Hearts III and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue, and read special messages from the Japanese voice actors of the series! Thanks to News Team member Rin for the translations!

To celebrate the opening of Disney’s Fan Event “D23 Expo Japan 2015,” a “Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater” was held on November 3, 2015, at Tokyo Disney Resort’s Cinema Ikspiari.

 

Another super-duper Disney Resort KH event

 

As previously reported, the “Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater” event took place on November 3, 2015, to celebrate the opening of Disney’s Fan Event, “D23 Expo Japan 2015.” The Theater event took place at Tokyo Disney Resort’s Cinema Ikspiari, located in Urayasu City, Chiba Prefecture.

 

Among other things during this rather lively event, Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura introduced recent footage and developments, composer Yoko Shimomura gave a piano performance, and voice actors shared video messages.

 

What follows is a report of this “Kingdom Hearts Premium Theater.” Please note that photographs are few, but words are aplenty.

 

Opening the event was a retrospective on the [Kingdom Hearts] series done through promotional videos for each title. Afterwards, Walt Disney Company Asia and Disney Interactive Asia’s senior vice president and general manager, Justin Scarpone, appeared on stage to share that the Kingdom Hearts series has shipped 21 million units worldwide and is one of the most successful games in Disney’s long history. “I hope you’ll enjoy to the very end this special experience meant just for Kingdom Hearts fans,” Scarpone said at the start of the event.

 

Following Scarpone, Kingdom Hearts series executive producer, Shinji Hashimoto, took the stage. Hashimoto expressed his gratitude for an event such as this that allows him to meet with fans directly. He also introduced the series’ smartphone application released in September, Kingdom Hearts: Unchainedχ[chi], and urged fans to give it a try. “Today, we will be able to share new information, so please look forward to it,” he said.

 

Piano performance by Yoko Shimomura and Hiroyuki Nakayama

 

First on the program for this event was a piano performance by Kingdom Hearts series composer Yoko Shimomura and pianist Hiroyuki Nakayama. Three songs––“Dearly Beloved,” “The Other Promise,” and “Musique pour la Tristesse de Xion”––were performed. Shimomura and Nakayama, each with their own pianos, played new arrangements in a piano duet form. Audience members listened quietly and attentively.

Following the performance was a talk given by Shimomura and Nakayama. They first met during auditions for the Kingdom Hearts piano arrangement album [recording] and have known each other for a rather long time. The pair got along quite well during the talk. However, at their very first recording session that started at midnight and took 4 hours, Shimomura kept saying, “One more time,” and wouldn’t give the OK, “so I cried in the bathroom” (Nakayama). In the end, Nakayama persisted and lived up to Shimomura’s demands, and in reminiscence, “it was because of that trial that we have a day like today” (Nakayama). Music is an indispensable element of the Kingdom Hearts series, so let’s all look forward to what Shimomura and Nakayama will be doing next.

 

Director Tetsuya Nomura also appears

 

Following the piano performance were the eagerly awaited developments. Since this event was called a “Premium Theater,” information was revealed through footage. Series director Tetsuya Nomura appeared on stage and explained the content himself.

 

For PC browser game Kingdom Hearts χ[chi], Beast Castle [appeared] as a new world beginning November 5. For the smartphone application Kingdom Hearts Unchainedχ[chi], beginning at 6:00pm on November 3, a new event called “Coordinate with Mickey" began]. In addition, those who [have been logging in] from November 4 at 4:00am and on, have each received a “King Mickey KHII Ver (★5)” medal.

 

New information on Kingdom Hearts 2.8 and Kingdom Hearts III revealed

 

The next segment was the presentation of the latest Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue PV. “I met Aqua in the Realm of Darkness” (King Mickey); “Someone has the complete Book of Prophecies, and that person’s the traitor” (Mysterious Figure) and other dialogue followed in rapid succession and stirred up anticipation! Before the PV, a video message from Megumi Toyoguchi (voice of Aqua), Ryoutarou Okiayu (voice of Terra), and Kouki Uchiyama (voice of Ventus and Roxas) was shared. You can read their comments below.

 

Megumi Toyoguchi (Aqua)

 

I think the very first scene that I recorded as Aqua was the one together with Maleficient, and it was my first experience having a conversation with a Disney character. Disney character acting is “big” acting, so I remember that, at the beginning, the feeling of distance between the [Disney] character’s acting and me, and the difference in the scale of the acting, was a really tough game. But as you gradually continue, once you can create your character, you’ll know how much to “give,” and it becomes very fun to do.

 

One particularly memorable line is, when I said the final line as Aqua, “We’re connected” (English: “There’s always a way.”), I couldn’t really get it done right. I recorded it over and over so many times, and there must have been dozens of takes (bitter smile). I recorded so many times that I felt my heart was going to break into pieces, but at the very last moment, I got an OK, and I felt incredibly relieved. I’d never done so many takes, so that was memorable for me.

 

The Kingdom Hearts series are commonly played games, so I was very happy to have been able to take part in it. Prior to [Kingdom Hearts], I played Paine in FFX-2, but playing a character in Kingdom Hearts is different emotionally, so I was very happy about that. Actually, I’ve been playing [birth by Sleep], but I haven’t finished Aqua’s story yet. Finishing it would bring sadness… even though I have gotten to the end. But, since there’s a sequel coming out, I think I can “beat the last boss.” That’s my mindset.

 

Within the 3 works is a new episode, and a new Kingdom Hearts is coming out, so I think you all are extremely excited about that, but I think I’m the one who’s most excited (laugh). I think I’m the very first to want to play it… should I play from the beginning, or should I play alongside Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep’s chronology? I haven’t begun recording (for KH 0.2 Bbs) yet, but I’m very excited to know how I’ll get to play Aqua, so I hope you all are excited as well.

 

Ryoutarou Okiayu (Terra)

 

I first performed in a promotional trailer, and after that, there wasn’t any news about recording lines for the actual title, so I thought, “So I didn’t get picked, huh?” I became quite anxious (laugh). Finally, I got to do the recording, and for the longest time it was just me alone… As you all well know, Terra goes on a journey to find Ven, but I couldn’t really meet Uchiyama-kun (voice of Ven) myself. The opportunity didn’t present itself, I suppose. When the time finally came, I thought, “Oh! So he’s Ven.” I put myself in Terra’s state of my mind and glanced at Uchiyama-kun (laugh).

 

For me, the most memorable line was saying to Mr. Chikao Ootsuka, “What did you do to his heart!?” That line was used in the trailer, right? That was a foreshadowing of what would happen in the game.

 

While recording, I thought about whether the story of these three people’s journey would continue after [birth by Sleep]. When I was recording, I pictured the three of us being friends in the past, and at the time, I was able to fall into an illusion where I felt I was in a never-ending story.

 

To all of you KH fans, I think you’re waiting for Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue that will be released next year. I hear that the Birth by Sleep team will be able to talk a little about what happens from [birth by Sleep] and on, so I’d like you to be excited. “Terra, what happened to him?” “We want Aqua to break out of that place.” “I wonder what happened to Ven… I wonder where Uchiyama-kun went?” (laugh). Along those lines, right? Please look forward to the next title.

 

Kouki Uchiyama (Ventus & Roxas)

 

About Roxas, should I say [he’s] life-sized…. this character called Roxas cannot feel that the world he lives in is real, and he doubts whether this is the real world. At that time when I was a middle school student, somehow I also thought the same. It hit home for me, or, it was a very real feeling for me. I injected the thoughts I had at that time into my lines, and in that way, I remember [the recording] being rather easy.

 

For Ven, I brought out cheerfulness and the strength to invigorate others. I don’t have those traits. Normally, I’m more quiet. It felt like I was adding things on top of what I didn’t have.

 

I don’t usually get involved with a single work from a series that is this long. I was young back then, so when I would get involved with a project and thought, “Okay, I’ll do it,” it wasn’t really work, but…. it’s kind of hard to say, but I remember, when I went to the studio, I thought of it as going in to play around, and then I said my lines. During KHII, I recorded lines together with Roxas’s friends, Hayner, Pence, and Olette (their voice actors). It felt like going to school, and I felt excited going into the studio. Time’s passed since then, and once again I’m in the same series, but as a different character in a different title. I’ve played various roles, and made so many memories...call it a life in 1 work or something. The series will probably continue on, I think, and I’m excited how I’ll be able to stay involved. I don’t want [my part] to end just yet.

 

The series will probably go on, huh. No one’s told me anything, so I’m looking forward to the future as all of you are. I ask for your continued support in the KH series.

 

“Making of Kingdom Hearts III” also shown

 

Following on the heels of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue were the latest developments on Kingdom Hearts III. This segment also began with video messages from voice actors.

 

Miyu Irino (Sora)

 

In these last dozen years or so, there have been parts where Sora and I have grown together, and parts where Sora and I have grown in different places. I wonder if these parts that have changed, together with the parts that haven’t, are how Sora has changed in the span of 15 years.

 

I’ve worked on the Kingdom Hearts series together with Mamoru Miyano, who plays Riku, and Risa Uchida, who plays Kairi, since we were all teens, and I can feel our incredibly strong bond, as if they’re really my childhood friends.

 

Before I was involved with Kingdom Hearts, I had a general sense of Disney’s Donald and Goofy, but now, when I see them at Disneyland or in movies, I feel something different in these characters. Like, they’re my friends. I feel really proud.

 

I really like the story of Roxas’s existence, and the scene in the second half of II where he and Sora melt together has left a great impression on me. I feel a closeness to him as well.

 

One memorable thing was singing “Under the Sea” in the Little Mermaid world. I was really happy that I didn’t sing it as karaoke, but rather, as my own song.

The memories of doing recording as a middle school student are linked with the memories of my middle school days, and I feel that [Kingdom Hearts] is a special work. Also, when I go abroad, people know me as doing voice acting for Kingdom Hearts, and I can sense the globalness even more.

There are more works coming for Kingdom Hearts, and there are plenty of works already available to look back on. I hope you’ll enjoy those until the sequel is here.

 

Risa Uchida (Kairi)

 

In the world of Kingdom Hearts, Kairi is light. I’ve performed my role with this in mind, but how to capture this light is different between now and before. To continue to stay in the light, one must be incredibly strong; I had felt that when I became an adult. Kairi, who has been able to stay in the light, is a wonderful child, and there are so many things I can learn from her.

 

Xion didn’t have a sense of self at the beginning, and gradually she was able to think for herself… representing this course of change was especially difficult. The anxiety of, “I’m just a nobody, aren’t I? I’m just a tool,” is something that I think everyone feels at one point, so I don’t think Xion is unusual in this regard. I thought it’d be great if I could embrace loneliness, anxiety and perform my role…. in the end, I felt quite sad, after all.

 

Sora is a beloved person who goes beyond romantic love and friendship. To Sora, Kairi is [his] light, but I think to Kairi, Sora is also her light. Kairi views Riku differently from Sora; I think she sees [Riku] as more of a big brother. In II, when Kairi grows into a person who can wield her Keyblade and fight, I can’t help but think that it must be because she’s watched Riku from behind. They cherish one another, and the three who are growing together are extremely special and amazing. I admire them very much.

 

When I accepted the audition, I had done a lot of stage work and thought that voice acting wasn’t my skill, so I wasn’t sure if I should challenge myself and try out. I had all this anxiety, but I received the script and fell in love with the world of Kingdom Hearts. I really wanted to enter into this world no matter what, and my passion grew. I thought, “Being able to be a part of this world is a once-in-a-lifetime and thrilling chance.” I want to keep growing more and more together with Kairi, so I want to thank you for your continued support.

 

Mamoru Miyano (Riku)

 

The Riku in Kingdom Hearts up until now has had to fight a long battle against the darkness within him. He’s atoned for it, and he’s mustered up the courage to fight against it. Growing into light’s existence has been his salvation, I think. The reality of overcoming this experience and fighting with his Keyblade in hand has been a big change, so I wanted to perform my role with all of that in mind.

 

There aren’t many jobs that I can participate in that have spanned as long as Kingdom Hearts has. [Kingdom Hearts] is a work that’s been with me every step in my entire acting life, so Riku’s existence is special. He’s growing, and I think I’ve also been growing a little bit, too. There’s a lot of deep emotion in [Riku’s] transformation.

 

To Riku, Sora is forever radiant, and his admiration for Sora has never changed. It’s been said that, because of Kairi, Riku was able to connect with Sora, so [sora] is a special existence, isn’t he?

 

The time that I received the Kingdom Hearts role was around the same time that I began my voice acting career. I was young, but being able to act alongside my senior, Miyu Irino-kun, inside the studio was fun. I learned a lot, and that time was invaluable. This is my own whimsical thought, but I think Irino-kun and I are connected by a strong bond, like Sora and Riku are.

 

I want to cherish the Kingdom Hearts series together with all of you, and I ask for your continued support from here on out.

 

For the latest Kingdom Hearts III footage, an event-exclusive movie was revealed, featuring the full version of the conversation between two people playing what looks like a chess match (the one that begins with “Have you heard of the Ancient Keyblade War?”). Both seem to know something, but they do not utter it. They are friends, but they also appear to be rivals… their relationship is quite palpable.

 

In the action footage, new Heartless, a Nobody wielding a sickle, and a scene where [sora] unleashes a Birth By Sleep shotlock-like attack from an attraction flow (a special technique that can be triggered under certain conditions), among other things, were present. New battle scenes were packed with action.

 

Tetsuya Nomura once again took to the stage and presented another event-exclusive PV, a rare movie of the making of Kingdom Hearts. “During development, we proceed by working on each world, and we’re moving into worlds that we cannot, at this moment, show you. I can’t present any new worlds today, so in place of that, I’ve brought some in-production footage that we normally do not make public” (Nomura).

 

90% of Kingdom Hearts development is done at the Osaka Studio, and 10% done in Tokyo. The contents revealed in today’s footage are from the Tokyo Studio. In this PV, we saw once again the figure of the Nobody wielding the sickle from the latest trailer. “This is the Nobody that was also in the new KHIII trailer. As to what this Nobody is, I’m sure there are fans who are aware” (Nomura). Is this connected to Marluxia!?

 

Other things were also introduced in this PV, such as a new location in Olympus, the heaven map; and development footage of Aqua being controlled on KH 0.2 BbS’s map. Effects have been made more splendid and lighting processing has been increased, making the appearance even richer.

 

“Kingdom Hearts III will have attraction flows and weapon transformations, and party member coordination is being strengthened, so I hope you’ll look forward to these” (Nomura).

 

King Mickey appears!

 

Just as we were taking in all of these updates, there was another special movie! This footage featured King Mickey and his activities from titles to date. Once the movie had ended, the King himself appeared on stage! The audience cheered as King Mickey came to the scene! King Mickey, along with Tetsuya Nomura and Yoko Shimomura, left their seats and began to interact with fans. There were curtains and all, and the auditorium turned into an uproar.

 

There was much excitement accompanying King Mickey as he made his departure. Hashimoto made his appearance once again and said to the audience, “It is thanks to you, the fans, that [Kingdom Hearts] has been able to continue for 13 years after its release. We’ll be doing our best from here on out, so we appreciate your continued support.” The event concluded with thunderous applause from the fans.

What did you think about what the voice actors had to say? Let us know in the comments!