Japanese merchandise retailer Aitai Kuji has announced that the recently revealed Kingdom Hearts postcards drawn by Tetsuya Nomura are available for pre-order via their digital storefront. Further, the postcards are divided into 3 sets, each containing 7, which cost ¥3,500 and ship in August 2022.
The Aitai Kuji store pages for these postcard sets are listed below. We will update this article with additional store pages once they are available:
Postcard Set A
Postcard Set B
Postcard Set C
UPDATE (4/27/2022)
The Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary postcard sets are now available for pre-order via Square Enix Japan's digital storefront (¥1,650 each) and they will all ship on June 24th, 2022.
Store links for the products via the aforementioned digital storefront are listed below:
Postcard Set A
Postcard Set B
Postcard Set C
UPDATE (4/28/2022)
The items are now available for pre-order via AmiAmi. They each cost ¥1,320 and ship in June 2022.
Postcard Set A
Postcard Set B
Postcard Set C
UPDATE (5/3/2022)
The postcards are now available to pre-order via Square Enix North America. Each set costs $19.99 and they ship in October 2022.
Postcard Set A
Postcard Set B
Postcard Set C
Do you see yourself purchasing any or all of these magnificent postcard sets? Let us know in the comments below!
Japanese merchandise retailer Amnibus has announced that they are selling Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary hoodies containing iconic imagery from the series. The hoodie has men's and women's variants, with both types costing ¥ 6,578 (tax included) and shipping from the end of August 2022. Prospective purchasers can also choose from various sizes.
You can view the officially provided images of the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Amnibus hoodie via our gallery below. In addition, store page hyperlinks are also listed below:
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Amnibus Hoodie - Men
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Amnibus Hoodie - Women
If you're curious about other Kingdom Hearts 20th Annviersary merchandise, check out our Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary event recap article listing each newly announced product!
UPDATE: 4/30/2022
Aitai Kuji now has both items available for pre-order, viewable below:
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Amnibus Hoodie - Men - ¥6,500 - August 2022 shipment window
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Amnibus Hoodie - Women - ¥6,500 - August 2022 shipment window
Do you see yourself purchasing this stylish hoodie? Let us know in the comments below!
Kingdom Hearts V-Cast is a game that only a few members of the community are aware of. It's a humorously obscure title that was released for the V-Cast in Japan on October 1st, 2004, and in the United States on February 4th, 2005, via a service hosted by Verizon Wireless. Before sharing this newly revealed footage, let's give some context for what this game even is.
In this title, Sora, Donald, and Goofy find themselves dozing off while the Gummi Ship is on autopilot. However, while this collective nap occurs, a bizarre creature enters Sora's dreams. Afterward, Sora seemingly wakes and finds himself alone on an unfamiliar land known as Swashbuckler's Island. Obviously intending on reuniting with his friends, Sora builds a raft and goes on his way.
Maleficent is the primary antagonist of this title, and there are Disney worlds, namely Wonderland and Agrabah. Still, Kingdom Hearts V-Cast is considered entirely non-canon, and no direct mention of it has been made by Nomura or staff in the years since its inception.
Only some of this game has been archived with footage online alongside screenshots. In fact, our gallery even houses some.
Recently though, a Youtuber named Negative Space uploaded a video on Youtube showcasing the final stage of Kingdom Hearts V-Cast. It's quite a spectacle to behold, and you can view it below:
In addition, the following galleries hold a few images of this long-lost game:
What are your thoughts on this genuinely unexpected discovery and development? Let us know in the comments below!
Gangan Online have posted Chapter 24 for the Kingdom Hearts III manga. You can check out the previews for the chapter in our gallery below. You can read the full chapter on their site by clicking here or on their online app.
UPDATE (June 1, 2022): Chapter 24-2 is now available on Gangan Online. This is the final part of Toy Box. You can check out the chapter of their site here. You can also check out the preview shots in our gallery!
Chapter 25 will be available on July 7th.
You can also check out the articles for the previous chapters by clicking on the links below!
Chapter 0 Prologue Japanese English
Chapter 1 A New Journey Japanese English
Chapter 2 Olympus Coliseum[1] Japanese English
Chapter 3 Olympus Coliseum[2] Japanese English
Chapter 4 Olympus Coliseum[3] Japanese English
Chapter 5 Olympus Coliseum[4] Japanese English
Chapter 6 Olympus Coliseum[5] Japanese English
Chapter 7 Olympus Coliseum[6] Japanese English
Chapter 8 Olympus Coliseum[7] Japanese English
Chapter 9 World of Darkness Japanese English
Chapter 10 Connected Japanese English
Chapter 11 The Self inside the Mirror Japanese English
Chapter 12 Reunion Japanese English
Chapter 13 Warmth Japanese English
Chapter 14 Destiny Island Japanese English
Chapter 15 Remaining Light Japanese English
Chapter 16 Tracking the Bond Japanese English
Chapter 17 Following the Heart's Guidance Japanese English
Chapter 18 Twilight Town [1] Japanese English
Chapter 19 Twilight Town [2] Japanese English
Chapter 20 Toy Box [1] Japanese English
Chapter 21 Toy Box [2] Japanese English
Chapter 22 Toy Box [3] Japanese English
Chapter 23 Toy Box [4] Japanese English
In addition, Volume 2 of the manga is now available for Japan. The English version is schedule to release on May 3rd.
The official Twitter account for the Square Enix cafe has unveiled new Kingdom Hearts postcards drawn by Tetsuya Nomura! Several of these illustrations are iconic to the series, with some more obscure pieces being present. Further, there are 7 postcards across 3 sets, totalling 21!
If these items become available to purchase via digital storefronts, we will update this article to include those pages.
You can view the newly revealed Kingdom Hearts postcards via our gallery below:
During Coachella 2022, a widely known music and arts festival, Utada Hikaru sang "Simple and Clean" and "Face My Fears" from the Kingdom Hearts series! The former is the full version of the track which players will identify from the first game's ending, while the latter is Kingdom Hearts III's opening theme!
Hikaru also sang "First Love" and "Automatic!"
You can view the live stream where Hikaru's performances occured below. This is a live stream, so a timestamp can not be linked. However, if a VOD is saved, we'll update this posted link with a timestamp of when Hikaru's performances begin.
During the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary trailer for the reveal of Kingdom Hearts IV, there are five shots of a forest reminiscent of California's Redwood National Park. What looks to be just a regular forest at first shows a small glimpse of what seems to be the foot of a vehicle from Star Wars.
Seven years ago, Gamesbeat interviewed Tetsuya Nomura about the possibility of a Star Wars world in Kingdom Hearts III, and after some time, Nomura was allowed to discuss the topic. Nomura went on to say that both companies (Disney Interactive and Square Enix) would have to contact both Disney and Lucasfilm to request permission to use any of the characters and locations. While it seemed impossible at the time, it appears that a deal might have indeed been agreed upon with this small tease.
The second shot of the forest clips shows a small set of three waterfalls. While these waterfalls were not featured in Star Wars Episode VI - Return of the Jedi, they are featured in the video games Star Wars Battlefront (2015) and Star Wars Battlefront II (2017)
Below are some comparison shots of the recent Kingdom Hearts IV reveal trailer and Star Wars Battlefront (2015):
While not precisely the same, they are similar enough. At this point, you're probably thinking, "Well, two separate properties ARE allowed to use the Redwood National Park's likeness, you know." And while you may be right, this following point is where things get interesting.
The third shot of the forest's clips pans up to reveal a metallic-looking object in the top right corner. Now, this blew past many heads because it blends in perfectly with the ground around it, but it's just clear enough to identify!
For those who aren't familiar with Star Wars technology, this foot belongs to the Galactic Empire's All Terrain Scout Transport, or AT-ST for short. It's a two-man, lightweight, bipedal walker used by ground forces within their military. At first, this just sounds ridiculous until you put both of them side by side.
Below are comparisons of the metallic object in the trailer and the foot of an Imperial AT-ST from an official plastic model based on the vehicle.
Right away, you can tell they're the exact same. The backplate that allows the foot to bend, the half circles on either side, and the pieces that come out on either side of the foot are just about identical.
While Square Enix hasn't officially confirmed Star Wars is in Kingdom Hearts IV, by the small tease of this foot, we can tell that Tetsuya Nomura has likely gotten permission from Disney and Lucasfilm to use their property.
Do you believe these assumptions to be true, or is it just a mountain over a molehill? Let us know in the comments!
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!
Famitsu recently published an early look at an interview they conducted with Tetsuya Nomura regarding Kingdom Hearts IV and Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link. Prominent community translator, Audrey, translated significant information from this interview pertaining to Kingdom Hearts IV, so immense credit to her.
We will be updating this article when the information surrounding Missing - Link is translated, and when the full interview releases on April 28th, 2022. For now, the summations of Audrey's work are listed below:
Quadratum is entirely unrelated to the Shibuya found in The World Ends with You. There are no connections to speak of. Further, this is a new world unrelated to any we've seen before.
Sora's apartment is located in Aoyama, Tokyo, and it will act as the base/hub for the game's early stages.
The Reaction Command mechanic from Kingdom Hearts II will be returning.
The fourth option of the command menu says "Build," relating to the concept of the "Scrap and Rebuild system" that will be discussed more at a later date. Translator Xenosaga states this to be the concept of destruction and reconstruction.
One of the central story ideas will be exploring how Sora's home realm is fictitious to Quadratum natives and vice versa.
The message Nomura left at the Anniversary Event venue containing the "x" symbol has not been fully deciphered yet.
Our team's Ryuji has translated the currently available Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link segment of the Famitsu interview, viewable below:
UPDATE: The anniversary message riddle has been solved by user @kh_skrvat and several other Japanese fans.
Our translator, Ryuji, provided the following image for visualization.
This means that the narrator for the Kingdom Hearts IV and Kingdom Hearts Missing - Link trailers is Sigurd, a character introduced in the epilogue of Kingdom Hearts Union χ.
The explanation for how this was solved is below, via our team's Ryuji.
Gilbert Gottfried, the English voice actor for Iago in the Kingdom Hearts series, has passed away on April 12th, 2022 in Manhatten due to complications with Type 2 myotonic dystrophy. He was 67 years old when he passed.
Gilbert Jeremy Gottfried was born on February 28th, 1955 in Brooklyn, New York. He started his acting career in the early 1980's when he appeared in the 6th season of Saturday Night Live. In 1992, he took the role of Jafar's bird servant Iago in Aladdin, and continued to voice him in sequels, media, and video games until his passing. Gottfried voiced Iago in both Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II and had archived lines for Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories as well as Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD ReMIX and Kingdom Hearts 2.5 HD ReMIX.
Surviving are his wife Dara and 2 children, Max and Lily. He was preceded to death by his parents and a sister Arlene.
Rest in Peace, Mr. Gottfried. Thank you for all the laughs (and saving Al in Kingdom Hearts II) and May your Heart Be your Guiding Key.
Square Enix has announced that Kingdom Hearts Art Can Badges depicting Sora, Riku, Roxas, Axel, and Aqua are available to pre-order from their digital Japan storefront. Each product is ¥990 and they ship on April 28th, 2022.
You can view official images of each Art Can Badge via our galleries below alongside respective store links:
Sora
Riku
Roxas
Axel
Aqua
Square Enix has announced that previous Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary cafe exclusive merchandise, a postcard set, is now available to pre-order via their digital Japan storefront for ¥1,650 ahead of a provided April 28th, 2022 release date. Additionally, an Aitai Kuji store link is available at this article's conclusion.
You can view official images of the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary postcard set via our gallery below:
Square Enix has announced that previous Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary cafe exclusive merchandise, a Pin Badge Set depicting Sora and Kairi atop their thrones, is available for pre-order via the Square Enix North American ($17.99) and Japan (¥1,650) stores. The product is releasing for the former storefront in November 2022, while the latter is shipping it on April 28th, 2022.
You can view the Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Pin Badge Set via our gallery below:
Square Enix has announced that previous Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary cafe exclusive merchandise, a metal keychain and pin badge are available for pre-order via their digital North American storefront. The keychain and metal pin badge are currently sold out on the Square Enix Japan store.
You can view both of these products via our galleries below alongside their respective North American store links.
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Metal Keychain - $26.99 - November 2022 release window
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Metal Pin Badge - $12.99 - November 2022 release window
Aitai Kuji (Only the Metal Pin Badge is available):
Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Metal Pin Badge - ¥1,600 - April/May 2022 release window
Square Enix has announced that previous Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary cafe exclusive merchandise, a die-cut memo pad set, is now available to pre-order via the Square Enix Japan store.
Costing ¥2,640 and releasing on April 28th, 2022, these items are essentially note pads that purchasers can place atop various surfaces, like fridges.
You can view official images of this product via our gallery below:
Eventually, someone will be able to make a Kingdom Hearts-themed household with all of this merchandise...
.jpg.e76bc8a2c4675b3b0eed0e2333692a1b.jpg)
.jpg.813c2d1229fd7789dcbfcbd08b23d043.jpg)
.jpg.958cba12acc0e4bbb511898f11249470.jpg)
.jpg.bf0846aa7d952f80e654b30d60bb5829.jpg)
