Ah Nomura, even after ten years you can still make my heart flutter when you remind us just how far the series has come and where it’s destined to go. He does just that in the following interview that was published in this month’s issue of Famitsu and translated by goldpanner. We already knew that Kingdom Hearts -HD 1.5 ReMIX was meant to give loyal fans a chance to relive all the essential moments from the series in stunning high definition whilst simultaneously giving a new generation a chance to experience the magic for the first time, that much was a given. But according to Nomura himself it’s also the perfect opportunity to connect certain details and plot points that may not have been immediately apparent beforehand:

I think even those who have already played through the series may make new discoveries regarding foreshadowing of sequels and lines that reference previous lines and such by taking another look at everything aligned in chronological order. I would be happy if this title turns out to be a ‘restart’ for the series.

Enjoy the rest of the interview below!

WE ASK DIRECTOR MR. TETSUYA NOMURA ABOUT KH -HD 1.5 ReMIX-

This year marks 10 years since the first Kingdom Hearts title was born, and now with the time ripe it is being remastered in HD. Let’s peruse the content from these screencaps and an interview with director Mr. Tetsuya Nomura!
―Please tell us the details of how the release of KH -HD 1.5 ReMIX- came to be.

Mr. Tetsuya Nomura (hereon Nomura): All the titles in the series so far are a collection, first establishing the internal set-up, called the ‘Seeker of Darkness Chronicles’ (※), and I wanted to bring together the whole story arriving at KH2 before we turn to its conclusion.

―There’s strong meaning behind going over it again, isn’t there. Will there be changes or additions to the content of the games?

Nomura: The two titles that are included as games will have trophy support. We intend to include an extensive range of trophies, from the more orthodox to ones that won’t go down easily. Also, the controls in KH1 have been modified to be a little closer to the ones in KH2. We’ve also replaced some of the models of the main characters with the most recent ones.

―Why are you remaking KH 358/2 Days as a video volume rather than a game?

Nomura: Actually, I had also been thinking about doing a full remake like KH Re:Chain of Memories (hereon KH Re:CoM). However, if we had started that it would have considerably delayed starting work on the new title, so it ended up being included in the form of something like the ‘theatre mode’ that we already have in the series. We are changing 70% of the main story into cutscenes, with freshly-recorded voicing too, and we are currently working on around 100 scenes. If you watch from start to finish, you will know and understand the story of KH 358/2 Days. Though it’s in a different form than the game I think people will enjoy it.

―Can you please tell us a little more about the series-first KH game for PC browser?

Nomura: This is not a title with an emphasis on story, but we are working premises in. That said, for the first time in the series you can enjoy the content completely separately from the main series, so even beginners to the series might be able to be at ease playing it. The battling is different again from KH Re:CoM, and we are aiming for something with simple controls and flashy movements. I think customising is important to this type of game, so we are filling it with new elements in that area.

―By the way, what of a HD version of KH2 and up?

Nomura: It would be unnatural not to (laughs).

―Here’s hoping! And now, lastly, a message for the gamers please.

Nomura: Because the series so far has been scattered over different consoles, I think there have been people who found it difficult to access, with sequels such as KH2 that might already have come out by the time they came to know about the series. With KH -HD 1.5 ReMIX- you can enjoy the story from the beginning, and in HD quality on top of that, so if you haven’t played yet please by all means use this opportunity to do so. I think even those who have already played through the series may make new discoveries regarding foreshadowing of sequels and lines that reference previous lines and such by taking another look at everything aligned in chronological order. I would be happy if this title turns out to be a ‘restart’ for the series.

※Seeker of Darkness Chronicles… mentioned as the phrase ‘Xehanort Chronicles’ in a previous interview with Weekly Famitsu, this refers to Xehanort the Seeker of Darkness being the pivot of the whole series. ‘Seeker of Darkness Chronicles’ is the formal name first used in the project proposal.

My oh my, getting more excited for that panoramic view of the series yet you guys? You know you are, say it loud and proud below in the comments section if you wish!

Source: Famitsu goldpanner

After that ten second teaser you’re left with wanting more, right? Well we’ve got the solution to your craving! The full trailer for Kingdom Hearts 1.5 HD Remix (geez, that’s a mouthful) has finally been released. Watch it now right here:

Can I just quickly add that Donald sounds hilarious when speaking Japanese? The trailer really brings us all into a new stage of anticipation; I can feel my wallet trembling as I type. 358/2 Days also looks quite nice in its new non-DS graphics – note that we will only be receiving the cutscenes in this package, not the entire game.

So, like/dislike? Wanting more? Discuss in the comment section below. We want to know what you think!

So we have a trailer for you! Though… it’s not official, it’s leaked. And it’s not a usual two to three minute video, but rather 9 seconds… and it is off-cam.

But at least it is footage, right?

We’ll keep you updated on its eventual full trailer. Meanwhile, check back on this website for more news.

Hey you guys, Roxy here (totally still alive!) As of 9:42 AM PST, it was revealed that character designs for an upcoming Kingdom Hearts game meant for the PC would be done by Monster Octopus. If you want an idea of just how such a thing would even look think back to Theatrhythm and the KH Mobile games and you’ll have just a bit of an idea. In terms of action the game appears to be simple in its design and overall execution: a character can be seen leaping, moving about and striking those familiar little treasure chests we all love with a keyblade. This character can also be seen attacking in a manner fans may be slightly familiar with and according to Zephyr of Kingdom Hearts Insider things are only going to get more interesting both for the PC game and the upcoming HD release:

Should we expect that fans are brought into the Keyblade War!? In this work, all players, can become owners of the Keyblade. Earlier in “BEFORE CRISIS: FINAL FANTASY VII”, Square Enix provided us with a game where everyone can become Turks; I didn’t expect this.

By the way, it seems to be firmly confirmed that Disney characters will appear. A video showed “Alice in Wonderland” had appeared on the screen. What other Disney characters will appear? To be honest, I was really anxious. The character designer is Monster Octopus, who made the familiar avatars from “KINGDOM HEARTS Mobile” and “THEATRHYTHM: FINAL FANTASY”.

Furthermore there is one more new work, for the Playstation 3, “KINGDOM HEARTS -HD I.5 ReMIX-”. There will be HD versions of “KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX” and “KINGDOM HEARTS Re:Chain of Memories”, and there will be HD versions of cuscenes summarizing “KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days” to enjoy.

Also in the HD version of “KINGDOM HEARTS FINAL MIX”, it will include Japanese voice acting. Please enjoy the additional cutscene of Cloud and Sephiroth that will also have Japanese voice acting. The KINGDOM HEARTS series is strong because of its story, that many people felt in the middle of the series. The release date will be in the year 2013. The title in the series means that you will be able to enjoy the storyline along the timeline, please look forward to it by all means.

I can’t lie to you all, throw in some disney characters and add a bit of Square and I still feel that nostalgic twinge of excitement that first coursed through my body ten years ago. I would be thrilled if they decided to add characters we weren’t expecting, like Kida and Milo from Atlantis, or perhaps Oliver and Dodger from Oliver and Company–the possibilities are limitless really! What Disney characters would you like to see? What do you think of the designs that will be used? I for one am still trying to get used to the idea of a Kingdom Hearts game for the PC, I mean really is there a medium they HAVEN’T used yet at this point? But I want to hear your opinions guys, so blow that comment section up and tell us all your thoughts!

Source: 4gamer.com (www.4gamer.net/games/092/G009287/20120921013/) and KH-Insider.com

The annual Tokyo Game Show has commenced and with that said here comes the Kingdom Hearts merchandise! Exciting, right? Figurines, keychains, plushies, all these little cute items to add to your Kingdom Hearts collections. Curious as to what all of this looks like? Look no further! Here are exclusive photos from the Sukueni merchandise booth of Tokyo Game Show 2012. Kingdom Hearts II Formation Arts vol. 3 revealed to be Sora at Destiny Islands, Sora and Ariel in Atlantica, Sora in Timeless River, Sora in Halloween Town, and Sora in Space Paranoids on the Light Cycle with Riku. The figurines seem to be Sora and Riku a la KH3D which is nice… although I will admit I still hate that they chopped off Riku’s long locks! Some of the figurines are gray which leads me to assume that they’re just previews of what is to come (obviously, Bunny).

Here are the pics!

And here is a look at the Kingdom Hearts 10th Anniversary OST titled “Melodies & Memories”:

Photo credit goes to M_Alloc’s blog which can be found here marshallalloc.blog90.fc2.com/blog-entry-887.html More pictures can be found there, as well!

So KH fans, which would you get? I personally love the Atlantica figurine with the little glass-like (shh, I know it’s plastic) bubbles and undersea musical theme… although I will admit that part in the game pissed me off numerous times.