~reviewing KH interviews~ Nomura's interviews from 2004 since now

[Obscured fire]

As i said,i'd post a thread or at least a post on my review thread about Nomura's interview.
Decided to make a thread instead.Here you are.

2004

Tetsuya NomuraKH2/KH:CoM - Famitsu #1

Nomura Check
Will FF charaters be appearing in this game as well?[/B]
Nomura: They will. But, the FF characters in Kingdom Hearts are guests. That won't change. Even if they do appear it'll be about the same number as the first game. And not just new characters, some characters who appears in the first game are going to be in there too.

The reason Sora's clothes changed
Nomura: Why Sora changed into these clothes is something that will be revealed in the story. Actually, there's a secret about the battles hidden in his new outfit. That's all I can say now (laughs). Please wait for the next article.

In the first game 'Kingdom Hearts' there were more than 80 Disney characters!! Certainly, this was the first time so many Disney characters have appeared in a single game. What we're interested in is how many Disney characters will be appearing in KHII. But, it's a shame that it's still a secret. We want to know soon!

A new main character!? What's his true identity?
The main character of this game Sora, carrying on from the first game, but there's another character we're interest in...... Yes, the boy who knows about Keyblade wielding Sora. Who on earth is he? It seems like he's preventing the hooded man from meeting Sora, but...... It seems there's no mistake that he's an important character in this game. And, another interesting point. That's the battle system! According to Nomura, the pace (base?) will be the action of the first game's command selection style. And, the summon magic system has been updated too. [Note: I can't think how to put this into English well. They plan to improve that this time, and make it so you can use summon magic with a better tempo.]

2 Keyblades
A character using two Keyblades at the same time. In the original game's secret movie there was also a fighter with two weapons! Perhaps...?

Secrets of the Keyblades
Nomura: The Keyblades the boy who knows Sora is holding are the Oathkeeper and Oblivion from the first game. [Note: This part isn't clear enough for me to see properly.]

The precious "Oathkeeper", which Sora received from Kairi
The jet-black Keyblade, symbolic of Riku
(Subtitle at the bottom, next to Sora in the coliseum with Oblivion.)
The Oblivion, at first, was called Riku's Keyblade. The boy who has the Keyblades from Riku (darkness) and Kairi (light)...... Who is he!?

[The bottom right corner.]

The connection between the red haired hooded man and the boy who knows Sora.
If you look at this line ("Are you insane?!"), perhaps the red haired hooded man and the boy who knows Sora know each other. Or, maybe they were friends like Sora and Riku......
[Note: I just notice I missed the last Nomura Check (4th page, next to the picture of blonde haired boy and red haired Unknown) about how the battle system has changed, but I can't make it out well on that scan]

The story for "Chain of Memories" is different from the main game, will it be like a side story?
Nomura: No, it's a part of the KH series time line. KHII is 1 year after the first game, so in "Chain of Memories" will be the story that delves deep into that 1 year void. If I were to tell the truth, we'd planned not to make anything about it in KHII. There's also story connections, the opening of KHII will overlap with the ending of Chain of Memories. I intend to solve all the mysteries left from the first game in Chain of Memories and KHII.

The Evolution from 'I' to 'II'
Starting with Kazushige Nojima, are the development staff for "KHII" all the members from the first game?
Nomura: Some people are missing and transfered to other teams, but we've gathered as many of the original staff as possible. I'm writing the plot, the main story of Sora and co. Other people are in charge of the plots for the events that will happen in each Disney world. Combining that with Nojima, we're completing one scenario.

How is the story going to advance?
Nomura: Twilight Town will be the starting place. The opening stages will have a tutorial as well, it won't be a long stay. It's a town big enough for a train to run. This time the story will be very complex. I'm concerned about the timing characters will appear, what will happen this time, what will happen then, the arrangements and everything.

Sora's costume in KHII is every adultish, changed to an cooler tone. Is there any meaning in that?
Nomura: If you compare it to Sora from before you'll understand, he's also grown up. The episode (part of a story) about why he changed into those clothes will be told too. There's a certain ability hidden in these clothes themselves.

Has there been any big changes added to the battle system in KHII?
Nomura: The base is a command selection action like the first game. We've added some improvements to the command selection parts to be able to deal with the real time, and we've also improved the responces. With the overseas edition and such, the staff have also grown and gained some know-how. This time we've expanded the strategy, and added more things you can do, so each person can enjoy their own method of strategy.

Have the voice actors been decided, or is it tentative?
Nomura: In regards to the voices, nothing has changed yet since even the scenario isn't complete yet. [I couldn't really put this into English. It talks about Sora's voice in the first being a 14 year old's, and at the time of recording his voice changed. If it gets to the point where they can't record they'll think about it.]

In the first game characters like FFVIII's main character Squall appeared, but will characters from the FF series be appearing in KHII as well?
Nomura: They will, the number will be about the same as the first game. Like with the first game, the FF characters are guests in KH, that won't change. Some new characters will be in there as well, and there will be some characters who appeared in the first game but won't in KHII.

When do you estimate the release date will be?
Nomura: At the moment we have some big titles waiting, so after those have been released we're going to consider it. The release it was announced at the Tokyo Game Show at the end of September is due to rumors preceding and incorret information appeared. We prepared it in a hurry.

The theme of the first game was connections of the heart, but what will the theme of KHII be?
Nomura: KH is different from Final Fantasy in that the same character is always the main character. As the title says, "connections of hearts" will be the theme. Since at the end of the first game there were a lot of promises made, the keyword this time it's "promises."



KH2/KH:CoM - Dengeki #1
Dengeki PlayStation magazine: When did the plans for Kingdom Hearts II come up?

Tetsuya Nomura: The plans were around since the time when Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix, wrapped production, but the specifics weren't decided until this July or August.

DPM: Why did you decide to produce a Game Boy version of Kingdom Hearts?

TN: I heard a story that kids wanted to play Kingdom Hearts on the GBA. It also seemed that there was a similar demand overseas, so I thought that it had to be created. The plans for the GBA game were thought over while talking with Disney about Kingdom Hearts II. Actually, the vision of the game didn't become concrete until very recently.

DPM: None of the worlds of Disney in Kingdom Hearts II have been revealed. Will it be possible to go through different worlds in Kingdom Hearts II as well?

TN: Of course. The number of worlds in Kingdom Hearts II shouldn't be less than Kingdom Hearts, so please look forward to it. Kingdom Hearts II will have new worlds, and some worlds from Kingdom Hearts will be in the game.

DPM: Will Twilight Town hold the same kind of standpoint in the game, like Traverse Town from Kingdom Hearts?

TN: I can't answer that question, but it is definitely a town that plays an important role and comes into the scenario.

DPM: The illustration (of Twilight Town) has a building that looks like a train station. Will it be possible to go to other worlds by riding on this train?

TN: I can't answer that question yet, but that building has an important meaning.

DPM: Is the island that has been revealed (through a recently released photo) Destiny Island from Kingdom Hearts?

TN: Probably. (Laughs) I can't reveal details yet, so users should try using their imagination.

DPM: Kingdom Hearts II's main illustration shows Mickey Mouse, but will he be appearing at the beginning of the game?

TN: Mickey Mouse will be handled in a special way in Kingdom Hearts II, so I can't answer details at the current time. Other characters from Disney will join in the player's party, similar to Kingdom Hearts.

DPM: Will Sora's friends, Riku and Kairi, appear in Kingdom Hearts II?

TN: A major point to Kingdom Hearts II is whether or not Sora will be able to see them again. So I can't answer that question.

DPM: It seems that there are characters that appear in both the GBA game and KHII?

TN: There are characters that make their first appearances in the GBA game, but please wait for additional news releases for information on them.

DPM: The enemy in Kingdom Hearts II is no longer just the Heartless this time? Also, there are men wearing black jackets, but are they the same people from Kingdom Hearts?

TN: The white enemies seen in Kingdom Hearts II are third forces following the Villains [in each world] and the Heartless from Kingdom Hearts. I can't say who's who amongst the people in the black jackets, but a character from Kingdom Hearts is among them for sure.

DPM: Are there any major changes in the battle system?

TN: The basis (of the battle system) is still the same, but there will be a number of totally new options. With the additional options implemented to the battle system, there should be a wider range of possible strategies in Kingdom Hearts II. There are also a number of changes and additions to the magic and summons in the game. The overall concept of summoning will be different in Kingdom Hearts II, so please look forward.

DPM: What about actions and the transportation system?

TN: There were a variety of actions in Kingdom Hearts, and there will be even more in KHII. As for the gummy ship, we are thinking of something similar to it.

DPM: What about puzzles?

TN: There will probably be lots of objects on the field that the player will be able to meddle with. The story will obviously be complex and have some puzzles in it too, since it continues from points alluded to in Kingdom Hearts.

DPM: Will there be a place like the Coliseum from Kingdom Hearts and other minigames in Kingdom Hearts II?

TN: The coliseum will be incredible. There will also be a lot of minigame factors that can be looked forward to.

DPM: Will all the mysteries from Kingdom Hearts get answered?

TN: All the mysteries from Kingdom Hearts will be answered in Kingdom Hearts II--by design. (Laughs)


KH2/KH:CoM - TechTv

TechTV: Were you surprised by the worldwide success of "Kingdom Hearts"?

Tetsuya Nomura: I knew I was going to make something that was going to be new and interesting and exciting, but to be honest I didn't think it was going to be as big as what it has become. I'm surprised by the acceptance of "Kingdom Hearts" in the North American market. Compared to Japan, it's actually been more well-received and a better seller in the States.

TechTV: How much freedom did you have when it came to the Disney characters and worlds?

Nomura: Overall the process was quite smooth. There weren't any big restrictions or a set of guidelines we were given. Disney has its worlds already created, and there's no reason for us to change that, so it wasn't to a point where they had to lead us and take our hands. It was more us trying to bring out the best of what is already made as far as Disney characters go. The only thing we were careful of doing was staying within the characters' established roles and what kind of dialog these characters should have. That's something we all tried to stay within certain boundaries on.

TechTV: What type of game is "Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories"? What will the gameplay be like?

Nomura: We're currently still in the early stages of development, so we can't reveal all the details, but overall it will play very much like the original "Kingdom Hearts." There is a new element, a deck of cards, that we have revealed already that will closely intertwine with the way you play the game, but outside of that it will feel like and play like what you're used to in the original.

TechTV: When does "Chain of Memories" take place?

Nomura: The story will start immediately after what you saw at the end of the original. Sora, Donald, and Goofy go out and continue their search for the king in a vast field, and that's where "Chain of Memories" will pick up.
Take note, "Kingdom Hearts" fans. Skip "Chain of Memories" and you'll be missing a big chunk of the story leading up to "Kingdom Hearts II." Speaking of which...

TechTV: Since "Kingdom Hearts" featured Disney worlds, will "Kingdom Hearts II" feature Disney worlds or "Final Fantasy" worlds or both?

Nomura: What I can say is that [of the] Disney worlds introduced in the original "Kingdom Hearts," a handful will be revisited in the sequel, and there will also be original worlds created for "Kingdom Hearts II," much like Hollow Bastion was in the original.

TechTV: How long after "Kingdom Hearts" does "Kingdom Hearts II" take place?

Nomura: The story of "Kingdom Hearts II" begins a year after the end of "Kingdom Hearts."

TechTV: What does the future hold for "Kingdom Hearts"? Would you like to see it become a long-running series like "Final Fantasy," or do you have a finite vision for the series?[B/]

Nomura: In the "Final Fantasy" series each installment has had a new set of characters and a new story, which keeps it going. But in "Kingdom Hearts" Sora is the main character. So obviously, with us only playing as one main character in this series, keeping that character alive and interesting will be a challenge. For every character there must be an end, although I don't know when or what the end of Sora's journey will be. In the future, sometime, there might be an end, but for now I will continue to explore Sora and his story.


We had to ask about the three young characters in the "Kingdom Hearts II" trailer. Unfortunately, Nomura-san didn't have much to say about them yet.

Nomura: They are friends.




KH2/KH:CoM - 1UP #1

1UP: You're working on so many games right now -- how do you have time to work on four, five projects?

Tetsuya Nomura: Well, I'm right at my limit -- I'm busy, tired, jet-lagged, and sore, but I'm going to be okay.

1UP: In what we've seen of Chain of Memories, you go back to a lot of the familiar Kingdom Hearts locations. Does the game also feature some new locations and levels?

Nomura: Well, first of all, yes, there will be new worlds in Chain of Memories. But you know that the main theme in Chain of Memories is Sora's memories, so you can easily imagine what kind of new Disney worlds we'll have in Chain of Memories, and what we won't have.

1UP: Is there a new technology that you're using for the cutscenes in Chain of Memories, something different in the cartridge?

Nomura: Yes -- we're using a new technology to integrate all these cinema sequences in the game. It's not a proprietary technology, we're collaborating with a Japanese company called AM3, they're providing us with that technology.

1UP: Is the card system something that you had in mind before you decided to make a GBA Kingdom Hearts game, or did that come about as a response to the GBA's interface?

Nomura: Yes, before it was time to create Kingdom Hearts for GBA, I had a lot of ideas about real card games in my mind. When we first came up with the idea of doing a sequel to Kingdom Hearts on GBA, we said, hey, why not use this card system? Kingdom Hearts 1, of course, uses a 3D environment, and has a lot of original gameplay features based on that 3D environment. We couldn't use that on GBA, so we needed to find an alternative to those features. We decided that for the 2D environment on GBA, a card system would be a pretty nice key element for the game system. Using these cards is like using the different realtime action commands in Kingdom Hearts -- we wanted the cards to replace those systems, and so far we think it's doing pretty well. Feedback from testers has said that even on GBA, they've had the same gameplay feeling as Kingdom Hearts.

1UP: We saw on the video, there's the character named Axel [editor's note: black cloak, spiky red hair] in Chain of Memories, and he also appears in the Kingdom Hearts 2 trailer. Are there some things in Chain of Memories that you'll need to see or learn about to understand Kingdom Hearts 2?

Nomura: First of all, you know that Chain of Memories is the direct sequel to Kingdom Hearts, and Kingdom Hearts 2 is the direct sequel to Chain of Memories. So there are very tight links between each one, but at the same time, we tried to separate the storylines so someone playing Kingdom Hearts 2 doesn't necessarily need to play Chain of Memories, and someone playing Chain of Memories doesn't have to play Kingdom Hearts as well. We first got started on the game design of Kingdom Hearts 2 before we got started on the Chain of Memories project -- we started throwing around ideas for Kingdom Hearts 2, and then we got the idea of doing a Kingdom Hearts on GBA. Kingdom Hearts 2 takes place about two years after Kingdom Hearts. When we decided to do the GBA game, we thought, well, why don't we fill in this missing link of two years in the GBA game? Yes, of course, if you play Kingdom Hearts, Chain of Memories, and then Kingdom Hearts 2, you'll have a much better conception of the entire Kingdom Hearts universe. But you can play each game without playing the others.

1UP: About the new characters in Kingdom Hearts 2, there are the three children we see sitting on top of the building in the preview. Are those all new characters?

Nomura: Yeah, there are a lot of new characters in Kingdom Hearts 2, and those three are among them.

1UP: Do you plan to reveal any of the new worlds, Disney theme worlds, in Kingdom Hearts 2 at the Tokyo Game Show or some time in the near future?

Nomura: Yeah, we're willing to show some of the new worlds, but we're not sure exactly when -- maybe at TGS, though.

1UP: At what part of 2005 do you hope to be able to bring the game out in the U.S.?

Nomura: We don't know much about the U.S. release, but we believe that as soon as Final Fantasy XII is released, we can start getting a better picture of that.

1UP: Auron is the first Square character, Final Fantasy character, that we've seen in Kingdom Hearts 2 -- why was he the first one you picked to add to the game and show?

Nomura: Actually, since Auron was one of the most popular characters with fans, we got a lot of requests from users asking us to put him in the first Kingdom Hearts. But, finally, we didn't put him in the storyline, because the choice of who we'd feature in Kingdom Hearts isn't only based on popularity. We have to see if that character matches well with the storyline, the Kingdom Hearts universe, and so on. This time, you saw that the Hercules world is back again, and we use the character of Hades. We thought that there could be a link between Hades and the underworld in the Olympus world, and in Final Fantasy X, Auron is also representative of the underworld. So we thought we could do something special with the relationship between those characters.

1UP: Personally, what do you think of the new PSP and DS hardware?

Nomura: Well, I tested some of the prototypes of both PSP and DS, as far as I know, I'm very interested in how to use those two. The two platforms are very different, I found that interesting. But since I already have five titles I'm involved in, I'm so busy, my bosses have said, "If you try and take on another project for another console, you'll die."



KH2/KH:CoM - GanGan

Five main characters will appear in Kingdom Hearts 2, These include Sora, the three unidentified youths appearing in the preview trailer, and presumably the blonde haired boy.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain Of Memories
-The story is great fun! Disney couldn't believe it! *laugh*
-The identity and purpose of the black hooded men will become clearer through CoM.
-Sora's quest is set in Castle Oblivion.

Kingdom Hearts 2
-Takes place 1 year after CoM.
-There is a trick behind Sora's change in clothes. You'll be very surprised!
-Whether Riku and Kairi will appear?.... Why don't you wait and see.
-Including Auron, five new FF characters have been chosen to appear.
-Auron is younger than in his original installment (FFX)

KH2/KH:CoM - GMR
GMR: Why did you guys decide to make a Kingdom Hearts game for GBA? Why not tell this entire story within the context of Kingdom Hearts II?

Tetsuya Nomura: The story for Kingdom Hearts II already existed when we worked on the original Kingdom Hearts. At the time, the story for Chain of Memories wasn't concrete. Kingdom Hearts II continues where we left off in the original, but a year later. Initially, we weren't planning on telling the story of that one "blank" year, but the more we started disscussing the GBA version, the more we thought it would be to do so in Chain of Memories.

GMR: How much busier are you now that you are directing multiple games? Is it more satisfying than when you were doing mostly character designs?

TN: Extremely busy. I don't have any time to myself. Since I get to do most of the decision making on my projects, it is definitely a different level of satisfaction compared to when I mostly did character designs.

(GMR then asked a couple of questions about the characters, Nomura mostly replied with "We'll reveal the characters soon")

GMR: Kingdom Hearts made Disney cool again and also shattered the notion that Disney games were only for kids. In hindsight, how do you feel about Kingdom Hearts' massive success?

TN: "Shattered the notion that Disney games were only for kids." That is exactly what I had set out to do, so I'm glad you saw it that way. However, I believe the sequel will really tell us if Kingdom Hearts is a success or not.

GMR: Chain of Memories is primarily a one-man show, despite appearances by nearly everyone from the first game. Why put the focus on Sora?

TN: Kingdom Hearts is Sora's story...and especially in Chain of Memories, Sora's memories play an important role.

GMR: Who is Axel and what is his part in Chain of Memories? He is also in the trailer for Kingdom Hearts II; He must play a significant role.

TN: As you can see in the assets we have released, he is one of the guys who belongs in the group wearing the long black cloaks. His role and purpose hold the key to Kingdom Hearts II and Chain of Memories, so I cannot discuss details at this time. However, as one of the "members" of the group, Axel's role "links" the two games, and he appears fairly early in the game.

GMR: With the first Kingdom Hearts, two of the biggest complaints were the camera and the extreme difficulty level (for people who suck at videogames or the youngins). Are you adjusting KH2 to be more user-friendly to gamers?

TN: Of course we are...no need to worry.

GMR:Are you making adjustments to the battle engine? If so, how will this affect KH2? Will the game have the same balance of exploration and battle as the first Kingdom Hearts, or will it skew toward one or the other?

TN:We are doing without the engine from the original and built a new one for KH2. That is because we realized the limitations of the original engine, and in order to create a better game we had to come up with a new one. I believe the biggest appeal of KH is its battle elements, so I think you'll be surprised how we've changed it. We're not just focusing on battles either-we're including quests in battle.

GMR: Are you planning to include Utada Hikaru (who provided the theme song "Simple and Clean")in the soundtrack again? We know you're a fan.

TN: We cannot answer this question at this time.

(GMR went on to ask questions about the possibilty of a KH movie, which in short Nomura denied the possibility, they also asked a question about FFVII:Advent Children which I will not include at the moment.)

GMR:Is Mickey the most powerful character in the Kingdom Hearts universe?

TN: I have yet to reveal the most powerful character. But I'm confident that you'll be surprised by Mickey's role.

GMR: Will players need to play Chain of Memories in order to keep track of key events in KH2?

TN: As I mentioned earlier, since the story for Chain of Memories did not exist when we already had one for KH2, you won't be put in a position where you have to play Chain of Memories. However, in order to see and know everything in the world of Kingdom Hearts, I recomend you play Chain of Memories (and patiently wait for KH2!).

GMR: With the first Kingdom Hearts, you took a wait-and-see approach before starting work on a sequel. Now that the series is a success, do you plan to turn Kingdom Hearts into an ongoing, Final Fantasy-sized franchise? What is the future of Kingdom Hearts?

TN: I believe that the Final Fantasy series is one that will continue forever. On the other hand, Kingdom Hearts will come to an end at some point. Whether that end comes in the next story or in several more installments, I do not know. What I do know is that I already see that "last scene" that will put an end to Kingdom Hearts.



KH2/KH:CoM - OPM

KH2/KH:C He is Sora. Walking into the meeting with a baseball cap pulled securely over his face and shorts-with multiple belt buckles no less-that stretch down to the middle of his shins, Tetsuya Nomura is a nearly a real-life reflection of the hero in both Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II. It’s not surprising, really. Out of all the characters Nomura’s designed in his career at Square (which includes well-known faces from Final Fantasy VII to Final Fantasy X), the cheery keyblade-bearing youngster is at the top of his list. "Sora is my favorite character," Nomura says. "[Kingdom Hearts] was the first game I directed, so I could give all the characters a fresh look even though there were some superiors involved [in the design process]."

Clearly, Nomura is excited about continuing directing duties for Kingdom Hearts II because it gives an opportunity to fix some of the problems with the previous game, as well as integrate features that originally didn’t make the cut. "The engine has been redeveloped," Nomura explains. "I’m really proud of the enhanced battle system and that all of the characters have a serious role this time around." Even the infamous Gummi Ship portion of Kingdom Hearts has been retooled for the sequel. "It was a good concept," Nomura says, "but it’s completely new in Kingdom Hearts II. It’s more like an attraction or a ride."

Nomura knows this experience is crucial to his career, but he relishes the opportunity to learn more about directing before moving on to other projects. But there’s a bittersweet side to his involvement with Kingdom Hearts II. "I love Sora, but it’s with a broken heart." Nomura mutters out from underneath his hat.

Indeed, not unlike a parent giving a child up for adoption, Nomura has no control over Sora or any other original characters appearing in Kingdom Hearts. The contract between Square Enix and Disney gives almost full control of the Kingdom Hearts property over to Disney. If you happen to see Sora appearing outside of a game in a something like a cartoon, there’s very little chance Nomura is involved, but that doesn’t affect his excitement (or ours) for Kingdom Hearts II.

oM - IGN

Q: Sora does the drive mode with Goofy in the demo. Are there other drive modes with different characters in the game?

Nomura: I can't really say.

Q: Are there any other characters that aren't Disney but help the main character?

Nomura: I can't answer that.

Q: How often do Disney reps see the game?

Nomura: They don't really see it in development at all.

Q: Are there problems working with Disney?

Nomura: Keeping and managing multiple worlds where the rules are rigid is one of the main problems.

Q: You were able to turn the limits of the Disney universe into the game's strengths. Why do so few companies manage to do that?

Nomura: We don't really want to break a world view. As far as Kingdom Hearts II is concerned, we've already made Kingdom Hearts I, so it wasn't as hard -- we just based it on that. The same thing goes for Chain of Memories. The game itself is based on Sora's memories and is just a step up from Kingdom Hearts I, so it's basically based on Kingdom Hearts I.

Q: What would you describe as the target audience for Kingdom Hearts II?

Nomura: Since the games are based on Final Fantasy, we think Final Fantasy to be the center of the target audience. For Kingdom Hearts it's maybe a lower age audience, or a higher age audience than Final Fantasy.

Q: Since they have Before Crisis: Final Fantasy VII on cell phones and a movie based on Final Fantasy VII, will Kingdom Hearts ever be on another platform or in another media?

Nomura: Final Fantasy is our property so we can do whatever we want to, but Kingdom Hearts it's half Disney, so we can't use the property as we please.

Q: How much was reused between Kingdom Hearts I and Kingdom Hearts II? As a director, what's exciting about melding the two game universes?

Nomura: For the first question, although there are many similar elements we actually recreated the game engine [for Kingdom Hearts II] from scratch, so we didn't import any data from Kingdom Hearts I. It's 100% new. Although it's the same world, it's completely new.

As for the second question, Disney has different touches for each character, for example The Nightmare Before Christmas. The same goes for Final Fantasy. It's a different world for every series we have. Each different world has different values. Like with Final Fantasy, there are lots of non human, sub-human races, and it was easy to fuse the two worlds together. As long as it made sense, it wasn't that big a deal.

Q: What makes your team special enough to work on Kingdom Hearts?

Nomura: I can't really think about comparing with other titles, but as a team, we try to put our effort on every little detail and aspect with the game. We make every level max level. We even put effort on particles and leaves in the game. The staff itself is eagerly waiting for the game to come out -- they want to play it quickly, which is a bit strange amongst the games I've made until now.

Q: Have you considered doing a different kind of property other than Disney? And, have you considered bringing Enix characters into the game.

Nomura: For the first question, there have been talks with other companies about using characters, but we're too busy with Kingdom Hearts 2 and other titles I'm on. We'd like to do it but not now because of time constraints. As for Enix characters, we cannot talk about it [laughs].

Q: How was it working with Disney? Did you have to take anything out of the game at their request?

Nomura: We don't really put anything in the game that we though Disney wouldn't want in the first place, so there haven't been any big issues.

Q: Can you give us an idea of what your studio looks like?

Nomura: We have different sections within the dev team, such as modelers and motion capturers. Everyone does their own job and everyone is happy about it. No one is sad or gloomy. Everyone is pretty much enjoying themselves.

Q: Have you explored the possibility of bringing Kingdom Hearts to PSP in the future?

Nomura: The producer told me that until all my projects are done, don't touch the PSP. [laughter]

Q: Any chance that other characters from Final Fantasy or Kingdom Hearts will make it to feature films from Disney?

Nomura: Actually, I'm not sure when it comes to movies, but we do have Advent Children as a movie, although I believe it's presently more of a visual software than a movie. I can't really tell -- you'd have to ask at the upper levels of the company.

Q: Any chances of Square Enix character being in a Disney movie?

Nomura: Definitely not.

Q: Looking back to the start of Kingdom Hearts, I was wondering how it happened. Was it something that started in a bar or something?

Nomura: The producer, Mr. Hashimoto, met one of the executives of Disney in the elevators -- we used to work in the same building.

Q: In Kingdom Hearts I, the Nigthmare Before Christmas level was somewhat of a surprising level because it wasn't like the other levels. Can we expect any surprising Disney choices for Kingdom Hearts II?

Nomura: We have a bigger surprise for you.

Q: Can you use the wireless adapter to exchange cards and so-forth in Chains of Memories?

Nomura: Can't say yet.

Q: Are you using any middleware to create the game?

Nomura: We're working with AM3, which produces software that allows the GBA to play anime movies. We use the technology to play movies in the game.

Q: Who is your favorite Disney character and what was the last Disney movie you saw?

Nomura: Simba. Because I like Lions. [laughter]

Q: What was the biggest criticism you got for the first game and how did you go about fixing it?

Nomura: We had complaints about the camera. It has been modified and it's must better, as you'll see at TGS.

Q: How many projects are you part of right now?

Nomura: Six, along with others that I can't really can't mention.

Q: Anything in Kingdom Hearts II that you did and you loved but Disney made you pull out?

Nomura: Yes. But, we can't really talk about it or Disney will do something to me. [laughter]

Q: You mentioned that you're currently working on six projects. How many of them are not current generation games?

Nomura: The six projects I'm working for have been announced and they're all current platforms. Advent Children is PSP. As for the ones I can't comment on, we don't know what's going to happen to them.

Q: How much work did you put into the movies for Chain of Memories to create what you wanted?

Nomura: We did have lots of things that we wanted to put in but we had to take out because the ROM itself is limited.

Q: How many minutes of movies are in the game.

Nomura: You'll find out soon. It's a big surprise.

Q: How long is Chain of Memories?

Nomura: It's a secret. You'll be able to play for dozens of hours.

Q: Have you seen the new PS2 design? What do you think of it?

Nomura: It's very thin.


~
2005

~KH: CoM - Ultimania


About 2 years ago, the Nomura interview provided in the KH: Final Mix Ultimania was a vital piece of information that gave us an insight to the future of KH and wrapped up some ends with the first game, with this interview, the same, if not more so can be said as it provides us a with lots more information on Kingdom Hearts 2 and answers some questions of all the assets of the KH Franchise...

Enjoy!

SECTION 1 - THE REASON IS WENT TO GBA [Page 1 - View Image]

At the end of the previous installment, KH, there was a secret movie that was to bring light on what the sequels could be like. When you made those sequences, did you already have in mind what CoM and KHII would be like?
In a kind of vague way yes. The most precise visions I hade were those of KHII as I already had decided that it would take place a year after KH, that the atmosphere would be different in some ways. If I was to create a KHII I wanted it to begin in the most intriguing way as it would be possible. I only began thinking about "What happens in that year between" in CoM much later.

When we look at the project book (will be pictured!) we can see that KH: CoM was originally called "KH: Lost Memories".
Though for some we had to change the title you'll notice it isn't that much different than the orignal.. I though that "Chain of Memories" had more style and it matched the general outline of the story too (i.e. Sora relieving a sucession of memories, a chain) and I personally liked it.

What was the reason you decided to develop this installment for the GBA?
Soon after the release of the previous installment, I was told that I should make a KH for GBA. But at the time I was skeptical of the idea of seeing KH in 2D and said "Can't do it". Then as I began to think about what I could work on next, I began to hear "Our kid wants to play KH on GBA" alot more frequently. That kind of real voice that was saying that "Kids want to play" got me seriously considering it.

So it was the voices of the children that moved you?
Yes. That is when I began to elaborate a gameplay system, visuals and concept artwork as well as a storyline to fill that one year story gap on the GBA. Eventually I began to think that KH in 2D really was manageable but since it was still pretty vague I came up with some systems that could adapt the KH gameplay to the GBA and asked for feedback on many members of the staff. Then I started getting "This can be done, can't it?" and that is when the CoM project was really set in motion.


SECTION 2 - THE FUN WITHIN THE LINEAR[Page 2 - View Image][/U]

If we glance at the project book we can see that the backbone of KH: CoM ended up coming out of your ideas.
But all of that is written in the project book is not sufficient to make a game. All I created was the very basic concept of the game. Then by borrowing the talents and strengths of all the staff those small ideas get bigger and bigger.

Where did you get the idea of making it a sort of card game?[B/]
This is talking about KHII more but, if you were to begin the game with the very powerful Sora you had aquired at the end of KH, KHII would'nt stand up to much as a game. I wanted the players to know the potential in strength Sora has more or less fulfilled at the end of the previous installment yet not be able to use all those abilites right from the start. That is when I thought that if I could make a story in which Sora's abilites and memories all get mixed up, KH: CoM would be a perfect bridge between KH and KHII. I thought that to symbolise those messed memories and abilities cards could be used soI had to create a card based system. Thats the jist of it, I think.

Normally when you'd say "KH for GBA" we'd think of a 2D action game where Sora flings his keyblade and defeats enemies. However in, KH: CoM we see this card system a new kind of fun coming out of the restrictions that impose a card based system.
When I think of making a game system, I refer myself back to the one I created for FFV, In the latter, there were loads of abilites but only the possibility of equipping three at a time at most. Learning them all does not mean you are all powerful, therefore. To be efficient you need to sacrifice some things. But it isn't that dramatic. I believe that these restrictions are closely connected to the fun you hve in a game. In the previous installment, this was in the slight delay between the input of the action and Sora's execution of that action, which created a little risk. This time, we aimed for a close balance between the effects of the cards and the stock techniques and the penalties they impose.

Nowadays, Game Crews are divided into Scenario, Graphic, Sound and Programming departments but in your case, while being the Director, you can also draw, think of the game system, write the story plot and take on a variety of roles and we think that's amazing.
The part I enjoy the most myself is writing the project while drawing little bits of visuals and showing it to the staff. We then talk and small ideas I had become bigger and much more concrete and that is when I have the most fun when developing a game. It is almost as if I wrote the project book solely for having that kind of fun (laughs). Looking back on it, even back when I was at Primary/Elementary school, I enjoyed playing "Sugoroku" (Note by Mors: "a traditional japanese board-game comparable to Snakes and Ladders) based on my own stories and every time, the rules changed. Perhaps I was pre-disposed to enjoying creating games systems...


SECTION 3 - THE SECRET OF THE "ORGANIZATION" MEMBERS' NAMES [URL=http://www.kh2.co.uk/image.php?view=com/p3.jpg] [Page 3 - View Image]

Looking a little more in-depth in the game: about Castle Oblivion, what world is it a part of?
In the endng scene of the previous installment, Sora runs up a path that ends up in a crossroad. It is accurate to think that Castle Oblivion is at the end of one of those paths. This isn't explained in the egame but the building's upper floors and underground floors respectively represent the Light and Darkness of memories.

In the opening, there is a scene where Namine drawing Castle Oblivion and that image overlaps with the real thing but does that mean that the Castle was created out of Namine's drawing?
That is incorrect. Castle Oblivion is under the orders of a member of the "org", Marluxia and Namine is taken there by them. Within the Castle, the org members are conducting a little research but the real meaning of the "Organization" will be explained fuly in KHII. For now those aspects remain obscur so it is a relativeley enigmatic group. Incidently, there are 13 members in the Organization, therefor some have yet to be introduced.

CONTINUED... [Page 4 - View Image]

About the Org. members' names, they all seem to have an 'x' in them when translated into english.
Although it gives them an otherworldly sound, in their case there is another trick behind the choice of their names. It's just that, with the members that appeared this time, it is difficult to figure this out. I'm planning on making characters appear in KH2 with names that will make you got "Aaaaah. I got it."

Speaking of not understanding, the identify of the leader of the Organization is also an enigma.
"Isn't it Ansem?" or "Isn't it the one bandaged in red?" are just some of the theories I guess some of you have thought of. The thing is, KH2 is, even for me, unfolding in developing in such a complex way that at this stage nothing may be pronounced with certainty. Thanks to those membrs of the "Organization", I think KH2 will be quite an interesting and fun story.

By "the one bandaged in red", you mean DiZ?
Yes. DiZ will be one of the most important characters in the story to come and holds the answer to many questions. But, what he is thinking and what he wants is unclear to his entourage. When you learn his identity, you'll possibly be suprised.

Is there a link between the name DiZ and Disney?
It was suggested that it would be his name because a few members of the staff liked it. I also put it in because of a reason but... i'll try to remember what that was until next time (laugh).

In the newly introduced "Org." members, which is your favorite?
A: I guess that would be Axel. He is also very popular with a majority of the other members of the staff. Given that he is furter given delicious roles in KH2... Axel's true motivations, though I cannot tell them now, are a great story. You could cry. The scene where he tells you what he really wants is one scene you simply cannot miss in KH2.

SECTION 4 - WHO IS THE KID WHO APPEARS IN THE ENDING? [Page 5 - View Image]

Why didn't Sephiroth appear this time?
Since he had been given the role in KH: Final Mix, the fans wouldn't forgive me if the next time I used him, I didn't give him a role more closely related to Cloud. If I am to use him, I want him to stand out and that is why he did not appear this time. However I am thinking of a little something with Cloud in KH2...

In the ending of Riku's story, Riku chooses neither the path of Light nor Darkness, but the road in-between. How will that choice affect him as one who wields the keyblade?
What Riku is thinking at that point will become clear later. He decides to follow the road in-between to achieve a certain goal. Riku's story was about "What is my relation with the Darkness?", but some things, such as what he is, have yet to be explained.

At that point, DiZ says "The road to twilight...", but does that have a relation with Twilight Town?
Yes, it does. This will again be talked about in KH2, but... twilight, that is the time when it is neither day nor night. That theme of being in-between light and dark is central to KH2. In the previous installment it talked more about being of either Light or Dark, but this time we've added being "in the middle". That is why there now is a Twilight Town and a Riku who folows neither Light nor Dark, but both. Twilight Town is the first world to appear in KH2, too. It is very different opening from the Destiny Islands abundant with light you begin the previous installment on and people who played KH might say "What's this?" and get confused. However, I plan to give that confusion further depth as the story goes on.

During this game, Twilight Town is presented as being: "A town built out of the memories of Sora's otehr side."
Yes. But, let's just say it's not a town that is in Sora's own memories. It's not that Sora has any memory of that town but... hmmmm... there is a link. It is a very important part in KH2 so it's difficult to explain.

At the end of Riku's story we see a young kid standing in Twilight Town. Who is he?
He is a new character to appear in KH2 and he holds a very important part to play, too. I will refrain from too much detail but he is to be a playable character. Besides him, many of the secret characters from the previous installment's secret movies will appear in KH2. I plan to explain what the situations depicted in the secret movies signify.

SECTION 5 - THE WORLD OF KINGDOM HEARTS EXPANDING ON MANY FRONTS

There is a KH card game that is being released. I guess you take part in that as well?
Indeed. Actually, i've never played a card game. I didn't know any of the rules the card games currently released have, so I had to think of what could make the game fun myself. Then when it was decided that there would be a KH card game I wanted them to use the rules I had made up, but I realized that this was too difficult. So I decided to make it a KH card game in its own right. I was told to give up quite a few ideas while developing it. You might see that in the simplistic design the cards ended up in.

There were also some cards with designs from KH2, right?
The publisher TOMY talked about making this a long term project. That is why I suggested featuring characters such as The King not only from CoM, but from KH2 as well. The lineup for quite a few future packs have already been decided. There also is quite a non-exhaustive list of the characters I want to appear and I have to design quite a few of them and it's tiresome. It seems my commitment with card games might go as far as that with video games

CONTINUED... [Page 6 - View Image]

Are there other fronts on which you plan to develop the KH franchise?
There's those chess pieces we revealed at the Game Show. They are considerably well done. There are many femaile fans for KH which is rather different from the other goodies we release. So we're looking into developing more female oriented products. There are plenty of ideas in that respect when it comes to KH so please look forward to it.

We have heard that in America, there is a KH being developed for the mobile phone.
There are quite a few things concerning that... Officially it has nothing to do with the original KH. It's completely different. The title is KH, Sora makes an appearance but the story has nothing to do whatsoever with KH, CoM, and KH2, we're developing since Disney is designing it.


SECTION 6 - BEYOND KHII?

The story is carrying on to KH2, but is there a story that will continue CoM itself?
This game system is very fun to use so I want to use it again the future. However, CoM doesn't really have a story in itself but, is just a piece of a much larger story. Right now, I feel that making a CoM 2 is a very difficult thing indeed.

Within yourself, have you been thinking far in terms of the story of the world of KH?
No, for now it's been decided on how KH2 will end but I really haven't been thinking beyond that. All the enigmas that arose in KH and CoM will be solved in KH2 so it is possible to end it all then and there. However, quite a few new mysteries are glimpsed at in KH2 so it isn't impossible to create another story afterwards. The question now is "shall it be done?".

But will KH2 feature secret movies that glimpse into a possible sequal again?
I quite like secret movies so there might something in KH2... But first, we need to finish KH2 (laughs).

Besides Kh2 you are developing quite a few other titles.
Well apart from KH2 i'm also commited to "Compilation of FF7", with AC (Advent Children), BC (Before Crisis), CC (Crisis Core), and DC (Dirge of Cerberus). Then there's also Samurai Legend Musashi and another, that makes six... not counting the other projects that might being to develop soon.

That's quite a number.
It's not exactly a burden, though. I'm surrounded by a staff that makes most things possible. After I think of the concept, the rest is cooperative between all of us. After that, the staff do a lot of the work and i'm consulted and give the "go signals and set things back on track sometimes.

We heard you once went to the ER in America, but since, you've been working so hard, is your body's health alright?
Quite a few people are indeed worried for my health so three years ago I ended up going to the doctor's. I was actually perfectly fine and people around me were "You're not human." and "you can do even more?!" (laughs).


SECTION 7 - HAVING FINISHED KH: COM

Finally, how do you feel now that you've finished CoM?
In the days following the release, I felt similarly to the way I felt after that of the previous installment. The players were first saying "Not that we're complaining, but it is a kind of worrying title" and similar feedback rose. This is what I call a good feeling. Indeed, similarly to the previous installment, as the feedback of more and more players came to me, the popularity increased and that makes me really happy.

The previous installment, for a contemporary game, has become quite a long running hit.
Indeed. But this installment isn't exactly the concept I originally had in mind... as well as being portable, it was designed so that you could interrupt your game at any time but with CoM, once you start, it's hard to put down. (laugh) That is a truly happy feeling. So much data in such a small catridge which I think is for players to explore. It is all connected with KH2 so I reallly hope that fans of the previous installment will play this game

Continued... [Page 7 - View Image]

When we play CoM, we really being to feel anxious for KH2.
KH2 is a lot faster than the previous installment but, still within limits. But, please look forward to it.
Though I can't really say this myself, KH2 is really looking to become a bloody great episode. It's as if we just crammed into it all we thought of KH and CoM. The volume of it isn't exactly many times that of the previous installment but i'm really beginning to scratch my heart as to if it's all going to hold on a single DVD-ROM. (Note: This interview was before the one where it was stated 2 discs would be used)

We're eager to find out what new worlds will be featured, too.
We've already revealed Mulan's world, but there will also be a very suprising world. As much as The Nightmare Before Christmas' Halloween Town was in the preview installment. You'll probally think "What is he thinking!?". The characters of those worlds will also be very well modelized as we have worked hard on those polygons.

The more we talk about it, the more we want to playy KH2, but when exactly will it be released!?
Due to a lot of factors, it is very difficult to say at this point. All I can say is that it will be released after FF7: Advent Children. (laughs)

(11.04.2004 with the cooperation of Square-Enix)
Translated by Mors, credit to Seraphim for the Scans and DKGerbil for typing pages 4-7

Tetsuya Nomura-
Gameography: KH, FF5,6,7,8,10,10-2, Parasite Eve, Parasite Eve 2, The Bouncer.

[A secret known by him alone]
The 13 members of The Org. as well as having numbers, have powers attributed to each of them.
Thus Axel was fire, Larxene was thunder, Lexaeus was earth, and Marluxia's flower shaped scythe was representing his power over flowers
~


KH2 - 1UP #2
1UP - E3 2005 Interview

Amidst the cacophonous backdrop of E3, with all of this year's new hardware announcements, with all the techno-catchphrases and industry jargon flying around, and with the overload of next-gen eye-candy getting most of the headlines, you'd think it would be easy to overlook Kingdom Hearts II. But then you generally don't overlook a game that has, between its PlayStation 2 debut (Kingdom Hearts) and its GBA follow-up (Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories) sold over five million copies worldwide, making it Square-Enix's third most bankable franchise behind Dragon Quest and Final Fantasy. Plus, when the director of Kingdom Hearts was also the character designer for Square's seminal RPG, Final Fantasy VII (which sees a true "sequel" emerge in the form of a 100-minute CG movie later this year), you know this is a man worth listening to.

Enter Tetsuya Nomura. While he wasn't giving online interviews at this E3, he made an exception for 1UP. In fact, he summoned us to his court like Cloud summons Shiva. Consider 1UP.com your own personal Gilgamesh. During our hour-long interview with Nomura-san, we discussed all things Kingdom Hearts II and Final Fantasy VII: Advent Children. This is one interview you don't want to miss. Dig in, hang out and enjoy.

1UP: The battle system is much deeper than in the first game. Battle formations, party arrangements, diversity of attacks -- it's a much different beast than Kingdom Hearts version 1. What triggered such a vigorous reinvention of the combat?

Tetsuya Nomura: Obviously there was some user feedback that we have to keep in mind, but it wasn't necessarily all of that. It also wasn't necessarily all of everything I had thought to put in and is now suddenly included. It's a good balance of user feedback and some of the things I've always wanted to put into what I'd call my "ideal" game. You can see that the Form Change, for example, in KH1 that was already an idea we had for the original, but due to timing constraints and some other reasons, we couldn't put it in there. So now it's idealized and realized in KH2.

And you know the 'instant command' action where you see the green triangle over an enemy's head [signaling you to press the triangle button] was something I had thought about back in the Final Fantasy VIII days. But we knew that if we were to implement that, the number of motions and options was going to be something we couldn't do because it was so much action, that we couldn't do it in FFVIII. The Form Change that you see in KH2 gives it a different feel because in KH1, simply put, it could have been known as a simple straight-on attack to hit the enemies and that's pretty much it. You'd still have your magic and other moves, but it was basically attacking and moving forward. In KH2 with the Form Change and commands it's going to add a little more selection to the individual player and it's pretty much up to you to build your own strategy, so that's something we wanted to keep in mind going into Kingdom Hearts II.

1UP: The camera is a lot calmer now than it was in KH1, where it was the worst element of that game. Please explain how you cleaned up that aspect of the game for the sequel.

TN: Yeah, that's another thing, as you said, that was pretty obvious from the user feedback, that we wanted to make some improvements to in KH2. But this system we have running at E3 is not the final, final version, so knowing that we've already come this far at this point, we're pretty sure that we're going to be able to implement something that's going to be very attractive to the gamers.

1UP: In previous Kingdom Hearts, all the characters were existing characters that you were able to redesign in your own particular style. But in KH2 you're now reinterpreting "real life" characters like Captain Jack Sparrow from Pirates of the Caribbean. How do you approach designing characters who were never cartoons before?

TN: Actually there weren't any sorts of challenges or difficulty; I wasn't really conscious about bringing in real life Disney characters and mixing them up with Kingdom Hearts characters like Sora, Donald and Goofy. We already knew that Sora, Donald and Goofy and the Disney characters would remain the same way as in the previous Kingdom Hearts. And if you can see, take Roger Rabbit for example, there are those types of characters, the Sora and Disney type characters mixed in with the real human characters, even in the Disney world. So we didn't really see it as a huge challenge; all we wanted to do was to make sure the quality of the human-like character was going to be close to or almost exactly the same to what we have been shown in the movie, Pirates of the Caribbean.

In KH1 I think the Nightmare Before Christmas world was one of the unexpected worlds, but we knew that in order to wow our fans we needed to put something in that was more unexpected. So I would think that Pirates of the Caribbean has a bigger impact, and that it's totally unexpected for Sora and his friends to come in touch with real human characters. And I'm just very picky and very detailed, so this time around for the E3 trailer, you only saw a few seconds of the Pirates characters and world where it was kind of dark, so you probably couldn't pick up all the details. But if I showed you something that was more brightly lit, I think you would be even more surprised.

And also, if I can add, most of our staff has worked on Final Fantasy all the way up to FFX. So if you look at FFX and the characters we used in that title, you can probably say we're actually used to recreating more human-like characters than the ones you see in Kingdom Hearts, so for us it's like working on something we've already mastered.

1UP: What sort of changes have you made to the Gummi Ship experience to make it more enjoyable for the players?

TN: As far as the Gummi Ship is concerned for KH2, it's powered up a lot. I can definitely say we have gone without using any part of it from KH1. We've actually pretty much trashed everything that we created in KH1 and created a completely new system. A few things are that it's improved in the speed and battle, in how you're going to battle using the Gummi Ship. I think the tempo of the entire game during battles in the story of Kingdom Hearts is pretty fast-paced, so we've kind of blended in the speed of the Gummi Ship to match the tempo of the story in the battles that you can actually feel in the game. The concept is not based on a shooting game, but I feel like it's closer to a Disney theme park ride, where it's more like you're going to not transport yourself from one place to another, but it actually gives you a sense of feeling that there's some sort of story being accomplished. Not necessarily advancing the Kingdom Hearts story, but the Gummi Ship itself is going to have a little more 'story' each time to add to why you are using the Gummi Ship and How you are transporting yourself from one place to another. So all in itself the Gummi Ship has its own little world-like atmosphere.

In KH1 you didn't get that sense because the primary use was only to put yourself from place A to B; it was mainly a transportation system. And the enemies you're going to be fighting in KH2 are designed differently than in KH1. Now the ships itself are built differently and you're going to see some more mech-looking enemies. So that's completely new too. And the variety of attacks you can do to the enemies is completely different. Same with the camera angles which you just mentioned. The user feedback on the Gummi Ship was not very well received on the original, so we completely upgraded and improved the Gummi Ship system.

1UP: Have you ever considered using the Gummi Ships that the users design in the real-time cutscenes? You know, like maybe the ship comes in to land somewhere and players can see the exact ship they've designed?

TN: I don't know; maybe we haven't reached that point where we can do that in development, but the Gummi Ship itself adds a little more story each time you take it. So in this way it's already giving you a sense of dramatic feeling, maybe in a small way or a cute way, but it's still there. And then when you're on the Gummi Ship it's going to have its own sort of camera work, which is automatic. You're going to feel like you're moving along this invisible rail. So within that you're going to get this sense that you're already in an event in itself, so hopefully that will satisfy players.

1UP: How would you describe Kingdom Hearts II's plot versus KH1s? Would you say it's more fully-realized, more epic in scale, more sentimental, etc.?

TN: With KH1 there was a conscious effort to not make the entire world too difficult. But then obviously if we went too simple just because it's Disney, that wouldn't be a very good Square-Enix-like game. That doesn't really represent what we're known for. So obviously there was a pretty deep and good base foundation storyline there, but I think in KH1 what we did was we only tried to bring out some of the deep elements up to the surface. Whereas in KH2, we're going to bring even more to the surface, where you're going deeper and deeper into the storyline. And the theme of the Kingdom Hearts story, which is 'the heart,' is hopefully going to bring out light at the end too. So at the same time you're going in deeper to the story, hopefully that will bridge the gap between dark and light, which I think is basically both sides of having a heart. A heart will have darkness but it will always have light too. And the existence of "Nobodies" in KH2 is going to seem like it makes the story a little bit complicated, but we intended to make it that way. They actually play a pretty big role in KH2.

1UP: Kingdom Hearts came out around three years ago, and its original audience has grown proportionately. 12 year-olds are now 15, 15 year-olds are now 18. Would you say KH2 has matured with its fans?

TN: Yeah, hopefully it's going at the same rate, but maybe a little bit more on our part, so maybe we're a little more advanced.

1UP: Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was something of an afterthought in that it wasn't originally conceived as part of the story's continuity. In hindsight, having gone through the development process of COM, would you say there was a side effect in developing that game that benefits KH2?

TN: There actually is one thing that came out of it. Well, there are actually many things, but one notable exception, a bigger one, was that we were able to make some new characters in Chain of Memories. So to continue them in KH2, we can have their existence be a little bit larger, and deeper. There are some episodes in KH2 for example that maybe wouldn't have existed if it weren't those newly introduced characters.

1UP: I know you delighted in defying expectations in the original Kingdom Hearts, i.e. everyone thought it was going to be a kids game because of the Disney connection, but it was a really tough game. Have you set out to reinforce that notion this time around or have you scaled it back a little to make it less difficult for younger players?

TN: In Japan as you may know, we released Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, and that actually had a difficulty level option. While KH2 may not have the same kind of option, since Final Mix development took place before we moved on to KH2, we may take that experience and implement it somehow. But we can't reveal exactly what it's going to be
~

KH2 - Playstation.com Europe
Playstation.com Europe - E3 Interview

One of the most famous designers in gaming opens up about the eagerly anticipated sequel to the bestselling Square Enix / Disney crossover role-playing game.

If the name Tetsuya Nomura isn't familiar to you, then the characters he's created for some of Square Enix's finest games most certainly will be. After all, this is the man who brought the world the utterly memorable likes of Cloud Strife and Sephiroth for Final Fantasy VII, Sora for Kingdom Hearts, and Yuna and Tidus for Final Fantasy X.

Sat in a Square Enix meeting room that's physically shaking from the booming bass sound being pumped out in the game preview theatre situated directly above it, Nomura-san is in characteristically shy form. Dressed in what appears to be an understated real-life spin on his own characters' trademark outfits (long black shorts, big chain), he conducts the entire interview with his eyes hidden beneath the peak of his baseball cap.

Contrary to appearances and a few prior warnings regarding his general demeanour, however, Nomura-san is chatty and personable, laughing frequently and delivering lengthy answers about his latest projects. In this instalment, he tells us about Kingdom Hearts II, the follow-up to 2002's unique collaboration between Square Enix and Disney.

Can you give us a little background on Kingdom Hearts II's story?
Kingdom Hearts II takes place a year after the ending of the original, and at the very beginning of the game - which I can't go into detail at this time - there is actually going to be some sort of mystery. Just think of a typical sequel, but with something that's going to be very unexpected [happening] at the beginning.

It still follows the story of Sora and his friends. In the original, you were trying to defeat the Heartless, but there is a third group in Kingdom Hearts II called the Nobodies. Story-wise, the theme of Kingdom Hearts is based on the heart; how deep we can get [into it] is going to be revealed more in Kingdom Hearts II.

[The original] Kingdom Hearts was the light-hearted version, but [KHII] gets deeper and darker into the heart, and I can definitely say that it gets a little more serious. It's about determination and finding your lost friends.

Is it hard to keep the storyline serious when you're dealing with characters like Donald Duck and Goofy?
Surprisingly there weren't many challenges with getting Donald, Goofy, or any of the other Disney characters that aren't usually dark and serious, to become that way. The storyline gets very serious, but they maintain their own characteristics and, because of that, their personalities will shine. We are committed to maintaining that, not just with Donald and Goofy, but with the other Disney characters too.

What new characters from the Disney universe appear in Kingdom Hearts II? We've heard talk of a Pirates of the Caribbean world, for example.
Well, the most recent announcements made at the show are the inclusion of Mulan and yes, we also showed Pirates of the Caribbean in the trailer. There are also worlds that were in the original, such as Hercules. In the original, it took place above ground, but this time we're actually taking you to the other side of the Hercules world.

To Hades?
Right, exactly. So there are worlds that we are going to revisit, but they are not exactly where we left off in the original Kingdom Hearts. Another good example would be the characters from Beauty and the Beast, who appeared in the original, but now they actually have their own world. Even though you've seen them in the original, we're going to make use of them in different ways.

What is the process for choosing these worlds? Do you get direction from Disney, or is it something that you come up with yourself?
We actually don't get any suggestions from the Disney side of the project - it's pretty much all us. In this case, we come down to a number of worlds we want to include in the universe, and then I go out and list which worlds I think would be a perfect fit. Then I take that and propose them to everyone on my team. Usually, there isn't any opposition. Once that's determined, we take that over to Disney.

There have been worlds that have been rejected. In that case, I think of other scenarios and worlds that would fit. Then it's just a repeat of that process until we get down to the final list.

What are the criteria for what fits?
One basic rule that I go by is that, among all the Disney worlds that exist, I try not to pick worlds that have a similar feel or look to them, for example, The Jungle Book and Tarzan. Visually, they might look a little similar. What I usually do is break down the Disney worlds that are available from all those that are out there, and categorise them. For example, maybe one world takes place near an ocean or water-based environment, one world will take place in modern days, and another world takes place in a natural environment, like woods or a forest. From that, I would list the worlds that might fit into the Kingdom Hearts story.

The combat system seems a lot more fluid than that seen in the first game. Does Sora retain all of the moves he learned from his first adventure?
We're not re-using anything from the original, so everything is brand new and has been remade completely from scratch. You won't see any duplicate movements from Sora in Kingdom Hearts II.

From the original, Sora has managed to learn how to kill enemies using a Keyblade and has travelled to so many worlds. If I were to compare his overall movement and attitude towards defeating enemies [to the original Kingdom Hearts], he's matured a little bit. With that [in mind], the movements have been developed into a form that's a little cooler and not like a little kid learning how to use a toy.

Maybe that's an expression that I can use: Sora has 'levelled up' in terms of how he uses his weapon, and the experience that he has after travelling so many worlds is shown in his movements in Kingdom Hearts II.

We also see that King Mickey makes a more prominent appearance in the game. Will he become a member of your party at any point?

Well obviously, King Mickey is going to be one special character. Within the Disney world, he can't be treated the same as everyone else. Even though Sora travels with Donald and Goofy throughout the Kingdom Hearts universe, and they may seem special because they're simply just travelling with him, King Mickey is going to have his own obvious reason why he is here in this universe.

So, he won't be taken the same way as Donald and Goofy, nor as the characters in the individual worlds. There's going to be some sort of special hook, not only as to how he makes his appearance, but also as to where he is positioned within the storyline.

How have you seen the audience for RPGs change, and how have you reacted to that with Kingdom Hearts, particularly with regard to appealing to both Eastern and Western audiences?
Generally speaking, I think that the RPG audience in Japan tends to favour the 'command' style, which is not very action based. A whole lot of RPGs tend to like that way, so it was hard for me to try to go to the complete opposite side, which would be the action-oriented RPG that the US and European countries would probably favour.

My ideal situation, even when developing Final Fantasy games - which are all command based - I always have in mind, "How can I make this a little more action, but without going too action?" It's almost like having that perfect balance of blending the two. This was actually something that I've always wanted to experiment with; it was my ideal situation if I could blend the two, and still maintain the command style without tipping over into full action.

I still consider Kingdom Hearts to be an RPG, although I wouldn't necessarily categorise it as a full action RPG. Seeing that the fans' reactions after putting out the original Kingdom Hearts has been very positive, I now know that it works and I'm very happy and satisfied with the experiment that I took on.
~

KH2 - Dengeki #2
Dengeki - Kingdom Hearts 2 Progress Report

This interview reflects on the assets shown at E3 and talks about various features of the game, probably one of Nomura's more revealing interviews...

Dengeki : Please tell us what the current stage of development is.
Nomura: The scenario is at least twice as long as the previous installment’s and now we are at the crucial point of figuring out if we can get it all in. Also, we are nearing the stage when we can have a round view of all the worlds.

Dengeki: We were allowed to get another feel of the gameplay this E3 and we felt that the combos are considerably speedier.
Nomura: In the previous installment the action was divided into three parts: "Battle", "Move (or exploration)" and "Event". This time we've developed it into "Event" and "Real-time". The staff who was assigned to "Battle" now have to fully work in Real Time. The battle and exploration action all uses this procedure. Most of the staff participated in the previous installment and in Final Mix so we had to remake the know-how that had been lost since that time Also, this really is the second installment of the series but, game system-wise, it really is the third game that is being made. So various aspects of the game have benefited from that.

Dengeki: In the movie [trailer] shown at the E3, Sora was seen wearing a blue costume but, does that mean that there are other Brave Form's than the red?
Nomura: There are quite a few. That is why Sora's action has largely expanded and there are many types of action's that were introduced. I can't explain just yet but there some forms that have amusing tricks. Also, the attack pattern will vary depending on the form and it will allow players to choose a form they will like and fight using that, I hope.

Dengeki: When in Brave Form we were able to wield two keyblades but will we be able to change the keyblades we wield in that form?
Nomura: We’re planning to give you the freedom of choice of which keyblade you will use. Also, I didn't’t want anything to be wasted so each of the “change form” may be considered as an attack in its own right. They will be integral attacks, with the importance that implies.

Dengeki: During the ROM presented at the E3, we got to fight a huge army. Will there be other phases similar to that one?
Nomura: This is indeed something I want you to await eagerly. There were situations in the previous installment that confronted you to a large number of enemies at a time but it doesn’t compare with what’s coming up next! (laughs) This time we created a program for the special task of managing numerous foes. However, I didn’t want this to completely abolish one on one fights either so managed some kind of balance in relation to the triangle button. There are plenty of patterns so please look forward to this aspect of the game.

Dengeki: About the progression of the game, will this time also be about going through one world after another?
Nomura: Well, generally speaking the progression will be indeed similar to the previous installment. However, this time there is a little catch added to it so that you won’t be able to complete the game simply by going from one place to another in a linear succession.

Dengeki: In the previous installment we used Gummi Ships to travel between the worlds. How will it be this time round?
Nomura: You can still use gummi ships but they are more complex and faster. Rather than an STG it will feel like more of an attraction ride at a fare. It moves very smoothly.

Dengeki: Will the customizable feature of the gummi ships from the previous installment be used again?
Nomura: In the previous installment it was very minute detail that could be altered but this time we are planning to throw in some of that and something new as well.

Dengeki: The “Pirates Of The Caribbean” was recently revealed. Could you tell us how a world of that movie came to be?
Nomura: I came up with a small selection of films I presented to Disney that I could use as a really eye-catching world and the one I first had in mind was refused… Then as they were asking if there was any other I would fancy, the “PotC” was enjoying a pleasant success so I decided I could try to do that one and when I introduced a new function called “Real Capture” (nbMors: something about using live action pictures rather than drawings as a basis for generating polygon models) the team leaders were also very eager.

Dengeki: Unlike the other characters, the characters created using this “Real Capture”, did they cause any problems?
Nomura: Most of KHII’s staff have previously worked on FFs that demanded pretty realistic character models already so it wasn’t too troublesome. In a demo, we tried to insert a scene from the movie itself and the graphics were very similar. Facial expressions are also very similar so please look forward to that.

Dengeki: Was the Mulan world also chosen in the same way?
Nomura: With Mulan, I felt it had a unique atmosphere so I already had wanted to use it for some time. That’s why, when we were selecting the worlds to put in KHII, it was decided quite quickly we would use this one.

Dengeki: What would be the “must see” of Mulan’s world?
Nomura: The special aspect of the world is of course its design but other than that, the battle scenes in the snow and the avalanche are worth paying attention to. Also, scenario-wise, it might get some big questions asked so please look forward to it.

Dengeki: About characters, what kind of person is that boy clothed in white of whom we don’t know the name yet?
Nomura: Right now, we’re choosing when exactly to divulge his name so… (laugh)

Dengeki: Does the name have a heavy significance?!
Nomura: …! Erm… well, excluding the previous installment and CoM, there might be some who start playing with KHII. As I wanted them to enjoy this game all the same, I hope he will be a character that will be able to introduce them to the tale in a fun way. You’ll understand more about him bit by bit soon I expect.

Dengeki: Though its name has finally been revealed, what kind of group is the “Thirteenth Order”?
Nomura: In Kingdom Hearts 2, the Nobody will appear as something different compared to the Heartless. Those who command the “Nobody” are the Thirteenth Order. Though they are also “Nobody”, they are a more special type of being all-together.

Dengeki : Is the red cloaked DiZ who appeared in CoM also a member?
Nomura: Good question. (laughs) Anyhow, he will have an important role in the tale, that’s for sure.

Dengeki: In the trailer movie we also finally got to see the face of the girl with a checkered skirt and her face looked a lot like Kairi’s but is she?
Nomura: That girl is Kairi. Next to her there was a similarly matured Selphie too.

Dengeki: Another aspect that bothers is the character of the king but will he make more frequent appearances this time?
Nomura: He will certainly appear more often. However the voice is a bit different as we’ve opted for a more serious tone.

Dengeki: Will we even be able to fight together?
Nomura: I bet you’re all looking forward to a lot in that respect. (laughs) When he takes his hood off you might understand everything.

Dengeki: If he is also wearing a hood, then does that mean that the king has some relation with the Thirteenth Order?
Nomura: Well… it might be one way… or another… heh (laughs)

Dengeki: We’re also looking forward to the Final Fantasy characters that will appear but how is that aspect of the game looking?
Nomura: A few of the characters that appeared in the previous installment will be back and there are some new ones as well. And at some point there seems to have been people who reached the conclusion that the reason I didn’t take characters I didn’t design originally was because of legal rights when in fact it is merely because it’s difficult to work on a character I didn’t design myself as I do not know the background work that went into it. I’m thinking a bit about giving it a try all the same. A little bit…

Dengeki: Finally, how is the future of the Kingdom Hearts series shaping up?
Nomura: At the moment the KHII story has been completed in a clean way that leaves hardly any questions open for a sequel. Now, it really is up to all of you to decide and the future will probably depend on how well KHII will sell within its first year.
~

KH2 - Dengeki #3
We're finally really close to a release but how have things been going?
The volume is beyond comparison. When I showed it to my boss the other day, he said "There's 4 games' worth in there." In fact, what you have all seen so far is the mere "tip of the iceberg" if you will. Even within the worlds that have been presented there is much more to the real thing. The challenge is to see if we have managed to make that a trend for all worlds. As well as the worlds, the battles are amazing too. Even beyond what has been revealed! My boss was also thrilled. "So you've made this much progress", he said. There's so much that can be done, even beyond your expectations. I'm just asking myself if we can reveal anymore in time.

Whilst playing even the versions in development we felt a lot of progress had been made.
That is still only an appetizer. It's really become something quite unbelievable. Even if I were to summarize it, that would be difficult.

Recently, a Tron world has been revealed.
I wanted to keep it as the last surprise world.

We were really surprised it would appear.
In fact, Tron was the first world to be chosen to appear.

What is the "must-see" aspect of it?
Sora's story will progress within the Tron world and the feeling of the world itself is quite different from the others. Like a world of an old computer. Some sound effects are from old computers as well so the atmosphere will be really different. Something like an old computer game.

Could you explain how Tron came to be in KHII?
When I went to meet with the Disney guy he was making a Tron game on his PC. When I glanced at it I thought I could do something fun with it as well. There was a lot of material in Tron too. Though it is quite different from the rest of the Kingdom Hearts universe, I felt that if people could actually enjoy that difference it would be worth it.

One image that comes up when thinking of Tron is bike races.
I knew that. Though it might not fit exactly the image from the film, it has been made to be played with similar results.

We understand that within the world of Atlantica there will be a rhythm game but what will actually happen in that world?
The story has been laid out as a musical so even the game will be structured differently. It's mostly a matter of timing. I didn't want to make it only a musical but also something the player could interact with. If you do well you'll see a proper musical scene, if you do badly you won't.

The matter of "outcomes" raises the question whether the story will carry on even if we fail.
Yes, few will probably want to carry on if they fail too much. It's always better to see the perfect scenes though.

Does that mean that in Atlantica there won't be any action battles?
There won't be any action battle but the musical will use event battles.

Does that mean there will also be scenes where we have to swim around?
There will be a little exploration. You will be swimming as part of the musical. In the previous instalment there was the view that swimming through Atlantica and fighting was difficult. That is why this time we've changed it into a musical world.

Timeless River will appear in black and white but was this decided from the beginning.
Yes.

Is Timeless river also a special world with no action battle?
No, there will be the usual battles and, unlike the film, voices. A part from the fact that it's in black and white it can compare with the other worlds in terms of game play. But it's just slightly different in the sense that it can be felt like a compact, mini-game world, even though there aren't that many mini-games in it.

In the Pride Lands, Sora & Co. are turned into animals...
In the film Lion King there weren't any people either so I felt it wouldn't be good to put them in there as they were. I thought that this was a world where animals talked to each other so it would have been unlikely for a human being to walk in and talk to them, which is why I changed their shapes accordingly. Concerning Donald and Goofy, their animal motifs couldn't correspond so I had to change them into animals that can be found in Africa.

Won't the XIII Order appear there too?
They probably won't. And even if they did you probably wouldn't recognise them in an animal form.

Sora holds his Keyblade in his mouth but what about Donald and Goofy's weapons?
Donald holds his staff with his claws. Goofy will have more or less the same weapon holding tactic as he did in the previous Atlantica world. In fact, Lion King was a world I already wanted to put in the previous instalment. Only, it was abandoned because making Sora into a 4 legged animal required a different program. This time was revenge. There came enthusiastic voices from the staff so we had a go at it.

Since we can do magic and combos it doesn't change much from usual battles then?
Yes, the only difference might be the inability to use Drive but that's about it.

Now, the Master Form has been revealed. What sort of abilities does it have?
It is a yellow combination of Wisdom and Valour forms. However it is a bit risky because it uses up the drive gauge faster.

Are there any other forms left?
Not that many but a few.

Are they completely different from the ones revealed to date?
Those that haven't been revealed by now are more or less bundled in as hidden ones. Even if the name Master Form sounds quite conclusive. They are forms even better than that.

Newly we have seen Seifer, Raijin and Fujin as well as Vivi. They also seem quite different from their original designs.
They are now kids but if you think about it, they were only 17-18 years old in FFVIII as well so the change isn't that big. It's just that KHII makes them slightly Deformed so they might look like children. Their roles don't change that much from FFVIII. From the Garden's disciplinary committee to the Town's disciplinary committee.

Please tell us why Vivi was included.
I was really reluctant as I don't like using designs that weren't mine to begin with because I don't understand them properly but there were a lot of requests and so my staff convinced me to have a go. He doesn't stand out much but though he is with Seifer he has aspirations.

Hollow Bastion is looking different from the previous instalment in the sense that a lot of the FF characters are gathering there.
It was a necessary continuation of the previous story as it is their home world.

Is it becoming a proper town?
The focus is on Leon and Cid rebuilding the place. What was once a town became what you saw in the first instalment so during the game you will still see it as rebuilding.

How many FF characters are to appear?
More than what was previously shown. Though I first talked about there being around 5 new FF characters, lately it looks as though it will be far beyond that. HB's main characters are from FF so as the story builds, more will be introduced.

Does that mean that it will be a world we will frequently pay visits to?
HB will be to KHII what Traverse Town was to KH so yes.

Counting the new Tron world, have all the worlds been revealed now?
More or less. Twilight Town and the world from the secret movies haven't been presented in enough depth yet so please look forward to that.

~
KH2 - Hyper Playstation
After 2 years of waiting, KHII is finally making its way to stores! How are you feeling about this right now?
Its all fine right now. When we were at the Tokyo Game Show, and at the time that we gave the release date, there were so many mixed feelings that I saw from the crowd. Some people were saying "WHOA!! It's that soon!! It's almost here!!", but I did have some people, who unfortunately did not have those same feelings, and were a bit disappointed

When did the team realize that they would be able to set a release date.
Well both the team and I were VERY skeptical about the release date, because we needed to add a little more touches, and also know if we WILL be able to release it then. Then, we were able to finish the things that we wanted to, and our determination got us through, and then we were able to set a date.

What are your feelings now about the collaboration between you and Disney?
Well, unmistakably Disney characters are something that most likely, the whole world knows about. For a game to go that way with Disney, has never been achieved before. I wanted to make a game idea with this company in mind. This idea was of course to have Disney characters living in another world and how would they react to the other things that are, of course, different to their own world. What the game's approach had become was something that we soon became satisfied with. Both the characters from Disney and from us, we wanted them to live in similar lifestyles as they would, and our characters to be compatible to the Disney character lifestyles.

With the fist game being a success, what do you have in mind for this for KHII?
I think that this will be a very great game. We've added things that no one really expected, like POTC and Steamboat Willie, and by adding those things to the game, it has made it very enjoyable. We were very nervous about the first game, because of the joining of Square and Disney, and of course we worried about which worlds would be appropriate, and what the content would be and such things like that. However, this time we knew that because of its success, we will be able to create a fun and great game.

There is a definite image that comes to mind with both POTC and Tron. Like, a visual impact that is close to live action movies, Tell us about it.
People have said that it would make this too much like FF, but you need to add some kind of realism to the game, because all fun and games, sometimes turns into no fun at all. That is what the basic idea of the worlds are.

Mr. Nomura, please tell us:
I loved working on the Lion King. Lions are my favorite animal, and I loved the story and everything from Lion King, so naturally, Lion King was my favorite.

What are some changes with Sora and the gang that occur in the game?
Sora mostly changes from the fact that the engine has changed, with the implementation of both the Drive Engine, and that Sora changes more in worlds such as the Lion King world.

What other Disney productions would you have liked to put in?
I would have wanted to something with Fantasia and mainly the sequence with Mickey when he was the wizard's apprentice.

What do you think captures the games "magic"?
I think that Mickey is what really captures the magic for this game. He hasn't really been seen a lot in KH, so with that, we made KHII have more of Mickey in it, to give it that Disney magic.

About the XIII Order, what made you design and create these characters?
We couldn't really add them in KH, because of both the story and the themes. KHII and CoM is a bit darker, so it seems more appropriate. In CoM, only 8 of the 13 were revealed, to further the plot for KHII.

This time, a new enemy, the "Nobody" has arrived. Tell us about them and their purpose a bit more.
I wanted to complete the perspective to both the heart and body relationship. The Heartless are made of those who surrender their hearts, so it kind of makes sense to do something with the body, hence "Nobody". Each of the XIII Order members control their own special Nobody, for example, the Dragon Nobodies are control by Xaldin. But, whenever you go to a different world, you are suppose to think "Oh, there's a different XIII Order person, I wonder what their Nobody is..."

What kind of a person is the Mysterious Boy (BHK)?
Well, he is playable....(laughs). Everyone of course wants to know about him, and want to control him. He is playable and has emotions and his voice and everything that you would need to figure him out.

What is noticeable about BHK's friends?
They all live in Twilight Town, as they live there they always have lots of fun. These kids have a lot of similarities to Sora, Riku and Kairi. This time, of course you start with the exploits of BHK and his friends. You will be able to play through Twilight Town just as you did with Destiny Islands, but it will be focused a bit more.

Riku and Kairi and The King, are they more emphasized in the game?
Mickey of course has a very important role (laughs). However, not a lot changes throughout his character. This time, everyone should still have the same feeling of the king as they did before. Kairi has grown up, so she has more mature emotions and feelings. And what shall we find with Riku? This will be a big point through the game. And with that, I hope you have fun! (laughs)

What is the mystery behind II?
There are new themes, new situations and such, and all will be explained when the game is released.

How will the change between Drives occur?
The drive changes will be in Full Real Time, and right in the middle in the action. When you are doing these attacks, they always will have an effect on you somehow, and you are able to execute combo attacks.

The 3 forms have been confirmed, are there still some more left?
Yes, there are still a couple more forms left, and the last one will be amazing (laughs).

There is of course the Triangle Button Command
Yes, there definitely the triangle commands, and this will all take place in real-time, and it of course is always based on the situation. I had this in mind for the first game, but we just never really got to it.

How is the Gummi Ship?
The ship is strengthened, but looks the same as it always has. There is lots more action, and the whole sequence is very up beat, and face paced. We know have a small helping system. If you are having trouble, Chip and Dale will give you advice.

Now, finally is our User Message.
Playing Kingdom Hearts II will be very enjoyable indeed for people who have played before. It has many twists and situations that are quite different from I, and I really hope that you enjoy the game!

2006

KH2 - Famitsu #2

Were you planning from the start to have Brave Form and Master Form as dual-wielders?
After showing a dual-wielder in KH:FM's secret movie, there were many voices saying "I want to dual-wield, too". But it's not fun to have a dual-wielder all the time so I used it in the form-changing system.

Is anti-form originated from when Sora got turned into a Heartless?
Story-wise, yes. Drives are very strong so anti-form exists as a side-effect of using too much power. System-wise, I wanted to create something strong but troublesome.

Did you create each world having a targetted amount of play-time to clear them?
I did at first but at the end everything crumbed down. Twilight Town wasn't planned to be that long either. (laugh) While writing down the plot, I thought "this will get long..."

Twilight Town really emphasized on showing Roxas' emotions, didn't it?
Although Roxas is a new character in a sequel, he's also a main character, so he was quite the key to whether we could put a lot of feelings in a short amount of time or not. (Er, okay, my translation sucks for this line but roughly he meant that) Looking at people who have played the game, there are many opinions saying "I pity him" and "it was sad". It was a very short time out of the whole game so I thought it(Roxas' story) was very well-done. The episode where they were riding the train and Roxas was the only without a ball was very sad. That was Nojima's idea; it wasn't in my plot.

Why did Kairi forget about Sora in the beginning?
When Sora lost his memory, so did everyone that had anything to do with him. While Sora was in the capsule and getting his memories mended, everyone's memories (of him) started to come back too. That's why Leon and the others at Hollow Bastion said "Until lately, we've all forgotten about Sora".

Is there a reason for the King to wear the black coat?
While Sora was fighting up in front, the King was fighting in the background while being undercover. But of course it's very easy to figure out it's the King. (laugh) He's wearing the coat to camouflage himself while searching for info on the 13 Organization.

In the scene where Philosopher Ansem was talking to the King, I laughed at the gap between seeing him talking seriously while eating the Seasalt Ice-cream!
That's Nojima-san's idea. But I was the one who put it into Twilight Town. I couldn't forget the Seasalt ice-cream I ate at Disney Sea. I got a shock out of that salty but sweet taste and thought "This... tastes good." (laugh) The one at Disney Sea was in a cup but after giving some thought on how the scene they were eating it should look like, I decided to make it an ice-cream stick. To me it should be a Twilight-Town-only thing, but somehow it end up as an important item.

Did you design the Nobody's symbol?
Yes. The design concept is "a splintered heart". On the other hand, the Heartless' mark's concept is "a thorn/splinter's heart". I made the images opposite of each other. (Again, I'm not quite sure about this translation)

If the XIII Organization are Nobodies, does that mean their Heartless are somewhere, too?[/B
They're probably somewhere but not that great of a Heartless. Xehanort was about the only one who has a human-shaped Heartless. (Note the "about")

Axel and Reno from "FF7 Advent Children" have the same seiyuu, and even almost the same appearance and image. Did you intend that?
To me, Axel is an existence close to Reno, created in the same concept, but they are different people. Those two are different people but subconsciously alike. I wanted to see how it would be to have completely different characters that are really similar to each other but hold different kind of roles in different worlds.

There's an event where Sora and Roxas battled each other but don't you want that to be playable?
It was planned to be a playable battle but there were time constraints so I had to change it into an event. Making 13-Organization-class boss battles take up a lot of time. There was even a little challenge concept for that Roxas battle but it was quite hard to pull off so it got canceled.

What's your basis of showing up FF characters?
Basicly we choose out of characters that got a lot of requests. In KH, they have roles to fulfil but in KH2, the only ones like that are the Twilight Town characters. Auron and YuRiPa were requests.

Whose idea was it to turn the YRP into small faeries?
That's my idea. I thought if we put them in full scale, the screen might get a bit 'noisy'. So by turning them into compact size and still giving that 'bustling' feeling while having all 3 girls gathered, I thought that can emphasis their characters. If they're in their real ages, it seems like they might be out of place.

In the final battle, it sure was a surprise to suddenly be able to control a certain character. (Referring to Riku)
I was surprised, too. It was a surprise from the staff that worked on that battle. I think they were answering to people's wishes of wanting to control him. When I played to check it, the controls suddenly changed and I got chaotic. (laugh)

Around the end there was a scene where a character that's not Sora (Kairi) held a keyblade, so does that mean they have the nature to be a Chosen One?
I wonder? There are still more backgrounds of the keyblade that haven't been revealed. I'm still going around that, so I can't say anything much about it. But it's true that scene is hinting something.

In the Other Ansem Reports, it said that the keyblade "brought confusion and influence in the past"; is that part of its background?
Yes. The keyblade has a lot of mysteries. There are questions like who created it for what purpose, and Xigbar even said to Sora "Compared to the others in the past, you are lamer." I can't answer much about the keyblade. (laugh)

The secret movie had something to do with keyblades, too.
Yes. I wanted to hide the faces of the people who showed up in there.

Does that mean the players know of these people?
I just haven't drawn their faces. (laugh) I can't hide their faces with black hoods like in KH:FM's secret movie, too. Who knows what kind of grudges I'll invite if I just change the hood's colour. (laugh) That's why I chose armours. First I only drew the atmosphere and the rest is done by the staff. But FF12 has Judge in armour so I made a more heroic design for them.

Was that scene shown in the past or future of Sora's generation?
Who knows? (laugh) I can't tell you which generation it's in, but I have a thought on it.

This time the condition to watch the secret movie by completing the whole Jiminy Memo is harder, isn't it?
At the beginning of developing the last half of the game, it was made to be easily watchable. At first you only had to clear Proud Mode to watch it, in Normal is to just clear all worlds and in Easy is to complete the whole Jiminy Memo. But I thought this will make everyone able to watch the movie easily so I thought I would make them work harder for it.

The Jiminy Memo's album has Sora's handwriting, eh?
That's my writing. One time, a project member came to me embarassingly. He said he wanted the album to have handwritten comments so I thought "Why not?" After that he said "If that's so... Please write it." (laugh)

Who thought up of the comments?
The contents are prepared by project members by making 3 plans and then we mix them all around. When I had the time, I wrote it bit by bit, but it turned out I had a lot to write. Just when I thought "I'm finished!", they came in with "We brought more comments!" And that repeated numerous times. I tried my best to not make mistakes, but after I thought "If this was Sora...", I started to write without caring over errors.

Jiminy Memo really has a lot of stuff in it.
The menu leaders were staff members who volunteered for the project so they were quite fussy over that. Not many people would want to even write down strategies.

There are voices from the staff, too. What about a KH sequel?
KH, KH:FM, KH:CoM, KH2... Through all these years we kept working on KH so we're going to take a break for awhile and work on something else.

Seems like there are many fans waiting for a KH2 Final Mix.
There are many people who played KH:FM and thought the English version is "the right KH" for them, so I expected that kind of thinking. But I can't say it's only up to the fans' wishes. There's still the problem of schedules.

Does that mean your next work won't have anything to do with KH?
Yes. But it'll take years until it's released. Even if I said that, I can't say if KH2's FM will be released after that or not. I was planning to not make an FM for this in the first place. I thought we would insert the English voices in too, but there weren't enough space... Even if there is an FM, the staff members said there's still no space.
~

KH2 - Ultimania
Kingdom Hearts II Ultimania - Tetsuya Nomura Interview


When did KHII's development officially start?
In the previous game, I inserted a secret movie in hopes of creating a sequel, but to actually pull it off, KHII had a number of hurdles that I had to clear first. Like our wish "to give Mickey more spotlight", we had to wait until Disney allowed that and once it's settled, then we could finally talk about KHII's development.

Once the project started, did you have an image of how you wanted KHII to be like?
One of (our goals) was to recover all the foreshadowing from the previous game. Then we took all the complaints we heard from it and fixed it to bring satisfaction. At the same time, we also thought of adding more into direction and increase choices in the battle system. Like this, the development was going towards the path of increasing the volume of the game from the start, so we thought "There are a lot of things that need to be done, but let's do all of them" and stuck to that thinking.

So is the finished game's volume just like what you expected, Nomura-san?
No, I didn't expect it to go this far. My staff just wouldn't stop working. (laugh) I thought we would start cutting back some things if we ever run out of time, but many of the staff just wouldn't stop. I asked them "Are you alright with this?" and they would simply answer "Yeah, I can do this." I've always been nervous all the time but in the end they accomplished and I was moved. "Wow, you all really did it."

In the huge battle where we have to go through 1000 Heartless, all the staff thought they couldn't pull it off but in the end they could, eh?
Yes. I always estimated that "If we have to drop something, it'll have to be this part" but instead the staff demand for something higher. When it came to "No, we can't do that but if we go a little lower, that should be okay," I thought we would leave it at that but the staff would still make something of a higher level. (laugh) That is why I didn't think that huge battle would actually materialize to that point in the end.

Compared to its prequel, there are a lot of impressions on how there are less Jump actions, more user-friendly help menus and the difficulty level is lower; did you put that into thought?
Yes. Last time we made a lot of things less user-friendly and we end up really being told it's "not friendly". (laugh) So that's why this time we added information, navigation maps and so on, and created it to be very user-friendly.

Did you have troubles because this is a sequel?
The game's story is a direct sequel of the first game so yes, there was that fear. Initially I didn't bear it in my mind as "a sequel". But, as I sat down and thought calmly before the game's release, I thought "How will those who didn't know about the previous game think of KHII? I wonder if they won't buy it. Maybe this isn't good." But still many people accepted it so I'm glad.

3 days after the game's release 1 million copies of it got shipped out, after all. Do you think there's a reason on why the fanbase has widen?
I get the feeling it's because we made something that has a wide 'frontage', something that doesn't have age or gender as its threshold. I hear things like "My 6-year-old son is playing this" and "People in their 40's and 50's also play this" quite often. I guess that means it's because the game has a 'wide frontage'.

What's the theme that you most wanted to express this time?
Not just this time; "Kingdom Hearts" always have something like "a person's heart" and "connection of hearts" as its theme. Like the strength of an invisible "heart" or what's the most important thing to you, that's what I was thinking while drawing the story.

One of the surprises of playing KHII is that the scenes and lines foreshadowed in the "deep dive" secret movie in KH:FM were actually cleared. On solving the underplots, how much was hypothesized back in the first KH?
I think half was thought up back in the first game, another half was thought up once we started working on KHII. Even so, that doesn't mean we didn't think of them at all in the first place, but more like a rough "maybe we should do this." We also changed somethings we thought up at that time so that's what I mean by half-half.

For example, the heart-shaped moon in the previous game's key visual showed up this time as the Kingdom Hearts. Did you think of doing this right from the start?
No, I didn't. I asked Nojima-san (Nojima Kazushige) to write KHII's scenario and in his scenario it was written that the Kingdom Hearts Xemnas created is "like a moon that floats in the World that Never Was." When I read that, I thought "Oh, this can be connected!" (laugh) so I made it to look like the moon in the previous game's key visual. The World that Never Was has the "Dark City" right from the beginning of the game's development and since then its background is night. That's why when Nojima-san wrote that Xemnas was creating Kingdom Hearts in the sky, coincidentally he wrote "it looks like a moon" but I thought it got connected by destiny.

If KHII was never released, what would happen to the mysteries left in the first game?
I guess they'll just stay untold. (laugh) I have a severe opinion about that but I think a game that doesn't sell just shouldn't have a sequel. If many people want a sequel, I'll have to answer to that but if not, I have to bravely give up. Thank goodness we had a lot of fans saying they want a continuation so we were able to make it, but if KH was a game that nobody wants a sequel of, then it's not that bad for the unsolved mysteries to stay that way, anyway. Besides, even if KHII was not released now, the fans can still have fun with the underplots in the previous game and make their own speculations. In that way, although the game gets old, people can still continue being happy with it so I think it's possible to draw the curtain like how the previous game did.

A game sure needs elements where people can discuss and make speculation.
When we were kids, we always thought "there's not enough things to imagine from this" when reading manga, watching anime or playing games, and I thought that is strange. Whether it's game, anime or manga, there should be a place where you can speculate things. I have that feeling so I wanted to make a game that gives space for your imagination. That's why I don't like revealing everything and say "This is the answer." Just like when I was a kid, I want to make something that can allow people to let loose their imagination with.

How did you choose the worlds that get inserted into KHII?
Just like in the first KH, we make sure we don't overlay each world's outlooks. In abstract, we make world categories like "lots of greens", "gothic", "near future" and so on, and then think which world fits those categories. For example, in the first game there was the "Tarzan" world and at the same time there's an idea for a "Jungle Book" world, too. But both worlds' appearances look almost the same so I took some opinions from the staff and make a choice between those two. KHII's worlds were chosen one-by-one like that, too, but at that time I was at Disney's HQ in Los Angeles to make contract negotiations. On the day we had an appointment with the Disney HQ on requesting which worlds we wanted to use, I sent emails (through handphone) to the staff asking "This world got the OK sign, so what do you think?" and so on and made the choices at real-time.

Half of the worlds in the first game were major Disney titles so did you have a hard time choosing new worlds?
Before choosing a world I certainly wondered if the choice was okay or not. But when I thought of "Tron", "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Steamboat Willie" and so on, I got the feeling those are good choices. Half of the worlds overlayed with the previous game's but the new worlds give great impact so I thought they would be alright. Besides, this is still a sequel so people might want to re-visit some old worlds. In that way, both old and new worlds are inserted at the right ratio.

I heard it was you who suggested to insert the Seasalt Ice-cream in the game.
Yes, I did. When the Tokyo Disney Sea opened and I went there by invitation, they were selling Seasalt Ice-creams at the time. You would think a "salty ice-cream" seems a pretty weird idea, right? I was like "What is this?" so I tried it out and it turned out to be very tasty. My impression of it back then was so strong that I overlapped Disney's image with seasalt ice-cream. Besides that, Roxas' story is set in summer break and I wondered what did I eat back in summer breaks when I was a kid and I remembered "Ah, of course, ice-cream." Although I was the one who said I wanted to use it, Nojima-san was was the one who actually made it show up that much. Even I was surprised; "You're using it this often!?" (laugh) I think that shows the playful-ness of Nojima-san's scenarios.

The text that's written on the photos in Jiminy Memo's Album is written by you, right?
Yes. The project and menu leader came to my booth and said hesitantly "I want the text in the Album to be hand-written." I answered "I think that's okay" and he replied "No, I want you to write them down, Nomura-san." At that time there weren't that many sheets of paper so I said, "sure, I can write it" but just as I finished writing and gave back those sheets, more and more sheets kept coming in to the point of making me wonder when exactly they would stop coming in, and that's when I thought, "Oh, shoot." (laugh)

Since those writings were 'written by Sora', that means Sora's handwriting is the same as your handwriting, right? (laugh)
Yeah, I suppose so. (laugh) My handwritings have been used in websites and advertisements so when I asked "Wouldn't people recognize it's my handwriting?", they just answered "That'll be okay." By the way, those text will be erased in the international version and just be something limited to the Japanese version. I asked them "You're not saying I should write English for the NA version or French or German in the UK version, right?" and they answered "No, we're not inserting the text in the international versions" so I was saved by that. (laugh)

On what kind of basis did you choose the FF characters?
In a way, we selected characters that are on demand. We considered from both fans and the staff's opinions and it all ends with just characters that are highly on demand.

And Tifa from FFVII showed up.
In fact, back when we were working on KH:FM, some of the staff members wanted to have Tifa show up. They said "Battling with Tifa would be fun, in a melee sense" and originally wanted to add both Sephiroth and Tifa (into KH:FM) but due to tight schedules, we could only go with one character so we inserted Sephiroth into KH:FM. Because of that, we decided to let Tifa show up in this game. When we were recording the voices for KHII, coincidentally they were also doing the recording for FFVII:AC so somehow we end up doing "Today we record FFVII:AC, tomorrow KHII"... (laugh) The voices were recorded in the same flow so I'm glad about that.

Speaking of Tifa, there's an event where she talked to Cloud after beating Sephiroth.
In Nojima-san's scenario, it explained Cloud and Tifa's connection more in-depth but I deleted it away. I thought it would be more interesting to let the gamers think about it. For example, "If Cloud's darkness is Sephiroth, then Tifa is light"; in that sense you can take it that Tifa isn't really human. The reason Tifa doesn't talk to anyone else besides Sora and co. may be because she doesn't exist as a human. Of course, I also presented her in a way that she could also be a resident of Hollow Bastion, so I think you can feely think for yourself about her.

So Yuna, Rikku and Paine showed up as faeries this time.
I've always wanted to have a FF character showing up as "something that looks human but isn't human" at least once. Since "Kingdom Hearts" is a deformed world, I wanted to have a little fun with that. And as a plus, if all three showed up in their normal human size, I was kind of worried that the screen might get a bit too crowded. At least I've aways thought that if I were to make them appear in the game, having them as faeries would make them as very interesting beings. I wasn't deeply involved with FFX-2 but from the impression I got of looking at them as an audience, their positions in this game is how I see them.

Were you planning to insert FFVII:AC characters into KHII initially?
No. I didn't want to insert too many things from my newer works and FFVII:AC's world is very serious and has a little madness mixed into it so it was quite difficult to familiarize it to KHII's mood. I wasn't thinking of forcing to insert something that wouldn't fit in.

On the subject of characters, all the mysterious XIII Organization members finally appeared in KHII. Was it you who thought up of their settings?
No, I didn't completely decide on everything; a few people were also part of it. But Xemnas as #1 and Roxas as #13 has always been in the initial settings of the creation of the XIII Organization.

Was there any mentioning of making the members that disappeared in KH:COM to show up as guests in the Coliseum?
I did want to do that but I never said it out loud. If the members that died in KH:COM showed up, I would have to think of the details on why they're there, prepare the events and we'll need more work on creating the battles. Some of the staff said "It's kind of a waste since we already have CG models (of them) for the movies" but because of the schedule, nobody would go ahead to do something reckless.I actually like the XIII Organization a lot. Especially Luxord, I like how he's stylish and strangely has a glossy demeanor.

Looks like Zexion has a lot of fans.
Probably because he's quite enigmatic. He's the only member who showed up with no weapons but it's not because he doesn't have his own weapon, it's more of because he died without fighting so nobody knows what's his weapon. I have an idea on what his weapon is and I might have a chance of showing it in the near future so I'll keep it as a secret for now. That reminds me, in the World that Never Was, each XIII Organization member had a gravestone for them and each of those have a picture of their weapons and that's when Zexion became a problem for us. "Eh, we're gonna put a spoiler on Zexion's weapon there!?" (laugh) That's a bit too much so we decided to destroy the gravestone so that his weapon couldn't be seen.

Previously you said "The members of the XIII Organization have something hidden in their names", can you reveal the answer to us now?
Before this I've mentioned that when their names are spelt in Roman alphabets, there will surely be an "X", right? The truth is that when the "X" is taken away, the alphabets that are left behind is an anagram of the members' real names when they were humans. I actually wanted to insert an event scene showing how Roxas got his name. First the word "SORA" popped up and those letters were rearranged into "ROAS" and BAM, suddenly the "X" got inserted in the middle and he was told "Take this name...." Well, I had an image like that but it was something difficult to do time-wise so I gave up.

Following the previous game, Utada Hikaru also sang the theme song for this game, "Passion."
Many fans seem to have the image Kingdom Hearts = Utada Hikaru so I didn't think of changing that at all. This time I wrote a story explanation for her that's longer than the previous game's. We decided to have it played at the last scene, so for me the theme was "Sora and Riku's reunion." I wrote stuff like "An image of a reunion, a happy moment in a way" and "Like a Hikari 2" in there.

In the single version, there are phrases like "Seems like a child will be born in winter" and "The New Year's card has a photo attached to it" in it...[/B
After getting the finished song, we worked on the movie to make it synchronize with the song, and when we were almost finishing, suddenly I was told "we've made a single version" so I tried listening to it and noticed those phrases were added into the lyrics, so we didn't know about it initially. Come to think about it, if those phrases were added earlier, we would have been brainstorming how to make the movie fit that part of the song. (laugh) I guess it's because Utada-san understood that "Kingdom Hearts" won't be using that part of the song.

It was amazing on how the ending synchronized well with the song and movie.
The first KH's ending also stuck well with the theme song, but this time it was a bit more difficult because the song started with soft piano keys. Before, the scene that synchronized with the start of the song was Sora letting go of Kairi's hand but this time this two would hold each other's hands. In the editting process, we were arguing on how many seconds we should show them holding hands. Someone said "Shouldn't it look better if we show it longer?" but I said "No, we're going to show it for just a split second" so we cut it short enough to just show them holding hands. The external editors told me "you're a really cold person", though. (laugh)

In the last scene in the ending, they received a letter from the king. I'm quite curious to what's written in it.
I was troubled for a very long time on whether I should show the letter's contents or not, and in the end I decided to let people speculate it themselves. You can guess what's in the letter by looking at those three's facial expressions: Sora looking at it blankly, Riku smirking and Kairi looking slightly worried. If it was just a "Hello, it's been awhile", they would be smiling instead so at least it's hinted it is not that kind of simple letter. Actually, it was planned to have a little more scene to it and by watching it you could tell what's in the letter. I might be able to show that scene when I get the chance to.

After the ending, there's a secret movie this time, too. What exactly is the movie trying to tell?
I actually have a solid idea on what the movie's setting will be in my head. In the previous game's secret movie, I wasn't even sure if I would be making a sequel or not, so some parts of it were quite vague. But this time I already have an idea my head where I think "This is it."

Did that scene happen in the future or in the past?
I would at least say it's an episode in the past, but.... Hmm, how should I say this? It's in the past but you can also think it's in the future, something like that.

Who are the 3 armoured people?
Those 3 are completely new people who haven't shown up at all. In fact, I've already thought of their names. Back when I was making that movie, I only had their settings but now I've even drawn their faces to give myself a clearer image of them.

The king, Sora and Riku's keyblades were there, too.
It's to show that those three armoured people aren't them but that doesn't mean they don't have connections. The words "Keyblade War" that showed up in the middle were to implicate that there were fights between Keyblades. Most of the puzzles in the first KH have been solved in KHII but there are many things about the Keyblade that haven't been revealed yet. A line from the previous game's Ansem Report #8 appeared in the movie but that is to say "It means this but it's not explained yet."

Does that mean you already have a plot for KHIII?
Hmm... I have an idea but it can't be helped because my team are planning to work on our next different title. So we're not working on KHIII now and we're not planning to work on it for some time, too. I have a plot in my head but I'm not sure if it'll be released to the world or just stay in there.

Well then, is there a possibility for a Final Mix version to be released like the previous game's?
Actually, I wasn't planning for KHII to have a Final Mix. In beginning of the project, I wanted to have the English voices inserted, too, but the disc space was almost full and the recording of the English voices got delayed so that plan couldn't be realized. Compared to FF, there's a high demand for the English version of "Kingdom Hearts". I assume it's because there are many fans who came in through KH:FM so it felt quite weird to play KHII in Japanese when they played the previous game in English. Thanks to KH:FM selling very well, many fans think the English voices are meant for "Kingdom Hearts" so right now I'm in the middle of wondering what to do about Final Mix.

Seems like many gamers are hoping there will be many extras besides the English voices if Final Mix is ever released.
If I were to make it, I'll have to answer to that demand and I shouldn't put it at the same level as the previous game's. But more things have been done for KHII compared to the first KH so I'm troubled on how to make the 'tuning' for Final Mix. We still have to think how to solve the disc space problem, too.

Since it's you after all, Nomura-san, you probably already started thinking of some plans for Final Mix, right?
In fact, I've prepared a very big trump card for it but I can't say what it is yet. It's something to look forward to if I'm able to make it. (laugh) Besides that, I regret not putting the mushroom Heartless in KHII. In the beginning of the project, I had new ideas that I wanted to use for the mushroom Heartless but it was too grand that it would take a lot of time to make so it got cut out. And the result is that not even one mushroom got inserted. A staff kept saying "Something's missing. Something's missing. Oh yeah, there's no mushroom!" (laugh) If we can make a Final Mix, I would like to add the mushrooms in.

By the way, you seem to be working on the international version now; are you adding anything extra in that?
Nope, not much. We're making the North American version in 3 months so localizing(translating) it is pretty much the only thing we can do. After that there's the European version, so if I were to work on Final Mix, it'll have to be after that.

If that really happens, then that means the different title you're planning to work on will be slightly delayed to be worked on.
Well, there are ways to go around it. I already started thinking on that title's plot and character by myself. That title is hidden inside FFVII:AC in a surprising manner, by the way. (laugh)

Well then, please leave a message to all the KHII players that are reading this.[B/]
KHII achieved great quality not only because of the development staff's high motivation to not give up, but it's also because there were many voices from the fans wanting a sequel. Like I said before, the sequel's plot may not see daylight if there's no need for the a sequel, so I'm grateful to you all that I'm able to make KHII. KHII's story has completed but there are still some puzzles left behind, like the secret movie, the king's letter in the ending, the contents of Ansem's reports and so on. Inside me, the story of "Kingdom Hearts" still hasn't ended, so if you're thinking "I still want to keep in touch with this world," then someday that might be realized. Besides that, what made me happy this time is that the people around me told me, "It's quite common to be moved by video games but KHII is the first to give me a warm feeling." The "heart" is the theme of "Kingdom Hearts", so if I get the chance to make a sequel again, I would like to make something that'll stay or appeal something to the heart.

Nomura Tetsuya - Director and Concept Design
A secret of the game that only he knew
"Xehanort's name has two meanings. When you spell it in Roman alphabets and rearrange them without the 'X', they'll spell 'No Heart' and 'Another'. These meanings are connected to the secret movie."


The Scenario Mysteries in "Kingdom Hearts II"

When was the XIII Organization founded?
The timing is when Philosopher Ansem's 6 disciples turned into Heartless. The XIII Organization is called like that just because it has recruited 13 members, but it doesn't matter if it has "XIII" in its name or not. All 13 members were already gathered in KH:COM but the members that were in Castle Oblivion still called it as the "Organization."

Besides Xehanort, did the other 5 disciples that turned into Heartless disappeared?
Not really disappear but more like they're somewhere else as normal Heartless. Xehanort was about the only one who was able to keep a human form.

In the beginning of the game, there's a conversation between Xemnas and Roxas that went like "I met him. He looks just like you." "Who are you?" at the beach in the World of Darkness. Did this happen right after Sora's fight with the Enigmatic Man in KH:FM?
"Right after".... I'm not sure about that but yes, it's after that. In this game it was never stated that Xemnas was the EM in KH:FM but from the way he fights and his line "He looks just like you", I hinted that it was him in KH:FM.

Roxas asked for Xemnas' name so does that mean that scene shows him meeting Xemnas for the first time and that's when he joined the Organization?
Not really. It's true that he had a conversation with Xemnas at that beach before but that's not their first meeting and their conversation wasn't like that either. The conversation at the beginning of the game was Roxas' dream, mixed with his memories and feelings. The part where he asked for Xemnas' name but instead was asked back for his real name was a reflection of Roxas' feelings on who really is. Roxas didn't know his real name, remember? If he remembered that he was Sora, I think he wouldn't join the Organization in the first place.

Did Namine meet DiZ after Sora's story in KH:COM?
Yes, they contacted each other between Sora and Riku's stories. Namine coorperated with DiZ not just because she's against the Organization but also because she wanted to protect Sora. She promised to restore Sora's memories so she needed to stay beside him. As stated in Ansem's Other Report #10, DiZ thought it's dangerous to leave Sora in Castle Oblivion, and in order to protect Sora, Namine needed DiZ.

Was the Mansion in Twilight Town a property of the XIII Organization?/B]
No, they have nothing to do with it. It's just a place DiZ used as his hideout. You saw a lot of pods like the one Sora was in but DiZ just transfered Sora and the others along with their pods from Castle Oblivion. In other words, DiZ just copied the pods that were created by the Organization and lined them up (in the Mansion). The reason there's a room in the Mansion that looks exactly like Castle Oblivion's was just prepared for Namine, not because that space is connected to Castle Oblivion.

Please tell us a bit more about the Twilight Town Roxas was in. From Ansem's Other Report #12, there's the line "For the moment, I have converted all of Twilight Town into data, and formed a 'copy of the world' in Sora's memories..."
The Twilight Town Roxas was in is the data of the real Twilight Town, inside a computer. The pod Sora sleeps in is connected to a computer and in that computer is a data of that world and the XIII Organization hacked into the computer. It's not that Axel went into Sora's brain, it's actually that the Nobodies invaded the world that's in the computer that Sora's brain is accessing.

We found out that Riku's Keyblade's name is "Way to the Dawn" when examining his item slots after he joined your party. Is that Keyblade a transfigured version of Soul Eater?
I designed it with that image. Since Riku has always been using Soul Eater, he still calls it that even after it changed form. Keyblades aren't something that you can obtain suddenly out of nowhere so in Riku's case, his Soul Eater was used as an intermediary for that Keyblade.

If we directly translate "Way to the Dawn", "dawn" means "in-between night and daytime", so does that mean that Keyblade is from the In-between World? In other words, this means the Keyblades that Sora, King Mickey and Riku wield represent the Worlds of Light, Dark and In-between?
Well, if I have to say where they belong, it's just as you said. But the name of "Way to Dawn" doesn't have to mean that. This name came from the scene at the end of Riku's story in KH:COM that suggested which path he would walk on, where he said "The road to dawn."

In Ansem's Other Report #13, DiZ had the unanswered question, "How did Xehanort open the door in Hollow Bastion's underground?" but....
I can't talk about this yet. But, weeell, it's something you can speculate over, I think.

Speaking of "opening the door", I'm going to move the subject to the previous game. Why when Riku opened Destiny Island's door, this accidentally called the darkness? Do the powers of Keyblade wielders that are called "Heroes of Light" are connected to darkness?
Currently Sora and co. are the only Keyblade wielders and they're doing things that grant them the titles "Heroes of Light" but, as stated in the first game's Ansem Report #8 and the secret movie this time, the real Keyblade wielders "can bring chaos to the world, just as one can bring peace to it."

In the World that Never Was, Xigbar said to Sora "Compared to the ones before this, you're weaker"; does that mean he's comparing Sora to previous Keyblade wielders before him?
Yes, he was. I was hinting "Xigbar has met other Keyblade wielders before." As for something more than that... I'll leave it to your imagination.
~

KH2: FM+ - Famitsu

Famitsu - December 2006


Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+

Famitsu: Anyway, let's start with the news of this "new project" which appeared at the end of the latest trailer. Boy, were we surprised!
Nomura: Thanks to everyone Kingdom Hearts has gained phenomenal popularity worldwide. That is why next year the series will be taking a new step... although for the moment I can't be any more concrete.

Famitsu: If only you could do something about that (laugh). Is it something Disney specializes in? Or is a game?
Nomura: It's complicated. It is one thing but "project" doesn't quite encompass it. Right now we're in the midst of talks with Disney's side and while there is something they have contributed there is also something we [Square-Enix] have contributed. At the moment we're talking about how to realise it. Please be patient until we can be more precise.

Famitsu: Will there be a hint in KHII FM's secret movie?
Nomura: Well... there will be... a little. But also something else...

Famitsu: Something else?!
Square-Enix's PR Department: It's probably something you have never would have imagined. (laugh)
Nomura: So a lot's going on but please look forward to it.

Famitsu: We will! Now, regarding the new information that's been released, first there's that new costume for Sora. Is it for Halloween Town?
Nomura: Actually it's something for Christmas Town. It was suggested in an interview so I thought that since I had the chance...

Famitsu: So there's no difference in Halloween Town but when in Christmas Town it will change?
Nomura: Yes. There are basically two costumes for that world.

Famitsu: Will these new changes in costumes also mean changes in the story?
Nomura: No, the story won't change so there will only be a difference in the visuals. I thought that might be fun. The reason it isn't red is because it would then be the same colour as Jack's and so the story would get complicated. By the way, Donald and Goofy's appearances will also change.

Famitsu: What is the new Drive Form looking like?
Nomura:The colours are very similar to Sora's KH costume.

Famitsu: Speaking of the latest trailer, it seems there was a new stage... one where there were battles with Marluxia and Lexaeus. They disappear in CoM right? So...
Nomura: In KHII FM you will be able to fight all the members of Organization XIII. To do that we had to create a new place. Those members who aren't related to the story will be very difficult to defeat.

Famitsu: More than Sephiroth?
Nomura: Yes. This is a special edition so they'll be very hard indeed.

Famitsu: We also saw that the fight against Roxas that was a cut scene in KHII is now playable.
Nomura: Yes. We're doing our best to make it great.

Famitsu: In the latest releases it also seemed like he had a very small number of HP bars. (laugh)
Nomura: Well he is also a Keyblade Wielder so he packs quite a punch. However, unlike Sephiroth, his is a fight that is compulsory to the story so we couldn't make him too powerful either. It was all about finding the correct balance.

Famitsu: There were quite a few screens where he was in the air but will this be a mostly airborne battle?
Nomura: Not really, but it will definitely be a very lively battle.

Famitsu: There seems to be a Reaction Command called Duel Bout. Wasn't this one that could be used with the Samurai Nobodies?
Nomura: Yes. Samurai Nobodies are supposed to be under Roxas' command so it makes sense that Roxas can use the Command as well. Of course, Roxas' is a lot better.

Famitsu: As well as these new fights against Organization XIII and Roxas, fights against new mushroom Heartless were also shown.
Nomura: I actually don't like shiitake (Mors' Note; a popular edible mushroom in Japan) but came to like mushroom Heartless. (laugh) I had thought of great gimmicks to put them into KHII but it didn't make it. I had to insist a bit but they finally are included. This time they're quite strong.

Famitsu: There was a screen where mushroom Heartless were striking a pose. What was that about?!
Nomura: It means there are several of them. (laugh)

Famitsu: Several?!
Nomura: They each have their own specialities and are of different sizes as well.

Famitsu: Will we be able to tell them apart?
BNomura: They are all ranked and you can tell what their number is.

Famitsu: In recent screens there was a score counter as well as a timer. Are they going to be fought like minigames?
Nomura: Yes. They come up as challenges and, as before, each have their own way of being solved.

Famitsu: We're looking forward to it. Also, in the latest trailer there was a character who said "It's been a while, my friend.". Who was this being said to?
Nomura: At present I cannot say.

Famitsu: You said that none of the iron-clad characters of the secret movie were Roxas or Sora.
Nomura: That is correct. However they are related to one or more characters we have already introduced. Please speculate and look forward to it as well as the new project.


Kingdom Hearts - Re:Chain of Memories

Famitsu: With the addition of voice acted scenes, it is like seeing some members of the Organization anew.
Nomura: Individuals worlds will only have text but all the scenes within the Castle with the Organization will be voiced.

Famitsu: The quality of it is also amazing.
Nomura: The Organization of KHII was done so accurately and well that we were determined to do just as good with KH: Re:CoM. They stick perfectly with their image.

Famitsu: In a screen where we fight with Riku, we see Zexion holding a Soul Eater. Does that mean he has the ability to imitate others' weapons?
Nomura: Yes. However, each and every member of Organization XIII has both a special attribute and a specific weapon. Zexion also has his own weapon.

Famitsu: And what seems like the ability to clone himself?
Nomura: Zexion's element is that of illusion so he will make use of it in battle.

Famitsu: What are the changes to the battle system?
Nomura: There a lot more Stock techniques. There are many new combinations that produce techniques than previously. There also some techniques that are connected to the Reaction Command brought over from KHII. However, the input of the Reaction Commands is a bit more difficult than in KHII.

Famitsu: Button mashing won't do?
Nomura: Indeed. In Re:CoM you get to use them during Stock techniques so that would have been too easy. That's why we've tried to make the timing more severe.

Famitsu: There has been talks that you were thinking about giving a nice bonus if the saves of KHII: FM and KH Re:CoM were to be transferred around.
Nomura: Yes I'm making it so that they will affect one another, something if KHII: FM data can be found when playing Re:CoM and vice versa. Transferring that of Re: CoM to KHII: FM will have a great effect I included thinking of all the fans so please look forward to it.

~

2007
KH2: FM+ - Ultimania

About the new KH title that will be announced after summer this year (2007), will that be a direct sequel?
Tetsuya Nomura: Hmm...I'm not sure how much I can say (laughs). I'll start of by saying that it's not Kingdom Hearts 3.

So this game will be a side story?
TN: That's right. My own feelings are that I would like to give Sora a break from large adventures for a little while. So I'm thinking of making the next game's story focus on other characters.

So by a little while, do you mean that Sora's journey from Kingdom Hearts 2 hasn't finished?
TN: Yes. If you're talking about the mysteries that started from Kingdom Hearts 1, then those were all revealed. In the ending of Kingdom Hearts II, there was a scene where Sora received a letter from the King; for Sora, I would like you to consider this as a new beginning. The truth is, until the very end, I was considering whether or not to include a scene showing them setting off on a journey after reading the letter.

So, let's talk about this new story, which doesn't have Sora as the main character. What sort of story will it be?
TN: Well, I need to start with the story depicted in a Birth by Sleep. Aside from that, there's the story of how the King found his keyblade in the world of darkness and other things like that. Myself, one of the things I most want to do is to give Roxas more of a role to play. I think it would be interesting to flesh out more of the year he spent between his birth and disappearance. Or making Riku the main character, and writing about his desperate fight while Sora was asleep, and things like that. You get the impression that Riku summoned Roxas to a place of shadows, and that Riku is a master of shadows, so I would like to give him more exploration in the game.

Will there be anything different in the game system?

TN: I'd like to try something a little different to the previous games in the KH series. I'm not just talking about the next game, more about the next project, so I can't say that it will just be one game (laughs). For the Kingdom Hearts series, being made with our company and Disney, both companies have things in mind that we would like to make reality, so there's always at least two things we want to do.

What platform does it look like the next game will be released on?

TN: Hmm... Probably a hand-held platform. Right now we're working on titles for the PSP (FFVII Crisis Core), Nintendo DS (This Wonderful World) and for mobile phones (MONOTONE), so I wouldn't be surprised if it were on any of those platforms.

Is there any chance that this game may be released on multiple platforms?

TN: We haven't considered that in the development. If possible, I would like to make a system that suits the platform. But in contrast, in terms of ideas, I would want ideas that could be released on any platform.

The more I hear about the next game, the more exciting it sounds, but for the fans the first thing to do is to see KH2 Final Mix's secret movie isn't it?

TN: Yes. I'm worried that we made the conditions for getting the secret movie too hard, but through reading this guide, I hope the readers will be able to see the secret movie. Finding a way to defeat (the new boss) is tough, but I've seen it done, so I know it's not impossible (laughs). If you're able to see the new secret movie and turn your thoughts to the next Kingdom Hearts, I'd be very happy.

~
KH: BBS - Famitsu #1

KINGDOM HEARTS: BIRTH BY SLEEP (FAMITSU INTERVIEW)

So what about the development of Birth by Sleep?
Tetsuya Nomura: The developer of re:COM will be working on KH:BBS. During Development, the production of KH:BBS was stopped, for the production of re:COM. At first it felt a bit weird starting the project again. I believe this project started before the other two, of the three Kingdom Hearts games, and I also believe it will be the last to hit the market.

It still relates to Birth of Sleep? (KH2 FM+'s secret ending)
TN: The Secret Ending, is an image for a scene in BBS, therefore the title of the game is also the same. However because it is difficult to express a violent battle as a playable content, The Secret Ending, is an image to the end. (Is he hinting that this is how BBS will end or something else?)

How much talk was put into it, for this, as it seems to be the past to the "KH" Series.
TN: The game is the farthest in the past timeline of Kingdom Hearts, and will take 10 years ago from the KH series. There is a screenshot of two children playing on the beach, and I believe the fans can understand what that means.

In the Story it's said that "Three Scenarios spelt by Three Heroes". Is there a relation between each scenario?
TN: There are three Heroes, Terra, Ven, and another character in KHBBS. A story is already prepared for all three of them. Therefore in a way you can say three games were made at the same time. (Laughs) It's difficult to zap through the explanation right now due to Scenario creating. However the beginning will be a bit hard to understand, but by completing all three Scenarios you will understand the entire story.

Do the names of the three heroes represent something?
TN: In Kingdom Hearts, Sora meant Sky, Riku meant Land, and Kairi meant Sea. In this game, the three meanings make a large impact on the game.

Are all three Scenarios happening around the same time?
TN: All of the Scenarios do take around the same time, however there are also some gaps between the timelines. Also there are times when all three heroes will meet.

Is the playing order decided yet?
TN: I believe it would be better if we gave the players a freedom of choice. However this is still being talked about, but I believe it would be better to choose whoever you want out of the three.

What place is the story's viewpoint from?
TN: To bring a point. The word that comes up in Kingdom Hearts 2, is Xehanort. The game will bring up answers to several things though like. "Why is the Elderly person who appears in BBS bring up the same name?" and "Why is he wearing the same clothes as Ansem in KH1?" Another thing I want to bring up is that Ven has the same hairstyle, face, clothes, and voice to Roxas who appears in the Kingdom Hearts series. Who is he?

Is the voice actor of Ven the same as Roxas?
TN: Yes, it is the same actor. Therefore the person who played, will only look at Ven as Roxas from KH2.

However, is Roxas and Ven really the same character? Moreover, what's the mystery for the existence of Ven, and Roxas?
TN: These are keys that can be fully understandable, when playing KH:BBS. You will be able to seperate Ven from Roxas with ease, I will hint though by connecting the Story between Roxas and Sora, you will understand who Ven is.

May I believe that the one you fight in KH2FM+, and Terra are the same person? Because they both use a very similar kind of Keyblade.
TN: If they really are the same person, or not is uncertain, though it doesn't matter if you think they are the same person.

In BBS, after all three are divided, the king appears?
TN: It may be deeply related to the story, however I cannot tell rather or not that is a "King" from that current age. This is because the development of BBS will be a very serious story.

In BBS is the gameplay done by choosing action commands lined up in command list?
TN: I believe it is neccessary to say first. The Command Menu that was shown to the public (A.K.A scans, and video) has now changed. A system close to that of re:COM has been created successfully feeling like a command deck. However the present screenshots show it was a bit too close to the idea of re:COM. The battle screens you see in the images now, have already been changed. However the operating sense is similar to that of the Kingdom Hearts series. The gameplay has a slight influence from the DS game "It's a Wonderful World"

Are there any features for the Growth System? (Leveling System)
TN: A new Growth System has been added into the game, it is when you have to match four obligations with the scenario (?). We tried this variously because it was a bit hard with the PSP. However we made the best use of it's Analog.

Are there new enemies you can confirm that are not shown in the screens?
TN: The new enemy is not a Heartless, or a Nobody. Because the story takes place before even they appear. I can give out more information little by little as time passes, an example being like the Shadow enemies that are heartless, and the Dusk enemies that are nobodies.

With the PSP will it be possible for two people to Communicate by any connection method?
TN: It's too early to answer that however, there will be some features that will be taking advantage of the PSP.

KH:BBS-Famitsu#1

Development team from Kingdom Hearts RE:Chain of Memories, therefore the team in Osaka is handling the game as well.
Tetsuya Nomura: Development started earlier, however due to RE:COM needed to be improved a lot, the production of BBs was interupted.

Then we can consider it possible that the secret movie of KH2FM+ will play an important role in BBS?
TN: Yes

So does this take place before the first Kingdom Hearts game?
TN: Yes, however it does'nt start immediately before Kingdom Hearts.

Is there a representation to the name of Terra, and the other characters?
TN: In the origin of the names Earth is Terra, as Wind is Ven. However the real name of Ven is loner, this is just an alias.

The figure and age of the old man who is called Master Xehanort, is different from the Xehanort of Kingdom Hearts II. Also what is the relationship with the person who looks just like Roxas?
TN: There is a mystery to who each character is in the story, which I can not reveal right now.

Is the master who taught the three from the current series?
TN: I can't say.

The story will advance around these three people?
TN: Yes, it is also pretty complex in this game, and can become very series. Watanabe who took chare of the scenarios is skillful in this. Also he is supervising some of the scenarios of the other two titles. This game will also be a bit challenging since the game will be featuring the aspect of three people.

There will be an individual story for each of them?
Yasushi Kurosaw: Yes, also the gameplay and feeling for each of their playthroughs will be different. It will feel as if three games were made.

In Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories there was a chapter of Sora, and a chapter of Riku. Would you call these two scenarios?
YK: Yes, however in this case completing one story will create more mysteries for the other characters, making you wanting to play them to figure out the mysteries.

Like zapping?
YK: Well it depends, in a way the game wouldn't be the same if we changed it's contents.
Yoichi Yashimoto: It's not really easy to explain right now, please wait a bit more in the future. (Laughs)

How about the composition of the worlds? Where do you begin, and does it become an adventure where you go into Disney Worlds?
YK: I think that it will be better to keep a normal feeling of Disney Worlds, but also have new worlds as well. Of course there will also be two or more new worlds where you are surprised.

How much will they enjoy the games?
TN: Mainly the story will be their enjoyment, and because this game will take place in the past the Disney Worlds will also have a little timeshift as well.

When the battle images were shown to the public, there was a new enemy that wasn't a heartless or a nobody, what is it?
TN: It is neither, a Heartless or a Nobody, this is a new type of enemy. Because the existence of these creatures came before Heartless and Nobodies a starting point needs to be imaged, and it became a wild concept to them.
YK: Basically it becomes wild. However, its moves are fast!

What will the battle system become? As well as the "Lingering Spirit" and the character in the Secret Movie.
YK: That was done as a hint, because it is an image to the end. Also this game will be introducing a new system!
TN: It might be one of the most current games of the series that have been announced during this time. Also the Level system features a new idea that has not been seen before.
YK: "When you absorb it in what?" (Laughs) It is considered as a Novel, and an impact to the leveling system. (He seemed to have been quoting something, could it be a hint?)
YY: It is really interesting actually, however I think you'll be able to understand it more if you saw it from a screen image, so please wait a while longer.
TN: This growth system was made, by one person.

Can you give a hint?
YK: .....The level up is like growing.

Is it possible where people can play by bringing PSP's together?
YY: Well, we are thinking by a co-operation between people, or even competing against each other. We are trying to think of an element that could make use of the PSP fully.
TN: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days has a different concept, and multiplayer is also complete, and different.

Though there seems to be a variety in the beginning of the story. The game system also seems to have more content to make it enjoyable.
YY: Well, the idea first came out really fast, and changed rapidly as well. It was interesting to see the traditional gameplay of Kingdom hearts, but at the same time the hardship of the gameplay as well.
TN: This is a game which the variety can play, even if all the mysteries in the story were solved.
YK: From here on after, the game is just going to get better. The battle system will also be enjoyable. The feeling of the game will be as close to Kingdom Hearts as possible, but with a few twists.
YY: Also even though the game will be more serious, it will please those that are a fan of Disney. The worlds are prepared with a surprise even though the story is serious. I think the mixture of disney with this will be interesting.

By the way, this game was announced at the same time as Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and Kingdom Hearts Coded. Were you anxious?
YY: We were very anxious about everything, the system and the story. I thought it was considerate through the PV that was shown at the Tokyo Game Show.
TN: This game will have to wait sadly, however we also need to think about the sales in the end.
~

KH: 358/2 Days - Famitsu #1
KINGDOM HEARTS: 358/2 DAYS (FAMITSU INTERVIEW)

Is the beginning of 358/2 Days going to focus on Roxas' birth?
TN: The part of his birth will be started as the Prologue, however the game really s tarts from when he enters Organization XIII.

Will this game have an already predicted ending, that Crisis Core had?
TN: Where do you think the end is? The point is, How did it get to where it end, for Roxas to leave the Organization? The detail of that will be in this game. (Basically, we may already know the end, we just don't know how it got to that point, like Crisis Core)

Does the progress of the story mean going through Disney Worlds, just like previous Kingdom Hearts games?
TN: It's not entirely a story that progresses by going to other worlds, but stories will be progressing.

Is the 14th member a new character of the KH Series? It appears as though the character is...a woman?
TN: I should bring it up now, that the XIV member is not Namine, since some people believed it to be Namine by seeing the trailer. However it will be explained as to why there's no pillar for this character, as well as why she never appeared in Kingdom Hearts 2.

In the trailer we see 4 different playable characters simultaneously, is this possible?
TN: The Multiplayer can be done with 4 people, or less. Not only is it a feeling of Multiplayer, it gives a feeling of freedom as well, because multiplayer mode will have no relation to the story of the game. But it is possible to choose less then four, for the multiplayer content.

What is the progression of Mutliplayer.
TN: The point is to basically beat, a given Mission. For instance defeating an enemy or whatever the aim of the goal is. Various purposes range from small reasons, to big reasons. There is a strong competing feeling for Mutliplayer so sometimes the players may forget what the point of the goal is.

Is multiplayer mode possible for one player only?
TN: This volume with Multiplayer mode, was rather messy, so we had to design a growth Leveling up system. For example, when Axel is used in Multiplayer mode, Roxas will gain some extra experience from this. Also you are able to customize your character freely. (He didn't go into detail about the Customization part, so it's unsure)

KH: 358/2 Days - Famitsu #2

First of all, please tell us the meaning of the title 358/2 Days.
Tetsuya Nomura: The title was done on purpose as a code, you can only understand it after beating the game. The word Day, is attached and the progress of the game is to show how the Organization came to be, as well as the daily life of the Organization XIII. They are always faced with the duty from a place, and then have to return. The game will focus around Roxas, who is a member of the Organization. It will be an adventure game, repetition is also one of the concepts of the game.

Does the time of the game focus around when Roxas enters Organization XIII, and does it connect to Kingdom Hearts?
TN: Yes, after Roxas enters Organization XIII, which will only be a small part of the story, afterwards it will focus around the timeframe when Sora was asleep for the year. Roxas entering the Organization was not understood yet, but will be explained, and also the duty he is put through everyday. Finally about Roxas' doubts of the Organization and why he leaves the Organization. This is basically the main part of the story.

Do you wish to represent something of the 3 works, by having a different color logo on each of the games announced this time?
TN: The reason why we chose this color for 358/2 days was to use the warm color group as a sunset in Twilight Town. I believe the story in this game will be really sad as well. It should also be noted that some of the scenarios I chose for Kingdom Hearts II Final MIx+ were based off the novel that focused on Roxas, which came in the Kingdom Hearts Another Report.

In a way this game will be the same as Zack in Crisis Core, where the future was already decided.
TN: Yes however, Roxas in Kingdom Hearts wasn't as tragic as Zack's was.

Why did you choose the Nintendo DS for this game?
TN: Well first of all, I always choose a system before developing a plan. There was a plan for multi platforming that could be easily played, so this one made it to the DS. Also, it made it more possible to use the characters of Organization XIII, the project of this work was also meant to make it a story that automatically depicted Roxas.

It's a Wonderful world took full advantage of the Nintendo DS, will this game do the same?
TN: It is possible to take advantage of the functions of the DS, however we'll be taking an opposite turn this time. We are aiming that one day it will be possible to play the game, even if it's not just touching your way through. Also because the feeling of Kingdom Hearts' gameplay would be too different the moment the touch pen is used.

How about the handling of the Kingdom Hearts series, since it seems you are having a hand in developing the game for the first time?
Koji: Production has to be on the spot, while researching on how it can be put onto the Nintendo DS, and be Kingdom Hearts at the same time. Also how the story will become, because besides the fans, a lot of staff in Square-Enix is also looking forward towards them, since there are many fans of Kingdom Hearts in the staff. Also the appearance of the 14th member, will be understood later on. (laughs)

Though there is a 14th Organization XIII Member, it appears to be Namine??
TN: It is possible to say, but no it's not Namine.

Then who is this person?
TN: In Kingdom Hearts II there was Organization XIII, however even when they had 14 members it was still Organization XIII, the reason why they were never known as XIV even though they had 14 members will be understood in this game. She is a key character.

Will Sora and Riku appear in this game at all?
Hiroshi: The scene will appear as well as a battle between Riku and Roxas. As for the situations in the story where Sora's memory is being reconstructed in the chamber where he is sleeping it will be hard for him to be in the game. However the memory will be a key point in this game. However what we don't want to do is emphatically show connections between Roxas and Sora by memories.

This time around what will happen with the Disney Worlds?
TN: The relationships between people will be different as you go through the worlds.
Hiroshi: Because the game will be coming from Kingdom Hearts II there will be a lot of things people will be able to relate to, such as Roxas. However the system with the worlds will be a bit different this time around. Such as appearing worlds will be one of the things remaining but not all the worlds will always be available to visit for fun.

Will there be a basic game system just like the original Kingdom Heart games?
Hiroshi: In a way the game will be the same as the other Kingdom Hearts games, however there are some problems, such as the buttons on the DS.
Koji: This is true, because there are not as many buttons on the DS as there are on the other consoles, so it will be hard as you had to make good use of the analog, the d-pad and the L and R button. We are still examining on what we can do to get past this.

Does the story come together with single mode, and multiplayer mode?
TN: It is possible to say that there will be no story progress within Multiplayer mode, as that will ruin the progression of the story as well. However the leveling system in single player, and multiplayer are synchronized. The leveling system will have a huge amount of freedom this time as well such as customization which will be on of the best benefits of Multiplayer mode. However Roxas' level will not be transferred over.

In Multiplayer mode, are all Organization XIII members playable?
TN: Yes, you are able to.
Hiroshi: The multiplayer mode will be treated as an alternate world, because there is a member that disappears in the single player mode as the story advances.
Koji: Because the characters will all have a unique gameplay as they all have different weapons. Though the real concerns are Demyx's Sitar, and Zexion's book.

How do you move on with Multiplayer mode?
Hiroshi: Basically you will receive various missions you must clear. There is also a map, and there are a lot of gimmicks added into the levels as well. Of course we are also putting bosses in multiplayer mode.
Koji We made it so that people can play it many times, and some of the levels are short as well. There is a score attack mode too, to see who can grab it. However incase you don't want to co-operate, we are thinking of adding elements like versus, and competitions.

Interview: Will there be a mission when you can be Xemnas, or given one to Xemnas?
TN: Yes, however there are methods with Xemnas we need to work with.
Hiroshi: Yeah, such as with organization XIII, the chair raises when carrying out the commission and lowers when failing. (laughs)
Koji: It is a result of multiplayer, and it depends on the stage as well. (laughs)
TN: I wonder what would happen if Xemnas fails (laughs)

In Multiplayer are there other elements?
Koji: In the lower screen we are thinking of possibly using the Touch Pen for drawing. If I remember, people can also use drawings on the lower screen. I want to think about a mission that could use this feature.

Messages to the Readers
Hiroshi: Please look forward to the multiplayer that will be featured in Kingdom Hearts 358/2, also enjoy the other Kingdom Hearts games coming out.
Koji: I think it will be very unusual to be able to play as the 13th Organization, however because it is unusual it makes me happy, I want you to look forward tot his.
TN: Because the story in the game is a critical factor in Kingdom Hearts, it is always natural to play alone, though the multiplayer is also added for natural purposes. It might be a bit difficult to play. We plan to catch the eyes of a lot of people, and give this game a feel like "It's a Wonderful World" as well.
~

KH: Coded - Famitsu #1

The Screen is Horizontal, even though the game is for the cellphone, why is this?
Tetsuya Nomura: This is not just the length screen but also a model screen specification for the most recent cellphones. It is what we assume the game to look like when it's released to the public. The method for the horizontal screen has already been talked about, it is a basic horizontal screen size.

Is the screen in 3D incase or just giving that impression?
TN: The Background is 3D, and the characters are 2D. The Development of this game is still in progress, and we plan to have the game both 3D, and 2D. The reason is so that we can have the game available to a range of cellphones. The reason we developed this idea, is because we wish to send this game overseas.

What shape will the delivery form take?
TN: Unlike the situations in larger game development, we always thought the world of Kingdom Hearts could be made mobile. For instance, there is a huge amusement park, and the main attraction is KHc (Kingdom Hearts Coded). It can be like an entrance to an Amusement park, free of charge, allowing you to visit each world. That is the delivery plan of KHc. We plan on taking full advantage for the mobile phone.

Will the storyline be based on Sora's adventures in Kingdom Hearts?
TN: The timeline is based on after Kingdom Hearts II, Jiminy's Journal is analyzed, and the adventure will take place in that. Therefore data of Sora will appear, not Sora. The world that was shown was a stage, though this was through the time of COM, and re:COM over the memory of Sora.

What will this game be able to do?
TN: This is going to be a puzzle game, mixed with action. Data is being displayed, and there are some bugs in Jiminy's book. The area must be analyzed in order to find the bug that is violating the data, and then you need to remove the bug. However some may get a bit more confusing as there will be ladders Sora will use to get to higher areas.

When do you think this game will be released?
TN: You may have to wait a while, as there are still some problems with the specs of cellphones for now. However we are not asking you to wait for 2, or 3 years. (Possibly this means around a year or so)

Will these works be connected with the "New" KH game?
Nomura KHc features Sora, however the DS, and PSP both are completely different stories, though I cannot say what they are yet. I can say these titles are not the last of the series, and all three will connect to a New Kingdom Hearts Game sooner or later


KH: Coded - Famitsu #2

Whereabouts do you believe the quality of the cellphone game will be? Will it be the same as the other two games?
Hajime Tabata: We plan on getting the game in par with Final Fantasy Agito XIII, however that's still being thought on.

What is the concept of this game?
Tetsuya Nomura: I wanted to make this like a playground for fans. Like Disneyland where there are many attractions for people. I wish to do the same, but with content instead.
HT: Actually to start it off, Nomura was drunk at midnight (oh god) and began to explain the idea, with the help of the whiteboard and it's contents for the mobile phone. There was a lot of planning going on for that midnight.
TN: It wasn't even thought about being part of the Kingdom Hearts series then, however whenever there's a plan for the game it's best to start from story.
HT: At first the plan seemed terrible, but at the same time interesting, after all Kingdom Hearts is special.
TN: We thought about various elements, that could be added into the story, to help extend the game. Such as in Before Crisis FFVII, and Monotone there was a new battle system, as well as chapters to help work the system, and the game. We might make it the same for Kingdom Hearts Coded

Is there big plans for this game? Since the setting of it takes place after Kingdom Hearts II.
TN: Yes, however I should point out that Sora from Kingdom Hearts, is only appearing in those clothes because of the Jiminy Journal is taking data from the very beginning. Therefore the Sora is not the original, but a data copy. The memory is also erased from Sora, and he has to go through his adventures again to solve the mystery of the Data bugs.

Then this means they can enjoy adventuring with Sora, without worrying about a change in personality from the original Sora. Will there be a developing story in the real world too?
TN: At first I wasn't sure, but I believe events in the real world will be talked about as well. There is also a story in development about the real world as well, which will be done for the user.

There was an adventure in Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, in the Kingdom Hearts series, will the Data World be following Kingdom Hearts series as well?
TN: Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, was created to relive the worlds created by Sora's Memory. This game differs from Chain of Memories, as there will be a brand new story, since the bug has corrupted the data. Questions will be answered to, such as where the King had gone, and also what Riku has been doing.

In the Jiminy Journal it's said "We must return to free them from their Torment" who is 'Them'? Are they characters we've seen before in previous Kingdom Hearts games.
TN: I can not tell you now. Actually it's not even possible to really explain it yet as it is about the true enemy of the game. Even though there are heartless in the game that are made out of data, they are not the real cause.

How does the battle work?
HT: Kingdom Hearts series button layout makes it simple to recreate it for the cellphone, and it will have that same combat feel, however at the same time I will be putting in new elements. One example is the "Debugging Mode" which was created to eliminate the bug.

Will you be using any other elements that might make use of the telecomunication facility?
HT: I will, such as being able to go in the world of the player. What I mean is that, it's possible to intefere with other players, as they all share the world together. An example being that if there is trouble in the world of Player B, I can go there and help them solve the bug, and then return to the world of Player A.

The invasion do the bug is one thing, where there be other problems within the game?
HT: It is likely to be the first aspect of the problem, and is also one of the concepts of the game. there may be other problems as well, but you'll have to wait to find out what they are.

Will just about anyone be able to enjoy this?
HT: The Kingdom Hearts series became a game for people who played the series before can understand the next one. I believe people who haven't even touched Kingdom Hearts can play this game for the first time, and enjoy it.
TN: I will be preparing the playground for people to enjoy the game. I think everyone should look forward to the day it is released. (Laughs)

~
Finally after 3 hours it's over.
Hope that gives a lots of answers in some lame questions i've seen posted around these days.
And if you think that it has no offence that i posted every last interview i found,then you have lost the game.

 

[Wehrmacht]

*copies this and pastes it into word*

Thanks a lot. This is going to come in very handy.

 

[Dexter]

Uhhh, wow, um I hate to break it to you but people could just go into the kh2.co.uk interveiw section and see all of the TN interveiws since COM. So this was REALLLY pointless, and VERY uneccarey. Hate to break it to you but you basically wasted 3 hours.....//

 

[Blue]

This must have taken ages to finish!

Thanks

EDIT:rpgmaster,this is really useful and not everyone knows this site you mentioned.

 

[Wehrmacht]

Uhhh, wow, um I hate to break it to you but people could just go into the kh2.co.uk interveiw section and see all of the TN interveiws since COM. So this was REALLLY pointless, and VERY uneccarey. Hate to break it to you but you basically wasted 3 hours.....//

Not all the interviews in there can be found in KH Ultimania, rpg master.

 

[Obscured fire]

Thanks for posting ppl.
rpgmaster.I know,the thing is that some of ppl never goes there to search e.t.c
and i just added all the interviews here.
if you have a problem,it's ok by me.

 

[Dexter]

True^ But IDK it seems kinda pointless to type out all the interveiws considering most of them just talk about the devolpment of COM, and KH2. Also Obscured Fire could've just copied/paste the rest of the interviews of kh2.co.uk......not trying to be mean or anything...//

 

[I<3Roxas]

I think this is quite useful. A nice place with every interview ever had, all in one place! Although now we can't say "But I don't wanna find teh article you can if you wanna look though" xD

 

[Obscured fire]

I know
I found everything on Khultimania all right.
And i just like doing work,what's the big deal?
If you read carefull and have a look,you'll see from 2-3 years ago some talk about PSP, what does Reno has to do with Axel.
And if you have a problem just leave.I didn't ask any1 to tell to me to just copy and paste e.t.c
I am trying to help.

 

[Dexter]

If anything all of the interveiws should have it's own section on the front page. Why we currentley don't have a section like this is beyond me...//

 

[Milky]

Too long, didn't read.
But what are you trying to prove here?

 

[Zook]

thats massive...but it'll help those who want to read all the interviews in one place I guess.

 

[Obscured fire]

I know.
Well i did whatever i could.
Wish that someones would appreciate it.
Of course i knew that there would be much flaming (ur not flaming)
But you like read,you don't like,go waste your time somewhere else.
This is how it goes :/

EDIT:What i want to prove here?
Just Nomura's interviews.
There are titles,so everyone who wants to know something that has been already said,just chekcs the title and reads.
If you have a problem every1,i can close this right away >_>

 

[Divine Light]

holy crap this must have taken for ever..........nice work Eliza =)

 

[Obscured fire]

Thank you Khdude,as i said it toke me 3 hours or so.
Yeah long time,no much offence looks like though >_>

 

[Divine Light]

yeah its pretty sweet...it looks like it would take forever to read lol. i think my eyes would burn and bleed lol...YAY this is my 300th post XD

 

[Dawning Twilight]

wow good job gathering everything up OFi kinda agree with the others though it seems like you must have been pretty bored. ^^;;; but otherwise thanks for gathering this all up.

 

[Obscured fire]

Boredom?
Hmmmmmm,not really,it's just that there are too many things been posting around these days,asking,asking and again asking and posting theories.
I didn't ask anyone to read the whole thread.
This is imposible.
I added it just for the ones that need some info e.t.c for some things.
Just that.

 

[Pern]

Wow! Your fingers must be on fire by now for typing all of this. XD

 

[Obscured fire]

Well,the worse was adding those [ B ] [/B]. A pain seriously o-o
But i am still alive though.