Hey guys, been awhile eh? Haha, sorry for the wait. I’ll make an attempt to keeping up with news. I’m a freshman in highschool so, no promises. Anyway, I looked over at KhI and found a pretty interesting translation it’s listed below but, before that I’d like to ask everyone to register at the forums. Kaito referred you. ;].

CODED INTERVIEW
–About the line, “their torment has been lessened”; whenever a mission is completed, does that wound heal?
Tabata: It’s not as simple as that.

Nomura: When you advance to the next stage, a movie event is shown. I think the beginning of the latest trailer reflected it, the lines “A forbidden secret――” are connected to it. Though it is on the mobile phone, it’s not to be taken lightly. The contents of it’s story draw near to the conviction of the series.

–Are it’s contents connected to the future of the Kingdom Hearts series?

Nomura: That’s right. It’s in a position similar to how Chain of Memories was. I think if you can play it, you’ll recognize it draws upon the mysteries of the entire series.

–What kind of story will it become?

Nomura: “Their torment has been lessened” is the foundation of the story, and the “forbidden secret” is connected to it.

–Being made from the data of Jiminy’s Journal, will it relive the first Kingdom Hearts?

Nomura: Even though it advances according to the story of Kingdom Hearts, the stages are different and each one slowly approaches the “forbidden secret”. Why did someone leave a message in the Jiminy Journal? The story will solve this mystery.

–Is there a connection to 358/2 Days and Birth by Sleep?

Nomura: Yes, they link in various ways.

–The arrow commands were revealed publicly, it seems the game could be played with only one hand?
Tabata: Now one can enjoy Kingdom Hearts quality gaming with the input buttons of their mobile phone, this will lead to other elements.

Nomura: Since the contents of mobile phone software has become outstanding, please anticipate this game.

358/2 DAYS INTERVIEW
–This time the trailer revealed the name and voice of the 14th member!

Nomura: The timing of revealing her voice to the public was a mistake. (Smiles) In fact, it was not intended to be released. It’s because her voice becomes a hint.

–Riku has officially seen the face of Xion, did he recognize it?

Nomura: Seems so, doesn’t it? Roxas is the hero this time, Sora doesn’t have any active involvement with the Disney characters. But for example, look at Belle and the Beast, they’re interested in discovering what love is; the players will learn about the character’s hearts. Roxas learns various things from the Disney characters and before long he becomes doubtful of the Organization.

–Axel yells at Xion, “I’ll bring you back no matter how many times it takes”, but why does the word “you” refer to multiple people?

Nomura: That’s still a secret as well. But Axel’s determination here of “bring you back no matter how many times it takes” is connected to when he said he would bring Roxas back in Kingdom Hearts II.

–The keyword “memory” also appears, but what in regards to this?

Nomura: The catch copy* of this game is “I can’t remember, something important”. Though in the original Kingdom Hearts the concept was to “illustrate the heart”. In regards to the relationship between one’s heart and one’s memory, it is intimate. In this game the main characters are nobodies who don’t have hearts, therefore the theme of memories is featured.
*A ‘catch copy’ is in copywriting, large text that appears in ads or brochures to catch the reader’s attention.

BIRTH BY SLEEP INTERVIEW
–In the recent trailer, their are lines alluding to Master Xehanort aiming for those with hearts of pure light. Is Master Xehanort’s goal also to take over the world?

Nomura: It certainly indicates what he’s interested in, but that’s the first of Master Xehanort’s intentions.

–The story follows the viewpoints of the three characters individually, but what happens when the three characters interact together?

Nomura: The three characters will start out together, and then afterwards each of their stories will begin respectively. Within the story, the main characters may encounter one another. The three share the main goal of chasing after Master Xehanort who has disappeared, though each character’s exact goal is subtly different.

–As for original masters, they who teach the methods of wielding the keyblade to their pupils, do they exist?

Nomura: Not just that, but also the role of keyblade users, since the thoughts of each master differs, it’s their spirit being taught. The reason why a master must train others to use the keyblade is explained in this game.

–The voice of Snow White is very quiet.

Nomura: Actually, we choice a voice that matched the old version of “Snow White” that was released in Japan (1950), so it’s the original one, so to speak.

About the Birth by Sleep Battle System
–The changes to the style of battling are an interesting idea.

Nomura: Some players might have wanted a change in strategy. Initially, the player was free to rearrange the commands, as proposed by the team in Osaka, now such a form has been expanded upon. They said, “We want a system different than the form changes of Kingdom Hearts II”.

–How about the Shoot Lock System?

Nomura: I asked, “is it difficult to implement?” when the system was being worked on, it was also written into the first planning stages. But for Birth by Sleep, there is still a lot hidden within the system.

–What of the enemies called “unbirths”?

Nomura: There is meaning in various ways, adding “un” creates the opposite meaning of “birth” thus the “unbirth”. With this, the “unborn” is given real meaning. Unbirths designate the feeling of this game’s motif. The kind of existence they have will be revealed soon.

–During a battle, there are various circumstances indicating commands.

Nomura: It’s the developed system of the ‘reaction command’. At first, the Birth by Sleep system was designed to be closer to the original series, but it has evolved a lot. Because it is considerably high speed, the first time players may be a bit surprised.

–Even the boss battles have been elaborated compared to the previous ones.

Nomura: The Osaka team has a lot of affection for the enemies. It was handed over to the staff and they were asked to please try it out. They were watched over as they played it. When the player had to be more offensive, they said things like, “It’s different! I really can be more of a kid!!” or “Ah, it’s strange…” (Smiles)

–Their affection is contagious. (Smiles)

Nomura: Anyways, I think that the testing of various things for the battle system is being finished.

Disscussion | Comment

Thanks to KhInsider for the info!

The official North American Square-Enix site has been updated with information about the Japanese versions of the 3 upcoming games:

A New Chapter in the KINGDOM HEARTS Series Delivers Three Brand-new Titles to the Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, and Mobile Phones

Square Enix, Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan, Square Enix), a leading developer and publisher of interactive entertainment software and services, announced three new titles in the award-winning KINGDOM HEARTS series at the Tokyo Game Show 2007 held in Makuhari Messe. The new titles are KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days for the Nintendo DS™, KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep for the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, and KINGDOM HEARTS coded for mobile phones. These titles are currently only confirmed for release in Japan. Release in other territories will be determined at a later date.

KINGDOM HEARTS is a fresh and original series of role-playing games created by the collaboration of The Walt Disney Company’s game development affiliate, Disney Interactive Studios, and Square Enix. The first installment, released in 2002, has been followed up by two chart-topping sequels. The immense popularity of the series has earned worldwide shipments of over 11 million copies in only five and a half years.

KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd. / h.a.n.d. Inc.
Publisher: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Platform: Nintendo DS
Genre: RPG
ESRB: TBD
Ship Date: TBD

The untold story of another hero.
Organization XIII, Number 13, Roxas

In KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 Days, you will explore a variety of Disney worlds in not only single-player mode, but also in multiplayer missions made possible by the unique networking features of the Nintendo DS.

-Twilight Town-
Roxas and Axel were watching the sunset from their usual spot on the station’s clock tower after a long day of collecting “hearts” from the Heartless, as ordered by their organization. When their daily work ended, they often spent their evenings there. They talked about the day’s work and other things over ice cream.

“Do you know why the sun looks red as it sinks below the horizon? It’s because among the countless colors comprising light, red travels the greatest distance.”

“You’re just trying to show off, Axel!”

It was idle chatter between two boys without hearts.
This is the untold story of Organization XIII’s Roxas.

Staff

Director: Tetsuya Nomura (FINAL FANTASY V-VIII, X, FINAL FANTASY VII, ADVENT CHILDREN, KINGDOM HEARTS)

Co-director: Tomohiro Hasegawa (FINAL FANTASY VIII, X, KINGDOM HEARTS series)

Producer: Patrick Chen (KINGDOM HEARTS series)

Executive Producer: Shinji Hashimoto (KINGDOM HEARTS series)

KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Platform: PSP
Genre: RPG
ESRB: TBD
Ship Date: TBD

It was an awakening that would signal the beginning of the KINGDOM HEARTS saga.

KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep is the tale of a new trio of heroes, told across three scenarios utilizing the groundbreaking technology of the PSP. Exciting new features will be introduced on top of the traditional controls, game system, and visual style of its predecessors.

The Keyblade is said to hold phenomenal power.
One legend says its wielder saved the world,
while another says that he wrought chaos and ruin upon it.
—from Ansem’s Report (KINGDOM HEARTS)

Long before Sora took up the Keyblade, there were other Keyblade masters. One of these masters, Xehanort, disappeared one day along with his apprentice. This event proved to be a foreshadowing of great disaster to come. Aware of the threat, another master ordered his three apprentices to seek out Xehanort and his cohort.

Staff

Director: Tetsuya Nomura (FINAL FANTASY V-VIII, X, FINAL FANTASY VII, ADVENT CHILDREN, KINGDOM HEARTS)

Co-director: Tai Yasue (KINGDOM HEARTS Re: Chain of Memories)

Producer: Patrick Chen (KINGDOM HEARTS series)

Co-producer: Yoichi Yoshimoto (Musashi Series, KINGDOM HEARTS CHAIN OF MEMORIES)

Executive Producer: Shinji Hashimoto (KINGDOM HEARTS series)

KINGDOM HEARTS coded
Developer: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Publisher: Square Enix Co., Ltd.
Platform: Mobile Phones (devices/carriers TBD)
Genre: RPG
ESRB: TBD
Ship Date: TBD

A Disney universe as vast as the mobile network awaits you.

In KINGDOM HEARTS coded, you will journey through a variety of Disney worlds on an exciting adventure brought to life by advanced mobile phone technology and gorgeous graphics never before seen on the platform. This marks the first collaboration between Square Enix and the Walt Disney Internet Group.

After the events of KINGDOM HEARTS, Jiminy Cricket returned to Disney Castle to organize his journal. While he arranged his records, his eyes fell upon a page with a mysterious message.

We must return to free them from their torment.

However, no matter how hard Jiminy tried to recall the source of the text, he couldn’t remember. So the King digitized the contents of the journal and started an investigation. Within the world traced from the contents of Jiminy’s Journal, a boy awoke on Destiny Island. It was the beginning of a new quest for a virtual Sora.

Staff

Director: Tetsuya Nomura (FINAL FANTASY V-VIII, X, FINAL FANTASY VII, ADVENT CHILDREN, KINGDOM HEARTS)

Co-director: Hajime Tabata (BEFORE CRISIS –FINAL FANTASY VII–, CRISIS CORE –FINAL FANTASY VII-)

Producer: Kakuko Obinata (KINGDOM HEARTS series)

Associate Producer: Kousei Itou (BEFORE CRISIS -FINAL FANTASY VII-)

Executive Producer: Shinji Hashimoto (KINGDOM HEARTS series)

*All of the above information applies only to the Japanese version of the games announced.

Firstly, sorry about the slight delay in posting this, as I have been away for the weekend. Here is an interview with Nomura discussing the minor details about the future Kingdom Hearts side-project game. As well as discussing details of the game, I believe we might have a little unofficial confirmation that there will be a Kingdom Hearts 3, which I will discuss after the interview. Here is the interview:

About the new Kingdom Hearts 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. I’ll start of by saying that it’s not Kingdom Hearts 3.”

So this game will be a side story?
Tetsuya Nomura: “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?
Tetsuya Nomura: “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?
Tetsuya Nomura: “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?
Tetsuya Nomura: “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?
Tetsuya Nomura: “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?
Tetsuya Nomura: “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?
Tetsuya Nomura: “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.”

END OF INTERVIEW

So, perhaps not too much new information, but I think we can take Nomura’s comment that I have highlighted above where he says he would like Sora to have a break from large adventures can be taken to indicate that there will be a Kingdom Hearts III at some point in the future. He doesn’t say he wants to change the format forever, simply that Sora should have a break. I may be foolish, but I take this as a bit of a slip, and that there will more likely than ever, be a Kingdom Hearts 3.

If you don’t mind and find this useful, please digg this article!

Other than confirming again that the next game will NOT be called “Kingdom Hearts III”, it has now been confirmed in Dengeki PS Magazine that:

Tetsuya Nomura has claimed that he cannot reveal any more information about the “New Project” until the announcement at the Tokyo Game Show 2007 in September.

Unfortunately, this may mean very little news for a couple of months, but we’ll still keep you up-to-date on anything new!

• TheWertle is still working on translating the Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ Ultimania book. We’ll hopefully be getting more scans of it as well. If you want to buy it yourself, you can get it at Play-Asia, but bear in mind that it’s 511 pages almost all in Japanese.
• We are also still getting translations on Kingdom Hearts: Another Report. The Proto Type Report should be the next to be translated.
• More Kingdom Hearts Novels are going on sale soon, apparently possibly with a little bit of information that we haven’t found out yet, but this is unconfirmed.
• After the great feedback on the “Fate of the Unknown” Piano Sheet Music, I’m working on the requests of other arrangements for that piece, as well as creating piano versions of other music from the Kingdom Hearts series by Yoko Shimomura. The Kingdom Hearts OST Complete is still available.
• The Square-Enix USA Online Merchandise Store should be opening soon, so if you’re a big fan, sign up to find out when the store opens.
• The Kingdom Hearts Complete Visual Art Book will be on sale in July if you wish to pre-order it now.
• If there are any unanswered questions about this site or about the Kingdom Hearts series that I might know, please ask in the Frequently Asked Questions section and read the Summary of Kingdom Hearts Interviews.

Reflet of the French fansite KingdomFantasy.com has uploaded 50 pages of the Kingdom Hearts II: Final Mix+ Ultimania! No translations yet, but I think TheWertle is still working on them. You can view them all here or download KingdomFantasy’s RAR file of the large highest quality versions of them, if you can unRAR files.

Download RAR File of Scans From FileFront

Update: 13 more pages uploaded, including the pages of Axel and Demyx that were missing from before!

Update: 7 Scans Not In The File