{"rewrite":{"id":"r_ec6819ce112d0f8b9a9f0d74","clusterId":"c_c1039684eb13d6bbc7d247cd","slug":"kingdom-hearts-anime-series-announced-at-d23-with-tetsuya-nomura-involved","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"Kingdom Hearts Gets First Anime Series, Original Story With Tetsuya Nomura","summary":"Disney announced at D23 on August 15 that Kingdom Hearts is being adapted into an original anime series, titled Kingdom Hearts The Series, for Disney Channel and Disney+. The project is a co-production between Disney Kids \u0026 Family and Square Enix, with franchise creator Tetsuya Nomura and the Square Enix creative team involved. The series will feature a completely new story, not a direct adaptation of any game narrative, and will expand the Kingdom Hearts universe while bringing back established characters. The announcement did not reveal the animation studio, voice cast, or release date. A teaser visual shows a mysterious boy holding a Keyblade in a design that evokes Japanese animation. Disney Kids \u0026 Family president Ayo Davis said the series will be \"unmistakably Kingdom Hearts\" while allowing fans to experience the worlds they love in a new way. The announcement follows a previous attempt at a Kingdom Hearts animated series in the early 2000s, which was shelved. The game franchise has shipped over 39 million units worldwide since its 2002 debut.","whyItMatters":"The anime marks Disney's first original television series for the Kingdom Hearts franchise, following a shelved pilot from the early 2000s, and arrives alongside the late 2027 release of Kingdom Hearts IV, signaling a major push for the franchise across media.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe announcement came during the Disney Entertainment Showcase panel at D23 in Anaheim, California. Disney did not disclose which animation studio is producing the series, nor did it offer a release window. The series is described as an original story \u0026#34;rebuilt specifically for this installment,\u0026#34; with Nomura and the Square Enix creative team participating.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis is not Disney\u0026#39;s first attempt at a Kingdom Hearts show. Shortly after the original game launched in 2002, Disney commissioned a pilot directed by Seth Kearsley, which was never picked up. Kearsley posted the long-lost animatic online in 2022, saying it tested well with children but was shelved anyway.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe game franchise has shipped more than 39 million units worldwide as of March 2026, according to Anime Anime. The announcement also comes as Square Enix prepares Kingdom Hearts IV for a late 2027 launch, which will include a world based on Pixar\u0026#39;s Coco, with Benjamin Bratt reprising his role as Ernesto de la Cruz. The game will launch simultaneously on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC via Microsoft Store, Steam, and Epic Games Store.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Disney finally greenlights a Kingdom Hearts anime series, 24 years after shelving a pilot. Original story, Nomura involved, no studio or date yet.","twitterPost":"Kingdom Hearts The Series is coming to Disney+ and Disney Channel. New story, Nomura on board. But who's animating it? Disney isn't saying.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Disney announced the first Kingdom Hearts anime series at D23, an original story co-produced with Square Enix and featuring creator Tetsuya Nomura. The series will air on Disney Channel and Disney+, but no studio or release date has been revealed. Meanwhile, Kingdom Hearts IV is set for late 2027 with a Coco world.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"Anime News Network\",\"url\":\"https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2026-08-14/kingdom-hearts-the-series-anime-announced-for-disney-kingdom-hearts-iv-game-launches-in-late-2027-/.240595\",\"title\":\"Kingdom Hearts The Series 'Anime' Announced for Disney+, Kingdom Hearts IV Game Launches in Late 2027 Including Coco World\"},{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/991/G999103/20260815006/\",\"title\":\"「キングダムハーツ」がDisneyとスクエニのタッグでオリジナルアニメ化決定。完全新作ストーリーを展開する\"},{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/kingdom-hearts-the-series-20260815-460321/\",\"title\":\"\\\"Kingdom Hearts\\\" Anime Adaptation Announced, to Stream on Disney Channel and Disney+\"},{\"source\":\"Cartoon Brew\",\"url\":\"https://www.cartoonbrew.com/series/disney-kingdom-hearts-anime-series-265647.html\",\"title\":\"Disney Remembers It Owns 'Kingdom Hearts' Franchise, Finally Greenlights Anime Series\"},{\"source\":\"Anime Corner\",\"url\":\"https://animecorner.me/kingdom-hearts-announces-first-anime-series-adaptation-original-story-and-involvement-from-creator-tetsuya-nomura/\",\"title\":\"Kingdom Hearts Announces First Anime Series Adaptation, Original Story and Involvement From Creator Tetsuya Nomura\"},{\"source\":\"Anime Anime\",\"url\":\"https://animeanime.jp/article/2026/08/16/102095.html\",\"title\":\"First \\\"All-New Story\\\" Animation for \\\"Kingdom Hearts\\\" Announced! A Mysterious Boy with a Keyblade... Co-Produced by Disney Kids \\u0026 Family and Square Enix\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":10314,"outputTokens":1381,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1786807068,"createdAt":"2026-08-15T15:13:15.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-15T15:16:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-16T16:50:32.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_c1039684eb13d6bbc7d247cd","canonicalTitle":"Kingdom Hearts Announces First Anime Series Adaptation, Original Story and Involvement From Creator Tetsuya Nomura","representativeArticleId":"a_62e9c3dd22af727b94d70b6d","sourceCount":7,"writtenSourceCount":7,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[\"Kingdom Hearts\"],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[],\"studios\":[\"Square Enix\",\"Disney\"],\"people\":[\"Tetsuya Nomura\"],\"type\":\"announcement\",\"domain\":\"anime\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"written","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-15T03:32:02.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-16T07:15:03.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-16T16:50:32.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"Anime News Network","url":"https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2026-08-15/kingdom-hearts-iv-game-presents-4-minute-trailer/.240610","title":"News\nKingdom Hearts IV Game Presents 4-Minute Trailer"},{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/991/G999103/20260815006/","title":"「キングダムハーツ」がDisneyとスクエニのタッグでオリジナルアニメ化決定。完全新作ストーリーを展開する"},{"source":"Cartoon Brew","url":"https://www.cartoonbrew.com/series/disney-kingdom-hearts-anime-series-265647.html","title":"Disney Remembers It Owns ‘Kingdom Hearts’ Franchise, Finally Greenlights Anime Series"},{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/newsjp/kingdom-hearts-the-series-20260815-460321/","title":"『キングダムハーツ』、なんとアニメ化決定。Disney ChannelとDisney+にて配信予定"},{"source":"Anime Anime","url":"https://animeanime.jp/article/2026/08/16/102095.html","title":"「キングダム ハーツ」初の“完全新作ストーリー”アニメーション制作決定！キーブレードを持つ謎の少年が…Disney Kids \u0026 Familyとスクウェア・エニックスが共同制作"},{"source":"Anime Corner","url":"https://animecorner.me/kingdom-hearts-iv-extended-gameplay-trailer-confirms-late-2027-release-coco-world/","title":"Kingdom Hearts IV Extended Gameplay Trailer Confirms Late 2027 Release, Coco World"},{"source":"OtakuKart Anime","url":"https://otakukart.com/kingdom-hearts-anime-series-greenlit-for-disney-and-disney-channel-with-tetsuya-nomura-involved/","title":"Kingdom Hearts Anime Series Greenlit for Disney+ and Disney Channel With Tetsuya Nomura Involved"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":["Kingdom Hearts"],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":[],"studios":["Square Enix","Disney"],"people":["Tetsuya Nomura"],"type":"announcement","domain":"anime","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["Kingdom Hearts The Series is an original anime series for Disney Channel and Disney+, co-produced by Disney Kids \u0026 Family and Square Enix.","Tetsuya Nomura, creator of Kingdom Hearts, is involved with the Square Enix creative team on the anime.","The anime will feature a completely new story, not a direct adaptation of any game narrative.","Disney has not revealed the animation studio, voice cast, or release date for Kingdom Hearts The Series.","Kingdom Hearts IV will launch in late 2027 for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC, and will include a world based on Pixar's Coco."]}