{"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 Anime Series Announced at D23 With Tetsuya Nomura Involved","summary":"Disney Kids \u0026 Family and Square Enix are co-producing an anime series based on Kingdom Hearts, announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 in Anaheim, California. The project, currently titled Kingdom Hearts, will air on Disney Channel and stream on Disney+. The series will feature an original story set within the Kingdom Hearts universe, not a retelling of the games. Tetsuya Nomura, creator and game director of Kingdom Hearts, is involved with the production alongside Square Enix's creative team. A teaser visual was revealed showing a boy holding a Keyblade. Ayo Davis, president of Disney Kids \u0026 Family, said the series will be \"unmistakably Kingdom Hearts\" while allowing fans to experience the worlds they love in a new way. The franchise began in 2002 as a collaboration between Square Enix and Disney, and has sold more than 38 million copies worldwide. The most recent numbered game, Kingdom Hearts III, concluded the Dark Seeker Saga, while Kingdom Hearts IV is set to begin a new story. Disney has not announced a release date, episode count, voice cast, or detailed story information.","whyItMatters":"The anime is positioned to expand the Kingdom Hearts franchise beyond video games, with Nomura's direct involvement signaling that the new story will be treated as canon-adjacent rather than a loose adaptation.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe announcement came during the D23 fan event, where Disney also highlighted other original animated projects for Disney+ such as Messi and the Giants, Warrior Cats, and Journey. The Kingdom Hearts series is described as a working title, and Disney has not yet confirmed a release date, episode count, or voice cast.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eNomura\u0026#39;s role is central to the project, with Disney stating that the creative team will work closely with him to ensure the series remains connected to the games. The teaser visual, featuring a boy with a Keyblade, offers the first look at the anime\u0026#39;s aesthetic, though no footage has been shown.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe franchise\u0026#39;s history is notable: since 2002, Kingdom Hearts has combined original characters with Disney worlds and characters, selling over 38 million copies across numerous console and handheld releases. The games have followed a multi-arc narrative, with Kingdom Hearts III ending the Dark Seeker Saga centered on Xehanort, and Kingdom Hearts IV expected to start a new storyline. The anime\u0026#39;s original story will not simply retell these events, but will expand the universe for a new audience.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"Kingdom Hearts is getting an anime series, and Tetsuya Nomura is directly involved. The teaser visual shows a boy with a Keyblade, but no release date yet. Disney says it will be 'unmistakably Kingdom Hearts.'","twitterPost":"Disney and Square Enix are teaming up for a Kingdom Hearts anime with an original story. It will air on Disney Channel and stream on Disney+. Nomura is on board, but details are still thin.","threadsPost":null,"newsletterBlurb":"Disney and Square Enix announced a Kingdom Hearts anime series at D23, with an original story and Tetsuya Nomura's involvement. The series will air on Disney Channel and stream on Disney+, though no release date has been set.","attributionJson":"[{\"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\":\"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\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":5721,"outputTokens":1054,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1786807068,"createdAt":"2026-08-15T15:13:15.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-15T15:16:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-15T15:13:15.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_c1039684eb13d6bbc7d247cd","canonicalTitle":"Kingdom Hearts Announces First Anime Series Adaptation, Original Story and Involvement From Creator Tetsuya Nomura","representativeArticleId":"a_62e9c3dd22af727b94d70b6d","sourceCount":2,"writtenSourceCount":2,"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":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-15T08:22:03.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-15T13:13:37.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-15T15:16:44.000Z"},"attribution":[{"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":"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 anime series was announced at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event 2026 in Anaheim, California, on August 14, 2026.","The series is co-produced by Disney Kids \u0026 Family and Square Enix, and will air on Disney Channel and stream on Disney+.","Tetsuya Nomura, Kingdom Hearts creator and game director, is involved in the production alongside Square Enix's creative team.","The anime will feature an original story set within the Kingdom Hearts universe, not a retelling of the games.","The Kingdom Hearts franchise has sold more than 38 million copies worldwide since its 2002 debut."]}