Esoterical // Some Things Are Better Left Unknown

Life Happened - and So Did Birth by Sleep

2010-09-11T18:15:00.000-07:00

Over the last couple of months, I've had some important personal matters to attend to. Also, last Tuesday, I did indeed buy my copy of Birth by Sleep, after four years of waiting. It was just after 10:00 a.m., at a Walmart. My copy came with an interesting slip cover. Since then, I've been playing it nearly non-stop. I've just finished Terra's side of the story, and I've just started Ven's. Personally, I found this event to be more exciting than the release of Final Fantasy XIII (though that may sound a little crazy).

In any case, I am truly sorry for neglecting the blog, for those who actually visit often. "Sorry" may not even be enough, but my personal matters are more important than the blog.

With personal matters aside, I should now be back to post on a regular basis as I once did. Bios, pics, and more information from Birth by Sleep will be uploaded as I play through the game.

So I was on Vacation...

2010-07-07T11:14:00.000-07:00

In Washington State. For twelve days. During which time I decided to free myself from having to worry about updating blogs. But of course now I'm back and having to face everything I've missed.

I did keep in tune to E3 news while I was away, so I'm very aware of the Recoded and KH 3D news. In regards to KH 3D, I've added it to the Release Dates column.

I haven't stopped updating the site. I will get back into the groove of things. My vacation did throw me off, however once I have Birth by Sleep in my hands, you can expect a whole slew of news and updates.

Also, as this is mainly a Xehanort fansite, I'm not entirely obligated to post every single round of KH news a la KH Insider.

New DS Game: Kingdom Hearts Re:coded

2010-06-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

Just announced today via Square Enix Europe's twitter, is confirmation of the speculated KH game, Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, being released on the Nintendo DS. Re:coded is based on Kingdom Hearts Coded, which was available on certain Japanese cell phones. It is unknown whether or not the game will be a direct port, or a remake (a la Re:Chain of Memories).

No release date has been announced at this time.

Re:coded, along with Birth by Sleep, are set to make an appearance at next week's E3.

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded official description:

Sora's journey in KINGDOM HEARTS II has drawn to a close, and now a new tale is set to begin.

Jiminy Cricket is looking over the journal he used to document his first adventure with Sora when he discovers a mysterious message. He didn't write it – so how on earth did it get there? King Mickey is determined to find out, so he and his friends decide to digitize the journal and delve into its deepest secrets. Inside this "datascape" dwells a second Sora who is about to embark on a grand adventure of his very own.

Sourcs: Square Enix Europe's Twitter, Kotaku

New BbS Gameplay Video + Next Game Speculation

2010-06-06T15:29:00.000-07:00

On the North American Birth by Sleep site, you can now find a new gameplay video which finally reveals the English voices of Terra and Aqua (and Ventus, but that one shouldn't have been a surprise). No voice actor names have been announced yet, but you can now watch the video and speculate yourself.

Meanwhile an interview with Tetsuya Nomura from this month's Gameinformer has recently surfaced on fan sites, one which gives insight into the next game in the series:

Q: The North American versions of Kingdom Hearts games have traditionally included some extras. What kind of bonuses can we expect?

A: There are a variety of new elements, including Critical Mode, which takes the difficulty beyond Proud Mode; Keyblades, abilities, minigame maps, and songs. We're also unleashing a mystery enemy for North American fans, so hopefully everyone will enjoy the challenge.

Q: How did you decide which Disney worlds would be in Birth by Sleep?

A: The process of choosing worlds has been the same with every entry. First, we select the worlds that are essential based on the scenario; in this title's case, the three pricess' worlds. Then, to add some variety to the locations we decided to include Deep Space (Lilo & Stitch) and Neverland (Peter Pan). Since Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep takes place before the rest of the games in the series, we decided to include Olympus Coliseum (Hercules) to show the contrast between past and present. We were able to incorporate more locations because of the hardware's capacity, and also because this title carries the same weight as a numbered Kingdom Hearts title.

Q: How did you decide to set Birth by Sleep before all of the Kingdom Hearts games?

A: We set it before the other games to resolve mysteries that have scattered us thus far, and to clarify what mysteries lie ahead in the series. I hope everyone gets to see the secret ending!

Q: What can you tell us about the new enemy, the Unversed?

A: Heartless are realizations of darkness in the heart, while Unversed are an existence born of negative emotion. They're similar in essence, but more information will be revealed in due time by a certain individual.

Q: How did you decide on featuring playable heroes in Birth by Sleep with different quests rather than a single protagonist like Sora or Roxas?

A: Everything is part of one big story, and there is only one final destination. Fans of the series who already know what happens beyond Birth by Sleep may be able to predict where the three are headed. I thought that by separating the story into three prospectives, and having the player choose the order of progression would deepen the mystery, making the journey all the more interesting. Even if you complete one character's story, you'll become more curious as to what happens to the other two, and eager to see to how everything comes to a close for the three.

Q: Can you explain some of the new combat elements?

A: The main concept for this battle system was to incorporate speed and tension in combat. There are three new systems that comprise the core of the game's battle sytem, and the Command Deck is definitely a key component. Each command has a level assigned to it, and there are several ways to develop them. There is also a charge time for each command, and timing is a crucial factor to using them successfully. You can freely adjust the command column, creating a setup that reflects your personal strategy and battle style.

The Shotlock command is an evolution of the target lock-on, which was one of the few constants throughout the series. You can use it to wipe out multiple enemies at once, or as a special one-shot attack against powerful enemies.

Dimension Link (D-Link) was a concept we took from the scenario and built into the system. It's an extension of the summoning system, and allows you to access other characters' deck commands and special attacks by connecting with them.

Q: What was the inspiration behind the new Command Board?

A: I personally love board games, and this was a concept I had been working on for years as something I wanted to construct as a system one day. It's not a concept I thought of just for this game, but I think we were able to link it very well with the current command leveling system. It's not just a minigame, but an alternate game whose results affect the main game as well.

Q: What did you want to accomplish with the multiplayer gameplay in Birth by Sleep compared to 358/2 Days?

A: In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, you could venture to different worlds to accomplish missions, but this time around players can gather in a world called the Mirage Arena to defeat target enemies. Up to three players can play co-op or against each other three-on-three. There are also minigame battles that are new to the series: Command Board and Rumble Racing. We utilized the hardware's wireless capabilities and capacity to the fullest to offer minigames that people can jump right in and out of. This way, people can enjoy the variety of battles and worlds that the game has to offer.

Q: Translations of your interview in Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep Ultimania seem to confirm that Kingdom Hearts III is coming along with two other games.

A: Kingdom Hearts III is not a confirmed title. I actually phrased my asnwer for the Ultimania "two titles other than III" to avoid speculation that we were working on Kingdom Hearts III.

Q: Are there any hints you can provide about these new games?

A: Hints would give away too much, and for Kingdom Hearts we're contractually obligated to keep any information that has not been official released under wraps. However, I can say one of the two projects mentioned above came into existence because we wanted to do something for the North American fans, so we'll be announcing it at E3.

Q: Any chance these new games will spread to consoles that Kingdom Hearts hasn't been on yet like Xbox 360, PS3, Wii, or iPhone?

A: We have no plans at the moment, but have been discussion opportunities with various parties, so once we've completed the two new projects we'll begin thinking about the next steps.

Q: Final Fantasy Versus XIII is your current primary project. How is it coming along?

A: Developement is progressing smoothly, but starting with E3 and through winter, there are a number of titles I am involved in that will be announced. And of course, the company as a whole has many upcoming projects, so we'll take it one step at a time. We do have plans to officially showcase the title at a certain point.

Currently, there is speculation that this new game is titled Kingdom Hearts Recoded. Click here for further details.

*******

AUSSIE FANS - I haven't forgotten about you. I know you're still awaiting a Birth by Sleep release date, and there hasn't been one announced at the moment. I am always on the lookout for it, so when it is finally announced by Square Enix, I will certainly post it.

Sources: Heartstation, KHInsider, KHUltimania

Birth by Sleep - NA and EU Release Dates Finally Announced

2010-05-17T18:07:00.000-07:00

I think the title speaks for itself.

Today, Square Enix has decided to announce the release date of Birth by Sleep for NA and Europe.

North America - September 7th, 2010
Europe - September 10th, 2010

Yes I know that Square Enix had originally announced the date to be "Summer 2010", but as the final date is only just one month more, I think they can be forgiven.

To add further confirmation, here is the latest press release by Square Enix and series director Tetsuya Nomura:

"The entire development team is extremely happy to announce the North American release date for KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep. We hate to keep fans waiting, but we've added some brand-new features for the North American version, so even those who have been following the Japanese version are sure to find a few surprises. In addition, we've put together an outstanding voice cast. We can't wait for everyone to experience this game!"

Read the full press release here.

Sources: Birth by Sleep portal site, KHInsider

Birth by Sleep - First English Trailer

2010-05-14T23:13:00.000-07:00

I apologize for the severe lack of updates, as there really hasn't been much news in the KH Community. However, today Gamestop has posted a teaser for the English version of Birth by Sleep on their website. The clip is small, only 36 seconds, but it does showcase Master Xehanort's English voice actor.

Watch it on Youtube.

Sources: KH Ultimania, Gamestop

It's been a really long time, but here's some unimportant news

2010-04-15T20:54:00.000-07:00

In what seems like the longest time since I've posted anything on the site, I've caught a couple bits of wandering news. Nothing important really, but I figure I'm past due to post something.

Birth by Sleep ESRB Rating

The ESRB rating system likes to provide unintentionally humorous, and slightly spoilerish (or in the case of Heavy Rain, very spoilerish) details to upcoming games. Fortunately however, Birth by Sleep didn't quite receive the same type of torment.

KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep Platform: PSP

Rating: Everyone 10+

Content descriptors: Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes

Rating summary:
This is a role-playing game in which players assume the role of one of three characters aspiring to become a "Keyblade" master. Players explore fantasy worlds, perform missions and mini-games, and battle various enemies along the way. Characters use magic spells and a giant key-shaped sword to attack enemies (e.g., humans, ice golems, dragons, magical suits of armor) in melee-style combat. Enemies react to damage by crying out in pain or bursting into small orbs that serve as items and power-ups for players. One cutscene depicts a man sinking a keyblade into his chest as a burst of light appears. A female character's breasts jiggle slightly during cutscenes.

Please note that this probably only pertains to the NA version of the game.

The 58th Possible NA Birth by Sleep Release Date (which is NOT official or confirmed)

Not really sure why I've decided to post this, but here you go: Gaming site G4TV has announced that the NA release date for Birth by Sleep is July 27, 2010. And of course, Square Enix has yet to confirm anything. This is all merely speculation.

Sources: KH Ultimania, KHInsider

3 New KH Titles in Development

2010-03-24T19:52:00.000-07:00

A new interview from Tetsuya Nomura has just surfaced, coming from the soon-to-be-released-tomorrow Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Ultimania (for those who don't know, Ultimanias are essentially giant books similar to strategy guides, but filled with more artwork, in-depth character descriptions, and development history). In it is the revelation of three new Kingdom Hearts titles (translated to English by HEARTSTATION):

“About the next title, Kingdom Hearts 3 depends on Final Fantasy XIII Versus, but development of the next title is already underway. There are two titles other than Kingdom Hearts 3 in conception, and I think I’ll release one within this year.”
“As from next year, I want to put out a title with multiple main characters.”
“The series won’t end in Kingdom Hearts 3, more like the conclusion of the Xehanort saga.”
“It’s not the case that when Sora’s story is over another hero’s story will begin; Sora will be the hero until the end.”

Hm. So I guess this means we'll soon be seeing the end of Esoterical. Well, maybe not the site, but at least the end of updates. From what I can garner from the news, it looks as if the "Xehanort saga" will at least continue into Kingdom Hearts 3, but will probably end there.

I guess I should start looking for a new gig, right? :|

Source: KHInsider, HEARTSTATION, FF-Reunion

Birth by Sleep EU Release Date part 1

2010-03-18T16:22:00.000-07:00

The Release Date Series continues with the news of Birth by Sleep for Europe announced by Square Enix:

London (17th March 2010) – Square Enix Ltd., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in Europe and other PAL territories and Disney Interactive Studios, today announces KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep will be released across PAL territories summer 2010, exclusively for the PSP® (PlayStation® Portable) system.

European fans rejoice!

EDIT: As of last Friday, the European site is now live - have a look. From there, you can access the site in your language.

Source: VG247, KHInsider

Richard Epcar to Reprise Xehanort in BbS!

2010-03-16T17:30:00.000-07:00

Also in the news today is the awesome announcement that Richard Epcar will be returning as the voice of Xehanort (albeit confirmed somewhat indirectly) in the upcoming English release of Birth by Sleep! Highlight below to see details/spoilers:

Richard Epcar will be voicing the fusion of Master Xehanort with Terra known as Xehanort, but with a fan-coined name of 'Terranort'.

Source: KHInsider

Birth by Sleep NA Release Date part 3

2010-03-16T17:13:00.000-07:00

I hope everyone is enjoying Final Fantasy XIII as much as I am. It keeps me from being tempted into certain spoiler-ish information. But today, there's actually news :O

Today, Square Enix has finally announced Birth by Sleep for North America (just in case you still weren't sure it was coming), as part of their summer release schedule:

LOS ANGELES (March 16, 2010) — Square Enix, Inc., the publisher of Square Enix® interactive entertainment products in North America, announced today that KINGDOM HEARTS Birth By Sleep will be released in North America this Summer. Coming exclusively to the PSP® (PlayStation®Portable) system, the game is a prequel that reveals the untold origins of the popular KINGDOM HEARTS franchise.

Pasted directly from Square Enix's North American site. Also, speaking of North American sites, the NA teaser site for Birth by Sleep has also gone live. The site doesn't feature much at the moment, but more content can be expected over the next few months.

Screenshots from the upcoming NA release:

Source: Square Enix, Kotaku

Esoterical 1 Year Anniversary

2010-03-11T21:02:00.000-08:00

Today marks the 1 year anniversary of Esoterical being created and going online.

The idea came to me while watching a morning talk show, with the host jokingly claiming she was the president of an "honorary fan club" of her favorite news anchor. It was during one boring day in front of my computer that I thought it would be "fun" to making something like an "Honorary Xehanort Fan Club", which was to be the title originally, until I remembered an Ansem fansite from long ago called "Esoterical", which had been non-existent for five years.

As information pertaining to just Xehanort was slim, the goal of Esoterical was to be a database on the character, providing news, images, biographies, theories, and other bits of media. Was the site really necessary? No, not really. But it sounded like a good idea at the time :P

Birth by Sleep NA Release Date part 2

2010-03-06T13:51:00.000-08:00

There is currently a place-holder date for the release of Birth by Sleep in NA - June 1, 2010 - courtesy of Gameinformer.com. This date is not official and has not been verified by Square Enix.

Stay tuned as it looks as if a release date could be announced at any time.

Sources: GameInformer, KHinsider

Announcement from the Hostess

2010-03-02T20:11:00.000-08:00

I've given a lot of thought to hosting Birth by Sleep spoilers on the site, and I've made my final decision. I won't be doing it. I am sorry about this, but it's really for my own reasons. For those of you who want subbed vids, visit strwbrymilk's Youtube Channel here.

I don't want to come off as selfish, but I would really like to enjoy the game once it's released. I think knowing the entire storyline, cutscene-by-cutscene, will only make the game more tedious and not very fun. This is not the case for everyone, but it is for some, like myself. There are those who had their Kingdom Hearts 2 experience ruined by spoiling themselves with cutscenes before actually playing the game. I don't want to be that person. Yes, as you can see from some of the slight changes to the site, I know a few bits, such as Terra indeed becoming Xehanort; the future apprentice of Ansem the Wise. But I really don't know much beyond that, and I would like to keep it that way.

I was trying to compare it all to Crisis Core at first. I love Crisis Core alot, and I could play through it several times (in fact, I'm about to start on my 4th play-thru). But most of that could be attributed to the fact that Zack maintains his stats on every new game. Meaning I'm basically playing with an overpowered Zack the entire time. Which makes the game incredibly easy, but a nice breeze for those who simply want to watch the story and cutscenes. Kingdom Hearts isn't known for such a feature, and it's safe to say that Birth by Sleep will probably not have that feature (although I can probably bet on a cutscene-viewing area after a completed game, much like Re:CoM and Days). It would be hard for me to find the fun in completing tasks and puzzles, only to finally reach scenes of a storyline I've already watched online. If I keep away from spoilers, then I can happily complete those quests, tasks, and puzzles to see what happens next.

When I created this blog, it was mainly out of boredom, and to make an online shrine of my favorite gaming character as there wasn't much out there in the first place. I'm very thankful for the visitors I've gained over time and their comments, a few of which came from some particularly awesome people. It's given the blog a bit more purpose. I wish I could showcase more BbS information and media, but some of that may have to wait a while, only so I can enjoy the game when it's released.

For now, news on Eso will probably be a bit slow, although there is some news emerging on a possible wide release of Kingdom Hearts: Coded, and there is always bits of news on the status of Kingdom Hearts 3.

- For subbed BbS vids: strwbrymilk's Youtube Channel

Oh, and remember that whole ordeal with my banner? The one I made a huge freaking big deal out of? It's over. I win XDD

Icons Updated

2010-02-28T09:26:00.000-08:00

The Ansem and Xemnas icons (the ones labled "Mal", which I recently made and uploaded) have been given a slight re-do, and have been re-uploaded to the site. It may take some time for all the icons to show the updated look. Basically I found what I was doing wrong with the icons in the first place and re-made them. So no more white borders, and some have been tinted differently.

View icons here and here.

Icon Post - Xemnas Set + Do you guys want spoilers?

2010-02-19T23:39:00.000-08:00

I know these are very late, but finally, here are the Xemnas icons, by yours truly. There were lots of icons. Over fifty of them. Many were sacrificed. Yes, I did all of this... despite there being 70+ icons in the gallery already. But now you have more. It's a never-ending page of Xemmy icons =D

If anyone hasn't noticed by now, I tend to like blank icons more than the overly-fancy ones. These were also made by Gimp, and another thing you might notice is the abuse of a white border. That's because Gimp likes to ruin each icon by tinting out the edges of the image after saving. I currently have absolutely no idea how to fix this problem. So until I do... I guess white borders will be my signature :/

UPDATE: Every single one of my icons are currently being re-done. They're going to look much better.

I would also like to bring up the obvious slow-down in KH news. Most of what's been showing up is spoilerish BbS info. Right now, Esoterical is one of the very few, if not the only KH fansite without any BbS spoils. As Esoterical is classified as a "blog", it's a little difficult to host spoilers in the proper fashion as other non-blogging sites.

So here's the thing. Right now, I am currently 100% spoiler free. My reason for choosing to do so was mainly for me: where would the fun be in playing a game for the first time after already having "watched" it all? Of course, it could be something like Crisis Core, where I could easily play that one over and over. At least I would hope so. And as spoilers are now even more rampant than ever, I've finally met a few myself (no one is spared). You could say they were major, but at least for me, it was nothing too surprising (for those who catch my drift; yes, it makes me lol).

I do see how empty and lacking the site is right now, in comparison to other fansites. So my question is, for those reading, who here would want me to go ahead and post everything, spoilers and all? I've already had 1 person vote for no spoilers (you probably know who you are). I could make a poll, but that would be a little laughable, as Esoterical isn't really high-traffic.

Although it might not hurt to make one anyways...

I guess I just feel kinda bad. I think most people who find their way here were looking for BbS plot info, and to their surprise, on a Xehanort fansite, there isn't any ;_;

But I'll go with whatever the masses want.

Don't you just love ranty-posts? :/

Birth by Sleep NA Release Date part 1

2010-02-10T15:49:00.000-08:00

Does Birth by Sleep finally have a NA release date? According to the latest issue of Game Informer, it seems we may:

The latest chapter of the Kingdom Hearts series is out in the wild. Unless you're fluent in Japanese (or have two helpful co-workers who are), however, you're out of luck until sometime this summer. Square Enix told us that the North American release of Birth by Sleep will hit sometime between June and August.

So there you have it. Part 2 will feature an exact date when announced by SE.

Source: HEARTSTATION.org, Kostas.

Kingdom Hearts 3 "Implemented as Soon as Possible"

2010-02-06T18:15:00.000-08:00

Nothing too exciting or surprising I'm afraid, unless you had no inkling of the upcoming KH3. In his newest interview, Nomura states that the next Kingdom Hearts story to take place after Kingdom Hearts II (in other words, a direct sequel) will soon be in the making by the KH Osaka team, who are currently working on Final Fantasy Versus XIII.

Source: Kingdom Hearts Ultimania

Icon Post - Ansem Set

2010-02-02T21:33:00.001-08:00

I apologize for the recent lack of posts. Fortunately I'm not all-encompassing like other major KH news sites, so I'm not required to post everyday :P

This is only half of the "major icon post" - this first set featuring Ansem from KH, KH ReCOM, and 358/2 Days. There is a serious, sad lack of Ansem icons, so I made some myself.

View the rest here.

Coming soon: Xemnas Icons

Drought

2010-01-22T22:58:00.000-08:00

...Aaand once again it's been a week since the last update. It's probably time I come out and say something.

There has been something of a drought lately with information, and my classes have been keeping me pretty busy, which would explain the recent lack of activity. The other updates will happen as planned, hopefully starting this week -_-"

The Icon section is slowly getting re-posted in a new table format. Tables are supposed to be border-less, but they will appear with borders in IE. I really hate Internet Explorer. Everyone just get Firefox now :)

On a side note, I payed a visit to one of my favorite Gamestops, asking if they were taking pre-orders for Birth by Sleep, and their response was that they wouldn't start until probably March, as they assume the release date to be this Fall (for NA). I'm a little confused by this. I pre-ordered 358/2 Days just before it was released in Japan. The Last Guardian, Team ICO's latest, is available for pre-order and yet it's still a work in progress. So what's the deal with Birth by Sleep, as it's already been out in Japan for two weeks now? Maybe Gamestop is weird like this :/

Site Updates + More to Come

2010-01-16T21:16:00.000-08:00

It's been a week since the last update, so something had to be posted, although it's nothing too exciting I'm afraid.

358/2 Days dialogue for Xemnas has been added to the site - includes a spoilers note in bright red letters for those who'd like to avoid it.
The spoilers notes have been removed from all the dialogue sections except the one just mentioned... because they're really not spoilers anymore :/
I should probably add the KH: Final Mix and KH2: FM+ dialogues as well, shouldn't I?
Expect a huge icon post in the near future.

Also, it's been a rumor in the KH community for quite some time now that the NA and EU release date for Birth by Sleep is in May, however this has yet to be confirmed by Square Enix.

Quotes - Xemnas - KH 358/2 Days

2010-01-16T20:35:00.000-08:00

SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!! SPOILERS!!

- Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days (DS) (2009) -

(At start of new game)

-An introduction to Organization XIII-

No. I - Xemnas
Organization XIII's Leader
Through power over nothing,
he seeks power over everything.

Weapon: Ethereal Blades

----------------------------------------

(Axel and Roxas reminisce about the day Roxas was named. He wakes up in front of The Old Mansion in Twilight Town. A figure in a black cloak emerges from a corridor of darkness and walks toward him)

??????: You seek answers.

(The man waves a cloaked arm between the two of them and the word 'SORA' appears in the air, the letters shiny, silver, and hovering)

??????: I can give you purpose.

(The man waves his arm again and the letters swirl around Roxas, gaining momentum until they're barely visible as letters. The man slams his fist into them and four points of golden light shoot out, forcing Roxas to flinch. He opens his eyes and sees a new golden letter X hovering before him. The silver letters rejoin with the X in their center forming a new word, turning fully golden...)

Roxas: Roxas.

Xemnas: That is right--the new you.

----------------------------------------

DAY 7 - NUMBER XIV

(They each gather in the Round Room, where Xemnas addresses them)

Xemnas: Good tidings, friends. Today is a momentous day.

(Axel scratches his chin. Luxord sits back in his chair)

Xemnas: I am pleased to announce that a new comrade has been chosen to wear the coat.

(Vexen smirks. Demyx adjusts his seat. Xemnas looks down toward the floor. A small cloaked figure walks into the room and stands in the center with its hood up)

Xemnas: Number XIV. Let us all welcome one of the Keyblade's chosen.

(Roxas blinks, remembering when he was brought before them. Axel walks in behind him and Roxas looks up. Xemnas holds his head up in boredom. The memory ends and the figure looks toward Roxas, who gasps)

----------------------------------------

DAY 27 - THE DARK MARGIN

(On a dark moonlit beach a cloaked figure walks up to another figure sitting upon a rock)

??????: I've been to see him.

(The seated figure turns his head toward the other)

??????: He looks a lot like you.

?????: Who are you?

??????: I'm what's left. Or...maybe I'm all there ever was.

?????: I meant your name.

??????: My name is of no importance. What about you? Do you remember
your true name?

?????: My true name is...

??????: You have been with us for six days now.

(The seated figure stands and removes his hood)

??????: The time has come...

(He walks past the other and places a hand on his shoulder. Time seems to pass slowly and all sound drops)

Xemnas (soundless): ...Sora.

(The hooded figure stands and watches him leave. In his room, Roxas lay on his bed, watched over by Xemnas and Saïx)

Saïx: Naminé must have begun her work...

Xemnas: Will he wake from this?

Saïx: I am told he will--provided she strips the hero of all his memories.

Xemnas: Then much hinges on Castle Oblivion.

Saïx: We needn't stop collecting hearts. Number XIV has gained power over the Keyblade, just as we intended. Xion can fill Roxas's shoes for the time being.

Xemnas: And the chamber? Have you found it?

Saïx: No, sir. I would say progress is slow...if we had actually made any.

(Saïx leaves the room, and Xemnas looks back at Roxas)

Xemnas: So, sleep has taken you yet again...

----------------------------------------

DAY 94 - HEARTS

(Roxas walks into The Grey Area, seeing it empty. Saïx walks in)

Saïx: Lord Xemnas has summoned us.

(They walk out and meet the rest of the Organization at the Altar of Naught)

Xemnas: The time has arrived. Look to the skies!

(He raises his arms high)

Xemnas: There hangs the heart of all hearts--Kingdom Hearts--shining down on us at last. See the countless hearts that have gathered? Hearts full of rage...hate...sadness...and bliss. There, in the sky, hangs the promise of a new world.

(He lowers his arms and faces the group)

Xemnas: My friends! Remember why we have organized--all the things we hope to achieve. The strength of the human heart is vast. Soon, though...we will have gained power over it! Never again will it...have power over us.

----------------------------------------

DAY 255 - THE LONGEST DAY

(Xemnas, Saïx, and Xigbar sit Where Nothing Gathers)

Saïx: I sent Axel to Castle Oblivion last night on short notice, to help expedite the matter we spoke of. I also instructed him to clear out our facilities there. He should RTC soon.

Xemnas: And Naminé?

Saïx: Still missing, sir.

Xigbar: Missing indeed. Ha ha! Wherever could she be?

Saïx: Why, Xigbar... It almost sounds as though you know.

Xigbar: Hmph.

Xemnas: What else?

Saïx: Somebody accessed our main computer without authorization.

Xigbar: "Somebody"? Are we all gonna pretend we don't know who? Little Poppet is turning into a problem--and I think you catch my meaning.

Saïx: Nonsense. I see no problem whatsoever.

Xigbar: Ha ha! Well no, apparently you don't!

Saïx: Something you find amusing?

Xigbar: If people see with their hearts, Saïx, then you're even blinder than the rest of us.

Xemnas: Our plans remain unchanged. Axel, Roxas, and Xion will play the roles Kingdom hearts has chosen for them.

Saïx: But sir, Xion... If we don't take steps--

Xemnas: Take steps? How can you not see how perfect this is? Xion is marching right into the arms of destiny. The only steps we need take are two: watch... and wait.

----------------------------------------

DAY 256 - NEWS

(The Organization are seated in the Round Room)

Xemnas: Xion is gone.

(They all turn their focus on Xemnas)

Demyx: What!? Whoa whoa, time out... You mean she, like, flew the coop?

Xaldin: Hah, preposterous. What would drive her to choose her own demise?

Xemnas: On the contrary. No one is to go looking for Xion without my express permission.

Roxas: What? Why not!?

Saïx: Your "friend" will be left alone. Or would you rather we find some punishment?

Roxas: I'd rather you get her back!

Saïx: And why would we do that?

Roxas: Rrgh...

Xemnas: All will be revealed when the time comes.

Axel: Hmm... Which means, if the time doesn't come, things can stay as they are...

Saïx: Lord Xemnas has spoken. Obey, or face your end.

----------------------------------------

DAY 299 - SORA

Xaldin: Xion? Why would I know where she is?

(He walks away. Roxas sees Luxord enter The Grey Area)

Roxas: Have you seen Xion?

Luxord: I wasn't aware she had returned.

Roxas: So you haven't seen her around?

Luxord: That is generally what "wasn't aware she has returned" means, yes.

(Luxord walks away)

Roxas: Doesn't anybody know what happened to her? Unless HE does...

(Xemnas sits in the Round Room. Roxas appears on his chair)

Roxas: I need to ask you something.

Xemnas: And what would that be?

Roxas: What happened to Xion? Can you tell me?

Xemnas: Put your mind at ease. Xion is a valued member of the Organization, but she needs her rest.

(Roxas thinks about the conversation at The Dark Margin. Roxas stands hooded as Xemnas walks past him, placing a hand on his shoulder)

Xemnas: Sora.

(The memory ends)

Roxas: ...Sora.

(Xemnas says nothing)

Roxas: Who is Sora?

Xemnas: He's the connection.

Roxas: The what?

Xemnas: He is what makes you and Xion a part of each other's lives. Just as he is the reason I placed Xion among our number. And if you want her to stay that way, I must insist you get your mind off these needless distractions. I will have Xion return to her duties tomorrow. Today, you must focus on yours.

Roxas: All right.

(He leaves the Round Room and walks through Twilight's View. He sees Axel and stops)

Axel: Hey, Roxas.

(Roxas says nothing and walks past him to The Grey Area)

Xigbar: I bet you're relieved to have Poppet home, eh?

Xaldin: To fret so, over something so insignificant... I cannot understand Xemnas.

Saïx: If you have time to mope, then you have time to work. Focus, Roxas.

(Roxas is sent to The Night Sea in Never Land to hunt down Shadow Globs. Saïx meets with Xemnas in the Round Room)

Saïx: Are you certain we've taken suitable measures with Xion and Roxas?

Xemnas: I will admit, Xion has strayed from our original designs. But this unpredictable behavior is proving to have an interesting side effect.

Saïx: Really?

Xemnas: We wanted the Key. Xion's exposure to Roxas effected a transfer of its power, just as we had hoped. Had things stopped there, Xion would have been an unequivocal success. But then, through Roxas, Sora himself began to shape "it" into "her," giving Xion a sense of identity. I was ready to scrap
the whole project... Then, it occurred to me: Xion is keeping Sora's memories trapped by claiming them as her own. Keeping her close to Roxas will prevent Sora from ever waking.

Saïx: I see. And what do you want to do about the impostor in black?

Xemnas: That gadfly? See that he stays away from Roxas. He only poses a threat if his buzzing reaches Xion's ears.

Saïx: Then we are back on track.

----------------------------------------

DAY 322 - THE PROGRAM

(Saïx, Xigbar and Xemnas sit in the Round Room)

Xigbar: Sora is having a powerful effect on her.

Xemnas: Yes, it was not supposed to gain a mind of its own--nor become the person we see. But in the end, it only proves the puppet is the more worthy vessel. At last, the time has come. Saïx, are the devices ready?

Saïx: All three will be operable in a matter of days.

Xemnas: Good.

Saïx: What do you want to do with Roxas?

Xemnas: Both of them have connections to Sora, but we only need one of them under our thumb. Let Xion take from Roxas the rest of what he has to give... Or, let him destroy her first and get it all back. It makes no difference to me. Either way, Sora's power will be ours.

----------------------------------------

DAY 354 - TRUTH

(Xemnas assembles the remaining Organization members in the Round Room)

Xemnas: Xion has vanished again.

Xaldin: Do we know where she is?

Xemnas: "It," not "she." Xion is just a Replica...a puppet.

Luxord: Puppet? Someone made her?

Saïx: Puppets generally don't make themselves.

Xigbar: The Replica Program was one of our little pet projects.

Demyx: Replica whatza?

Xaldin: Perhaps you'd care to enlighten us about this "pet project."

Xemnas: The goal was to duplicate the Keyblade wielder's memories, and through them, his powers--thus making them our own. Vexen oversaw the project at Castle Oblivion. However, our efforts were severely derailed by his unexpected demise. And this particular Replica--the one we called Xion-- came to form an identity of her own.

Saïx: That caught us off guard. If anything like that happened before, no one at Castle Oblivion ever reported it. Did they Axel?

(Axel remains silent)

Xemnas: Fortunately, the puppet has no means of dashing our plans now, even if she has learned to pull her own strings. Still, she knows our secrets. We need to shorten her leash... And perhaps tighten it.

Roxas: You don't mean--

Xemnas: Axel.

(Axel looks toward Xemnas)

Xemnas: Seeing as how she escaped on your watch, the onus is on you to capture her and return her here. I am willing to overlook any nicks and scratches. Just ensure she still functions on arrival.

Xaldin (shaking his head): Why you would allow a deserter back under our roof... She should be eradicated!

Saïx: "Deserter" is hardly the term for a broken specimen who wandered out from under the microscope.

Xemnas: Axel, you have your orders. Dismissed.

(Xemnas vacates his chair)

Xaldin: Bring her back? It's sheer madness...

(Xaldin leaves)

Demyx: All this time, I've been talking to a puppet... Intense.

(Demyx leaves)

Xigbar: So now we just sweep it all up? Heh... As if.

(Xigbar leaves)

Luxord: If only the whispers at the top of the ladder carried to the bottom rung...

(Luxord leaves)

Saïx: Axel.

(Axel looks up)

Saïx: Those orders were absolute.

(Axel silently leaves)

Saïx: Still here, Roxas? Proceed with your mission.

Roxas (shaking his head): Xion is one of us.

Saïx: A puppet, one of us? Don't be absurd. Count the seats. When have we
ever been more than thirteen?

----------------------------------------

Roxas (pleading): No! Xion... Who else will I have ice cream with?

(The crystal envelops her entire body. She is bathed in warm light until all that remains is a seashell. Roxas touches it and remembers her smiling face as they sat on the clock tower together)

Roxas: Xion.

(Tears fall from his eyes. Meanwhile, Axel lay in his bed)

Axel: How did this happen?

(He sits up and sees an envelope on his windowsill. He opens it and takes out the winning popsicle stick. He stands there, unmoving. Later, Xemnas and Saïx appear in the Round Room)

Saïx: Xion is no more.

Xemnas: It is probably for the best. Get me back my Keyblade wielder. Fetch me Roxas.

(Saïx nods and leaves his chair)

----------------------------------------

Source: Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Game Script compiled by DJ Firewolf

Birth by Sleep out in Japan!

2010-01-09T00:00:00.000-08:00

Today marks the release of Birth by Sleep in Japan :) Currently there has been no announcement of the release dates in other territories, but they are expected at any time.

I've now gone back to being undecided about whether or not to follow BbS spoilers. It just occurred to me that I could create a Terra-less banner and have that up until I have the game in my hands and know the whole story. I really don't want spoilers to ruin my gaming experience once I have the NA release.

For those who wish to follow spoilers, KH13 is doing a great job on the coverage. They have a link to a spoilers section on their main page.

UPDATE: I have made my final decision, and that is to stay spoiler-free - I will not be following the spoilers. The banner image has had a slight edit with Terra removed, but only in the case that my theory is wrong so I don't look like a fool for the next four months until the NA release of the game. It has nothing to do with storyline. The banner will change again once I am able to play the game for myself.

358/2 Material Added

2010-01-08T00:35:00.000-08:00

Having finally completed 358/2 Days, I've just added Xemnas and Ansem screenshots, as well as a section on the Secret Reports.

I hope most of you have completed the game as well ;)

The Japanese release of Birth by Sleep is now only hours away... which means nothing to me as I'm not importing the game -_-" However, I have decided to follow various KH sites for subbed BbS videos, mainly to see which theories hold true in case I have to make any changes to the site... like my poor banner image. If Terra has nothing to do with Xehanort, then it would be silly to leave the banner looking that way for 4-5 months till a NA release. That is my ridiculous reasoning.

However it will be quite some time until spoiler-ish BbS material is added to the site (such as screenshots and info).

I'm also pretty tired at the moment and can't think straight, so I apologize if none of this makes any sense -_-"

Secret Reports

2010-01-07T23:42:00.000-08:00

The Secret Reports were a collection of pages written by various members of Organization XIII during the events of Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, and focus on the characters Roxas and Xion. While the authors of the reports are not explicitly mentioned in 358/2 Days, they are confirmed within the game's official Ultimania guide.

Although not relevant to the character Xehanort as were the Ansem Reports and Secret Ansem Reports, they do contain a few entries from Xemnas himself, and for that reason they have been added to Esoterical.

KINGDOM HEARTS 358/2 DAYS

Day 7: Day of Meaning
A name defines an object. Describes the span of it. Gives it purpose. We embarked upon the Replica Program to ensure our new power stays ours. Now, our shadow puppet, "No. i," lives. It needs a name. Something to define it. To give the hollow vessel purpose.
-- Xemnas

Day 8: Roxas
Seems like we're getting new members every day. No. XIII was a boy, Roxas. Now we've got a No. XIV, Xion. Today's mission was to show Roxas the ropes. I feel like they've had me babysitting him since he got here. He's not a bad kid, but he's spacey. Good fighter, though. At least I won't be bored.
-- Axel

Day 9: On Track
Xion is being monitored. Roxas, meanwhile, has begun his training exercises. It is imperative we keep Xion from having undue contact with Roxas until we are certain it will perform as expected - which will take another 10 days, if Vexen's convictions are to be trusted. As for the Keyblade master, Marluxia will no doubt be keeping an eye on him.
-- Saïx

Day 14: This Kid?
Another mission with Roxas today. Is he seriously my responsibility? At least he's starting to talk like a normal person. Maybe that means his memory's coming back. Still, this kid's supposed to be the Keyblade master's Nobody? I don't see it.
-- Axel

Day 15: How Dare They
Ugh! How DARE they shut me out of monitoring the Keyblade master! And then to send me off to teach that half-baked Nobody basic magic!? I should've had him light ME on fire. It won't be long now, though. Once I'm over at C.O., our plan goes into action. No more playing nanny. Ever.
-- Larxene

Day 22: Castle Oblivion
They pushed up the C.O. plan. Our little hero with the key must've made a move. Me and his Nobody have been meeting up for ice cream the last few days. Not the best conversationalist, but at least he's mastered a few facial expressions besides "doom" and "gloom." I told him about C.O., but he didn't seem to follow. Guess that's understandable.
-- Axel

Day 23: Research Entry 326
The Program is largely on target. No. i, my finest Replica, has proven an even greater success than anticipated. I intend to take the other vessel - judged unfit for number status - to Castle Oblivion, where I will subject it to further testing. One thing is clear: could these Replicas not be classified as a special sort of Nobody?
-- Vexen

Day 24: The Upper Floors
Marluxia has succeeded in leading the Keyblade master to the castle. I sense multiple threads at work, but details on each of the projects are scarce. I suspect some alleged Organization projects are secretly private machinations. Marluxia seems especially suspect.
-- Zexion

Day 25: Hollow Ties
Pressing Zexion for answers would be a waste of time. I know that, but this dearth of information is hard to accept. What's happening on the upper levels? What ought we be doing down here? They hug their truths close and leave the rest of us to speculate. Zexion talks of the bond we share as an Organization, but how could such a thing exist? Still, he remains the only one I can trust.
-- Lexaeus

Day 26: Axel's Actions
Simple deduction suggests Axel's outwardly inscrutable actions are the result of some directive from Saïx. Why else eliminate Vexen? He simply wanted to do research. Did we not all stand to gain from the fruits of his Program? What is Axel thinking?
-- Zexion

Day 27: Organization Dog
Axel is in the way, though I don't know if he's aware of our plot. Vexen had no part in our plans - why eliminate him, assuming Axel's orders were to root out traitors to the Organization? Discerning his motives merits our full attention.
-- Marluxia

Day 28: Dealing with the Traitors
I've uncovered most of what I need to know about the Replica Program, but where's the other one? I can't find any trace of it. ...Vexen was caught in the middle. Pitiable, but unavoidable. I could not risk his Program falling into their hands. Of greater concern are the traitors. Not the obvious turncoats, but the ones who will get in his and my way. The Keyblade master is not our enemy.
-- Axel

Day 50: Strange Feeling
Roxas woke up today. I think he was dreaming the whole time. Being with him feels strange. Familiar. Like listening to the waves crash up against the shore. But why?
-- Xion

Day 51: Measures Must Be Taken
The Replica Program continues apace, but something has gone wrong at Castle Oblivion. The Dusks returned with word that none of those we dispatched survived - but the news came in fragments. I still know too little to extract the truth. I doubt Axel would be among those lost, but I must plan for the worst. First, I must locate the Keyblade master.
-- Saïx

Day 52: Another Mission
I've lost track of the Keyblade master and the other intruders. I'm the only one left in the castle. Everybody else has been destroyed. My orders were to end the traitors, but I think by this point, I fit that bill better than anybody. There's one last thing I need to look into while I'm here.
-- Axel

Day 71: The Traitors' End
Saïx had a hand in what went down at Castle Oblivion - well, more like a whole arm. Which means Axel was in on it as well. It's a fact that Xemnas ordered Axel to take out the traitors, orders which went through Saïx. No specific names were given, but naturally Xemnas knew who the turncoats were right from the get-go.
-- Xigbar

Day 72: Human
The longer you know someone, the less you need to speak in clear terms. Everything gets across with a wink and a nudge, a little reading between the lines... When it comes to what befell our late comrades at Castle Oblivion, ambiguity suits me just fine. But the Keyblade master and Roxas come out and say every little thing that comes to mind. Maybe that's human, or maybe they're just special.
-- Axel

Day 73: What Now?
I lost the ability to use the Keyblade, and I have no idea why. I don't know what to do about it. About anything. It happened suddenly, after Roxas woke up. If I can't collect hearts anymore, the Organization has no use for me. This is terrible.
-- Xion

Day 74: Xion's Face
Honestly, I never got why Roxas was so crazy about Xion. I know they both joined up around the same time, and they're both rookies, but how do you get so close to somebody who hides their face all the time? Well, I saw it today. All of a sudden, No. XIV up and takes off...her hood. Xion is a girl, and she looks just like Naminé.
-- Axel

Day 75: Gotta Do Something
Roxas has been coming along on my missions to help out, since I can't use the Keyblade. Axel is covering for me, so I should be safe for now. But what am I going to do if I never get the Keyblade back? I can't lie forever.
-- Xion

Day 94: All Goes Apace
The hearts collected by our two Keyblade wielders, Roxas and Xion, have gathered together; and now, almighty Kingdom Hearts waxes large in the night sky. Our efforts have come to bear fruit, nearly ripe for the plucking. All plans proceed smoothly - alarmingly so, in fact, though this is no time to be deterred by paranoia.
-- Saïx

Day 95: My Past
Neither Roxas or I have any memory of our human lives. I don't even remember my first days as a Nobody. Roxas said he was the same, but I'm not so sure. For me, it's a total blank. I can't even remember the day I met Roxas, or Axel. It's all a blur.
-- Xion

Day 96: Friends
Xion regained her ability to wield the Keyblade. I don't know how or why. Maybe there's more to the Keyblade master they're not telling me about. I feel like I've been spending more time talking to Roxas and Xion lately than my old friend, Saïx. This has to have been what it was like, friendship.
-- Axel

Day 97: Sooo Bored
Every day it's work, work, work. I'm dead bored, and I'd kill for some vacay. A Nobody needs his rest, am I right? And when I get it, it's gonna be nothing but me and my sitar. Sigh...
-- Demyx

Day 117: Him and Roxas
Roxas is maturing at an impressive rate. His face, the way he handles the Keyblade, it's all exactly the same. The worlds seem so divided and alone, but there's always that steady thread there to connect them. And we Nobodies can never escape the things we did as humans. So it goes.
-- Xigbar

Day 118: You Changed, Not Me
Talking to Roxas and Xion always brings back memories of my human life, back when I was a kid. It's a weird sensation. I ought to be able to share all this with Saïx, but I just don't feel like it anymore. It's strange, but I'm content with just missing what's gone. I'm not the one who changed. You did.
-- Axel

Day 119: Hearts and Emotion
Watching that foolish beast flail about only deepens my disdain for humans and their incessant need to be pinned down by feelings. We became Nobodies precisely to avoid the shackles of emotion. It was only later that we realized the scale of that loss: that some things simply cannot be done without a heart. Nonetheless, I see nary a pleasant thing about it.
-- Xaldin

Day 149: He's the Sham
That man wearing the Organization's coat - that jerk! He's too powerful. I can't beat him unless I get stronger. And I'm not a sham. I'M NOT. He is. He's the one pretending to be something he isn't!
-- Xion

Day 150: Dealing with Xion
As expected, the Duplicate is starting to show its limits. The Program showed promise, but a puppet is just a puppet: something to be toyed with until it breaks. I am utterly at a loss as to what Roxas and Axel see in that thing. How best to dispose of it merits my consideration going forward.
-- Saïx

Day 151: These Dreams
I wasn't ready to see Roxas again. I can't help but compare us. We both use the Keyblade, but we're so different. Does he dream? It seems like that's all I do anymore. Last night I dreamt of the ocean. I was drowning.
-- Xion

Day 152: Like a Real Person
Roxas and Xion must have had it out over something. Knowing them, it's something dumb, but still. Watching them, it's like they're human. It's messing with my head. I kind of wonder if Roxas understood all that about the wrong buttons. I get the sense a lot of it went right over his head.
-- Axel

Day 153: This Is Gonna Be a Hit!
I've got me new hit single! X-face is always barking at me to work, but what's he expect me to do against a monster like that? I mean, stop and think about skill sets when you divide up the labor already!
-- Demyx

Day 171: The No. i Project
Xion failed to complete its mission. If this continues, destroying it and using the next Replica as the Duplicate would undoubtedly yield a higher-grade copy. No. i was among the initial lot, which naturally raises questions about its capabilities. At present, it is nothing short of broken. I cannot fathom why Xemnas would want to keep it.
-- Saïx

Day 172: Meaning Behind the Words
There has to be something to what Saïx said. Why isn't Xion qualified to be one of us? He said to just look at her, but at what? The fact that she looks like Naminé? Xion and Naminé must be connected. Whose Nobody is Xion, anyway? What is Saïx hiding?
-- Axel

Day 173: The Gamble
I find myself envying the children. Perhaps some fundamental difference exists between those who become Nobodies as adults and otherwise. The longer you have lived, the more you are positioned to lose with such a gamble. But a child can look forward, unafraid even in the face of immeasurable odds. I doubt they even see life as a gamble the way we do.
-- Luxord

Day 174: Just a Replica
Xion continues to sleep. All analysis on its function suggests no marked change. The copying appears to be working, but a Replica is a Replica. My latest report to Xemnas on this net me no clear answers. He simply stood, smiling. At times I find his thinking impenetrable.
-- Saïx

Day 193: Dreams, or Memories?
I finally wake up, just to pass out again? Why? Because I'm a failure? I dreamt the whole while I was out. It was something nostalgic, but what? Why can't I remember? It could be a key memory from my human life. All I can remember is the sound of waves, gentle, in the distance.
-- Xion

Day 194: The Replica
I thought I'd never see the word "Replica" again. Any rational man would realize the Riku Replica was not likely unique, but I'm the only one in the Organization who knew of his exceptional copying functionality, and that he ultimately formed a sense of self. The fact that I knew all that and still never noticed the truth about Xion speaks to how remarkable a Replica she must be.
But my questions remain unanswered. Who is she a Replica of? Naminé? Kairi? Or perhaps someone entirely different? Why did the Organization admit her into this membership? And why would such a fine Replica fall unconscious or sporadically lose its command of the Keyblade?
-- Axel

Day 224: Xion
Even if Xion is a Replica - a puppet - she's still Xion. I understand that in my head, but how do I interact with her now? Riku-Replica was just a tool, but I can't just use Xion. No, I was wrong to have just used Riku-Replica in the first place. How is a man-made puppet any less worthy than a Nobody that was never meant to exist at all?

They're both ambiguous. Tenuous at best. And she's my friend. Even if neither of us should exist, that doesn't invalidate the bonds we form. Next break we get, I told her we'd all go to the beach. I hope we get the chance. Our little summer vacation. I know if we can get together and laugh about stupid stuff, this nagging doubt will go away.
-- Axel

Day 225: Secrets About Me
My body feels heavy, and my head aches. I'm too busy dreaming to get any rest from sleep. Axel knows something. He's hiding some secret. It must be in Castle Oblivion. That's where I was born.
-- Xion

Day 255: Final Stages
Xion's appearance should vary based on the relation of the viewer to her. Saïx sees her simply as a puppet. The Program approaches completion. Through Roxas, Xion is assembling a copy of the hero of the Keyblade. As proof, she sometimes appears to take on his form to my eyes.
-- Xemnas

Day 256: Who We Each See
Xion's disappearance is fascinating. If she really is breaking from our control, it's a sign of her approaching the essence of the hero. It seems Saïx doesn't truly "see" her. I'm curious to know how she appears to the others. I see her as...him, though I suspect that Xemnas sees entirely something else in her.
-- Xigbar

Day 257: In the Cards
The air is charged. I can feel it. You go out on a big gamble at a time like this, and you're going to lose big. That said, it's betting against the worst odds that nets you the biggest win. I'm eager to see how this hand plays out.
-- Luxord

Day 276: Behind the Truth
Xion is gone. Roxas still doesn't know anything, but Xion found out. That's why I need to find her. We don't have hearts, so we accept the facts we're given as the truth. But something far more important lies behind that truth. Saïx would laugh at people with no hearts calling one another friends, but that doesn't make it not so.
As the Nobody of the hero of the Keyblade and the Replica of that Nobody, these two are special. Unique in every sense of the word. But that doesn't change the fact that we're friends. Nothing will. Got it memorized, Xion?
-- Axel

Day 277: True Agenda
Axel and Roxas are up to something. No plot they concoct will change the fact that the Organization has cast off Xion, though. Our plans have split, diverged, and advance now to the next stage. The No. i project and Replica Program merely paved the way. Our true goals lie elsewhere.
-- Saïx

Day 296: Hidden Truths
None of us really know everything that's going on in Castle Oblivion. Some rooms even Xemnas doesn't know about. Not many are ever aware that Xion was born there. I wonder if the truth about that place will ever surface.
-- Xigbar

Day 297: Contact with Riku
The man they're calling the imposter, that fake Organization member? It's Riku. Roxas could very well remember that, somewhere deep in his memories. Still, it's too soon to report this. I need to know why Xion was with him first. If she's siding with the hero, it could easily mean her erasure. What are you planning to do, Xion?
-- Axel

Day 298: Change of Plans
Axel failed to report that the imposter and Xion are working together. Instead, that news came from Roxas. The boy is far more easily handled than Axel, but now Axel has captured Xion and returned her to us. His motives are impossible to read. Our plans can be altered if necessary, but doing so can only delay their realization.
-- Saïx

Day 299: The Value of a Lie
Roxas doesn't trust me after the whole Xion incident, but I can't tell him the truth yet. So I keep lying. It's no big deal when you're a Nobody. There's no guilt, no feeling at all. So why does it still sting, just a little, when I lie to him? All my dealings with Roxas give me this bizzare illusion of humanity.
-- Axel

Day 300: Us and the Sunset
We watched the sun set today. The three of us. I didn't think we'd ever be able to do that again. It's like that dream I had - the one where I was by the shore with Roxas and Axel, watching the sun set over the water. I just want to stay with them. But how? What should I do?
-- Xion

Day 301: Xion or Roxas?
Xion is burning through missions at full tilt. She seems frantic. Why, I don't know. And speaking of, I still don't know what to say to Roxas. Even without my orders from Saïx, I'd do anything to stop Roxas from being erased. I just don't know if I can stand by and let that happen to Xion, either.
-- Axel

Day 321: My Place
Axel's always helping me out, so I just assumed he would again. How long has he known about me? Maybe since long before we met in Castle Oblivion. But he told me to think for myself. I was so happy. But now, as I get stronger, Roxas keeps getting weaker. I shouldn't exist anymore. They say that Nobodies were never meant to exist, but I'm the real affront. But before I'm gone, I want to help Roxas and Axel. Even just a little. I think the boy I saw today is the same Sora from my memories.
-- Xion

Day 322: The Plan
Be they a puppet or the hero's Nobody, we merely need a functional Keyblade master. The details are unimportant. The puppet has developed to a point where the hero of the Keyblade may be entirely redundant. Indeed, perhaps we ought never allow Sora to awaken. He cannot be controlled. He will rise up against us. We must move our agenda ahead with that firmly in mind.
-- Xemnas

Day 352: What I Must Do
Riku gave me this time. Axel told me to spend it thinking for myself. The Organization is determined to erase either me or Roxas. They'll never allow us to coexist. I love Roxas and Axel. I'm sure Saïx would scoff at that. Call it a trick of my artificial memories. But the time I spent on that clock tower was real. I wish the three of us could stay together, just like this, forever. But I have to end this. I'll never forget today's sunset. Even if Roxas and Axel do, I won't forget.
-- Xion

Day 353: A Future that Never Was
I couldn't tell Xion she was wrong, and I can't bring myself to end her. But it's either that, or I have to erase Roxas. There's no future where the three of us can sit around and eat ice cream. I know Roxas will never understand. I don't want to acknowledge it myself.
-- Axel

Day 354: Where I Belong
I wanted to see Roxas one more time, but couldn't. What would I say? Did I ever really exist? Even if not, I just hope that those times we spent watching the sun set were real. I know Naminé will tell me how to get back where I belong. I should hurry to see her.
-- Xion

Day 355: Mind
The gears of Xemnas' plans have begun to spin wild since the loss of half our membership at Castle Oblivion. The results are there, but can this state of affairs fairly be called a success? If Kingdom Hearts can be said to possess a mind of its own, it is surely rejecting Xemnas - no, rejecting Xehanort. Roxas left the Organization today.
-- Xigbar

Day 356: Unforeseen Events
Our plans never accounted for the possibility of both Xion and Roxas leaving. How did this come to pass? When did Roxas grow strong enough to outmuscle me? What were you really after, Lea? We joined the Organization at the same time, and formulated our plan. At this point, it's just an idle fantasy. Everything changed. You, and me.
-- Saïx

Day 357: To My Best Friend
Roxas left. It's so like him to just leave that WINNER ice cream stick behind. Come tomorrow, I'll probably get the order to hunt him down, but leaving that here makes it feel so permanent. I wish the three of us - three? No. That the two of us could share some ice cream again someday. That's what it is to be friends.
-- Axel

Day 358: Goals
With luck, we can bring Roxas back into our fold, but even if Sora should awaken, as the hero of the Keyblade, he is bound to keep unlocking hearts. If he should come to target us, we need simply subdue him and use his powers ourselves once more. I must become one with Kingdom Hearts. I will become a higher existence. All of my true ambitions begin there.
-- Xemnas

- Information provided by Kingdom Hearts Wiki -

Screencaps - Ansem - KH: 358/2 Days

2010-01-07T23:12:00.000-08:00

At long last, I've finally just completed 358/2 Days, and with that I present some Ansem screenshots.

Videos were from KH13; screencaps made by me.

Original image size: 316x198
Image type: PNG
Image count: 12

Screencaps - Xemnas - KH: 358/2 Days

2010-01-07T22:54:00.000-08:00

At long last, I've finally just completed 358/2 Days, and with that I present some Xemnas screenshots.

Videos were from kh-vids.net; screencaps made by me.

Original image size: 316x198
Image type: PNG
Image count: 8

New Game Rumor: "Another Dive"?

2010-01-05T18:54:00.000-08:00

Rumors have been floating around today on various KH sites that the next KH game is rumored to be titled Kingdom Hearts: Another Dive, reported by an anonymous forum poster. Apparently the previous title was believed to be Kingdom Hearts: Deep Dive. The news seems to have arisen from the Birth by Sleep secret ending.

This is summary blurb on that particular page... (Possible spoiler? Although, it's not major sounding at this moment.)
Sale date: Unknown
Console: Playstation 3
Price: Undecided
Story: This is about a tale coming from a different viewpoint of what happened a part of (or in addition to) the world in which Sora obtained the Keyblade....

Translated by Tomogirl

Currently, nothing has been confirmed by Square Enix, so for now, please take all of this with a grain of salt.

Sources: 2CH, Neogaf, Tomogirl, KHI

Debatable Things: the Terra Argument

2010-01-02T19:29:00.000-08:00

While making my frequent rounds to numerous KH sites gathering news and important information, I am sometimes tempted to take a glance at the forums. This is quite often a mistake and a horrible waste of time. Tonight I was spurred to post from a particular comment.

"Terra is not Xehanort"
This thread is an educated attempt to refute all ideas of Terra becoming Xehanort. Quite frankly im tired of all of this nonsense going around. Consider the following facts:

1. Terra [Lingering Sentiment from KH2: FM+] wonders if Sora is Xehanort.
--Why would he wonder this if he himself is Xehanort? Im sure that you may think that the conversation was "noncanon," but then you would also have to disregard the other scenes in final mix+, like the xigbar and zexion scenes for being noncanon as well. You cant just pick and choose, you have to look at the whole picture.
2.After being defeated, Terra says that he has nothing left but "hatred for Xehanort."
--Again, if he was Xehanort why would he say something like this?
3. Terra has fair skin, Xehanort is tan.
--Now this right here is the kicker. They may have similar hair styles and features, but that is where the similarities end. Ill be damned if Terra's skin darkens to show "the darkness over taking his soul." That's just racist. I doubt Nomura would do something like that. And i dont wanna hear anything about fusions, absorbtions, or whatever other nonsense that proposes that Master Xehanort and Terra "fuse." When has anything like that ever happened in the series that ends up changing one's physical appearance?
4. Xehanort's nobody and heartless cant use the Keyblade.
--Or the power of light, like roxas can because he is part of sora. If he could use it, why would he recruit roxas, create xion, or use sora to harvest hearts? The answer is that he cant. Because his somebody could not use a keyblade. Which means he is not Terra.

Now then, in light of all of these facts, im sure some of you will come up with crazy ideas about how they are still the same person. I presented facts here, not guesses, not conjectures, but pure facts. If you can come up with something substantial, then by all means prove me wrong. I doubt that you can though.

This is Tetsuya Nomura we are dealing with. Nomura is a brilliant and unpredictable storyteller. For someone to claim that their thoughts on an unreleased game are "fact" and all others are "nonsense" is completely brainless. They are all theories. I myself have never claimed anything to be definitive or correct; they are simply my theories and beliefs on the plot (theories are fun right? Or at least they were during the advent of KH2), based on available information and my own conjectures.

It is probably obvious to anyone who has come across this site that I have always leaned towards the "fusion" theory, if only because I have felt there to be enough evidence to support it.

The biggest part of the Birth by Sleep storyline that I believe most fans are looking forward to is the origin of Xehanort -- the origin of the apprentice who served Ansem the Wise, and thus became the antagonist of the entire series.

In terms of Xehanort's origin, we have these possible suspects:

Master Xehanort
Vanitas
Terra
Ven

(I've thrown in Ven as the "wild card", although it's been made obvious his connections are mainly to Sora).

Reasons:

Master Xehanort - If only because his name is "Xehanort"; and as confirmed by Nomura he is connected with the young apprentice Xehanort in some way.
Vanitas - there is not much known about Vanitas currently, other than he is an apprentice under Master Xehanort, his face is always hidden but will be revealed later in the game, and that he has yellow eyes and possibly black hair. He also wears a suit similar to the one Riku wore while under Ansem's/Xehanort's Heartless influence.
Terra - It is already known he is a wielder of not just the Keyblade, but also of darkness - for good intentions. In a scene during a battle with Master Xehanort, there is an instance where his eyes turn golden-yellow. It is now known that yellow eyes (as well as darkened skin) are signs of the influence of darkness. I have also mentioned physical similarities at one time or another, so I won't bring them up again.
Ven - While there isn't much I can think of that could connect Ven with Xehanort, he does seem to have a connection with Vanitas. However I certainly wouldn't put it past Nomura.

(I'm not even going to attempt to explain Lingering Sentiment of KH2: FM+ as even that is hard for me to understand. I do know that Nomura has stated that LS was purely non-canon.)

Really, in the end, none of this ever matters. I'm just a KH fan speculating about events in an un-released game, and I'm having fun doing so. However I would like my theories to be correct so... I won't have to change my banner -_-". When the site first began, I had a lot of trouble creating a banner I actually liked. It would be nice if I didn't have to remake it.

For those who care to read through the stupidity, click here. It will be interesting to look back on all of this once the game is released.

The Japanese release of Birth by Sleep is now only six days away.

New Nomura Interview

2010-01-02T19:17:00.000-08:00

Probably one of the last interviews with Nomura concerning Birth by Sleep, as the Japanese release of the game is less than a week away. While he doesn't reveal much in terms of spoilers, there are some interesting points concerning characters.

Translation by Lissar of KHI.

Director Interview
The last part of our special is an interview with director Tetsuya Nomura. The man who created the series talks of this latest game in the series that has been waited by fans.
“There is enough packed into this game that it is on par with a console title.”
You have to watch the secret movie
--- The release date is almost near isn’t it? First, I’d like to ask you some things about the story.
Nomura: I really don’t think I’ll be able to say much (laugh). With the story we have this time, if I talk about it even a little bit it’s a spoiler.
--- Well that’s a problem (laugh) One interesting point of this game is that you can choose which of three main characters you want to play with. But which order do you recommend?
Nomura: Terra, Ven and Aqua is the best order. We wrote the scenarios in that order, and you’ll probably understand why while you’re playing it. Also, Ven is very easy to use, but Terra is a little heavier and moves slowly. So you could begin playing with the character that best fits your play style. But if you choose to play as Ven first and then go on to Terra, you’ll probably feel too slow.
--- So the scenarios for the three characters are really quite different?
Nomura: Yes, we set it up that way. If three friends were to play the game and choose different characters, after ten minutes the story would be completely different. If you choose to play as a different character than your friend, you both should be careful of spoiling each other.
--- Instead of using one character until the end, can you play each character a little bit at a time?
Nomura: For the most part yes, you can. When you first create a save, it creates saves for all three characters. But if you play them together it becomes confusing, and I wouldn’t recommend it.
--- Alright then, now can you tell us what kind of characters the three heroes are? Starting with Terra.
Nomura: Terra, as we’ve shown in trailers and screenshots, becomes [closer? entangled?] with darkness, which is the highlight of his story. But he doesn’t just fight the darkness in his heart, he tries to hold back his desire while being invited into the darkness. He can also use the moves that we saw from “Lingering Sentiment” in KHIIFM, so that will be fun.
--- Next, I want to ask about Ven, the one everyone is wondering most about.
Nomura: Since Ven has a lot of mysteries about him, I can’t really say clearly what sort of character he is. But when you play the game, you’ll find out more about who he really is. While the connections in the series haven’t been explained, we’ve made it so you can imagine who he is. Also, as I said before he will be an easy character to use for newcomers, since he is the quickest.
--- And Aqua is watching over the both of them.
Nomura: Yes that’s right. Aqua’s position is what I guess you could call their “guardian”. And unlike Terra and Ven, you can’t easily see how she connects to the series. I’d like for everyone to watch her to see what lies in her future. Since she is a magic type character, she has trickier moves than we’ve seen in the series to date. Also, like Final Form in KHII, she has a Style where her keyblade floats in the air.
--- How will their Master be involved in the story?
Nomura: Master Eraqus and Master Xehanort used to be fellow students. Their way of thinking is different, but deep down they are connected in some way.
--- And what about the mysterious Master Xehanort and Vanitas?
Nomura: Vanitas wears a mask and we can’t see his face, but eventually we will find out who he is. I want you to watch out for how Master Xehanort connects to Ansem the Wise’s apprentice Xehanort that was introduced in KHII.
--- In screenshots we see Master Xehanort saying something about the “Keyblade Wars”...
Nomura: The “Keyblade Wars” were something that happened quite a long time ago, so there is no one who actually experienced the war can explain more about it. They can only speculate on what happened. But that isn’t really what is important, what I want you to pay attention to is the “Mystery that is hidden within the keyblades” that is in connection with the war. The place where Xehanort is talking about it is close to the climax of the story, and all of the story’s highlights will be summarized there.
--- We see quite a lot of characters that look like Organization XIII members in Radiant Garden, don’t we?
Nomura: But they don’t have a lot to do in the story, they just appear as residents in Radiant Garden. Except for Braig, since you fight him and he is quite involved in the story. In KHIIFM and KH 358/2 Days there was a lot going on with him, and he is a character I think you should pay attention to.
--- Of course you usually have a secret movie at the end, do you have one this time too?
Nomura: Yes there is one. Except this time it isn’t a pre-rendered movie that gives a hint as to how the story will develop later, but is shown like an event scene. There is dialog, and in all it runs about ten minutes. It is set up as one episode. Instead of showing us what will happen in the future, it is more like a true ending. I would really like everyone to see it. There are characters that will only show up there in it as well.
--- I wonder what sort of things will be required to see the event.
Nomura: Of course there are lots of requirements. This time too, it depends on the difficulty. It’s pretty difficult to get on Standard Mode, and on Proud it becomes easier. On Beginner you can’t see it at all. Well, I’m sure fans of the series can imagine the requirements.
An enemy even stronger than “Lingering Sentiment” will appear!?
--- Even just playing it a little bit, I found the Deck Commands quite interesting, but in the beginning you can only equip three.
Nomura: If you give lots of options in the beginning it actually makes things more difficult. It’s because you have that limitation that it becomes fun. If you were able to equip lots of them in the beginning it wouldn’t be nearly as fun. You can have up to eight slots by the end, and probably the urge to get more Commands will give people more of a motivation to play.
--- This time even the Finish Commands have levels, it seems that having to think about leveling them will make it a little confusing?
Nomura: Even the our development team said as you go through the game that maybe there were too many levels. Well, I think that there will be some people who will get into having that sort of leveling system. But beginners can just have fun and don’t really have to bother thinking about all that.
--- Using keyblades to move between the worlds looks quite interesting.
Nomura: Unlike before with Gummi Ships, they aren’t a mini-game, but instead you can use the Keyblade Ride to have a race. Also, this time the worlds screen is like before, and you can choose which world you want to go to freely.
--- I’m quite happy that when you play on wireless you can upgrade your Deck Commands, you can bring those over into single player as well.
Nomura: We didn’t want to have a separation between multiplayer and single player. For KH 358/2 Days there were people who said that they couldn’t gather all of the Mission Crowns, so we were thinking about that. In “Mirage Arena” there are items you can’t get anywhere else, but you can get them all even if you are playing offline by yourself. Of course it is made for several people to beat together, so it would be quite difficult by yourself. The strongest enemy that appears in multiplayer is about equal to the hidden boss in single player.
--- There is a hidden boss this time too!?
Nomura: Yes there is. We wanted to make it even stronger than Lingering Sentiment. But, you can only defeat it by having a certain set of Deck Commands. You’ll have to wait until you see it. You could also say that if you don’t think about your attacks [or it’s attacks?] you won’t be able to win.
--- Something even stronger than Lingering Sentiment must have taken quite a lot of fine tuning...
Nomura: We had Debuggers who are really good at action games help us with it, so we were able to make it into quite a difficult boss. It is strong, but it doesn’t have high HP. It is just a battle of attack against attack.
--- With both single player and wireless, I’m a little worried about loading times...
Nomura: I very much recommend Data Install. There are three different sizes you can choose from, but please choose the largest one. It will change the way you play the game. You can also go into Config and change the speed and color mode.
Braig is a Dark Horse!
--- This time there will be quite a few things, I think, but in the story and battles what do you think is the highlight of each?
Nomura: In the story, it’s the connections with the rest of the series. Since Sora isn’t the main character we didn’t give it a number, but there is no difference between this one and the PS2 games. I think the KH series has a story with lots of mysteries that the player can have fun imagining what will happen next. They don’t have to imagine something from nothing, there are lots of little hints left everywhere in the story. So everyone can take those hints and imagine what will happen. For battles, the actions using the Deck Commands. With Shoot Locks and Dimension Links, there are lots of different ways you can fight and have fun with it.
--- So which character do you think people should be watching out for?
Nomura: Definitely Braig. Everyone is thinking about all the other characters, but no one is watching Braig. But he will have quite an impact on the story.
--- “KH 358/2 Days” had quite a sad story, but what about this story?
Nomura: I’m sorry to say, this one is also pretty sad (laugh). The stories I make usually make the character sad, or they have lots of troubles along the way. But since the theme this time is “bonds”, I think the story connects to a bright and hopeful future.
--- “KH coded” has reached it’s climax, so are you thinking of what is going to happen in the future?
Nomura: Of course I’m thinking about it. But right now I’m too busy with “FF Versus XIII”. Of course it wouldn’t be any good to make our fans wait for years for it, so we’re planning something. But first I’d like you to enjoy this latest game. All the fans who are excited for the game, I think you ought to pre-order it

New BbS Screenshots from Famitsu

2009-12-29T11:43:00.000-08:00

Just in are several high-quality images from Famitsu, most of which are from the new trailer.

Gallery

Source: Famitsu, KHI

Jump Festa 2010 BbS Trailer Released!

2009-12-28T17:55:00.000-08:00

Finally out today is the Jump Festa 2010 trailer for Birth by Sleep, first mentioned in the December 19th update.

View HQ version here

English translation brought to you by Lissar of KHI.

Ansem the Wise: “Everything is born from sleep. Yes, even you...”
Birth by Sleep text appears onscreen
[Land of Departure]
Master Xehanort: “The keyblades and the legend of the keyblade has been passed down to us. Like there creation after destruction, what was there after the Keyblade Wars? Will we be able to find the light like in legend, will we be able to be equal to that light? That is what I want to know.”
[Land of Departure (at their 'usual spot')]
Terra: [To group]“My dream is to become a Keyblade Master!”
Aqua: “You mean our dream, right?”
Terra: “Of course, all of us, it’s our dream.”
[Mysterious Tower]
Donald: “Aaaaaaah!”
Donald: “King Mickey!?”
Goofy: “... or not.”
[Castle of Dreams]
Fairy Godmother: “Terra, do you have a heart that believes in dreams?”
[Disney Town]
Captain Justice: “Captain Justice at your service!”
Aqua: “What?”
[Neverland]
Lost Boys: “Peter Pan!”
Peter Pan: “Who in the world is this?”
[Disney Town]
Chip: ”Do something about it!”
Dale: “It’s against the rules!”
Queen Minnie: “That’s an unadmirable thing to do.”
[Olympus Colosseum]
Zack: “Hey, what about going on one date with me?”
Aqua+: “Wha-what? No, I--”
[Dwarf Woodlands]
Ven: “Hearts that are scared will show you illusions.”
[Olympus Colosseum]
Hercules: “Someday I’ll be a champion, and I’ll become a hero.”
[Deep Space]
Aqua: “In your bond...”
626: “Huh?”
Aqua: “Would you be willing to add me and my friends?”
[Enchanted Dominion]
Ven: “Why is Princess Aurora sleeping?”
Flora: “She is cursed, and her heart has been stolen.”
[Olympus Colosseum]
Hades: “Why don’t you try controlling your darkness, and make yourself even more powerful?”
[Castle of Dreams]
Jaq: “You have to hurry, the ball is starting!”
Cinderella: “Thank you so much!”
[Never Land]
Aqua: “This is...”
Peter Pan: “Oh, Ven left that here.”
[Enchanted Dominion]
Terra: “What did you do to me!? What did you make me do!?”
[The Gathering Place]
King Mickey: “The keyblade isn’t something you use to hurt people!”
[Radiant Garden]
Master Xehanort: “Aqua and Ventus have light that is too strong, it just makes your darkness more apparent.”
[Land of Departure]
Master Eraqus: “If it looks as though Terra is going to fall into darkness, bring him straight back to me.”
[Enchanted Dominion]
Maleficent: “I can see it... the darkness that sleeps in your heart.”
[Land of Departure]
Vanitas: “You need to see it with your own eyes, when Terra stops being Terra.”
[The Gathering Place]
Master Xehanort: “You should know him, the masked boy. His name is Vanitas.”
[Radiant Garden]
Aqua: “Who are you?”
Vanitas: “Ahahahaha”
[Radiant Garden]
Master Xehanort: “Travel the worlds! And destroy Vanitas, the one who disturbed the balance!”
[Mysterious Tower]
Yen Sid: “Mickey, it seems as though something bad is about to happen.”
[The Gathering Place]
Master Xehanort: “You are losing it. Now you need to take everything back, and hold onto it anew!”
[Unknown Place]
Master Xehanort: “So how is Ventus?”
Vanitas: “I’ll need to make him stronger.”
[Destiny Island]
Terra: “Why do you want to go to other worlds?”
Riku: “I want to become stronger.”
[Radiant Garden]
Aqua: “I can feel light in this girl.”
King Mickey: “Then perhaps this girl is special.”
[Radiant Garden]
Ven: “Leave him to me!”
Eleaus: “Wait right there!”
Dilan: “What can a child do!?”
[Radiant Garden]
Braig: “You mean this kid is a decent keyblade wielder?”
[Radiant Garden]
Even: “Looks like we owe you thanks.”
[Radiant Garden]
Isa: “Looks like you’re already prepared.”
Lea: “Of course, because we’re already friends. Got that memorized?”
[Radiant Garden]
Aqua: “When I see what you’ve done in other worlds, I started thinking. That maybe you’ve become to close to the darkness.”
Ven: “What are you saying Aqua!? There is no way Terra would ever fall into darkness...”
Terra: “So you’ve been watching over me...”
[The Gathering Place]
Vanitas: “Show me your power...”
[The Gathering Place]
Aqua: “The bonds of our hearts aren’t so weak that you can break them that easily!”
[Land of Departure]
Master Eraqus: “You shouldn’t exist!”
[The Gathering Place]
Master Xehanort: “Look, at the remains of the Keyblade Wars.”
Ansem the Wise: “The world has been nearly swallowed by darkness many times. But everytime it has been saved by a boy holding a keyblade.
[Unknown Place]
Master Xehanort: “You can’t save Ventus or Aqua!”
Terra: “I’ll never forgive you, Xehanort!”
Master Xehanort: “Yes, let your angry heart be stained in darkness!”
Ansem the Wise: “Perhaps, if it were him... the boy who can connect his heart with anyone...”
[Unknown Place]
Aqua: “My name is Master Aqua, and you will return my friend’s heart!"
Ansem the Wise: “Then he will be able to open that door, and save those unhappy souls.”
[Dive to Heart]
Ven: “Our connected hearts are my power!”
Ansem the Wise: “His name is...”

Merry Christmas from Esoterical

2009-12-25T15:43:00.000-08:00

Hoping everyone had a great Christmas! Updates will of course continue as I find anything relative to the site. As for what will happen when BBS is released in Japan... I'm not sure yet :P It really all depends on the amount of spoilers I'll have to go through to get anything.

But hopefully, spoilers won't be a problem ;)

New Famitsu Information

2009-12-24T15:31:00.000-08:00

Scans of the latest Famitsu are now available on various KH sites. Nothing too exciting in it, image-wise. Really, it's the translations that I find to be more important.

Translations brought to you by Lissar of KHI.

-- “The future that will be opened with the keyblade...”
“The opening movie tells of the future”
“Hikari”, the first KH song, plays in the opening movie. Scenes that weave the story together are shown, and within them we can see somewhere that looks like “The place of awakening”. We see Terra and his friends go up against Xehanort, then fall. Does this show a fate that cannot be avoided?
“The charms they carry, will become their strength...”
“Why do those two fight?”
“Those who change the three heroes’ fate”
“The end of a cruel and heartless fight” “The Kingdom Hearts glitters in the sky...”
-- “The feelings and bonds that head towards tragedy”
The scene that we can predict to be the climax of the story is shown. An uncountable number of keyblades are thrust into the earth as they go against Xehanort. This world’s name has yet to be revealed, it is a world we don’t yet know. Is this a place where many keyblade heroes died during the “Keyblade War”? There is a scene where Terra and Ven are with Xehanort, but why?
“The remains of the Keyblade War”
“The grave of the keyblades of past heroes”
Xehanort: “The remains of keyblades that took on the power of their masters”
Ven’s Story
They are up against Xehanort. Does Ven know how strong he is? He entrusts his friends with his last wish, “Please kill me...” We can also see a scene where it looks as though he has been defeated by Xehanort. Then Xehanort says unmerciful words to him. We can also see a scene where Ven has vacant eyes, and he seems to be working with Xehanort...?
“Entrusting your friends with your future”
Ven: “I ask you this because you’re my friends.”
Xehanort: “Why couldn’t you forgive [someone] for going on a journey?”
Terra’s Story
Terra can feel there is something wrong with his friend’s heart, and he explodes with anger. He challenges Xehanort with an attack that “Lingering Sentiment” used in KHIIFM?
“Trouble in Terra’s heart”
Terra: “What did you do to his heart!”
Terra: (Land of Departure) “I’ll use my strength for my friends!”
Terra: “Did you call me, Master Xehanort?”
Aqua’s Story
Aqua fights alongside the King in a land of darkness. It looks as though they are fighting Xehanort and Vanitas, but we can’t see Terra or Ven anywhere. Where could they be?
“Fighting alongside the King against a difficult adversary”
Aqua: “Terra, Ven, lend me your strength”
Aqua: “I will not listen to your nonsense!”
Beneath Vanitas’ mask...
Master Xehanort’s apprentice, the masked boy Vanitas. He uses the keyblade well, and he has enough power to over power three people [I can’t tell whether this is talking about TAV or not.] but we don’t know what his true form is. But when he is up against Ven, his mask melts off, exposing his face to the day. And that face is...?
“Will a prophecy of the future come true?”
“Vanitas’ golden eyes pierce Ven”
Vanitas: “The being called “Terra” will disappear.”
-- “The King with join the fight, holding a keyblade!”
The King will also appear here with our three heroes. He is holding the Starseeker that he had in the KHIIFM secret movie, but we still don’t know what his motives are. We can also see a scene where he shows the “star fragment” to Ven, which he uses to travel between the worlds.
“The cry of the King’s heart”
“Led by the power of the stars...”
Mickey: “The keyblade isn’t something you use to hurt people!””
Mickey: “You [?] didn’t just get [here?] on a whim, you must have reacted to something and been led [here]” [sorry, can’t tell exactly who/what he is talking about here without more references.]
“Create new Commands by fusion”
“Command Charge” is a system where you can put two Commands together to create a new Command. You can access it any time from the menu. If you add in fusion materials during Charge, you can get special abilities.
You can fuse “Aerial Break Lv 3” + “Aero Lv 3” to get “Aera”. If you add a “charged crystal” you can get “Air Combo Plus”. If you add the “shiny crystal” you can add “Blizzard Guard”.
“Add the best abilities to your Commands.”
“You can also by ice cream!”
At Moogle Shops in all of the worlds you can buy Commands (and sell them as well.) And in the series first ice cream shop in Disney Town, you can gather materials and make your own ice cream. If you put the ice cream you’ve made into your Deck Command, you’ll be able to change immediately to the style in the ice cream. It seems there are 7 kinds of ice cream?
The example shows “Volcano Curry” (if you use it you can change into Fire Blazer)
“The Moogle [is a?] hologram?”
“Get the Commands you want at a Moogle Shop!”
“Make your favorite ice cream!”
-- “Memories with friends you can never forget”
“Radiant Garden” is a world where many important characters in the series live. It has been revealed that Kairi and those who will become members of Organization XIII are here. This time we will introduce you to the two humans that look just like Axel an Saix. They look young, but you can imagine that this is how they would have looked as humans.
Lea: A mischievous boy who plays with a frisbee that has a fire symbol on it. He is characterized by his red hair that looks like fire. If you add an X to his name and switch the letters around it becomes “Axel”.
Isa: A cool and collected young man. You can tell that this is the human that would become Saïx, but he doesn’t have the scar on his forehead at this time.
“Sounds like Axel”
Lea: “Got it memorized?”
Isa: “Well, at least we won’t forget [you?], in any case.”
Isa: “It seems [someone] is already prepared.”
-- Of course Winnie the Pooh will be here!
The world of “Winnie the Pooh”, “The 100 Acre Wood” will be appearing on the Command Board system. With the special “Honey Paradise” you will be able to take the pot of honey and gain BP.
“Pooh and Tigger face off!”

EDIT: I take that back; just in are four pages featuring more of the Gathering Place that are quite good (although I am hoping for better images soon).

Possible English voice for Terra?

2009-12-23T14:40:00.000-08:00

So it seems the hypothesis is, is that Crispin Freeman (voice of Setzer in KH2) could be the possible English voice of Terra. Reason being is because the Japanese voice for Terra is the same voice for Setzer. The reason for the voice choice makes little to no logical sense, other than matching the Japanese VAs (ex: the Japanese voices for Axel and Reno are the same, just as they are in English).

In a message sent to Freeman (not by me), the reply was that he couldn't comment... whether this means he is indeed a part of BBS or not remains to be seen.

Source: KHI Forums, Yahoo Groups

(And I'm sorry my Photobucket sucks; apparently it's only mine that's giving me problems and shrinking my images; I did everything I could to get it to original size, but nothing helped. I think it's still readable though).

Credit goes to Divide&Conquer for the message.

Lea and Isa featured in Famitsu

2009-12-23T13:19:00.000-08:00

(Ok I seriously hope this is the last un-related post for the site, but since I showed an illustration of the two a few updates ago, I thought I might as well finish it -.-)

(I'm also assuming that you're here because spoilers don't bother you; if they do bother you than you shouldn't be here in the first place)

A new Famitsu scan featuring Lea and Isa (and not "Sai", which figures) from the new trailer (that is still unreleased; it could be a while). Also notice "Lia" in the scan, which could be a Japanese spelling.

We'll probably receive better quality images in the near future.

EDIT - December 24, 2009: Better scan -

Really, what I want the most are the English voice actors for Master Xehanort, Vanitas, and Terra - probably the single most important bit of information we could get from the game. And I'm hoping these will be revealed before January 9th. After that, the main KH news sites will be filled with insane spoilers from people who imported the game, and those are the spoilers I'd like to avoid.

Who knows what will happen, but I'll continue to stay on top of it.

Here's a commercial to tie us over

2009-12-21T16:46:00.001-08:00

Ok so I know this is about a week old (if not more than that), but it has some scenes featured in the new trailer... the one from Jump Festa... the one we don't have yet -.-"

High-Res BBS Cover

2009-12-21T11:00:00.001-08:00

Basically at this point I'm just trying to find updates =P

I put this together from Japan's Amazon page.. unfortunately Photobucket likes to shrink my images, so if anyone knows of an image-hosting site that doesn't resize images, please tell me.

This image is plenty big, it's just that... the original was 1010x1743. Photobucket changed it to 593×1023 -.-"

BBS Jump Festa 2010 News

2009-12-19T21:06:00.000-08:00

Jump Festa 2010 started last Friday, and we're finally getting loads of KH content. First up are the details to the latest trailer, translated by Maiki and jen-cat.

I'd also like to take this time to mention... if you are at the point where you don't want any more spoilers, I would quit reading now.

- The trailer starts with Ven sitting unconsciously on a thrown in what looks to be the Chamber of Repose
- There's a conversation between Master Xehanort and Master Eraqus about the Keyblade war
- Terra swings his Keyblade, saying "my dream is to become a Keyblade Master." Aqua replies with "you mean 'our' dream"
- Goofy and Donald stand guard at the Mysterious Tower when suddenly there's an explosion. They find Ven unconscious on the ground, holding in his hand a translucent blob that looks like a blue glowing paopu fruit
-The Fairy Godmother asks Terra if he has a heart that believes in dreams
- Captain Justice makes an epic appearance, but Aqua laughs it off
- Zack asks Aqua on a date. She gets embarrassed and shakes her arms and head
- Hades confronts Terra
- In Neverland, Aqua is holding Ven's Keyblade. Peter Pan tells her that Ven left it behind
- Terra yells out in front of a sleeping Aurora, "what did you make me do?!"
- Ven holds his head in pain on the ground, with Mickey being unconscious behind him. Master Xehanort says something to him
-The FMV scenes of the screenshots displayed in the 30 second TV CM and magazines scans are shown
-Terra and Aqua are shown facing off against eachother
-Vanitas and Ven reenact the scene of Sora looking up to find Riku holding out his hand to him in the first Kingdom Hearts
-Ven runs through a dark hallway and the walls have a hologram of King Mickey in action
- Terra is chased by a flood of water in what looks to be the hallway of Castle Oblivion
- In-game cutscene of the secret ending from the second Final Mix
- Master Eraqus talks to Aqua, Aqua looks sad
- Terra is shown with a young Riku at the beach; the sun is setting. Terra asks Riku, "why do you want to leave this world?" Riku replies with "I want to be stronger"
- Aqua is shown with King Mickey and young Kairi. Aqua mentions that she senses 'light' from Kairi, and King Mickey tells her that Kairi is special
- Ven runs past Eleaus and Dilan, and the two yell out "wait!"
- Terra faces off with Braig. Braig has the big scar on his left cheek in this scene
- Ven and Even are shown with Ienzo
- Young Axel and Saïx are shown in their human forms talking to Ven. Axel says "because we're friends, got that memorized?" Both of their hair styles are similar to their Nobody selves, but shorter. Axel wears a scarf on his neck and an orange tank top. Saïx wears a short-sleeved blue training jumpsuit, with a crescent moon mark on his left chest. They both look to be around the same age as Ven. There are no scars or marks on their faces
- A preview of some of the minigames is shown
- Battle scenes are shown of Terra against Braig and Aqua against Vanitas
- Vanitas takes off his helmet (but his face is off screen). Master Xehanort asks him, "how was Ven?" to which Vanitas answers, "I'll train him up."
- Vanitas is unconscious on the floor. Aqua attempts to remove his helmet but Vanitas suddenly laughs hysterically
- Terra is shown fighting Master Xehanort. Terra roars and darkness start to release from him
- A baby (?) is wrapped in clothing and seen on the trunk of the paopu tree that Sora, Riku and Kairi always hang out at. He has a similar appearance to Ven. His eyes are drooping but there are stars twinkling in/around them
- Little Sora watches a falling star in the night sky
- Aqua is shown at the beach, a tear falling down her cheek
- In the last scene, someone says, "his name is..." followed by a scene of Sora in his Kingdom Hearts II outfit, sitting on the paopu tree alone

EDIT: Here is an alternate translation for the trailer that makes for an interesting read:

DiZ is probably the one doing the narration...

DiZ: “Everything is born from sleep. Yes, even you...”
Ven is sleeping on a chair. We don’t know where it is, but is this the “Room of Awakening”?

Birth by Sleep

In Land of Departure Eraqus is speaking with Xehanort
Xehanort: “There is only a little that has come down to us about the Keyblade Wars. After the destruction creation slept. After the Keyblade Wars what slept? Are we destined to discover the light and be equal to it as it says in the legend? That is what I want to find out.”

In Land of Departure Terra and Aqua are trying to comfort Ven who looks depressed.
Terra: “My dream is to become a Keyblade Master.”
Aqua: “You mean it’s “our” dream, right?”
Terra: “Right. All of us. It’s our dream.”
Terra hands over a wooden keyblade. (On it is written “TERRA”)

In the Mysterious Tower Ven appears in front of Donald and Goofy
Donald: “Gaaaaaaaaaah!?”
Wrapped in light and unconscious [? maybe unconscious ‘fallen’] Ven us holding the King’s “star fragment” in his hand.
Donald: “The King!?”
Goofy: “Nope, doesn’t look like it.”

In Castle of Dreams Terra talks with the Fairy Godmother.
Fairy Godmother: “Terra, do you have a heart that believes in dreams?”

In Disney Town Captain Justice appears in front of Aqua.
Captain Justice: “Captain Justice at your service!”
Aqua: “Huh?” (cocks her head)

In Neverland Peter Pan appears in front of Ven.
Lost Boys: “Peter Pan!”
Peter Pan: “Who’s this?”

In Disney Town Terra seems to be asking Chip and Dale something.
Chip: “What are you doing!”
Dale: “That’s against the rules!”
Minnie: “No, I don’t think we can accept that...”

In Olympus Colosseum Zack asks Aqua out on a date.
Zack: “Hey, want to go on a date with me? Just one?”
Aqua: “I.. I...”
Aqua tries to decline.

In Dwarf Woodlands Ven is comforting Snow White.
Ven: “A heart that is scared will see illusions.”

In Olympus Colosseum Hercules talks with Terra.
Hercules: “Someday I’ll be a champ too, and then I’ll become a hero.”

In Deep Space Aqua gives 626 a charm.
Aqua: “This will be my connection to you.”
626: “?”
Aqua: “Will you be my friend?”

In Olympus Colosseum Hades tries talking to Terra.
Hades: “Why don’t you try controlling the darkness and becoming even more powerful?”

In Castle of Dreams, Ven and Jaq have made Cinderella's dress.
Jaq: “Hurry! The ball is going to start soon!”
Cinderella: “Thank you so much.”

In Neverland Peter Pan hands Aqua a wooden keyblade.
Aqua: “This...”
Peter Pan: “Ven left that behind.”

In Dwarf Woodlands the Queen laughs as she makes Snow White eat the poison apple.

In Enchanted Dominion Terra seems to have realized something.
Terra: “What did you make me do!?”

In the wastelands Mickey stands over Ven, who has fallen.
Mickey: “A keyblade isn’t something you use to hurt people!”
He is pointing his keyblade at someone.

[Hikari plays]

Scenes from the opening movie and the Birth by sleep secret movie play.
- Terra and Aqua fight.
- Vanitas holds out his hand to Ven. (Reminiscent of the opening to KHII with Sora and Riku.)
- TAV look at the charm they hold in their hands.
- Three stained glass floors
- Ven is running. You can’t tell where, but afterward the darkness turns to light.
- Terra runs, in a place that looks like Castle Oblivion. Afterward the light turns to darkness.
- Aqua looks worried, holding her hands to her chest.
- Aqua then Terra then Ven fall with a lot of keyblades. Ven smashes the stained glass floor (Maybe the picture is Sora or Roxas?)

- Radiant Garden, Terra and Xehanort.
Xehanort: “Aqua and Ventus have light that is too strong, it will just make the darkness inside you more apparent.”

- In Land of Departure Eraqus asks something of Aqua.
Eraqus: “If the unthinkable happens and Terra really falls into darkness, bring him back to me immediately.”

Enchanted Dominion, Maleficent makes Terra’s darkness stronger.
Maleficent: “Look, look at the darkness that sleeps inside you.”

Land of Departure, Ven and Vanitas
Ven: “Who are you?”
Vanitas: “You’ll have to see for yourself, when Terra will stop being Terra.”

Radiant Garden, Xehanort speaks with Terra. They’re outside.
Xehanort: “You should know him, the masked boy. His name is Vanitas.”

Radiant Garden, Vanitas has fallen and Aqua gets close to him and tries to take off his mask.
Aqua: “Just who are...?”
Vanitas: “Hahahahahaha” (He suddenly starts laughing.)

Radiant Garden, Xehanort tries to get Terra to leave. They’re inside.
Xehanort: “Travel the worlds! And destroy that one who disturbed the balance, Vanitas!”

Mysterious Tower, Mickey and Yen Sid.
Yen Sid: “Mickey, it seems something terrible is going to happen.”

Wastelands, Xehanort and Ven who is holding his head, the King has fallen.
Xehanort: “You are losing [yourself?], you must take it all back, grab it anew!”

Unknown place, Someone is talking with Vanitas
??? (Xehanort?): “How is he, Ventus?”
Vanitas: “I must make him stronger.”
Vanitas holds his mask.

Destiny Island, Riku talks with Terra.
Terra: “Why do you want to go to other worlds?”
Riku: “I want to become stronger.”

Radiant Garden Aqua and the King have just save (?) Kairi.
Aqua: “I feel a light in this girl.”
The King: “There might be something special in this girl.”
Kairi just stares at them.

Radiant Garden, Ven runs past the two guardsmen.
Ven: “Leave him to me!”
Eleaus: “Wait!”
Dilan: “What can a child do!?”

Radiant Garden, Braig laughs slightly.
Braig: “You mean this kid is actually a pretty good keyblade wielder?”

Radiant Garden, Ven seems to have rescued Ienzo.
Even: “It seems we owe you thanks.”

Radiant Garden, Lea (Axel’s human) and a boy (Saix’s human, name unknown) are looking at Ven.
Boy: “Looks like you’re all ready to do it.”
Lea: “Of course, because we’re already friends. Got it memorized?”

Radiant Garden, the air is tense around Terra, Ven and Aqua.
Aqua: “I thought it when I saw you leave for other worlds. I thought you are getting too close to the darkness.”
Ven: “Aqua, what are you saying!? Terra wouldn’t...”
Terra: “So you’ve been watching me...”
Ven looks surprised, Aqua looks serious.

Birth by sleep Secret Movie, Aqua is glaring at someone, and Ven is covered in ice though he hasn’t given up yet.
“The bond of our hearts isn’t something that can be broken so easily by someone like you!”

Land of Departure, Eraqus is pointing his keyblade at someone.
“You shouldn’t exist!”

Battle, Minigame, Multiplayer
Style Change “Wing Blade” “Ice Blast”
Shoot Lock “Ultima Cannon” “Multi Vortex”
D-LINK “Donald”
Command Board “100 Acre Wood” “Disney Town” “Land of Departure”
Land of Departure special move “Keyblade Ride”, allows you to move where you want.
Etc.

Narration and scenes from the BbS secret movie.

DiZ: “The world has been almost been swallowed by darkness many times, but always a keyblade wielding boy has come to save it.”
- Land of Departure is swallowed in darkness, Terra looks up at it.
- Place unknown, Xehanort vs. Terra?
Xehanort: “You won’t be able to Ventus or Aqua!”
Terra: “I won’t forgive for this Xehanort!”
Xehanort: “Yes, let anger fill your heart with darkness!”
As Xehanort says, Terra starts pulsating with a dark aura.

DiZ: “Perhaps if it is him... the boy who can connect his heart with anyone...”
- Sora watching falling stars.
- On Destiny Island (?) a baby Ven is wrapped in white cloth and looks towards the sky.
- Aqua stands in front of Castle Oblivion.
- Vanitas stabs his keyblade into a fallen Aqua.
- Unknown place. Aqua is pointing her keyblade at someone.
Aqua: “My name is Master Aqua. And you will return my friend’s heart!”

DiZ: “Then he will be able to open the door and save those unhappy souls.”
- Ven glares at someone. He is synchronizing with that “someone” [what? I don’t really understand what this means... maybe it needs to be seen.]
- Aqua stands in a world of darkness and cries.
- Terra stabs his keyblade into the wasteland.
- A place that looks like Dive to Heart, Ven stands on the stained glass and yells.
Ven: “Our connected hearts are my power!”

DiZ: “His name is...”
- On Destiny Island, Sora stares at the sunset (wearing his clothes from KHII) Spoilers end here! Hope this was enlightening! See you next when the trailer comes out

Secondly, an illustration by the same Maiki has just appeared featuring what young Lea and Saïx (Saï?) look like from the new trailer:

Thirdly, though not from Jump Festa, the actual Birth By Sleep box has recently appeared on Sony's Japanese website - a double confirmation that the previous artwork was the true boxart.

And lastly, some new HQ images have been added to the Artwork section of the site (which I am seriously considering renaming to Gallery).

I wonder if I'm straying a bit from the main subject of the site? :/

I'll post the actual new trailer as soon as it's available.

Birth By Sleep Boxart Revealed!

2009-12-10T22:15:00.000-08:00

More like part-boxart-part-ad, but still the boxart nonetheless.

Which is also a reminder that the Japanese release date is again, January 9, 2010.

Zack Fair Confirmed for BBS

2009-12-02T11:04:00.000-08:00

Remember meeting Cloud in Olympus Coliseum in Kingdom Hearts? The latest issue of Jump Weekly now confirms not only Olympus Coliseum for BBS (which we already knew anyways) but also Zack Fair of FFVII!

(Also note the tiny pic of a little Kairi behind Aqua, but that's irrelevant to the site =P)

I'd also like to note that, for the last few days, there have been announcements of English VA's for BBS - Stitch is being voiced by Chris Sanders, and Ventus is being voiced by Jesse McCartney (what a surprise). Hopefully this means that we'll soon be getting a VA announcement for both Terra and Master Xehanort.

Lots of BBS HQ Screencaps

2009-11-27T20:27:00.001-08:00

Several HQ versions of some of the newest BBS screencaps have recently surfaced, as well as a few screencaps that I was somehow lacking :/

View the updated gallery

Braig & New Screens featured in V-Jump

2009-11-21T18:46:00.000-08:00

I apologize for the recent lack of posts.. it seems we haven't had much news lately, but last Friday a new 2-page scan from VJump appeared online, its spotlight being Braig, the pre-Nobody form of Xigbar.

It will probably be a couple days until we have a new translated scan, so until then here is a translation from KHI user Krexia:

Right hand page (from right hand side):

---------

The past forms of the Organisation's big shots are revealed!?

New worlds that the three protagonists Terra, Ventus and Aqua will visit are confirmed!! And there are characters you might recognise there...!!

---

Braig

He's interested in Keyblades, and kidnaps Master Xehanort. Is this Xigbar's past body?

---

The old form of Hollow Bastion: Radiant Garden

Is this where the vanished Master went to?

The form of Hollow Bastion, which appeared in "KH" and "KHII", before it was destroyed by darkness. Here we find men who resemble the members of Organisation XIII, as well as the Master who disappeared.

[top screenshot]

The two gate guards are...?
You might recognise the two men who stop Ventus when he tries to enter the castle...!!
Aeleus: You can't enter the castle right now.

They look just like Xaldin and Lexaeus from Organisation XIII!!
Their clothes are different, but their faces and weapons are the same. Were the two of them workmates in the past?

[middle screenshot]

This way of speaking? [Braig uses Xigbar's trademark ってハナシ when speaking]
It seems like Braig's been interested in the Keyblade for a while.
Braig: I'm saying the Keyblade would suit me better.

He looks just like Xigbar from Orgnaisation XIII!!
The Organisation's Xigbar has an eyepatch, scars, and a fierce expression, but...

[bottom screenshot]

Master Xehanort captured!!
???: Master Xehanort!

---

BATTLE vs BRAIG

Braig's method of attacking is sniping with his guns. It's just the same as the fighting style we saw from Xigbar!

[right hand screenshot]

Braig snipes from hight places. Is running around all his target, Terra, can do?

[left hand screenshot]

As you'd expect, getting hit by Xigbar's short-range attack would be dangerous even for Terra!

---------

Left hand page, top half

---------

The town around Disney Castle: Disney Town

The town is in the middle of a festival!!

No matter how you look at it, the man who trespasses during the town's "Dream Festival" is Pete. What kind of mischief is he planning...?

---

Queen Minnie
The queen who protects Disney Castle.

Dewey, Huey, Louie
Donald Duck's nephews. A trio of troublemakers.

Captain Justice
A big suspicious man who suddenly appeared in the streets. He calls himself an "ally of justice", but...?

---

[top right screenshot]

A visit from the hero of justice!
Pete appears in the town looking very strange...!! Could it be that Aqua, the girl with the short blue hair, hasn't realised what he's plotting yet?
Captain Justice: Monsters? Ah, sorry, that's not my area.

[bottom left screenshot]

An evil hero appears too?
Captain Dark, who wraps himself in a black costume, also appears. He talks to the lone protagonist Terra with a lot of attitude.
Captain Dark: Follow the rules, rookie.

The King's rival Pete is in disguise!!
In the series' past, Pete the cat would help the Disney villains with their cruelty!!

---------

Left hand page, bottom right

---------

The different modes in "Mirage Arena" are confirmed!!
A connectivity-exclusive world

In this world, the protagonists change into their armored forms. You can play cooperatively or competitively, receive all sorts of Commands, and more!!

VS Arena Mode

You can battle with your friends!! You have free use of Commands and items, and can fight tactically with large numbers of people!

Race

The Keyblade transforms into a vehicle you can control, so everyone can compete together! You can attack your rivals, making things incredibly frantic!!

Moogle's Medal Shop

When you set records in the Mirage Arena's games, you can get medals!! And you can exchange them for rare items!?

---------

The bottom left part of the left hand page is just details about a competition. I'm going to leave that for now because I'm supposed to be working...

Comp is Back + BBS Updates

2009-10-28T18:56:00.000-07:00

So I didn't get my comp back as soon as I had hoped... I got it back last weekend. You can go to my main blog Bebopgroove for more info on that. Anyways, now on to the several BBS news I've missed (which may be old news for you, but they need to be added to the site).

New screenshots and Famitsu pages - in both English and Japanese.

(I hope everyone knows by now that I only post images directly related to the site)

Birth By Sleep now has a definitive Japanese release date of January 9th, 2010 for ¥6,090.

According to recent translations, the name of Master Xehanort's mysterious, dark-suited apprentice has been revealed to be Apprentice Vanitas.

Last but not least, the BBS trailer featured at TGS 09 + translation by Lissar (the one that was first mentioned back in the Sept. 23rd post).

There is no chance in destiny

[Land of Departure]

Aqua: There is a world somewhere out there that has a tree with star-shaped fruit, they say that those fruits are a promise to keep people connected. And they also say that if you have a good luck charm made from the skin of those fruits, no matter how far apart you are you’ll always come back together someday. So here’s one for all of us! It will keep us connected.

Eraqus: Now we will begin the Master Qualifications Exam. This is a test of the heart for those who have been chosen by the Keyblade. Fortunately, Master Xehanort was able to come from far away to see this...

[Neverland]

Tinkerbell: I’m gonna kick you as hard as I can!

Ven: Is that Mickey’s star fragment?

Hook: Looks like we got a surprising extra with this shooting star.

[Castle of Dreams]

Terra: You must make your heart strong. No matter what happens, if your heart is strong you will be able to overcome it.

Aqua: Is it alright if I try on the glass slipper?

[Dwarf Woodlands]

Ven: Hey, you dropped this.

Queen: If you listen to my request, then you may ask the mirror the whereabouts of this Xehanort.

Ven: Surely not Terra!?

Doc: That man used a monster to attack Snow White.

Aqua: What happened here?

Doc: Snow White, she...

[Deep Space]

Aqua: Watch out!

Ven: Do you know Terra and Aqua!?

Stitch: Friend... bonds...

Stitch: ????

Ven: What happened?

[Gathering Place ?]

Ven: What do you mean Terra will no longer be Terra!?

Vanitas: I mean it exactly as I said it. The “existence” known as Terra will soon disappear.

Ven: Keyblade...!

Vanitas: Show me your strength...

[Land of Departure]

Terra: Master Xehanort, what should I be learning?

Xehanort: What you have been. You don’t have to rid the darkness in your heart, you should control it.

Aqua: Terra won’t fall into darkness.

[Radiant Garden]

Even: I think I might have some sort of connection to you in the future....

Dilan: What business do you have here!?

Aeleus: You cannot enter the castle!

[Gathering Place]

Xehanort: Look. The ruins of many keys who took on the powers of their masters are here in the place, where there was a fight between light and darkness. The remains of the Keyblade Wars.

- That's all for now.
Trailer and translation found on KHInsider; HQ images from the Famitsu website; magazine scans from the Famitsu magazine.

My Laptop is Down

2009-10-20T12:38:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago my laptop decided to be unresponsive (I believe it was several windows updates that kept causing a freeze-up on startup -_-), so it could take anywhere from a couple days to a week until I get it back.. although I'm told it will be ready in a couple days. Once I have it back, I have at least one or two BBS updates to post. Fun stuff.

I've Been Sidetracked

2009-10-12T19:04:00.000-07:00

For some strange unexplainable reason, I've decided to take a brief detour from 358/2 Days and play through FFVII: Crisis Core, one of my very favorites (and will also be my third play-thru =P). I'm sorry, I almost couldn't help it. This seems to happen alot after I get a new game, then all my others start vying for my attention -_-" It really shouldn't last long though.

I know I should be playing through Days right now, in order to add more info to the site, more images, etc. I really do apologize. I know there are much better sites out there with lots of Days media and images, and you won't hurt my feelings for grabbing them there. After all, this whole site started as an "I'm-bored-lets-make-something-with-my-fandom" sort of project. I could never out-do the likes of KHU or KHI (I wouldn't even dream of it), although I do try to follow them as closely as I can =P

Anyways, I hope you can excuse my slight "vacation/holiday" (if you want to call it that), and after Crisis Core, I'll be back on Days (although BBS updates will continue as I catch them).

Really, it won't take long. It's a short game.

...And I was really missing Zack xD

KH 358/2 Days now out in NA

2009-09-29T16:49:00.000-07:00

Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days is released today across North America for the Nintendo DS! =D

Usually my game-shopping stories are quite humorous and exciting; this one, not so much. I simply left after my first class during my hour long lunch break, drove the 20-minute drive to Yukon to pick it up at Gamestop (as I had preordered it back in April), drove back to school, basically took the whole hour. Yeah, nothing adventurous or glamorous this time. Maybe BBS will have a better story xD

I'm sure updates to info pages will be made as I play through the game, but I will make sure to add a note about spoilers when I post them.

358/2 Days Almost Here

2009-09-28T20:18:00.000-07:00

The NA release of 358/2 Days is only a mere few hours away~

=D

(And I'm sorry if I seem a bit biased on where the releases are. I wish I knew the date of the European release, let me find that out...)

Edit: Ah here it is-

Europe: October 9th, 2009
Australia: October 8th, 2009

I hope that fixes things =P Don't worry, it's barely a week away for you guys.

More HQ BBS Images

2009-09-25T20:20:00.000-07:00

They keep coming... in little bits -.-"

Images from Famitsu.

Updates Galore

2009-09-24T16:21:00.000-07:00

- I've finally gotten around to adding the Terra icons. There are 32 of them, and can be found in the Icons section.

- I've also weeded out the Apprentice Xehanort, Master Xehanort, and Xemnas icons to remove some of the "nonsense" ones. Don't worry, I doubt you'll notice anything missing. And the Xemnas section now has 28 brand new icons.

- Three new high-res Birth By Sleep screenshots have now been added to the Artwork section.

- I've decided to remove the Birth By Sleep info page. My problem was that the page wasn't near as detailed as I had wanted it to be, and the only way to make it so was to risk major 358/2 Days spoilers (which is basically what happened as I tried looking for more Terra icons; many icon batches had insane Days spoilers, so I had to end the search). I don't think the missing page will hurt too much; we still have my Theory pages to make up for it.

- Last but not least, I've updated the BBS Trailer Translation page to include a more detailed description that was recently posted on KHInsider.

Terra Icons

2009-09-24T15:28:00.000-07:00

Icons credited to their respected artists.

TGS 09 - BBS Trailer Translation

2009-09-23T23:05:00.000-07:00

As there is no video at the moment, Lissar of KHInsider has just provided a translation of the latest trailer shown at TGS 09:

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep

The new trailer starts out with a scene where Aqua, one of the three protagonists, is making a charm that looks like it’s made from a sarasa shell, and gives it to Terra and Ven. Then it shows a new character which looks very samurai-like. We see Terra and Ven taking a “Master Test”, are they taking a test to become Masters? Master Xehanort is there as a “guest”. We see a scene where he is telling something to Terra. At this point in time it seems that he is respected by everyone.

(image of Master Xehanort) This is the Master Xehanort we’ve seen before. He seems to be a be crazy here.

Now there is a montage of scenes, where we see what definitely looks like a board game. Cinderella throws some dice and we see it roll across the board. Nomura has mentioned before that “The growth system will be very strange, something like a minigame...” so perhaps this is it!? We see Vexen in a white coat with Xaldin and Lexaeus in guard type uniforms. These look like scenes from the Organization XIII member’s human lives.

In the SE booth there are also videos of multiplayer, as well as scenes from Neverland and Castle of Dreams.

(montage of various in game images) You can see playing multiplayer with three people. In Neverland, we can see differences from what we’ve seen in the series to date.

We also get to hear the voice of the masked Keyblade wielder that we’ve seen before with Master Xehanort. We also see Ven becoming armored and riding something that looks like the Keyblade from KHII FM “tamarishi shinen” [don’t know English name, if there is one.] and riding in space with Stitch. There were a lot of very surprising scenes. At the very end it shows the release date as January 2010.

(image of Master Xehanort’s disciple) A strange person wearing something like looks like a bike suit. The voice sounded male...

That's all for now. Hopefully there will be more BBS news shown at TGS.

Small Edits + Suggestions

2009-09-23T02:02:00.000-07:00

Touched up some info here and there on the BBS page, and added a few more images in the Bios. I'm somewhat tempted to remove the BBS page, as it has the potential to be quite vast, and right now it's not -.-" And this is where you come in.

I know the site may have a few issues here and there, so if any of you have suggestions concerning Esoterical, feel free to post them in a comment.

(And this was posted at 2:00 AM, so if this update sounds a little awkward.. well that's why).

Terra's Mysterious Motives

2009-09-19T17:39:00.000-07:00

According to a scan from the most recent issue of V-Jump, and translated by Arika from ReBirth Wings, a mysterious aspect of Terra's character has just been pointed out:

Terra is in contact with Disney villains? Terra is the leader of the three characters and there are many scenes where he is together with the villains of each of the worlds. What on earth is his goal…? This time he’s revealed conversing with Snow White’s stepmother, the Queen, as well as Captain Hook.

Credit goes to Rebirth Wings, Heartstation, A9VG.com

Interview with Richard Epcar + Updates

2009-09-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

Yikes! It seems like I've been on vacation or something, it's been a month and no updates :O Soon it will be only a week till the US release of 358/2 Days... and I haven't done anything. I have a reasonable explanation, I think. I got a little too carried away with another site -.-" Yes I know there's really no excuse. And these updates are extremely late and old as of now, so please bare with me.

The interview with Richard Epcar was finally posted~ You can either download the podcast for free off iTunes or listen to the direct link. I really can't wait to hear it myself, as I haven't even done that yet -.-"
Listen to the podcast on iTunes
Direct link (right-click, save as...)

Also, some new high-res Birth By Sleep images have just been added to the site - four in Artwork and one in Scans.

What to expect next:
- Terra icons
- Terra bio

EDIT Dec. 12, 2009 - It looks as if the iTunes link for the interview no longer works :/ While I have no idea why this could be (it would be the fault of the interviewers, as none of their KH podcasts are showing up currently in the iTunes library), but I've checked the direct link and that one is still working for now. If it does go out (and someone will have to notify me through comment), I will upload one of mine.

EDIT #2 - Well after a few seconds of searching, it looks as if KH Union's podcasts do still exist, and can all be downloaded from the Kingdom Hearts Union Podcasts page.

GamingUnion presents an interview with Richard Epcar

2009-08-17T18:33:00.000-07:00

In a collaboration with KHInsider, GamingUnion has just obtained an interview with Richard Epcar, the voice of Ansem (Xehanort's Heartless) in KH2, KH Re:CoM and 358/2 Days, and Xehanort of KH2 (and he's done an excellent job might I add). It is unknown at this time whether the interview will be in video or audio format, but I will have it posted as soon as I can get it.

If you wish to contribute any questions that may be used in the interview, register to use the KHInsider Forums (if you are not already a member) and ask here.

DOWNTIEM KHDAYS AINT HERE YET FOLKS

2009-08-12T22:27:00.000-07:00

Because of the current lack of new information regarding Xehanort, the site will not be updated as frequently as before.

I do realize there is already a wealth of 358/2 Days information out on the web, but since I don't yet own the game and I don't want any spoiling, you won't be getting that info from me until the game's release here in the states.

And no need to worry, the site will never be taken down/removed/deleted -- it's definitely here to stay.

- Lovely title brought to you by the legendary Prof. Kayton.

Screencaps - Xemnas - KH2: Final Mix+

2009-07-14T18:25:00.000-07:00

Videos were from kh-vids.net; screencaps made by me.

A Gift from Esoterical - Xemnas FM+ Screencaps.zip

Original image size: 320x240
Image type: PNG
Image count: 38

Xemnas Plush

2009-07-11T21:09:00.000-07:00

Something I discovered only today.. an official licensed Xemnas plush doll, 12" (30 cm) in size, shown here in a chibi final form. Although I can't seem to find the name of the manufacturer :/

And yes, I couldn't help but order one for myself =P So far I have only found them being sold on Amazon and eBay. If anyone else knows of other sites that carry them, feel free to share in the comments section.

Sorry for the Lack of Updates III

2009-07-09T19:26:00.000-07:00

... I really am >.< I've been extremely busy with real life as of late, but expect a few updates this weekend.

Secret Ansem Reports

2009-07-01T19:04:00.000-07:00

Normally, I would not add something like the Secret Ansem Reports to Esoterical, as they were written by Ansem the Wise. However, they contain important facts on Xehanort's character, so here they are.

KINGDOM HEARTS II

Secret Ansem Report 1
My efforts these many years have come to fruition, with the world I govern having become a paradise worthy of being called "Radiant Garden."
Nurtured by the pure water that is the source of life, fragrant flowers bloom in abundance, and the people face each day with hopeful smiles.
But where there is light, darkness also lurks. As noted in my earlier reports, I must solve the mystery of this "darkness of the heart." This paradise depends on it.
I shall perform an experiment to probe the depths of a person's heart. One of my own apprentices, Xehanort, has volunteered to be a subject.
The young man has served me ever since I nursed him back from death's door some years ago.
He had lost all his memories at the time, but later showed remarkable intellectual curiosity and readily absorbed my teachings, gaining deep wisdom. Any mental immaturity is surely due to his young age.
If I explore Xehanort's heart with psychological tests, I may be able to recall the past locked away within. My apprentice Even has also shown great interest in Xehanort's memories.
But is he really the right subject? Xehanort does indeed exhibit extraordinary talents...
Too extraordinary...
Perhaps they are even superhuman.

Secret Ansem Report 2
I have made a grave mistake. My study of the "darkness of the heart" began with a simple psychological test and quickly snowballed.
Spurred on by my youngest apprentice, Ienzo, I constructed a massive laboratory in the basement of my castle.
Unbeknownst to me, my six apprentices then began collecting a large number of subjects on which to perform dangerous experiments into the "darkness of the heart."
As soon as I found out, I called my apprentices together and ordered them not only to cease their studies, but to destroy the results of their research thus far.
What on earth was happening within the hearts of my six beloved apprentices? While pursuing the mystery of the darkness of the heart, could they themselves have strayed into its depths?
Yet I remain the most foolish of all, for having begun these experiments.
We are not meant to interfere in the depths of another's heart, no matter what our reasons for doing so...
And my error plunged me into despair.
A visitor from another world soothed my dejected soul.
A tiny king named Mickey came wielding a legendary key — the infamous "Keyblade," said to bring both chaos and prosperity to the world.
He was very knowledgeable on many topics, and we deepened our friendship as we conversed companionably.
Upon his advice, I decided to review the data obtained at my basement lab.
That is when I discovered the "Ansem Reports."
Though they bore my name, the only one I had written was number 0.
Apparently he had gone on to pen numbers 1 through 8 himself.
Yes — the first subject in my foolish experiments.

Secret Ansem Report 3
Chaos affect not only this world, but many other worlds besides.
In the "Ansem Reports" my apprentice Xehanort had written under my name, I found the records of his hideous experiments along with his hypothesis about the door that had appeared out of the darkness in my basement.
All living things have hearts, and all hearts hold darkness deep within.
Worlds are no exception. If a world is a being, the heart it holds must be colossal...
...and the darkness at its core must be monstrous indeed.
Did Xehanort pass through that door in an attempt to contact that dark realm?
No, not only Xehanort.
It appears my other five apprentices, believing it was for the sake of research, stared deep into the darkness and were pulled into it.
Even, Ienzo, Braig, Dilan, and Aeleus...
They have ceased to be human.
I, too, have had everything taken away from me, banished to a hollow realm of nothingness.
What is Xehanort hoping to gain with my pilfered existence?
Will my people cease to smile?
If the light of hope has been extinguished, I shall henceforth walk with darkness as a friend.
Here, in the realm of nothingness to which I have been relegated.
Darkness in the midst of nothing.
"Darkness in Zero."
Thus, I shall be known as DiZ.
Discarding the stolen name "Ansem"...
And going in search of revenge.

Secret Ansem Report 4
The distant days spent in that beautiful paradise are an illusion to me now.
How long have I been here, banished to the realm of nothingness?
It is only by relying upon my anger and hatred that I have been able to retain my sense of self here where all existence is nullified.
My heart is being overcome with hatred toward my apprentices, possessed by the darkness, and with the anger I feel for stupidly allowing myself to be betrayed.
Is this darkness, eating away at my heart?
I cannot continue to idle away my time here.
What are Xehanort and the others attempting to do?
I must unravel the mystery of these Ansem Reports, intercept my apprentices, and defeat them.
That is my mission...the only way to repay the world for my sins.
Those beings who lack hearts—the Heartless—must be the key.
The darkness of the heart, made flesh. Cursed shadows who not only lack hearts, but multiply by seizing hearts from any and all living things.
Where have they come from, and where are they going?
Three elements combine to create a life: a heart, a soul, and a body.
But what of the soul and body left behind when the heart is lost?
When the soul leaves the body, its vessel, life gives way to death, but what about when the heart leaves?
A being does not perish when its heart leaves its body. The heart alone disappears into the darkness.
There is little time.
If I remain in this realm much longer, I will certainly learn these answers the hard way.
My heart is already a captive of the darkness.

Secret Ansem Report 5
In this realm, where all existence has been disintegrated, I have just barely managed to preserve my sense of self by continuing to think and to write.
It is a place where even time has lost all meaning. Eternity is as but a moment here.
I must make haste. Certainly their plans are already underway.
The Heartless must be the key to unraveling this mystery.
The six traitors were operating a laboratory that churned out those cursed shadows.
Not only did they generate "pureblood" Heartless from living hearts, but they then used those Heartless to synthesize artificial versions of the creatures as well.
These synthetic Heartless bore insignias and were called "Emblems."
Pureblood or Emblem, these Heartless act only to fulfill their instinctive needs. They single-mindedly detect hearts and swarm around them.
A human's commands would be ineffective: the Heartless would easily steal the human's heart and use it to increase their own ranks.
But what if an even stronger Heartless was giving the orders?
If he cast aside his own soul and body and became a Heartless, wouldn't he able to control the otherwise intractable Heartless?
Furthermore, wouldn't he be planning to make use of the creatures' instincts? If the heart-seeking Heartless have their sights set on a larger, more powerful heart, their ultimate goal is crystal-clear.
The largest heart in existence—the heart of the world.
This is all conjecture, but it would seem he is utilizing the Heartless in his search for a path leading to the heart of the world.

Secret Ansem Report 6
My choice to befriend darkness here in the midst of nothingness was a sound one.
The moment I stared straight ahead with a calm heart, neither rejecting darkness nor fearing it, I gained a newfound power.
A superhuman power—the power of darkness.
It is likely Xehanort and the others were enraptured by this power, eventually becoming its prisoners.
I do not intend to allow my heart to be devoured by the darkness, as they did, of course.
With this new power, I uncovered a "corridor of darkness" that connects the realm of nothingness to the outside world. While it is still difficult to come and go as I please, my banishment is now a thing of the past.
To deceive Xehanort and my apprentices, I first used my power to change form before returning to the realm of light.
As I had suspected, Xehanort had become a Heartless.
Under my name, he commanded other Heartless in quests to snatch away the hearts of many different worlds.
At the center of the heart Xehanort has stolen was "Kingdom Hearts," which attracts tremendous darkness itself and attempts to send any and all matter back into its depths.
The other five have disappeared. Have they become Heartless, like Xehanort?
Or did they vanish after Xehanort exploited them?
I became familiar with an unusual "entity" while pursuing the truth.
It is the soul and body that remain when a being loses its heart.
When a Heartless is born, these entities disappear from the realm of light, to be reborn as entirely new beings in a completely different realm.

Secret Ansem Report 7
While beings born of darkness and those lacking hearts may find them convenient, it is dangerous for others to make much use of the corridors of darkness. Darkness erodes the heart.
In search of a place to proceed with my research and planning away from prying eyes, I found myself in "Twilight Town." It is a quiet village, forgotten in the chasm between light and darkness. I situated myself in the basement of an abandoned mansion standing beyond the woods.
My underground research resulted in one new discovery after another.
When a Heartless is born, the body and soul left behind are reborn into this world as a different being.
They possess different intentions than their Heartless brethren, and while it is unclear what these sentient "things" are after, it would appear they are responsible for much bedlam in the world.
My erstwhile friend the King and his subjects, along with a hero wielding the Keyblade, are battling the Heartless even as a new threat approaches.
This new threat...they have given themselves a fitting name, I suppose.
These non-beings: "Nobodies."
A great number of Nobodies have lost human form, as have the Heartless. Yet the Nobody born of someone with a strong heart retains its shape, with but the faintest visible changes.
It appears my betrayers have retained their human forms as Nobodies, and are gathering more followers in hopes of furthering a new scheme.
"Organization XIII," formed of 13 Nobodies with my betrayers at its core, has divided into two; they are said to be carrying out some sort of research.
Seeking to uncover the plans of this Organization, I have decided to head for where six of its members have gathered. Towering over the outer limits of the realm between darkness and light: Castle Oblivion.

Secret Ansem Report 8
It appears that I have been too distracted by the behavior of Xehanort and his cohorts, and the events occurring in their vicinity.
My friends' struggle to protect the realm of light from the threat of Heartless is now over, with Xehanort's Heartless—going by the name Ansem, Seeker of Darkness—defeated at last.
The other wielder of the Keyblade, this "hero," traveled from world to world sealing up keyholes and laying Heartless low.
Meanwhile, the King, who had dived into the realm of darkness, worked with the Keyblade-wielding hero to close the door to Kingdom Hearts from the realms of both darkness and light, thus holding off the threat of tremendous darkness.
But there are still a great number of Heartless afoot, and Organization XIII and the Nobodies continue to be active in the shadows.
Indeed, the world is still a very dangerous place.
We must find a way to do battle with these enemies.
Thus I will both make amends and have my revenge.
It is for this reason that I infiltrated Castle Oblivion.
It consists of 13 floors above and 12 floors below ground, with the contents of its "White Rooms" transforming in response to its visitors' memories. Organization XIII was conducting experiments on memory here.
The subject in these experiments, a girl named Naminé, appeared to possess extremely unusual abilities.
Were they attempting to derive something from these powers?
Refusing to be distracted by Organization XIII, I had returned to my own secret research when a new visitor appeared at the castle today.
It was Sora, the Keyblade-wielding hero who had defeated Ansem, and his companions.
Deep underground, the stench of darkness arose.
All the players are coming together, it would seem.

Secret Ansem Report 9
I should have expected nothing less from a Keyblade-wielding hero.
Sora and friends defied the machinations of Organization XIII and rescued Naminé.
Naminé was a witch who controlled the memories of others.
Most likely these powers were achieved through a special process when she was born.
Naminé is a Nobody, created when a young girl's heart left her body.
Yet she has no corresponding Heartless.
This is because the "young girl" in this case was a princess.
Kairi, a resident of Radiant Garden over which I had ruled, was one of the Seven Princesses that uphold the realm of light.
With no darkness in her heart, Kairi produced no Heartless, and instead of vanishing, her body remained in the realm of light.
In other words, both the Nobody called Naminé and the Heartless—proof of a lost heart—are extremely unstable beings who lack the bodies needed to produce a Nobody. Therefore, they also lack Kairi's memories. One reason for this may be that Kairi's heart did not return to the darkness when separated from her body, but rather migrated to another vessel...deep within Sora's heart.
That is, Naminé is an alter ego of the Kairi who has directly interfered with Sora's heart. Could this be why Sora and those hearts are connected to him were able to have their memories controlled?
She is a "non-being" in the truest sense of the word; having not even become a Nobody and with nowhere left to go, she is but the most fleeting of shadows.

Secret Ansem Report 10
Sora went to sleep in order to recover the memories he had lost in Castle Oblivion.
It would take quite some time to bring back all the memories he had created in his lifetime.
But Organization XIII held sway over Castle Oblivion. Sora would need to be kept someplace more secure.
I persuaded Naminé to move the slumbering Sora to Twilight Town for safekeeping.
Naminé.
As I have written before, she is a most unusual being.
Born of the same process as a Nobody, but lacking virtually all the elements of a Nobody.
Perhaps she continues drawing in hopes of capturing that which she lacks: the memories of others, especially Sora.
I have arrived at a hypothesis.
I believe that Naminé was born as a special type of Nobody when Sora attacked himself with the Keyblade, causing his and Kairi's hearts to leave their bodies simultaneously.
Naminé emerged as Kairi's Nobody...but the body and soul necessary to exist as a Nobody belonged to Sora.
When a person's heart is stolen, a Heartless is born with no sense of self, and the body and soul left behind give rise to a Nobody.
But what if one willingly releases one's heart from one's body?
Sora and Xehanort retained their selfhood even after becoming Heartless.
Then there are Kairi and Naminé.
Kairi was exceptional for having had no darkness within her heart. Also exceptional was that her heart, once freed, migrated to a new vessel—Sora.
The combination of the two theoretically unlikely exceptions may be behind this anomaly.
There are matters I must attend to while Sora is sleeping.
A new ally has appeared on the scene: Riku.

Secret Ansem Report 11
I was reunited with an old friend at Castle Oblivion, but was unable to disclose my identity.
If he knew the situation, he would likely try to stop me from carrying out my revenge.
As much as I would dearly love to converse with him as in the old days...that is now but a hopeless dream.
My friend has been fighting in the realm of darkness. Most likely he found his way there through Traverse Town.
Like Castle Oblivion, that village also rests in the cleft between light and dark. It consists of the remnants of worlds whose hearts have been stolen by the Heartless.
It is where those who have barely escaped the destruction of their worlds eventually find themselves.
This "realm between" is quite unstable, with corridors of darkness appearing from time to time.
Whenever a world disappears, some of its inhabitants must arrive here through these corridors. Surely Sora traveled these same corridors of darkness when he first came to Traverse Town.
It seems my friend, fighting in the realm of darkness, appeared in Castle Oblivion through a corridor of darkness constructed by Organization XIII.
My new ally Riku also effected his return via one of these corridors.
He swore to me he would give his all for his best friend Sora.
In fact, Sora's memories have been slow to return.
Thus I have asked Riku to bring me another Sora—his Nobody.
Sora is indispensable if I am to achieve my goal.
I require the Keyblade-wielding hero to fly through the realm of light and defeat Organization XIII.

Secret Ansem Report 12
Apart from Naminé, Nobodies retain their memories of their time as humans, but Sora's Nobody, Roxas, has lost Sora's memories.
This is likely because Sora's time as a Heartless was short, having recovered his heart and returned to his human form soon after leaving behind Roxas, his Nobody.
It would seem Roxas is much like Naminé. Naminé is Kairi's Nobody, but came into being via Sora's body and soul.
Likewise, Roxas is Sora's Nobody, but was left behind because Sora's Heartless regained human form using Kairi's heart instead of his own.
It may be that Sora's memories are slow to return because the half of him that Roxas is still lacking.
I must convert Roxas into data and return him to Sora.
As a member of Organization XIII, it was exceedingly difficult to bring Roxas in. Having lost to Roxas once, Riku laid everything on the line and used the power of darkness in their second battle, only just managing to bring Roxas back with him.
But Organization XIII grows ever nearer. Here, Twilight Town, is where Roxas was reborn as a Nobody.
This is where Roxas first encountered Organization XIII and joined its ranks. They are bound to search this place thoroughly.
First I shall convert all of Twilight Town into data and construct a "world duplicate" in Sora's memories. I shall place Roxas within that world to live out his days and regain those memories.
There is little time.
The Organization's schemes must be making steady progress as well.

Secret Ansem Report 13
Tomorrow Sora awakens.
My long and drawn-out revenge is nearing its end.
Xehanort, who took everything away from me. Though as a Heartless he is no more, as the leader of Organization XIII his ambition once again is to capture Kingdom Hearts, the most colossal heart of all.
His Heartless had attempted to draw out the great darkness of Kingdom Hearts, created from the hearts of all worlds. His Nobody, however, is now almost finished gathering human hearts to be assimilated into Kingdom Hearts as well.
The fool!
Only one mystery remains.
How did Xehanort manage to open the door that appeared in the basement of my castle...?
No...any theory posited now, when everything is nearing completion, would be meaningless.
Roxas, Ansem, Naminé...
They defy all logic, yet there they are: singular exceptions to the rule.
The theories proposed by me and by Organization XIII have been blown to pieces by a handful of strong-hearted individuals.
Sora, Kairi, Riku.
Ah, yes—Riku.
Though his heart has its weaknesses, making it prone to darkness, he found support in the hope he discovered beyond suffering.
This hope allowed him to stand his ground and turn the darkness in his heart from an enemy into his greatest weapon.
When all this is over, it is my fervent hope that he will be able to return with Sora to his island.
If I can, I should like to return to Radiant Garden, to look once more upon the beautiful water, the lovely flowers, and the hopeful smiles of the people.
Dear King, my friend!
I beleve that, at some point in time, you will come across these, my truthful accounts.
How I wish I could have chatted with you again.
I was a fool, obsessed with revenge.
Forgive me.

Sorry for the Lack of Updates II

2009-06-30T19:09:00.000-07:00

My apologies for going a week without updates; I've been rather busy the last few days. However, I'm really hoping to have the Secret Reports up sometime tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Edit: It's the Secret Ansem Reports; I just discovered the "Secret Reports" is a brand new feature from 358/2 Days, which I'm sure I'll have added to the site sooner or later.

Ansem Reports

2009-06-22T22:15:00.000-07:00

The Ansem Reports were a set of 13 mysterious documents written by "an Ansem" that told of the nature of the Heartless, the heart of the world, the Keyblade, and the realm of darkness. It began innocently as Ansem sought to save his world from a ravaging darkness, but soon became obsessed with his research and cast himself into the darkness in pursuit of knowledge. For those who played Kingdom Hearts soon after its release, we were led to believe that the Ansem we encounter towards the end of the game was the very ruler of the world Hollow Bastion, and was at one time a wise and benevolent sage. Who we later meet in the game is an Ansem corrupted by darkness. We now know this to be partly false, as it was an "Ansem the Wise" who was the ruler of "Radient Garden" (termed "Hollow Bastion" during the time Xehanort's Heartless and Maleficent ruled the castle), and that he only wrote Report 0, while his apprentice, Xehanort, wrote Reports 1-12 (which was unbeknownst to him at the time).

Which leads to an even bigger mystery: who is the true author of the Ansem Reports? According to Kingdom Hearts II, we know that Xehanort, as an apprentice under Ansem the Wise, ran many tests and experiments on the heart even after Ansem ordered him to stop. It was Xehanort who wrote Reports 1-12 under the name "Ansem". It is also known that Xehanort's Heartless ruled the castle Hollow Bastion for a period of time, and that Hollow Bastion is where the experiments and research were carried out.

Journal Entries (Kingdom Hearts):

- First Entry
A researcher who studied the Heartless and delved into secrets of the worlds. He organized his findings into a single volume known as Ansem's report. When he inexplicably vanished, most of its pages were scattered to the winds.

- Second Entry
As a researcher and ruler of his world, he studied the Heartless and delved into the many secrets of the worlds. While studying the heart and the darkness within it, he was possessed by darkness and ultimately destroyed his own world. He sacrificed his body to attain great power, and later possessed Riku's to regain a physical presence. Failure to stop him means the end of all worlds.

The question is whether Xehanort or Xehanort's Heartless actually wrote the reports. And according to Reports 11 and 12, it seems as if Xemnas may have had a hand in them as well. Whatever the case may be, they are just as mysterious now as they were when they were first discovered.

KINGDOM HEARTS

Ansem Report 0
Much of my life has been dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge.
That knowledge has guarded this world well. Not a soul doubts that.
I am blessed with people's smiles and respect. But though I am called a sage, there are things I do not understand.
I believe darkness sleeps in every heart, no matter how pure. Given the chance, the smallest drop can spread and swallow the heart. I have witnessed it many times.
Darkness... Darkness of the heart. How is it born?
How does it come to affect us so?
As ruler of this world, I must find the answers. I must find them before the world is lost to those taken by the darkness.

Ansem Report 1
It is my duty to expose what this darkness really is. I shall conduct the following experiments:
- Extract the darkness from a person's heart.
- Cultivate darkness in a pure heart.
- Both suppress and amplify the darkness within.
The experiments caused the test subject's heart to collapse, including those of the most stalwart.
How fragile our hearts are! My treatment produced no signs of recovery. I confined those who had completely lost their hearts beneath the castle.
Some time later, I went below and was greeted by the strangest sight. Creatures that seemed born of darkness... What are they? Are they truly sentient beings? Could they be the shadows of those who lost their hearts in my experiments?

Ansem Report 2
The shadows that crawl beneath the castle... Are they the people who lost their hearts, or incarnations of darkness? Or something entirely beyond my imagination?
All my knowledge has provided no answer. One thing I am sure of is that they are entirely devoid of emotion. Perhaps further study will unlock the mysteries of the heart.
Fortunately, there is no shortage of test samples. They are multiplying underground even as I write this report. They still need a name. Those who lack hearts... I will call them the Heartless.

Ansem Report 3
The Heartless appear in groups, and are multiplying rapidly. I've provided them both living and nonliving samples. They've responded only to the living. They seem to multiply after absorbing something from the living creatures. Their prey vanishes without a trace.
I believe the Heartless are taking hearts. They are born from those who've lost their hearts, and thrive on hearts seized from others. The hearts taken by the Heartless become Heartless themselves.
Though I lack proof, I am confident in this hypothesis. I must also study their behavioral principles.
Though they lack emotions, they do seem to have some intelligence. How to communicate with them?
It's just occurred to me: Could they be the darkness in people's hearts?

Ansem Report 4
To study the Heartless behavior, I picked one out for observation. It wiggled its antennae and, as if sensing a target, headed deep into the castle. In the deepest part of the castle, its antennae began vibrating, as if searching for something. Suddenly, a strange door appeared. I'd never known of its existence.
It had a large keyhole, but didn't seem to be locked. So I opened the door. What I saw on the other side mystified me. What was that powerful mass of energy? That night I observed a great meteor shower in the sky. Could it be related to the door that I have opened?

Ansem Report 5
A massive core of energy lay beyond the door sought by the Heartless. It may be the ultimate goal of the Heartless. But what is that energy? I have devised a hypothesis, based upon my observations of the Heartless.
The Heartless feed on other's hearts, and they yearn for that energy core. That thing beyond the door must be a heart, too -- the heart of this world. There is no proof, but, having felt that immense energy, I am certain. That was the heart of this world.
The Heartless are trying to take hearts not only from all living creatures, but from the planet itself.
But what do they mean to do with the heart of the world?

Ansem Report 6
I am studying material from the meteors that rained down that fateful night. What a find! The material is foreign to our world. It is elastic to the touch, and when two pieces are combined, they bond easily. None of the records ever mention such a substance.
Was it introduced to this world when I opened the door? I wonder how many other such materials drift through the atmosphere of this tiny world... I wish I could soar off and and find out! Could there be uncharted worlds up there? My curiosity never ceases to grow.
But I should stop speaking of such unrealistic dreams. For now, there is no way to venture outside this world. My people and I are all but prisoners of this tiny place.

Ansem Report 7
There is no doubt that the Heartless are deeply connected to the people's hearts. Further study may unravel both their motivations and the mysteries shrouding the heart.
As a start, I have built a device that artificially creates Heartless. By recreating the conditions that spawn the Heartless naturally, I should be able to produce them artificially. This device is the culmination of all my research thus far. The machine's test run successfully created a Heartless.
This may be a step toward creating a heart from nothing. The artificially and naturally created Heartless showed nearly identical traits. But the two types remain distinct for the purpose of the experiment. So, I will mark the ones that are created artificially.

Ansem Report 8
Simply astonishing! Today I had a guest from another world. He is a king, and his vessel is built of the material that composed the meteors. He called the pieces "gummi blocks". It seems that my opening the door has opened a path to interworld travel.
We talked for countless hours, but one story in particular caught my interest: that of a key called the "Keyblade". 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. I must know what this Keyblade is. A key opens doors. It must be connected to the door I have opened.

Ansem Report 9
Just as people have hearts, so do worlds. The same can be said of stars in the night sky. And deep within each world lies a door to its heart. The Heartless desire those hearts. Born out of darkness in people's hearts, they seek to return to a greater heart.
Yes that's it. The Heartless come from people's hearts, as does the darkness. Is the core of the world's heart the world of the Heartless? I will pursue the answer there and become all knowing.
My path is set. I shall seek out the wielder of the Keyblade, and the princesses. My body is too frail for such a journey, but I must do this. I will cast it off and plunge into the depths of darkness.

Ansem Report 10
Upon opening the door of a world's heart, the wall around that world is broken down. This is seen as a shooting star. Through this, I have been able to understand the reason why the material known as Gummi Blocks has the ability to allow travel to other worlds.
A world's wall collapses because of the appearance of the Heartless, but finding a world's door takes time. And robbing a world of its heart is a similar case.
If the door has been closed by the Keyblade, one would probably be unable to reach that world's heart again. Before the Keyblade wielder appears in this world, I must take measures to do something.
Suppose that there is a close relationship between the Princesses and the Keyblade, it seems likely that they will resonate with each other...
I have chosen a special girl. I do not know if she possesses the power of the Princesses, but there is a chance, and this is an experiment. She may lead me to the place where the one holding the key is...
I shall send her off to the ocean of other worlds.

Ansem Report 11
I have transcended to an existence of only the heart. I should have come back as a Heartless, but there is no sign of such a transformation.
My body has surely perished. However, I am different from the other Heartless, keeping the memories of before, and I have not taken on the form of a Heartless.
It is evident that there are still many things to be studied.
In order to cross over to the dark realm, which is not this world, you must go beyond the door of Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds.
The core connected to the world's heart, the place that will take me to the world of darkness. (I will record the details in another report...)
There are still so many unknown worlds.
The Realm of the Present... the Ream of darkness. The Realm of light.
And, the Realm of in-between.
In which one will I find sanctuary?

Ansem Report 12
When the heart casts away the body, where does the body go?
Heart and soul are separate, and the soul remains in the body. But can we assume that the remaining body and soul perish?
Certainly when the heart changes into a Heartless, the body disappears.
Or does that apply soley to this realm? Could other beings similar to the Heartless exist in another realm?
If we take that to be the case, then there must be another form of oneself elsewhere.
An existence neither of darkness nor of light. An in-between existence. Cast off by the heart, a mere shell, one who begrudges both the darkness and the light.
This mystery cannot be easily resolved. The relationship between the heart and the body is a complex one.
But since we exist in this realm, our counterparts of another realm must not be existant.
Therefore I shall call them...
"The Nobodies."

Oops.

2009-06-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

I've made an adjustment to the Comments system... apparently it was set to "registered users only" -.- It has now been changed to "anyone". So now anyone may comment :)

And in about a week, I think I'll add the entire Ansem Reports to the site. I know that a good portion of it was written by that bothersome DiZ/"Ansem the Wise", but it gives good insight into Xehanort's character (and another good portion of it was in fact written by Xehanort himself).

Xemnas/Terra Mega-Theory

2009-06-17T18:16:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I finally had the privilege of watching many of KH-Vids' KH2FM+ cutscenes in subbed form. And wow, I've never had a revelation quite like this one. I'm just so shocked that, with all the facts present, everything is as plain as day. I mean there's no reason for those other "theories" to even exist.

Let's start from the beginning, shall we?

In Birth By Sleep, we know of the three main Keyblade wielders: Terra, Aqua, and Ven. Obviously Ven looks like a clone of Roxas, Terra's hair is strikingly similar to Apprentice Xehanort's, and more recently, Aqua's hair is not that much different than Xion's.

We also know that Terra has an apparent affinity for Darkness. Xemnas and Xehanort's Heartless also have that same affinity.

And that the emblems worn by Terra, Aqua, and Ven resemble both the Heartless and Nobody symbols, which could explain where the symbols came from.

Now to KH2:FM+, there is one specific cutscene where Xemnas ventures deep within Hollow Bastion to a hidden room called the Room of Sleep. Within lies Aqua's armor and keyblade. Upon entering the room, Xemnas sits down in a throne-like chair and says, "It's been a long time, my friend." Once again, another factoid lending more strength to the Terra/Xemnas theory, as we know that Terra and Aqua are fellow keybearers.

But upon viewing another cutscene, the theory expanded into something I had never imagined. In a scene featuring Zexion and Xigbar in the Castle that Never Was, Xigbar lets Zexion in on part of Xemnas' secret.

Xigbar: I just want us to have a little fun talk... About, say, Xemnas' secret. How many years ago was it... People with the blade of keys started to appear... and fought great battles. When they were gone, a man who had lost his memories appeared. Xemnas... no. Xehanort was taken in by Ansem around that time, was he not?

Zexion: What of it?

Xigbar: The "Room of Sleep". The underground laboratory where we were studying the darkness within people's hearts... The place which Ansem ordered us to seal away. The first thing Xemnas did when he got rid of our wise yet bothersome leader, was to release the seal and make that room in the depths of the laboratory. After that he frequently went down there and I could hear him talking to someone. Isn't that odd? Xemnas is supposed to be in there alone.

Zexion: It seems you really enjoy eavesdropping.

Xigbar: I couldn't hear what they were actually saying. And so I feel preoccupied. You're interested too, right?

Zexion: I simply want to concentrate on my assignment. You too should concentrate on your real mission and collect more members. We must hurry with the preparations for our new quarters... 11 Organization members is not enough.

Xigbar: Our new quarters... Oh, Castle Oblivion. What does Xemnas hope to achieve by using that?

Zexion: We've been told that-

Xigbar: There's a reason, one that hasn't been told to anyone. With the "Room of Sleep" comes the "Room of Awakening". The other place. That is what he is seeking. That room, which was not made by Xemnas. Perhaps that is where... The other... "Friend" is.

We know that by the end of Chain of Memories, Sora is sleeping in what could only be the Room of Awakening. Roxas is the Nobody of Sora. Roxas is also the exact look-a-like of Ven. But I haven't figured out any more than that. I know nothing of Xion either, as I have promised myself to avoid spoilers and any information regarding 358/2 Days until I actually have the game. Except for the word "transformation", which I caught by accident on another site. Something with Xion and a transformation. Could Xion somehow be Aqua's Nobody? I don't know. But in regards to Xemnas - of which I know now without a doubt that KH2's Xehanort was Terra in the past - could something horrible have happened to Aqua and Ven near the end of Birth By Sleep? Could the Terra inside Xemnas be trying to bring back his old "friends" - his fellow key wielders? Perhaps something happened to them shortly before Terra fell to Master Xehanort's possession, and that Terra made a promise: to do everything in his power to bring them back into existence. A promise so strong, that it stuck even when Terra was reborn as Xehanort in Radiant Garden, who had forgotten most everything else (I say most, as apparently Xemnas at least remembers Aqua).

And as for Ven looking like Roxas... let us not forget the other light theory floating around. One that suggests that Aqua is related to Kairi and Terra is related to Sora, as it's been mentioned that a very young Sora will be seen in Birth By Sleep. However this still doesn't explain the mysterious character of Ven.

Theories - Re:CoM - the Ansem/DiZ Factor

2009-06-16T00:16:00.000-07:00

This was just posted in the trivia section of the Ansem Bio, however I thought I would make mention of it in its own post: "The Ansem/DiZ Factor", for lack of a better name. I want to thank pokemaster2185 on GameFAQs for the valuable information.

"The Ansem/DiZ Factor of Reverse/Rebirth"
The Ansem/DiZ factor in Reverse/Rebirth can become quite confusing to some. When DiZ first shows himself to Riku, he admits to pretending to be Ansem in the beginning of the game, in order to draw out the real Ansem... but when and where does the true Ansem appear? It is believed that the real Ansem does not show himself until after the battle with Lexaeus, while any appearance before that (and obviously during Twilight Town) was not Ansem, but DiZ himself. This would seem to make more sense, as any time Ansem appeared "physically" to Riku, it was actually DiZ. Between DiZ appearing to Riku to give him the second world card set and when he appeared in Twilight Town, the real Ansem would communicate with Riku from the darkness itself, such as the cutscene immediately following your fight against Lexaeus. Over time, Riku's encounters with the real Ansem begin to help him realize that the Ansem who had been appearing to him earlier on was an imposter, thanks to him being able to "smell darkness". However, the true Ansem finally does physically appear to Riku during the final fight in Castle Oblivion.

Screencaps - Ansem - KH Re:CoM

2009-06-15T22:54:00.000-07:00

I'm sorry these are a bit redundant.. again, it was another case of "not sure which one I like the most, so I'll just take 'em all" -.-

(And while many of these are not "technically" Ansem... I'm sure someone out there will want them, so I grabbed them anyways. If you're confused, refer to the very bottom of the Ansem Bio, called the "Ansem/DiZ Factor").

Videos were from kh-vids.net; screencaps made by me.

A Gift from Esoterical - KH Re:CoM Ansem Screencaps.zip

Original image size: 320x240
Image type: PNG
Image count: 79

Birth By Sleep Development Status

2009-06-14T11:49:00.001-07:00

For those who fear that Square Enix has forgotten the upcoming Birth By Sleep, fear not, for Nomura has come back to reassure us on their progress in an interview translated by PSPHyper, with Nomura stating they are currently in the voice-recording stage.

Screencaps - Xemnas vs. Sora

2009-06-13T22:51:00.000-07:00

These are the fight scenes I promised... there wasn't much to get, so there's only eight caps. They'll be included into the main Xemnas/KH2 screencaps page. The zip file has already been updated.

Screencaps - Ansem - KH

2009-06-13T21:14:00.000-07:00

Videos were from kh-vids.net; screencaps made by me.

A Gift from Esoterical - KH Ansem Screencaps.zip

Original image size: 320x240
Image type: PNG
Image count: 42

Screencaps - Apprentice Xehanort - KH2

2009-06-13T21:01:00.000-07:00

Videos were from kh-vids.net; screencaps made by me.

A Gift from Esoterical - Apprentice Xehanort Screencaps.zip

Original image size: 320x240
Image type: PNG
Image count: 11

Theories

2009-06-13T15:32:00.000-07:00

Please note that many of the theories listed here may no longer be valid, but they are still interesting to read nonetheless.

Scans

2009-06-13T13:53:00.000-07:00

Gallery

2009-06-13T13:07:00.000-07:00

I know these are arranged in a really lazy, nonsensical fashion.. perhaps it will turn into one giant collage/collection of sorts. Artwork ranges from official art, renders, sprites, and screenshots.