BBS Developer Interview + Sora Feature

This week’s issue of Famitsu Weekly featured an interview with Kingdom Hearts series developers Co. Producer Youichi Yoshimoto and Co. Director Tai Yasue. They primarily discuss Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep as well as Kingdom Hearts Coded. I’ve scanned the article and the four page interview translated can be read here. Careful though, there are obviously some spoilers to Birth by Sleep!

The magazine also finished their reader’s choice top 50 favorites feature. There was a page spread on Sora who came in 5^th place and I translated the interesting parts below. Roxas also made the list in 28^th place. Of course there were numerous Final Fantasy characters who make an appearance in the Kingdom Hearts series as well.

Profile: The boy chosen by the Keyblade, a key shaped blade. With his bright and kind personality, he can overcome anything that he faces. However he doesn’t concern himself with the consequences of his actions and causes his childhood friend Kairi to worry about him and often conflicts with his partner Donald. He’s grown up in both mind and body over the numerous journeys that have elapsed and will depart on a new adventure.

KH1 Screenshot: Sora took back the Keyblade from Riku, shouting that the connection his heart had with the various people he met makes it his weapon.

KH2 Screenshot: After being separated for a long time, Sora reunites with Riku. He tells Riku who had kept fighting alone that he has friends.

Editor Tomato Sugihara’s comment: Sora is a bright and positive boy full of energy. He is curious and fearless, and quickly becomes close friends with the inhabitants of the worlds he visits. Depending on the circumstances, can’t he feel the impending sense of crisis? However, his strongest points are his sense of justice and that he is always thinking of his friends. Whatever kind of difficulties, he will faithfully fight against the opposing forces with passion. He has an unexpectedly naïve side too, he is a realistic hero, I think this is the reason he is loved. I expect that Sora will soon take on a greatly active role in the next title!

Reader’s comments:“Since he’s a hero with heart, he makes a cool main character.”

“Without this main character, I don’t think Kingdom Hearts would have been successful.”

“I like him because he’s cute and strong, his friends are so important to him.”

“He has cool fashion sense.”

And with that I hope you all have a good weekend. I’ll be heading to Tokyo for a short vacation tomorrow morning and will be gone for a few days, so hopefully big news doesn’t break while I’m away. Please look forward to changes coming to the site when I get back, the remodel is almost complete and I am anxious to finish it! Thanks everyone for all the encouragement over the past year!