Picture the scene for a moment and imagine Shinji Hashimoto, one of the main producers at Square Enix, walking into an elevator. A few floors later a Disney executive walks in. They travel a few floors and as they walk out Kingdom Hearts was born. Okay so it wasnt so simple, instead the idea had been banded around Square for a while at that point, but this single chance meeting bore fruit in 2002 when Kingdom Hearts was released. Directed by long time Final Fantasy artist Tetsuya Nomura, the game crafted a story revolving around Disney's worlds, Final Fantasy characters and an original cast. Sora, voiced by the creepy kid from The Sixth Sense Haley Joel Osment, was thrown from his island paradise into the Disney paradise trying to figure out the mysterious keyblade and the connection between the worlds of Disney and his own - all the while fighting off the young Sephiroth clone Riku, and trying to find his best friend Kairi. It evolved into Squares number two series and one of the most financially beneficial deals in the companys history, saving them from a financial problem escalated from the distinctly average Final Fantasy movie only a year earlier.
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I am a middle aged Yorkshireman obsessed with Bad Religion, The Simpsons, movies and anything to do with gaming. I love everything to do with Final Fantasy, Metal Gear and will hold a discussion with anyone about anything in games.
