“Kingdom Hearts” Is Finally Getting the Anime Series Fans Have Been Waiting For

It has taken more than two decades, countless worlds, over a dozen games and one incredibly complicated story to get here.

But Kingdom Hearts is finally getting the full animated treatment it deserves.

For generations of gamers, Kingdom Hearts has been one of those rare franchises that feels almost impossible to explain to someone who hasn’t experienced it themselves. What began as the unexpected combination of Square Enix and Disney has grown into a massive universe filled with original characters, Disney favorites, Final Fantasy faces, Keyblades, Heartless and enough twists and turns to keep fans talking for years.

And despite having Disney built directly into its DNA, we have never gotten a full animated series allowing this world to tell an ongoing story outside of the games.

Until now.

As part of the latest wave of announcements coming out of D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event, Disney has revealed that an all-new Kingdom Hearts anime series is officially heading to both Disney+ and Disney Channel.

And really, this feels gloriously overdue.

Developed alongside Kingdom Hearts creator Tetsuya Nomura and Square Enix, the currently untitled series won’t simply retell one of the games. Instead, Disney says the anime will feature a brand-new story that expands the already massive Kingdom Hearts universe while celebrating the characters millions of fans have spent years adventuring alongside.

While Disney isn’t giving away too many secrets just yet, the first-look image features none other than Sora and his trusty Keyblade.

Which certainly feels like the right place to start.

Since making its debut on the PlayStation 2 back in 2002, Kingdom Hearts has become one of gaming’s biggest legacy franchises. The series has grown to include more than a dozen games and sold over 39 million units worldwide, all while building a sprawling story that has taken players through countless Disney worlds.

Yet an anime gives Kingdom Hearts something the franchise has surprisingly never really had before: an opportunity to tell a full story without requiring fans to pick up a controller.

That could make this one of the most interesting expansions the franchise has seen in years.

After all, the possibilities here are almost endless.

The games have already established a universe where Sora, Donald and Goofy can travel between Disney worlds while following a larger original story. An ongoing animated series could take that same idea and run with it, revisiting familiar faces while potentially exploring characters, worlds and corners of the mythology that haven’t had nearly enough time to shine within the games.

And with Nomura directly involved in the development, this isn’t simply Disney borrowing the Kingdom Hearts name for another animated adventure. The creative team is working with the person who has helped shape this universe from the very beginning.

Disney Kids & Family president Ayo Davis also promises the new series will remain unmistakably Kingdom Hearts, while creating an entirely new way for fans to experience the world they already love.

But the anime wasn’t the only major Kingdom Hearts surprise Disney had waiting at D23.

Benjamin Bratt revealed the news during the Disney Entertainment Showcase, while also confirming that he will reprise his Coco role as Ernesto de la Cruz in the upcoming Kingdom Hearts IV. The long-awaited next major installment in the game franchise is currently expected to arrive in late 2027.

Meaning after years of waiting for the next major chapter, Kingdom Hearts fans suddenly have quite a bit on the horizon.

For a franchise built around traveling into different worlds, perhaps it was only a matter of time before Kingdom Hearts finally unlocked the door leading to television.

And more than 20 years after Sora first picked up the Keyblade, we’re more than ready to see where this new path leads.