'Kingdom Hearts' Greenlit for First-Ever Original TV Series on Disney Channel and Disney+

 

“Kingdom Hearts” (working title), an original anime series inspired by the globally beloved video game franchise, has been greenlit for Disney Channel and Disney+. Developed in partnership with video game creator Tetsuya Nomura and the creative team at SQUARE ENIX, the series reimagines the iconic adventure with a brand-new story that will expand on the universe of Kingdom Hearts while celebrating the characters that have captured the hearts of millions of fans around the world. The news was announced tonight at D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event.

“Kingdom Hearts has captivated gamers everywhere with its unique blend of adventure and imagination,” said Ayo Davis, president, Disney Kids & Family. “There’s something really exciting about taking a world fans have spent years exploring through the games and bringing it to life in a completely new way. And with a creative team that is working closely with the legendary Tetsuya Nomura, our new series will be unmistakably ‘Kingdom Hearts,’ while giving fans a whole new way to experience the world they love.”

“Kingdom Hearts” (WT) joins the growing slate of original animated series for Disney+, alongside series that include “Dragon Striker,” “Phineas and Ferb,” “Big City Greens” and the upcoming “Messi and the Giants,” “Warrior Cats” and “Journey.” The series reflects the platform’s continued focus on creating stories filled with magic, wonder, adventure and heart for a new generation of kids and families.

DISNEY+ DEBUTS TRAILER AND ANNOUNCES VOICE CAST FOR “STAR WARS: VISIONS”

 

Disney+ debuted the trailer and announced the Japanese and English dub voice casts for “Star Wars: Visions,” an upcoming anthology series from Lucasfilm that tells new Star Wars stories through the singular style and tradition of Japanese anime. Disney+ also released four exciting images from the trailer.

 

The new trailer provides a glimpse of the captivating tone and stunning visuals from each of the animated shorts, which can all be viewed both with the original Japanese voice cast or the English dub cast when the series launches on Disney+ on September 22.

 

“Lucasfilm is partnering with seven of the most talented anime studios in Japan to bring their signature style and unique vision of the Star Wars galaxy to this inspired new series,” says James Waugh, executive producer and Lucasfilm Vice President, Franchise Content & Strategy. “Their stories showcase the full spectrum of  bold storytelling found across Japanese animation; each told with a freshness and voice that expands our understanding of what a Star Wars story can be, and celebrates a galaxy that has been such an inspiration to so many visionary storytellers.”

 

The English dub cast includes the voice talents of returning Star Wars actors and talent new to the Star Wars universe:

The Duel:                    Brian Tee (Ronin), Lucy Liu (Bandit Leader), Jaden Waldman (Village Chief)

Tatooine Rhapsody:   Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Jay), Bobby Moynihan (Geezer), Temuera Morrison (BobaFett), Shelby Young (K-344), Marc Thompson (Lan)

The Twins:                  Neil Patrick Harris (Karre), Alison Brie (Am), Jonathan Lipow (B-20N)

The Village Bride:       Karen Fukuhara (F), Nichole Sakura (Haru), Christopher Sean (Asu), Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa (Valco), Andrew Kishino (Izuma),  Stephanie Sheh (Saku)

The Ninth Jedi:           Kimiko Glenn (Kara), Andrew Kishino (Juro), Simu Liu (Zhima), Masi Oka (Ethan), Greg Chun (Roden), Neil Kaplan (Narrator), Michael Sinterniklaas (Hen Jin), 

T0-B1:                          Jaden Waldman (T0-B1), Kyle Chandler (Mitaka)

The Elder:                    David Harbour (Tajin), Jordan Fisher (Dan), James Hong (The     Elder)

Lop & Ocho:                Anna Cathcart (Lop), Hiromi Dames (Ocho), Paul Nakauchi (Yasaburo), Kyle McCarley (Imperial Officer)

Akakiri:                        Henry Golding (Tsubaki), Jamie Chung (Misa), George Takei  (Senshuu), Keone Young (Kamahachi), Lorraine Toussaint (Masago)

Disney+ also revealed a look at the cast voicing the shorts in Japanese, which includes a multitude of veteran voice actors:

The Duel:                     Masaki Terasoma (Ronin), Akeno Watanabe (Bandit Leader), Yūko Sanpei (VillageChief)

Tatooine Rhapsody: Hiroyuki Yoshino (Jay), Kōusuke Gotō (Geezer), Akio Kaneda (Boba Fett), MasayoFujita (K-344), Anri Katsu (Lan)

The Twins:                  Junya Enoki (Karre), Ryoko Shiraishi (Am), Tokuyoshi Kawashima (B-20N)

The Village Bride:       Asami Seto (F), Megumi Han (Haru), Yūma Uchida (Asu), Takaya Kamikawa(Vaan), Yoshimitsu Shimoyama (Izuma), Mariya Ise  (Saku)

The Ninth Jedi:           Chinatsu Akasaki(Kara), Tetsuo Kanao (Juro), Shin-ichiro Miki (Zhima), Hiromu Mineta (Ethan), Kazuya Nakai (Roden), Akio Ōtsuka, (Narrator), Daisuke Hirakawa (Hen Jin)

T0-B1:                          Masako Nozawa (T0-B1), Tsutomu Isobe (Mitaka)

The Elder:                    Takaya Hashi (Tajin), Kenichi Ogata (The Elder), Yuichi Nakamura (Dan)

Lop & Ocho:                Seiran Kobayashi (Lop), Risa Shimizu (Ocho), Tadahisa Fujimura (Yasaburo),Taisuke Nakano (Imperial Officer)

Akakiri:                        Yū Miyazaki (Tsubaki), Lynn (Misa), Chō (Senshuu), Wataru Takagi (Kamahachi),Yukari Nozawa (Masago)

 

The studios creating the nine shorts include Kamikaze Douga – “The Duel”; Geno Studio (Twin Engine) – “Lop and Ochō”; Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) – “Tatooine Rhapsody”; TRIGGER – “The Twins” and “The Elder”; Kinema Citrus – “The Village Bride”; Science Saru – “Akakiri” and “T0-B1”; and Production I.G. – “The Ninth Jedi.” 

 

For more on “Star Wars: Visions,” visit StarWars.com. 

DISNEY+ REVEALS ALL SEVEN JAPANESE ANIME STUDIOS BRINGING “STAR WARS: VISIONS” TO LIFE

 

Today at Anime Expo Lite, Disney+ announced the names of the seven Japanese anime studios bringing their unique talent and perspective to “Star Wars: Visions”—a collection of animated short films from Lucasfilm that will stream exclusively on Disney+—and offered fans an exciting special look.

 

The anime studios revealed were Kamikaze Douga, Geno Studio (Twin Engine), Studio Colorido (Twin Engine), Trigger, Kinema Citrus, Science Saru, and Production IG. Each studio will use their signature animation and storytelling styles to realize their own visions of the galaxy far, far away. 

 

Lucasfilm’s Jacqui Lopez (Executive Producer), James Waugh (Executive Producer), Josh Rimes (Executive Producer), and Qubic Pictures’ Justin Leach (Co-Executive Producer) and Kanako Shirasaki (Producer) were on hand at the event to reveal each studio and give fans a special look at the environment and concept art as they debuted the title and first details of each short.

 

Kamikaze Douga - The Duel 

Geno Studio (Twin Engine) - Lop and Ochō

Studio Colorido (Twin Engine) - Tatooine Rhapsody

Trigger - The Twins

Trigger - The Elder

Kinema Citrus - The Village Bride

Science Saru - Akakiri

Science Saru - T0-B1

Production IG - The Ninth Jedi

 

As a first formal venture into anime, each “Star Wars: Visions” short bears a unique Japanese sensibility, which in many ways aligns with the tone and spirit of Star Wars storytelling. From the beginning, stories told in the Star Wars galaxy have counted Japanese mythology and the films of Akira Kurosawa among their many influences, and these new visions will further explore that cultural heritage through the unique animation style and perspective of each anime studio. 

 

All episodes of “Star Wars: Visions” will be released on Disney+ September 22, 2021. 

For more on “Star Wars: Visions,” visit StarWars.com.