Disney has officially announced a new Kingdom Hearts anime series, bringing the beloved Square Enix and Disney franchise to television for the first time. The project was revealed during the latest D23 presentation and is being developed specifically for Disney+ and Disney Channel.
The upcoming series will be based on the Kingdom Hearts universe but will not simply retell the story of the games. Disney describes it as an original story that will expand the franchise while introducing fans to a new way of experiencing its characters and worlds. The project is being developed in collaboration with Tetsuya Nomura, the creator and director of the Kingdom Hearts series, alongside the team at Square Enix.
Although Disney has not shared many details about the story yet, the announcement confirms that the series will explore the Kingdom Hearts universe beyond its existing games. This could give the anime an opportunity to introduce new adventures while retaining the characters and elements that have made the franchise so popular over the past two decades.
Kingdom Hearts originally debuted on PlayStation 2 in 2002, bringing together characters and worlds from Disney with Square Enix’s own creations. The series quickly developed a dedicated following and has since expanded across numerous games, handheld titles, remasters, and spin-offs.
The anime announcement comes at an especially important time for the franchise. Kingdom Hearts IV is currently in development and was also featured during the D23 presentation, where Disney and Square Enix revealed that the game will include a world based on Pixar’s Coco and is targeting a late 2027 release.
For now, Disney has not announced a specific release date for the Kingdom Hearts anime. The company has only confirmed that the series is coming “soon” to Disney+ and Disney Channel, meaning fans will have to wait for further information regarding its story, cast, animation studio, and premiere schedule.
This will also mark the first time Kingdom Hearts has received an officially released television or film adaptation. While an animated pilot for the franchise was produced for Disney Channel years ago, it never progressed into a full series. The newly announced project therefore represents the first major Kingdom Hearts adaptation to actually move forward as an official series.
With Kingdom Hearts IV also receiving major updates, the franchise is entering an especially busy period. Between the upcoming game and this new anime series, Disney and Square Enix appear ready to expand the universe to an even wider audience.
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