News ► Kingdom Hearts III theme song still under consideration

[Oracle Spockanort]

The 624 issue of Dengeki PlayStation features a brand new interview from Kingdom Hearts series director Tetsuya Nomura where he discusses the development of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue and briefly touches on Kingdom Hearts III. In the interview with Dengeki, he confirms that the theme song for Kingdom Hearts III is still under consideration.

Nomura mentions that the arrangement of Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8's theme song, "Hikari - Ray of Hope MIX-" in Japanese and "Simple & Clean -Ray of Hope MIX-" in English, was timed well with Utada Hikaru's return to music. 

The theme song for Kingdom Hearts III has been major topic brought up by fans around the world over the years since Utada announced back in an interview with JETANNY in 2009 that she would not return to making music for the franchise. Teruzane Utada said they rejected Disney's offer due to them paying little for the work that was being put into each song made for the Kingdom Hearts series. Hikaru Utada further explained that it was hard working with melodies made for the Japanese lyrics she wrote, then changing them into English. The iconic Japanese pop singer felt that it ruined the intergity of her work.

In 2011, Utada went on a five year hiatus and made her return to music in 2016 with the release of her latest album titled Fantôme. Recently she acknowledged Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 in a Tweet following the release of the Tokyo Game Show 2016 trailer featuring the new remixes of "Hikari" and "Simple & Clean". 

What do you guys think about the theme song for Kingdom Hearts III still being undecided? Do you think Utada will return to do the theme? Let us know on the forums!

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[gosoxtim]

Re: Kingdom Hearts 3 theme song still under consideration

honesty master spockanort it up to utada if she want to come back or not and i hope she does but my question will disney allow to do what she want to do

 

[Divine Past]

Re: Kingdom Hearts 3 theme song still under consideration

 

[BlackOsprey]

Re: Kingdom Hearts 3 theme song still under consideration

to be fair, that song's the main gist of the Key To Return Hearts' purpose.

 

[gosoxtim]

evanscene huh if disney and square can get them like how ffxv got stand by me form florence and the macahine for stand by me then ill be okay with evanscene bring me to like for kh3 if utada isnt doing that it is

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

evanscene huh if disney and square can get them like how ffxv got stand by me form florence and the macahine for stand by me then ill be okay with evanscene bring me to like for kh3 if utada isnt doing that it is

I mean I love Amy Lee but if they paid for Evanescence, they can afford Utada lol.

But what do they have to do with anything???

 

[gosoxtim]

I mean I love Amy Lee but if they paid for Evanescence, they can afford Utada lol.

But what do they have to do with anything???

my problem is if utada come back will disney alow utada do what she want to do like make a song they want it meant to be osng and not a english song if they allow that then she will come back but if not then i see a proablem of her coming back

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

my proablem is if utada come back will disney alow utada do what she want to do like make a song they want it meant to be osng and not a english song if they allow that then she will come back but if not then i see a proablem of her coming back

Well, that is why Utada has Universal and her father to put on the pressure for these kinds of negotiations. Disney has had songs in foreign languages for their English film releases so having a Japanese only or Japanese-English hybrid song in a Japanese video game shouldn't be a problem for them.

If it is about accessibility, they can do one song in English for a worldwide audience.

All theoretically, of course.

 

[Caxinuld]

As much as I want to see Utada make a new theme song, I don't think it will happen & I think someone else should be given a chance to create an amazing and memorable theme song for both the Japanese & English versions of KH3.

 

[LightUpTheSky452]

^

As much as I would like Utada Hikaru to return, if she can't... Please get someone new to create a song and perform it, please.

The main games (at least 1 and 2) had a habit of having brand new songs that were sung for them, and I really don't want 3 to break that tradition.

...Even if it does end up being someone other than Utada Hikaru, sadly.

Also, I'm starting to worry that maybe 3 is having more issues than any of us foresaw... What with Nomura not knowing to do with the theme song, and Yoko Shimomura sounding like she hasn't gotten that much done for the game yet, maybe. IDK.

 

[gosoxtim]

Also, I'm starting to worry that maybe 3 is having more issues than any of us foresaw... What with Nomura not knowing to do with the theme song, and Yoko Shimomura sounding like she hasn't gotten that much done for the game yet, maybe. IDK.

yoko been busy with ffxv so she proabally doesn't have time to make songs for kh3 plus she was making song for 2.8 aswell as for the theme song that comes last and he probally will contact utada or someelse next year

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Also, I'm starting to worry that maybe 3 is having more issues than any of us foresaw... What with Nomura not knowing to do with the theme song, and Yoko Shimomura sounding like she hasn't gotten that much done for the game yet, maybe. IDK.

Music composition/recording is usually done later on in the development of a project. If anything is recorded early it is because they need it for marketing or demonstration purposes.

But you need a game developed to a certain point so a composer isn't making songs that don't get used or don't fit where they were supposed to go because a scene changed.

 

[Chuman]

Look I'm not saying it should be sia with kanye west and yoko producing

But

 

[Divine Past]

I mean I love Amy Lee but if they paid for Evanescence, they can afford Utada lol.

But what do they have to do with anything???

I'll sing the song for 75% of what they pay Utada.

 

[gosoxtim]

Music composition/recording is usually done later on in the development of a project. If anything is recorded early it is because they need it for marketing or demonstration purposes.

But you need a game developed to a certain point so a composer isn't making songs that don't get used or don't fit where they were supposed to go because a scene changed.

plus doesnt yoko need to know disney or whatever ip is being used as well so she can watch it and try to coperate her style into the songs

 

[Muke]

I do think Utada will return, and if not that's fine, too. mai kuraki pls

 

[kirabook]

I don’t know how I feel about Utada and the KH3 theme song.

On one hand, I would love for her to return one more time to end the Xehanort saga. I love much of her music, KH or not. There's something special about it and giving KH3 that one last song would be nice.

On the other hand, it always seems like she hates/dislikes doing it? Mostly when it comes to making the English version of the same song. If she doesn't want to do it, then please just find someone else. There are other Japanese/English singers, and they might be interested in the challenge of making a song in both languages.

To me, it seems like the easiest thing to do would be making the song in both languages first rather than trying to translate it and fit it into the rhythm later. But every artist has their own method I guess...

I'm sure Yoko Kanno has a list of voices she can provideeeeee

 

[VoidGear.]

"Under consideration"?
Does this mean "we're still considering paying Utada properly" or rather "we're still considering just reusing Hikari yet AGAIN"?

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

"Under consideration"?
Does this mean "we're still considering paying Utada properly" or rather "we're still considering just reusing Hikari yet AGAIN"?

They have no intention of using an old song again. It's THE big game.

 

[Kounelli]

On the other hand, it always seems like she hates/dislikes doing it? Mostly when it comes to making the English version of the same song. If she doesn't want to do it, then please just find someone else. There are other Japanese/English singers, and they might be interested in the challenge of making a song in both languages.

This is how I feel too, nothing against Utada, after all it is her choice, but I always find it to be a let down when someone doesn't enjoy creating content for things that they have been a part of for a long time. It's just disappointing and I would rather it go to someone else.