Nomura: The Kingdom Hearts Keyblade was originally a chainsaw
by JC Fletcher 
{ Jul 8th 2009 at 9:58PM } 
The ensemble-cast design of the games, for example, stemmed from a disagreement between Square and Disney over the protagonist: "Square wanted to make a game starring Mickey Mouse," Nomura said, as translated by 1UP, "and Disney wanted a Donald Duck title. Meanwhile, I wanted neither." The resulting compromise was "a game featuring lots of characters without focusing on any particular one."
The Keyblade weapon, despite being an early component of the game, was not Nomura's first idea for a signature weapon. "Actually," he said, "the first weapon I showed Disney was a chainsaw. It was this chainsaw-like weapon that I had a rough sketch of when I first showed my concepts to Disney."
Disney reacted pretty much like you would expect Disney executives to react to the heavy use of a chainsaw in a game about Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck: "Everyone got this scrunched-up look on their face and nobody said a word in the entire room. Dead silence. And I thought 'No, I guess this wouldn't work, huh?'"
It occurred to us that the chainsaw was the perfect Nomura weapon, because the teeth on the chain are reminiscent of those on a zipper.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bubbameister33 @ Jul 8th 2009 10:04PM
Chainsodomy Hearts.
Access Granted @ Jul 9th 2009 2:58AM
I must admit I smiled when I read that. LOL.
mgsrocks1 @ Jul 9th 2009 3:05AM
Chainsodomy Heart it is! Look at the black chainsaw photoshoped between the Disney and Squaresoft logos above the heart. :D
feroz @ Jul 9th 2009 5:57AM
Crap... I read that as Chain-Sodomy Hearts... and with that came a VVVVVVEEEEEERRRRRYYYYYY bad image
Longhorn of Myon [PSN: MariusElijah] @ Jul 8th 2009 10:05PM
A chainsaw would have ruin the game for me, i like the keyblade I wouldnt want a "mature" game with mickey on it
P.S. Dear Nomura
Give me KH3 already
Jack_Jackington @ Jul 8th 2009 10:14PM
I agree with on that. I would have liked to fight someone with a chainsaw-esque weapon (chainsaw blade?)
Sly @ Jul 8th 2009 10:37PM
how do you agree if what you said is the exact opposite of what he said?
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 8th 2009 10:41PM
I too await KH3 :O
J.Goodwin @ Jul 8th 2009 10:41PM
I thought he was saying that he wouldn't want a protagonist with a chainsaw, but he'd like to fight an enemy that was using a chainsaw.
Sly @ Jul 9th 2009 3:52AM
i suppose that makes sense.
ssuk @ Jul 9th 2009 4:09AM
Kingdom 358/2 Days and Birth By Sleep should keep you going. Haven't played BBS, but 358/2 is very, very good. I was expecting it to be Chain of Memories 2, but no; it plays just like the console games. It's great. 30 hours long too, that's without considering the 4 player mode as well.
... Bosses are the most ungodly things ever crafted, however.
jarhead906 @ Jul 8th 2009 10:06PM
Hurry and give us KH III. Just make sure to make it more like KH instead of KH II. We don't need QTE. Incorporate more Square/FF characters too.
DBuck_Eye @ Jul 8th 2009 10:15PM
And while you're at it, Nomura, fetch me some wine with a side of cheese while you rub my feet.
xtremeholymuffin @ Jul 8th 2009 10:56PM
But keep the level design of KHII, yesh?
I don't very much like walking around randomly hoping to trigger some sort of event.
xtremeholymuffin @ Jul 8th 2009 10:57PM
Also, I liked the QTE, but I'd rather they have some sort of challenge to them.
devilsei @ Jul 9th 2009 1:03AM
Honestly, the only issue I had with the Reaction Command, was during the 100/1k heartless fight where the only things to fight were generic heartless 1-3, and the "use my reaction command to kill 100 heartless at once!" heartless, with emphasis on the latter ruining it.
If it was varied more heavily, and had you fighting more than like 10-20 at once, it would of been truelly epic.
Otherwise, don't call it a QTE. It isn't required for anything besides a few things, and doesn't invade the game so heavily like Ninja Blade or RE 5. It adds to the game play, not detracts from it. Besides, I rather loved the "Shadow of the Colosus"-esque fight with Lion-Sora and its "reaction commands".
Mr Khan @ Jul 9th 2009 11:32AM
More disney crossover, less Final Fantasy, i say. We have dozens of Final Fantasy games and spinoffs to get our FF fix, but where do we get a *good* disney game anymore?
Rhamsey @ Jul 8th 2009 10:07PM
I can see it now, Sora on top of a dead heartless yelling "Hail to the king baby"
devilsei @ Jul 9th 2009 1:04AM
Or, holding up his Keyblade and shouting
"This... Is my.... KEYSTICK!"
Sly @ Jul 8th 2009 10:10PM
a chainsaw would be awesome! you can never go wrong with a chainsaw.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 8th 2009 10:15PM
Correct. ALWAYS!!
jordan @ Jul 8th 2009 10:15PM
what do u do in this game ...i just got no1 but just finishing off mgs seris first this is next....is it worth it??
eat my face @ Jul 8th 2009 10:17PM
play it..... its gewd
ArchiGamer @ Jul 8th 2009 10:18PM
It's TOTALLY worth it.
VeHeMeNcE @ Jul 8th 2009 10:15PM
A chainsaw makes everything better....
nukee @ Jul 8th 2009 10:16PM
Good thing they changed it. But for the love of god, can they at least announce Kingdom Hearts 3 already.
deanb @ Jul 8th 2009 10:39PM
"Kingdom Hearts 3 is coming" good enough?
ArchiGamer @ Jul 8th 2009 10:16PM
Anything with chainsaws are ok with me.
eat my face @ Jul 8th 2009 10:19PM
give me birth by sleep godammit!!!!!....... please =]
ArchiGamer @ Jul 8th 2009 10:40PM
This.
S. Tiger @ Jul 8th 2009 10:24PM
Gears of Kingdom Hearts
AvA (ice~) @ Jul 8th 2009 10:30PM
these "Gears of _____" joke things are getting really stupid and redundant....
Gibbeynater @ Jul 8th 2009 10:37PM
How about Kingdom Hearts OF WAR instead?
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 8th 2009 10:37PM
Gears of hearts anyone?
Maverick Saturn @ Jul 8th 2009 10:39PM
Or just Kingdom of war to annoy AvA
ArchiGamer @ Jul 8th 2009 10:40PM
Hearts of Wars
AvA (ice~) @ Jul 8th 2009 11:07PM
:'(
bongoes @ Jul 8th 2009 11:34PM
MadHearts? KingdomWorld? Still has chainsaws, but it's not Gears of War.
S. Tiger @ Jul 9th 2009 2:50AM
To AvA (ice~)'s first comment, I honestly don't care for Kingdom Hearts. I found Tales of the Abyss to be the better game.
j.howlett @ Jul 8th 2009 10:29PM
he should of called it a zipper blade, maybe it would have come across better
ShadowSkill11 @ Jul 8th 2009 10:31PM
Holy crap! A chainsaw would have been awesome in the Kingdom Hearts games. I can see Sora jumping onto Snow Whites Evil Step Mother with the camera zooming in on his face saying "It eats Meeeaaaaattttttt!!!! HAHAHAHA!!!!!"
Nice....
Traceur_Ryuk (PSN: Ryuk_shinigami) @ Jul 8th 2009 10:51PM
I actually laughed out loud...
Neo Senku @ Jul 8th 2009 11:38PM
i screamed what out quite loudly
Hoopla @ Jul 8th 2009 10:34PM
Hey Nomura! Learn to design characters!
Tyler @ Jul 8th 2009 10:58PM
This.
WINterfang @ Jul 9th 2009 1:58AM
Message got downvoted.
Valamphias @ Jul 8th 2009 10:37PM
Clever job in Photoshop there. :)
Also, I'm relieved they didn't go with the chainsaw as the main weapon. I love games with chainsaws as much as the next guy, but Kingdom Hearts wouldn't be Kingdom Hearts without the keyblade.
ArchiGamer @ Jul 8th 2009 10:41PM
Wow, totally did not notice that.
RunsWithFire @ Jul 8th 2009 10:41PM
Correct me if I'm wrong, and it has been a while, but...
Fenrir *one of the keychains to change your blade* in KH2 was a Chainsaw-esque weapon, was it not?
ArchiGamer @ Jul 8th 2009 10:44PM
It was more of a regular key such as those for cars and houses, can't recall what their called though.