Kingdom Hearts II

Game Description

The surprising collaboration between Disney and Square Enix returns in this follow-up to 2002’s sleeper hit, Kingdom Hearts. Players will guide an older and more powerful Sora along with unlikely pals Goofy and Donald Duck in multiple worlds based on classic and contemporary Disney films. The action once again follows a party of three characters as they fight enemies, solve puzzles, and explore their cinematic surroundings from a third-person perspective. New features include a retooled camera system and a revamped combat engine.

The viewpoint is set farther back than in the original game, allowing players to see more of their surroundings, with the right analog stick used to further adjust the perspective. Kingdom Hearts II no longer includes platform jumping, focusing instead on the real-time combat. Sora can now perform double-team attacks and absorb the party’s powers to transform into one of five stronger entities. Players can also swap party members during the heat of battle, perform context-sensitive attacks, and control the abilities of summoned characters like Stitch or Chicken Little.

Another adjustment is the initially playable character. Sora takes a back seat to a young boy named Roxas at the game’s start, whose dreams help relay the storyline to those new to the Kingdom Hearts saga. Yet the biggest change in this sequel is the ability to visit new worlds from the Disney universe, including environments based on Steamboat Willie, Tron, The Lion King, Mulan, and Pirates of the Caribbean. Redesigned locales from the first game are featured as well, each offering alternate objectives to complete. As in the original, Kingdom Hearts II enlists the voice talents of such Hollywood stars as Haley Joel Osment, Mena Suvari, and Christopher Lee to bring the characters to life.

Apperence of Marluxia

Appearance

A tall, elegant Nobody with feminine features, Marluxia wears the basic Organization uniform of a black cloak, black boots, and black gloves. His hair is shoulder-length and rose pink with ruffles, though in the Gameboy version of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories this color was more muted, appearing closer to light brown. Marluxia's eyes are blue and his lips are pale pink.

Personality

Marluxia is quite deceptive in nature. He makes an attempt to rebel against the Organization by using Sora as a puppet to accomplish his goals. Personality wise, he is often portrayed as very arrogant and vain. For example, when Axel confronted Marluxia regarding his betrayal to the Organization, he only taunts Axel and leaves Sora to fight the latter. Like Xemnas, Marluxia has a habit of being overly dramatic and giving long speeches. He also takes great pride in his appearance. This is evident by the sakura petals that he often has surrounding him. He also flourishes his weapon after striking with it, occasionally leaving himself open, fitting his title in the organization. During battle, he uses unique tactics like a death counter to represent his devious personality. Also, it seems that by his tone of voice, which is dull and monotone, that Marluxia doesn't pretend to have emotions, like Xemnas or Saïx, and sticks to his true emotionless nature. However, he does smirk and laugh at some points.

Most importantly though, Marluxia seems to have an obsession with his superiority over the other Organization members. As the lord of Castle Oblivion, Marluxia has the ability to keep many members of the Organization under his own judgment. He even manipulates Vexen into fighting Sora by using Vexen's fear of Xemnas against him. Even though most of Marluxia's personality traits are negative, he does have a few positive aspects. Some of these include his devotion and persistence to succeed in his goals, continuing his plans to overthrow the Organization even after Axel's betrayal and the death of Larxene. He's a very adamant member of Organization XIII. Marluxia believes that he deserves more respect than he's given. All in all, Marluxia is a very egotistical, manipulative member of the Organization, who would stop at nothing to overthrow the Organization and become superior.

Abilities

Main article: Marluxia (Boss)

Main article: Marluxia (Second Form)

Main article: Marluxia (Third Form)

Marluxia fights using the attribute of Flower and wields a large, rose pink and dark green scythe. The petals he commands have the appearance of cherry blossoms in the Game Boy Advance release of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories but have been changed to resemble rose petals in his console game appearances. Marluxia has two forms in the original Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, and three in the Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories remake. While in basic nobody form, he can attack with his scythe normally, or use it to slash at an enemy from across a distance using energy waves.

Despite his arrogant nature, Marluxia has proven to be quite powerful. With his command of flowers, Marluxia can create a clone made of petals, send a flurry of blossoms at his opponent, and in Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, Marluxia uses a sleight in which he creates a powerful shockwave by hitting the ground with his scythe. Like the other Organization members from Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Marluxia moves by levitating. In the remake, he can also teleport freely. This is also the only form which he is constrained to the use of an actual deck.

In his first final form, Marluxia makes use of his mechsuit-like Nobody to slash at Sora with its scythe arms, or charge him and cause massive damage upon impact. He can also summon three petals to fire pink rays and fire blasts of energy from the bottom of the contraption. In the remake, the Nobody is also capable of harnessing darkness with which it can shroud the whole field.

Marluxia's additional final form in the PlayStation 2 remake brings Marluxia and Sora into combat upon a larger version of Marluxia's phantom mech floating in a starry-night environment surrounded by circulating rings. A large angelic Nobody stands behind him wielding a gigantic version of Marluxia's Graceful Dahlia. Marluxia is held immobile during this fight by Nobody thorns and is, therefore, unable to dodge most attacks.

From his stationary position, Marluxia fights mainly by commanding the Nobody, who can create shockwaves, shoot a sweeping laser, blow gusts of wind that prevent Sora from moving forward, and create a whirlwind that scatters all of Sora's cards, including his reload bar. Sora must then pick up the cards in order to reclaim them, including the reload bar. Marluxia's most notable sleight however, is that in which he shoots Nobody thorns that triggers a countdown timer similar to the recurring Final Fantasy spell "Doom", in which, if the counter reaches zero, the fight is instantly lost. He can also trigger the one rotating ring around the battlefield, causing it to fire lasers from all directions in addition to reusing the ray-shooting rose petals.

In Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Marluxia returns in an optional battle with new tactics. He begins the battle by whispering in Sora's ear, which causes a countdown timer to appear above Sora's head based on his current level, similar to the hit point condition of the Titan Cup, and then spends most of the battle attacking Sora relentlessly with his scythe, with each hit depleting the timer by one, though causing no additional damage.

If the timer reaches zero, Sora loses the battle, but the timer can be increased by using the Reaction Command "Rob Count", in which Sora grabs Marluxia's scythe, knocks him into the air and hurls the scythe at him, adding thirteen points to the counter. Marluxia also can conjure black circles which cover most of the floor and deal damage to Sora's HP, but leave the death timer unaffected. Marluxia also wheels around the floor swinging his scythe, and can hover above Sora attacking him with his scythe while making pillars sprout up from the ground and deal damage to Sora.

The Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories manga shows Marluxia using somewhat violent plant-based powers; he uses thorny vines to restrain Naminé in a manner similar to crucifixion, and summons a Venus flytrap that captures Naminé, Donald, and Goofy and nearly devours them.

In the original Kingdom Hearts Chain of Memories, the real Marluxia is only fought once, unlike most of the main antagonists like Ansem and Xemnas, who must be fought many times before they finally die.

Weapon

True to his title, the Graceful Assassin, Marluxia wields a large, elegant looking Scythe called the Graceful Dahlia in battle. The handle of the Scythe is a pastel green color, and the blade is a rose pink. This evokes an appearance of a plucked flower. The connection between them is yellow and resembles pieces of the Organization logo. Marluxia attacks with wide slashes and spins. He can also turn himself and his Scythe into a lethal pinwheel, and flies around the battlefield, causing heavy damage to anyone who cannot dodge out of the way. The names of his scythes always start with a descriptive term and follow up with the name of a flower, except for Stirring Ladle. He can use it defensively as well, twirling it around in a circle in order to block enemies' attacks

Marluxia in Kingdom Hearts

Marluxia

"As lightless oblivion devours you, drown in the ever-blooming darkness!"

—Marluxia, before the final battle in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

Marluxia (pronounced /mahr-loo-shuh/), the Graceful Assassin (優雅なる凶刃 Yūga-naru Kyōjin?, lit. Graceful Assassin's Blade), is Rank XI within Organization XIII, the lord of Castle Oblivion and the main antagonist of Sora's story in Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. He controls flowers, and uses his control to command beams of destructive energy from flower-themed minions, bombard the opponent with flurries of petals, and to attack opponents with his massive scythe.

Originally discovered by senior Organization members Xigbar and Xaldin, Marluxia is the mastermind of an internal rebellion in the Organization against Xemnas. Marluxia makes an appearance in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days and is a playable character in Mission Mode.

Story

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Like other members of the Organization, Marluxia aids Roxas in at least one mission. He is polite to Roxas in their mission. On the first, he teaches Roxas how to collect Hearts and explains to him about Heartless. He explains the differences between Pureblood Heartless and Emblem Heartless and to only attack Emblem Heartless to release Hearts. He also explains to Roxas that after he releases hearts, they form Kingdom Hearts, and that Roxas is the first one to accomplish this. This also shows his greed over the Keyblade. On the next, he helps Roxas fight some Dire Plants by The Old Mansion and Zip Slasher in Twilight Town. Later, he is assigned to Castle Oblivion with the other members.

Before Axel leaves for Castle Oblivion, it is revealed that Saïx knew about Marluxia's plans to overthrow the Organization. That is why he sent them and the other "suspicious" members to Castle Oblivion, along with Axel who was given orders to eliminate any of the members that planned to overthrow the Organization.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

"The Keyblade's power... How I've longed to make it my own!"

—Marluxia

Marluxia, working with Larxene and Axel, plots to overthrow the Organization. They formulate a plan to use a young girl named Naminé, who has a mysterious power over memory, to deceive Sora into thinking he had sworn to protect her, and then have her use Sora to help them defeat the senior Organization members. This plot stems from a rivalry between some of the younger Organization members and the original six core members. Vexen, Larxene, and Axel all do their part to feed Sora with information and lure him further into the castle. Each of them fight him on their own, although none of them use their full strength and throw the fights. They also make use of Vexen's Riku Replica to compete with Sora for Naminé's loyalty.

Marluxia and Larxene eventually learn that Vexen has been reporting back to Lexaeus and Zexion regarding their revolt. After Vexen loses control of the Riku Replica, Marluxia pronounces his project a failure, after which Vexen arrogantly protests, claims that his mastery over Castle Oblivion allows him the authority to do so. Marluxia threatens to tell "the Superior" of Vexen's failure, but Vexen pleads with him not to do so. Marluxia agrees not to if Vexen eliminates Sora. Although confused by the order, Vexen agrees, and heads Sora off in the Twilight Town world. He fights Sora for the second time, but is again defeated. Before he can reveal Marluxia's plans to use Sora, however, Axel destroys him on Marluxia's orders, making Vexen the first Organization member to be eliminated.

Axel's assassination of Vexen allows him to gain the full trust of Marluxia and Larxene. As Sora nears the top floors of the castle, Axel is left alone with Naminé to keep watch over her. Instead of keeping an eye on her, Axel allows her to escape, freeing her from Marluxia's control and ending her continued restructuring of Sora's memories, effectively ruining the plot to manipulate Sora into fighting the Organization. This prompts Larxene to attack Sora shortly after he defeats the Riku Replica for the final time, but she is killed in the struggle, leaving only Marluxia to carry out the plot.

Axel then confronts Marluxia, who is disgusted with Axel for betraying him, to which Axel replies that Marluxia is in fact a traitor to the Organization, and that Larxene paid the price for her own disloyalty. He then threatens to kill Marluxia, but Marluxia seems unfazed by this, stating simply "You can try.". The two then engage in battle, with Marluxia displaying an eerie speed. While they both attack one another powerfully, neither takes any actual damage and appear to be equally matched.

Marluxia makes Naminé appear in front of him, apparently as a shield to prevent Axel from attacking him further, but Axel laughs it off, saying he's willing to go through Naminé to get to Marluxia. Marluxia, however, tells Sora (who had just appeared in the room, much to Axel's surprise) that Axel was willing to hurt her and vanishes with a laugh, leaving Sora and Axel alone. Axel sneers at Sora for having become Marluxia's puppet after all, but Sora resolves to eliminate Marluxia right after he finishes Axel. The two fight, and Sora comes out the victor, but Axel escapes death and vanishes.

Sora pursues Marluxia into his inner chambers. Marluxia orders Naminé to completely erase Sora's memory and destroy his heart, hoping to rebuild him into something more to his liking afterward. However, Naminé, remembering Sora's kindness towards her, flat-out refuses the order, even when faced with death. Marluxia is perplexed when Sora orders Naminé to do so for her own safety, and even more so when the revived Riku Replica attacks. Confused and irritated that Sora and the replica would accept their memories of Naminé with the full knowledge that they are lies, Marluxia attacks them. Sora destroys Marluxia, but finds that the real Marluxia had been hiding in a back room and that his opponent had only been a clone. Sora advances into the final room to confront Marluxia, who has combined with his Specter (スペクター Supekutā?) in both Grim Reaper and Angel of Death-like forms. Sora defeats him again in the storyline's final battle, with Marluxia trying to reach Sora but then fades, making Marluxia the fourth Organization member to fall.

The manga version of these battles differs from the version of the Chain of Memories games. In it, Marluxia does not use alternate forms and is easily killed by Sora in the first battle. He is also surrounded by flowers or flower petals a good deal of the time. And he is sometimes even seen holding a rose. to

[edit]Kingdom Hearts II

While Marluxia doesn't directly appear in Kingdom Hearts II, he is seen guiding Sora towards Castle Oblivion in the last of Roxas's dreams. Sora also battles Marluxia's Absent Silhouette and Data Replica once he finds them.

Good Passage Share:Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Review

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days Review

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is a compelling action role-playing game that successfully blends Disney elements with an original cast and an absorbing plot that will both intrigue and surprise you. The game's fun battle system is exceptionally fast-paced, while new customization options, thrilling boss fights and an entertaining multiplayer mode will further hook you. 358/2 Days offers an enjoyable, nostalgic experience that never lets its simplicity or its occasional quirks undermine its appeal.

Tackle challenging heartless with ruthless combos and limit breaks.

The game's greatest draw is its gripping and beautifully simple story of friendship, which features some dynamic characters and a number of interesting twists. Rather than playing as series protagonist Sora, in 358/2 Days you assume role of Roxas, his "nobody": a mirror image bereft of memories. With nothing to cling to but a name and a dubious group called Organization XIII, Roxas hopes to recapture his past by defeating shadow monsters known as heartless. Plenty of familiar faces and Disney locales are faithfully woven into the story, but they never steal the plot's thunder as you unravel the Organization's dark secrets.

Unlike in previous games in the series, gameplay is broken up into challenging missions that let you set your own pace while encouraging exploration. Missions are staged throughout seven classic Disney worlds that are segmented, but you'll quickly encounter new areas to explore and fun platforming elements. You're afforded a lot of control over which tasks you accept, so you have the freedom to work on those that advance the story or dabble in extra assignments for greater rewards. Key tasks are sometimes repeated, which can get a little dull, but story events and surprise mini-bosses ensure that monotony rarely has a chance to set in. Other missions, such as exploring Agrabah's Cave of Wonders, increase immersion by altering objectives while you're on the field. For example, you might have to suddenly engage in aerial battles while searching for new heartless. A detailed map makes locating heartless easy, while a useful checkpoint system saves you from repeating objectives if you slip up.

The fun, fast-paced battle system occurs in real time and offers an exhilarating combat experience accentuated by combos. Comfortable controls and a variety of camera options make it easy to keep up with the action, while a convenient targeting mode frees you from hassling with the camera by locking it on a foe. A handy shortcut menu drastically cuts down on the amount of time spent cycling through items and spells in the midst of battle, which allows combat to flow smoothly in the toughest of fights. A fun chaining system rewards you with bonus points for defeating heartless within time restraints, adding a nice element of pressure. Lengthy combos, which are quick and easy to use, enliven the gameplay along with devastating limit breaks that you strategically activate when your health is low. Spellcasting is somewhat slow to respond, which is unfortunate when you're trying to heal yourself or a companion, but the only real annoyance is the minor slowdown you'll encounter when unleashing combos against large batches of foes. Crafty enemies keep combat enticing by employing a variety of effective tactics, such as repeatedly freezing you in place. Boss fights are especially fun and intense, with most bosses implementing clever tricks to test your mettle while requiring you to outmaneuver patterned attacks. Unfortunately, some bosses are so large that the camera hinders depth perception, but it's only slightly aggravating.

Roxas' abilities are governed through a unique grid-based panel system that lets you customize abilities according to your play style as you progress. It grants you the freedom to focus on one or a variety of different talents, such as magical prowess or speed, which is a refreshing level of personalization. Numerous panel types--from accessories to magic--directly impact your abilities when inserted into panel slots. You're also able to link panels by matching them up with special counterparts, providing drastic improvements. For example, linking a fire spell to a "double cast" panel lets you cast that spell twice. Though it may sound complex, the system is relatively easy to learn and lets you save different arrangements--such as one emphasizing magic and another focusing on physical attacks--as decks, so you can easily switch between strategies. The panel system's only oddity is that you're unable to tweak your abilities during missions, but this challenges you to use your limited slots effectively.

The impressive presentation features highly detailed environments that appropriately match their Disney sources. Moonlight filters through windows and shines on elaborate statuary decorating the Beast's castle, while Twilight Town's colorful sunset is soft and stunning. The 3D character models are comparable to their PlayStation 2 counterparts, which is a notable feat for the DS; however, texturing is a little muddled for character clothing, and jagged edges are noticeable. Some gorgeous cutscenes and good voicing highlight key plot elements, while the game's powerful, though largely recycled, soundtrack provides sweet melodies and invigorating battle music. The captivating opening theme, "Sanctuary," as performed by Japanese pop singer Utada Hikaru, is pulled from Kingdom Hearts II and sounds great. Sound effects, from explosions to the swipe of your keyblade, are clear and nicely embellish combat.

You'll spend roughly 30 hours completing the story mode, assuming you take the time to play through some practice missions and to search for cleverly hidden items. Unlockable challenge missions boost replayability by presenting you with tougher objectives while simultaneously restricting your abilities, such as having you defeat heartless without jumping. If you prefer more savage battles, you can adjust the difficulty level accordingly, which dramatically increases the game's intensity. A satisfying mission mode with a bevy of playable characters from Organization XIII lets you redo missions solo, or you can join up to three friends with their own copies of the game to show off your personalized combat style in co-operative play--a fun first for the series. Replaying missions from the story with friends at your side makes them significantly easier, but there's some fun to be had racing to collect coins before your friends get them all.

Kingdom Hearts: 358/2 Days stays true to the series by utilizing a variety of popular Disney worlds, an enthralling plot, and classic gameplay freshened up with fully customizable abilities. Though it has a few minor faults, it remains a charming and rewarding adventure that's a real treat to play.

Kingdom hearts 1 story plot

Here's a summary of the story:

Kingdom Hearts begins on Destiny Islands, where Sora, Riku, and Kairi live. The three friends want to leave the islands to explore new worlds and have prepared a raft for this purpose. One night, the islands are attacked by darkness and shadow creatures—the Heartless. Sora seeks out his friends, finding Riku, who disappears into darkness. At the same time, Sora obtains the Keyblade. The islands are presumed as destroyed, and Sora is left adrift. Meanwhile, King Mickey has left his world to deal with the increasing darkness and left instructions for mage Donald and knight Goofy to find the "key" that will save the King and the Worlds.

Donald and Goofy use the Gummi Ship to travel to Traverse Town, to where Sora has drifted. Sora encounters the Heartless again, and meets Leon, who explains the Heartless are beings that consume hearts, and that the Keyblade is the only weapon capable of defeating them. A man named Ansem, the leader of Leon's home world, is said to have studied the Heartless. Sora meets Donald and Goofy and the three decide to travel together; Donald and Goofy to find Mickey, and Sora to find Kairi and Riku. The three go to various worlds based on Disney films, finding that the Keyblade also locks "Keyholes", passages the Heartless use to take the heart of a world. A group of Disney villains, led by Maleficent, seek out the seven Princesses of Heart to unlock the Keyhole that leads to Kingdom Hearts, a repository of knowledge and power and the source of all hearts. This group includes Riku, whom Maleficent promises she will help in finding Kairi. Maleficent sows distrust in Riku, telling him Sora has abandoned him and Kairi for new friends and the Keyblade. An increasingly antagonistic Riku finds Kairi's body, but cannot find her heart.

Sora and his friends eventually arrive at Hollow Bastion, the homeworld of Ansem and the headquarters of Maleficent. Riku takes the Keyblade from Sora, revealing him as the true Keyblade master and that Sora only received it in his absence. Donald and Goofy, taking their order to follow the "key" seriously, leave with Riku. Sora challenges Riku, stating his heart derives strength from his friends; his friends return to him, as does the Keyblade. In his shame, Riku meets a cloaked man who goads him to give into the darkness. The three engage and kill Maleficent, but then meet a strangely-behaved Riku with a Keyblade that unlocks hearts. Sora finds Kairi's body and Riku, who reveals himself to be Ansem, possessing Riku's body. Ansem explains that Kairi is a Princess of Heart and her heart was trapped within Sora's body since Destiny Islands were destroyed. After defeating Ansem, Sora uses Ansem's Keyblade to unlock his heart by impaling himself, releasing both his and Kairi's heart. Kairi's heart returns to her body, in turn completing the final Keyhole, while Sora becomes a Heartless. Sora is restored to human form by Kairi and resolves to confront Ansem.

Ansem is found in End of the World, the combined remnants of worlds taken by the Heartless. Ansem explains his belief that the nature of the heart revolves around darkness, and he seeks Kingdom Hearts, as that would be the ultimate darkness. However, upon opening the door to Kingdom Hearts, it reveals its light, overwhelming and destroying Ansem. Beyond the door are King Mickey and Riku, and they help Sora and the others close the door, as there are many Heartless beyond it. Mickey and Sora use their Keyblades to lock the door. The worlds lost to the Heartless reconstruct themselves, separating Sora and Kairi. The game concludes as Sora, Donald, and Goofy resolve to find Riku and Mickey.

Kingdom Hearts 2 Ending

Kingdom Hearts Piano Medley

Locations of Kusagakure

Locations

Kannabi Bridge

Main article: Kannabi Bridge

The Kannabi Bridge (神無毘橋, Kannabi-kyō; Literally meaning "Bridge Where the Gods Do not Help") was a large bridge, spanning a river somewhere in Kusagakure. During the Third Great Shinobi War, this bridge was a vital part of Iwagakure's line of supply. Team Minato, led by newly-promoted jōnin Kakashi Hatake, were given the mission of destroying it. They eventually succeeded with the aid of the team's official leader, Minato Namikaze, although it did cost the life of Obito Uchiha.

Tenchi Bridge

Main article: Tenchi Bridge

The Tenchi Bridge (天地橋, Tenchi-kyō; Literally meaning "Heaven and Earth Bridge") is located somewhere in Kusagakure, spanning a deep ravine. It was here that Team Kakashi, led by Yamato, were to meet up with one of Akatsuki-member Sasori's spies, Kabuto Yakushi.

Trivia

The country Kusagakure resides in is currently unknown, but similar to Amegakure, the country has been called Land of Grass (草の国, Kusa no Kuni) by fans.

Some fans believe the Akatsuki member Zetsu is from this village based on his venus-flytrap plant appearance. However, his lack of a Grass headband with a slash mark is against this theory. Also, in the 3rd data book, Zetsu's profile section leaves his village of origin blank for unknown reasons. Also, in the card game, Zetsu's card states he orginates from Konohagakure.

Minato Namikaze and his son, Naruto Uzumaki, have both destroyed a bridge in this land.

Kusagakure in Naruto

Kusagakure

Kusagakure (草隠れの里, Kusagakure; Literally meaning "Village Hidden in the Grass") is located in a thus far unnamed country. Because it had Genin participating in the Chūnin exams organized by Konohagakure, it can be assumed the two villages are allied. Nothing is known about Kusagakure's general fighting style, or even if they have one. It can be inferred from the village's name that its shinobi use jutsu involving flora or possibly Earth Release techniques. Although it has never been named, the country Kusagakure is located in has been shown on several occasions. The country is rich with forests, some consisting of giant mushrooms or bamboo. It also seems to have many rivers and deep ravines.

During the Third Great Shinobi World War, the country was invaded by Iwagakure and served as an important front between Iwa and Konoha. More than a decade later, Orochimaru had a hideout somewhere in the country.

Kusagakure (草隠れの里, Kusagakure; Literally meaning "Village Hidden in the Grass") is located in a thus far unnamed country. Because it had Genin participating in the Chūnin exams organized by Konohagakure, it can be assumed the two villages are allied. Nothing is known about Kusagakure's general fighting style, or even if they have one. It can be inferred from the village's name that its shinobi use jutsu involving flora or possibly Earth Release techniques. Although it has never been named, the country Kusagakure is located in has been shown on several occasions. The country is rich with forests, some consisting of giant mushrooms or bamboo. It also seems to have many rivers and deep ravines.

During the Third Great Shinobi World War, the country was invaded by Iwagakure and served as an important front between Iwa and Konoha. More than a decade later, Orochimaru had a hideout somewhere in the country.

Kingdom Hearts

Good Passage about Kingdom Hearts

Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep takes players back to the beginnings of the KINGDOM HEARTS saga, long before Sora was chosen by his Keyblade. Players will explore iconic Disney worlds in a unique gaming experience that unfolds through the perspectives of three different main characters: Terra, Ventus and Aqua. Their journeys will take them through Sleeping Beauty’s Enchanted Dominion, the Dwarf Woodlands from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Deep Space from Lilo & Stitch. Additionally, Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep includes four all-new multiplayer modes that allow players to enjoy the action with their friends.

In celebration of the game’s launch, Square Enix and Sony Computer Entertainment America are introducing a limited edition KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep PSP Entertainment Pack, which brings together the stunning visuals of Kingdom Hearts: Birth by Sleep and the robust portable gaming experience only possible on the PSP system. Available in North America, this GameStop exclusive bundle will include a “Mystic Silver” PSP-3000 system, KINGDOM HEARTS Birth by Sleep on UMD (Universal Media Disc), a movie (title to be announced; movie content will not be related to KINGDOM HEARTS series.) as well as a 4GB Memory Stick PRO Duo.

Kingdom Hearts: Sora vs Roxas

Roxas in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days

"Why did the Keyblade choose me? I have to know."

—Roxas to Axel upon his departure from the Organization.

Roxas was born in Twilight Town and soon discovered by Xemnas, who gave him his name. Having nowhere else to go, Roxas joins the Organization in hopes of finding the answers he needs. On Roxas's fifth day, Xemnas places Roxas under Axel's watch, and the two soon become best friends. When he visits Twilight Town, sometimes he catches sight of three regular kids: Hayner, Pence, and Olette, and wishes to befriend them.

When Axel is sent to Castle Oblivion to interfere in Marluxia's plans to enslave Sora and overthrow Xemnas, Roxas is placed in charge of Xion, the newest member of the Organization and a girl about the same (physical) age as him. Though emotionally distant at first, Xion soon opens up to Roxas, revealing to him that she can wield a Keyblade, and the two become close friends after Roxas falls into a coma for several weeks, linked to Sora being placed in suspended animation by Naminé. After awakening, Roxas attempts to spend time with Axel and Xion, but he begins to react to the process of Sora's memory restoration, and begins to question why he wields the Keyblade and doubt the Organization's motives. At the time when he is at the Organization he begins a lot of missions involving visiting other worlds which cause Roxas to experience some of Sora's memories.

As he spends more time with The Organization, Roxas grows increasingly impatient towards his unanswered questions. Meanwhile, he still works actively to help the Organization in their plan for Kingdom Hearts, using the Keyblade to release the Heartless' hearts. However, Xion, seeking answers to her own questions, departs the Organization to find herself. Roxas soon follows her example and defects from the Organization himself. On his way, he is intercepted by Axel, who attempts to persuade him to stay, warning him that the Organization would destroy him due to his betrayal. However, Roxas remains indifferent, saying "No one would miss me", and continues on his way.

Roxas, Xion, and Axel during their time at Organization XIII

At some point, Roxas, while searching Twilight Town, encounters Xion, who has discovered the truth behind her own birth (that she is not a Nobody, but an imperfect replica of Sora created from his leaked memories by Xemnas in the event that Sora turned out to be useless to his plans for Kingdom Hearts) and is reprogrammed by Xemnas. Roxas is shocked to discover that Xion has taken on the appearance of his past self, and even more so when he discovers that Xion desires to become the 'real' Sora, and wants to absorb Roxas stating it was the reason why she was created. This is shown to be nothing, but a ruse, in connection to her thoughts by her Secret Reports. She is aware that they cannot coexist, that Roxas was in danger if so, and decided to willingly disappear, and not let Xemnas succeed: a fact that she states when she later dies.

Knowing that Roxas would not be able to kill her, and Axel had admitted that he could not either in his own Secret Report, she forces Roxas to fight her instead. Xion then transforms into a giant armored monster at the ready. After a long and grueling battle, Roxas defeats Xion, who regains her original appearance. Roxas, however, loses all of his memories of Xion after the battle. In her final moments, she informs Roxas of the true colors of the Organization, tells him that she is glad they were friends and pleads with him not to let Xemnas accomplish Kingdom Hearts before dying peacefully in his arms. At this moment, Roxas remembers Xion, but he is too late. Saddened, Roxas holds Xion's essence and degenerating crystallized body until she is completely gone, leaving behind a seashell on the ground, as he spills tears.

This marks the start of where he gains his signature ability to dual-wield, as he inherits Xion's Keyblade after her demise. The first time he uses them, it shows two Kingdom Keys, his and Xion's, which later transform into the Oblivion and Oathkeeper.

"How many times do I have to beat you!?"

—Roxas, engaging Riku

Riku, taking the form of Xehanort's Heartless, confronts Roxas at The World That Never Was.

Xion's absorbtion into Sora, along with the knowledge of Xemnas's true plans, only further strengthens Roxas's determination to find Sora and the answers that he seeks. Before that, however, Roxas returns to The World That Never Was, planning to "set Kingdom Hearts free", in compliance to Xion's last words. He also desires to save Xion from within him, hoping that freeing Kingdom Hearts would bring her back. Then, they could go back to Axel. Upon his arrival, Roxas is attacked at Memory's Skyscraper by countless Neoshadow Heartless, which surround him. Roxas draws out his Keyblades, ready to defend himself. However, after slaying many Heartless, he realizes there are too much to fight alone.

Luckily, Riku suddenly appears at the scene on top of the Skyscraper, and Roxas tosses him his Oblivion Keyblade as he runs up, and they both defeat the Neoshadows after in the ground. However, both immediately turn on each other when done. Roxas beats Riku at first, but Riku willingly unleashes his inner darkness and takes on the physical appearance of Xehanort's Heartless. Riku-Ansem disappears and reappears in front of Roxas, surprising him, before the Guardian grabs him and squeezes him hard enough to make him lose consciousness. DiZ then appears and opens up a portal to the old mansion in Twilight Town, where Roxas came into being and where DiZ resides.

DiZ aims to join Sora and Roxas together in order to help Sora wake up faster after regaining his memories. However, he knows the Organization is hunting fervently for their missing member, so DiZ places him in a virtual Twilight Town. There, Roxas would be kept safely away from the Organization while he lived as a normal boy, unaware of his past. Even though Roxas begins to forget about Xion, she tells him that she'll always remember him and Axel. It showed that when Roxas began to forget, cutscenes including him, Axel, and Xion were changed by Xion being erased.

Cloud

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories

"I'm not here for the Cup. Just Hercules. Today he loses more than the competition."

—Cloud

Cloud plays a much more important role in Chain of Memories. It is his plot that runs the course of him being an anti-hero. Cloud once again appears in the Coliseum, constructed from Sora's memories. Again, he serves as a mercenary for Hades. However, Cloud is working for Hades to regain his lost memories, not to find Sephiroth. Hades promises to help him, but only if Cloud competes in the games and kills Hercules.

Completely ignoring Sora, Cloud confronts Hercules. However, Cloud only manages to wear Hercules down. Hades, no longer having any use for Cloud, fires him and knocks him out. Hades then attempts to kill Hercules on his own now that he is exhausted. However, Sora interferes and defeats the God of the Underworld.

After the battle, Cloud wakes up. He apologizes for his actions. Sora again comforts him, saying that the important memories are never truly gone. Sora also says that even the tiniest thing can help a person remember things they thought they had forgotten. Cloud shows his gratitude for Sora's help by granting him the Cloud card. However, he declines Sora's offer of joining them.

Kingdom Hearts II

"Sorry to keep you, Sephiroth!"

—Cloud

Cloud appears once again in Hollow Bastion, garbed in his Advent Children attire, not to mention replacing the Buster Sword with the First Tsurugi from Advent Children Complete. He reveals to Sora that he is seeking to defeat his darkness, which is embodied by Sephiroth. He asks Sora to help him, but also warns him that Sephiroth will try and turn Sora to the darkness. During their meeting, Aerith also speaks to him. Not wanting her to follow him, he promises her that no matter how far he goes, he will always come back to Hollow Bastion. Though Aerith initially feels that he doesn't seem to be so sure, she is in the end confident in him.

Cloud also aids the residents of Hollow Bastion in defending against the Heartless invasion. He and Leon are seen at the Ravine Trail, back to back with their swords raised as Heartless surround them. The two banter playfully back and forth, then proceed to fend off the Heartless.

However, as he fights, he ends up separated from Leon, and Sephiroth makes his appearance. Cloud expresses his belief that once Sephiroth is defeated, his darkness will go away. However, Sephiroth reminds Cloud of his dark past, though it is not elaborated on. Cloud denies it, saying that Sephiroth doesn't know him, but the winged being says otherwise: "I know. Because...I am you."

Tifa, who had been searching fervently for Cloud, also arrives. However, her presence causes Cloud to see the light, making him wince. Sephiroth then vanishes, and Cloud runs off before Tifa can get to him.

Cloud is then seen with Leon again who is worried about Sora, Donald and Goofy. Cloud tells him to relax because those three aren't going down that easily. He also tells him before leaving that Sora is a lucky kid.

After the 1000 Heartless battle, Cloud keeps at a distance from the others and avoids fighting the Heartless from Space Paranoids, knowing that his friends have enough strength to fend off the MCP's tricks. After the MCP is defeated, he is seen once again with Leon when Tron shows them a sight of when their city was first built, and so reminded everyone of its true name.

Cloud, still searching for Sephiroth, can be found in the town center after this. Sora, having just fought Sephiroth, reveals that he is at the Dark Depths. Cloud then goes off to settle the score. Sora manages to get to Sephiroth first, and he asks where Cloud is. Just then, Cloud arrives, and Sephiroth makes more comments on how Cloud can never let go of his darkness. Cloud grows angry, demanding he shuts up, and the two battle. However, Sephiroth says that defeating him will be futile, for Cloud's darkness will always hold him back. Sephiroth's words begin to drag him into the depths of despair, but Tifa once again arrives.

Cloud warns her to stay away from Sephiroth, but she refuses, for she wants to help him. Sephiroth says that it is futile, for Cloud will always have darkness within him. Tifa doesn't deny this, but retorts that as long as he is surrounded in light, the darkness within him can't be reached. Tifa attacks Sephiroth as Cloud watches, but when flashes of light blind Cloud, Sephiroth attempts to strike Cloud. However, Cloud successfully parries the attack, and takes a stand between Sephiroth and Tifa. Tifa offers Cloud her light, and though Sephiroth insists that the light doesn't suit Cloud, he begins to glow with a bright light, and the fight resumes. In a final brilliant flash of light, Cloud and Sephiroth rise into the air, then vanish.

Goofy asks where Cloud went, and Sora explains that he went to fight a great battle. When Sora asks Tifa what she will do now, she says that she will just have to keep looking and that light is easy to find. Tifa then gives Sora the Fenrir Keychain as thanks for helping.

Cloud in Kingdom Hearts

Cloud

Cloud is a character in the Kingdom Hearts series, originating from the Final Fantasy universe. He is the main character in Final Fantasy VII and a supporting character in the Kingdom Hearts series. Cloud is twenty-two years old at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and twenty-three during the events of Kingdom Hearts II.

Story

Kingdom Hearts

"I’m looking for someone. Hades promised to help. I tried to exploit the power of darkness, but it backfired. I fell into darkness, and couldn’t find the light."

—Cloud

Cloud as he appears in Kingdom Hearts.

Cloud first makes his appearance in the Olympus Coliseum, striking a deal with Hades: if Cloud eliminates Hercules in battle, Hades will lead him to his nemesis Sephiroth. However, Cloud also has to fight Sora, so that he may move on to Hercules in the preliminaries rankings. After their battle, Cloud is either defeated, or comes out victorious, but refrains from killing Sora. The outcome of the fight does not affect the storyline, and the only reward for winning are the 80 experience points rewarded. However, as Cloud does not kill Sora, the results are not favorable for Hades; forcing him to summon Cerberus. The three-headed beast and guardian of the Underworld catches Cloud off-guard, pinning him to the ground.

At this point, Hercules comes to the rescue, defending the unconscious Cloud. Sora then moves in to finish the battle, giving Hercules the chance to take Cloud to safety.

Afterwards, Cloud waits at the entrance to the Coliseum, deep in thought. Sora asks him why Cloud worked for someone as shady as Hades, and Cloud replies that he was looking for someone, and tried to use the darkness to his advantage, but failed. He admits that he fell into darkness, and couldn't find the light. But Sora comforts him, saying that he too is searching for his light. Cloud then grants Sora the Sonic Blade ability, and walks off, but not before Sora offers a re-match. Cloud confidently says he'll pass, but later in the game, he can be fought in certain cups at the Olympus Coliseum.

Cloud eventually manages to find Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts: Final Mix. Cloud manages to locate Sephiroth in the Coliseum, and both express that they have been searching for each other. Cloud also feels that in order to awaken from his nightmare, he has to defeat his darkness; namely, Sephiroth. Sephiroth tries to convince him to turn to that darkness, but Cloud refuses, and the two battle. The outcome of the battle is unknown.

During the end credits, Cloud is led by Cid to Hollow Bastion, and reunites with Leon, Aerith, and Yuffie in the Library.

Naruto Anti Ninja The village of Konohagakure Black HeadBand

The Birth of Konohagakure and Madara's Revolt

Before Konoha was founded, shinobi were merely individual clans working as mercenaries for various daimyo. Of the countless ninja clans, the Uchiha clan and the Senju clan were the strongest at the time. After much bloodshed, the Senju clan offered a truce with the Uchiha. Despite their leader, Madara Uchiha's, protests, the clan overruled him, and he reluctantly agreed. Thus the Hidden Leaf Village was born. Soon, other countries began to adopt this system, leading to the birth of other villages, and peace was attained. However, when the leader of the Senju clan, Hashirama Senju, was chosen to be the leader of Konoha, Madara decided to challenge him for the sake of his clan. No Uchiha, however, would help him, for they despised him for trying to reignite the flames of war. Betrayed by everyone, Madara left the village so that he could challenge Hashirama by himself.

During their legendary battle at the Valley of the End, Madara was defeated, presumed killed, and was thereafter lost to history. Hashirama's younger brother, who became the Second Hokage, formed the Konoha Police Force, and gave it to the Uchiha clan supposedly as a symbol of trust; Madara claimed it was so that Konoha could easily keep an eye on the Uchiha, and keep them out of Konoha's governing. Many of the Uchiha clan members, who figured out this gesture's ulterior motive, began to rebel like Madara had. However, it was too late; the Senju clan became superior in the entire village, and the Uchiha clan was discriminated against and secluded, just as Madara had predicted. It was this grudge that led to the Uchiha clan's attempted coup d'état decades later, and, eventually, their demise.

Konohagakure in Naruto

Konohagakure

Konohagakure (木ノ葉隠れの里, Konohagakure no Sato; Literally meaning "Village Hidden Among Tree Leaves"; also known as "Village Hidden in the Leaves" or "Hidden Leaf Village"), or Konoha for short, is one of the five great ninja villages. As such, it is one of five villages with a Kage as its leader, known as the Hokage. There have been five Hokage, the most recent being Tsunade. On a mountain overlooking the villages from the north exists the Hokage Monument. The village resides in the Land of Fire. Although Konoha, much like the country in which it resides, has been relatively peaceful since the end of the Third Great Shinobi World War, it remains one of the most powerful villages in existence, and has great military power and influence.

Vampire Knight 2

Vampire Knight: Guilty

Kingdom Hearts Cosplay Hayner Shoes

Appearance

Hayner has brown eyes, light skin, dark eyebrows, and spiky, blond hair. He wears baggy, camouflage-print capris pants, a short, sleeveless, grey vest, and a black muscle shirt decorated with a white, crudely-drawn skull and crossbones. His shoes are the same camouflage pattern as his pants, but also sport white tips, grey soles, and each has two intersecting, black belts in place of laces. Hayner also wears a white necklace with a yellow "X" charm on it and a brown bracelet on his left wrist with several silver pins in it.

Personality

Hayner is impulsive and determined, and is always looking for a new adventure. He is bold to the point of recklessness, once even charging Axel unarmed. He gets bored easily during uneventful times, as demonstrated when he constantly pesters his friends to do something during their summer vacation. Hayner is also easily angered/irked, as shown in the very first scene in Twilight Town when he tells Pence, Olette and Roxas about how everyone labeled them thieves for stealing photos. He thirsts for some kind of recognition, as he is even irked when Roxas defeats him in the semi-final round of the Struggle tournament, leaving Hayner in fourth place (Hayner is soon moved up to third place when Seifer withdraws from the match).

editFighting Style

Main article: Hayner (Boss)

Hayner is a very offensive fighter. He isn't very good at counter-attacking or parrying and he tends to leave himself open after using his own attacks. Hayner will attack with a downward swing, a jumping uppercut, a stabbing attack, and a wide-arc swing. He doesn't seem to be very coordinated but can pack a lot of power.

Hayner in Kingdom Hearts

Hayner

Hayner appears in Kingdom Hearts II. He is voiced by Justin Cowden in the English version and Kazunori Sasaki in the Japanese version. He appears in Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days alongside Pence and Olette.

Contents

editJournal Entries

Kingdom Hearts II

A boy who lives in Twilight Town who has a bit of an attitude problem. Once he gets an idea, he has to LIVE it -- and Pence and Olette get dragged along for the ride.

There's bad blood between Hayner and Seifer -- the town's self-appointed "disciplinarian."

Story

He is good friends with Pence and Olette, and his group has a rivalry with Seifer's gang.

In DiZ's Simulated Twilight Town, he was Roxas's best friend. His boredom caused him to suggest that the group take a trip to the beach (prompting DiZ and Riku to intervene, as no virtual beach existed). In the Struggle tournament, he faces Roxas in the first round and loses. Hayner (or at least the virtual Hayner) holds loyalty and promises highly, and seen through his jealousy when he sees Roxas with Seifer and his emphasis on the promise he and Roxas made to share the winnings of the tournament. His jealousy is short-lived, though, as Seifer withdraws from the tournament and Hayner is moved up to third place, allowing him to share the winnings with Roxas.

In the real Twilight Town he and his friends don't mention Roxas at all, but seem to recognize Sora slightly, because they had met Roxas in 358/2 Days. Initially, he is somewhat hostile towards Sora, presumably because he, Donald, and Goofy barged in on their usual hangout while exploring Twilight Town upon their release from stasis, and mostly refuses to talk to them because they were busy with other matters at the time. However, he warms up to them and goes to see the trio off at the train station.

Hayner, Pence and Olette attempted to get into the Old Mansion when they discovered that there was an alternate Twilight Town, and they also wanted to search for Kairi, whom Hayner called "our friend too" - he was attacked by Dusks. However, he, being headstrong and street smart, along with his friends Pence and Olette, helped Sora and the gang find the way into the virtual Twilight Town. It was a tearful moment for the four of them. It had felt like they knew each other and were never going to see each other again.

Hayner is also a competent fighter and is seen facing off against his rival Seifer in the finals of the Struggle competition during the ending credits.

Different Media of Kingdom Hearts Chapters

V CAST

A Kingdom Hearts game was developed exclusively for V CAST, Verizon Wireless's broadband service, and was released on October 1, 2004 in Japan and on February 4, 2005 in the United States.It was one of the launch games for the V CAST services. The game, developed by Superscape and published by Disney Mobile with no involvement from Square Enix, features gameplay akin to the original Kingdom Hearts game, modified for the input method of mobile phones.

The first section begins with the protagonist of the original Kingdom Hearts, Sora, shipwrecked on a seemingly uninhabited island, his friends Goofy and Donald missing. Sora must find a way to escape the island, as well as reunite with Donald and Goofy. Reception of the first mission pack was mixed. The game was criticized for its awkward controls and limited availability. The visual appeal was praised; GameSpot stated Sora "is very detailed and well animated" and complimented the 3D environments.

Mobile

Kingdom Hearts Mobile is a Kingdom Hearts themed online community-based social gaming networking service was launched in Japan for NTT docomo mobile phones on December 15, 2008. It is an online platform where players could control avatars to socialize with other players and play mini-games together. Unlike Kingdom Hearts for the V Cast and Kingdom Hearts coded, Kingdom Hearts Mobile does not have a storyline and focuses more on socializing and mini-games as it is more of a service rather than a game. The service is in conjunction with Kingdom Hearts coded which unlocks new costumes for avatars in Kingdom Hearts Mobile whenever the player completes an episode of Kingdom Hearts coded. New Kingdom Hearts related merchandise such as wallpapers, ringtones, graphics and other items can be purchased and downloaded through the service for mobile phones.

Future Titles

3 new Kingdom Hearts games are in development: Kingdom Hearts III, Kingdom Hearts 3D, Kingdom Hearts Re: Coded.

Kingdom Hearts 3D for the Nintendo 3DS is the working title of the first of the three games. "3D" is a short form for the subtitle of the game which has not been revealed.The game will focus on Sora as well as Riku Nomura has previously stated that the game would be connected to 358/2 Days, coded and Birth by Sleep, and would be more of a main game than a spin-off or sidestory. The game was teased in a secret movie, titled Blank Points, shown as the secret ending to Birth by Sleep.

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded is a remake of Kingdom Hearts coded for mobile phones, also developed for the Nintendo DS, and was first revealed in an interview with series director Tetsuya Nomura in the July 2010 issue of Game Informer. The game, however, is not one of the three titles Nomura originally mentioned in April 2010.

Kingdom Hearts III is currently in the conceptual stages which would mean that it would be the last to be released out of the three upcoming games. Nomura said, “The series won’t end in Kingdom Hearts 3, more like the conclusion of the Xehanort saga.” It was also stated that "Sora will be the hero until the end" and will not be replaced by a new protagonist.This release schedule fits with a recent statement Nomura made in which he said he wanted to release at least one Kingdom Hearts title a year, with Kingdom Hearts III being released in 2012 at the earliest.The upcoming games were revealed during an interview with Nomura in March 2010 which was part of the Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Ultimania, a companion guidebook for Birth by Sleep by Square Enix.

Kingdom Hearts 358 2 Days

Characters

Further information: Characters of Kingdom Hearts, Sora (Kingdom Hearts), and Organization XIII

The game revolves around Roxas, who was first featured at the beginning of Kingdom Hearts II. Roxas is the Nobody of Sora, the series' main protagonist, born when Sora's body vanished as he briefly lost his heart and became a Heartless, and joining Organization XIII, a group of powerful Nobodies who served as the main antagonists of Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts II. Like Sora, Roxas has the power to wield the Keyblade, a weapon normally used for battling darkness. The other members of Organization XIII play a prominent role as well, particularly Axel, Roxas's best friend who debuted in Chain of Memories. The game also introduces a new member: Xion, a girl who resembles Sora's friend Kairi and can also wield the Keyblade.

Other characters who are featured include Naminé, a girl with the power to manipulate memories; DiZ, an enigmatic man wrapped in bandages; Riku, Sora's best friend; and King Mickey, Riku's ally and ruler of Disney Castle. Sora, the main character of the previous games, is featured prominently in the plot, along with his allies Donald Duck and Goofy, though they appear quite infrequently in the form of several flashbacks and memory-induced scenarios. Also appearing are Pete, a persistent villain who first appears in Kingdom Hearts II, and Hayner, Pence, and Olette, a trio of friends living in Twilight Town who also debuted in Kingdom Hearts II. As with the other games in the series, each Disney world features several characters who appear in the films their worlds are based on; on the other hand, no Final Fantasy characters are featured apart from Moogles, who manage shops for the Organization.This game features 19 playable characters, which is the most playable characters ever featured in a Kingdom Hearts title to date.

Story

When Sora loses his heart and becomes a Heartless in Kingdom Hearts, his Nobody, Roxas, is created. Unlike most Nobodies, however, Roxas lacks knowledge of his past life as Sora since the real Sora had been restored to his original form; in exchange for that, however, he gains a capacity for emotions.Roxas is discovered in Twilight Town by Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII, and recruited as its thirteenth member. Each day, Roxas is sent on missions to other worlds, alone or accompanied by a fellow member, to destroy vast quantities of Heartless with his Keyblade and release stolen hearts, learning that his actions will further the Organization's ultimate goal to summon Kingdom Hearts and allow them to become complete beings.

Over his first few days in the Organization, Roxas is placed under the mentorship of Axel, the Organization's eighth member. The two end up becoming close friends and meet up with each other at the Twilight Town clock tower each day after missions to eat sea-salt ice cream together and talk about what's on their minds. One day, Axel is stationed at Castle Oblivion along with a group of other members, leaving Roxas to be partnered with a girl named Xion, the Organization's mysterious fourteenth member who was inducted shortly after Roxas and, like Roxas, has no memory of her past and has the power to wield the Keyblade. Xion is initially quiet and emotionless, but begins to open up to Roxas, who suggests that she becomes friends with him and Axel once he returns. However, Roxas soon falls into a coma and does not revive until several weeks later.

As DiZ and Naminé watch over Sora while he sleeps to restore his altered memory after the events of Chain of Memories, Roxas begins to experience the process for himself, growing increasingly curious about why he can wield the Keyblade. In addition, he learns that all of the Organization members stationed at Castle Oblivion have been annihilated, and that Xion has vanished. Roxas is saddened by his friends' disappearance, but Axel soon returns and helps Roxas find Xion. However, Xion has mysteriously lost her ability to use the Keyblade. Roxas and Axel cover for Xion until she finally remembers how to summon the Keyblade via retraining, and the three become close friends.

Later, Xion is thrown into disarray over the nature of her existence after battling and losing to Riku, who is working behind the scenes dressed as an Organization member, and distances herself from her friends to learn more about herself. She eventually discovers that she is not a Nobody, but an imperfect replica of Sora created by Xemnas from his scattered memories, planning to use her and Roxas as alternatives, in case Sora proves useless to their cause. Furthermore, Naminé's attempts to restore Sora's memories affect not only Roxas, but Xion as well, preventing Sora from regaining his memories.Torn between staying with her friends and merging with Sora as per Riku's advice,Xion eventually decides to make the decision best for everyone and attempts to escape from the Organization, particularly when her powers begin to increase dramatically while Roxas inversely grows weaker. However, she is forced to fight off her friends, who are ordered to track her down whenever she escapes. Understanding the situation, Axel eventually allows Xion to escape, but loses Roxas's trust. Upon learning the truth about Xion from Xemnas, Roxas begins to doubt the Organization's motives and his own identity. Finally frustrated with his unanswered questions, Roxas leaves Organization XIII, leaving Axel dejected.

At Twilight Town, Roxas is attacked by Xion, who reveals that she had been created by Xemnas to absorb Roxas and become the "real" Sora.However, after a grueling battle, Xion allows Roxas to defeat her and requests that he release Kingdom Hearts and put an end to Xemnas's plan before her body dissipates and return to Sora, causing everyone's memories of her to slowly vanish. While heading back to do so, hoping to revive Xion and renew his friendship with her and Axel, Roxas encounters and battles Riku, who was dispatched by DiZ to capture him.When Riku is defeated, he taps into the suppressed darkness in his heart, granting him the power necessary to subdue Roxas, but also giving him the body of Ansem, who resides in his heart.Riku subsequently brings Roxas to DiZ, who inserts Roxas into a virtual simulation of Twilight Town without any of his Organization memories so that Roxas may eventually merge with Sora and complete the restoration of his memories, setting the stage for Kingdom Hearts II.

Development

358/2 Days was developed by h.a.n.d. with Square Enix employees overseeing the process. The game was directed by Tetsuya Nomura and co-directed by Tomohiro Hasegawa.In 2007, Nomura mentioned he wanted to do a spin-off Kingdom Hearts game on a mobile platform and wanted the game to play slightly different than the other titles already in the series.358/2 Days was announced alongside Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep and Kingdom Hearts coded at the Tokyo Game Show on September 20, 2007, where a trailer was shown in a photo-prohibited theater.New trailers were shown and a playable demo was available at the 2008 Jump Festa in December 2007 and the DKΣ3713 Private party in August 2008. Both single player and multiplayer demos were featured. Xion was also shown in the new trailer and in the multiplayer demo.

The Nintendo DS was chosen as the system before plans were decided. The development team wanted to have gameplay similar to previous Kingdom Hearts titles, but stated the number of buttons on the Nintendo DS was a problem. Some of the DS's functions, like the stylus, are not used in order to retain the similar gameplay from previous titles.Roxas seeing Sora's memories is incorporated throughout the game and has different types of gameplay for each world.The game's logo uses warm colors as a reference to the sunset in Twilight Town. The title, "358/2 Days", is a code that Nomura has stated the player will understand the meaning of at the very end of the game, though hinted in a recent trailer, and the word "day" is attached to the title as a reference to the daily life of Organization XIII.Though Birth by Sleep was the first of the three new games to begin development, 358/2 Days was released before it.The game was slated for a release at the end of 2008, but Square Enix pushed the date to February 2009. Once again the game was delayed for Japanese release until May 30, 2009. A release in North American territories was announced on December 2, 2008.The official English trailer for the title was shown at Nintendo's press conference at E3 2009, confirming a release date of September 29, 2009 for North America and October 9, 2009 for Europe.