It has been an astonishing 1,084 days since the announcement of Kingdom Hearts 4. As the franchise known for its annual releases has fallen silent for years, fans of Kingdom Hearts are experiencing an unprecedented drought of updates. In a surprising twist, series director Tetsuya Nomura has emerged from the shadows to share intriguing new lore about the iconic paopu fruit, leaving publisher Square Enix scratching their heads.
In honor of the 23rd anniversary of the original Kingdom Hearts, Square Enix sought to extract fresh insights from Nomura, specifically focusing on the significance of the star-shaped paopu fruit that is central to the story of protagonist Sora’s home island. A recent social media post elaborates, “In the game, it’s said if two people share a paopu fruit, their destinies become intertwined.” Curious fans naturally want to know more.
The response from Nomura was both amusing and perplexing. When asked whether there were any “untold stories” surrounding the fruit, he tantalizingly replied, “You mean the Paradise of Promise?” This answer left Square Enix’s social media team visibly confused, prompting them to ask if the term paopu derived from “combining the words Paradise of Promise.”
Nomura: “Or was it Paradise of Pure?” SE Team: “Hmm?!” Nomura: “I guess there are no particular untold stories.” And there you have it, a fun fact after 23 years! March 28, 2025
In true Kingdom Hearts fashion, Nomura continued with his playful ambiguity by mentioning “or was it Paradise of Pure?… I guess there are no particular untold stories.” The social media team, reflecting the collective bafflement of the fanbase, could only respond with “Hmm?!”
Having been a fan of Kingdom Hearts for most of my life, I find myself stumped by the implications of “Paradise of Promise/Pure.” Whether we unravel the mystery in Kingdom Hearts 4 or through future social media posts remains to be seen. It may also be that this elusive information stays forever locked in Nomura’s mind. Regardless of how it unfolds, it’s certainly amusing that the most substantial news we have about Square Enix’s highly anticipated game revolves around an obscure piece of fruit lore that has even left the publisher in a state of confusion.
After voicing Sora in 12 RPGs, the Kingdom Hearts actor contemplates if it might be best for the beloved series to conclude: “Even if you have something that you love.”