10 Magical Drinks From The Kingdom Hearts 20th Anniversary Cafe!

On March 28, 2002, Japanese video game developer Square, best known for its role-playing video game franchise Final Fantasy, released a new and ambitious project. This game released for the Sony Playstation 2 was a new kind of fantasy, one that would span across multiple worlds and integrate the Japanese anime-style characters of Final Fantasy with the beloved animated characters from Walt Disney Studios. This game was Kingdom Hearts.

The first game’s plot revolves around a fourteen-year-old boy named Sora, who spends his time dreaming of sailing off to sea to discover other worlds with his best friends Riku and Kairi. But there are mysterious forces that are at play, and soon Sora’s homeworld is destroyed by a sinister force of darkness known only as the Heartless, and with it his friends. Sora is dropped into a place known as Traverse town where he soon meets Donald and Goofy, on a mission from King Mickey. Sora’s world is not the only one that has been consumed by darkness, and Mickey has sent out his trusted friends for a task that could restore them. They have come from Disney Castle to find the Keyblade wielder, the one chosen to carry the greatest weapon against the forces of darkness and seal the barriers between worlds once again. Sora is that chosen one, and he is willing to take on anything to save his friends, especially his beloved Kairi.

Alongside Donald and Goofy, the player journeys as Sora to take on new worlds and fight the forces of evil. They will find Alice in Wonderland, train with Hercules at the Olympus Colosseum, swing in the Deep Jungle with Tarzan and Jane, go on a magic carpet ride with Aladdin in Agrabah, and join Jack Skellington for spooky fun in Halloweentown. They will fight Hades Lord of the Dead, Grand Vizer and Sorcerer Jafar, the Sea Witch Ursula, “that no-account” Oogie Boogie, and more- all of whom are led by the leader of the Disney Villain council herself Maleficent, Mistress of all evil. But even at the conclusion of this grand adventure- which finds our heroes going to the end of the world itself- there were still more dangers to fight. The sequel Kingdom Hearts 2 (KH2) debuted on December 22, 2005, and a third of the trilogy Kingdom Hearts 3 (KH3) debuted on January 25, 2019. Each game-opening new Disney worlds to explore alongside fans’ beloved heroes.

Ahead of the first game’s 20th anniversary Square Enix announced that it would host a Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event at its Square Enix Cafe location in Akihabara, Tokyo. A secondary event would also be held at the Artnia location in Shinjuku. The Kingdom Hearts 20th-anniversary event at the Square Enix and Artnia cafés will be held from March 26 to May 6, 2022. The event itself will be split into two parts. The first part of the event will begin on March 26 and last until April 15, 2022. And the second part of the event will be held from April 16 to May 6, 2022. Giving fans plenty of time to try and make the trip for the once-in-a-lifetime celebration.

The Kingdom Smoothie

This delicious-looking mango and apricot smoothie is based on the most iconic item in the Kingdom Hearts franchise. The Kingdom Key is the most recognizable and the very first Keyblade to appear in the Kingdom Hearts series, wielded by hero Sora, and is the form that is seen in almost all depictions of the weapon. It has appeared somewhere within every single game in the series. It represents the light of the Keyblade wielder.

Dark Memories

This black grape and blueberry smoothie is a representation of a weapon used by the forces of darkness. “The Oblivion” is a keychain for Sora’s keyblade. The Keyblade’s name means a “state of forgetting or having forgotten” in Japanese. The Oblivion is often associated with the memories that are passing away. In Kingdom Hearts, the Oblivion is found in a chest in the Grand Hall, after Sora defeats his best friend Riku. This parallels Riku being overtaken by Darkness.

Destiny Island Smoothie

This watermelon pineapple smoothie is blue like the clear waters of Sora’s homeworld, with bright garnishes like the sunset over the water. Destiny Islands is the homeworld of Sora, Riku, and Kairi, three of the series’s main characters. The island is the chief hideout and hangout spot for the friends. This is the location of the origin story of the friendship between the three, a friendship that is the catalyst for the entirety of the series.

The Mysterious Tower

A sweet strawberry smoothie with a hint of tart lemon is perhaps the perfect embodiment of the sorcerer who lives in this Kingdom Hearts landmark. The Mysterious Tower is a world that first appears in Kingdom Hearts 2. The Mysterious Tower serves as the home of the legendary ex-Keyblade Master, Yen Sid a character originally from “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice” from Fantasia. Yen Sid (“Disney” spelled backward) is an important character in the Kingdom Hearts series, a powerful wizard who assists Sora and King Mickey multiple times.

The Light Promise

Throughout the Kingdom Hearts games, different key chains are unlocked that transform the keyblade and give it different abilities. This clear sparkling drink with hints of icy blue is inspired by one of these. The Oathkeeper is a Keychain of Sora’s that is symbolic of Sora’s memories of Kairi and his promise or “oath” to never forget her. Oathkeeper is formed after Sora rescues Kairi from Hollow Bastion in Kingdom Hearts and she gives him her Wayfinder for luck in Traverse Town, which he uses as a Keychain. 

Ultima Soda

This drink sure looks easy to drink, certainly more easy to get than its namesake. The Ultima is the most powerful Keyblade in the Kingdom Hearts Series and requires an incredible amount of effort to obtain in all games. In the first game, it is the final recipe in item synthesis, requiring items to be found and combined to create the weapon.

Darkside Cola

A dark cola as dark as one truly formidable foe. The Darkside is a Pureblood Heartless who can be found as a boss in the Kingdom Hearts games. The Heartless are the main enemy type in the Kingdom Hearts series. The Pureblood Heartless are natural Heartless, born when people’s hearts are normally consumed by darkness. Darkside first appeared in Destiny Islands, leading Shadows in the battle against Sora when he first received the Keyblade. Although Sora defeated it, the island was swallowed by the darkness, and Sora’s adventure began.

Twilight Squash

A charming sunset-like beverage that opens up the player to Kingdom Hearts 2. Twilight Town is one of the largest worlds located in between the realms of dark and light. This world’s sun is always in the same position in the sky, never rising nor setting in endless sunset. It is the location that opens up Kingdom Hearts 2, in a similar way Destiny Islands did in Kingdom Hearts.

Nobody Soda

Swirling with tones of navy, evergreen, and violet, this drink matches the aesthetic of a frightening place in the games. The World That Never Was is the headquarters of the evil Organization XIII, a world that lies close to the darkness of Kingdom Hearts. The Organization controls the world from a massive ominous fortress that floats weightlessly over the Dark City.

The King’s Castle

Lastly, a cool inviting drink, as refreshing as the sight of this magical castle in the midst of darkness. Disney Castle first appeared during the opening and closing scenes of Kingdom Hearts, the home of King Mickey, Queen Minnie, Daisy, Donald, and Goofy. In Kingdom Hearts 2, the barrier protecting Disney Castle, the Cornerstone of Light, was corrupted by Maleficent and the world was invaded by the Heartless. This required Sora, Donald, and Goofy to save Queen Minnie.