The Kingdom Hearts 25th anniversary event brought a rare milestone to the D23 2026 Expo stage. For the first time, the English voice actors behind Sora and Riku performed a scene together live, closing out the panel with the final moment of Kingdom Hearts II.
According to Noisy Pixel, the "Deep Dive into Kingdom Hearts" panel featured Disney and Pixar Games representative Nana Gadd alongside Haley Joel Osment, who voices Sora, and David Gallagher, the voice of Riku. The discussion covered their long history with the roles, the demands of localization, and the peculiar challenges of laughing and screaming on cue.
Localization and the Art of Matching Syllables
A significant portion of the panel focused on the technical hurdles of translating Japanese voice direction into English performances. Osment and Gallagher explained that matching syllables to pre-existing animation is a core part of the job. Because Japanese and English speech patterns differ, English actors must occasionally add extra words or syllables to ensure the timing of a scene aligns across both languages.
Understanding the characters' specific vocabularies and speaking rhythms is essential to making the dialogue feel natural within those constraints.
Growing Up With Sora and Riku
Both actors confirmed that they have never recorded their lines together, a standard practice in the voice acting industry where performers usually work solo in the booth. Osment discussed the difficulty of revisiting his younger voice-acting work. Emulating a younger Sora as the actor ages presents a unique challenge.
Gallagher reflected on playing an antagonistic Riku in the first game. He noted that his younger self enjoyed voicing a darker character, which contrasted with the more "golden boy" roles he typically played. He also revealed that battle lines are usually saved for the final day of recording.
Laughter proved to be a surprisingly difficult element of the process. Gallagher described laughing as one of the hardest parts of the job, while Osment noted that laughs must match the cadence and the on-screen animation. Osment also shared that his very first take of Sora's iconic scream from Kingdom Hearts III was the one ultimately used in the game.
The Japanese Perspective and a Cross-Cultural Wish
Miyu Irino, the Japanese voice actor for Sora, appeared on-screen during the panel. He discussed his long history with the character, explaining that he originally felt his natural voice and personality embodied Sora. However, getting older created a gap between the actor and the youthful character. Coming to terms with that period was difficult, but Sora has grown alongside Irino's elevated skills, making the role feel like a personal and professional journey.
Irino described Kingdom Hearts voice recording as among the most challenging work he has done. A single game can take two to three years to fully record. He expressed a desire to continue voicing Sora for years to come and mentioned his hope to meet Osment in person at a future D23 event.
Why the Kingdom Hearts 25th Anniversary Event Matters
The live performance of the Kingdom Hearts II finale marked a significant moment for the franchise's English-speaking fanbase. Voice actors in large-scale RPGs rarely interact on stage, making this reunion a highlight of the anniversary celebrations. It also underscores the enduring connection between the actors and characters they have portrayed across multiple console generations.
Gadd offered a look at the franchise's origins, showing two pages of a scrapbook from the game's early development. The event also provided a concrete update on the franchise's future. Kingdom Hearts IV is slated for release in late 2027. The upcoming title will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox, Steam, the Epic Games Store, and the Nintendo Switch 2.
