To celebrate the 23rd anniversary of Kingdom Hearts, series director Tetsuya Nomura revealed some insight about the name of the paopu fruit. In the Kingdom Hearts series, it’s said that two people who share a paopu fruit will have their destines intertwine.
When the team at Square Enix asked about any untold stories of the paopu fruit in Kingdom Hearts, Nomura answered with a question about the “Paradise of Promise.” He then wondered if the paopu fruit’s name comes from “Paradise of Pure,” before stating there’s no untold stories to be told. The most notable tidbit is that paopu is derived from Paradise of Pure.
Square Enix Team: “Are there any untold stories behind the paopu fruit?”
Nomura: “You mean the Paradise of Promise?”
SE Team: “Did the word paopu come 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.”
Today, we’re celebrating 23 years of Kingdom Hearts with a story!
The paopu fruit has appeared since the first KH game. In the game, it’s said if two people share a paopu fruit, their destinies become intertwined.
We asked director Tetsuya Nomura to tell us more. [1/3] pic.twitter.com/t4JbtgLniL
— KINGDOM HEARTS (@KINGDOMHEARTS) March 28, 2025
Square Enix released the fourth and final volume of the Shiro Amano’s Kingdom Hearts III manga adaptation in Japan on March 12. Gangan Online published the final chapter of the Kingdom Hearts III manga on December 26, 2024. In total, 40 chapters were released for the Kingdom Hearts III manga with four volumes.
Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link was revealed alongside the highly-anticipated Kingdom Hearts IV during the 20th anniversary event in April 2022. Both games are still in development, with Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link receiving a delay back in November 2024.
Lastly, Kingdom Hearts IV marks the beginning of the Lost Master arc, which is the “second phase” of the Kingdom Hearts series. Sora will explore the mysterious city of Quadratum, located in a separate universe regarded as “fiction” to the Kingdom Hearts universe.
