document_title: The Brady Bunch

question_text: what street did the brady bunch live on

question_tokens: what street did the brady bunch live on

text: The Brady Bunch

text: Development[edit]

text: In 1966, following the success of his TV series Gilligan's Island, Sherwood Schwartz conceived the idea for The Brady Bunch after reading in The Los Angeles Times that "30% of marriages [in the United States] have a child or children from a previous marriage." He set to work on a pilot script for a series tentatively titled Mine and Yours.[5] Schwartz then developed the script to include three children for each parent. While Mike Brady is depicted as being a widower, Schwartz originally wanted the character of Carol Brady to have been a divorcée, but the network objected to this. A compromise was reached whereby Carol's marital status (whether she was divorced or widowed) was never directly revealed.

text: Schwartz shopped the series to the "big three" television networks of the era. ABC, CBS, and NBC all liked the script, but each network wanted changes before they would commit to filming, so Schwartz shelved the project.[6] Although similarities exist between the series and two 1968 theatrical release films, United Artists' Yours, Mine and Ours (starring Henry Fonda and Lucille Ball) and CBS's With Six You Get Eggroll (starring Brian Keith and Doris Day), the original script for The Brady Bunch predated the scripts for both of these films. Nonetheless, the outstanding success of the United Artists film (the 11th-highest-grossing film of 1968) was a factor in ABC's decision to order episodes for the series.[5]

text: After receiving a commitment for 13 weeks of television shows from ABC in 1968, Schwartz hired film and television director John Rich to direct the pilot, cast the six children from 264 interviews during that summer, and hired the actors to play the mother role, the father role, and the housekeeper role.[7] As the sets were built on Paramount Television stage 5, adjacent to the stage where H.R. Pufnstuf was filmed by Sid and Marty Krofft, who later produced The Brady Bunch Hour,[8] the production crew prepared the back yard of a home in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles, as the exterior location for the chaotic backyard wedding scene. Filming of the pilot began on Friday, October 4, 1968, and lasted eight days.

text: Premise[edit]

text: Mike Brady (Robert Reed), a widowed architect with three sons, Greg (Barry Williams), Peter (Christopher Knight), and Bobby (Mike Lookinland), marries Carol Martin (Florence Henderson), who herself has three daughters: Marcia (Maureen McCormick), Jan (Eve Plumb), and Cindy (Susan Olsen). The wife and daughters take the Brady surname. Included in the blended family are Mike's live-in housekeeper, Alice Nelson (Ann B. Davis), and the boys' dog, Tiger. (In the pilot episode, the girls also have a pet: a cat named Fluffy. Fluffy never appeared in any episodes following the pilot.) The setting is a large, suburban, two-story house designed by Mike, in a Los Angeles suburb.[9]

text: In the first season, awkward adjustments, accommodations, gender rivalries, and resentments inherent in blended families dominate the stories. In an early episode, Carol tells Bobby that the only "steps" in their household lead to the second floor (in other words, that the family contains no "stepchildren", only "children"). Thereafter, the episodes focus on typical preteen and teenaged adjustments such as sibling rivalry, puppy love, self-image, character building, and responsibility. Noticeably absent was any political commentary, especially regarding the Vietnam War, which was being waged at its largest extent during the height of the series.[10]

text: Cast and characters[edit]

text: Main[edit]

text: The regular cast appeared in an opening title sequence in which video head shots were arranged in a three-by-three grid, with each cast member appearing to look at the other cast members. The sequence used the then-new "multi-dynamic image technique" created by Canadian filmmaker Christopher Chapman; as a result of the popular attention it garnered in this sequence, it has been referred to in the press as "the Brady Bunch effect".[11][12] In a 2010 issue of TV Guide, the show's opening title sequence ranked number eight on a list of TV's top-10 credits sequences, as selected by readers.[13]

text:
Robert Reed as Mike Brady
Florence Henderson as Carol Brady
Ann B. Davis as Alice Nelson
Barry Williams as Greg Brady
Maureen McCormick as Marcia Brady
Christopher Knight as Peter Brady
Eve Plumb as Jan Brady
Mike Lookinland as Bobby Brady
Susan Olsen as Cindy Brady

text: Recurring characters[edit]

text:
Sam Franklin (Allan Melvin) is Alice's boyfriend. He is the owner of a local butcher shop. Sam appears in only eight episodes, but they span all five seasons. He is also frequently mentioned in dialogue, and Alice occasionally goes on dates with him off-screen. By the time of the 1981 made-for-TV movie The Brady Girls Get Married, Alice and Sam are married.
Tiger the dog – the original dog that played Tiger died early in the first season.[14] A replacement dog proved problematic, so the producers decided the dog would only appear when essential to the plot. Tiger appeared in about half the episodes in the first season and about half a dozen episodes in the second season. Tiger seemingly vanished without an explanation and was not shown again after "The Impractical Joker" (last episode shown with Tiger) and "What Goes Up" (last episode made with Tiger).

text:
Mr. Phillips (Jack Collins) is Mike's boss at the architectural firm. He appears in only three episodes, all during season two, but is often mentioned in other episodes when issues occur around Mike's work.
Cousin Oliver (Robbie Rist) – in the middle of season five, producers added a new character named Oliver, Carol Brady's young nephew, who was sent to live with the Bradys while his parents were living in South America. The character was added in an attempt to fill the age gap left by the maturing Brady children – the youngest (Susan Olsen) was 12 years old during the show's final season. Lloyd Schwartz, son of creator and executive producer Sherwood Schwartz, later admitted that the character threw off the balance of the show and said that fans regarded the character as an interloper. Oliver appeared in the final six episodes of season five, which proved to be the final season, as ABC cancelled the series in 1974. The addition of the character has been cited as the moment the series "jumped the shark".[15] The term "Cousin Oliver" has been used to describe the addition of a young character to a series in an attempt to save a series from cancellation.[16]

text: Notable guest stars[edit]

text:
Herbert Anderson (known for playing Dennis's father in the 1960s sitcom Dennis the Menace) as a doctor who comes to treat the boys' measles in "Is There a Doctor in the House?" (season one)
Melissa Sue Anderson, who later rose to fame playing Mary Ingalls on Little House on the Prairie, played Millicent, a girl who gives Bobby his first kiss ("Never Too Young", season five)
Desi Arnaz, Jr. (teen heartthrob son of Desi Arnaz and Lucille Ball) meets Marcia, who had written about him in her diary in "The Possible Dream" (season one)
Jim Backus (Thurston Howell III in Gilligan's Island) appears three times in the series, twice in two of the three Grand Canyon episodes, "Ghost Town U.S.A." and "Grand Canyon or Bust", playing Zaccariah T. Brown, who mistakenly thinks the Bradys are jumping his gold claim and locks them in a ghost-town jail, and in "The Hustler" (season five) playing Mike's second boss, Mr. Harry Matthews
Ken Berry (known for F Troop, Mayberry RFD and Mama's Family). In 1973 Sherwood Schwartz wrote a Brady Bunch spin-off called Kelly's Kids, which featured Berry as the adoptive father of three diverse boys (black, white, and Asian). The pilot failed to interest ABC.
Imogene Coca (known for Your Show of Shows and one of the cast members of Sherwood Schwartz's It's About Time TV series) plays the Brady girls' great-aunt Jenny, whom Jan fears she will grow up to resemble after seeing a childhood photo of her in "Jan's Aunt Jenny" (season three)
Don Drysdale (Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher) tries to inject reality into Greg's dreams of being a professional baseball player in "The Dropout" (season two)
Don Ho (Hawaiian singer) meets Cindy and Bobby and serenaded Cindy in Honolulu in "Hawaii Bound" (part one of a three-part season-four episode, filmed on location in Hawaii)
Davy Jones (of The Monkees) performs at a music studio and then takes Marcia to her school dance in "Getting Davy Jones" (season three) (he also satirized his cameo decades later in The Brady Bunch Movie).
Deacon Jones (Los Angeles Rams defensive end) encourages Peter's singing in "The Drummer Boy" (season two).
E. G. Marshall as Mr. J.P. Randolph, Marcia's school principal in "The Slumber Caper" (season two) (Marshall and Robert Reed co-starred in The Defenders in 1961–65 – making this a reunion of the two).
Bart La Rue, immortalized in Star Trek history as the iconic voice of the Guardian of Forever, played a sports coach in the (season two) episodes "Click" and "The Drummer Boy".
Brigadier General James McDivitt (NASA astronaut) signs autographs for Peter and Bobby after appearing on a talk show in "Out of This World" (season five).
Joe Namath (New York Jets quarterback) visits Bobby because he thought that Bobby had a terminal illness in "Mail Order Hero" (season five).
Wes Parker (Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman) meets Mike and Greg in Greg's math classroom, thus curing Greg of the crush he had on his teacher Miss Linda O'Hara (played by Gigi Perreau), Parker's fiancée in "The Undergraduate" (season one).
Vincent Price (horror film actor) appears twice in the series in two of the three Hawaii episodes, "Pass the Tabu", and "The Tiki Caves" from season four, playing the villainous Professor Hubert Whitehead, who holds the Brady boys hostage.
Marion Ross (later known as Mrs. Cunningham in Happy Days) appears as a doctor who comes to treat the girls' measles in "Is There a Doctor in the House?" (season one).
Natalie Schafer (Lovey Howell in Gilligan's Island) is Mike's fussy client, Penelope Fletcher, who is charmed by Cindy's impromptu 'Shirley Temple' routine in "The Snooperstar" (season five).
Marcia Wallace played a salesclerk in "Would the Real Jan Brady Please Stand Up" (season two) and "Mrs. Robbins" in "Getting Davy Jones" (season three).
Rita Wilson (actress and wife of Tom Hanks) began her career with a guest appearance in "Greg's Triangle" (season four) where she played one of the candidates running against Marcia for head cheerleader.
Paul Winchell (ventriloquist and actor; Winchell-Mahoney Time, voice of "Tigger" in Winnie-the-Pooh) appears as Skip Farnum, the TV commercial director in "And Now a Word From Our Sponsor" (season three).

text: Production notes[edit]

text: Theme song and credits sequence[edit]

text: The theme song, penned by Schwartz and Frank De Vol, and originally arranged, sung, and performed by Paul Parrish, Lois Fletcher, and John Beland[not in citation given] under the name the Peppermint Trolley Company,[17] quickly communicated to audiences that the Bradys were a blended family. The Brady family is shown in a tic-tac-toe board with Carol on the top center, Alice in the middle block, and Mike on bottom middle. To the right are three blocks with the boys from the oldest on top to the youngest. To the left are three blocks with the girls from the oldest to the youngest. In season two, the Brady kids took over singing the theme song. In season three, the boys sing the first verse, girls sing the second verse, and all sing together for the third and last verse. The sequence was created and filmed by Howard A. Anderson, Jr., a visual effects pioneer who worked on the title sequences for many popular television series.[18]

text: The end credits feature an instrumental version of the theme song's third verse. In season one, it was recorded by the Peppermint Trolley Company. From season two on, the theme was recorded in-house by Paramount musicians.

text: The Brady house[edit]

text: The house used in exterior shots, which bears little relation to the interior layout of the Bradys' home, is located in Studio City, within the city limits of Los Angeles. According to a 1994 article in the Los Angeles Times, the San Fernando Valley house was built in 1959 and selected as the Brady residence because series creator Schwartz felt it looked like a home where an architect would live.[19] A false window was attached to the front's A-frame section to give the illusion that it had two full stories.[20] Contemporary establishing shots of the house were filmed with the owner's permission for the 1990 TV series The Bradys. The owner refused to allow Paramount to restore the property to its 1969 look for The Brady Bunch Movie in 1995, so a facade resembling the original home was built around an existing house.

text: In the series, the address of the house was given as 4222 Clinton Way (as read aloud by Carol from an arriving package in the first-season episode entitled "Lost Locket, Found Locket").[21] Although no city was ever specified, it was presumed from references to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Los Angeles Rams, and a Hollywood movie studio, among many others, that the Bradys lived in Southern California, most likely Los Angeles or one of its suburbs.[22][23]

text: The interior of the Brady house was used at least three times for other Paramount shows, twice for Mannix and once for Mission: Impossible, while The Brady Bunch was in production. In the case of Mission: Impossible, the Brady furniture was also used.[24][25][26] A re-creation of the Brady house was constructed for the X-Files episode "Sunshine Days", which also revolved around The Brady Bunch.

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
Season
Episodes
Originally aired
Time slot (ET)

First aired
Last aired

1
1969–70
25
September 26, 1969 (1969-09-26)
March 20, 1970 (1970-03-20)
Friday at 8:00 PM

2
1970–71
24
September 25, 1970 (1970-09-25)
March 19, 1971 (1971-03-19)
Friday at 7:30 PM

3
1971–72
23
September 17, 1971 (1971-09-17)
March 10, 1972 (1972-03-10)
Friday at 8:00 PM

4
1972–73
23
September 22, 1972 (1972-09-22)
March 23, 1973 (1973-03-23)

5
1973–74
22
September 14, 1973 (1973-09-14)
March 8, 1974 (1974-03-08)

text: Reception[edit]

text: U.S. television ratings[edit]

text: Ratings data prior to 1973 is scarce for shows which did not place in the Top 30. The only year on file was the final 1973-74 season which The Brady Bunch reached 54th Place with a 16.1 rating. [27] The Brady Bunch never achieved high ratings during its primetime run (never placing in the top 30 during the five years it aired) and was cancelled in 1974 after five seasons and 117 episodes; it was cancelled shortly after the series crossed the minimum threshold for syndication. At that point in the story, Greg graduated from high school and was about to enroll in college.[28]

text: Popular reception[edit]

text: When the episodes were repeated in syndication, they usually appeared every weekday in late-afternoon or early-evening slots on local stations. This enabled children to watch the episodes when they came home from school, making the program widely popular and giving it iconic status among those who were too young to have seen the series during its primetime run.

text: According to Schwartz, the reason the show has become a part of Americana, even though other shows have run longer, were rated higher, and were critically acclaimed, is that the episodes were written from the standpoint of the children and addressed situations that children could understand (such as boy trouble, sibling rivalry, and meeting famous people such as a rock star or baseball players). The Bradys are also portrayed as a harmonious family, though they do have times when one of the children does not cooperate with his or her parents or the other children.

text: Awards and honors[edit]

text:
Award
Year
Category
Result
Recipient

Young Artist Award
1989
Former Child Star Lifetime Achievement Award
Honored
Barry Williams

TV Land Awards
2003
Hippest Fashion Plate – Male
Nominated

Favorite Dual-Role Character
Nominated
Christopher Knight
as Peter Brady and Arthur

Funniest Food Fight
The Brady Pie Fight on the Paramount Lot.
Nominated

Favorite Guest Performance by a Musician on a TV Show
Won
Davy Jones

Most Memorable Male Guest Star in a Comedy as Himself
Won
Joe Namath

2004
Favorite Fashion Plate – Male
Nominated
Barry Williams

Most Memorable Mane
Nominated
Susan Olsen

Favorite Made-for-TV Maid
Won
Ann B. Davis

2005
Theme Song You Just Cannot Get out of Your Head
Nominated

Best Dream Sequence
For episode "Love and the Older Man," in which Marcia has a crush on her dentist.
Nominated

Favorite Two-Parter/Cliffhanger
For the Greg Brady surfboard accident.
Nominated

Favorite Singing Siblings
Nominated
Williams, McCormick, Knight, Plumb, Lookinland, Olsen

2006
Best Dream Sequence
For episode "Love and the Older Man"
Nominated

Favorite Made-for-TV Maid
Won
Ann B. Davis

Favorite TV Food
Pork chops and applesauce
Won

2007
Most Beautiful Braces
Nominated
Maureen McCormick

Pop Culture Award
Won
Williams, McCormick, Knight, Plumb, Lookinland, Olsen, Davis, Henderson, Lloyd J. Schwartz (producer)

text: Syndication and distribution[edit]

text: Since its first airing in syndication in September 1975, an episode of the show has been broadcast somewhere in the United States and abroad every day of the year.[29] Episodes were also shown on ABC daytime from July 9, 1973 to April 18, 1975 and from June 30-August 29, 1975, at 11:30 a.m. EST/10:30 CST.

text: The show was aired on TBS starting in the 1980s until 1997, Nick at Nite in 1995 (for a special event), and again from 1998 to 2003 (and briefly during the spring of 2012), TeenNick (under the channel's former name The N) from March to April 2004, on TV Land on and off from 2002 to 2015, Nick Jr. (as part of the NickMom block from 2012 to 2013), and Hallmark Channel from January to June 2013 and again starting September 5, 2016, until September 30, 2016.

text: Episodes in the syndicated version have been edited for time to allow for commercial breaks, down from the original version of 25–26 minutes.

text: Current airings[edit]

text: Since its launch as a national network in 2010, the Weigel Broadcasting owned classic TV network MeTV airs a weekly two-hour block of the show every Sunday morning/early afternoon promoted as the "Brady Bunch Brunch". In the years following, Me-TV has also periodically aired the series weekday mornings.[30] Decades - a sister network of MeTV - also occasionally airs the show.

text: Online, the show is available on Hulu and CBS All Access, though not all episodes are available for either service.

text: Discography[edit]

text: During the series' original run, the Brady kids recorded several albums on Paramount's record label. While session musicians provided backing, the actors from the series provided their own singing voices (which was not always the case for early 1970s television crossover acts). None of the albums or singles from The Brady Kids ever became hits on any national music charts.

text: Albums[edit]

text:
Merry Christmas From The Brady Bunch—Paramount 5026–1970
Meet The Brady Bunch—Paramount 6032–1972—Billboard #108
The Kids From The Brady Bunch—Paramount 6037–1972
Phonographic Album—Paramount 6058–1973
Chris Knight & Maureen McCormick—Paramount 6062–1973
It's a Sunshine Day: The Best of The Brady Bunch—MCA 10764–1993

text: Singles[edit]

text: Also includes solo recordings as indicated

text:
Year
Single (A-side, B-side)
Label & number
Album

1970
"Frosty the Snowman"
b/w "Silver Bells"
Paramount 0062
Merry Christmas From The Brady Bunch

1971
"Sweet Sweetheart"
b/w "Sunny"
Barry Williams solo single
Paramount 0122
Non-album tracks

"How Will It Be?"
b/w "The Fortune Cookie Song"
Eve Plumb solo single
RCA 0409

1972
"Time to Change"
b/w "We Can Make The World A Whole Lot Brighter"
Paramount 0141
Meet The Brady Bunch

"We'll Always Be Friends"
b/w "Time To Change"
Paramount 0167

"Over and Over"
b/w "Good For Each Other"
Chris Knight solo single
Paramount 0177
Non-album tracks

"Candy (Sugar Shoppe)"
b/w "Drummer Man"
Paramount 0180
The Kids From The Brady Bunch

1973
"Zuckerman's Famous Pig"
b/w "Charlotte's Web"
Paramount 0205
Phonographic Album

"Truckin' Back To You"
b/w "Teeny Weeny Bit (Too Long)"
Maureen McCormick solo single
Paramount 0217
Non-album tracks

"I'd Love You To Want Me"
b/w "Everything I Do"
Paramount 0229
Phonographic Album

"Little Bird"
b/w "Just A Singin' Alone"
Maureen McCormick solo single
Paramount 0246
Non-album tracks

1974
"Harmonize"
b/w "Love's In The Roses"
Maureen McCormick solo single
Paramount 0292

"Love Doesn't Care Who's In It"
b/w "Gum Drop"
Mike Lookinland solo single
Capitol 3914

text: Spin-offs, sequels, and reunions[edit]

text: Several spin-offs and sequels to the original series have been made, featuring all or most of the original cast. These include another sitcom, an animated series, a variety show, television movies, a dramatic series, a stage play, and theatrical movies:

text: Kelly's Kids[edit]

text: A final-season Brady Bunch episode, "Kelly's Kids", was intended as a pilot for a prospective spin-off series of the same name. Ken Berry starred as Ken Kelly, a friend and neighbor of the Bradys, who with his wife Kathy (Brooke Bundy) adopted three orphaned boys of different racial backgrounds. One of the adopted sons was played by Todd Lookinland, the younger brother of Mike Lookinland. While Kelly's Kids was not subsequently picked up as a full series, producer Sherwood Schwartz reworked the basic premise for the short-lived 1980s sitcom Together We Stand starring Elliott Gould and Dee Wallace.[31]

text: The Brady Kids[edit]

text: A 22-episode animated Saturday morning cartoon series, produced by Filmation and airing on ABC from September 1972 to August 1974, is about the Brady kids having various adventures.[32] The family's adults were never seen or mentioned, and the "home" scenes were in a very large, well-appointed tree house. Several animals were regular characters, including two non-English-speaking pandas (Ping and Pong), a talking bird (Marlon) which could do magic, and an ordinary pet dog (Mop Top, not Tiger). The first 17 episodes featured the voices of all six of the original child actors from the show, but Barry Williams, Maureen McCormick, and Christopher Knight were replaced for the last five episodes due to a contract dispute.

text: The Brady Bunch Variety Hour[edit]

text: On November 28, 1976, a two-hour television special entitled The Brady Bunch Variety Hour aired on ABC. Eve Plumb was the only regular cast member from the original show who declined to be in the series and the role of Jan was recast with Geri Reischl.[33] Produced by Sid and Marty Krofft, the sibling team behind H.R. Pufnstuf, Donny and Marie, and other variety shows and children's series of the era, the show was intended to air every fifth week in the same slot as The Hardy Boys/Nancy Drew Mysteries, but ended up being scheduled sporadically throughout the season, leading to inconsistent ratings and its inevitable cancellation.

text: In 2009, Brady Bunch cast member Susan Olsen, with Lisa Sutton, published a book, Love to Love You Bradys, which dissects and celebrates the Variety Hour as a cult classic.[34]

text: The Brady Girls Get Married / The Brady Brides[edit]

text:
The Brady Brides

Genre
Sitcom

Created by
Sherwood Schwartz
Lloyd J. Schwartz

Directed by
Peter Baldwin

Starring
Maureen McCormick
Eve Plumb
Jerry Houser
Ron Kuhlman
Florence Henderson
Ann B. Davis
Keland Love

Theme music composer
Frank De Vol

Country of origin
United States

Original language(s)
English

No. of seasons
1

No. of episodes
10

Production

Executive producer(s)
Sherwood Schwartz
Lloyd J. Schwartz

Producer(s)
John Thomas Lenox

Location(s)
Paramount Studios, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California

Cinematography
Lester Shorr

Running time
25 minutes

Production company(s)
Redwood Productions
Paramount Television

Distributor
CBS Television Distribution

Release

Original network
NBC[35][36]

Original release
February 6 (1981-02-06) – April 17, 1981 (1981-04-17)

Chronology

Preceded by
The Brady Bunch Hour

Followed by
A Very Brady Christmas

Related shows
The Brady Bunch

text: A TV reunion movie called The Brady Girls Get Married was produced in 1981. Although scheduled to be shown in its original full-length movie format, NBC at the last minute divided it into half-hour segments and showed one part a week for three weeks, and the fourth week debuted a spin-off sitcom titled The Brady Brides. The reunion movie featured the entire original cast; this proved to be the only time the entire cast worked together on a single project following the cancellation of the original series. The movie's opening credits featured the season-one "Grid" and theme song, with the addition of The Brady Girls Get Married title.[37] The movie shows what the characters had been doing since the original series ended: Mike is still an architect, Carol is a real-estate agent, Greg is a doctor, Marcia is a fashion designer, Peter is in the Air Force, Jan is also an architect, Bobby and Cindy are in college, and Alice has married Sam. Eventually, they all reunite for Marcia and Jan's double wedding.

text: The Brady Brides features Maureen McCormick (Marcia) and Eve Plumb (Jan) in regular roles. The series begins with Marcia and Jan and their new husbands buying a house and living together. The clashes between Jan's uptight and conservative husband, Philip Covington III (a college professor in science who is several years older than Jan, played by Ron Kuhlman) and Marcia's slovenly and more bohemian husband, Wally Logan (a fun-loving salesman for a large toy company, played by Jerry Houser), were the pivot on which many of the stories were based, not unlike The Odd Couple. Florence Henderson and Ann B. Davis also appeared regularly. Ten episodes were aired before the sitcom was cancelled. This was the only Brady show in sitcom form to be filmed in front of a live studio audience. Bob Eubanks guest-starred as himself in an episode where the two couples appear on The Newlywed Game.

text: Throughout the late 1980s and 1990s, The Brady Girls Get Married was rerun on various networks in its original full-length movie format.

text: Episodes[edit]

text:
No.
Title
Original air date

1
"The Brady Girls Get Married (Part 1)"
February 6, 1981 (1981-02-06)

Marcia and Jan announce that they are both getting married and plans soon begin for a double wedding.

2
"The Brady Girls Get Married (Part 2)"
February 13, 1981 (1981-02-13)

Jan and Philip want a traditional wedding, and Marcia and Wally want a modern wedding.

3
"The Brady Girls Get Married (Part 3)"
February 20, 1981 ( February 20, 1981)

The weather spells disaster for an outdoor wedding, so they end up having the ceremony inside the Brady house.

4
"Living Together"
March 6, 1981 (1981-03-06)

After all the houses they see are too expensive, Marcia, Jan and their husbands decide to share a house.

5
"Gorilla of My Dreams"
March 13, 1981 (1981-03-13)

Marcia and Jan get some self-defense lessons from their mother, while a thief attempts to burglarize their home.

6
"The Newlywed Game"
March 20, 1981 (1981-03-20)

Game-show host Bob Eubanks asks Marcia and Jan to appear on The Newlywed Game with their new husbands.

7
"The Mom Who Came to Dinner"
March 27, 1981 (1981-03-27)

Mrs. Brady temporarily moves in with her newly wedded daughters and their husbands.

8
"The Siege"
April 3, 1981 (1981-04-03)

Wally's guilt over parking tickets causes him to panic when a policeman visits the house, so he decides to impersonate Philip.

9
"Cool Hand Phil"
April 10, 1981 (1981-04-10)

Philip tries to change his image by dressing and acting "hip."

10
"A Pretty Boy is Like a Melody"
April 17, 1981 (1981-04-17)

Marcia is forced to use Wally and Philip in her fashion show after her models go on strike.

text: A Very Brady Christmas[edit]

text: A second TV reunion movie, A Very Brady Christmas, aired in December 1988 on CBS and featured all the regular cast (except Susan Olsen, who was on her honeymoon at the time of filming; the role of Cindy was played by Jennifer Runyon), as well as three grandchildren, Peter's girlfriend, Valerie, and the spouses of Greg, Marcia, and Jan (Nora, Wally, and Phillip, respectively).[38] The Nielsen ratings for A Very Brady Christmas were the highest of any television movie that season for CBS.[39]

text: The Bradys[edit]

text: Due to the success of A Very Brady Christmas, CBS asked Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz and his son Lloyd to create a new series for the network. According to Lloyd Schwartz, his father and he initially balked at the idea because they felt a new series would harm the Brady franchise. They finally relented because CBS was "desperate for programming". A new series featuring the Brady clan was created entitled The Bradys. All the original Brady Bunch cast members returned for the series, except for Maureen McCormick (Marcia), who was replaced with Leah Ayres.

text: As with A Very Brady Christmas, The Bradys also featured elements of comedy and drama and featured storylines that were of a more serious nature than that of the original series and its subsequent spin-offs. Lloyd Schwartz later said he compared The Bradys to another dramedy of the time, thirtysomething. The two-hour series premiere episode aired on February 9, 1990, at 9 pm on CBS and initially drew respectable ratings. Subsequent episodes were moved to 8 pm, where ratings quickly declined. Due to the decline, CBS cancelled the series after six episodes.[40]

text: Day by Day: "A Very Brady Episode"[edit]

text: The Day by Day episode, titled "A Very Brady Episode" (February 5, 1989), on NBC, reunited six of the original The Brady Bunch cast members: Robert Reed, Florence Henderson, Ann B. Davis, Christopher Knight, Mike Lookinland and Maureen McCormick [41][42]

text: Film adaptations[edit]

text: Twenty years following the conclusion of the original series, a film adaptation, The Brady Bunch Movie went into production and was released in 1995 from Paramount Pictures. The film is set in the present day (1990s) and the Bradys, still living their lives as if it were the 1970s, are unfamiliar with their surroundings. It stars Gary Cole and Shelley Long as Mike and Carol Brady, with Christopher Daniel Barnes (Greg), Christine Taylor (Marcia), Paul Sutera (Peter), Jennifer Elise Cox (Jan), Jesse Lee (Bobby), Olivia Hack (Cindy), Henriette Mantel (Alice), and cameo appearances from Ann B. Davis as a long-haul truck driver and Florence Henderson as Carol's mother.

text: A sequel, A Very Brady Sequel, was released in 1996. The cast of the first film returned for the sequel. A second sequel, The Brady Bunch in the White House was made-for-television and was aired on Fox in 2002. Shelley Long and Gary Cole returned for the third film, while the Brady kids and Alice were recast.

text: DVD releases[edit]

text: Paramount Home Entertainment released all five seasons on DVD in Region 1 from 2005 to 2006, before CBS DVD took over DVD rights to the Paramount Television library (though CBS DVD releases are still distributed by Paramount). Paramount/CBS has released the series on DVD in other countries as well.

text: A Complete Series box set was released in 2007 by CBS and Paramount, which includes the TV movies A Very Brady Christmas and "The Brady 500" (an episode of The Bradys), as well as two episodes of The Brady Kids animated series. The box art for the set features green shag carpeting and 1970s-style wood paneling.

text: The first two seasons are also available on Region 2 DVD for the Nordic countries, with audio in English and subtitle choices in Norwegian, Swedish, Danish, or Finnish.[43][44] The series has also been released on VHS, but the VHS tapes have gone out of print.

text: On April 7, 2015, CBS Home Entertainment released a repackaged version of the complete series set, at a lower price, but it does not include the bonus disc that was part of the original complete series release.[45]

text: Seasons one and two have also been released in the UK.

text:
DVD name
Episodes
Release dates

Region 1
Region 2
Region 4
DVD Special Features

The Complete First Season
25
March 1, 2005
August 27, 2007
September 19, 2007
Audio Commentary on 4 Selected Episodes.
15min Behind the scenes Feature

The Complete Second Season
24
July 26, 2005
March 24, 2008
March 6, 2008
None

The Complete Third Season
23
September 13, 2005
N/A
September 4, 2008
None

The Complete Fourth Season
23
November 1, 2005
N/A
April 2, 2009
None

The Complete Fifth Season
22
March 7, 2006
N/A
June 18, 2009
None

The Complete Series
117 (with extras)
April 3, 2007
N/A
N/A
Audio Commentary on 4 Selected (Series One) Episodes.
15min Behind the scenes Feature (Series One)
A Very Brady Christmas
"The Brady 500"
Two episodes of The Brady Kids


document_title: Implantation (human embryo)

question_text: where does the blastocyst implant to become an embryo

root

text: Implantation (human embryo)

text: Implantation window[edit]

text: The reception-ready phase of the endometrium of the uterus is usually termed the "implantation window" and lasts about 4 days. The implantation window follows around 6 days after the peak in luteinizing hormone levels. With some disparity between sources, it has been stated to occur from 7 days after ovulation until 9 days after ovulation,[2] or days 6-10 postovulation.[3] On average, it occurs during the 20th to the 23rd day after the last menstrual period.[4]

tag: p

text: The implantation window is characterized by changes to the endometrium cells, which aid in the absorption of the uterine fluid. These changes are collectively known as the plasma membrane transformation and bring the blastocyst nearer to the endometrium and immobilize it. During this stage the blastocyst can still be eliminated by being flushed out of the uterus. Scientists have hypothesized that the hormones cause a swelling that fills the flattened out uterine cavity just prior to this stage, which may also help press the blastocyst against the endometrium.[5] The implantation window may also be initiated by other preparations in the endometrium of the uterus, both structurally and in the composition of its secretions.

text: Adaptation of uterus[edit]

text: To enable implantation, the uterus goes through changes in order to be able to receive the conceptus.

text: Predecidualization[edit]

text: The endometrium increases thickness, becomes vascularized and its glands grow to be tortuous and boosted in their secretions. These changes reach their maximum about 7 days after ovulation.

text: Furthermore, the surface of the endometrium produces a kind of rounded cells, which cover the whole area toward the uterine cavity. This happens about 9 to 10 days after ovulation.[6] These cells are called decidual cells, which emphasises that the whole layer of them is shed off in every menstruation if no pregnancy occurs, just as leaves of deciduous trees. The uterine glands, on the other hand, decrease in activity and degenerate already 8 to 9 days[6] after ovulation in absence of pregnancy.

text: The decidual cells originate from the stromal cells that are always present in the endometrium. However, the decidual cells make up a new layer, the decidua. The rest of the endometrium, in addition, expresses differences between the luminal and the basal sides. The luminal cells form the zona compacta of the endometrium, in contrast to the basalolateral zona spongiosa, which consists of the rather spongy stromal cells.[6]

text: Decidualization[edit]

text: Decidualization succeeds predecidualization if pregnancy occurs. This is an expansion of it, further developing the uterine glands, the zona compacta and the epithelium of decidual cells lining it. The decidual cells become filled with lipids and glycogen and take the polyhedral shape characteristic for decidual cells.

text: Trigger[edit]

text: It is likely that the blastocyst itself makes the main contribution to this additional growing and sustaining of the decidua. An indication of this is that decidualization occurs at a higher degree in conception cycles than in nonconception cycles.[6] Furthermore, similar changes are observed when giving stimuli mimicking the natural invasion of the embryo.[6]

text: Parts of decidua[edit]

text: The decidua can be organized into separate sections, although they have the same composition.

text:
Decidua basalis - This is the part of the decidua which is located basalolateral to the embryo after implantation.
Decidua capsularis - Decidua capsularis grows over the embryo on the luminal side, enclosing it into the endometrium. It surrounds the embryo together with decidua basalis.
Decidua parietalis - All other decidua on the uterine surface belongs to decidua parietalis.

tag: ul

text: Decidua throughout pregnancy[edit]

text: After implantation the decidua remains, at least through the first trimester.[6] However, its most prominent time is during the early stages of pregnancy, during implantation. Its function as a surrounding tissue is replaced by the definitive placenta. However, some elements of the decidualization remain throughout pregnancy.[6]

text: The compacta and spongiosa layers are still observable beneath the decidua in pregnancy. The glands of the spongiosa layer continue to secrete during the first trimester, when they degenerate. However, before that disappearance, some glands secrete unequally much. This phenomenon of hypersecretion is called the Arias-Stella phenomenon,[6] after the pathologist Javier Arias-Stella.

text: Pinopodes[edit]

text: Pinopodes are small, finger-like protrusions from the endometrium. They appear between day 19 and day 21[6] of gestational age. This corresponds to a fertilization age of approximately 5 to 7 days, which corresponds well with the time of implantation. They only persist for 2 to 3 days.[6] The development of them is enhanced by progesterone but inhibited by estrogens.

text: Function in implantation[edit]

text: Pinopodes endocytose uterine fluid and macromolecules in it. By doing so, the volume of the uterus decreases, taking the walls closer to the embryoblast floating in it. Thus, the period of active pinocytes might also limit the implantation window.[6]

text: Function during implantation[edit]

text: Pinopodes continue to absorb fluid, and removes most of it during the early stages of implantation.

text: Adaptation of secretions[edit]

text:
proteins, glycoproteins and peptides
secreted by the endometrial glands[6]

Matrix-associated:

Fibronectin

Laminin

Entactin

Type-IV collagen

heparan sulfate

Proteoglycan

Integrins

-

Others:

Mucins

Prolactin

IGFBP-1

Placental protein 14 (PP14) or glycodelin

Pregnancy-associated endometrial
alpha-2-globulin (alpha-2-PEG)

endometrial protein 15

Albumin

Beta-Lipoprotein

Relaxin

Fibroblast growth factor 1

Fibroblast growth factor 2

Pregnancy-associated plasma protein A
(PAPP-A)

Stress response protein 27 (SRP-27)

CA-125

Beta-endorphin

Leu-enkephalin

Diamine oxidase

Tissue plasminogen activator

Renin

Progesterone-dependent carbonic anhydrase

Lactoferrin

tag: table

text: Not only the lining of the uterus transforms, but in addition, the secretion from its epithelial glands changes. This change is induced by increased levels of progesterone from the corpus luteum. The target of the secretions is the embryoblast, and has several functions on it.

text: Nourishment[edit]

text: The embryoblast spends approximately 72 hours[6] in the uterine cavity before implanting. In that time, it cannot receive nourishment directly from the blood of the mother, and must rely on secreted nutrients into the uterine cavity, e.g. iron[6] and fat-soluble vitamins.[6]

text: Growth and implantation[edit]

text: In addition to nourishment, the endometrium secretes several steroid-dependent proteins,[6] important for growth and implantation. Cholesterol[6] and steroids[6] are also secreted. Implantation is further facilitated by synthesis of matrix substances, adhesion molecules and surface receptors for the matrix substances. When the sperm nucleus and the egg nucleus have fused together, they form a zygote

text: Mechanism[edit]

text: Implantation is initiated when the blastocyst comes into contact with the uterine wall.

text: Zona hatching[edit]

text: To be able to perform implantation, the blastocyst first needs to get rid of its zona pellucida. This process can be called "hatching".

text: Factors[edit]

text: Lytic factors in the uterine cavity, as well as factors from the blastocyst itself are essential for this process. Mechanisms in the latter are indicated by that the zona pellucida remains intact if an unfertilized egg is placed in the uterus under the same conditions.[6] A substance probably involved is plasmin. Plasminogen, the plasmin precursor, is found in the uterine cavity, and blastocyst factors contribute to its conversion to active plasmin. This hypothesis is supported by lytic effects in vitro by plasmin.[6] Furthermore, plasmin inhibitors also inhibit the entire zona hatching in rat experiments.[6]

text: Apposition[edit]

text: The very first, albeit loose, connection between the blastocyst and the endometrium is called the apposition.[6]

text: Location[edit]

text: On the endometrium, the apposition is usually made where there is a small crypt in it, perhaps because it increases the area of contact with the rather spherical blastocyst.

text: On the blastocyst, on the other hand, it occurs at a location where there has been enough lysis of the zona pellucida to have created a rupture to enable direct contact between the underlying trophoblast and the decidua of the endometrium.[6] However, ultimately, the inner cell mass, inside the trophoblast layer, is aligned closest to the decidua. Nevertheless, the apposition on the blastocyst is not dependent on if it is on the same side of the blastocyst as the inner cell mass. Rather, the inner cell mass rotates inside the trophoblast to align to the apposition.[6] In short, the entire surface of the blastocyst has a potential to form the apposition to the decidua.

text: Molecular Mechanism[edit]

text: The identity of the molecules on the trophoblast and the endometrial epithelia that mediate the initial interaction between the two remain unidentified. However, a number of research groups have proposed that MUC1, a member of the Mucin family of glycosylated proteins, is involved.[7] MUC1 is a transmembrane glycoprotein expressed at the apical surface of endometrial epithelial cells during the window of implantation in humans and has been shown to be differentially expressed between fertile and infertile subjects during this time.[7] MUC1 displays carbohydrate moieties on its extracellular domain that are ligands of L-selectin, a protein expressed on the surface of trophoblast cells.[8] An in vitro model of implantation developed by Genbacev et al., gave evidence to support the hypothesis that L-selectin mediates apposition of the blastocyst to the uterine epithelium by interacting with its ligands.[9]

text: Adhesion[edit]

text: Adhesion is a much stronger attachment to the endometrium than the loose apposition.

text: The trophoblasts adhere by penetrating the endometrium, with protrusions of trophoblast cells.

text: Communication[edit]

text: There is massive communication between the blastocyst and the endometrium at this stage. The blastocyst signals to the endometrium to adapt further to its presence, e.g. by changes in the cytoskeleton of decidual cells. This, in turn, dislodges the decidual cells from their connection to the underlying basal lamina, which enables the blastocyst to perform the succeeding invasion.[6]

text: This communication is conveyed by receptor-ligand-interactions, both integrin-matrix and proteoglycan ones.

text: Proteoglycan Receptors[edit]

text: Another ligand-receptor system involved in adhesion is proteoglycan receptors, found on the surface of the decidua of the uterus. Their counterparts, the proteoglycans, are found around the trophoblast cells of the blastocyst. This ligand-receptor system also is present just at the implantation window.[6]

text: Invasion[edit]

text: Invasion is an even further establishment of the blastocyst in the endometrium.

text: Syncytiotrophoblasts[edit]

text: The protrusions of trophoblast cells that adhere into the endometrium continue to proliferate and penetrate into the endometrium. As these trophoblast cells penetrate, they differentiate to become a new type of cells, syncytiotrophoblast. The prefix syn- refers to the transformation that occurs as the boundaries between these cells disappear to form a single mass of many cell nuclei (a syncytium). The rest of the trophoblasts, surrounding the inner cell mass, are hereafter called cytotrophoblasts.

text: Invasion continues with the syncytiotrophoblasts reaching the basal membrane beneath the decidual cells, penetrating it and further invading into the uterine stroma. Finally, the whole embryo is embedded in the endometrium. Eventually, the syncytiotrophoblasts come into contact with maternal blood and form chorionic villi. This is the initiation of forming the placenta.

text: Secretions[edit]

text: The blastocyst secretes factors for a multitude of purposes during invasion. It secretes several autocrine factors, targeting itself and stimulating it to further invade the endometrium.[6] Furthermore, secretions loosen decidual cells from each other, prevent the embryo from being rejected by the mother, trigger the final decidualization and prevent menstruation.

text: Autocrine[edit]

text: Human chorionic gonadotropin is an autocrine growth factor for the blastocyst.[6] Insulin-like growth factor 2,[6] on the other hand, stimulates the invasiveness of it.

text: Dislodging[edit]

text: The syncytiotrophoblasts dislodges decidual cells in their way, both by degradation of cell adhesion molecules linking the decidual cells together as well as degradation of the extracellular matrix between them.

text: Cell adhesion molecules are degraded by syncytiotrophoblast secretion of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha. This inhibits the expression of cadherins and beta-catenin.[6] Cadherins are cell adhesion molecules, and beta-catenin helps to anchor them to the cell membrane. Inhibited expression of these molecules thus loosens the connection between decidual cells, permitting the syncytotrophoblasts and the whole embryo with them to invade into the endometrium.

text: The extracellular matrix is degraded by serine endopeptidases and metalloproteinases. Examples of such metalloproteinases are collagenases, gelatinases and stromelysins.[6] These collagenases digest Type-I collagen, Type-II collagen, Type-III collagen, Type-VII collagen and Type-X collagen.[6] The gelatinases exist in two forms; one digesting Type-IV collagen and one digesting gelatin.[6]

text: Immunosuppressive[edit]

text: The embryo differs from the cells of the mother, and would be rejected as a parasite by the immune system of the mother if it didn't secrete immunosuppressive agents. Such agents are Platelet-activating factor, human chorionic gonadotropin, early pregnancy factor, immunosuppressive factor, Prostaglandin E2, Interleukin 1-alpha, Interleukin 6, interferon-alpha, leukemia inhibitory factor and Colony-Stimulating Factor.

text: Decidualization[edit]

text: Factors from the blastocyst also trigger the final formation of decidual cells into their proper form. In contrast, some decidual cells in the proximity of the blastocyst degenerate, providing nutrients for it.[6]

text: Prevention of menstruation[edit]

text: Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) not only acts as an immunosuppressive,[6] but also "notifies" the mother's body that she is pregnant, preventing menstruation by sustaining the function of the corpus luteum.

text: Other factors[edit]

text: Other factors secreted by the blastocyst are;

text:
Embryo-derived histamine-releasing factor
Tissue plasminogen activator as well as its inhibitors
Estradiol
β1-integrins
Fibroblast growth factor
CYTL1[10]
Transforming growth factor alpha
inhibin

text: Failure[edit]

text: Implantation failure is considered to be caused by inadequate uterine receptivity in two-thirds of cases, and by problems with the embryo itself in the other third.[11]

text: Inadequate uterine receptivity may be caused by abnormal cytokine and hormonal signaling as well as epigenetic alterations.[12] Recurrent implantation failure is a cause of female infertility. Therefore, pregnancy rates can be improved by optimizing endometrial receptivity for implantation.[12] Evaluation of implantation markers may help to predict pregnancy outcome and detect occult implantation deficiency.[12]

text: Luteal support is the administration of medication, generally progestins, for the purpose of increasing the success rate of implantation and early embryogenesis, thereby complementing the function of the corpus luteum.

text: In women with more than 3 implantation failures in assisted reproduction, a review of several small randomized controlled studies estimated that the use of adjunct low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) improves live birth rate by approximately 80%.[13]


document_title: Khelo India School Games

question_text: where was the first khelo india school games 2018 held

text: Khelo India School Games

text: History[edit]

text: On 31 January 2018, Prime Minister, Narendra Modi, declared open the inaugural Khelo India School Games at the opening ceremony based on Guru–shishya tradition held at Indira Gandhi Arena.[1][2]

text: Annual games[edit]

text: Sports[edit]

text: The inaugural 2018 games had students competing for 209 gold medals across 16 sports. Badminton, basketball, boxing (26 gold medals), gymnastics (20 gold medals), judo (16 gold medals), kabaddi, volleyball and wrestling (30 gold medals) were held at the Indira Gandhi Indoor Stadium Complex. Athletics (36 gold medals), football, kho kho and weightlifting (16 gold medals) were held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. Archery was held at the India Gate war memorial, Swimming at the Shyama Prasad Mukherjee Swimming Complex (35 gold medals), hockey at the Dhyan Chand National Stadium and shooting at the Dr. Karni Singh Shooting Range were other venues.[2]

text: Selection criteria[edit]

text: Only selected school kids below the age of 17 years are eligible to compete. In the individual sports, top 8 sportsperson from the School Games Federation of India's National School Games, 4 nominations from federation, one from Central Board of Secondary Education, one from the host State and 2 wild card entries for the individual events will be selected. In team sports, the top 4 from the National School Games, 2 nominations by the federation, 1 from the host State and one from the organising committee will be selected. For archery, badminton and shooting, the top 16 from the National School Games, 8 nominations by the federation, 1 from CBSE, 1 from host State, 1 from organising committee, and 6 from wild cards will be selected.[2]

text: Talent hunt and scholarship[edit]

text: To identify the talent at grassroot level, each sports has a dedicated talent hunt committee, who will identify top 2 sportsperson for each sports and they will be given an annual scholarship of INR598,000 for 8 years.[6]

text: Medal tally[edit]

text: (T - Total medals won, G - Golds won, S - Silver won, B - Bronze won)

text:
Khelo India School Games

Edition

Year

Host(s)

Start Date

End Date

Sports

Gold

1st Team

2nd Team

3rd Team

T

G

S

B

T

G

S

B

T

G

S

B

I

2018

Delhi

31 Jan

8 Feb

16

209

Haryana[4][5]

Maharashtra[4][5]

Delhi[4][5]

102
38
26
38

111
36
32
43

94
25
29
40

II

2019

III

2020

IV

2021


document_title: Kingdom Hearts

question_text: what was added in kingdom hearts final mix

text: Kingdom Hearts

text: Titles[edit]

text: Games[edit]

text:
Timeline of release years

2002
Kingdom Hearts

2003

2004
Chain of Memories

2005
Kingdom Hearts II

2006

2007
Re:Chain of Memories

2008
Coded

2009
358/2 Days

2010
Birth by Sleep

Re:coded

2011

2012
Dream Drop Distance

2013
1.5 Remix

χ

2014
2.5 Remix

2015
Unchained χ

2016

2017
2.8 Final Chapter Prologue

1.5 + 2.5 Remix

2018
Kingdom Hearts III

text:
Kingdom Hearts is the first game in the series, released in Japan on March 28, 2002 for PlayStation 2.[2][3] Tetsuya Nomura has served as game director, his first time in this position. Kingdom Hearts introduced the main characters (Sora, Kairi and Riku) of the series, and established the plot's framework involving hearts and dark beings known as the Heartless. It also established the role of Disney characters in the series, with character cameos from the Final Fantasy series. Kingdom Hearts was released in North America on September 17, 2002,[2][3] and featured additional content that was not in the original Japanese version. The game was later re-released exclusively in Japan as Kingdom Hearts Final Mix on December 26, 2002.[2][3] Final Mix includes the content from the North American release and additional enemies, cutscenes, and weapons.[4]
Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is a direct sequel to the first game. It was released on the Game Boy Advance in Japan on November 11, 2004.[5][6] Chain of Memories was touted as a bridge between the two PlayStation 2 titles, introducing and previewing plot elements that would be explored in the next game.[7] The gameplay system is a departure from the original and employs card game mechanics in real time. Players construct decks out of cards that correspond to different actions in battle, such as attacking or using magic. It was remade into a PlayStation 2 game titled Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories, which contains polygonal graphics instead of the sprites used in the original game. The remake was released in Japan as a second disc packaged with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix on March 29, 2007, and in North America as a standalone title on December 2, 2008.[8][9]
Kingdom Hearts II takes place one year after the events of Chain of Memories. It was released for the PlayStation 2 in Japan on December 22, 2005.[10][11] The game further explores the "heart" concept by involving a new group of enemies, the Nobodies, which are the cast-off shells of those who have become Heartless. The gameplay is similar to that of the first Kingdom Hearts game, with the addition of the Reaction Command, which performs context-sensitive actions in battle. Kingdom Hearts II was revised into Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, which contains more material than the original release, such as additional cutscenes and bosses. Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix was released with Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories in a collection titled Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+, which was released in Japan on March 29, 2007.[12]
Kingdom Hearts Coded is an episodic mobile phone game that picks up directly after Kingdom Hearts II. The "preinstall" episode was released exclusively in Japan on November 18, 2008 and eight episodes were released between June 3, 2009 and January 28, 2010.[13] The game was remade for the Nintendo DS as Kingdom Hearts Re:coded, and features updated gameplay combining that of two later titles in the series, 358/2 Days and Birth by Sleep. Unlike the original version, Re:coded was released internationally: October 7, 2010 in Japan;[14] January 11, 2011 in North America;[15] and January 14, 2011 in Europe.[16]
Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days was released for the Nintendo DS in Japan on May 30, 2009. It is primarily set between Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, focusing on Roxas' time in Organization XIII and his motives for leaving. It is the first game in the series to feature cooperative multiplayer in addition to the traditional use of AI-controlled partners.[17][18] Gameplay is mission-based with optional objectives that yield additional rewards. The game also has a unique panel system which governs character improvement, special abilities, and equipped weapons.
Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep is a prequel to the series, released for the PlayStation Portable in Japan on January 9, 2010, and in North America on September 7, 2010 with additional content.[19] The game is set ten years before the events of the first Kingdom Hearts game, revealing the origins of the villain, Xehanort.[20] It consists of four scenarios, three of which focus on one of the game's three protagonists, Terra, Ventus and Aqua. The game was re-released exclusively in Japan under the title Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix on January 20, 2011 with the content from the English versions as well as new features, such as an additional fifth scenario.
Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance was released on March 29, 2012 in Japan for the Nintendo 3DS. The game focuses on Sora and Riku's Mark of Mastery exam under Yen Sid in anticipation of Xehanort's return and their subsequent conflicts with enemies from their past.[21] In addition to similar systems inherited from Birth by Sleep, this game features "Dream Eaters" which serve as both enemies and allies. Players may collect and breed friendly Dream Eaters and train them to become more powerful. The English edition came out on July 20, 2012 in Europe while it came out on July 31, 2012 for North America.
Kingdom Hearts χ: At Tokyo Game Show 2012, Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts χ, previously known as Kingdom Hearts for PC Browsers.[22] It is a browser game for PCs, and is only playable in Japan since July 18, 2013. It features cartoon-like 2D models and is a prequel to the entire series, taking place before the Keyblade War.
Kingdom Hearts: Unchained χ: An international port of Kingdom Hearts χ that was released for Android and iOS devices featuring content from the original game's release while later diverging from it and providing all-new content.[23] Unchained χ was released in Japan on September 3, 2015,[24] in North America on April 7, 2016,[25] and in Europe on June 16, 2016.[26] In April 2017, it was rebranded as Kingdom Hearts Union X.[27]

text: Other[edit]

text:
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.[28] It was one of the launch games for the V CAST services.[29] The game, developed by Superscape and published by Disney Mobile with no involvement from Square Enix, features gameplay akin to the first Kingdom Hearts game, modified for the input method of mobile phones.[30] The game's storyline features Sora struggling to free himself from a nightmare induced by Maleficent's magic.
Kingdom Hearts Mobile is a Kingdom Hearts-themed social game in which players can play mini-games together. Unlike Kingdom Hearts for the V CAST and Kingdom Hearts Coded, this game does not have a storyline and focuses more on socializing. The service operates in conjunction with Kingdom Hearts Coded—new avatar costumes become available after the player completes an episode of Kingdom Hearts Coded. Kingdom Hearts-related media such as wallpapers, ringtones, graphics, and other items can be purchased and downloaded through the service for mobile phones.

text: Collections[edit]

text:
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix was released for the PlayStation 3 in Japan on March 14, 2013.[31] The collection includes remastered versions of Kingdom Hearts Final Mix and Re:Chain of Memories, which include gameplay enhancements and trophy support. In addition, a "Theatre Mode" has been added, consisting of high definition cutscenes from Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days.[32] The collection was released in North America on September 10, 2013[33] in Australia on September 12, 2013,[34] and in Europe on September 13, 2013.[35]
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix: After the announcement of HD 1.5 Remix, Nomura stated that it would be "pretty unnatural" if Kingdom Hearts II did not receive an HD update.[36] In the credits of HD 1.5 Remix, clips of Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep Final Mix and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded were shown, hinting at another collection.[37] On October 14, 2013, the collection was announced exclusively for the PlayStation 3, and will include the previously mentioned games, with Re:coded appearing as HD cinematics, similar to 358/2 Days in HD 1.5 Remix.[37] The collection was released in Japan on October 2, 2014,[38] North America on December 2, 2014, Australia on December 4, 2014, and Europe on December 5, 2014.[39]
Kingdom Hearts Collector's Pack: HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix: The Collector's pack features both Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix, a code to get an Anniversary Set for Kingdom Hearts χ, music, and a booklet with art from the series, with a release in Japan.[38]
Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue: In the credits of HD 2.5 Remix, clips of Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance were shown as well as the inclusion of a secret ending related to the game, hinting at a possible additional collection.[40] In September 2015, Square Enix announced Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue. The collection features an HD remaster of Dream Drop Distance as well as Kingdom Hearts χ Back Cover, a cinematic telling of the backstory behind the events of Kingdom Hearts χ, and Kingdom Hearts 0.2: Birth by Sleep – A Fragmentary Passage, a new game taking place after the events of the original Birth by Sleep, told from the perspective of Aqua.[41] It was released in Japan on January 12, 2017, and in North America and Europe on January 24, 2017.[42]
Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix: In October 2016, Square-Enix announced a single-disc compilation release of Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix and Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix for the PlayStation 4. The compilation was released on March 9, 2017 in Japan; March 28, 2017 in North America; and March 31, 2017 in Europe.[43]

text: Upcoming titles[edit]

text: Though Kingdom Hearts III will be the end of the "Dark Seeker Saga" centered on Xehanort, it has already been decided where certain characters will end up, in order to potentially continue their story in future games.[44]

text: Kingdom Hearts III: In an interview on September 14, 2010, Tetsuya Nomura stated that his team was too busy with other projects such as Final Fantasy XV (known as Final Fantasy Versus XIII at the time) to work on Kingdom Hearts III. He also stated that his team was doing research concerning the high-definition graphics of the game, and depending on the technical requirements of the next generation consoles.[45] On June 10, 2013, at the E3 Sony press conference, after years of rumors and speculations, Nomura introduced a teaser for Kingdom Hearts III, which stated it was in development for the PlayStation 4. It was announced the next day to be in development for the Xbox One as well.[46] In Kingdom Hearts III, the series protagonist Sora will search for the "Key to Return Hearts" while Sora's friends, Riku and King Mickey, search for Keyblade wielders. The game will conclude the "Dark Seeker Saga", but it will not be the final game in the series.[47] The game is scheduled to be released in 2018.[48]

text: Other media[edit]

text: Both Square Enix and Disney have released a wide variety of Kingdom Hearts merchandise including toys, figurines, clothing, and jewelry.[49][50] Two of the games, Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts II, had a soundtrack released to coincide with the video games.[51][52] These were followed by a nine CD complete set which featured both soundtracks and unreleased tracks.[53] Kingdom Hearts has been adapted as a trading card game by the Tomy corporation of Japan.[54] An English version of the game was released in November 2007 by Fantasy Flight Games.[55] The video games have also been adapted into manga and novel series.

text: Like the Final Fantasy games, a series of "Ultimania" books were released in Japan for many of the games. These books include game walkthroughs, interviews, and extra information from the developers. Kingdom Hearts -Another Report- was released along with Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix+ and features game information, visuals by Shiro Amano, and a director interview.[56] In North America, Brady Games released strategy guides for each game. For Kingdom Hearts II, they released two versions, a standard version and a limited edition version. The limited edition was available in four different covers and included a copy of Jiminy's Journal along with 400 stickers.[57]

text: Printed adaptations[edit]

text: A manga based on the Kingdom Hearts storyline has been released in Japan and the United States. The story and art are done by Shiro Amano, who is also known for his manga adaptation of the Legend of Mana video game. The story follows the events that took place in the video games with differences to account for the loss of interactivity a video game provides. The manga was originally serialized in Japan by Square Enix's Monthly Shōnen Gangan and eventually released in tankōbon format. The first tankōbon was released in Japan in October 2003.[58] The manga was released in the USA by Tokyopop two years later in October 2005.[59] Yen Press now holds the rights to publish the books for the USA market. The first series, Kingdom Hearts, consists of four volumes, while the second series, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, has two volumes. The third series, Kingdom Hearts II, has had five volumes published and is currently on hiatus. A fourth series based on Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days is being serialized. The games have also been adapted as a light novel series, written by Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by Shiro Amano. Like the manga series, it is divided into separate series based on the games. Kingdom Hearts is divided into two volumes; "The First Door"[60] and "Darkness Within".[61] Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is divided into two volumes. Kingdom Hearts II is divided into four volumes; "Roxas—Seven Days",[62] "The Destruction of Hollow Bastion",[63] "Tears of Nobody",[64] and "Anthem—Meet Again/Axel Last Stand".[65]

text: Common elements[edit]

text: Disney and Square Enix characters[edit]

text: Kingdom Hearts features a mixture of familiar Disney, Pixar and Square Enix characters, as well as several new characters designed and created by Nomura.[66] In addition to original locations, the Kingdom Hearts series features many worlds from Disney films. Sora must visit these worlds and interact with various Disney characters to protect them from enemies. Often, his actions in these worlds closely follow the storylines of their respective Disney films. The main characters try not to interfere with the affairs of other worlds, as it could negatively affect the universe's order.[67][68] Moogles, small creatures from the Final Fantasy series, are another common element in the games. They provide the player with a synthesis shop in order to create and purchase items used in the game. The main cast from The World Ends with You also makes an appearance in the series in Dream Drop Distance, and the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III will feature characters from Pixar's Toy Story series.[69][70]

text: Story[edit]

text:
Kingdom Hearts
chronology

Back Cover
(Unchained / Union) χ
Birth by Sleep
A Fragmentary Passage
Kingdom Hearts
Chain of Memories
358/2 Days
II
Coded
Dream Drop Distance
III

v
t
e

text: The series starts with Kingdom Hearts, where a 14-year-old boy named Sora is separated from his friends Riku and Kairi when their world, Destiny Islands, is invaded by creatures known as the Heartless. During the invasion, Sora obtains a weapon called the Keyblade that allows him to fight the Heartless. He soon arrives in another world, Traverse Town, where he meets Donald Duck and Goofy, two emissaries from Disney Castle sent to find the Keyblade wielder under orders from their missing king, Mickey Mouse.[71][72] The three band together and travel to different Disney-themed worlds, sealing the hearts of the worlds to prevent more Heartless from devouring the hearts of those worlds as they search for their companions. Along the way, they encounter a group of Disney villains led by Maleficent, who are controlling the Heartless to capture seven maidens called the Princesses of Heart, and use their power to open the door to Kingdom Hearts, the heart of all worlds.[73][74] Though they eventually defeat Maleficent, the three discover a sentient Heartless named Ansem to be the true orchestrator of the worlds' destruction. The three defeat Ansem and seal the door to Kingdom Hearts, but remain separated from Riku and King Mickey while Kairi remains home to await her friends' return.

text: In Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, Sora, Donald and Goofy's search for Riku and Mickey leads them to Castle Oblivion,[75] a fortress controlled by a mysterious group of non-existent "Nobodies" called Organization XIII, who use the power of a girl named Naminé to manipulate the trio's memories. After defeating the Organization, the three are put to sleep for a year by Naminé to allow them to regain their memories, though they must lose the memories of their experience in Castle Oblivion.[76] Meanwhile, Riku arrives in the basement of the castle and ascends to the surface with the aid of Mickey. Discovering Sora's sleeping state, Riku helps Naminé keep him safe until he is awoken. In Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days, a snag in the plan over the year forces Riku to capture Roxas—Sora's Nobody, who is born when Sora briefly becomes a Heartless in the first game—in order to enable Sora's reawakening.

text: In Kingdom Hearts II, Sora and friends awaken from their sleep and resume their search for Riku and King Mickey, learning of the Nobodies and becoming re-familiarized with Organization XIII. Sora once again travels to many Disney-themed worlds and resolves issues caused by the Heartless and Nobodies, and Maleficent's servant Pete. They reunite with King Mickey and encounter Xemnas, the leader of Organization XIII and Nobody of Xehanort, revealed to be the human form of the Heartless Ansem.[77][78] The Organization's plan is also revealed: they seek to regain their lost hearts by creating their own version of Kingdom Hearts from the sum of all the hearts released from the Heartless slain by Sora's Keyblade. The three arrive at the headquarters of Organization XIII and team up with their friends. Ansem the Wise uses a device that dissipates some of Kingdom Hearts' power,[79] but it self-destructs, engulfing Ansem. At the top of the Castle that Never Was, Sora and his friends battle Xemnas.[80] After Sora and Riku defeat Xemnas, they get trapped in the realm of darkness, but a letter from Kairi summons a gateway for them, and the two are reunited with their friends at their home.[81]

text: Sometime later, Sora, Riku, and Kairi receive a letter from King Mickey. The letter, which was discovered by Mickey during the events of Kingdom Hearts Coded, describes the parts of their past that Naminé learned while restoring Sora's memory.[82] As they read the letter, they learn about the fates of three Keyblade wielders at the hands of Xehanort during the events of Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep (a decade before Kingdom Hearts): Terra is possessed by Xehanort; Ventus, whom Xehanort attempts to turn into the legendary χ-blade, sacrifices his heart to stop him and hides it within a four-year-old Sora's; and new Keyblade Master Aqua ends up trapped in the realm of darkness after sacrificing herself to save Terra.[83] King Mickey also discovers that the destruction of "Ansem" and Xemnas has led to the reconstruction of Xehanort.[84] To combat the new threat Xehanort poses, Sora and Riku take an exam to attain the Mark of Mastery that will allow them to become Keyblade Masters themselves.[85]

text: During the test in Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance, Sora and Riku enter the realm of sleep, where they encounter a young version of Xehanort with the ability to travel through time.[86] The two Keyblade wielders also learn of Xehanort's true goal: assembling thirteen vessels and incarnations of himself (Organization XIII) and pitting them against seven hearts of pure light (the Princesses of Heart) in an ultimate battle to recreate the χ-blade.[87][88][89] Sora is narrowly saved from becoming Xehanort's final vessel, and Riku learns about data Ansem the Wise had implanted within Sora during his year-long sleep, which may be used to save those connected to Sora.[90] At the end of the exam, Riku is declared a Keyblade Master, and Sora embarks on a new journey alone to train.[91][92] In the meantime, to defend the Princesses of Heart from Xehanort, Yen Sid assembles any available Keyblade users to combat Xehanort's thirteen vessels in the upcoming final battle.[93]

text: Gameplay[edit]

text: The Kingdom Hearts games contain elements of action role-playing video games with hack-and-slash elements. The games are driven by a linear progression from one story event to the next, usually shown in the form of a cutscene, though there are numerous side quests available that provide bonus benefits to the characters. In most games, the player primarily controls the principal protagonist of the series, Sora. Sora is usually accompanied by Donald Duck and Goofy, who are artificial intelligence-controlled non-playable characters that aid Sora in battle. In the first and third game, their behavior can be altered to suit different combat objectives. The games feature real-time combat that incorporates physical attacks, magic, and summonings, though each game handles battles differently. The game also allows for items to be used on the field of battle to heal oneself or one's party members.

text: Gummi Ships are another common element of the series, which serve as the main mode of transportation between worlds in the games. The gameplay for the Gummi Ship sections is more akin to a rail shooter. Because it received negative criticism in the first game, it was modified in the third title.[94] Most games also feature a journal which is accessible from the main menu. This journal keeps track of information regarding the story, characters, enemies, and locations. In the first three games, the journal is kept by Jiminy Cricket, who was appointed by Queen Minnie as the royal chronicler.[95] In 358/2 Days, Birth by Sleep and Dream Drop Distance, the main characters write their own journal entries.

text: The games are influenced by their parent franchise, Final Fantasy,[96] and carry its gameplay elements over into their own action-based, hack-and-slash system. Like many traditional role-playing games, Kingdom Hearts features an experience point system which determines character development. As enemies are defeated, the player gains experience which culminates in a "level-up", where the characters grow stronger and gain access to new abilities.[97] The amount of experience is shared with all party members and each character grows stronger as experience is gained.[98]

text: Music[edit]

text: The music for the series has been primarily composed by Yoko Shimomura. Kaoru Wada works as the arranger for orchestral music, including orchestral renditions of the main vocal themes and the ending themes.[99][100] The orchestral music was performed by the New Japan Philharmonic Orchestra and the Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra.[99][100] Soundtracks were released for the first and third installments following the release of their respective games. A compilation soundtrack was later released that included soundtracks for the entire series, including reworked tracks for the re-released Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories.[53][101]

text: While the themes for some of the Disney-based worlds are taken directly from their Disney film counterparts,[100] most of them are given entirely original musical scores. In addition to each world having unique background music, each is given its own battle theme rather than having a common theme to cover all fights. Several of the main characters have themes, and the final boss of each game has several themes played in the various phases of those fights. The fights with Sephiroth feature a modified version of Nobuo Uematsu's "One-Winged Angel" from Final Fantasy VII.[101]

text: The main theme songs for the Kingdom Hearts games were written and performed by Japanese pop star, Hikaru Utada. The two main themes are "Hikari", from Kingdom Hearts and Chain of Memories,[102] and "Passion", from Kingdom Hearts II.[103] Each song has an English counterpart, "Simple and Clean" and "Sanctuary" respectively, for the North American and European releases. Utada was the only singer Tetsuya Nomura had in mind for the first Kingdom Hearts theme song.[104] This marked the first time Utada had produced a song for a video game. Both theme songs reached notable popularity in Japan. On weekly Oricon charts, "Hikari" reached No. 1 in 2002 and "Passion" reached No. 4 in 2005.[105][106]

text: Development[edit]

text: History[edit]

text: The initial idea for Kingdom Hearts began with a discussion between Shinji Hashimoto and Hironobu Sakaguchi about Super Mario 64.[107] They were planning to make a game with freedom of movement in three dimensions like Super Mario 64 but lamented that only characters as popular as Disney's could rival a Mario game. Tetsuya Nomura, overhearing their conversation, volunteered to lead the project and the two producers agreed to let him direct.[107] A chance meeting between Hashimoto and a Disney executive in an elevator—Square and Disney had previously worked in the same building in Japan—allowed Hashimoto to pitch the idea directly to Disney.[108][109] Development began in February 2000 with Nomura as director and Hashimoto as producer.[110] While Nomura had done previous work in the Final Fantasy series as monster designer and graphic director, he did not gain widespread recognition until he was the lead character designer for Final Fantasy VII. Kingdom Hearts marked his transition into a directorial position, though he also served as the game's character designer. Scenarios were provided by Kazushige Nojima who was a scenario writer for Square from Final Fantasy VII until he left in 2003. Originally the development focused on the gameplay with a simple story to appeal to Disney's target age range. After Kingdom Hearts executive producer Hironobu Sakaguchi told Nomura the game would be a failure if it did not aim for the same level as the Final Fantasy series, he began to develop the story further.[111] In June 2013, Nomura stated the name of the game came from him thinking about Disney Theme Parks, especially Animal Kingdom. However, Nomura could not get the IP with just "Kingdom", so the development team began to think about "heart" as a core part of the story, so they decided to combine the two to form "Kingdom Hearts".[112][113]

text: Nomura placed a secret trailer in Kingdom Hearts in hopes that fans would want a sequel. He was unsure if fans would want a sequel and felt that if they did not, then it would be best to leave certain events in the first game unexplained.[114] After Kingdom Hearts Final Mix was completed, development for Kingdom Hearts II began.[115] There were several obstacles to clear before development could begin on a sequel. One was the development team's desire to showcase Mickey Mouse more;[114] Mickey's inclusion in the first game was restricted to a very small role.[111] Nomura had planned for the sequel to take place a year after the first and originally intended for the events of that year to be left unexplained. To bridge the gap between the two games, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was developed.[116] Nomura was hesitant about releasing a game on the Game Boy Advance because he felt the 3D graphics of the original game would not translate well into 2D. He changed his position after hearing that children wanted to play Kingdom Hearts on the handheld system.[117]

text: Creation and design[edit]

text: Though Disney gave Nomura freedom in the characters and worlds used for the games, he and his staff tried to stay within the established roles of characters and boundaries of the worlds.[118] Nomura has stated that though many of the Disney characters are not normally dark and serious, there were not many challenges making them so for the story, and despite this, their personalities shine because they maintain their own characteristics.[119] He also felt managing and keeping multiple worlds was problematic.[120] When deciding which worlds to include in the game, the development staff tried to take into account worlds with Disney characters that would be interesting and made an effort to minimize any overlap in the overall look and feel of each world.[111][121]

text: The inclusion of specific Final Fantasy characters was based on the opinions of both fans and staff.[122] Another criterion for inclusion was whether the staff felt the characters would fit into the storyline and in the Kingdom Hearts universe.[123] Initially, Nomura was hesitant to use characters he did not design, because he was unfamiliar with the backstory of such characters.[124] For Kingdom Hearts II, he changed his mind after receiving pressure from his staff.[122] Throughout the development of the games, Nomura has often left certain events and connections between characters unexplained until the release of future games. Nomura does this because he feels that games should have room for fans to speculate and use their imagination. He has stated that with speculation, even though a game gets old, people can still be happy with it.[114]

text: Promotion[edit]

text: The first Kingdom Hearts was announced at E3 in May 2001.[66] Initial details were that it would be a collaboration between Square and Disney Interactive, and would feature worlds developed by both companies and Disney characters. New characters were designed by Nomura and include Sora, Riku, Kairi, and the Heartless.[66][125] On May 14, 2002, a press release announced a list of the English voice actors. The list included Haley Joel Osment, David Gallagher, and Hayden Panettiere as the three new characters introduced into the game. It was also announced that many of the Disney characters would be voiced by the official voice actors from their respective Disney films.[66][126]

text: A secret trailer in the first Kingdom Hearts and Kingdom Hearts Final Mix hinted at the possibility of a sequel. Rumors for a sequel on the PlayStation 2 were spurred in Japan when a Japanese video game site, Quiter, stated that "an internal (and anonymous) source at Square Japan" confirmed that development of Kingdom Hearts II had begun.[127] It was not until Kingdom Hearts II was announced, along with Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, at the Tokyo Game Show in September 2003 that rumors were confirmed.[128] Initial details were that it would take place some time after Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories, which takes place directly after the first game. Other details included the return of Sora, Donald, and Goofy, as well as new costumes. At the 2004 Square Enix E3 press conference, the producer, Shinji Hashimoto, stated that many mysteries of the first game would be answered.[129]

text: To help market the games, websites were set up for each game and demos were on display at gaming events. Each game in the main series was also re-released in Japan with additional content and served as canonical updates to the series.[130][131] The additional content foreshadowed later plot elements in the series. The rereleases of the main series games had the term "Final Mix" added after the title, while Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts Coded were re-released as Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts Re:coded and released on the PlayStation 2 and Nintendo DS, respectively, with 3D graphics, voice overs during some cutscenes, and new game content.[132][133]

text: Reception[edit]

text:
Aggregate review scores
As of April 12, 2017.

Game
Metacritic

Kingdom Hearts
85[134]

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
76[135]

Kingdom Hearts II
87[136]

Kingdom Hearts Re:Chain of Memories
68[137]

Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days
75[138]

Kingdom Hearts Birth by Sleep
82[139]

Kingdom Hearts Re:coded
66[140]

Kingdom Hearts 3D: Dream Drop Distance
75[141]

Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 Remix
77[142]

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix
81[143]

Kingdom Hearts Unchained χ
70[144]

Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue
78[145]

Kingdom Hearts HD 1.5 + 2.5 Remix
84[146]

text: The Kingdom Hearts series has been critically and commercially successful. As of March 2014, the series has sold over 20 million copies worldwide.[147] The three main games in the series all met with positive sales at the time of their releases. In the first two months since the North American release of Kingdom Hearts, it was one of the top three highest-selling video games.[148] Chain of Memories sold 104,000 units in 48 hours in Japan, a record for a Game Boy Advance title at the time.[149] Its positive debut sales placed it in the top spot of sales charts in Japan.[150] In the first month of its North American release, it was ranked 1st on GameSpot's ChartSpot for portable systems and 6th for all consoles.[151] Within three days of the Kingdom Hearts II release in Japan, it shipped 1 million copies, selling through within a month.[152][153] By the end of March 2006, the NPD Group reported that Kingdom Hearts II was the highest-selling console game in North America, with 614,000 copies.[154] In the month after its release in North America, Kingdom Hearts II sold an estimated 1 million copies.[155]

text: The games have also received high ratings and positive comments from reviewers. All of the main games in the series have scored a 36 out of 40 or higher from the Japanese gaming magazine Famitsu, known for its harsh grading.[156][157][158] All six games have been praised for their visuals. Game Informer considers the series the eleventh "must-play PlayStation 2" series.[159] The individual games have also won several awards. GameSpot commented that the concept of mixing the serious elements of Final Fantasy with the lighter elements of Disney seemed impossible, but was pulled off quite well. Because of that they awarded Kingdom Hearts "Best Crossover Since Capcom vs. SNK" in their 2002 Best and Worst of the Year awards.[160] IGN named Kingdom Hearts "Best Art Style/Direction" in their 2003 list of "Best Looking Games on PS2".[161] G4 awarded it "Best Story" at their 2003 G-Phoria awards show.[162] Electronic Gaming Monthly awarded Kingdom Hearts II "Best Sequel" of 2006.[163] It tied with Resident Evil 4 as Famitsu's Game of the Year 2005.[164] The manga series has also been well received. Several of the manga volumes were listed on USA Today's "Top 150 best sellers".[165][166][167] The highest ranked volume was Kingdom Hearts volume 4 at #73.[166] Every volume listed stayed on the list for at least two weeks; Kingdom Hearts volume 4 stayed the longest at four weeks.