Siliconera: Square Enix has been working with DC Comics to create Play Arts Kai figures for quite some time. How did you get involved with creating this Variant Play Arts Kai Batman figure?
Nomura: Many years ago, I worked on a different project and the concept and idea was kind of already there. Unfortunately, that project didn’t pan out and it never saw the light of day. When the merchandise team started expanding into the DC Comics Variant figures, they approached me and said, “We remember you drew a sort of Batman design back then. Would you be able to share that with us?”
Siliconera: Was this project a game?
Nomura: Yeah, it was game-related. It didn’t even start development as a project, it was just a concept and ideas, not a full game. Since the project was canceled, I can’t talk much about it.
Siliconera: The Batman figure, especially its armor, reminds me of the Kingdom Hearts series and the armor Keyblade users wear [in Birth by Sleep].
Nomura: Actually, to be honest, the project that never got off the ground was done before Kingdom Hearts was conceived. It might be the opposite—the design from that early project influenced Kingdom Hearts and armor design in that series.
