See Kingdom Hearts Creator’s King Mickey Sketch for Mickey Mouse Exhibition

Mickey Mouse — specifically in his role as King Mickey — has played a foundational role in the Kingdom Hearts franchise, and the series’ creator, Tetsuya Nomura, is honoring the character’s legacy as part of an upcoming exhibit.

As Kingdom Hearts 3 release approaches, IGN can exclusively reveal an original sketch from Nomura, Kingdom Hearts’ franchise director, of King Mickey. Nomura has lent a sketch from his archives, specifically from his work on Kingdom Hearts: coded, to Mickey: The True Original Exihibition, which will open in New York, NY on Nov. 8. Check out the sketch below:

Tetsuya Nomura’s Mickey sketch

“We are so honored to have Tetsuya Nomura join us as a featured artist at Mickey: The True Original Exhibition,” said Darren Romanelli, the curator and designer of Mickey: The True Original Exhibition. “Nomura-san is a legend in the gaming industry whose work creating the Kingdom Hearts franchise has reimagined our True Original as a video game hero for millions of fans around the world. We’re excited to feature his King Mickey piece alongside the work of renowned artists in the Original Muse room within the exhibition.”

The sketch originally comes from Nomur’a work on Kingdom Hearts: Coded from 2009, and has only previously been featured as part of the Kingdom Hearts Re:coded Ultimania companion book published in Japan.

“I usually do not draw storyboards for a trailer, but I decided to draw one this time as it was early on in development and I had some time on my hands. I drew it imagining that we would most likely have a scene like this in the game, considering the story for Kingdom Hearts Coded,” Nomura said in the description accompanying the sketch in the Ultimania book.

This is the first time fans can see the sketch in person.

Nomura’s sketch will be featured in the Original Muse section of the exhibition, which showcases how artists in different genres and mediums have interpreted the character. Other sections of the larger exhibition include a black-and-white-focused area showcasing Mickey comic strips and cartoon shorts, an area celebrating Mickey’s techniclor debut The Band Concert, his role in Fantasia, a Mickey Mouse Club-inspired area, and much more.

Nomura is one of many artists being featured, including Amanda Ross-Ho, Kenny Scharf, Shinique Smith, London Kaye, and many more. The full exhibition runs from Nov. 8, 2019 through Feb. 10, 2019. Tickets are currently available and full details can be found on the exhibition’s website.

Square recently confirmed KH3’s opening theme song will be produced by returning composer Utada Hikaru, as well as Skrillex, and Haley Joel Osment is set to return as Sora in KH3. If you’re looking for more on Kingdom Hearts 3, be sure to check out the official box art, take a look at the previously revealed Sora Nendroid figure, and check out the confirmed KH3 worlds and locations in the gallery below.

would appear in Kingdom Hearts 3 back in 2015. And finally, we\u0027ve gotten our first look at the world in action thanks to the TGS 2018 trailers featuring it.\r\n\r\nSan Fransokyo is an exciting potential sandbox for Sora, Donald, and Goofy to explore. A beautifully realized combination of Tokyo and San Francisco, the cityscape has such an inventive visual flair that should make battles as entertaining on the ground as they could be flying across the skyline.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/09\/18\/02-1537295729309.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/09\/18\/02-1537295729309_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”04″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”The Caribbean \u2014 As revealed during the third of three Kingdom Hearts 3 trailer, Pirates of the Caribbean is returning to the franchise. A world based on the live-action series first appeared in Kingdom Hearts 2 as Port Royal, but this latest take on the world of Jack Sparrow looks much more expansive. The trailer showcased ship combat, underwater traversal, and even mid-air combat. Jack Sparrow has been confirmed as a party member.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-battle05-1528904717411.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-battle05-1528904717411_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”05″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Arendelle \u2014 Confirmed during the first of three Kingdom Hearts 3 trailers at E3 2018, Frozen\u0027s Arendelle is finally set to appear in KH3. Anna, Elsa, Olaf, Svenn, and more from the beloved film are set to appear, while one of the world\u0027s major gameplay mechanics revealed is \u0022Goofy Curling.\u0022 The brief scene of curling depicted Sora, Donald, and Goofy racing down a hillside on Goofy\u0027s shield.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-event10-1528904717415.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/06\/13\/kh3-e32018-screenshot-event10-1528904717415_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”06″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Andy\u0027s House (Toy Story) \u2014 As part of the confirmation that Square planed for KH3 to release in 2018, the company revealed the franchise\u0027s first Pixar world, Toy Story. The lengthy clip revealed Sora, Donald, and Goofy in toy-form, fighting alongside some of Andy\u0027s most familiar toys like Woody, both inside the boy\u0027s room and outside on the lawn.\r\n Additionally, a toy store will play a major location in this world, where players will have the chance to pilot mech-like robot toys on the battlefield.”,”height”:766,”width”:1362,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/toy-story-trailer-screens-5-1518122341031.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/toy-story-trailer-screens-5-1518122341031_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”07″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”MONSTERS, INC. \u2014 Following a leak of screenshots over the last several months, Square Enix confirmed the second Pixar world coming to KH3. Featuring Mike and Sulley as party members, the Monsters, Inc. factory will also be home to new transformations for Sora, Donald, and Goofy. It also appears the film\u0027s signature doors, which allow monsters to travel, will play a role in the game, though it\u0027s unclear if Sora and the gang will teleport through them themselves.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/12\/mi-group-1518455707491.png”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/12\/mi-group-1518455707491_{size}.png”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”08″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Mount Olympus (Hercules) \u2014 Square confirmed a heavy Hercules presence with KH3\u0027s 2015 gameplay trailer, showcasing a massive battle against Lythos the Rock Titan. But more and more has been revealed about the world that promises a new take on the world of Hercules than either KH1 or KH2, which were simply the Coliseum and then the underworld, respectively. It seems players will actually be scaling Mount Olympus, exploring the home of Herc in a cloud-topped world of stylized Greek architecture. Hades also appears to once again play a key role in the franchise, with an intriguing discussion between him and Maleficent taking the spotlight in the E3 2017 KH3 trailer.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-006-1497209741209-1518050288195.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-006-1497209741209-1518050288195_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:”09″,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Twilight Town (Kingdom Hearts 2) \u2014 The hometown of Roxas returns in KH3. Though gameplay from it has appeared since, Twilight Town actually appeared in the first KH3 teaser trailer from 2013, offering the first glimpse of gameplay in the sequel.”,”height”:1078,”width”:1918,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-02re-1518050288192.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-02re-1518050288192_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:10,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Yen Sid\u0027s Tower (KH2) \u2014 An extension of Twilight Town, Yen Sid\u0027s Tower has nevertheless become a key gathering point for characters in the series, including in Kingdom Hearts 2.8\u0027s 0.2: a fragmentary passage. Yen Sid offered Sora his marching orders for KH3, along with the rest of the group, in that brief bridging chapter, but glimpses at the game in previous KH3 trailers indicate the area will be playable again.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-fix-1518050288194.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-fix-1518050288194_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:11,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Old Mansion (KH2) \u2014 Another extension of Twilight Town in KH2, the Old Mansion is nevertheless and major location that played a big role in KH2 and looks to be another hot spot for plot developments in KH3. The site of Roxas\u0027 birth, becomes a member of Organization XIII, and where he eventually reunites with Sora, the Old Mansion pops up again in KH3 trailers.\r\nMost prominently, Sora faces off with Xemnas outside its walls for a heated conversation during the KH3 2017 Orchestra\/E3 trailer.”,”height”:576,”width”:1024,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-14-1497209741217-1024w-1518122265545.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-orchtrailer-14-1497209741217-1024w-1518122265545_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:12,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”Kingdom of Corona (Tangled) \u2014The first new Disney world confirmed for Kingdom Hearts 3, Corona comes from the recent trend of 3D animated Disney films. From what we\u0027ve seen so far, Rapunzel\u0027s castle and the surrounding woods play a part in the world, but it\u0027s unclear what else from the film will play a part in the role.”,”height”:1080,”width”:1920,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-01re-1518050288190.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/08\/kh3-01re-1518050288190_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:13,”albumTotalCount”:14},{“caption”:”RUMORS – Ahead of D23 Expo Japan 2018 earlier this year, plenty of rumors floated around about possible new KH3 worlds. IGN dove into how likely we think a Monsters, Inc. or World Ends With You world in Kingdom Hearts 3 may be. Though of course, Monsters, Inc. has now officially been revealed as a world coming to the game.\r\n\r\nStay tuned to IGN and this gallery for updates as Square Enix reveals them.”,”height”:720,”width”:1280,”url”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/09\/kh3rumors-1280-1516310810832-1518198539595.jpg”,”styleUrl”:”https:\/\/assets1.ignimgs.com\/2018\/02\/09\/kh3rumors-1280-1516310810832-1518198539595_{size}.jpg”,”credit”:””,”objectRelationName”:”Kingdom Hearts III”,”objectRelationUrl”:”\/games\/kingdom-hearts-iii”,”albumName”:”Every Confirmed Kingdom Hearts 3 World”,”relativePosition”:14,”albumTotalCount”:14}]’
data-ads-disabled=’false’
data-ad-frequency=’3′
data-image-size=’1280w’>

And if you’re looking to jump into the franchise and catch up ahead of KH3, Square Enix will release a Kingdom Hearts compilation later this month for PS4 players. Kingdom Hearts 3 will be released for PS4 and Xbox One on Jan. 29, 2019.

Jonathon Dornbush is IGN’s News Editor, PlayStation Lead, and host of Beyond! Talk to him on Twitter @jmdornbush.