On what date did Kingdom Hearts first release in Japan?

Kingdom Hearts first released in Japan on March 28, 2002.

The original release was for Sony's PlayStation 2 and introduced Sora, Kairi, and Riku, along with the series' mixture of Disney worlds, original settings, and Final Fantasy characters. It was the first game in what became a large multimedia franchise.

The date is sometimes confused with later regional releases. Kingdom Hearts arrived in North America on September 17, 2002, while the European release followed in November 2002. Japan later received Kingdom Hearts Final Mix on December 26, 2002, with additional content and changes based partly on the international version.

The Japanese launch was an important milestone for Square and Disney's collaboration. Tetsuya Nomura directed the game, and its success established Kingdom Hearts as more than a one-off crossover. The original Japanese version also differs from later editions, which added enemies, scenes, weapons, and other material.