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News ► Kingdom Hearts 3 novel series by Tomoco Kanemaki releasing March 2019!



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Oracle Spockanort

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Square Enix has announced that Kingdom Hearts 3 will receive a novel adaption by Tomoco Kanemaki with illustrations by Shiro Amano. The first volume "Re:Start!!" will cost 800 Yen and is set to release March 28th, 2019.

It's not something you can simply teach
The desire to save your friends―――that alone is enough

"But first, you must regain all the strength you have lost."

Sora has lost much of the strength he had gained when he traveled into the Sleeping Worlds for the Mark of Master Exam. The great wizard Yen Sid tasks Sora to go on a journey to perfect the Power of Waking. In order to stop Xehanort's grand scheme, Sora, Donald and Goofy's new journey begins! The conclusion of the Dark Seeker Saga, the first part of KINGDOM HEARTS III begins here!

Follow Kingdom Hearts Insider on Facebook and Twitter for the latest updates on Kingdom Hearts Union χ [Cross], Kingdom Hearts 3 and all things Kingdom Hearts!

 

Zettaflare

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Think the novel adaptation will cover things the game likely won't have time too? Such as Kairi and Lea's training with Merlin?
 

Oracle Spockanort

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KH's anniversary, Sora's birthday...We are so blessed <3

Think the novel adaptation will cover things the game likely won't have time too? Such as Kairi and Lea's training with Merlin?

I guess we'll have to wait and see. I would hope so because that was what Kanemaki did in KH2. She expanded on what Riku, Namine, and Axel were doing during the game.
 

The_Echo

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When do we get to shift into the timeline where Amano kept going with the manga

The novels aren't nearly as good, frankly
 

Zettaflare

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KH's anniversary, Sora's birthday...We are so blessed <3



I guess we'll have to wait and see. I would hope so because that was what Kanemaki did in KH2. She expanded on what Riku, Namine, and Axel were doing during the game.
Hopefully the KH3 novels get the same additional content as the KH2 ones. In addition to Kairi's training I wouldnt mind more expansion on Xehanort and Eraqus' childhood :)
 

Twilight Lumiair

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Wha- already?! Wow, that's actually got me pretty excited.^^ Maybe the novel can touch on some things the game didn't get the chance too. Not that it means much since everyone would just say "oh, it's not cannon so nothing in it really matters." Still looking forward to it though. It's always a treat to hear some of the characters inner thoughts.
 

Sephiroth0812

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When do we get to shift into the timeline where Amano kept going with the manga

The novels aren't nearly as good, frankly

Lol wat?

The novels blow both the manga and the games themselves out of the water because they actually do proper characterisation and character interaction.

The manga is just a non-canon silly comedy fest.
Funny to be sure, but can't be taken seriously.
 

The_Echo

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Lol wat?

The novels blow both the manga and the games themselves out of the water because they actually do proper characterisation and character interaction.
Well I haven't read them all, but so far it just feels like a retread of the game plot but with extra melodrama
As if there isn't enough in the source material

The manga is just a non-canon silly comedy fest.
Funny to be sure, but can't be taken seriously.
I mean, the novels aren't canon either
The manga's more fun and, for me anyway, more accurate to the feeling of Kingdom Hearts
 

Oracle Spockanort

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Hopefully the KH3 novels get the same additional content as the KH2 ones. In addition to Kairi's training I wouldnt mind more expansion on Xehanort and Eraqus' childhood :)

Xehanort-Eraqus stuff is all I want. Honestly I would just want a whole novel on Xehanort, but I don't hope for things anymore.

Wha- already?! Wow, that's actually got me pretty excited.^^ Maybe the novel can touch on some things the game didn't get the chance too. Not that it means much since everyone would just say "oh, it's not cannon so nothing in it really matters." Still looking forward to it though. It's always a treat to hear some of the characters inner thoughts.

They are canon to us, Twilight. ;~;

Lol wat?

The novels blow both the manga and the games themselves out of the water because they actually do proper characterisation and character interaction.

The manga is just a non-canon silly comedy fest.
Funny to be sure, but can't be taken seriously.

Agreed on the novel thing. I love the manga, though.

Well I haven't read them all, but so far it just feels like a retread of the game plot but with extra melodrama
As if there isn't enough in the source material

I think everybody is going to view the novels differently. I personally like the extra info in Reverse/Rebirth that helps to show just how diddlyed up Repliku was because of how Namine cobbled his memories together. Kanemaki took an interesting narrative direction with presenting it.

Also I liked all of the additions in the KH2 novel. It wasn't melodramatic and instead made the game feel less barebones and like everything plot-relevant was shoved at the beginning and ending of the game.

I mean, the novels aren't canon either
The manga's more fun and, for me anyway, more accurate to the feeling of Kingdom Hearts

They aren't canon in the traditional sense. The games will always trump any secondary sources, but the novels are meant to be there to serve as an expansion on the game's canon. If a fact is contradicted by the games, then that makes that non-canon. If it isn't contradicted by the games, it can be accepted as canon.

It's like any cross-media content from any franchise out there.
 
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rokudamia2

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Cool, can’t wait.

The manga is just a non-canon silly comedy fest.
Funny to be sure, but can't be taken seriously.

No offense but, this is doing the KH2 and 358/2 manga’s a disservice. I actually prefer parts of the manga over how they are presented In the games.
 

Sephiroth0812

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Well I haven't read them all, but so far it just feels like a retread of the game plot but with extra melodrama
As if there isn't enough in the source material


I mean, the novels aren't canon either
The manga's more fun and, for me anyway, more accurate to the feeling of Kingdom Hearts

The novels portray most of the characters way better and you also understand their motivations and thought lines much better. That's not just "melodrama".

True, they aren't primary canon and if a part is explicitly contradicted by one of the games it is non-canon all the same, yet the novels are more close to canon than the manga will ever be.

Agreed on the novel thing. I love the manga, though.



I think everybody is going to view the novels differently. I personally like the extra info in Reverse/Rebirth that helps to show just how diddlyed up Repliku was because of how Namine cobbled his memories together. Kanemaki took an interesting narrative direction with presenting it.

Also I liked all of the additions in the KH2 novel. It wasn't melodramatic and instead made the game feel less barebones and like everything plot-relevant was shoved at the beginning and ending of the game.



They aren't canon in the traditional sense. The games will always trump any secondary sources, but the novels are meant to be there to serve as an expansion on the game's canon. If a fact is contradicted by the games, then that makes that non-canon. If it isn't contradicted by the games, it can be accepted as canon.

It's like any cross-media content from any franchise out there.

I love the manga too, but with a different premise and completely detached from the main storyline presented in the games.

I recently finished the KH 2 novel and man does it more justice to other characters like Riku, Naminé, Roxas and even Xemnas. Not like the game where everything is hidden behind the scenes and you're stuck watching Sora, Donald and Goofy doing nonsense by repeating Disney movies scene for scene without any value to the actual narrative.

I got the 358/2 Days one recently, just need time to actually start reading it.

Yep, and the novel author actually gets sometimes background info directly from Nomura if I recall correctly. The manga doesn't have that.

No offense but, this is doing the KH2 and 358/2 manga’s a disservice. I actually prefer parts of the manga over how they are presented In the games.

None taken.
Of course the manga also has some serious scenes thrown in and I am not actually disliking the manga.
I have all volumes that exist and I enjoy reading it, I just can't connect it directly with either the games or the novels since there's stuff happening in it that simply doesn't fit into the overarching narrative or is too silly, like i.e. Vexen's countless replicas of himself, Riku fighting like two thirds of the Organisation alone at the same time and coming out unscathed because the members are so completely stupid they blast each other or Kairi throwing her chance to flee out of the window just because Demyx throws a whiny tantrum.
 

Zettaflare

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None taken.
Of course the manga also has some serious scenes thrown in and I am not actually disliking the manga.
I have all volumes that exist and I enjoy reading it, I just can't connect it directly with either the games or the novels since there's stuff happening in it that simply doesn't fit into the overarching narrative or is too silly, like i.e. Vexen's countless replicas of himself, Riku fighting like two thirds of the Organisation alone at the same time and coming out unscathed because the members are so completely stupid they blast each other or Kairi throwing her chance to flee out of the window just because Demyx throws a whiny tantrum.
All of that sounds absolutely hilarious. Especially the other organization members blasting each other.

I stopped reading the manga adaptation after Coam but now I think it want to read the KH2 and 358 2 Days ones
 

Audo

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They haven't done Dream Drop, right? That's a crucial part that leads into III, right?
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Sign

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They haven't done Dream Drop, right? That's a crucial part that leads into III, right?

Kanemaki's novel adaptations are almost entirely caught up with the games. The KH3D novels were released in 2012.

However, Yen Press's localization are quite a ways behind. The next one to be released is BBS vol. 1 (which combines the first two volumes from the Japan release) in March.
 

rokudamia2

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Kanemaki's novel adaptations are almost entirely caught up with the games. The KH3D novels were released in 2012.

However, Yen Press's localization are quite a ways behind. The next one to be released is BBS vol. 1 (which combines the first two volumes from the Japan release) in March.

I’m curious about what they will do with coded. They could make it part of the Dream Drop Distance Omnibus.
 

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Wow, a novelization so soon? Seems like an interesting read once I’m done with the game. Hopefully it makes it to the West in whatever form it may take.
 

Oracle Spockanort

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I’m curious about what they will do with coded. They could make it part of the Dream Drop Distance Omnibus.

I’m assuming Yen Press will just release it as is. They are also publishing the Short Stories which combined are both about the same size as coded.

Wow, a novelization so soon? Seems like an interesting read once I’m done with the game. Hopefully it makes it to the West in whatever form it may take.

Yen Press will likely get to it eventually, it just depends on how many people they have on hand. They seemed pretty interested in the X[chi] novel so I want to believe they plan on putting more focus on the KH novels this year to try and capitalize on the post-KH3 drought for as long as it is around.
 

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Will an English version be released or is this just Japanese like the Ultimania?
 
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