Improve Kingdom Hearts' Writing

[itsroxas]

One thing that has to be shown to have improved with Kingdom Hearts 3 is definitely its writing. For the longest time this franchise has been filled with plot holes and retcons and questionable dialogue and plot progression and absurd things happen (characters acting stupid) just for sake of the plot. I hope now with this game having a higher budget they improve on its writing. As much as i love this game, they need to start taking risks and realize that it has so much more potential. Sometimes i delve into different fan fictions and some fans write more in depth stories than we already have and you feel like you want this to happen. I also understand that Disney has a say in what goes or not but still.

I hope Nomura has written something that actually makes sense and isn't a blatant mess all for the sake of "making it seem to connect with other KH games and was planned all along" .It's like the different games that comes out is being written by different writers (scenario writers) and changing the rules and then another set of writers that comes along has no idea what was established and then Nomura is like "Xemnas can wield a keyblade but it is mystery why he does not" , let me ask why writers first to make sure.

Some people on other forums ask "How is Aqua with mickey in 0.2 to where they locked the door in KH1 but she was never planned as a character at that time? and how come Riku never heard any of the commotion from behind?"

Have the characters interact with a well written script, make them feel like actual real people that are interacting with each other instead of plot devices (did i make sense? ). I hope they make Kairi have an active role in KH3 and give her some personality like "who is Kairi as a person?" and not just "she's just a cute girl and a princess of heart" . Just give these characters more depth. I grew up with this series and i truly want it to excel but they need to improve its writing a bit more and stop just writing stuff along the way. I hope after KH3, Nomura starts planning more consistently. But in the end this is just all my opinion and wanted to vent a bit. :tongue:

what do you guys think of the current writing of the Kingdom Hearts Franchise? Do you want to them to improve now with KH3 and onwards or do you not see anything wrong with it? what do you wish they would improve more on in terms of writing?

 

[The_Echo]

Re: Writing of the Series

The original Kingdom Hearts was planned and written to function as largely standalone, which winds up getting in the way of sequel plots more often than it probably should. It really is a thorn in Nomura's side throughout the Dark Seeker Saga. Something that hopefully can be done away with after this arc wraps up and we start fresh with a new one.
That said, I think he does a good job of juuuust squeezing through into a cohesive narrative.

Some of the more noticeable continuity errors come from dialogue, such as Donald and Goofy seemingly having forgotten the Mysterious Tower. That's more in the realm of the scenario writers, than Nomura's base story.

There are several different scenario writers across the series, including Nomura himself (Days).
Currently, Masaru Oka is the scenario writer, who began writing with DDD, and proceeds with χ[chi], 0.2, χ Back Cover, Union χ[Cross].

Personally, I think he might be the best writer the series has had so far. So I'm confident the writing in KHIII will be suitably tight (assuming he's the writer, I can't remember if it's confirmed yet).
I'm hoping his current run of things means he'll be "the KH writer" in the same way that Yoko is "the KH composer." Having consistent creative staff can only benefit the series.

The next best, I would say is Daisuke Watanabe, who wrote CoM and coded (he also co-wrote KH1 with Kazushige Nojima and Jun Akiyama). Those two are very strong character-focused narratives and he pulled off some fantastic character moments and development despite each title's limited scope.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

Re: Writing of the Series

If there's anything that I will credit Kingdom Hearts for when it comes to its writing, it's the advanced use of vocabulary. I had to Google what "maelstrom of avarice" meant despite being proficient in descriptive words. Why does nobody ever credit Kingdom Hearts for utilising the higher class of the English language?

 

[catcake]

Re: Writing of the Series

If there's anything that I will credit Kingdom Hearts for when it comes to its writing, it's the advanced use of vocabulary. I had to Google what "maelstrom of avarice" meant despite being proficient in descriptive words. Why does nobody ever credit Kingdom Hearts for utilising the higher class of the English language?

I don't know about that, but I definitely appreciate the use of cool sounding and pretty words when it comes to naming places. Xemnas is the most pretentious noob ever, I can imagine him naming all the different areas of TWTNW being all impressed with his artsy edgy naming skills. But I still love them all. My kinda aesthetics.

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

Re: Writing of the Series

and how come Riku never heard any of the commotion from behind?"

Find out in Kingdom Hearts: 00000.2/Darkness=Darkness-A Fragmentary Re: Connect-, where we play as Riku running toward the Door to Darkness. Along his journey, Riku well meet a mysterious person who tells him to "Git-R-Done!" Are they friend or foe, and will Riku understand this phrase before it's too late?

Currently, Masaru Oka is the scenario writer, who began writing with DDD, and proceeds with χ[chi], 0.2, χ Back Cover, Union χ[Cross].

Personally, I think he might be the best writer the series has had so far. So I'm confident the writing in KHIII will be suitably tight (assuming he's the writer, I can't remember if it's confirmed yet).
I'm hoping his current run of things means he'll be "the KH writer" in the same way that Yoko is "the KH composer." Having consistent creative staff can only benefit the series.

The next best, I would say is Daisuke Watanabe, who wrote CoM and coded (he also co-wrote KH1 with Kazushige Nojima and Jun Akiyama). Those two are very strong character-focused narratives and he pulled off some fantastic character moments and development despite each title's limited scope.

Seeing as how much I love how CoM and Coded's story were handled, I want Daisuke Watanabe to be on board. But I think KH3 will be in good hands if Masaru Oka is working on it (and best scenario is they both are.)

I don't know about that, but I definitely appreciate the use of cool sounding and pretty words when it comes to naming places. Xemnas is the most pretentious noob ever, I can imagine him naming all the different areas of TWTNW being all impressed with his artsy edgy naming skills. But I still love them all. My kinda aesthetics.

Xemnas really is the biggest dork in the series.

 

[f'tang]

Re: Improve KH writing

After playing through kh1 again I can honestly say it's the best story the series has had so far. Maybe its personal preference but kingdom hearts 1 plays out like a disney movie, whereas every other game in the series plays out like an anime.

 

[Chuman]

Re: Improve KH writing

best writing

 

[Muke]

Re: Improve KH writing

best writing

First I was going to point out how writing and localization aren't the same thing, since I always thought it was a translation error. But Riku does say "やみのにおいか", which is "the smell of Darkness?", sooo... yeah.

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

Re: Improve KH writing

best writing

Ansem really needs to stop using Axe deodorant.

 

[The_Echo]

Re: Improve KH writing

Seeing as how much I love how CoM and Coded's story were handled, I want Daisuke Watanabe to be on board. But I think KH3 will be in good hands if Masaru Oka is working on it (and best scenario is they both are.)

Watanabe's dialogue is definitely better, but I think Oka works just fine.
The less cooks the better.

First I was going to point out how writing and localization aren't the same thing, since I always thought it was a translation error. But Riku does say "やみのにおいか", which is "the smell of Darkness?", sooo... yeah.

It's an established concept that is used a number of times during Reverse/Rebirth, but I checked the JP scenes just to be sure, and he does use the phrase 闇の匂い.

It's possible this was a quirk of darkness that Watanabe wanted to establish, but with Riku's lack of presence in the proceeding games, and the changing writing staff, it just got lost.

 

[Muke]

Re: Improve KH writing

It's an established concept that is used a number of times during Reverse/Rebirth, but I checked the JP scenes just to be sure, and he does use the phrase 闇の匂い.

It's possible this was a quirk of darkness that Watanabe wanted to establish, but with Riku's lack of presence in the proceeding games, and the changing writing staff, it just got lost.

I actually have a pretty (imo) good theory that could explain it, but I'm preeetty sure the explanation I have is deeper than it was intended. Probably gonna post that later in a new thread

 

[KHHacker6595]

Re: Improve KH writing

Ansem really needs to stop using Axe deodorant.

I think You mean Axel deodorant

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

Re: Improve KH writing

I think You mean Axel deodorant

 

[redcrown]

Re: Improve KH writing

One thing that has to be shown to have improved with Kingdom Hearts 3 is definitely its writing.

How do you know that? You can't know until the game comes out.

 

[Alpha Sonix]

Re: Improve KH writing

I'm hesitant about Watanabe returning. BBS has some of the worst writing and dialogue in the series imo and even CoM and Re:Coded (at least the movie) are questionable at times. The most ideal outcome would be the Days team but Masaru Oka has proven himself more than capable at handling KH3 since I found DDD's writing to be a considerable improvement over BBS.

 

[Muke]

Re: Improve KH writing

The most ideal outcome would be the Days team

Please no


Masaru Oka is the best out of all of them imo. I really liked the writing of the past games

 

[Deleted member 246005]

Re: Improve KH writing

Writing is probably the hardest thing to fix because it's less tangible and objective than gameplay. So best thing to do is to go into the game and let it suprise you.

 

[kirabook]

Re: Improve KH writing

Was the dialogue of Birth by Sleep really that bad, or was the localization subpar.

 

[Muke]

Re: Improve KH writing

Was the dialogue of Birth by Sleep really that bad, or was the localization subpar.

Most probably the localization, as even the "weirdest brother" scene is so different in Japanese (and better)..

 

[kirabook]

Re: Improve KH writing

I thought so. Even Ven's cute "He told me to bring two grown ups. >8c" was more meaningful in Birth by Sleep. "He told me to bring my parents >.>"