The Sleeping Realm Theory

[Oracle Spockanort]

Yeah I also think its not fair to say that its less credible if they adapt it. For me it just shows that they are watching other sources to see if they are right or wrong and that they have no problem with correcting something if its false. I mean if they would stick to everything they have written then people will just point out how x is wrong which then suddenly makes the whole theory wrong in their eyes, even if its just one detail.

Also I am not really sure why this theory is shippy? Because they wrote about love between Riku and Sora? But they have pointed out that this can mean many sorts of love. The focus on them both? Well isnt the game itself often focusing on them both, giving them both an attack that plays dearly beloved as their heart song?

EXACTLY

 

[Elysium]

I can believe some of this will turn out to be the case. I remember thinking that the ending of the “Face My Fears” cinematic was sooo odd. That ticking clock when the camera does a weird jerk around all the different characters was really eerie to me. And they do look as if they’re standing in The Final World there. I never thought about it before, but it does sound like it should be a part of the time rewind. As far as little details, I never even noticed the tram going the wrong way. I did wonder why the Ultima Keyblade looked so different from past games. Or why we have a Rage Form instead of just calling it Antisora.

Apologies for going on a tangent, but reading this helped me realize one point anyway. When I re-played the game, I noticed that when Sora is thinking about true love being the power to save people, the only shots they use are Anna “sacrificing” herself by jumping in front of Elsa to stop Hans’ sword and Flynn dying to save Rapunzel. I wonder now if using only these two might have been intentional comparisons to Riku and Kairi, respectively, considering they could’ve also included a shot of Will and Elizabeth in there or put something together of Hercules pulling Megara out of the pool of souls from KH2 or even Sully’s paternal love for Boo. I say that because, well, Anna jumping in front of Elsa is similar to how Riku stands in front of Sora to block the Heartless horde in the KG. Also Sora intentionally “dies” to save Kairi similar to how Flynn intentionally dies to save Rapunzel from Gothel’s clutches rather than let her heal him. Rapunzel’s light power also brings Flynn back to life similar to how Kairi keeps Sora’s heart from fading away thanks to the “power of the pure light of the new seven hearts." So whether or not the whole theory turns out to be true, at least I got that out of it.

The fact that 100 Acre Wood was included in the game at all would make sense with this theory to me actually. That world feels so random in KH3, like it was never intended for much of anything other than for Sora to have this weird blip in his connection to Pooh. Lumpy's probably not a dream thing though, although the fact that they considered it was neat. While Pooh dreams about heffalumps and woozles in the original shorts, the film that introduces Lumpy treats her as real, not a dream.

My favorite part was the similarity between Kairi’s death scene and the Darkside, then how it might relate to Calypso in The Caribbean. When the fake Jake dissolves into crabs, am I wrong, or did the effect also seem similar to Kairi’s death and the Darkside, too? I’ll have to go watch the cutscene again. If the theory turns out true, I love that SDG begin The Caribbean in that world’s version of the afterlife. I don’t know, I feel like this theory makes sense of a lot of things in KH3 that just felt weird. And of course it would actually make Kairi important for once.

Sorry, my post is all over the place and discombobulated.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

Some rumored leaks claimed that Versus XIII was going to deal with the themes of death and dreams. Noctis would have been in a near death situation and that would have linked him to the world between life and death where the gate of Etro laid. Behind her door was the abyss of Chaos, a place where all souls passed on to their final rest.

Noctis would have frequently visited this space between life and death through his dreams, and in this place he would have spoken to the dead. It would have led Noctis to question what was reality and what was dreams.

Also time travel was supposed to play a part in the story, and Noctis would have had to face the reality that some fates cannot be rewritten and changing the past has consequences.

This coincidentally fits with Sora’s experience with the Final World, but instead of realizing fate is unchanging, Sora essentially gives up his own life to create a new fate.

Also, Stella would have died and been a moving goal post for Noctis. 8D

I know I already mentioned this, but to further add to the Versus XIII story, this is pretty much akin to the Greek and Roman mythology where Death and Sleep both live at the entrance of the Underworld, and they sometimes intertwine. In Chirithy's words: "One can't help the occasional crossover" (of sleep and death). It seem that this is something Nomura reeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeally wanted to express in Versus, but couldn't.

And like Spock said, we got a bit of Somnus playin' in the end of the secret ending, and "Somnus" is the Greek personification of sleep, and "Hypnos" is the Roman equivalent of "Somnus", while the "Somnia" are DREAMS THAT COPY people.

But back to the topic at hand, seeing as how I am repeating a previous post I made: this theory is a possibility, but we'll have to see just how much to an extent Nomura is going to stretch the sleep/death mythos.

 

[Nukara]

But nothing of that makes the theory crumble at all. Yes its focused on Riku and Sora but honestly they are not just telling stuff that arent in the game, they use the japanese version (which does not take away Rikus part in saving Sora in the final world unlike the english version...) to point out the theme. Also at no point did I get the feeling that they are using it to hate on Kairi. They just see her role different. And her end is still open, since they are pointing out that they have no clue where her heart is thus the speculation that she paid the price for them to jump worldlines. That does not mean that Sora cant truly save her later. Yet even if he does not, why should Kairi be an exception of dieing?

I mean do you not find it silly that Nomura gave Kairi a keyblade and left her with her PoH power for her to be mostly useless in the fight itself and then killed of for motivation? Heck who knows, maybe she has also somehow turned herself into a spirit and will have a bigger role to play in later games with that. Maybe this is even better for her character than simply being just killed of, because at least in the theory she seemingly was the one that helped them escape the worldline or at least was the one that paid the price. If it was not some passive wishing again, then that sounds at least like some more active role to me.

The thing is, this theory uses examples from the game to explain their theory. And it should be viewed as that and not true the eyes of "oh my god they are shippers, thus they must have done this to destroy character x or ship y". Look at the overall theory and tell me where exactly they hate on Kairi? Where exactly its nothing but shipping for Sora and Riku. And where the theory itself crumbles apart and not just because you dislike that they are shippers.

Also Sora is lost. Him changing the fate of the universe (no matter if that was in the RoL or RoS) sealed his own fate. It was not Kairi at the end (as far as we can tell) that killed him, it was his act of changing the fate of all people and he seemingly just had some time left before he disappeared that he used to either save Kairi and/or see her one last time. Because YX already told him that he has misused it too much before Kairi was even killed, so her really not being saved or with them at the end does not change his fate at all. So of course even in that theory the card that Luxord gave him will help. So still not seeing how that is against it?

Her not being with them would also give Sora the chance to grow as a character and would fit with the theme of the last two disney worlds, where the characters had to accept the death or loss of people they love. While right now Sora still would have won completely only at the loss of himself.

They might bloat their theory a bit too much with details but the ending is strange. Sora and Kairi not sitting on the tree until the very end, everyone standing in a position where they are not looking at the tree but something else (which seemingly was big enough to get everyones attention) The sky being different colors in a scene that should happen at the same time. If we never had DDD thus knew that different time and things like that are clues, then maybe we could say that its an error. But having so many strange things in one ending? So many mistakes? Again we are talking about Nomura who has already said that even simply gestures can mean things.

So in the end I still dont see any good reason why this theory would outright crumble. And no the authors being shippers is not a good reason at all.

Anyway it is of course still just a theory and they are not going around stating it as facts. And of course this can all be wrong. But maybe some or most of it are right. At least right now there is nothing major that destroys it.

I do not like that this theory, even if its creators do not hate Kairi, is an excellent reason for people who do not like Kairi to hate her. For me personally, a dead character has no potential at all. As with the same Aerith, which at the moment is simply a motivation for the Cloud to understand once again that he could not save her than a full-fledged character. And yes, I have nothing against the death of Aerith and other heroes. Just for me, they cease to be full-fledged heroes. As for Kairi, then if they were going to kill her completely, then why bother to give her a keyblade?

 

[SuperSaiyanSora]

I do not like that this theory, even if its creators do not hate Kairi, is an excellent reason for people who do not like Kairi to hate her. For me personally, a dead character has no potential at all. As with the same Aerith, which at the moment is simply a motivation for the Cloud to understand once again that he could not save her than a full-fledged character. And yes, I have nothing against the death of Aerith and other heroes. Just for me, they cease to be full-fledged heroes. As for Kairi, then if they were going to kill her completely, then why bother to give her a keyblade?

But you can't even really use Aerith as a reason because even in death, her role was crucial. If it wasn't for her, the Planet would've been destroyed, or at least Midgar. She's every bit a hero, even if you don't control her in those moments.

Granted, Xehanort didn't need to kill Kairi because it's not like Sora could say no, fly back home and all's well -- he's still going to have to take care of the immediate threat in front of him, especially with only one key away. Even though he made it clear he didn't want to play along. Kairi didn't need to be the extra motivation. But, I think it could be that her dying sets things up for a plot point in the future potentially. Xion mentioned that Kairi is okay, which gives Sora some assurance, but how does Xion know that? Where exactly DID Sora go? We could guess, but it wasn't made super clear what precisely occurred.

Also, speaking of Xion, when she was killed by Roxas in Days, her body crystallized and shattered in almost the same way Kairi's did by Xehanort. She was also rendered unconscious, and when she was killed, no heart was released. It's possible that something happened during the period of Xemnas capturing her and Sora seeing her die by Xehanort's hands. Maybe she DID go out fighting and some trickery is afoot.

Or maybe it was a stylistic choice in terms of how she gets bodied, idunno lmao. But it does make you wonder.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

https://www.khinsider.com/news/KH3-...luding-save-carry-over-more-photo-slots-15162

This is now the hot place to discuss Critical Mode

 

[Happyfunshineman]

Sorry, I just can’t stop thinking about Lumpy the Heffalump.

Has the character really not been used, for like, eight years?

Why are you doing this to me Lumpy?

 

[allenleonardo]

I do not like that this theory, even if its creators do not hate Kairi, is an excellent reason for people who do not like Kairi to hate her. For me personally, a dead character has no potential at all. As with the same Aerith, which at the moment is simply a motivation for the Cloud to understand once again that he could not save her than a full-fledged character. And yes, I have nothing against the death of Aerith and other heroes. Just for me, they cease to be full-fledged heroes. As for Kairi, then if they were going to kill her completely, then why bother to give her a keyblade?

People will hate/dislike characters even without the theory, but at least for me it just feels like Kairi had much more purpose in the theory even if its still small compared to others.

Well then no character should ever die because they would lose their potential. In the end this theory is not even sure if Kairi is death, just that the Kairi we saw at the graveyard had no heart and her death was strange and quite different for nomal deaths. (Which was even more pointed out with Xehanort dieing normally) It could simply mean that Kairi is still alive in some way just not on this worldline. Exactly like Will who is still "alive" but can only see Elisabeth for one day every ten years. I mean they make a point to say to Sora that one day can be enough for hearts to say whats necessary and then at the end we have Sora fate away from Kairi. This of course still could just mean that he saved her and died himself but since we do know that Sora will be saved, the whole point would be moot. But if Kairi will stay in another wordline and Sora just saved her in the old wordline (and brought her to the old destiny island - since copies of worlds can exists) the point would be proven because Sora would have had the chance to say goodbye but will not be able to see her anymore. Also why would Sora (in the japanese version) just say that he will be back, if he truly was out to take Kairi back. Wouldnt he say that they both will be back? Again this sentence makes sense if Sora at that time knew that Kairi and he wont be staying together anymore in one world and that she cant go with them.

 

[balloon53]

So really the whole thing that bothers me is the whole Kairi thing, I know that the writers have claimed that they are "Kairi fans" but saying something is not the same as actually being/doing. I remember one of the main points in the theory being that Kairi is the darkside heartless in the intro (unless they decided to disregard that and the part about the intro after the ultimania came out), Kairi has a heart of pure light which is why Namine was such an special exception. Kairi can not have a heartless making a nobody seem impossible for her to have as well, though Namine actually uses Sora's body same as Roxas. Also I believe it was stated in the ultimania that it was Kairi who brought Sora back all by herself, not the seven princesses who some are still unknown and would not know to even help Sora, Rapunzel has the power to bring Eugene back why can't Kairi.
The theory made the Kairi hate REALLY bad to the point where I know people needed to take a break from the internet. Implying that a girl can do nothing on her own is misogynistic, It's also not a fact because she has fought heartless before in KH2 with no training If she knew how to channel her light into using the keyblade she would also probably be really powerful.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT RIKU WOULD NOT SACRIFICE HIS SELF FOR SORA BECAUSE HE DID DIVE INTO SORA'S HEART IN DDD IN ORDER TO SAVE HIM.
The whole intro thing is another thing that gets me with the intro, I know originally it stated that it took place in a dream however I know that it is stated in the ultimania that it is Sora's mental state post KH3.

 

[Obiewantsanipod]

So really the whole thing that bothers me is the whole Kairi thing, I know that the writers have claimed that they are "Kairi fans" but saying something is not the same as actually being/doing. I remember one of the main points in the theory being that Kairi is the darkside heartless in the intro (unless they decided to disregard that and the part about the intro after the ultimania came out), Kairi has a heart of pure light which is why Namine was such an special exception. Kairi can not have a heartless making a nobody seem impossible for her to have as well, though Namine actually uses Sora's body same as Roxas.

I know I'm going to get assaulted for saying this. But my interpretation was that the darkside we fought at the start was Kairi's heartless (it wasn't made of darkness but of the same material as Kairi), and the Kairi that Xehanort killed was her nobody. Thus, she is complete once more and Xion is aware of her safety. My justification being that if this is the RoS, the rules we've grown accustomed to don't apply.

EDIT: While I think it makes sense, I realize now that if the events really took place in the RoL the first time around, she wouldn't be able to create a nobody, thus rendering my whole point moot.

Also I believe it was stated in the ultimania that it was Kairi who brought Sora back all by herself, not the seven princesses who some are still unknown and would not know to even help Sora, Rapunzel has the power to bring Eugene back why can't Kairi.

I know this is off-topic, but what do the seven princesses do anyway? And also, if say Jasmine was no longer a princess of heart, does that mean that she now has darkness in her heart?

The whole intro thing is another thing that gets me with the intro, I know originally it stated that it took place in a dream however I know that it is stated in the ultimania that it is Sora's mental state post KH3.

I surmise the events that took place in the game were round 2. Darkness prevailed the first time and Sora had to do it all over again, except this time they drop and are no longer in the realm of light, which explains how the beginning of the game actually happens at the end. I also surmise that when we actually do reach the keyblade graveyard, the events that unfold were a demonstration of what happened in round 1. Going by that logic, time was not re-winded to right before we entered the keyblade graveyard but back to the start of the game, and from there round 2 of the keyblade graveyard starts, which is the continuation of our version of the timeline. That being said, I'm probably wrong, because where did the heartless swarm we defeated at the start of the keyblade graveyard go.

 

[balloon53]

I know I'm going to get assaulted for saying this. But my interpretation was that the darkside we fought at the start was Kairi's heartless (it wasn't made of darkness but of the same material as Kairi), and the Kairi that Xehanort killed was her nobody. Thus, she is complete once more and Xion is aware of her safety. My justification being that if this is the RoS, the rules we've grown accustomed to don't apply.

I'm not going to insult/assault anyone here not even a fictional character, but if the Kairi Xeheanort kills is a nobody what happened to Namine? Namine is her nobody and, though created buy nontraditional means due to Kairi having no darkness in her heart, would likely return if Kairi needed a nobody.

I know this is off-topic, but what do the seven princesses do anyway? And also, if say Jasmine was longer a princess of heart, does that mean that she now has darkness in her heart?

My personal interpretation of the seven princesses passing on their light is when their stories are completed they have to give up the "light" or special powers that comes with being a princess of heart. In order to harbor the special light the princesses have to have a pure heart, one devoid of darkness. When their stories are complete so is their roles, in the 2.8 credits we see that the stories that they were in have happy endings and therefore they no longer need that power. Kairi is an exception as she still has yet to have a real character arc and fulfill her role that destiny has in store for her, as with the other princesses she will have a happy ending.

I surmise the events that took place in the game were round 2. Darkness prevailed the first time and Sora had to do it all over again, except this time they drop and are no longer in the realm of light, which explains how the beginning of the game actually happens at the end. I also surmise that when we actually do reach the keyblade graveyard, the events that unfold were a demonstration of what happened in round 1. Going by that logic, time was not re-winded to right before we entered the keyblade graveyard but back to the start of the game, and from there round 2 of the keyblade graveyard starts, which is the continuation of our version of the timeline. That being said, I'm probably wrong, because where did the heartless swarm we defeated at the start of the keyblade graveyard go.

The heartless swarm to my knowledge was defeated by the light of the past, meaning they are either in limbo in Kingdom Hearts where other hearts likely go before being re-completed.

 

[allenleonardo]

Kairi can not have a heartless making a nobody seem impossible for her to have as well, though Namine actually uses Sora's body same as Roxas. Also I believe it was stated in the ultimania that it was Kairi who brought Sora back all by herself, not the seven princesses who some are still unknown and would not know to even help Sora, Rapunzel has the power to bring Eugene back why can't Kairi.
The theory made the Kairi hate REALLY bad to the point where I know people needed to take a break from the internet. Implying that a girl can do nothing on her own is misogynistic, It's also not a fact because she has fought heartless before in KH2 with no training If she knew how to channel her light into using the keyblade she would also probably be really powerful.
I'M NOT SAYING THAT RIKU WOULD NOT SACRIFICE HIS SELF FOR SORA BECAUSE HE DID DIVE INTO SORA'S HEART IN DDD IN ORDER TO SAVE HIM.
The whole intro thing is another thing that gets me with the intro, I know originally it stated that it took place in a dream however I know that it is stated in the ultimania that it is Sora's mental state post KH3.

Kairi cant have a normal heartless but that darkside was far from normal and got a special note in the game too. Also they just pointed out that it looks a lot like Kairis body did when she was killed.

Its not the theory that makes Kairi look bad its the game itself..the theory only uses things that are in the game. Its also not like any of the other girls have the huge problems like Kairi has so this is not a girls thing but a Kairi thing. Which again is the fault of the writers of KH and not the fault of the theory.

The part with the princesses was something which they said would have happened in the old worldline that we never got to play. In their opinion there the seven princesses of Light (and lets not forget that Kairi is one of them..) saved Sora. So its not about what Kairi did in the game itself but what happened in the old wordline.

(Not sure why you are first shouting and why you even bring up Rikus sacrifice at all)

Translations of the Ultimania can differ but a lot of people take it that Nomura only meant the words at the start. "they can take your world..." talk of Sora. And that it does not include the whole tutorial part because that would still somehow mean that Sora has to save seven hearts..which does not make sense after KH3. It makes more sense that the seven hearts are a hint for Sora that he needs to save the hearts of his friends in that round.

 

[Odwen]

I was up set when they decide to kill Kari off for a moment

 

[balloon53]

Its not the theory that makes Kairi look bad its the game itself..the theory only uses things that are in the game. Its also not like any of the other girls have the huge problems like Kairi has so this is not a girls thing but a Kairi thing. Which again is the fault of the writers of KH and not the fault of the theory.

Namine does almost nothing in 3 it bothers me too, yet I do not see her getting as much hate as Kairi does. I know there's other reasons for it but I have seen a lot more hate for her right after the theory was released.

The part with the princesses was something which they said would have happened in the old worldline that we never got to play. In their opinion there the seven princesses of Light (and lets not forget that Kairi is one of them..) saved Sora. So its not about what Kairi did in the game itself but what happened in the old wordline.

If the part where everyone is killed by the demon tide is a flashback then why do we play up to that point with no indication that it is a flashback.

(Not sure why you are first shouting and why you even bring up Rikus sacrifice at all)

I brought the ddd sacrifice up because I know there are going to misinterpret what I was saying. The caps lock is for emphasis I wasn't trying to yell sorry if it seemed like it.

Translations of the Ultimania can differ but a lot of people take it that Nomura only meant the words at the start. "they can take your world..." talk of Sora. And that it does not include the whole tutorial part because that would still somehow mean that Sora has to save seven hearts..which does not make sense after KH3. It makes more sense that the seven hearts are a hint for Sora that he needs to save the hearts of his friends in that round.

I've looked over a few different translations and they have ranged from the intro to the tutorial, I have heard the tutorial one the most though.

 

[Ballad of Caius]

Sorry, I just can’t stop thinking about Lumpy the Heffalump.

I'm sorry, but this quote is too funny, lmfao.

 

[allenleonardo]

Namine does almost nothing in 3 it bothers me too, yet I do not see her getting as much hate as Kairi does. I know there's other reasons for it but I have seen a lot more hate for her right after the theory was released.

If the part where everyone is killed by the demon tide is a flashback then why do we play up to that point with no indication that it is a flashback.

I've looked over a few different translations and they have ranged from the intro to the tutorial, I have heard the tutorial one the most though.

But there was disappointment about Namines role on this forum. Just that, unlike Kairi, Namine had other games to shine and get necessary character development. (Exactly how people disliked how Aqua, Axel and others got treated at the end game but at least those already had huge active roles in other games so we do know what they are able to do.) Kairi was a disliked character even in the other games because she was one of the original trio and somehow really important to Sora (and special in other ways) but mostly stayed back and barely got any true development at all. People just had high hopes for KH3 especially after Nomura gave her a keyblade. But it was the game that again just made her a passive deus ex machina plot device who got kidnapped and killed for motivation. That is not the fault of the theory.

The scene itself is not a flashback. Just that according to the theory they lost in the original wordline. The princesses of light or another source save their hearts by traveling to another wordline or maybe into the realm of sleep (we still know too little about worldlines anyway) and then Sora gets the message that 7 hearts are to save because this time his friends should not die. Then our game starts and the theory says that he drops deeper into sleep at hercules world. Their hearts still kinda remember the loss but their memories are gone (rules of timetravel in the game). There are hints in the game with Sora and other characters seemingly having the feeling to trust them or that they have already heard it somewhere and imo it could be a great explanation why Kairi was so strange about the paopu fruit (why would she say that this is a battle unlike others when they always came out on top in other games) and why Aqua gave up so fast against the tornado. And without Namine changing their fate by sending Lingering Will they would have died again and again because they simply cant directly remember enough to change this up but enough to maybe make them feel the terror of the loss.

So in a way the theory believes that we already start the game with the guys having lost once, them being saved and transported somewhere, probably in the RoS and now try to change their fate by going through it again, which is the game we play but without truly being able to remember it. So what we see is what is happening right now, just in the RoS. And the landed in the RoS because they already have lost once in the past which we did not see.

Problem with tutorial being the part of this. There are no seven hearts to be saved and he is still only in the KH2 outfit. Of course the seven hearts part can be already for the next game but Nomura did say that it shows his state of mind and the tutorial really does not show that. The only part that imo makes sense to this statement are his words about "take your world, heart..." stuff he says. Because that is exactly what happens with him.

 

[redcrown]

People trying to blame Kairi's lack of agency/Nomura's poor character writing on fan theory writers:

 

[SuperSaiyanSora]

People trying to blame Kairi's lack of agency/Nomura's poor character writing on fan theory writers:

View attachment 11657

Yeah it's Nomura you gotta look towards for this, which most people do.

Only thing I can think of is that he's playing the long game here and is making Kairi have an even bigger drive to be stronger, but we'd need to see her fight more in order to really bring that point home. Same events can occur, but just show her training and being knocked out by Xemnas after he abducted her. That's really all you need.

 

[balloon53]

Here's the thing I was refering to I know she desperately needs character development but people saying that they want other character to star in games does not give her the chance. Also washing what she does do down the drain is not going to help give her development. Saying she's something or someone else is not going to do that either.
Since I first responded I have looked through pretty much the entire theory, my outlook still remains however, other things need to be adressed before we can decide that this is what actually happens. As someone who has spent hours of their life looking into the interviews and studying the lore I know when there is something that does not line up. I have also been going through the scenes in the game frame by frame recently. Ive even looked into scenes in terms of translating them.
We need the dlc before we can say anything about what happens because there are somethings that we just don't know. I know the theory is trying to link it together for people but the confusion is getting worse because there is so much that is stated.
About the changes to the document: as a theory writer you need to leave every point you bring up in the theory. I know things were taken out and that ruined the credibility of the entire theory for me and it is something that could have been prevented by having the point the quote then an explanation with a different color text saying that "this point is either invalid or accurate" also saying certain things on your social media that looks bad is not going to help the credibility of what you are saying either.

Things can be taken out of context and I know that japanese is a language in which there are many different ways to translate one sentence. The point is we have to trust the localization team as well because I know there were points that brought up the localization of ddd and the translation of 3. Localization exists for a reason American culture and Japanese culture are 2 different things and we have to trust the team to adapt the script to the culture they are translating for.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I don’t think the localizers should get a pass for anything. They do phenomenal work, but the localization of KH has always had mistakes and issues, and it’s clear with KH3 that they have full on changed context in a number of scenes.

Where one scene focuses on the strength of Kairi and the acknowledgement of that, in English they turn Kairi’s strength into something that is for Sora.

“I knew you were strong, Kairi” becomes “You make me strong, Kairi” and that’s absolutely not right at all and it is crazy that they went with that.

Or how about how the localization completely omits a line about Kairi using the power of the new PoH to keep Sora’s body around. The only way people knew that was because of people bringing attention to that omitted line in the Japanese version of the Gummiphone summary of events.

Or how the localizers completely ignore clear callbacks. The scene where Kairi gives Sora the paopu was meant to be a callback to when she gives him the Oathkeeper in KH1 as a lucky charm, and she calls it as much in the Japanese version. Sora’s journey in Olympus was a place where he was supposed to learn about the power to protect a treasured person, and that phrasing was meant to be called-back immediately with Riku and Mickey where Mickey points out Riku has found a treasured person to protect, and that is meant to culminate with his sacrifice in the Keyblade Graveyard. And then for Sora that is meant to lead to an understanding of the phrase in the Final World when he makes his choice to use all of his power to save all of his friends, his treasured people.

So it’s fine that the theorists bring many translations into question. The localization is not perfect. It’s weakened by a lack of trying to carry over themes and concepts from past games and even within KH3 itself.

They nailed a lot of other stuff in the game, mostly all of the Disney stuff, but somehow dropped the ball on the main KH stuff which many of the localizers had been involved with translating in past games to begin with...so its strange.