News ► Yen Press Localizes Kingdom Hearts: The Novel, Releasing March 2015

[Sign]

Last March, Yen Press announced that they would resume localizing Shiro Amano's manga adaptation of the Kingdom Hearts series. The community was overjoyed by the news, as the series had been left unfinished by the hands of Tokyopop, and had been yearning for years for a new publisher to take over. However, everyone desperately also wanted Tomoco Kanemaki's novelization of the series, fleshing out each character with new backstories that were never touched upon anywhere else. At the time, Yen Press had stated that they would be focusing only on the manga, but if fans responded favorably to the manga, they would consider releasing the novels as well.

All that waiting and support has finally paid off, as today, it was discovered on Yen Press's official website that KINGDOM HEARTS - THE NOVEL would be releasing in March 2015!

KINGDOM HEARTS: THE NOVEL
by Tomoco Kanemaki

Coming March 2015 | ISBN: 978-0-316-26019-0 | $16.00 ($18.00) | 300 pages | 5-1/2″ x 8-1/4″ | Teen

On the Destiny Islands, three children–Sora, Riku, and Kairi–are living out their peaceful, carefree lives while yearning for whatever lies beyond the great ocean. But one night, an unexpected disaster takes place, and the three are torn from each other and their island home. Meanwhile, at Disney Castle, Donald Duck and the other castle residents are in an uproar upon discovering King Mickey has suddenly gone missing. When fate brings them together, Sora, Donald, and Goofy set out on a grand Disney adventure to find their friends!

Thanks to forum member rokudamia2 for the tip!

Update (09/23/2014): Kingdom Hearts: The Novel will release March 24th 2015 and you can pre-order the novel from Barnes & Noble or Book Depository right now!

Source: Yen Press Official Website

 

[Ruran]

You put the novel as being by Amano btw~

If it's wrong to be more excited by this than 2.5, I don't wanna be right.

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

That's great news, glad to hear the novelization is coming next year.

 

[Sign]

I WAS ABOUT TO HAVE A HEART ATTACK WRITING THIS

You put the novel as being by Amano btw~

If it's wrong to be more excited by this than 2.5, I don't wanna be right.

YEN PRESS GOOFED IT WAS UNDER AMANO'S NAME ON THEIR SITE

i'll go fix it xD

 

[rokudamia2]

Hurray I found some news! How many pages is the first novel in japan.

 

[LedxirnSimon]

First mangas and now the novels then what's next to officially translate for us?

the ultimania books? *crosses fingers*

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

First mangas and now the novels then what's next to officially translate for us?

the ultimania books? *crosses fingers*

Pretty certain their are rights issues for the Ultimanias. They are essentially a giant game guides with art and interviews. If it was just the art and interviews, it would probably be more of a possibility but yeah...publisher stuff is likely in the way for something like this.

Hurray I found some news! How many pages is the first novel in japan.

Certainly not 300. Each volume is fairly short, so they've compiled the first game's novels together.

 

[KHFanatic2010]

Hi,

Will this be coming to Europe as well? Because I like to read the novels!!

Thanks!

 

[Sdog]

Hope I don't spark hate for this but I'm not familiar with the novels. Are they basically just the games in book form? =p

 

[Sign]

Hope I don't spark hate for this but I'm not familiar with the novels. Are they basically just the games in book form? =p

Kanemaki includes some a lot of extra events to flesh out the story, and it's all content that we're never exposed to anywhere else. This includes things such as Riku and Xemnas' battle in the abandoned mansion before Sora arrives in The World that Never Was, or Vanitas' tragic backstory with cute TAV moments involving nuts, strawberries, and Terra's inability to say "Ventus".

 

[Sdog]

Kanemaki includes some a lot of extra events to flesh out the story, and it's all content that we're never exposed to anywhere else. This includes things such as Riku and Xemnas' battle in the abandoned mansion before Sora arrives in The World that Never Was, or Vanitas' tragic backstory with cute TAV moments involving nuts, strawberries, and Terra's inability to say "Ventus".

0-0 more things must buy. Thank you for the clarification!

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Hi,

Will this be coming to Europe as well? Because I like to read the novels!!

Thanks!

I don't think Yen Press publishes in Europe, but you can order the novel from Book Depository which ships worldwide. Of course when the novel is officially announced and the listing appears.

 

[LightUpTheSky452]

This is all I've ever wanted in my life. OMG. I'm like crying tears of joy now. The novels are just amazing and shed so much light onto things (and are even third tier canon, almost)...

So now to hear that I'll finally get to own them and read them all (at least the KH1 ones)... It's a dream come truly, really.

OMG. This is like the best day ever. No joke. All that Yen Press and SE pestering finally paid off. Woot!

 

[Elysium]

That's wonderful news! I've only just got back into the manga with the new releases, so I'm glad they're moving onto this now.

 

[Nial]

I'm gonna throw so many money at yen press between this and the manga, you have no idea even more so because the company that did the italian localization of the manga disappeared completely, so it's yen press or bust for me...

 

[Rydgea]

This is the best gd news ever. THANK YOU. Shout out to all the baby jesus prayer magic that made it happen

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Yen Press owns my soul. Between Spice & Wolf, Pandora Hearts, Black Butler, the Haruhi Suzumiya series, and this, I'm gonna be broke forever!

The novels! I've dreamed of them for years. When Tokyopop licensed them, I had been happy but then they dropped their novel plans because of downsizing, then Disney Press was going to do it but that never came to frutition. I am so happy!

 

[limit]

Ahh, this is amazing news! I've really wanted to read the novels but the best I have is a fan translation of BBS's. I can't really afford to buy all the manga, but by Xehanort I will get this in March (and one day all the mangas as well!)

 

[Lonbilly]

Is it possible to marry Yen Press? They are on a roll. This is great news. The KH manga, the Sword Art Online novels, the Accel World novels, and now this? And that's only the stuff I can think up on the spot. Yen Press is like some sort of savior or something.

While I am excited for the first one, I think the KH2 novel is what I'll be anticipating most. The additional content in that is just perfect.

 

[rokudamia2]

Since this likely going to be both volumes merged into one i think we can expect that for Atleast Com and KH2 if they do them. I expect all three COM volumes to be merged (since Reverse Rebirth isn't that long.) and volumes 1 and 2 of kh2 to be merged and volumes 3 and 4 of kh2 to be merged.