News ► Yen Press to release Kingdom Hearts 3: The Novel Vol. 1 February 2020

[Oracle Spockanort]

Yen Press is set to release Kingdom Hearts III: The Novel Volume 1 on February 18th, 2020. Written by series author Tomoco Kanemaki and illustrated by manga artist Shiro Amano, the ongoing Kingdom Hearts III novel series features more introspective looks at various character motivations and expands on untouched aspects of the video game's story and lore. 

Pre-order it now on AAA Anime, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Books-A-Million, Indigo, Indiebound, or RightStuf for only $14 USD.

Remember to pre-order a copy of the latest release in the Kingdom Hearts novel series, Kingdom Hearts Re:coded! Also, don't forget to pick up a copy of Kingdom Hearts: The Novel, Chain of Memories: The Novel, Kingdom Hearts II: The Novel Volume 1 & Volume 2, Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days: The Novel, Kingdom Hearts Birth By Sleep: The Novel, and the Kingdom Hearts manga series by Shiro Amano!

Catch up on the Kingdom Hearts III manga by reading the current chapters available digitally in English for only $0.99 USD each: Prologue, Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3

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

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

Man, I can't wait to read about how Hercules found a 大切な人 that motivated him to fight and then see Sora wonder about his singular 大切な人 for it to be immediately juxtaposed to Mickey telling Riku that RIku's found a singular 大切な人 to protect.

 

[Chaser]

features more introspective looks at various character motivations and expands on untouched aspects of the video game's story and lore

They must have unlimited pages. This is gonna be bigger than a game of thrones novel.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

They must have unlimited pages. This is gonna be bigger than a game of thrones novel.

Of course. 10000000 pages

 

[Any]

Excited for volume 1 but more excited for volume 2 since it talks about Vanitas having old, ancient memories of Ventus and having an identity crisis about his existence before meeting Sora, Larxene wanting to know about her old memories and feels like someone important to her is missing but also feels if she remembered then it’s going to make her unhappy, and Marluxia wanting to know more about his memories but can’t remember anything. He remembers the name, Strelitzia, but not the person/sister

Edit: Forgot to mention, Kairi’s monologue about Riku and Sora

 

[MelodicEnigma]

Man, I can't wait to read about how Hercules found a 大切な人 that motivated him to fight and then see Sora wonder about his singular 大切な人 for it to be immediately juxtaposed to Mickey telling Riku that RIku's found a singular 大切な人 to protect.

Nyuck Nyuck

 

[okhi12]

I have always considered the novels some kind of half canon, half fanfiction thing. I hope they are not canon by Nomura's standards, because they are not available in my country and I won't import them just for those untouched aspects that should have been explained ingame in the first place.
I guess I will have to learn some details in the forums and the wiki, in case there is any interesting information.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

I have always considered the novels some kind of half canon, half fanfiction thing. I hope they are not canon by Nomura's standards, because they are not available in my country and I won't import them just for those untouched aspects that should have been explained ingame in the first place.
I guess I will have to learn some details in the forums and the wiki, in case there is any interesting information.

They are what we call third tier canon:

First tier: Games
Second tier: Interviews and supplemental materials provided by or approved by Nomura
Third: Novels

This tends to be the order in which content can be considered canon or not canon. Nomura oversees Kanemaki and gives her tidbits of info that aren’t in the games that she can add to the novels. If the novel introduces something that isn’t in the games and interviews or isn’t in direct conflict with canon information from the games, then it is considered canon.

For example, it was in the KH2 novels we found out that Nobodies could be reborn as their original selves again after their Heartless and Nobody were defeated based on dialogue by Namine about Axel.

This wasn’t confirmed as true until many years later in the games.

Something that was in direct conflict with canon was the Side Stories novel Kanemaki wrote before she worked as a scenario writer for Days.

So it just depends. It’s supplemental material none-the-less.

 

[FudgemintGuardian]

They are what we call third tier canon:

First tier: Games
Second tier: Interviews and supplemental materials provided by or approved by Nomura
Third: Novels

This tends to be the order in which content can be considered canon or not canon. Nomura oversees Kanemaki and gives her tidbits of info that aren’t in the games that she can add to the novels. If the novel introduces something that isn’t in the games and interviews or isn’t in direct conflict with canon information from the games, then it is considered canon.

For example, it was in the KH2 novels we found out that Nobodies could be reborn as their original selves again after their Heartless and Nobody were defeated based on dialogue by Namine about Axel.

This wasn’t confirmed as true until many years later in the games.

Something that was in direct conflict with canon was the Side Stories novel Kanemaki wrote before she worked as a scenario writer for Days.

So it just depends. It’s supplemental material none-the-less.

To put in another way; Schrodinger's canon. Everything is in a state of both canon and non-canon until the games say otherwise.

 

[okhi12]

They are what we call third tier canon:

First tier: Games
Second tier: Interviews and supplemental materials provided by or approved by Nomura
Third: Novels

This tends to be the order in which content can be considered canon or not canon. Nomura oversees Kanemaki and gives her tidbits of info that aren’t in the games that she can add to the novels. If the novel introduces something that isn’t in the games and interviews or isn’t in direct conflict with canon information from the games, then it is considered canon.

For example, it was in the KH2 novels we found out that Nobodies could be reborn as their original selves again after their Heartless and Nobody were defeated based on dialogue by Namine about Axel.

This wasn’t confirmed as true until many years later in the games.

Something that was in direct conflict with canon was the Side Stories novel Kanemaki wrote before she worked as a scenario writer for Days.

So it just depends. It’s supplemental material none-the-less.

Thanks a lot for the explanation! From now on I'll have to pay some attention to the novels, then.

 

[Twilight Lumiair]

Excited for volume 1 but more excited for volume 2 since it talks about Vanitas having old, ancient memories of Ventus and having an identity crisis about his existence before meeting Sora.

Let us not forget that they felt this was all irrelevant enough to not even include the game's/interviews. Vanitas remembering the past literally means nothing because A) he's already dead anyway, and B) he never mentions or even alludes to this idea once in the game. Aside from further trying to tie current character's to future events (i.e. more sequel stuff), I can't think of any reason why him SPECIFICALLY remembering those memories is necessary to the character. Especially since it has nothing to do with any of his actual established motives, nor does it tie any of them up like one would expect from the conclusion of a character arc.

Question though, is the identity crisis about Sora's face, or those ancient memories? Because one is redundant (he's literally been half of another person since his inception, where was the crisis there?), and the other is irrelevant. Anyway, bitterness aside, I am admittedly curious what more these novels add.

 

[Any]

Let us not forget that they felt this was all irrelevant enough to not even include the game's/interviews. Vanitas remembering the past literally means nothing because A) he's already dead anyway, and B) he never mentions or even alludes to this idea once in the game. Aside from further trying to tie current character's to future events (i.e. more sequel stuff), I can't think of any reason why him SPECIFICALLY remembering those memories is necessary to the character. Especially since it has nothing to do with any of his actual established motives, nor does it tie any of them up like one would expect from the conclusion of a character arc.

Question though, is the identity crisis about Sora's face, or those ancient memories? Because one is redundant (he's literally been half of another person since his inception, where was the crisis there?), and the other is irrelevant. Anyway, bitterness aside, I am admittedly curious what more these novels add.

The ancient memories and it was offscreen, before he confronted Sora in MI. Because of that, Vanitas wanted Ven’s heart to be whole again and figure out who he truly was. That’s really it other than Ventus (used to) and Vanitas (inherited it) having black masses in their Hearts was mentioned

 

[Twilight Lumiair]

The ancient memories and it was offscreen, before he confronted Sora in MI. Because of that, Vanitas wanted Ven’s heart to be whole again and figure out who he truly was. That’s really it other than Ventus (used to) and Vanitas (inherited it) having black masses in their Hearts was mentioned

Huh, now that was unexpected. Fascinating even, though I have to ask: why exactly did he decide to fight Ventus and nearly kill him at one point later on instead of just approaching him about it? Why didn't he even attempt to bring it up? I'm genuinely curious.

Edit: Or wait, was he doing it for Ventus' sake, or his own? If it's the former, I'm inclined to believe he simply stopped caring at some point, but idk.

 

[Any]

Huh, now that was unexpected. Fascinating even, though I have to ask: why exactly did he decide to fight Ventus and nearly kill him at one point later on instead of just approaching him about it? Why didn't he even attempt to bring it up? I'm genuinely curious.

Edit: Or wait, was he doing it for Ventus' sake, or his own? If it's the former, I'm inclined to believe he simply stopped caring at some point, but idk.

Vanitas hinted when he died at the end of BBS, his/Ven old memories were triggered. You know how Marluxia was defeated/killed and it triggered his memories at the end of KH3? Just like that.

Let’s just say the old memories resurfaced as he was reconstructing his heart with the children’s negativity.


Well, if there’s going to be Volume 3, we mostly likely will get another monologue or page about Vanitas since he was stalking Aqua and Sora to LoD for Ventus. I’m not sure how to answer your question when we barely get/have any insight on Vanitas, (other than wanting Ventus for himself) in the game :/

 

[Twilight Lumiair]

Vanitas hinted when he died at the end of BBS, his/Ven old memories were triggered. You know how Marluxia was defeated/killed and it triggered his memories at the end of KH3? Just like that.

Let’s just say the old memories resurfaced as he was reconstructing his heart with the children’s negativity.


Well, if there’s going to be Volume 3, we mostly likely will get another monologue or page about Vanitas since he was stalking Aqua and Sora to LoD for Ventus. I’m not sure how to answer your question when we barely get/have any insight on Vanitas, (other than wanting Ventus for himself) in the game :/

Ok, thanks for clarifying.

I asked that question because you said

Because of that, Vanitas wanted Ven’s heart to be whole again and figure out who he truly was

I wasn't sure if you meant he himself wanted to know the truth, or if he already knew, but wanted Ventus to know the truth as well. Just wasn't sure if it was a moment of sympathy or something, but I suppose it doesn't really make a difference either way though. Anyway, that's all I guess.

 

[Ultima Spark]

Let us not forget that they felt this was all irrelevant enough to not even include the game's/interviews. Vanitas remembering the past literally means nothing because A) he's already dead anyway, and B) he never mentions or even alludes to this idea once in the game. Aside from further trying to tie current character's to future events (i.e. more sequel stuff), I can't think of any reason why him SPECIFICALLY remembering those memories is necessary to the character. Especially since it has nothing to do with any of his actual established motives, nor does it tie any of them up like one would expect from the conclusion of a character arc.

Question though, is the identity crisis about Sora's face, or those ancient memories? Because one is redundant (he's literally been half of another person since his inception, where was the crisis there?), and the other is irrelevant. Anyway, bitterness aside, I am admittedly curious what more these novels add.

I think this new novel material is essentially a prototype (of sorts) for ideas in consideration for the Re:Mind DLC or Uχ updates.

 

[Oracle Spockanort]

The novels don’t have to have any purpose except to provide entertainment for readers. Does it matter if a character is dead or not for the information to still add something to the experience? It’s a very short-sighted way to look at it if the only value this information has is if it impacts the games in some manner or that the character needs to be alive to make said information matter.

Also we all know Vanitas ain’t dead for good. He’s a part of Ven and is connected to Sora. He’ll come back again.

 

[Twilight Lumiair]

The novels don’t have to have any purpose except to provide entertainment for readers. Does it matter if a character is dead or not for the information to still add something to the experience? It’s a very short-sighted way to look at it if the only value this information has is if it impacts the games in some manner or that the character needs to be alive to make said information matter.

Also we all know Vanitas ain’t dead for good. He’s a part of Ven and is connected to Sora. He’ll come back again.

Short-sighted? I never said the novel had to be anything more than entertainment. In fact, it's not really obligated to be anything. I merely didn't understand the point of that particular change, and explained why. When I wrote that reply, the concept of him remembering the past and wishing to retrieve those memories, by itself, didn't really seem to inform much of his actions or diologue during the actual game we got (just based on that information alone), and the next logical conclusion would be that it would come into play in the future. But then the character's dead already, so how does that work?

Essentially I didn't see HOW it added anything to the experience, hence why I was bitter. Not that it even matters now since I was already going to read it for myself anyway, and then got additional context I didn't have before (thanks to the generous Any) that helped give the idea more value & make more realistic sense in my mind. In any case, I don't see how there's anything wrong with not wanting changes added simply for the sake of it if they ultimately don't mean anything for the character/story it's been adapting/adding on to, and I don't remember saying the novel had to do these things to have any value in and of itself. And I'm not even saying it does that anymore since, again, the idea made more sense when given further context.

 

[EddieXG1989]

Are the novels worth reading? Or do the video games tell me the whole story anyway.

 

[redcrown]

Something that was in direct conflict with canon was the Side Stories novel Kanemaki wrote before she worked as a scenario writer for Days.

Really? So what happened in the Side Stories, and who were they about? Was it more in line with how Roxas's time in the organization, and that entire year, was hinted to be in KH2? I'm interested in what it was initially portrayed to be like before Days was written.