Kingdom Hearts, the one franchise that had fans waiting ever so patiently for its next main title series. Within that waiting period, there were a few ‘spin off’ titles that escaped most episode’s attention like Chain of Memories, 365/2 Days and Birth By Sleep. Thus, in preparation for the release of Kingdom Hearts 3 in January 2019, Square Enix has released 5 short videos shown as chapters to recap the whole story so far.
Unfortunately, they only released the videos in Japanese dub with no English subtitles. Depressing isn’t it? So, here is a translation of the 5 videos!
Disclaimer: We translated the narration, but took the dialogue from the game cutscenes with slight changes made only when necessary.
Episode I – Chapter of Departure
Narrator: Do you remember how the story went?
Narrator: Sora, his childhood friend Kairi and his best friend RIku were always together. They were filled with hope to travel across the oceans and into a different world.
Kairi: Sora, don’t ever change
Sora: Huh?
Kairi: I just can’t wait. Once we set sail, it’ll be great.
Narrator: The time that they had together as friends completely changed when the door to darkness opened.
Riku: The door has opened, Sora! Now we can go to the outside world!
Narrator: The new people who met Sora when he was thrown away to another world are both cheerful and trustworthy friends. They are Court Wizard Donald and Captain of the Royal Guard Goofy.
Goofy: Hey, why don’t you come with us? We can go to other worlds on our vessel.
Narrator: The many encounters and adventure that awaited Sora….
Ariel: Where are you all from?
Narrator: ….and even battles.
Jafar: Ah, the boy who holds the key.
Maleficent: This world will soon be plunged into darkness.
Sora: The keyholes and this world too. I won’t let you have it your way.
Narrator: The one who stood before Sora who has awakened the power of the keyblade was none other than Riku, his best friend who has fallen to darkness.
Sora: Tell me. Who are you?
Riku: It is I, Ansem, the seeker of darkness.
Sora: My power isn’t the keyblade but the hearts that I’ve connected. My friends are my power!
Narrator: Sora’s journey doesn’t end here — from here on out, the story would only get more intense.
“The battles to come is unlike what we have faced so far…
this charm would make sure we wouldn’t be separated ever again.”
Episode II – Chapter of Memories
Narrator: If your memories have ever been rewritten…would you still lose the memories of your precious people and the friendship you once had?
Narrator: Sora, Donald and Goofy continued their search for Riku and King Mickey who had been left behind on the other side of the door to darkness.
Narrator: While chasing after the clues left behind by Riku and King Mickey, they ended up lost in a place called Castle Oblivion.
Sora: Riku! You mean Riku’s here?!
Cloaked figure: All you have to do is to proceed Sora.
Cloaked Figure: To lose and claim anew, or to claim anew only to lose…
Narrator: In order to meet with his best friend again, Sora chose to push forward. But, the more he continues, the more precious memories he starts to lose. It was a trap laid out by Marluxia and his cohorts to bend the keyblade wielding Sora at their will. Sora, the one who only has his memories of his precious people rewritten, wants to go and rescue the girl who is trapped deep within Caste Oblivion – Namine
Goofy: Sora, what happened to ya?
Sora: What do you mean by what? You expect me to just leave Namine alone?!
Narrator: But, that said girl holds a huge secret
Namine: Even if you come for me – what then?
Axel: The only one who can save him is you and only you.
Narrator: The real identity of the one who had the power to rewrite Sora’s memory was Namine all along.
Axel: Just do your best.
Larxene: The girl you’ve been trying to protect all this time is really a manipulative witch who shackles people’s hearts!
Sora: Even if you erased my memories…even if you destroyed my heart, I’ve made a promised! A promise that I’ll always protect you! You have to believe me!
Marluxia: Your weak heart that has turned away from the truth – is no match for me!
Narrator: Sora’s fated connection to Organization XIII did not just end at Castle Oblivion.
“Still, Sora. You’re fine the way you are.
Change the connected hearts to power and follow the heart’s link to continue forward.”
Chapter III – Chapter of Twilight
Narrator: Do you have friends that you treasure so deeply that they could make you suffer and hurt so badly?
Roxas: For the seven days since I was ‘born’ – the name Roxas and the number thirteen were all I had.
Narrator: Roxas, the boy with no memory to ensure he never forgets, he counted the days he spent with his friend, Axel completing missions since the day he woke up.
Roxas: Today is the 255th day since I entered the Organization.
Axel: So, you got the number memorized, do you?
Narrator: And just like Roxas, a mysterious girl without any memory, Xion is invited to the Organization as the 14th member.
Xemnas: Let us all welcome one of the Keyblade’s chosen.
Narrator: The three Nobodies, Roxas, Axel and Xion that was ought to have been an empty shell without hearts had blossomed a sense of treasure-ness between each other.
Xion: Axel…does that means you and I are friends, too?
Axel: Well, if you’re friends with Roxas, then yeah, of course you’re my friend.
Narrator: Those priceless days they shared together suddenly fell apart.
Xion: Just give me another chance! We can’t afford to take any more chances on you. As I thought, you were a mistake we never should have made.
Narrator: There was a secret that was hiding within Xion –
Xion: Is it that I’m not supposed to exist?
Axel: Is that because you’re a puppet?
Narrator: Organization XIII, who was chasing after Sora’s control of the keyblade, true goal was –
Xemnas: Both of them have connections to Sora, but we only need one of them under our thumb
Roxas: You mean…they have to destroy her? Answer me!
Axel: If we do not destroy her, Roxas…then you won’t be you anymore.
Narrator: The truth that was pushed onto them compelled these people who should not have hearts to overflow —– with sadness,
Axel: You can’t turn on the Organization! You get on their bad side, and they’ll destroy you!
Roxas: No one would miss me.
Axel: That’s not true….I would
Narrator: —- with anger
Axel: They’re gonna destroy you!
Xion: Please don’t hold back, Axel. Promise.
Axel: What’s your problem? You both…think you can do whatever you want. Well, I’m sick of it. Go on, you just keep running. But I’ll always be there to bring you back!
Narrator: — with determination.
Xion: You’re next, Roxas. I have to make you a part of me, too. Don’t you see? This is the reason I was born.
Narrator: —and also hope.
Xion: See you again. I’m glad…I got to meet you. Oh…and of course, Axel, too. You’re both my best friends. Never forget. That’s the truth.
Narrator: You believe it too, don’t you? That a day will come when the three of them can laugh together again.
“I got no clue here. For some reason, I accidentally went and bought three sticks.”
Chapter IV: Chapter of Dawn
Narrator: Perhaps those who manage to protect what’s important to them are the ones who are always able to obtain something.
Narrator: Riku who have found Sora sleeping in Castle Oblivion, have decided to face his own darkness.
Namine: In your heart there is darkness, and in that darkness is Ansem. Riku, please choose.
Riku: I don’t need my heart locked. I’m ready – I’m gonna fight Ansem.
Mickey: And I in you. You’re not gonna lose, I know it.
Ansem: You shall sink into the abyss!
Narrator: While embracing the darkness in his heart, Riku chose to take the road heading into the light.
DIZ: Between the road to light and the road to darkness.
Riku: Neither suits me. I’m taking the middle road.
DIZ: Do you mean the twilight road to nightfall?
Riku: No. It’s the road to dawn.
Narrator: As he tried to protect the sleeping Sora, he met Xion, the one who holds the fake keyblade—
Xion: Tell me first…why are you dressed as one of us.
RIku: To make sure my best friend…sleeps in peace. I don’t know who you’re supposed to be but…you can’t beat me with a fake.
Narrator: –and he realized that the goal of Organization XIII was to steal Sora’s powers that comes from his memories by using Roxas and Xion.
Namine: Sora’s memories are escaping through Sora’s Nobody into a third person and now they’re rapidly starting to become a part of her.
Riku: Now, Sora has been put to sleep so that we can piece together his memory, but—
Xion: You can’t, because part of it is inside of me. That means…he can’t wake up.
Riku: Yeah. You got it.
Narrator: In order to protect Sora, RIku steeled himself for the inevitable battle.
Riku: I have to face one of the Organization’s members soon. I might not survive the fight. And if I do, it might be because I gave in to the darkness.
Narrator: And Xion chose the place she belonged to.
Xion: I belong with Sora. And now, I am going back…to be with him.
Narrator: In order to bring back both their own precious treasure, Riku and Roxas clashed.
Roxas: Why are you trying to stop me?
Riku: Because I want back the rest of Sora’s memories.
Roxas: I’ll set Kingdom Hearts free! Then everything will be the way it was! Doing that, she’ll come back…and the three of us can be together again!
Riku: You mean Xion? It’s a struggle just to remember the name now…
Either way, I can’t let you go doing anything crazy.
Narrator: Driven into a corner, RIku chose to unleash his power of darkness.
Riku: You’ve left me with no other choice.
Roxas: What?
Riku: I have to release the power in my heart— the dark power that I’ve been holding back. Even…if it changes me forever. I have accepted the dark power.
Narrator: Protecting those who were important to him; Riku has always chosen that path and pushed on.
“The strength to protect those who are precious to you, huh….
It reminds me of the promise I made when I was young.”
Chapter V: Chapter of Darkness
Narrator: When did you understand who and for what reason you were fighting for?
Yensid: As a Keyblade Master, Xehanort had a gift like few others.
Riku: Ansem…no, Xehanort. You used to be a Keyblade wielder too but darkness stole you heart, and the Keyblade with it.
Narrator: Master Xehanort was spurred by his curiosity surrounding the ancient tale of the ‘Keyblade War’, a battle between dark and light.
Xehanort: They say ruin brings about creation. So what, then, would another Keyblade War bring? I must have these answers. The χ-blade needs to be forged, and with it, the door to the Keyblade War unlocked!
Narrator: But his ambitions has already been obstructed twice. The first time was when he extracted from Ventus a dark entity and split him into a being of pure light, Ventus and a being of pure darkness, Vanitas. He tried to create the χ-blade by having them both clash in battle.
Xehanort: Empty creature from Ventus riven…to you, the name Vanitas shall be given.
Vanitas: Join with me right here and now. And become the χ-blade.
Ventus: The only way the χ-blade can be forged is if you and me fight. Well guess what? I’m not fighting.
Narrator: Within his ambitions, Master Xehanort’s former fellow apprentice, Master Eraqus’s three trained pupil stood against him.
Ventus: I may have to fight Vanitas after all. If I do, guys… So, I want you to—
Terra: The three of us can never be torn apart, all right? I’ll always find a way.
Narrator: Their valiant efforts and the bonds of their friendship has managed to break Master Xehanort’s ambition to finish the χ-blade.
Ventus: I’ve got a better idea. How ‘bout I destroy you and destroy the χ-blade?
Vanitas: The χ-blade is made of your heart, too, idiot. If you destroy it, your heart will be vanished forever.
Ventus: Whatever it takes. Anything to save Terra and Aqua.
Narrator: However, the destiny of the three Keyblade wielder’s were also left in shambles. With the destruction of the χ-blade, Ventus was sent into a deep slumber. In order to save her friend, Aqua fell into the Realm of Darkness alone. Terra’s heart has already went missing and when he was discovered, he called himself by the name of ‘Xehanort’.
Terra: Xeha..nort.
Narrator: The second time was when Xehanort tried to create the χ-blade again by having the seven pure lights and thirteen seekers of darkness clash. Xehanort then split his own heart from his body. The heart took on the name Ansem and used Riku and Maleficent to gather and trap the hearts of the seven princesses of pure light. At the same time, his body that goes by the name of Xemnas, attempted to gather the 13 seeker of darkness under the name of Organization XIII. Both of those ambitions, eventually were also stopped by Sora, or so it seemed.
Ansem: Light…But…Why…
Young Xehanort: Organization XIII’s true goal is to divide Xehanort’s heart among 13 vessels.
Riku: Thirteen…Xehanorts? What is…
Young Xehanort: The real Organization XIII.
Narrator: And now for the third time, Master Xehanort himself has revealed.
King Mickey: Master Xehanort! We were right about you!
Xehanort: All of this was decided. My twelve selves would welcome me here on this day, when I return a complete person. It is the future which lies beyond my sight. Let us finish this at the fated place, once your lights and my darknesses have joined together!
Narrator: The thirteen seeker of darkness and seven lights… What sort of end would await us, I wonder —-
“The ‘gazing eye’ sees all
It has already been decided, this world’s end.”
And that is all the five chapters. If you noticed, at the end of every chapter there is a short two-sentence paragraph in italics. Those will most probably be lines that will be used in the upcoming Kingdom Hearts III game and they are in the recap videos to tease us about the story they’ve got in store for us.
Hopefully with these translations, those who only play the main games will also get a grasp of the whole story so far! May your heart be your guiding key!
