Essential Highlights
- The conclusion of the Kingdom Hearts 3 manga is set for November 21, 2024, culminating in a total of 39 chapters.
- This manga interweaves narratives from both Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts 0.2.
- Square Enix frequently utilizes manga adaptations as part of their marketing strategy for game releases.
Kingdom Hearts has a rich history of manga adaptations that accompany its video game releases in Japan. The current installment, Kingdom Hearts 3, is nearing its conclusion. Despite its steady serialization in Japan, its availability in the United States has been limited, with only two English volumes released before Yen Press halted publication due to an expired license with Disney in 2023. Yen Press managed to publish new chapters up until the contract’s expiration.
Since its debut in 2002, the Kingdom Hearts franchise has introduced several successful manga adaptations. The original manga was serialized from 2003 to 2006, notable for being the sole edition read from left to right, as it appeared in the Famitsu PS2 magazine. This series was later revisited under the title Kingdom Hearts Final Mix. Following this, Kingdom Hearts 2 saw a similar adaptation running from 2006 to 2009. Other titles like Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories and Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days also received manga adaptations. Consequently, the announcement of the Kingdom Hearts 3 manga in April 2019, shortly after the game’s release in January, aligned perfectly with the franchise’s tradition of translating beloved games into manga formats.
The Upcoming Conclusion of the Kingdom Hearts III Manga
According to author Shiro Amano’s announcement on his X account, the final chapter of the Kingdom Hearts 3 manga will be released on November 21, 2024. This conclusion will bring the total to 39 chapters, with the last nine chapters expected to remain untranslated into English.
This concluding chapter will weave together a narrative complex enough to engage long-time fans, covering content from both Kingdom Hearts 3 and Kingdom Hearts 0.2 Birth by Sleep -A fragmentary passage-, which is featured in the Kingdom Hearts HD 2.8 Final Chapter Prologue collection.
It’s important to note that Square Enix is not alone in this trend; several gaming companies explore manga adaptations to expand their storytelling. Notably, Nintendo has embraced this approach with franchises like The Legend of Zelda, where the acclaimed adaptations by Akira Himekawa have gained significant popularity. Looking ahead, the anticipated Kingdom Hearts IV, heralded as the “beginning of the end,”is likely to receive a complementary manga adaptation upon its release.
Historically, Kingdom Hearts manga have been distributed in the United States by publishers such as Tokyopop and Yen Press. Currently, Kingdom Hearts 3 remains the only iteration that is not entirely accessible in English.
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