Censorship in KH3

[Luminary]

After seeing how the English version of Union Cross censored the sass out of one the events today, I began thinking about how censorship might affect the English version of KH3.

As you may or may not know, there was actually a decent amount of censorship in KH2, particularly in Port Royal. For example, in the Japanese release, Will holds the gun to his head just like in the movie, but he doesn’t in the English version. A couple other examples are blood being removed from the Hydra and flames being removed from Axel’s death scene.

With this game being reported as the darkest in the saga, do you think censorship might be an issue? I obviously don’t expect any bloodbaths, but even just The Caribbean being based on At World’s End could present some situations that might need to be censored to keep the rating E10+. For comparison, the video game based on that film was rated T.

One particular detail I thought about is if they will show the heart of Davy Jones. Will stabbing the heart is a pretty major moment in the movie, but depicting an actual beating heart might be too much for a game with this rating. Do you think they’ll change it or gloss over it? Besides that, there’s also a lot more murder, betrayal, and other adult themes/imagery in this film compared to the original.

That’s just the Caribbean. As said, with the game being the darkest in the series, there could certainly be intense situations throughout the story that may need to be edited to tone them down. So is censorship something you’re at all worried about for this game? I’m personally hoping we get the game as close to the Japanese version as possible to preserve the artists’ intent, but let me know your thoughts on the matter.

 

[OathkeeperRoxas XIII]

Can we I don't know not worry about this, getting done with censorship nonsense and drama, word essays about that enough.


the game hasn't been released yet to know any censorship will happen.

 

[Ashton69]

Despite being hand in hand HAHA GET IT with Disney, there are many examples of the kingdom hearts series treading the line of family fun and, personally, I want the end of that. Seeing Sora's areolas when he was a merman was just disgusting.

 

[Zettaflare]

Can we I don't know not worry about this, getting done with censorship nonsense and drama, word essays about that enough.


the game hasn't been released yet to know any censorship will happen.

Well yeah that's what this thread is for, to predict censorship based on past games.

As for me, I'm not to concerened. They did keep the scene were Braig lost his eye and got scarred in the English version of BBS. And that was probably the most graphic the series got.

 

[DarkosOverlord]

Censorship in past games didn't bother me all that much. Learning after the fact that Xigbar had a different rifle vision or that the PEGI for KH II was raised due to Barbossa drinking in skeleton form were nothing more than neat trivia (actually, having these little differences always fascinated me)
The only exception was the odd rewriting of how the Queen turned the Mirror into an Unversed, which was misleading and actually witheld a possible lore point.

As far as KH III... I still tread VERY lightly on this "darkest in the series" thing. I don't even refer specifically to Nomura and KH when I say that I've learned to take these kind of statements as they come. I expect the usual couple of changes here and there, not much else.

 

[Zaplen14]

I think the series could use a bit more gore myself. I recently saw some fan art of Sora with bruises and scuff after a battle scene, and that made it so much more real.
Its just a situation completely based off opinion. Goofy got slammed in the head but was okay the next scene, Its not a problem to look forward to more realistic outcomes to events.

 

[DizneyXBirds95]

We don't know how much of the Caribbean world will be changed in the Japanese and English versions of the game, but I doubt it will be heavily edited as Port Royal in Kingdom Hearts II.

The only exception was the odd rewriting of how the Queen turned the Mirror into an Unversed, which was misleading and actually witheld a possible lore point.

I remember in the Japanese version of Birth By Sleep the Wicked Queen used her darkness in the form of a Red aura to turn the Spirit of the Magic Mirror into an Unversed. In the English version she thre a Green Potion at the Mirror.

One particular detail I thought about is if they will show the heart of Davy Jones. Will stabbing the heart is a pretty major moment in the movie

Actually, Will Turner didn't "LITERALLY" stabbed Davy Jones heart, in the film it was Jack Sparrow who uses Will's hand with Jack's broken sword to impale Jones heart.

Watch carefully at scene 1:43, Jack's hand was on Will's arm.
[video=youtube;vOtiwYv00pQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOtiwYv00pQ[/video]

 

[Luminary]

Actually, Will Turner didn't "LITERALLY" stabbed Davy Jones heart, in the film it was Jack Sparrow who uses Will's hand with Jack's broken sword to impale Jones heart.

Watch carefully at scene 1:43, Jack's hand was on Will's arm.
[video=youtube;vOtiwYv00pQ]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vOtiwYv00pQ[/video]

Is this a necessary “correction?” It is Will who holds the blade that stabs the heart and takes Jones’ place as Captain of the Dutchman, regardless of Jack’s assistance. Besides, the point has nothing to do with who stabbed the heart, so I didn’t find it necessary to provide an exact detailing of the scene. The point is that the scene involves the stabbing of a physical, beating heart followed by one of the protagonists having his own heart cut out of his chest, albeit offscreen. The question is if this scene and others like it will be glossed over or changed entirely. Will Jones’ physical heart even be in the chest or will they change it to his “KH” heart?

Slightly off topic, but I wonder how Sora will react to Will putting his heart in the chest. It’d be interesting if they tie this in to the Key to Return Hearts.

 

[DizneyXBirds95]

Is this a necessary “correction?” It is Will who holds the blade that stabs the heart and takes Jones’ place as Captain of the Dutchman, regardless of Jack’s assistance. Besides, the point has nothing to do with who stabbed the heart, so I didn’t find it necessary to provide an exact detailing of the scene. The point is that the scene involves the stabbing of a physical, beating heart followed by one of the protagonists having his own heart cut out of his chest, albeit offscreen. The question is if this scene and others like it will be glossed over or changed entirely. Will Jones’ physical heart even be in the chest or will they change it to his “KH” heart?

Slightly off topic, but I wonder how Sora will react to Will putting his heart in the chest. It’d be interesting if they tie this in to the Key to Return Hearts.

Still, Will's hand/arm was manipulated by Jack while he was unconscious after he was stabbed in the chest by Jones and the blade was literally Jack's sword that was cut in half during his fight with Davy Jones.

 

[Alpha Baymax]

I mean, Disney has much more of a direct influence for this game, so hopefully, there shouldn't have to be any censorship.

 

[Luminary]

Still, Will's hand/arm was manipulated by Jack while he was unconscious after he was stabbed in the chest by Jones and the blade was literally Jack's sword which was cut in half during his fight with Davy Jones.

Why is this relevant to the discussion of censorship of the depiction of the heart itself? You seem to want to “correct” information I simply omitted due to it being superfluous. It is ultimately Will who holds the blade that stabs the heart, regardless of Jack’s help, which is why he becomes the Captain of the Dutchman. He wouldn’t have been able to do it without Jack, but that is trivial to this discussion. What matters to this discussion is that throughout the entire of the scene you posted, they’re holding a grotesque beating heart, which probably won’t be allowed in an E10+ game. Neither will Davy Jones slowly driving his blade into Will’s chest.

I mean, Disney has much more of a direct nfluence for this game, so hopefully, there shouldn't have to be any censorship.

Yeah, Nomura’s comments about them not having as much freedom as they used to might tie into this. I think there might be censorship from film to game in Pirates’ case, but it is probably less likely to occur between the Japanese and English release. They also don’t have as much time to change things with the near simultaneous release.

 

[DizneyXBirds95]

Why is this relevant to the discussion of censorship of the depiction of the heart itself? You seem to want to “correct” information I simply omitted due to it being superfluous. It is ultimately Will who holds the blade that stabs the heart, regardless of Jack’s help, which is why he becomes the Captain of the Dutchman. He wouldn’t have been able to do it without Jack, but that is trivial to this discussion. What matters to this discussion is that throughout the entire of the scene you posted, they’re holding a grotesque beating heart, which probably won’t be allowed in an E10+ game. Neither will Davy Jones slowly driving his blade into Will’s chest.

Okay, I'm sorry I acted "condescending" with you. But to move on (as this is about Censorship of the world) while yes Will stab the heart of Davy Jones and becomes the new Captain of the Dutchman he was unable to do it because he was getting unconscious the moment after Jones stabbed him the chest which is why Jack assisted him by moving his hand with Jack's broken sword to impale Jones heart.


Now Regarding Censorship on The Caribbean world, there's no doubt they will be changes in the localization of the Japanese and English version of the game, but I doubt it will be as heavily edited like Port Royal was in Kingdom Hearts II and as Alpha Baymax pointed out Disney is heavily involved in the game. It's not like If we face off against the crew of the Flying Dutchman as weaker enemies for this world, I doubt they would change any of their weapons much like how one of the weapons of the Cursed Pirates was changed into crossbows during the English localization of Kingdom Hearts II.


Now Regarding the heart of Davy Jones, like you said it yourself it is a physical grotesque beating organ and not the glowing orb that comes out of the person's body as seen in the KH series, I think in my opinion order to maintain the E10+ rating without having get the T rating I think the most likely solution is to still keep the heart shown but gloss it over or some sort shading to not be like a physical beating heart instead of changing it into a glowing orb or be shown offscreen. Regarding Will getting stabbed in the chest by Jones and Davy Jones death perhaps the former might be like the English localization of KHII when Barbossa stabbed Jack Sparrow with his sword but the sword was not present when Jack stepped into the moonlight when he got cursed. For Davy's death, I'm not sure but it will be very reminiscent to his death in the movie perhaps only with his heart stabbed being heard offscreen, of course, it will make the scene a bit forced if you ask me, but going back I just don't see them removing the heart by either changing it into a glowing orb or have it be shown off-screen.

 

[Pokie]

Censorship in KH games is so strange, bizarre. Disney movies have death, traumatizing events, suggested pedophilia ( Jasmine and Jafar comes to mind ) racism ( Savages song ) suggested rape ( again, Jasmine and Jafar, Esmeralda and Frollo ) abuse ( Cinderella, Tangled, Hunchback) Gaslighting ( Tangled, The Lion King, Hunchback) Domestic abuse ( The Lion King )

Older Disney even have smoking, alcohol use, and sometimes light swearing ("Jackass " from Pinocchio.) And yet, they are still rated G despite all this. They haven't received PG or PG 13 ratings.

But nope, can't show too many bad things on Disney/ SE vidya game.

 

[Luminary]

Censorship in KH games is so strange, bizarre. Disney movies have death, traumatizing events, suggested pedophilia ( Jasmine and Jafar comes to mind ) racism ( Savages song ) suggested rape ( again, Jasmine and Jafar, Esmeralda and Frollo ) abuse ( Cinderella, Tangled, Hunchback) Gaslighting ( Tangled, The Lion King, Hunchback) Domestic abuse ( The Lion King )

Older Disney even have smoking, alcohol use, and sometimes light swearing ("Jackass " from Pinocchio.) And yet, they are still rated G despite all this. They haven't received PG or PG 13 ratings.

But nope, can't show too many bad things on Disney/ SE vidya game.

Yeah this annoys me. However, I think it has to do with the difference between how games and films are rated. I blame it more on the American ESRB rating restrictions rather than Disney/Square Enix. PEGI 12 allows a bit more freedom than E10+ does which is why we get a lot of the localization changes. It also probably causes them to water it down more to begin with. When you think about it, the PEGI 12 category starts only a year younger than the ESRB T rating. If they restructured the ESRB to make E suitable for ages under 12 and new categories for ages 12-16, 16-17, 18 and up, we wouldn’t have as much film-to-game censorship.

 

[SuperstarSaga08]

They'll probably just censor Aqua's back cuz it's too GRAPHIC.