Even better - he stops looking different because when Ansem the Wise designed a digitising gun, he didn't give it enough memory, and, it turns out, when a digitising gun's memory overflows, it explodes. And, not only that, the explosion can turn Riku back into his true form because... Because if he kept looking like Xehanort's Nobody, then that would be one too many Xehanorts running around?
I liked the dynamic that the three Nobodies had. They made a hell of a team! Shame that Ansem the DitZ decided Xion and Riku had to die so he could get _one_ Keyblade wielder instead of trying to convince those two that the Organization they were growing increasingly suspicious of was bad.
22:13 "So congratulations 12-year-olds, your hearts basically had a kid" Actually did a spittake on that. And the worst/best part is, it's not entirely wrong either. If you pause there, Kairi's face is pretty much the correct reaction to it, too.
Of course this gives me a terrible idea. "Some-_body_ once told me, you're now a no-body, you heart's a heartless down and you're dead. You were looking kinda dumb with this blade out in the sun with a name like an x with a zed"
Minute 32: "now strap in, everything's about to get dumb." What was it until that point then, a spark of brilliance? Has every channel does this yet? Yes. But is this the best KH summary vid out there? Absolutly. I died at "Nomura, I read your story, and I have some notes." You know comedic timing. Looking forward to the extended, post-KH3 version!
"You chose to question the logic of this plot NOW!?" Yeah that pretty well sums it up and... yeah.. no one plays these games for the plot, that is just a waaaaaay to complicated, nonsensical mess that's used to justify some utterly AMAZING moments.
1) 'Plot' and 'Story' are two different things. KH's Plot can be a mess mostly because they thought they'd only get the first game but then were given a full series and had to come up with a lot of retcons for why the problem was not solved by the closed loop of KH1. KH's Story, is pretty straight forward. Boy in an isolated part of the world, seeking adventure out in space, is granted a blade of historical importance he knows nothing about, and is trust into a millennia old conflict of Light vs Dark... So Star Wars. 2) This is as much for people in the Chat as it is for Dan, trying to not spoil it, but do not go in to KH3 thinking it is Return of the King, wrapping up all the loose ends and bringing everything back together so it can finally end... Think of it more as the First Avengers movie. 3) As much as I love the story of KH, and all the heart melt tears in my eyes moments, I am also an insane person who is just as here for the weird mythos filled, Metaphor made Literal plot of this franchise as I am the 'moments'. 4) I really hope you have a blast with KH3 and Re:Mind
WAIT. This is only the FIRST Avengers? THERE’S GONNA BE *_MORE?!?!_* Okay, if we’re getting more of this, can somebody PLEASE get Nomura in touch with a proper writer?? We literally cannot make the Christmas lights any more tangled!
Dan, this may have been a headache to put together but you are a truly fantastic storyteller! Thanks very much for this, I've been looking forward to your KH3 playthrough 😁😁
If anyone can make the lore spaghetti known as "Kingdom hearts" easy to understand its Dan. I mean I still dont really understand the whole thing, and I watched all of Story Mode and this episode, but that's not Dan's fault. That's the fault of having 9 games that have a connected story, but retcon it like 12 times, based on a premise that's outright silly to start with. At this point they might as well just say "We're going to Frozen's world! Why? Who cares!" And then do the thing at the place.
Considering it's summarising over 150 hours of gameplay across 7 games (plus whatever 0.2 is, and however much of UX is in there), 40 minutes is pretty quick...
XD. Personally they got dumb (for me.) after KH2, and a little bit through CoM&358/2 expanding the "plot" (and with BBS, being the "3" we thought we were promised... ... I gave up on playing through the rest of these a while ago x_x.). Thank God for Let's Plays.
OH YES, KH IS COMING BACK TO THE CHANEL :DDDD Did I play/watch let's plays of all the games so far? Sure! Am I gonna watch this recap still, and enjoy myself immensely while doing so? You bet!!! Also, those heart/body/soul info graphics are incredibly cute!!!
Dan, this has quickly become my favorite KH recap! You did really well in, somehow, sorting out the convoluted mess that this series' plot is. I've been following your videos since before PlayFrame and NewFramePlus, and although I usually don't interact at all with anyone here on youtube, I just had to tell you that I really enjoyed this! :D P.S.: To be honest, I have only played three games in the series, and all of them spinoffs: CoM, 358/2 Days and 3D. So, yeah... technically, I'm one of those late people. xD And even having played so little of the series, I share the same view as you: the series' plot may be dumb, but it has many great, touching moments.
Yea... at this point I'm just gonna stop asking questions about the plot and just enjoy the visuals and jokes. Cause this "lore spaghetti" is a bit dense to chew through.
20:44 my headcanon is that, technically, Kairi just uses her light to fill in the "gaps" in Sora's heart, restoring him, but that he's still technically a Heartless. He's just now human shaped, and himself. So later, DiZ and co tracking down Roxas isn’t just cause of all the other stuff, but because he technically has Sora's body, and they need that back.
Haven't seen a single gameplay of this because I was waiting for yours. I'm so excited KH has been my favorite game since I was 11 when I played KH 2 and it was magical. Now I'm 24 and I couldn't play this one because I got only a switch, so I'm so ready for this rn. Thank u for being amazing Dan
As someone who's already played it - There are parts that are amazing, parts that are disappointing, and then the DLC, which has AT LEAST 3 brain-melting-ly awesome moments.
"Moments like this, and this, and this." Man, you just gotta flash little clips of those and I'm practically tearing up. I put up with a WHOLE lot of dumb to get there, but every one of them was worth it. Also, of course there's a purpose to you doing this. Having another good writer give their take on the Blesséd Mess that is the KH story is always valuable.
Just the premise explanation is already worth making the video, as a long time Kingdom Hearts dweller, I'm impressed. Kudos to the makers of the video.
This summary is one of the best, I think, because it doesn't get too tripped up by specific details and acknowledges parts that dont quite fit because of all the drastic new directions the spaghetti eventually went in. And you point out that. Most people try to ignore it, which is a great detriment to those who were counting on them to help make sense of the spaghetti.
Words cannot describe the whiplash I felt at 12:46 when in the midst of all this extensive backstory Mickey Mouse just kind of shows up in a cutscene and Dan doesn't comment on it. I had fully forgotten that Disney characters are just everywhere in this story.
I still love Barry's reaction for the first Disney scene in his Good Enough Summary of KH video: "Elsewhere, Mickey Mouse - YES, MICKEY MOUSE, did I *STUTTER*?!"
"I know it's a bad name, just roll with it" and "It's Kingdom Hearts, I don't know" - statements that can be made only by a true scholar of Kingdom Hearts. Looking forward to the playthrough, though. You got this, Dan! You. Got. This!
Am I the only one who grew up with this series and knows every detail but just loves rehearing everyone else recap the story I already know in their own words?
The Heartless seek hearts and may contain other’s hearts, but don’t have any emotion themselves, hence why they are heartless in their actions. Nobodies are “non-people”, essentially nothing and nobody to much of the worlds because of their “lack of a heart” (though they’re still pretty obviously emotional, especially the non-dusk ones which retained their form and memories both in losing their hearts and upon recompletion).
@@pokechatter it would be a lot simpler if it was "these guys have few or no emotions* and are nobodies because they lack their og bodies (heartless rn) and these guys have no hearts so they heartless (rn called nobodies)
I'm still amused that so, SO much of this actually has an explanation just waiting in the lore for it. Sometime in his training to be a keyblade master, Young Xehanort actually comes across a copy of the Book of Prophecy. He skims through part of it that would cover his own future, but not all the details are there, and for some reason the book is then lost. So he knows what future-him (incluing future-him that is going to go back in time to past-him) is overall going to do, and he is pretty sure that ONE of these plans is supposed to succeed. SO he knows what all the myriad plans and backup-plans and backup-backup-backup-backup-no-really-this-is-the-plan are supposed to be, and is just confidently going forward with all of them cause... come on, one of these is supposed to work, right? It was in the book! I would also simply LOVE a deleted-scene animatic from Squeenix that has Old Xehanort, Young Xehanort, Heartless Xehanort, Nobody Xehanort, Terra Xehanort, and Robe Xehanort, all together in a room with paper and string, themselves trying to keep track of which plans are which, which ones are already in motion, when others are supposed to start so that they can fail in prep for the REAL backup plans, etc. Just the comedy of the Big Bad actually having a hard time keeping all of the everything straight while publicly putting on the face of being, as was so wonderfully put, "triple galaxy brained"
explaining what's happening and when you're supposed to act to a bunch of copies of yourself, each with only fragments of your own sense and emotional stability, when in time they're supposed to perform what action would be a goddamn nightmare. "so, i go to the door of darkness at the end of this?" "no, no you go to the door of darkness after you possess riku" "in castle oblivion?" "no, before that" "why don't i go now?" "because that plan fails" "why are we doing plans we know fail?" "for the third goddamn time, the book said so!"
I just adore the way you put everything together! I played my share of kh3 and can't wait to see you doing it! Also also actually actually, your summary is one of the best out there!
You forgot a few KHUX things that were already known before the release of KHIII: Maleficent was defeated in KHI and trying to save herself she traveled back in time into the time of KHUX and was there helped by someone called Darkness to get back into the present in KHII. Marluxia and Larxene are the nobodies of Lauriam and Elrena. Strilitzia (or however you write her) is Lauriam's sister. Also, KHUX was computers all along. Don't question it.
Sinom thanks, I was mainly asking as a joke because it says UX and also because you said it was computers, but I appreciate the answer, and was surprised that that referred to a pair of games
@@drdca8263 yeah I thought it was a joke but answered jic. And well technically it is a single game but the game got rebranded at around it's 2 year anniversary. It also refers to the 2 separate story arcs within the game. (The pre war arc and the post war arc)
First off, I didn't really need this recap, but there's just something about the way you do these lore recaps that makes them incredibly compelling. I felt this way about Extra History as well. You're just a really good storyteller Dan. Second, because you're finally going through KHIII I went ahead and started a new playthrough of my own, though for me I chose to go through on Critical Mode (which I don't recommend for your series). I haven't gone through the Re:Mind DLC yet either and I figured now was as good a time as any to see where the series will go from here. Nomura's madness is still here in force, but that's what we sign up for with these games. Despite that, I can't wait to see you play it for yourself. I know you're gonna love this game Dan.
You sum it up so very well at the end Dan. This stuff can be really freaking dumb sometimes, most of the times depending on the game, but we’re all here for these characters that we love. I teared up near the end of KH3 from all the interactions happening and they all care for each other.
I love going through this HUGE playlist and, 183 videos into the whole ordeal, suddenly get a mic change and a significantly more high-fidelity Dan voice
True, friendship stuff between the characters and Disney stuff is the reason I love the Kingdom Hearts series. The convoluted plot is a lot to handle, but still still love the series
As I understand it, he dosen't predict everything. He's just SEEN everything already. He didn't just travel a bit through time, he traveled EVERYWHERE through time. Read everything, meddled in everything, tried to break everything. So he's not playing 10 dimensional chess, he's making everybody else dance to lines he wrote hundreds of years ago.... because that's the only possible way it'll work in the long long LONG run.
I was a big fan of KH1 and KH2 when it was released way back when. I, like so many others, never played KH:CoM and so was thoroughly confused at the start of KH2 but stuck with it. Years passed and I haven't picked up a KH game since but heard over and over how insane and bizarre the story had become. Well, I have just completed Dan's playthrough of all the Kingdom Hearts games up until KH3. I've purchased KH3 myself and will be starting tomorrow - and thanks to Dan and Carrie's efforts I am fully 'caught up' and ready to begin. Thank you very much, Dan and Carrie, for producing this monumental series which has rekindled what I remember loving so much about these games. Kingdom Hearts 3, here I come. (Oh and 358/2 Days is by far the best KH story.)
I´ve experienced the whole series so far exclusively through this channel here, and this summary is a very nice refresher, even if it was probably a bit of hell to put it together. So looking forward to the start of KH 3 tomorrow, to contextualize all these little bits and pieces I´ve heard over the last year
This is not the first time I'm watching this wonderful video and it may not be the last. One thing I have realized is that as I've grown older, I've gone from simply liking Kingdom Hearts, to absolutely loving it. The plot spaghetti and nonsense add much needed levity, the personal and touching moments are truly beautiful, and most importantly, the games themselves are fun to play from start to finish. Every time I hear that music, I tear up just a little. Kingdom Hearts has become my "feel-good" series and I absolutely love that Sora is the main character (for the most part) because his personality just works so well here. Thank you Nomura for this, and thank you Dan for helping me find my love for Kingdom Hearts
Please don't spoil things for others, seriously, not everyone that watches this channels LP's of KH has played or seen KH 3. Please have some consideration for them.
Can I frame a video and put it in my room? Or a museum? This is a masterpiece. I don’t think I have ever had so many great one liners in such a tight sequence.
"Is there any point to me doing this at all?" YES! It doesn't matter if other people have told the story or done the thing before. What matters is that YOU do it, and that you do it in YOUR way. Several THOUSAND years ago, a dude wrote "There is nothing new under the sun." That's in Ecclesiastes, in The Bible, in the OLD Testament. People have known that "originality" is impossible since forever ago. Even if you can't be "original", you can at least be yourself. As long as you don't just intentionally copy others (e.g. plagiarism), your work will have meaning. Anyways, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Let's all go watch Dan play KH3!
Dan, you really shouldn't down sell your videos. You are amongst the best youtubers I follow and you always deliver great videos. Even if they seem boring to you, your banter, small tidbits of animation knowledge etc. All great! You really don't need to emphasis that your videos are bad or others are better ;)
I've always considered Xehanort's "omniscience" to really be him setting 8 or 9 plans into motion at once and hoping at least one works. He seems like the kind of person who would claim he planned out literally everything, including failures, so he can act smarter than everyone else in the room.
I have watched SO many story recaps and this is the most sense any of them have made - thank you!! I was still curled up in the foetal position about halfway through though.
Dan: "I am going to play Kingdom Hearts 3 for the first time on this channel starting tomorrow, and I would love it if you joined me! :)" Me: "HOOOO BOY!! MICKEY TAKE THE WHEEL!!!"
Xemnas and Ansem being described as ‘these two clowns’ is the most accurate representation of their character since the “So you have come this far, and still you understand nothing” meme.
Can't wait for this! I have purposely held off on playing Kingdom Hearts 3; watching any playthrough, or learning anything about the plot so that I could first watch it here on PlayFrame. For me at least Kingdom Hearts = Dan, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"making zehanort impossibly foresightful is nomura's favorite method of brute fix forcing continuity problems in this plot spaghetti. so let's just accept that and move on. okay? okay." dude you made me cry of laughter ToT wonderful video thanks
Dan's is serious enough that I can distinguish jokes from what actually happened, while still being funny. Also, I prefer Dan's more subdued sense of humor over Barry's hyperactive character for videos of this scale. They're both good summaries, though.
@@timothymclean Fair assessment. I suppose I simply find the gradual mental breakdown Barry has during his recap to better capture my feelings on this mess of a plot.
@@howlingarmadillo I personally prefer Dan's assessment at the end of this video. A thesis of mockery doesn't really interest me as much as it used to (except for a few worthy candidates).
It's finally time. I've been eagerly awaiting this DLC even though I'm not even gonna touch it. And boy, did I really need this summary. Excellent stuff! Side note: I also realized that Dearly Beloved has snuck its way into the list of video game music that can get me to actually cry. I love this mess of a series, and I'm really thankful to Dan for playing through (most of) it for our enjoyment. Can't wait for tomorrow!
I'm sorry Dan, but you have at least one watcher who absolutely, honestly, loves Kingdom Hearts for the plot. Of course those heartfelt character moments are good and important too and the series wouldn't be half as good as it is without it. BUT I just love the plot, how utterly ridiculous and evul Xehanort is, how balls to the wall insane everything gets in the later games. I honest to god love it. Not just for the laughs, but when you get really into the games, you get invested. Somehow, because Kingdom Hearts is an ever cascading spiral of insanity, my suspension of disbelief was stretched and trained so well that it just makes me more invested. Even though it sounds stupid when you take a step back, when I'm really getting into it, there is no way for me to say 'this is dumb' even if it rationally is. It's just glorious and I love it. Even though I can willingly take a step back and look at it and say: "Well yeah, it's dumb." Probably doesn't help that I'm a huge fan of the Metal Gear Solid series too... Kojima you magnificent madman, curse you!
Your comments at the end, about the story providing context for the little pieces of genuine emotion between the characters is spot on. I’ve been following this series since it first came out when I was in high school, and it’s a sentiment that I didn’t know to be true before, but in retrospect those are the moments that stand out to me when I think about the games (aside from the crazy boss battles). I do disagree about the name “x-blade” though. I think it’s kinda clever. Since it can be pronounced as either ‘kye’ or ‘key’ I like the notion that tales of this super-power sword were passed down through the ages until, much like a game of telephone, people thought that since its name is ‘key’ it must be a weapon shaped like a key and started fashioning key-shaped weapons in an attempt to recreate it (of course, that gets thrown out the window when it turns out it’s two crossed keyblades with another blade sticking out, but still).
after learning about how the Master of Masters was basically Omniscient it is much easier to understand and accept how Xehanort ended up the same way with that Keyblade
You know, you joked about this just adding to the pile of indistinguishably similar videos but honestly you've made the most "readable" version of this summary I've seen yet. You having actual experience narrating video essay work like Extra Credits goes a long way making a difference compared to videos that are just monotone infodumps. You told the organized plot like it was its own story, not a laundry list of factoids, and you did it in a casual, conversational tone that feels like we're actually being spoken "to" and not just "at."
The 'Bless This Mess' snapshot had me literally guffawing. I don't even know what a guffaw IS, or that I could even DO it, but here we are. This recap is up there with Barry's in the GOAT category. Succinctly explained, and lots of love and humor to go with it. I'm so excited for this!
I have been looking forward to this for a while. And I love this summary you've done; it hits all the important beats, it's self-aware and funny and it openly acknowledges that this story is really dumb, but it's still a lot of fun. Also, I love your little moments of "I've read through your story, and I have some notes", "*Bless this Mess!*" and "You choose to question the logic of this plot *now*?" This made my day! Hope you enjoy KH3!
Nomura’s clothing obsession is wonderful. Mickey’s shirt dissolving in 2.8 solely because he wasn’t wearing a shirt in the KH1 ending is hilarious. I think that’s my description of this plot in one word actually, hilarious. The story of Kingdom Hearts is so convoluted and terrible that one of my favourite parts about the series is just how mercilessly I can bag on plot holes and retcons and convoluted backstories. I haven’t played Re:Mind yet, I hope there’s as much for me to make fun of there, and maybe some nice moments of melodrama on the side.
I have no words for how excited ami am to finally watch Dan (and Carrie) go through KH3! Great recap too! Such a heartfelt, but honest review of the spaghetti we all love to watch unfold and tie itself into knots.
I'm so glad you did this summary! In that last segment, you managed to summarize for people not familiar with Kingdom hearts, why it is so special, despite all of its nonsense^u^ I've been Watching this series since you started it, and I'm super excited to dive into 3 with you^u^
Can we have a podcast like, "audiobooks with salt and sass by dan". This recap was truly awesome. Anyone who can make me understand the ~general~ plot of kingdom hearts is probably a sarcasm genius.
@@einootspork nor do they ever interact with characters from other licensed stories. other then like... Maleficent i guess. Like, we've never seen Ariel hang out with Jack Skeleton or whatnot.
Too many OCs with too much focus. It started as that, but you can't stay that way with so many plots centered around the spinoff's internal lore and cast.
Kingdom Hearts has a catalogue of nonsense as long as both your arms, some other people's arms, and a few legs. Tetsuya Nomura heard people calling Metal Gear Solid a bunch of convoluted drivel and said "hold my beer".
@@TamTroll technically, we've seen the villains from the disney side interact, and the princesses of heart were all passed out in the same room at the end of KH1.
Been a fan of this game for over 10 years now. I just finished kingdom hearts 3 with the secret ending. However i still did not understand the story fully until I watched this video. Big thanks to you!!! Sidenote: this video is by far the best explanation of KDH’s story. Trust me I’ve tried every other youtube video out there.
Awwsome recap! I had actually fallen off the Kingdom Hearts-watching train, but now that I’m up to speed on the state of things, I can’t wait for the new one!
That was... a lot!!! Yet you managed to explain it in a way that was understandable to me (I know some of the plots and stories but not all of it), so big applause to you for doing all that work! I hope you'll have a lot of fun with KH 3 :D
That was the most coherent and understandable summary of the Kingdom Hearts series I've ever heard. If I wasn't subscribed already, I would have done so just because of this video. That was amazing. ^^
Dan, this summary is genius! It's informative, extremely fun to watch, and full of rememberable bits. I'm eager to see you playing what KH3 is, and experience it.
Honestly the appeal of the KH story is that it's _so_ convoluted and stupid that trying to understand it on its own terms is a weirdly fun challenge. The entertainment value is in trying to make any sense of the absurdity of it all and I kind of love it.
EEEEE! SO EXCITED!! These videos are so HYPE! Your voice sounds different than the let's plays. Is it different audio mixing or just a script and presentation? Whaaaa? White aside text?? All the jokes? *chef kiss* Perfection!
I love all these "justgowithitOK?" moments. There appears to be a lot of them.
"You choose to question the logic of this plot NOW?" I'm dying. Send help.
There's a lot of suspension of logic it seems to follow this plot. ...
Dan's "I KNOW, just stick with me" is
Well it gets worser the longer the series gets and in KH3 ist practice the whole game now...
I loved the part where he sighs when he explains the personification of Jimmny’s Journal is Data Riku xD
"Bless This Mess!"
“Riku still looks different but then he stops.” Dan, please, I’m dying over here.
Even better - he stops looking different because when Ansem the Wise designed a digitising gun, he didn't give it enough memory, and, it turns out, when a digitising gun's memory overflows, it explodes. And, not only that, the explosion can turn Riku back into his true form because... Because if he kept looking like Xehanort's Nobody, then that would be one too many Xehanorts running around?
Pretty much lol. These games, man. I love them
He just needed to take a.... Light... bath. XD
Sorry not sorry. XD
"[. . .] and everything is sad."
Yup, that pretty much sums up Days
I liked the dynamic that the three Nobodies had. They made a hell of a team! Shame that Ansem the DitZ decided Xion and Riku had to die so he could get _one_ Keyblade wielder instead of trying to convince those two that the Organization they were growing increasingly suspicious of was bad.
Describing Xehanort as "triple-galaxy brain" elevated this summary from a 10/10 to an 11/10. Positively slayed me!
"Plot Spaghetti" is my favourite quote from this video and I'm stealing it tyvm.
22:13 "So congratulations 12-year-olds, your hearts basically had a kid"
Actually did a spittake on that. And the worst/best part is, it's not entirely wrong either. If you pause there, Kairi's face is pretty much the correct reaction to it, too.
I am deeply impressed by your ability to lay this out in such a simple easy to digest way, and also do it without laughing hysterically.
Yeah, I love Dan's lore overview videos, they were my favorite part of Side Quest... I sorta wish he'd do more of them. Hollow Knight would be great.
Simple and clean, you might say
Broke = "Kingdom Hearts has such a dumb story, it's terrible."
Woke = "Kingdom Hearts has such a dumb story, it's great."
Big Brain = "Kingdom Hearts has a story. I have no strong feelings one way or the other."
Okay I believe you
super based = damn the reports are good lore, the story is more thought out than I thought
Sane = "Kingdom Hearts has such a dumb story, so however you react to it, know this series will NEVER win Best RPG at The Game Awards."
"Bless this Mess" made me giggle so hard
I need someone to summarize the last 4 minutes for me. I've died. Unable to make it past 35:56. XD 😂🤣😂🤣 Oh, bus me, ow.
Heartless: Beings made of hearts
Nobodies: Beings made of bodies
Nothing sums up Kingdom Hearts story better
As it turns out, Unversed are actually incredibly well-versed in a variety of subjects. *The Iron Imprisoner* speaks 19 languages!
Nightmares are strictly diurnal.
Of course this gives me a terrible idea.
"Some-_body_ once told me, you're now a no-body,
you heart's a heartless down and you're dead.
You were looking kinda dumb with this blade out in the sun
with a name like an x with a zed"
@@philippak7726 That's terrible and I was singing it in my head. Good Job!
Just wait for a new being to come in KH4 (or 3.5 or random subtitle) - the Soulless, brings made of a person’s soul.
"Iknowit'sareallybadnamejustrollwithit" I almost spit out my tea laughing
Minute 32: "now strap in, everything's about to get dumb." What was it until that point then, a spark of brilliance?
Has every channel does this yet? Yes. But is this the best KH summary vid out there? Absolutly.
I died at "Nomura, I read your story, and I have some notes." You know comedic timing.
Looking forward to the extended, post-KH3 version!
“Aw Crap we forgot Aqua”
-Dan (and also Mickey Mouse for over a decade...)
Aqua only met Mickey and Riku during the climax of KH 1 so it's not been that long.
@@Izandaia Aqua met Mickey in Birth by Sleep
@@PatrickOchoa8a But did he, or anyone else, know where she'd been all these years, before he met her at the end of KH1?
"You chose to question the logic of this plot NOW!?"
Yeah that pretty well sums it up and... yeah.. no one plays these games for the plot, that is just a waaaaaay to complicated, nonsensical mess that's used to justify some utterly AMAZING moments.
1) 'Plot' and 'Story' are two different things. KH's Plot can be a mess mostly because they thought they'd only get the first game but then were given a full series and had to come up with a lot of retcons for why the problem was not solved by the closed loop of KH1. KH's Story, is pretty straight forward. Boy in an isolated part of the world, seeking adventure out in space, is granted a blade of historical importance he knows nothing about, and is trust into a millennia old conflict of Light vs Dark... So Star Wars.
2) This is as much for people in the Chat as it is for Dan, trying to not spoil it, but do not go in to KH3 thinking it is Return of the King, wrapping up all the loose ends and bringing everything back together so it can finally end... Think of it more as the First Avengers movie.
3) As much as I love the story of KH, and all the heart melt tears in my eyes moments, I am also an insane person who is just as here for the weird mythos filled, Metaphor made Literal plot of this franchise as I am the 'moments'.
4) I really hope you have a blast with KH3 and Re:Mind
WAIT. This is only the FIRST Avengers? THERE’S GONNA BE *_MORE?!?!_*
Okay, if we’re getting more of this, can somebody PLEASE get Nomura in touch with a proper writer?? We literally cannot make the Christmas lights any more tangled!
I agree with you.
Dan, this may have been a headache to put together but you are a truly fantastic storyteller! Thanks very much for this, I've been looking forward to your KH3 playthrough 😁😁
Right? Like I would love to hear him tell me bedtime stories. Heck I would listen if he were reading an animation textbook.
If anyone can make the lore spaghetti known as "Kingdom hearts" easy to understand its Dan.
I mean I still dont really understand the whole thing, and I watched all of Story Mode and this episode, but that's not Dan's fault. That's the fault of having 9 games that have a connected story, but retcon it like 12 times, based on a premise that's outright silly to start with. At this point they might as well just say "We're going to Frozen's world! Why? Who cares!" And then do the thing at the place.
"Quick summary"
40 minute runtime.
for kingdom hearts that is short
To be fair, it is a 9-game series that's run for almost 20 years!
Considering it's summarising over 150 hours of gameplay across 7 games (plus whatever 0.2 is, and however much of UX is in there), 40 minutes is pretty quick...
@@linuxstreamer8910 Came here to post exactly this. Thank you.
I'M IN LOVE WITH THIS RECAP.
"Now strap in, 'cause things are about to get dumb!"
Dan, you can't say that after 30+ minutes of talking about KH plot.
That's illegal.
XD. Personally they got dumb (for me.) after KH2, and a little bit through CoM&358/2 expanding the "plot" (and with BBS, being the "3" we thought we were promised... ... I gave up on playing through the rest of these a while ago x_x.). Thank God for Let's Plays.
I live for Dan's enthusiastic, in-depth, and paradoxically snarky lore summaries.
This and Barry's "Good Enough Summary of Kingdom Hearts" are perfect companions for explaining WTF is going on in this series.
17:46 "triple galaxy brain" too good
OH YES, KH IS COMING BACK TO THE CHANEL :DDDD
Did I play/watch let's plays of all the games so far? Sure! Am I gonna watch this recap still, and enjoy myself immensely while doing so? You bet!!!
Also, those heart/body/soul info graphics are incredibly cute!!!
20 minutes in... We've now reached the first game xD
Stellar work Dan, I love it!
THIS. EXACTLY THIS is why I adore listening to Dan's recaps.
Dan, this has quickly become my favorite KH recap! You did really well in, somehow, sorting out the convoluted mess that this series' plot is.
I've been following your videos since before PlayFrame and NewFramePlus, and although I usually don't interact at all with anyone here on youtube, I just had to tell you that I really enjoyed this! :D
P.S.: To be honest, I have only played three games in the series, and all of them spinoffs: CoM, 358/2 Days and 3D. So, yeah... technically, I'm one of those late people. xD
And even having played so little of the series, I share the same view as you: the series' plot may be dumb, but it has many great, touching moments.
Thanks, glad you liked it!
Delicious lore spaghetti.
Yea... at this point I'm just gonna stop asking questions about the plot and just enjoy the visuals and jokes.
Cause this "lore spaghetti" is a bit dense to chew through.
"Opps, all Xehanort" is one of the best jokes ever honestly ahaha
20:44 my headcanon is that, technically, Kairi just uses her light to fill in the "gaps" in Sora's heart, restoring him, but that he's still technically a Heartless. He's just now human shaped, and himself. So later, DiZ and co tracking down Roxas isn’t just cause of all the other stuff, but because he technically has Sora's body, and they need that back.
Haven't seen a single gameplay of this because I was waiting for yours. I'm so excited KH has been my favorite game since I was 11 when I played KH 2 and it was magical. Now I'm 24 and I couldn't play this one because I got only a switch, so I'm so ready for this rn. Thank u for being amazing Dan
As someone who's already played it - There are parts that are amazing, parts that are disappointing, and then the DLC, which has AT LEAST 3 brain-melting-ly awesome moments.
"Moments like this, and this, and this."
Man, you just gotta flash little clips of those and I'm practically tearing up. I put up with a WHOLE lot of dumb to get there, but every one of them was worth it.
Also, of course there's a purpose to you doing this. Having another good writer give their take on the Blesséd Mess that is the KH story is always valuable.
Dan, this is amazing
just the right amount of shade thrown into this madness of lore is great
Just the premise explanation is already worth making the video, as a long time Kingdom Hearts dweller, I'm impressed. Kudos to the makers of the video.
This summary is one of the best, I think, because it doesn't get too tripped up by specific details and acknowledges parts that dont quite fit because of all the drastic new directions the spaghetti eventually went in. And you point out that. Most people try to ignore it, which is a great detriment to those who were counting on them to help make sense of the spaghetti.
“The real ‘Oops All Xehanorts’ 13 disperses-“
I cackled
Words cannot describe the whiplash I felt at 12:46 when in the midst of all this extensive backstory Mickey Mouse just kind of shows up in a cutscene and Dan doesn't comment on it. I had fully forgotten that Disney characters are just everywhere in this story.
I still love Barry's reaction for the first Disney scene in his Good Enough Summary of KH video:
"Elsewhere, Mickey Mouse - YES, MICKEY MOUSE, did I *STUTTER*?!"
Ok, this recap might be the most entertaining one so far, hot dang, you've done it again Dan!
Very much looking forward to what tomorrow will bring!
"I know it's a bad name, just roll with it" and "It's Kingdom Hearts, I don't know" - statements that can be made only by a true scholar of Kingdom Hearts.
Looking forward to the playthrough, though. You got this, Dan! You. Got. This!
Am I the only one who grew up with this series and knows every detail but just loves rehearing everyone else recap the story I already know in their own words?
I always felt like the Heartless’ & Nobodies names should’ve been switched.
The Heartless seek hearts and may contain other’s hearts, but don’t have any emotion themselves, hence why they are heartless in their actions. Nobodies are “non-people”, essentially nothing and nobody to much of the worlds because of their “lack of a heart” (though they’re still pretty obviously emotional, especially the non-dusk ones which retained their form and memories both in losing their hearts and upon recompletion).
@@pokechatter it would be a lot simpler if it was "these guys have few or no emotions* and are nobodies because they lack their og bodies (heartless rn) and these guys have no hearts so they heartless (rn called nobodies)
I'm still amused that so, SO much of this actually has an explanation just waiting in the lore for it. Sometime in his training to be a keyblade master, Young Xehanort actually comes across a copy of the Book of Prophecy. He skims through part of it that would cover his own future, but not all the details are there, and for some reason the book is then lost.
So he knows what future-him (incluing future-him that is going to go back in time to past-him) is overall going to do, and he is pretty sure that ONE of these plans is supposed to succeed. SO he knows what all the myriad plans and backup-plans and backup-backup-backup-backup-no-really-this-is-the-plan are supposed to be, and is just confidently going forward with all of them cause... come on, one of these is supposed to work, right? It was in the book!
I would also simply LOVE a deleted-scene animatic from Squeenix that has Old Xehanort, Young Xehanort, Heartless Xehanort, Nobody Xehanort, Terra Xehanort, and Robe Xehanort, all together in a room with paper and string, themselves trying to keep track of which plans are which, which ones are already in motion, when others are supposed to start so that they can fail in prep for the REAL backup plans, etc. Just the comedy of the Big Bad actually having a hard time keeping all of the everything straight while publicly putting on the face of being, as was so wonderfully put, "triple galaxy brained"
"Dammit, the book made it sound like this would be easy."
I mean there is a moment in remind where he could have gotten his hands on a book of prophecy.
explaining what's happening and when you're supposed to act to a bunch of copies of yourself, each with only fragments of your own sense and emotional stability, when in time they're supposed to perform what action would be a goddamn nightmare.
"so, i go to the door of darkness at the end of this?"
"no, no you go to the door of darkness after you possess riku"
"in castle oblivion?"
"no, before that"
"why don't i go now?"
"because that plan fails"
"why are we doing plans we know fail?"
"for the third goddamn time, the book said so!"
The real answer is "You chose to question this logic *now*?"
I laughed really hard.
I just adore the way you put everything together!
I played my share of kh3 and can't wait to see you doing it!
Also also actually actually, your summary is one of the best out there!
You forgot a few KHUX things that were already known before the release of KHIII:
Maleficent was defeated in KHI and trying to save herself she traveled back in time into the time of KHUX and was there helped by someone called Darkness to get back into the present in KHII.
Marluxia and Larxene are the nobodies of Lauriam and Elrena. Strilitzia (or however you write her) is Lauriam's sister.
Also, KHUX was computers all along. Don't question it.
Does the UX in KHUX stand for User eXperience ?
@@drdca8263 no. For unchained key and for union cross
Sinom thanks, I was mainly asking as a joke because it says UX and also because you said it was computers, but I appreciate the answer, and was surprised that that referred to a pair of games
@@drdca8263 yeah I thought it was a joke but answered jic. And well technically it is a single game but the game got rebranded at around it's 2 year anniversary. It also refers to the 2 separate story arcs within the game. (The pre war arc and the post war arc)
Sinom ah, cool
2:28-2:40
Dang, when I saw all of those half-important characters being mentioned as ‘component parts’, I almost died laughing.
First off, I didn't really need this recap, but there's just something about the way you do these lore recaps that makes them incredibly compelling. I felt this way about Extra History as well.
You're just a really good storyteller Dan.
Second, because you're finally going through KHIII I went ahead and started a new playthrough of my own, though for me I chose to go through on Critical Mode (which I don't recommend for your series). I haven't gone through the Re:Mind DLC yet either and I figured now was as good a time as any to see where the series will go from here.
Nomura's madness is still here in force, but that's what we sign up for with these games. Despite that, I can't wait to see you play it for yourself.
I know you're gonna love this game Dan.
You sum it up so very well at the end Dan. This stuff can be really freaking dumb sometimes, most of the times depending on the game, but we’re all here for these characters that we love. I teared up near the end of KH3 from all the interactions happening and they all care for each other.
I love going through this HUGE playlist and, 183 videos into the whole ordeal, suddenly get a mic change and a significantly more high-fidelity Dan voice
Yah, went back n forth with this and last 0.2 episode - could hardly believe was the same person :O
What a difference a Mic makes x
True, friendship stuff between the characters and Disney stuff is the reason I love the Kingdom Hearts series. The convoluted plot is a lot to handle, but still still love the series
As I understand it, he dosen't predict everything. He's just SEEN everything already. He didn't just travel a bit through time, he traveled EVERYWHERE through time. Read everything, meddled in everything, tried to break everything. So he's not playing 10 dimensional chess, he's making everybody else dance to lines he wrote hundreds of years ago.... because that's the only possible way it'll work in the long long LONG run.
I was a big fan of KH1 and KH2 when it was released way back when. I, like so many others, never played KH:CoM and so was thoroughly confused at the start of KH2 but stuck with it. Years passed and I haven't picked up a KH game since but heard over and over how insane and bizarre the story had become. Well, I have just completed Dan's playthrough of all the Kingdom Hearts games up until KH3. I've purchased KH3 myself and will be starting tomorrow - and thanks to Dan and Carrie's efforts I am fully 'caught up' and ready to begin.
Thank you very much, Dan and Carrie, for producing this monumental series which has rekindled what I remember loving so much about these games. Kingdom Hearts 3, here I come.
(Oh and 358/2 Days is by far the best KH story.)
I´ve experienced the whole series so far exclusively through this channel here, and this summary is a very nice refresher, even if it was probably a bit of hell to put it together.
So looking forward to the start of KH 3 tomorrow, to contextualize all these little bits and pieces I´ve heard over the last year
This is not the first time I'm watching this wonderful video and it may not be the last. One thing I have realized is that as I've grown older, I've gone from simply liking Kingdom Hearts, to absolutely loving it. The plot spaghetti and nonsense add much needed levity, the personal and touching moments are truly beautiful, and most importantly, the games themselves are fun to play from start to finish. Every time I hear that music, I tear up just a little. Kingdom Hearts has become my "feel-good" series and I absolutely love that Sora is the main character (for the most part) because his personality just works so well here. Thank you Nomura for this, and thank you Dan for helping me find my love for Kingdom Hearts
I'm getting some snacks for this one
Here's for Kingdom Hearts 3.5 Re:Mind Final Mix Plus Featuring Noctis From The Final Fantasy Series
or just Kingdom Hearts 3.5: Advent Children
Yus
& Knuckles
Days/2.8 Final Chapter prologue.
Please don't spoil things for others, seriously, not everyone that watches this channels LP's of KH has played or seen KH 3. Please have some consideration for them.
"Riku still looks different, but then he stops and that's nice." My favorite part so far.
Can I frame a video and put it in my room? Or a museum?
This is a masterpiece. I don’t think I have ever had so many great one liners in such a tight sequence.
This is exceptionally clear. As someone watching your KH3 playthrough, it’s great to have your summary to watch first
"Is there any point to me doing this at all?"
YES! It doesn't matter if other people have told the story or done the thing before. What matters is that YOU do it, and that you do it in YOUR way.
Several THOUSAND years ago, a dude wrote "There is nothing new under the sun." That's in Ecclesiastes, in The Bible, in the OLD Testament. People have known that "originality" is impossible since forever ago.
Even if you can't be "original", you can at least be yourself. As long as you don't just intentionally copy others (e.g. plagiarism), your work will have meaning.
Anyways, thank you for coming to my Ted Talk. Let's all go watch Dan play KH3!
Dan, you really shouldn't down sell your videos. You are amongst the best youtubers I follow and you always deliver great videos. Even if they seem boring to you, your banter, small tidbits of animation knowledge etc. All great!
You really don't need to emphasis that your videos are bad or others are better ;)
I love your channel guys it’s really underrated
I really agree on both points.
I've always considered Xehanort's "omniscience" to really be him setting 8 or 9 plans into motion at once and hoping at least one works. He seems like the kind of person who would claim he planned out literally everything, including failures, so he can act smarter than everyone else in the room.
Take a shot every time Daniel says “For some reason.”
But I need my liver.
I have watched SO many story recaps and this is the most sense any of them have made - thank you!!
I was still curled up in the foetal position about halfway through though.
"Making Xehanort impossibly foresightful is Namura's way of brute fix/forcing continuity problems in the plot spaghetti."
This line tickled me
Okay, I’m sure these are a lot of work, but I could listen to this kind of story recap for hours!
Dan: "I am going to play Kingdom Hearts 3 for the first time on this channel starting tomorrow, and I would love it if you joined me! :)"
Me: "HOOOO BOY!! MICKEY TAKE THE WHEEL!!!"
Xemnas and Ansem being described as ‘these two clowns’ is the most accurate representation of their character since the “So you have come this far, and still you understand nothing” meme.
Can't wait for this! I have purposely held off on playing Kingdom Hearts 3; watching any playthrough, or learning anything about the plot so that I could first watch it here on PlayFrame. For me at least Kingdom Hearts = Dan, and I wouldn't have it any other way.
"making zehanort impossibly foresightful is nomura's favorite method of brute fix forcing continuity problems in this plot spaghetti. so let's just accept that and move on. okay? okay." dude you made me cry of laughter ToT wonderful video thanks
extremely excited for tomorrow : ]
this was a great summary, can't imagine how much work it must have been
I think Barry's summary still takes the cake for best KH plot explanation, but this is a strong contender for second place. Excellent job!
Dan's is serious enough that I can distinguish jokes from what actually happened, while still being funny. Also, I prefer Dan's more subdued sense of humor over Barry's hyperactive character for videos of this scale.
They're both good summaries, though.
@@timothymclean Fair assessment. I suppose I simply find the gradual mental breakdown Barry has during his recap to better capture my feelings on this mess of a plot.
@@howlingarmadillo I personally prefer Dan's assessment at the end of this video. A thesis of mockery doesn't really interest me as much as it used to (except for a few worthy candidates).
It's finally time. I've been eagerly awaiting this DLC even though I'm not even gonna touch it. And boy, did I really need this summary. Excellent stuff!
Side note: I also realized that Dearly Beloved has snuck its way into the list of video game music that can get me to actually cry. I love this mess of a series, and I'm really thankful to Dan for playing through (most of) it for our enjoyment. Can't wait for tomorrow!
I'm sorry Dan, but you have at least one watcher who absolutely, honestly, loves Kingdom Hearts for the plot. Of course those heartfelt character moments are good and important too and the series wouldn't be half as good as it is without it. BUT I just love the plot, how utterly ridiculous and evul Xehanort is, how balls to the wall insane everything gets in the later games. I honest to god love it. Not just for the laughs, but when you get really into the games, you get invested. Somehow, because Kingdom Hearts is an ever cascading spiral of insanity, my suspension of disbelief was stretched and trained so well that it just makes me more invested. Even though it sounds stupid when you take a step back, when I'm really getting into it, there is no way for me to say 'this is dumb' even if it rationally is. It's just glorious and I love it. Even though I can willingly take a step back and look at it and say: "Well yeah, it's dumb."
Probably doesn't help that I'm a huge fan of the Metal Gear Solid series too... Kojima you magnificent madman, curse you!
"Triple galaxy brain"
what a great phrase
I laughed sooo hard in the "bless this mess" image. I've waited so long for this playthrough! My body is ready!!
“It’s Kingdom Hearts, I dunno man” is another of the great lines from this recap.
Your comments at the end, about the story providing context for the little pieces of genuine emotion between the characters is spot on. I’ve been following this series since it first came out when I was in high school, and it’s a sentiment that I didn’t know to be true before, but in retrospect those are the moments that stand out to me when I think about the games (aside from the crazy boss battles).
I do disagree about the name “x-blade” though. I think it’s kinda clever. Since it can be pronounced as either ‘kye’ or ‘key’ I like the notion that tales of this super-power sword were passed down through the ages until, much like a game of telephone, people thought that since its name is ‘key’ it must be a weapon shaped like a key and started fashioning key-shaped weapons in an attempt to recreate it (of course, that gets thrown out the window when it turns out it’s two crossed keyblades with another blade sticking out, but still).
after learning about how the Master of Masters was basically Omniscient it is much easier to understand and accept how Xehanort ended up the same way with that Keyblade
You know, you joked about this just adding to the pile of indistinguishably similar videos but honestly you've made the most "readable" version of this summary I've seen yet. You having actual experience narrating video essay work like Extra Credits goes a long way making a difference compared to videos that are just monotone infodumps. You told the organized plot like it was its own story, not a laundry list of factoids, and you did it in a casual, conversational tone that feels like we're actually being spoken "to" and not just "at."
The 'Bless This Mess' snapshot had me literally guffawing. I don't even know what a guffaw IS, or that I could even DO it, but here we are. This recap is up there with Barry's in the GOAT category. Succinctly explained, and lots of love and humor to go with it. I'm so excited for this!
Admirable work! The KH1-KH2 sections are like a break for my brain during this video haha. I appreciate the sass at the recap 3D.
This is by far, the best summary I've seen. Great job!!
I've watched a lot of Kingdom Hearts story recap videos, but yours is my favorite Dan.
I have been looking forward to this for a while. And I love this summary you've done; it hits all the important beats, it's self-aware and funny and it openly acknowledges that this story is really dumb, but it's still a lot of fun.
Also, I love your little moments of "I've read through your story, and I have some notes", "*Bless this Mess!*" and "You choose to question the logic of this plot *now*?" This made my day! Hope you enjoy KH3!
Nomura’s clothing obsession is wonderful. Mickey’s shirt dissolving in 2.8 solely because he wasn’t wearing a shirt in the KH1 ending is hilarious.
I think that’s my description of this plot in one word actually, hilarious. The story of Kingdom Hearts is so convoluted and terrible that one of my favourite parts about the series is just how mercilessly I can bag on plot holes and retcons and convoluted backstories.
I haven’t played Re:Mind yet, I hope there’s as much for me to make fun of there, and maybe some nice moments of melodrama on the side.
I have no words for how excited ami am to finally watch Dan (and Carrie) go through KH3! Great recap too! Such a heartfelt, but honest review of the spaghetti we all love to watch unfold and tie itself into knots.
I'm so glad you did this summary! In that last segment, you managed to summarize for people not familiar with Kingdom hearts, why it is so special, despite all of its nonsense^u^ I've been Watching this series since you started it, and I'm super excited to dive into 3 with you^u^
Can we have a podcast like, "audiobooks with salt and sass by dan".
This recap was truly awesome.
Anyone who can make me understand the ~general~ plot of kingdom hearts is probably a sarcasm genius.
This recap of the story is amazing, Dan! It's an excellent blend of lightheartedness and seriousness just as the games are.
Calling Xehanort "Triple galaxy brain" is a great summary for how clever he supposedly is and how dumb the plot is. It's amazing.
OMG I BEEN WAITING ALL YEAR FOR YOUR PLAYTHROUGH LETS GO
Tomorrow YAAASSSSSS
"Bless this mess" made me have to pause the video because I was laughing too hard.
Great job.
Wait, Kingdom Hearts has a story? I thought it was a thinly disguised vehicle for licensed characters from different genres to interact...
That's funny, because the licensed characters have basically nothing to do with the story 99% of the time.
@@einootspork nor do they ever interact with characters from other licensed stories. other then like... Maleficent i guess.
Like, we've never seen Ariel hang out with Jack Skeleton or whatnot.
Too many OCs with too much focus. It started as that, but you can't stay that way with so many plots centered around the spinoff's internal lore and cast.
Kingdom Hearts has a catalogue of nonsense as long as both your arms, some other people's arms, and a few legs. Tetsuya Nomura heard people calling Metal Gear Solid a bunch of convoluted drivel and said "hold my beer".
@@TamTroll technically, we've seen the villains from the disney side interact, and the princesses of heart were all passed out in the same room at the end of KH1.
Been a fan of this game for over 10 years now. I just finished kingdom hearts 3 with the secret ending. However i still did not understand the story fully until I watched this video.
Big thanks to you!!!
Sidenote: this video is by far the best explanation of KDH’s story. Trust me I’ve tried every other youtube video out there.
Awwsome recap! I had actually fallen off the Kingdom Hearts-watching train, but now that I’m up to speed on the state of things, I can’t wait for the new one!
That was... a lot!!!
Yet you managed to explain it in a way that was understandable to me (I know some of the plots and stories but not all of it), so big applause to you for doing all that work!
I hope you'll have a lot of fun with KH 3 :D
That was the most coherent and understandable summary of the Kingdom Hearts series I've ever heard. If I wasn't subscribed already, I would have done so just because of this video. That was amazing. ^^
Dan, this summary is genius! It's informative, extremely fun to watch, and full of rememberable bits. I'm eager to see you playing what KH3 is, and experience it.
Honestly the appeal of the KH story is that it's _so_ convoluted and stupid that trying to understand it on its own terms is a weirdly fun challenge. The entertainment value is in trying to make any sense of the absurdity of it all and I kind of love it.
EEEEE! SO EXCITED!! These videos are so HYPE!
Your voice sounds different than the let's plays. Is it different audio mixing or just a script and presentation?
Whaaaa? White aside text??
All the jokes? *chef kiss* Perfection!
By far the best summary of KH I've seen on youtube, even better knowing the events of KH3