SUBSCRIBE
SUBSCRIBE
SLJ Blog Network +
  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal: A Mock Newbery Blog
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn
  • Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • About/Contact
  • Previews
  • Reviews
  • Manga
  • All Ages
  • Young Adult
  • Interviews
  • News

July 27, 2015 by Lori Henderson

Review: ‘Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories’

July 27, 2015 by Lori Henderson   1 comments

Sora, Donald, and Goofy continue on their journey to find their friends Riku and King Mickey, who were locked in the darkness. They are detoured along the way by a mysterious hooded stranger who leads them to the ominous Castle Oblivion. There, they may find clues that will lead them to their friends—but at the cost of their memories.

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories
Kingdom Hearts ChainBy Shiro Amano
Yen Press, $19.00
All Ages

Like the first series, Kingdom Hearts, Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories is based on a video game, this time from the Nintendo Game Boy Advance, and it is a bridge to the second series, Kingdom Hearts II. The story picks up shortly after the end of Kingdom Hearts, with Sora, Donald and Goofy searching for Riku and King Mickey. They are led to Castle Oblivion by a hooded stranger who tells them “To find is to lose, and to lose is to find”: They may find their friends, but they may lose their memories in the process. Sora chooses to press on, and they begin to explore the castle. They are both helped and hindered by the hooded figures who turn out to be part of the mysterious “Organization XIII.” These figures are after Sora as the Key Bearer, but they are also divided, with half plotting to take over the organization. Meanwhile Riku has been separated from King Mickey and has his own trials while searching for him, as he is haunted by the darkness still within him.

SCROLL TO KEEP READING THIS POST

ADVERTISEMENT

ADVERTISEMENT

This volume is very different from the first Kingdom Hearts. Where the first story was all about visiting the other worlds and meeting other Disney characters, Chain of Memories is all about Sora. As the group explores the castle, they visit different worlds that are made from Sora’s memories. They visit Tranverse Town, and Agrabah with Aladdin, and Riku relives his battle with Maleficent, but that’s it for revisits from the first story. The rest of the story revolves around Sora and his memory of another friend, Namine, who left the island mysteriously, and who he has sworn to protect, as well as Organization XIII’s machinations. It was kind of a nice switch, to get away from all the retellings of Disney movies to develop Sora’s character more.

It also serves to introduce Organization XIII, who become one of the adversaries in Kingdom Hearts II. The members of Organization XIII are made up of beings called Nobodies, and they seem to not have a permanent physical form. When they are defeated, they dissolve, like digital video breaking up. Their reason for wanting Sora and their overall purpose are never explained. Neither is the reason for Sora needing to take this detour. It’s Riku who really benefits from encountering Organization XIII, as he comes to terms with his giving in to Ansem in the first story, strengthening his determination to continue to fight the darkness.

The video game elements are toned down in this volume. Sora has cards he collects that allow him to open the doors to the worlds in the castle. He, Donald, and Goofy also gain a new power, the Absolute-Zero Friendship Tobogganing, where they combine their powers to take on their adversaries. The story flowed much more smoothly without all the video game collecting gimmicks, and it felt more like something to be read than to be played

Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories was a good solid read. It’s fairly thick, as it is a 2-in-1 omnibus. There isn’t as much battling as the previous series, so it’s best for readers at a minimum age of 8, though it’s probably best for tween-to-teen readers. While Chain of Memories is a stand-alone story, it feels like a prologue. There isn’t any real depth given to the members of Organization XIII, making them feel rather one-dimensional, but the ending also makes it clear we haven’t seen the last of them. It might not be necessary to read this title to continue on to Kingdom Hearts II, but I would recommend it.

Review copy provided by publisher.

Filed under: All Ages, Reviews

SHARE:

Read or Leave Comments
All AgesDisneyMangareviewYen Press

About Lori Henderson

Lori Henderson is a mother of two teenage daughters and an avid reader. She blogs about manga at her personal blog Manga Xanadu as well as contributing and editing for Manga Village. She blogs about all things fandom (mainly Doctor Who) at her other personal blog Fangirl Xanadu. She's been at it so for over 5 years now and counting!

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Posts

June 2022

Review | Mickey Mouse: Zombie Coffee

by Lori Henderson

March 2022

DC Super Hero Girls: At Metropolis High | Review

by Lori Henderson

March 2022

DC Super Hero Girls: Spaced Out | Review

by Lori Henderson

March 2022

Unicorn Playlist | Review

by Lori Henderson

February 2022

Mickey All-Stars | Review

by Lori Henderson

ADVERTISEMENT

SLJ Blog Network

100 Scope Notes

The Yarn LIVE at ALA 2022!

by Travis Jonker

A Fuse #8 Production

Shining A Light Cover Reveal: A Talk with Author Veeda Bybee About the Trick With Collected Biographies

by Betsy Bird

Good Comics for Kids

Archie Jumbo Comics Digest #331 | Preview

by Brigid Alverson

Heavy Medal

Mock Newbery Update – Our List of First Half Suggestions

by Steven Engelfried

Teen Librarian Toolbox

Post-It Note Reviews: Graphic novels, picture books, and more!

by Amanda MacGregor

The Classroom Bookshelf

The Classroom Bookshelf is Moving

by Erika Thulin Dawes

The Yarn

Shark Week, Vanilla Ice Cream, and the Honda CRV: Bob Shea and Brian Won Team Up for ADURABLE

by Travis Jonker

ADVERTISEMENT

Related Articles on SLJ

Latinx Graphic Novels to the Fore | Stellar Panels

13 Graphic Novels To Look Forward to in 2020 | Stellar Panels 

Eight Essential Isekai Manga for Beginners | Mondo Manga

Top 10 Manga of 2021

Summer Camp and Beyond: 24 Middle Grade Graphic Novels | Summer Reading 2021

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Cody says

    July 30, 2015 at 2:00 pm

    If you never kept track of Chain of Memories, the game picks up where the first Kingdom Hearts left off as Sora, Donald and Goofy head out in search of King Mickey and Sora’s close friend, Riku.

ADVERTISEMENT

Archives

Follow This Blog

Enter your email address below to receive notifications of new blog posts by email.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

This coverage is free for all visitors. Your support makes this possible.

Primary Sidebar

  • News & Features
  • Reviews+
  • Technology
  • School Libraries
  • Public Libraries
  • Age Level
  • Ideas
  • Blogs
  • Classroom
  • Diversity
  • People
  • Job Zone

Reviews+

  • Book Lists
  • Best Books
  • Media
  • Reference
  • Series Made Simple
  • Tech
  • Review for SLJ
  • Review Submissions

SLJ Blog Network

  • 100 Scope Notes
  • A Fuse #8 Production
  • Good Comics for Kids
  • Heavy Medal
  • Neverending Search
  • Teen Librarian Toolbox
  • The Classroom Bookshelf
  • The Yarn

Resources

  • 2022 Youth Media Awards
  • The Newbery at 100: SLJ Celebrates the 100th Anniversary of the Award
  • Special Report | School Libraries 2021
  • Summer Reading 2021
  • Series Made Simple Spring 2021
  • SLJ Diverse Books Survey
  • Summer Programming Survey
  • Research
  • White Papers / Case Studies
  • School Librarian of the Year
  • Mathical Book Prize Collection Development Awards
  • Librarian/Teacher Collaboration Award

Events & PD

  • In-Person Events
  • Online Courses
  • Virtual Events
  • Webcasts
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
  • Media Inquiries
  • Newsletter Sign Up
  • Content Submissions
  • Data Privacy
  • Terms of Use
  • Terms of Sale
  • FAQs
  • Diversity Policy
  • Careers at MSI


COPYRIGHT © 2022


COPYRIGHT © 2022