Here is my own list relating to the subtle and notable differences between the Japanese and English dubs of the Kingdom Hearts series. (This excludes any other foreign dubs of the games: French, Spanish, German, Italian, etc.)

 

Kingdom Hearts:

 

In Hallow Bastion, Riku says to Sora "The darkness will destroy you." The Japanese version of the line is something more like "Do you wish to be destroyed by the darkness?"

 

Sora's famous line "My friends are my power!" is originally "The connection of our hearts is my power!" I think the whole "Connected hearts" idea is more universal and widespread than friends.

 

KH COM:

 

None that I can think of.

 

KH 358/2 Days:

 

The ice cream stick that Roxas gets says "Winner" in the Japanese version, it says "Prize".

 

Roxas' Infamous line "Who else will I have ice cream with?" during the death of Xion was originally "The 3 of us will have ice cream again."

 

Kingdom Hearts II:

 

In the Beast's Castle, Sora (after the encounter with Xaldin) says to the Beast "Ever heard of the Nobodies? When person with a strong heart becomes a Heartless, a Nobody is created too. The organization, they've got control of all the nobodies." In Japanese: "There's this thing called Nobody. It is created when a person with a strong heart becomes a Heartless. Those who control the Nobody are the 13th Order."

 

In the second visit to the Pride Lands, Sora says to Simba "You are you." in Japanese "Simba is Simba." (Check it out if you don't believe me.)

 

Here's an really notable one, in the World That Never Was, during their fight, Roxas says to Sora "Tell me why he picked you!" In the Japanese version he says "Tell me the reason you were chosen" or something like that.

 

In the Castle, Maleficent says to Pete. "Once again you underestimate me." In the Japanese version she says, "Who do you think I am?" (Seems subtle to me.)

 

When confronting Saïx, Sora says (after believing to be Roxas) "That's really getting old!" Japanese version he actually mentions Roxas' name, but I can't tell if he's saying something like "I'm not Roxas!" or "Roxas is not me!"

 

KH BBS:

 

In Radiant Garden, when on the topic of Ventus and the passes to Disney Town, the word "parents" are replaced with "grown-ups" (how childish)

 

In Neverland, Ven says to Peter Pan, "Tinker Bell's been Pixienapped!" In the Japanese version, the word is just "kidnapped".

 

Before the final battle with Vanitas, Ventus says to him "At least I have some" while on the subject of friends. In the Japanese version he says "You could never understand!" The line itself makes him assume that Vanitas might as well be pure evil after all.

 

KH coded:

 

None that I can say other than the Datascape is actually the Data World.

 

KH 3D DDD:

 

In Notre Dame, Vanitas says to Sora "Even if you are not the prisoner." In the Japanese version, he and the young Master Xehanort say, "Hearts other than your own!" (Which line sounds better to you?)

 

One notable difference that is discussed by the rest of you, Yen Sid says Lea is training in "A place that is more temporarily flexible." In the Japanese version he says, "A place where time flows differently." (Which makes more sense?)

 

In the WTNW, Sora to Braig: (English) "At least I know who to blame for it!" (Japanese) "It's crystal clear that you guys are my enemy!"

 

And in the end, Riku to Sora: (English) "Why are you having a party?" (Japanese, something among the lines of) "Have you been partying without me?"

 

 

In case you understand this post, feel free to reply and add some other differences that are not yet listed.

My List:

 

English Dubs: I understand what's going on

Japanese Dubs: I don't

It defiantly seems like the Japanese version of Kingdom Hearts series has a more adult approach to it. This is common in Japan, even with anime series and to be more specific Power Rangers. Kingdom Hearts in it`s localized versions probably have a more childish take on the script because Disney appeals to kids, and they wouldn't want to be labeled for such harsh lines such as "Tinker Bell has been kidnapped!" It sounds more harsher than "Pixienapped!". Another reason is simply because of time reasons. For example "It's crystal clear that you guys are my enemy!" would be slower to say in English making it not fit the voice flaps, but "At least I know who to blame for it!" still gets the same point across without dragging the dialogue out.

In Kingdom Hearts 2 in Port Royal in Jap. the enemies had guns instead of crossbows and Jack had a sword in his chest in the jap version but it was removed in the english version

A lot of these differences really aren't that notable, it's just what happens during localisation, I mean how awkward do some of those Japanese ones sound? So naturally most lines will be different. But to contribute:

 

Japanese BBS - Isa: Well, at the very least, you'll never disappear from my memories.

English BBS - Isa: I know I won't forget you, believe me I try all the time. 

 

 

Aaaand I'm too lazy to do any more.

In Kingdom Hearts 2 in Port Royal in Jap. the enemies had guns instead of crossbows and Jack had a sword in his chest in the jap version but it was removed in the english version

And the huge alien...thing at the Hercules world spurted out real red blood in the JPN version, while the English version had green blood. -_-

 

It's stupid.

Edited January 30, 201411 yr by King.Mickey

Japanese 1.5 HD, KHI: Kairi says something how she'll remember their promise (???) around 1:50 of the ending

English, same:  Nothing!

 

Gonna hazard a guess that it had to do with the J version re-doing the voice-acting for HD purposes, while the English didn't.

This is not just about the censorship, it is about the differences between the translations. I know some because I have notice the very mentioning of names that were absent in one translation or another.

The thing about localisation is that you need it to make sense to the target audience. It needs to sound natural, and sometimes that involves being creative with translations, depending on the situation and/or context (ie. liplocked/prerendered cutscenes in Re:CoM/Days/Coded); 1:1 translating may work if you want to understand the meaning, but as someone said, it often sounds awkward. Yeah, I agree some changes are unnecessary or straight-up more confusing (especially the "tell me why you were chosen" line), but for the most part, the localisers do a good job with what they have.

 

Japanese 1.5 HD, KHI: Kairi says something how she'll remember their promise (???) around 1:50 of the ending

English, same:  Nothing!

 

Gonna hazard a guess that it had to do with the J version re-doing the voice-acting for HD purposes, while the English didn't.

 

No, that was in the original Japanese version as well (as in March '02 release).

in kingdom hearts 2 after defeating demyx he says ENGLISH : oh noo!! JAPANESE : damnit!!! in com after axel sets namene free marluxia seys in ENGLISH: "how dare you show your treasonouse face" in JAPANESE : "you basterd how could you betray us?"