Expanded Universe: Difference between revisions

== Anime and Manga ==

* There are select fans of ''[[Naruto]]'' that consider the databooks as Expanded Universe.

* Light novels are this for many anime shows,telling original stories that are sometimes adapted as ''filler''.

 

* The [[Doctor Who Expanded Universe]] may in fact be [[Canon]] to the TV series as two episodes directly reference it in [[Mythology Gag]]s. Other parts contradict it. But then the [[Whoniverse]] (Expanded and otherwise) tends towards [[Broad Strokes]] [[Continuity]] and to a large extent anything goes within it. Former producer [[Russell T. Davies]] has stated that he considers the [[Big Finish Doctor Who]] audio plays to be in-[[Continuity]]. That statement was made back when the audio plays explicitly broke from [[Continuity]] with the books; they've since been amended into a single [[Continuity]] by the audio play ''The Company of Friends''. The Series 3 episodes "Human Nature" and "Family of Blood" have been acknowledged as an adaptation of the Seventh Doctor [[Virgin New Adventures|New Adventures]] novel ''Human Nature'' (the novels themselves form two distinct and only semi-compatible [[Continuity|continuities]]) and, confusing things yet further, some writers of the spin-off material took the view they took place in [[Alternate Universe]]s to each other.

* ''[[Doctor Who]]'''s spin-off ''[[Torchwood]]'' has its own expanded materials in the form of novels, magazine strips, and audios. Perhaps the most interesting one so far is the magazine strip "Shrouded", penned by Gareth David-Lloyd (Ianto Jones' actor). {{spoiler|Our Ianto is quite dead, but an evil Ianto from an alternate timeline is very much alive, and saw the funeral. Is this [[Canon]]?}}

* ''[[Lost]]'' has a relatively small Expanded Universe so far—a few books, two [[Alternate Reality Games]], and a [[Video Game]]. The only one of these that's been declared [[Canon]] is the first ARG, ''The [[Lost]] Experience''—and that only applies to the backstory information given relating to the series, not the main plot.

* ''[[Glee]]'' has its own [[Prequel]] book now.

 

== Tabletop Games ==

* The [[BattleTech Expanded Universe]]: A long series of sci-fi novels, a pair of [[Video Game]] [[Spin-Off|spinoffs]], and even a [[Western Animation]] series.

* ''[[Dark Future (game)|Dark Future]]'' gained an expanded background courtesy of a series of novels by [[Kim Newman]], who also wrote many of the early ''[[Warhammer Fantasy]]''-related fiction.

 

== Video Games ==

* ''[[Halo]]'''s Expanded Universe consists of multiple novels, comics, guidebooks, online exclusives, live-action commercials, and [[Alternate Reality Game]]s, along with an [[Halo Legends|anime series]]. All of it, whether created directly by staff from Bungie or 343 (the studios behind the games), or by third parties working under their direct control, is not only completely canonical, but is closely integrated with the games. For example, much of ''[[Halo: Reach]]'' will only be understood by people who read the books; heck, this disclaimer even applies to its ''official website''.

** When canon does conflict, policy is that new material overrides old material, and that games and other media created directly by Bungie/343 staff take precedence over everything else.

* The [[Warcraft Expanded Universe]] consists of about ten books, one trilogy of manga, two western comic series and two tabletop RPGs.

* The ''[[Final Fantasy]]'' series has built up an increasingly large Expanded Universe over time, particularly with regard to ''[[Final Fantasy VII]]'', which, in addition to its [[Prequel]] and [[Spin-Off]] [[Video Game|games]], has the ''[[Advent Children]]'' movie, two [[Anime]] OVA's and several novellas. There's also the ''Legend of the Crystals'' [[Anime]] OVA, which takes place 200 years after ''[[Final Fantasy V]]'', and the ''[[Final Fantasy Unlimited]]'' [[Anime]] series and the ''[[Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within|Final Fantasy the Spirits Within]]'' movie (though their relationship to the [[Video Game|games]] is mostly thematic).