As the second movie in their catalog, Disney’s Pinocchio lays the groundwork for a lot of Disney’s works yet to come, and since its release its characters & images have transcended their origins to become iconic pieces of the wider Disney tapestry. Is that why pieces of Pinocchio’s world are scattered all across the Kingdom Hearts universe, but it took until the 7th game of the series to see the actual place he comes from? Jiminy’s here, Pinocchio’s there, Monstro’s floating out in space… We’re jumping around a little bit in this episode, but we got no strings to hold us down!

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kingdom Hearts is made up of all of the things sitting in the middle of the Venn diagram between “Disney” and “Final Fantasy,” and written in bold text & underlined right in the center is the word “MAGIC.” But what do these two radically different sources mean when they each say “magic?” Well, one is a rigorous system of codified elemental effects… and one is a vibe where a dream is a wish your heart makes. And then also, something else about keys? Okay, gang, how are we gonna make this work?

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are colorful, whimsical, surreal, delightful… heck, they’re positively frabjous! Sora’s adventures there? Decidedly more contained. Today we’re discussing the Kingdom Hearts level based on Disney’s Alice in Wonderland - specifically a pretty small, boxed-in section of it. There’s so much thematic harmony between Alice’s journey through Wonderland and Sora’s through the KH universe - the way both come of age, balk against systems impressed upon them by adults and attempt to find their own agency and truth… But does this level of the game serve those themes justice? Or, much like Victorian-era children, is Alice’s world pushed to the margins in favor of Other Business?

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Game writer and narrative designer Aysha Farah tumbles down the rabbit hole with us to talk all about metatextuality in game narratives. As a medium that fundamentally includes an element of the player’s control of the narrative, video games are a fascinating way to explore our relationships to storytelling - and the way Kingdom Hearts relies on its own nature, re-contextualizing versions of some of the most classic stories in our cultural canon, captivates and enthralls us. How did one scene where Sora watched himself falling out of the sky influence Aysha’s own work in games?

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Guest: Aysha Farah

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Twilight Town is a bustling burb bathed perpetually in a perfect orange glow, and don’t you just want to watch that sunset on that clocktower forever? The halfway point on the Twilight Road to Nightfall (and the Road to Dawn), a story about the interplay between the forces of Light and Darkness revels in the enormous and deep story moments they’re able to tell in this otherwise sleepy-looking place. It’s a town so beautiful, we wish we could stay there forever… but it’s also a place where the shadows begin to lengthen, foretelling the dangers yet to come. It’s also got tons of sidequests, crevices, and hidden treasures to explore - perfect for a teenager coming of age and his best friends! If you’re planning on going, grab us a sea-salt ice cream, would you?

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We put the controller in the talented hands of artist, podcaster and game connoisseur Julian Mundy for a deep look at KH’s combat. We know the story is deep, the characters are rich and the aesthetics are iconic, but how does it actually feel to play the Kingdom Hearts games? As one of the primary modes of interaction with the object itself, each game’s combat mechanics contribute so much to shaping the player’s experience. What feeling does each game’s combat try to convey? What’s up with that weird battle menu? What makes the games so fun to play - even when they can be so frustrating at the same time? Plus, hear how their love of Kingdom Hearts helped two kids build a lifelong friendship, strong even when they’re far apart.

Check out this awesome custom keyblade design that Julian drew just for us!

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Guest: Julian Mundy

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Kingdom Hearts has always flown in the eye of a swirling storm of rumors. It’s been a part of the fandom going back as long as we can remember - and honestly, to a certain extent, that’s probably how the game devs want it! But with wild rumors come wild (and even sometimes impossible) runaway expectations. In the first half, we’ll examine the role of the KH rumor mill in our beloved community: How much of a rumor mill is fun and healthy? And when does passion become poison? And in the back half, we’ll take a look at the latest rumor across the transom: is a KH1 Remake secretly on its way?

Sponsors

- GFW Clothing, button-up shirts for all bodies. Use the code “SIMPLE12” for 12% off your first order!

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

We welcome writer, illustrator, YouTube artist & podcaster Caldwell Tanner onto the pod to pour over the unaired Kingdom Hearts animatic pilot! Hot on the heels of the release of the first game, Disney ordered the creation of a pilot episode for a potential KH animated series. But in 2003, anime and Japanese media had not quite taken hold in the US - and so unlike the games which take so many cues from anime, this pilot leans in a decidedly Disney direction. How do these choices stand up 20 years on? What might we change, now that anime is slightly more mainstream among Western audiences? And what other juicy details can Caldwell give us from working inside the Disney animation machine himself?

Sponsors

- Cornbread Hemp, USDA-certified organic CBD products grown in Kentucky. Use code “simpleandclean” for 25% off your order at cornbreadhemp.com

Credits

- Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin

- Guest: Caldwell Tanner

- Music: “Sunset Dew” by Lupus Nocte

- A member of Multitude

- Support us on Patreon

About Us

Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) talk about Kingdom Hearts, a little video game franchise about really big feelings. We attempt to unravel how this deceptively expansive game series has touched an entire generation of deeply earnest weirdos - and along the way, we may realize that what we’re talking about might not be just a video game, but a whole lot more.

Never heard of Kingdom Hearts? That’s okay! We’re here to break it down for you, explain why we love it, and hopefully to convince you that this weird little story deserves a place in your heart. Join us as we discuss the plot, characters, world building, music, fashion, fanbase, and societal impact of a thing that by all means, probably shouldn’t even exist. New episodes every Sunday!

See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.