Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast

Streamer & comedian Kelly Nicole joins us on top of the Twilight Town clocktower to recap the mind-bending mundanity of Kingdom Hearts 358/2 Days ! As if Roxas’s story in Kingdom Hearts 2 wasn’t tragic enough, 358/2 Days turns back the clock to show us how Roxas came to be part of Organization XIII in the first place, and what made him decide to leave them behind. When you’re killing the same creatures day in and day out, being an evil minion can be pretty mind-numbing! Especially when your thoughts and memories might be overflowing into a spare receptacle your bosses happen to have lying around. But Roxas, Axel & Xion truly learn how to make their downtimes special, meeting up every day atop the clocktower to eat their sea-salt ice cream. And so, as Naminé pieces the missing parts of the sleeping Sora back together and their continued existences are challenged, they learn to fight, not for a grand cosmic cause, but simply for the right to be. Credits - Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin - Guest: Kelly Nicole - 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 .

The Land of Dragons, much like the fireworks that prominently feature in its source movie Mulan , makes a short but fiery impact on the series in its only appearance in Kingdom Hearts 2 . At the time of its launch Mulan was still pretty recent, and much beloved! The art team did a great job translating Mulan’s model, her landscape, and her journey of mastery to video game form, and the world has some fantastic boss fights. But as time has stretched on and more Disney films have risen to the top of the crop, the Land of Dragons got left behind. Are there blossoms still left on the tree for this world? 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 are joined today by historian & certified hater Dr. Claire Aubin! She hosts a podcast called This Guy Sucked , where she tears apart so-called “Great Men” from history. So we tried to find the Guy who Sucks the most, so she’d feel right at home! Ansem the Wise was, once upon a time, the Sage-King of Radiant Garden. But when he takes in a powerful amnesiac and teaches him how to harness darkness, he is sent tumbling down into the depths of despair and the Dark Realm, and when he emerges his heart becomes calloused and consumed by revenge. And although he does eventually learn that perhaps his methods were not the nicest, it does take the vicious manipulation of several teenagers for him to figure that out. So we turned to Dr. Claire, to ask: Does Ansem the Wise suck?? Credits - Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin - Guest: Dr. Claire Aubin - 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 .

Last week Disney held their annual D23 Expo in Anaheim, and to our shock and delight, they FINALLY treated the Kingdom Hearts series as the crown jewel we have always known it to be! We got an extended look at our first Disney world for Kingdom Hearts IV, previews of new gameplay mechanics, the reveal of several newly-playable characters (like Donald & Goofy), and confirmation of some of the details we’d gleaned from previous trailers - all while STILL leaving us with more questions about what exactly is going on with Sora in the world of Quadratum. All this, as well as the announcement of a new anime series, a beautiful performance by the voice cast, and a rare appearance by series creator Tetsuya Nomura, made this panel one any Kingdom Hearts fan absolutely needs to see. So in case you didn’t see it: don’t worry, we’ve got you covered! 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 .

Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made secret endings into required reading, Kingdom Hearts was using cryptic, intense, bad-ass cutscenes to tease their future games, and blow child minds… but only those dedicated enough to reach them. Today we’re talking about the Kingdom Hearts series’ tradition of Secret Endings - what they are, where they come from, what they’re for, and perhaps most importantly, how they made us feel when our brains were still cooking. 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 .

Today we’re going Under The Sea - darling it’s wetter, but is it actually better? Atlantica is a divisive world among the Kingdom Hearts fandom. In the first game, it’s a proper level - the only one where the Disney Princess actually joins you in combat! In Kingdom Hearts II… well, it’s a much-maligned rhythm game, with original songs that may not quite match the legacy of Howard Ashman’s original compositions. Why is it like this? Is it really as bad as we all remember? And what can we do to keep Ariel as a part of our world? 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 .

It’s our 1st Anniversary! Making this show for an entire year has been a special joy and a blessing. We talk about how it’s going, what making the show has been like, and everything that’s changed for the KH fandom this year - actually a lot somehow! We’ll read some lovely listener messages from a special collection of our most frequent callers, and we’ll give each other the most beautiful anniversary gift: a long, luxurious discussion about what Disney worlds we’d like to see in a future game! 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 .

Consider items: They are things! Useful tools & upgrades are a video game staple, and in our quest to 100%-completely explain the Kingdom Hearts series, we’ll go through them all. Where do potions come from? What are our most memorable Key Items in games? Why does Kingdom Hearts 3 get TWO crafting systems? And how can a keyblade design be sexy? We’ll throw the answers to all of these questions and more into a recipe, and hopefully synthesize some kind of coherent episode. 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 .

As we were setting up to record future episodes, we got a hot tip on a WILD new Kingdom Hearts scene that leaked online. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen to date, it may have huge implications on the future of the story, and it was released amidst a frenzied cyclone of internet drama - one which drew us to deeper places than we’re usually comfortable with. It’s just another day in the Kingdom Hearts fandom! Join us for this special minisode where we are reacting HOT to the Missing-Link leaks! For an even deeper dive, check out the full Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link Cinematic Intro ! 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 .

Who’s the Monarch of the Realm who wields Kingdom Key D? M-I-C-K-E-Y M-O-U-S-E! As is only befitting his station, King Mickey is a central player in the KH mythos. From humble beginnings, only being allowed to appear in a single moment in the first Kingdom Hearts game, we find Mickey at the center of every major conflict in the series, along the way passing on hard-won knowledge and wisdom to a new generation of Keyblade wielders. But with an air of such gravity and consequence, we may have to ask ourselves: is King Mickey the same character as the fun-loving & plucky Mickey Mouse we’ve known all along? Or is it true what they say: heavy hangs the head that wears the crown? 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 .

Come frolic with us through the 100 Acre Wood, Kingdom Hearts’ safe haven world! It’s the only world where the Heartless never appear, and it’s a delight to Sora whenever he can find the time to return here for some chill minigames (provided you find the Torn Pages, and don't accidentally skip over them). But as the series matures more and more, the bright pastels and simple nature of Winnie the Pooh’s adventures seem more and more out of place. Is there still room along Sora’s increasingly-bitter journey for a little smackerel of sweetness? 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 .

Is there really a lore-critical Kingdom Hearts game that was only available on mobile phones exclusively in Japan? Sort of! Today we’re covering the plot of Kingdom Hearts Coded, the often-neglected entry to the franchise that follows Mickey and a data copy of Sora as they attempt to debug Jiminy’s Journal, recover what was lost there when Naminé messed with it, and uncover the meaning of the mysterious messages left inside. It asks important questions like: Are the friendships we make in simulated space real? How do we handle the burden of pain that may not be ours, but is ours to carry? And do we really need to re-hash the KH1 worlds again - not just once, but twice? 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 .

Our good friend, collaborator & divine enigma Bex Taylor-Klaus drops by, despite never having played a Kingdom Hearts game before, to talk all about their favorite Disney movie: The Nightmare Before Christmas! The inclusion of this cult-classic holiday fairy tale, a favorite of alternative 90s kids everywhere, brings nuance and depth to its handful of appearances in Kingdom Hearts. And that’s not to mention some of the best looks in the series, from Sora’s goth Santa outfit to that time Oogie-Boogie turned into, like, a weird tree thing. But can we make any of this appealing to a newcomer to the series in real time? If we can get Bex into Kingdom Hearts, Halloween Town is the way in - so tune in to find out! Credits - Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin - Guest: Bex Taylor-Klaus - 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 .

There’s a brand new trailer out for Kingdom Hearts 4! Four years since our last look at any new footage, there’s finally something new for all of us to obsess over. And wow, what a trailer it was - with plenty of juicy story details, our first solid look at the combat systems, and reveals of characters new & old (and some that are somehow both?). Who are all of these people? We’ll pore over every frame and bring you as much context as we can. Get hype, everybody: there’s life in this franchise yet! 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 .

Take a drive with us along the Information Super-Highway - today we’re talking all about Data! In addition to everything else it’s doing, Kingdom Hearts also has full-on Matrix-style simulations. Those simulations are pretty useful for hiding secrets - like people you don’t want to be found, or secret malevolent forces you’d throw away the rest of the universe to contain. Could one of those secrets be the true tie between the realms of Reality and Fiction? Could Data hold the key to tying the Kingdom Hearts world to our real actual world? If Data is real and also not real, what does it even mean to have played a video game at all? Strap in folks, this one’s gonna get a little heady. 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 .

It’s her, it’s she: the Mistress of All Evil! Sometimes, in a story as complicated as Kingdom Hearts, you need a villain who’s just in it for the vibes, y’know? And Maleficent is willing to curse a girl’s entire life just because she wasn’t invited to her birthday party, so she easily fits the bill. But just because it’s easy to describe her motivations doesn’t mean they’re any less biting: her presence looms large over the entire KH series, reaching as far back as the Age of Fairytales and into the future as we look forward to KH4. Her goals are Simple and Clean, but that doesn’t mean “good!” 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 .

Although there’s plenty of friendly faces on the list of Summons that appear in Kingdom Hearts, the mechanic itself is never quite as impactful as its Final Fantasy counterpart. When a mechanic that started as begging the Gods for aid is reduced to Just Another Little Guy, it makes a whole game system feel small... Are the Summons worth seeing, even if you’ve got other flashier toys in your toy box? 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 .

Second star to the right, and straight on ‘til morning - today we’re talking about Neverland and all things Peter Pan! The flighty boy who stands in our culture as a symbol of a refusal to come of age, sure, we all had crushes on Peter as kids (...right?). But Peter only glances lightly through the KH story, and while Neverland does contain one of the most moving moments in Sora’s journey when he gains the power of flight, we can’t help but feel like there might have been more to glean here… especially as concerns Wendy, whose character themes are heavily reflected in the stories of the young women in KH’s cast. If we can’t bring ourselves to see Peter in any sort of negative light, how can this coming-of-age story ever grow up? 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’re joined by game critic Matt Gosper (host of kindred podcast Trails Through Trails ) to answer a really tough one: What is a JRPG? So much more than just “an RPG made in Japan,” it’s a genre of games with dense, expansive storytelling, crunchy stats-based gameplay, gorgeous visuals, a rich cultural & technological history, and a long legacy of burrowing deep into the hearts of its fans. It’s never been the most popular genre, but its impact on modern games & stories is undeniable. And then, we attempt to answer the most important question: Is Kingdom Hearts one of them? Credits - Created & hosted by: Mischa Stanton & Mayanna Berrin - Guest: Matt Gosper - 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 .

Conscience, chronicler, and constant companion: today we’re covering Jiminy Cricket! Set adrift from his homeworld, his charge lost to the belly of a space whale, Jiminy takes on a new quest: recording the story of the Keyblade wielders as they battle Xehanort and the forces of Darkness. Though he may not say much in cutscenes, as the keeper of the Journal (which you often need to “complete” in order to unlock secrets) he is a constant presence along Sora’s path - moreso than Donald & Goofy sometimes! Shouldn’t it really be, Sora, Donald, Goofy & Jiminy, exclusively in that 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 .