Shows / Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast
Join hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin (and friends) to 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…
Episodes
- Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast
What Went Down At The D23 Kingdom Hearts Panel? (News & Rumors #4)
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a Secret Ending?
Long before the Marvel Cinematic Universe made secret endings into required reading, Kingdom Hearts was using cryptic, intense, bad-ass cutscenes to tease…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Atlantica?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastHow Have We Been Talking About Kingdom Hearts For An Entire Year?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat are Items & Synthesis?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastDid Someone Really Leak The Kingdom Hearts Missing-Link Intro? (News & Rumors #3)
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is King Mickey?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is 100 Acre Wood?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat Happens in Kingdom Hearts Coded (2008-2010)?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Halloween Town? with Bex Taylor-Klaus
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastSo, How 'Bout That Kingdom Hearts 4 Trailer? (News & Rumors #2)
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is Data?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Maleficent?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat are Summons?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Neverland?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a JRPG? with Matt Gosper
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Jiminy Cricket?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere are Monstro & Prankster’s Paradise?
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 &…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is Magic?
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 &…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Wonderland?
Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland are colorful, whimsical, surreal, delightful… heck, they’re positively frabjous! Sora’s adventures there? Decidedly more…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastHow Is Kingdom Hearts Metatextual? with Aysha Farah
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Twilight Town?
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastHow Does Combat Feel In Kingdom Hearts? with Julian Mundy
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat's The Latest Kingdom Hearts News & Rumors? #1
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…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat If Kingdom Hearts Was A TV Show? with Caldwell Tanner
We welcome writer, illustrator, YouTube artist & podcaster Caldwell Tanner onto the pod to pour over the unaired Kingdom Hearts animatic pilot! Hot on the…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastAre Ya Winnin’ Son? with David Tilstra #3
The son returns! Game master and podcaster David Tilstra’s back, and boy is he winnin’ son! David had high praise for the first Kingdom Hearts game even though…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat's Up with Kingdom Hearts Merch?
As passionate fans of a media property, sometimes all you want is to be able to display that love in your house, or on your body to others. But for Kingdom…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a Gummi Ship?
The epic quest of Kingdom Hearts takes Sora, Donald, and Goofy through space, hopping from world to world. But how are they like, physically doing it? Enter…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat Happens in Kingdom Hearts 2 (2005)? with Oscar Montoya
It’s bigger, it’s badder, it’s popping off all over the place!! Kingdom Hearts 2 attempts to expand upon its predecessor in every fathomable direction. Sora…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Axel?
He may wield the element of fire, but Axel might just be the coolest character in this (or indeed, any) game series! Long red spiky hair, piercing green eyes…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Hollow Bastion / Radiant Garden?
Where once shone a beacon of light among the many worlds, now stands an empty fortress upon a shattered landscape. Its inner workings, once dedicated to the…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is Organization XIII? With Julia Schifini
We welcome our friend Julia Schifini aboard to get a rundown of Organization XIII, the meanest mugs this side of the Dark Meridian. We’ll get the lowdown on…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Roxas?
As Sora’s Nobody, Roxas has a lot to live up to. He’s got responsibilities at work, he’s got a mysterious destiny he never asked for, he’s figuring out what…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Deep Jungle?
Deep Jungle, based on Disney’s Tarzan, is such a vast and exciting world in the first Kingdom Hearts game, one that really shows off what their level design…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a Nobody?
Welcome to the new year - what some might consider our “Year of the Nobody.” And so we really needed to get this one out of the way early! A remnant of the…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Naminé?
The colorful and cartoonish aesthetic of Kingdom Hearts masks some deep tragedies - and perhaps none suffers underneath bright streaks of color more than…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat Happens in Kingdom Hearts: Chain Of Memories Reverse/Rebirth (2004)?
While Sora struggles against the machinations of the Organization in the floors above, Riku climbs his way out of his own personal darkness in the basement of…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Goofy?
GAWRSH! The final pillar of the core Kingdom Hearts trinity, Goofy & his trusty shield are often the grounding force for Sora and Donald, the voice of reason…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a Heartless?
How could the distillation of every dark thought a person’s ever had be so… cute? The Heartless may be the manifestation of evil, but they’re also a part of…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Agrabah?
We can show you the world: shining, shimmering, splendid… Today we’re covering that desert jewel, that diamond in the rough, the world of Agrabah from the…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Donald Duck?
Let’s get our feet wet! We’re talking about Donald Duck, that famously-hotheaded waterfowl from the core Disney cast. Because of his notable temper you might…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat Happens In Kingdom Hearts: Chain Of Memories (2004)?
You’d be forgiven for thinking a game that came out on a handheld console in between numbered installments is just a simple side game, easily ignored…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastAre Ya Winnin’ Son? with David Tilstra #2
We welcome filmmaker, podcaster & avid gamer David Tilstra back to the show to check back in on his KH progress! Some of the biggest twists, the baddest…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a Princess of Heart?
Few intellectual properties are as well-protected as the iconic Disney Princesses™. So how did this quirky little game handle having so many all at once?…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Traverse Town?
As your world is crumbling to pieces all around you, and you fall into unknown depths of pure darkness… if you’re very lucky, you may find yourself deposited…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastHave You Heard the Music of Kingdom Hearts? with Pom Pom Squad
Recording artist Pom Pom Squad - aka Mia Berrin, Mayanna’s younger sister - hops into the booth to gush with us about the music of Kingdom Hearts. A complex &…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Kairi?
What if we told you there was a character vital to the Kingdom Hearts narrative and world in multiple ways, who possessed all the qualities that make Sora a…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a Heart?
We’re so glad you’ve followed your heart back to us! Today we’re talking all about Hearts: what they are, what they can do, and why everybody wants ‘em so dang…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Destiny Islands?
Welcome to the beach! It’s very spooky here. Today we’re covering Destiny Islands, a little backwater world somehow drawn deep into the heart of everything…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Riku?
“We’ve always been rivals, haven’t we?” This week we’re talking about Riku, best friend turned villain turned deuteragonist of Kingdom Hearts. He’s strong…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastAre Ya Winnin’ Son? with David Tilstra #1
Mischa & Mayanna have been fans of Kingdom Hearts for a long time, they’ve dived deep into the lore… but there’s one thing they’ll never understand: what it’s…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat is a Keyblade?
It’s a big key, and you hit stuff with it… but of course, it’s also SO much more. We’re taking a look at Keyblades, the signature weapon of the series. Filled…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhere is Olympus Coliseum?
Hop in the Gummi Ship with us and journey to Olympus Coliseum, the world of Disney’s Hercules - one of the most prolific Kingdom Hearts worlds (for some…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWho is Sora?
Oh Sora, the boy that you are! We start our dive into the KH series by covering the protagonist of (most of) the games, and the moral center around which the…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat Happens In Kingdom Hearts (2002)? with Oscar Montoya
If we’re gonna make any amount of sense of this series, we have to start at the beginning: Kingdom Hearts. The story of three friends who wanted to see worlds…
Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts PodcastWhat Does Kingdom Hearts Mean To Us?
Hello, nice to meet you! We’re Mischa & Mayanna, and we love Kingdom Hearts. Allow us to introduce ourselves, say what we’re about, and explain why we want to…
- Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast
Welcome to Simple and Clean: A Kingdom Hearts Podcast
I've been having these weird thoughts lately... Like, is any of this for real, or not?Simple and Clean is a show where hosts Mischa Stanton and Mayanna Berrin…