Kingdom Hearts Music is Iconic, But Yoko Shimomura, Genius Composer, Wasn’t Always Convinced That The Series Would Stick

Shimomura’s musical style isn’t just great; it’s absolutely necessary for a franchise as…well, complex as Kingdom Hearts. If you’ve played the games, you know the plot twists harder than a pretzel factory in overtime, but Shimomura’s melodies make it all feel grounded and believable.

Every score is beautifully laced with emotion as Shimomura utilizes her classical background to create masterpieces that connect characters across the various worlds, like “Missing You” for Sora and Kairi, or “Roxas’s Theme” as he tries to navigate the tricky waters of friendship with Axel and Xion. Speaking of Xion…can someone pass the tissues? Simomura’s music dictates the flow of every single screenshot, whether you’re desperately trying to get past space Heartless in the Gummi ship, or trying to follow the mind-boggling plots of Organization XIII (seriously, which Xehanort are we even following right now?).

But here’s where the fairy tale starts teetering on the edge of darkness.

Wait… Was Kingdom Hearts Almost Left Adrift?

Shimomura herself recently revealed she wasn’t sure the series would even have a life beyond the first game. Yep, the Kingdom Hearts we know and love (and overanalyze) was almost left stranded in limbo. Imagine a world where “Hollow Bastion” wasn’t a feast for your ears or where “Traverse Town” didn’t have its mood-setting charm.

During a recent interview, Shimomura opened up about the early uncertainty surrounding Kingdom Hearts. After composing the entire soundtrack for the first game, she left Square Enix to go freelance and wasn’t certain she’d be asked back for a sequel. She mentioned experiencing “hard times” and doubted whether her career in video games was even sustainable. (Side note: It’s wild to think someone as brilliant as Shimomura doubted herself. Imposter syndrome comes for literally everyone, I guess.)

It wasn’t until she was invited back to compose for Kingdom Hearts II that she felt a cemented connection to the series. And can we all just agree, the second entry’s soundtrack brought the heat? “Roxas’ Theme” alone could leave you sobbing into your DualShock.

Why Kingdom Hearts Keeps Fans Hooked

Here’s the kicker, though. Kingdom Hearts isn’t just a collection of epic battles, cryptic dialogues, and fan-favorite Disney worlds. It’s a vibe. A big part of that vibe? The music. Hearing those opening piano notes of “Dearly Beloved” transports fans to a simpler time when all we cared about was which Final Fantasy characters would make surprise appearances (RIP to their relevance in later entries).

It’s not just nostalgic, though. The music of Kingdom Hearts does something rare in gaming. It flips between the pure exhilaration of exploring new places and meeting new people to digging in with hard-hitting emotional resonance. Yoko Shimomura isn’t just creating epic boss themes (though “One-Winged Angel” in KH nailed it); she’s translating the heart of the story into something we can feel.

The Future of Kingdom Hearts

Now, here’s where things get murky. What’s next for Kingdom Hearts? Sure, we’ve got Kingdom Hearts IV teased, and even though the series insists on shattering our brains with convoluted timelines and character arcs, one thing’s for certain—we’ll be there for the music.

Shimomura is still involved, and there’s no question that her future contributions will define the next installments. But a quick reminder to Square Enix? Don’t mess with perfection. The music is untouchable, so keep it that way. Please.

Closing Thoughts

At the end of the day, Kingdom Hearts is as much about the music as it is about its storytelling (or lack thereof when you’re trying to piece the timeline together). Yoko Shimomura’s work is Kingdom Hearts. And while we nearly lost her magic in the earlier days of its development, thank the stars (or maybe the Heartless?) that she stuck around.

Whether you’ve been there since day one or were late to the game, there’s no denying it. Those iconic melodies aren’t just songs; they’re the emotional heartbeat of Kingdom Hearts. Yeah, the story is wild, confusing, and occasionally infuriating, but as long as the music’s there to guide us, we’ll keep following the light.