The Kingdom Hearts series has both enchanted and captivated players since it first launched in 2002. The mixture of elements from Final Fantasy and Disney fostered a fan base that has stuck around through different consoles and a long, excruciating wait for the franchise’s third installment.
One of its defining traits is the soundtrack composed by the talented Yoko Shimomura. Here are five of the best music tracks across all games, excluding opening and ending themes.
“The Other Promise” (Roxas’s Theme)
Roxas’s journey is one of identity, of trying to find out who or what he is. The most disheartening discovery being that he’s not a complete individual. His story, played out in Kingdom Hearts II and 358/2 Days, involves Roxas trying to find himself as he begrudges the situation he’s thrust into the moment he awakens as Sora’s nobody.
You can hear this journey in his musical theme too as it moves from a soft, almost lullaby tone, to building up to a theatrical piece. Yoko did a wonderful job of making the player feel what Roxas feels, the shift from youthful innocence to deep-seated anger and frustration. The track becomes even more poignant when he comes back later in the game during Sora and Roxas’s confrontation in Sora’s heart.
“Musique pour la tristesse de Xion” (Xion’s Theme)
Xion’s theme captures her short but touching journey of existence. She has to come to grips with the fact that she’s a puppet, a vessel to house Sora’s memories. She’s the same as her best friend Roxas, a piece of someone else’s being.
You can feel the pain of knowing that once her job is over with, she’ll disappear. It’s housed in each note and crest of the song. From the moment her theme kicks in, the player knows that her time is up, that she’s going to fade not only from existence but from the memories of everyone she’s interacted with. It’s a sad but touching piece that tugs at the heartstrings.
“Kairi” I/II/III
Kairi’s connection to Sora and the motivation she gives him is present in everything he does. She’s someone who grounds him during his travels across many worlds and universes. So, this feeling of serenity and inner peace is in every note of her theme.
You feel the song’s sense of calm during their time on Destiny Islands. This was before the fateful night that would change their lives forever when Sora and Kairi watched the sunset and Kairi asked for Sora to never change. For him to be the same kind and gentle spirit he is in that moment of quiet relaxation. Kairi’s theme is one of friendship and light, she’s Sora’s light and his inner strength.
“The 13th Struggle”
Organization XIII is a group of baddies that work in the shadows and pull the strings of Sora’s journey. Their leader is an evil nobody who’s bent on using Kingdom Hearts for his own self-service. We hear “The 13th Struggle” during boss battles against members of Organization XIII.
It’s a quick-moving track that accentuates the mischievous nature of the organization. Each of their boss battles is an exercise in planning ahead and studying patterns. The frantic pace of the song as it builds is the same frantic pace that takes place in each bout. It’s a song that you won’t mind getting stuck in your head as you repeat Demyx’s battle many times.
“Another Side” aka “Deep Dive”
Tetsuya Nomura cracked that code of sequel hype in 2002 when he created the first Kingdom Hearts secret ending. While at the time it was only a conceptual video, it later had a lasting effect on the story. And it would have a lasting effect on the players.
Yoko Shimomura went all out on this track. It starts out slow as we were introduced to a then-unknown character (Roxas) walking through a dark alleyway. What became known as Neoshadows begin sprouting from the pavement. As the song gets more intense, so do the visuals. By the time the song reaches its peak, every player is on the edge of their seat, holding their breath. Finding the secret ending was a treat, but listening to the song was an experience.
