Music Producer Reacts: Forza Finale (Kingdom Hearts 3)

[@AlexMoukalaMusic]

What is your favorite part of Oscurità di Xehanort? Personally, I was blown away by that secret string run I talk about around the 2 minutes mark.

[@Zephhi]

Any Xemnas part. Darkness of the Unknown is so good.

[@halfhourfootage4397]

7:41 is my favorite part of Oscurità di Xehanort. But thE song by itself is fantastic!

[@forcinalucas]

@@halfhourfootage4397 The part that comes right after this one ! When the choir comes in and the violin damn I wish he reacted to this aswel

[@halfhourfootage4397]

@@forcinalucas yes indeed! But I'm already happy that he reacted I'm already happy he reacted to this song

[@ErrenaGlaciell]

The string run is, now you've highlighted it, my favorite. I completely missed it before

[@rein8883]

This may have been incredibly obvious to anyone who listens to KH music a lot, but the one thing I LOVE about Vanitas' theme is that it is almost entirely comprised of Sora's, Roxas' and Ventus' themes. Not only that, but during each section, you can faintly hear the upcoming melody playing behind the current one. It's why Unbreakable Chains/Enter the Darkness was always one of my favorite tracks.

[@gingerspice5477]

Same, every time I fight vanitas I can’t help but bounce back and forth in my seat to the music

[@ZeitGeist446]

That makes me wonder what enter the void is comprised of now to be honest.

[@ds90seph]

See I love Enter the Darkness because it feels almost completely new and different while still utilizing those tracks to call back to old games, characters and your nostalgia as a player. This track does something similar, but I feel like it's so overly complex and on the nose with its references back to older themes that it simply blows it out of proportion. It also feels somewhat unoriginal by comparison. Enter the Darkness just always gets me bumping and so hyped. This track just reminds me that KH3 felt more hollow on the whole.

[@Liezuli]

What's pretty cool is that the KH3 version of Enter the Darkness also references Enter the Void with the notes in the back.

[@solemn_twice441]

i agree!!

[@KlausVolfield]

Xemnas is peak kingdom hearts, in every aspect

[@samquik]

Glad I'm not the only one. Xemnas is the best KH antagonist, and him and his theme embody everything hammy and amazing that the series offers

[@tunderdiamant8651]

Who's xemnas ? You mean MANSEX right ?

[@DronesOverTheMoon]

He is the only one antagonist to say the truth since everysingle other villain problalby was a part of him (aside of fhe disney villains of course)

[@Dexrazor]

tunderdiamant Zebra MANSEX

[@tunderdiamant8651]

@@DronesOverTheMoon they were à part of xehanort not of mansex lol

[@TheEaterofWatches]

Kingdom Hearts releases have varying levels of gameplay and story, but the music is always EPIC, TOP LEVEL QUALITY STUFF.

[@mentlegen3887]

I personally believe that the music of kingdom hearts has helped it the most out of any other factor, even possibly the sometimes stellar battle system. Some of its most memorable moments are always accompanied by equally memorable music. You can pretty much see this on most kingdom hearts music videos in the comments, where people will be making reference to these iconic moments.

[@ArsSymphinity]

Facts

[@SatisfactoryBro]

@@mentlegen3887 absolute facts bro

[@TopHatLucario]

If only the final boss theme had been composed by Yoko Shimomura

[@KalElinabox]

Square Enix's music for all their rpg's tend to be top notch even if the game isn't.

[@roi-dzyl5870]

3:05 All I can hear is an alarm and Aqua doing cartwheels

[@hanzeronori3856]

Huh, hep, huh, hep, huh, hep

[@Jaxv3r]

I hear Ven's noise and even Terra because many people fought him as Terra since Ven and Aqua can easily cheese her.

[@nightmarerezero1327]

@@Jaxv3r I would say them not her cause we still don’t know the gender and what they are

[@LuckiSir]

All I hear is *”How could this be?!”*

[@Prestige_00]

@@nightmarerezero1327 Mysterious figure? I thought it was young xehanort?

[@TenshizakiN008]

"Sounds like Xehanort snapped" Bad memories of Xehanort Data Org fight. Keyblade. KEYBLADE.

[@TheNomad94]

BOO RAY

[@25shadow11]

GIVE ME *POWER*

[@zantetsuken-zero]

*SHINE*

[@gfhhhghhghgjkkjrr3674]

Shinei kakyoin

[@WhatsOccuring]

Can we get that piece please? :3

[@christopherrangel2160]

I remember thinking "They should combine the boss themes for Ansem, Xemnas, and YX for the final boss theme in KH3," so when I got to this point I was like "YO, THEY DID THE THING!!!" I was so happy

[@smoothsoulbrotha]

Except it wasn't the final boss theme.....

[@zyxluz4645]

They did the same sort of thing in the BBS boss No Heart. It was the combination of Ansem Seeker of Darkness and Xemnas themes.

[@marca4585]

@@smoothsoulbrotha we all know this was the FINAL boss fight in our hearts

[@smoothsoulbrotha]

@Oliver's 50th Account If only that were true in this case. The battle with Xehanort is still the intended final boss fight. However, in a game like 358/2 Days, Xion was the final boss fight while Riku was the decisive battle.

[@Lenore993]

The lyrics being syllables rather than entire words actually blows my mind. It's appropriate because you're fighting three different fragments of a whole person.

[@GobaGNon]

Imagine if all those syllables combined into actual coherent lyrics. Maybe they do and I just sound stupid because I’ve never played the game

[@fotnite_]

We really need to get Yozora's theme in here. It's pretty short, but it's such an impactful song.

[@sutnev7970]

I was looking for this comment, I would love to see it too

[@dumbsterdives]

I also like how the sections kinda reflect the personalities of the 3 xehanorts. Ansem's is loud, bombastic, and imposing Young Xehanort's is methodical and almost has this smug energy to it, along with an air of mystery since we know the least about him and Xemnas's starts out sounding like the theme of a megalomaniacal ruler like he was for the Organization before shifting into a more melancholy sound to represent his inner conflict

[@iaxacs3801]

Please do Scala Ad Caleum. Theres so much emotion put into it and is so powerful.

[@SuccubiPie]

Too bad it's so short.

[@vhsninjaccoon7705]

No. K vs k from a anime called return of kings. It's long enough and if you seen the seasons and movies it's good

[@thiagoguarniari]

Please do an analysis of the battle music that plays in Roxas comeback, The Other Promise / Vector to the Heavens. It's so epic and emotional in the way that fuse their themes.

[@walterzx230]

Also called Invincible Promise

[@ds90seph]

Vector to the heavens is so good, it merits an entire games existence basically on its own. Xion is cool, but she wouldn't be nearly as cool if that song didn't exist. Fantastic.

[@amurilloreno]

Up vote this one!!

[@Riona93]

Vector to the Heavens is one of my favourite tracks from the whole series, especially arrangement from memoria! It would be cool to see an analysis.

[@infernousgaming1393]

Yes! Maybe also do the version of Vector to the Heavens that plays during the Data Xion boss fight! (It's the best song in KH3 in my opinion, followed by Scala Ad Caelum)! Actually, screw it, all of the versions of Vector to the Heavens!

[@Saber_234]

That Bloodborne “attempt” gave me chills. That was incredible!

[@JojosASMR]

Man, this was amazing! I absolutely love seeing how you dissect the piece and actually look at the harmonic structure of the melodies and motifs! So happy I found your stuff!

[@Huskybythegeek]

Xemnas & young xehanort themes are so beautiful. I always have goosebumps when I hear them. I've never noticed the similarities between Darkness of the Unknown & Organisation XIII themes ! I hear them differently now !

[@TheOneTrueOtaku1]

Nomura: So we have an idea for the penultimate boss fight, just wanna give you a heads up. Shimomura: Okay, lay it on me. N: We’re bring back all previous Xehanort’s, and it’s gonna a three on three fight. A smile cut across Shimomura’s face. S: I think I know what to do. N: How many pianos do you need? S: Tetsuya, you know the answer already. N: All the pianos? S: All the pianos.

[@charmypappitson1678]

Yes, all of the pianos.

[@amurilloreno]

@@charmypappitson1678 And violins too. Lots and lots of violin.

[@a.z.pantera5577]

I love the transition into Darkness of the Unknown in the chorus, because to me, that's the height of the song. And the way that it just drops on you is amazing.

[@theshadowherself]

My favorite boss tracks in KH were Dark Impetus and L'impeto Oscuro, mostly for that solo cello and violin. I nearly lost my mind when this track came along and I heard how those strings had evolved.

[@jstar3382]

I'm glad he knows the different themes. They all fit together

[@ramses1033]

Non sapevo tu fossi italiano! Ti ho cominciato a seguire un po' di tempo fa e sentivo qualcosa di familiare nel tuo accento... Adoro le analisi che fai, ottimo video come sempre! Greetings From Italy!

[@federicosavorani6320]

ho visto il titolo e pensavo che fosse una traduzione automatica di youtube. Poi ho visto la thumbnail e ho detto: "aspetta, questo è italiano, perché c'è dell'italiano in un video inglese?"

[@zyxluz4645]

Eu vou arruinar isto e escrever em português. Greetings from Portugal

[@BetaManicCommand]

I just really love how this song covers 18 years of Kingdom Hearts villainy. If I have to pick as particular version of Xehanort's theme as a favorite, it's got to be Darkness of the Unknown, the KH3 version. It's just so elegant and menacing!

[@erwanreyzal3347]

Bro you gotta do more Kingdom Hearts OST breakdowns. Their play with motives goes really deep

[@KHVidsNETStream]

Anti-Aqua's theme sounds like it was pulled straight out of Dark Souls III. The vocalist might even be the same: compare it to the Abyss Watchers as an example.

[@AlexMoukalaMusic]

Oh my god, I'm absolutely fangirling right now: your username is the same as a website I used to spend A LOT of time on back on the KH2 era. I didn't have a ps2, so I could only enjoy the game by watching videos of it on KH-Vids, but that was back in 2008. Am I talking to the same KH-Vids right now? If so, thanks A LOT for that website. Woah! What a throwback.

[@KHVidsNETStream]

@@AlexMoukalaMusic That's us, haha! I've been on staff there since 2008, maybe I knew you. No problem! Always so fun to hear when people remember us :) We still record footage for people to watch/edit with. Been loving your videos recently, great stuff man!

[@wings8956]

KH-Vids.Net and the vocal part in her theme _always_ reminds me of this kzbin.info/www/bejne/pYekoWiLedOmhqs

[@Fredo0593]

Your passion for music is incredibly inspiring.

[@catherine1756]

Such a good breakdown. Would love to hear you do more KH stuff, especially the character and boss themes!!!

[@iggyp4390]

Amazing video! I love that you show the music on-screen while you discuss it! Ansem’s theme/“Forze de Male” has always been my favorite because of the French horns and organ. It’s so vampiric and eldritch. But Xemnas’ theme shows the strength of Shimomura’s melodic writing. That string climax is so perfect it’s as if it always existed (or non-existed lol?). I really appreciated that you highlighted the classic Shimomura piano style. She pounds that keyboard like a rock n’roller! As for “L’Impeto Oscuro,” Yoko let her Latin influences shine and it works brilliantly. I agree with you that the sophistication of the melody represents a “great mind”-to me, it’s a musical hint that Young Xehanort is possessed by Master Xehanort. I don’t understand why they didn’t further develop this theme for the final boss. Just go the Bloodborne route and give us a slow, choral interpretation with a lower cello.... sigh. On that note, I’m glad you mentioned the final boss theme being inferior to this. The final boss theme is controversial for good reason, and this video-the complexity of the instrumentation on display, like those string runs-illuminates why so many KH music fans were (are) devastated by it. I feel strongly it was an insult to longtime KH music fans. I still wish they would fix it, but I’m thankful that Yoko and Keiji Kawamori gave us this masterpiece. Thanks for this vid, and looking forward to more! Subbed.

[@thepoppets1052]

That Bloodbotne-ified version of Impego Oscuro was too beautiful my man, like it wasnt just fire, that was a full on zettaflare

[@duskydancing6409]

I love that the Org. XIII theme is peppered in all of the boss themes (13th Struggle, 13th Dilema, 13th Reflection, Lord of the Castle, Darkness of the Unknown, etc). Yoko Shimomura is so talented.

[@RebeliuneKei]

I've been listening to Alex's analysis of video game music and I'm so happy to just have them play and listen to the various nuances that are being explained and discovering new things that makes me appreciate the soundtracks even more. Would love to hear an analysis on Lady Maria of the Astral Clocktower by Yuka Kitamura or the various renditions of Xion's Theme/Vector to the Heavens by Yoko Shimomura, please!

[@DeeFig66]

I think the reason why young's Xehanort uses that violin is because it evokes a hint of sadness or tragedy. This is our main enemy BEFORE he goes off to become the twisted old man & we know, his fate is sealed.

[@vivalentine]

I LOVE how passionate you obviously are in these videos! Not to mention the way you break these pieces down and explain how the smallest of characteristics help to build the composition is extremely interesting! I'm very glad to have found your channel and I can't wait to see more of your content!

[@MakoMusicYT]

The live arrangement during the KH orchestra blew me away. Best live performance intensity wise, I was on the edge of my seat the whole time.

[@dlwill80]

Forza Finale is a majestic work of art

[@declanmills825]

I really loved this boss battle music, as I first heard this when facing this three-boss battle I was on the edge of my seat. It was satisfying, engaging and knowing that the stakes are high. This is hands down one of my favourite tracks on the Kingdom Hearts franchise as well as one of my favourite video game tracks out there. What an epic song to ever hear :)

[@DaiyaBeatus]

Kingdom Hearts has so many amazing tracks, and playing these games throughout my childhood is what got me so interested in video game music. Thank you for making these videos, cause now i finally understand why my favourite video game tracks feel so damn epic XD My favourite track in this game has to be The Other Promise though, the amount of emotions i felt in that fight having the sea salt trio back together was insane and i totally cried in that cutscene after :'(

[@Millanno37]

My favorite part of this track is when the strings come in for Xemnas' theme. It never fails to give me chills 👌

[@JoanneMoo]

LOVING those string runs, breathtaking cello/violin solo and the elegance of piano chords. T.T

[@chazaqiel2319]

There was something I've been thinking about for some time. Some time back, you made a poll asking what our favourite part of your music analysis was, and the majority (me included) seems to like the parts where you explain how music conveys character and story. You have always enjoyed flexing a bit those composer muscles of yours, with all the arrangements you make during your analysis and as standalone videos. So, why don't we combine what the community enjoys and what you enjoy most? I was thinking about a contest, between subscribers or maybe just within patrons, if the entries are too many. We send you brief descriptions of scenes or characters we came up with. We try to leave some room for your imagination, but try to convey what emotions or ideas we are trying to get across. Then you pick one or maybe more winners and compose a brief piece of music (maybe even just a litemotif, if you plan to include a lot of winners) that would accompany the scene/character. I think a lot of your subscribers would love such a format!

[@AlexMoukalaMusic]

That sounds a bit time consuming but also sounds like fun too, I'll consider an idea like that. Maybe for a stream even

[@chazaqiel2319]

@@AlexMoukalaMusic I suspected time constraints would be the major problem with this idea. Oh, well, hope you can still find the time to do something like this, because even if you only did it once a year, I would still stick around to see it!

[@kaydakitty3566]

In every one of young xehanorts fight themes that violin steals the show

[@Caterfree10]

One thing I like you noticing is how emotional Xemnas’s section is. Which is kind of funny to me bc he’s the Nobody in the fight, who supposedly doesn’t have emotions. Yet, he’s also got the most emotional of the death scenes for that fight, strangely enough. Idk if he’ll be brought back at all (probably not imo), but it’s good discussion and fanfic fodder.

[@XXXKaruXXX]

But they already said that all of the nobodies with human bodies had hearts of their own,Xemnas just lied to them,i think it was Xemnas himself who said it in KH3

[@Caterfree10]

@@XXXKaruXXX thank you for the mansplaining, you can go now

[@XXXKaruXXX]

@@Caterfree10 thanks for wrongly assuming my gender,of course i'll go,who wants to talk to you anyway?

[@easamisleh4336]

This video is fantastic! I've been really sick of watching most "composer reacts" videos because it's usually them just not reacting or disecting what's good about the music just standing there and smiling like, "Oh yeah this is good." You really pulled out the music in bits and showed everyone how beautiful this music really is. I appreciate this video so much. Well done. You got another subscriber.

[@mumpas-1043]

This was incredible. Kingdom Hearts means a lot to me and to see an analysis of one of its most incredible pieces of music was fantastic. The way the characters of Ansem Seeker Of Darkness, Young Xehanort and Xemnas are represented in the music really exemplifies Yoko Shimomura's talent. I agree with you about the Organization XIII theme being one of the saddest. The only thing I was a little disappointed about was that you didn't talk about the part in the piece that features Oscurita Dell'Ignoto; Xemnas' Dream Drop Distance battle theme, and another one of my favourite KH pieces

[@OasisFirefly]

I'm so glad that you reviewed this. This track screams nostalgia from past games in my childhood.

[@MasterWGS]

Excellent work on one of my favorite video game tracks in the last decade. Just found your stuff and I'm definitely subbing for more!

[@crystaloaths_ellie9538]

Gosh, this video was amazing! Thank you for analysing this great track and giving your thoughts! As for favorite part... It's really hard to pick just one because I love the three Xehanort themes, so I'll just pick based on each individual character theme. So my fav parts are: Intro and the 1:45 choir part (these were also my favorite parts of "Forze del Male" as a whole), the crazy "L'Impeto Oscuro" strings around 5:24 and the soft strings of "Darkness of the Unknown" around 7:45. This track was truly better than the final boss theme. I just really, really love how Yoko Shimomura plays with leitmotifs and recurring themes. I remember being blown away the first time in BBS when I realised that "Dismiss" (vs Terranort theme) actually had a part of Terra's theme playing in the back around the 1:25 mark with the "Aha-aha OOH-haha" Destati choir (sorry, I don't know a better way to describe it lol. But it's another recurring theme used in the usual "Destati" themes like "Fragments of Sorrow"). Anyway, not only does it sound great as a whole but lore-wise, it also shows how Terra is still in there, struggling and drowning in Xehanort's presence.

[@evar.7093]

This breakdown just shows how talented Yoko Shimomura is because even if she didn't fully compose this piece, she laid the ground work for this track to happen. Honestly, I believe she's the main reason why the KH franchise has had such longevity. Because her leitmotifs/themes are so beautifully woven together, that even as the story gets more and more complicated/convoluted, the player understands the emotion of any given scene because of the many leitmotifs/themes. I would honestly love you to break down some of the music from Final Fantasy XV, though I can understand if you choose not too. I'm just honestly curious to hear a professional's opinion on Yoko Shimomura's work.

[@d3ly746]

Yasnori Nishiki, another music legend (Octopath composer), composed this track

[@liootard]

Petition for alex to make a dissect video on slave knight gael's ost ⬇️

[@AlexMoukalaMusic]

Damn, I haven't played dark souls yet

[@chazaqiel2319]

ABSOLUTELY YES. Gael is by far my favourite track out of all the Dark Souls, probably the only one that can be compared to Bloodborne. The only track out of any Dark Souls that I still actively listen to, and that I'm actually trying to learn on the piano

[@liootard]

+Alex Moukala Music What are you waiting for man :) Its a great game and the OST is majestic (especially Dark souls 3's one)

[@themisgkyzis7190]

You are absolutely right, Gael's theme deserves an analysis 100%

[@Joker-nh6dd]

I'd be happy with gael or midirs music tbh... damn that dlc had some great bosses

[@OchiMochi]

Damn bro thanks so much for reviewing this. This is the dopest OST in KH3, I really loved it so much!!

[@RooneyDUNX]

The way that 3 themes were blended into one, while still doing them all justice and giving them a more powerful feel than the originals still amazes me. That "final battle" desperation feeling is so empowering when playing. Mind of a composer is something else, man.

[@treemanboy1]

KH has the greatest lineup of soundtracks out of any game franchise

[@jakswaine8375]

wow, I am so glad I found this channel because it's not just entertaining, it's really, really educational and I've been playing music since I was pint sized. There's always more to learn and this is an awesome way to learn it!

[@thatguyuknow3407]

Dude I love this analysis.

[@MarbleOceans]

I get nothing but joy from watching your videos, your passion is absolutely infectious 💖

[@emilusfiogbe3450]

oh heck yeah i love your analyse of my favorite pieces of my fav game. been playing all the games for almost 10 years now. It brings back so much memory(of melody)

[@Prizzlesticks]

Listen... Yoko Shimomura has long been my favourite composer--not just in video game music, but of all time. I've been trying to understand why, but I was a choir dweeb, and we didn't focus much on music history and theory. I don't really have the language or background to examine what she utilizes in her music, the inspirations she draws some, the chord progression and key signatures, the motifs... All I know is I can be playing a game I didn't realize she had any part in, think, "Oh man, this sounds like Shimomura," look it up, and realize I'm right. And also have a new song to add to my playlist and obsess over. What I'm getting at is, I'd love if someone like you, with your vast knowledge and very easy-to-understand way of breaking things down, could cover not just what makes Yoko Shimomura such a legendary composer, but analyzing all sorts of game composers' libraries of work. I'd love to know how Nobuo Uematsu writes his music, or how Keiichi Okabe brings such kinetic energy to even his slower pieces. I wanna know who worked on the flashback music in Sonic Frontiers and how much of a Yoko Shimomura stan they are (no hate, me too bro). There are so many iconic composers in video games, but some really shine and have a flavour you can just taste whenever they work on a soundtrack. I wish I had the language to describe why that is, and the knowledge of how they do it.

[@johnschicitano9920]

Your analysis of these pieces of music are so awesome, thank you for all of these!!

[@frankbiazzo]

Thank you for this! Great video, amazing track that gives me chills every time.

[@Xagzan]

God-tier, S-tier track. Watch it not even have that name if we ever get an actual OST release lol. I really did love how they gave the Forze melody to choir, and thank you for explaining how the part I loved was the jump up to d# minor. That repeated section I don't believe was in the original track back in KH1, and it's epic. Also loved how they put Darkness of the Unknown in a higher key than usual. When you think about it, this theme is basically Forze dell'Oscurita on steroids. And you're right, definitely thought it was better than the final boss theme, which left me very musically confused (Rage Awakened for Master Xehanort? What?) and let down. When you fight Data MX in ReMind, the track they use there felt a little weak in comparison, too. The only thing I was missing from all the musical Xehanort celebration was Disappeared, Xemnas' other theme. Disappeared never gets any love, it's always about DOTU. Such a shame. It was such a unique sounding track. I can't say way, though you could probably identify it pretty clearly.

[@medigoomnis]

Gosh I love how you analyze and describe this stuff...it's like putting words to thoughts I have but hadn't fully realized. This is probably my favorite KH track...of all.

[@pallo0620]

I love these music analyses, they make me understand the songs much, much more than what I did already, and in this case specifically it made the song ten times more enjoyable. Thanks!

[@guilhermedejesus5797]

Second time here. An people analyzing Yoko e Nobuo composition, is what i ever did want in a channel! Thanks!

[@Fodimin]

This is the type of channel I never knew I needed, good shit man

[@TheTonytube98]

Everything about this track is godlike, but my favorite part is Young Xehanort's. My favorite KH track is Dark Impetus and hearing that violin solo (along with the cello playing the beginning of said track in the background) gives me the goosebumps everytime

[@REM0411]

First video of this channel that I’ve watched, discovered the channel on the same day...and now I’m gonna watch every single other video!!! Love the content!!! 😁

[@boogerbrains5349]

I love that you're so expressive about music and Kingdom Hearts :)

[@Mastahsword126]

Fantastic video, as always! KH has some phenomenal music, and this video helped me appreciate it even more.

[@GogetaEiyuuYamcha]

Incredible video. Not only is t interesting to learn about the structure of the music on a fundamental level, but also your interpretation of the narrative implications behind them. I get the vibe that you really like Kingdom Hearts and have thought about it a lot lmao. Keep it up, I'd love to see more KH-related breakdowns.

[@SanaePrime]

This was so interesting!!! Thanks for the analysis, it's like I knew this was a great piece of music and now I know why is it so great, and that makes it even better. Nice communication and divulgation work here ^^

[@SarcasticAsexualMegane]

I cant put into words just how happy this whole video makes me, I had a smile on my face the whole time! Your energy is so infectious and you describe the music theory well enough for someone like me who failed music theory could understand LOL loved every second of it!!

[@nicirochi0]

I love that nod that he put in the song for connections! Really make special. Also I'm still waiting for Devil Trigger theme as Bloodborne haha Thanks for the effort!

[@spicy2492]

Commented on your last video regarding your analysis of Ludwig, the Holy Blade, and I happened to find this one, too. Are you a psychic who knows all of my favorite games in disguise? As with the last video, I think you did an outstanding job with your discussion of this track as well. To me, this is probably one of the greatest themes in any game, hands down; the history behind it, the characters it represents, and the intensity of the battle it plays over are all amazing and create a truly unique experience unlike any I’ve seen in any other game. Hearing you break it down and discuss why things were set up in a certain way adds that much more depth to the track and makes it seem even more epic. As for which theme is my favorite, I would have to go with Xemnas. Complex and conflicted villains are the best in my opinion, and Xemnas’s struggle with finding friendship and being human is a very real one that I’m sure many could relate to. His track embodies the struggle of his battles and the power he commands but also carries a tinge of sadness that signifies his own personal losses and regrets, a life that he never had the chance to live; if you think about it, Xemnas isn’t even a decade old by the time of his death and never knows the friendship that empowers the protagonists of the story. It’s a truly powerful theme and carries emotion that, in my opinion, those of the other two can’t compare to.

[@LAIDENS_MIND]

Yoko shimomura is a living legend all the musics she has produced are sooooo epic Btw first time i watch one of vids and .... i subscribe right now without spending anymore time you're great man lov u keep at it .

[@rikuapologist]

your videos are always fantastic and fascinating! they make me wish i could learn a string instrument so badly i'm curious, would you ever do a video breaking down yoko shimomura's general style? you mention in several of your breakdowns of specific shimomura tracks little signature aspects of her music, and in my experience you can usually pick out a shimomura track even without being aware beforehand that she worked on a game's soundtrack. as someone without a musical education, it'd be interesting to watch a video dedicated to explaining specifically WHY her style is so distinctive that even people like me who aren't musicians or experts can pick up on it. it's SOMETHING about the way she uses piano and strings together, but i can't quite put my finger on it...

[@xxreyoxx]

Nice breakdown. Especially of Young Xehanort’s part. Side note: love how u enjoy these pieces as much as I do lol.

[@csk7769]

I'm somehow still so impressed everytime you put a new video out! Love the content!

[@Tabbycat2701]

I spent a bunch of time yesterday watching your breakdowns of ffxiv tracks, and then all of a sudden you upload a video on one of my favourite KH3 tracks, amazing! Really interesting video as always

[@mintygams5218]

That's a sick looking shirt man. Nice video as always, really enjoy you going into some of my favorite games. Keep up the good work!

[@thomasbirt4725]

Dang, I clicked on this expecting a pretty standard reaction video to watch before I go to bed, but now I'm going to have to make sure I check out your channel tomorrow.

[@collinarend]

It's amazing how you were able to breakdown how the music, down to the instruments and notes, become part of the story and characters. Killer video man!

[@MrNobodyXIII13]

It's so awesome to see this track broken down by someone who both understands music theory, AND appreciates Kingdom Hearts. Definitely one of the greatest tracks from the series, and I completely agree that this was better than the final boss theme. The live orchestra version of the final boss fight is great, but the one we got in-game just sounded so messy.

[@rainydays6840]

Like the breakdowns, great vid!

[@VBandit47]

Wow, that young xehanort part slowed down REALLY does sound like something straight out of bloodborne or dark souls!! That's so interesting to me, really!

[@tw_sakudan7902]

Great video as always Alex ! EDIT 2 : I guess I simply misinterpreted Shimomura's words as it has now been confirmed in the official OST that Yasunori Nishiki handled this arrangement. Thinking of it now, it really isn't that surprising considering that his "epic percussion" sample (I don't know the technical name for it 😅) is the same one that he used in Octopath Traveler and OWA - Rebirth in FFVII Remake.

[@MesserMusic]

Wow im so let down now

[@Evello37]

Wow, major props to him. Shimomura is a legend in video game music, and his arrangement not only stood alongside her work, but was honestly the highlight of the whole KH3 soundtrack.

[@MesserMusic]

Evello37 yeah but they didnt let yoko do that much unfortunately.

[@cillbipher2613]

Messer Music Well if it makes you feel a bit better, she did make this song. Kawamori just did the arrangement that was in the game.

[@ramonegues5689]

My man, what a dope t-shirt and video as well. It was wonderful to hear that song when it came on the game, I use it to work out as well

[@Pichu1232]

God bless Yoko and her skill of making KH music. This song is so damn good. Xemnas part is SO GOOD

[@ggmustdie]

4:21 I NEED a full version of this!

[@AlexandreGaara]

Amazing! I love all your reactions, analysis and creations!

[@Pen175]

I feel like having a love for music just makes moments in games and movies hit you more, you know? I've always spent hours listening to music from games and movies because I just love listening to all the details and emotions that go into them. They really do create the scene, and Kingdom Hearts is an amazing example of this.

[@bubbles093]

Wow. How am I just finding your channel now?? This is awesome!!!

[@CreeperConnor]

This is some of the most satisfying video game content I've seen on KZbin. Please feed my obsession with video game OSTs, I think you will like taking a look at Hollow Knight a lot. Thanks for the great stuff, I've watched this video probably 5 times since release.

[@WoopPrime]

I think my favorite example of leitmotifs in the KH series is having a piece of Rage Awakened/Terra's theme playing within Terra Xehanort's theme at the end of BBS!

[@KlexisBlaze]

You analyzing Kingdom Hearts music is just so perfect! 👌🏾 please do more!!!

[@asifyusoff5377]

Nice music analysis boss. I make sure to watch till the end in hope that you will gain profit & continue producing this kind of video. Cheers. P.S: Would love to go again to Kingdom Hearts Orchestra World Tour in the future and listening to this live.

[@ElToland]

"How the wielders weep for you!" - One of my favorite tracks not only of KH3, but of all KH series, the way all 3 themes were combined in a single epic boss theme is just godly.

[@forcinalucas]

OMMGGGG I wasn't prepared for this ! I'm so happy rn

[@hiimera1074]

I love your analysis so much omg I would honestly love to see you break down the data fights themes! (Also that kh music in bloodborn style? Epic.)

[@niroe82]

I think my favourite original composition from KH3 is the one that plays in the Final World, it's such a hauntingly beautiful music, and it really comes out of nowhere. Those first few seconds in that world when the World logo animation starts with water droplet dropping in sync with the first few piano notes of the music, those seconds will stay with me forever.

[@MythicMachina]

i noticed the differing instruments while listening to this, but i couldn't tell that that they were actually the themes of the various Xheanorts. that's super cool! in Enter the Darkness, it's a bit easier to spot, but here, everything blends together so well that it's hard to tell first listen. not to mention you are thrusted into one of the most intense battles of KH3

[@Rav_Stark]

Wow! Kingdom Hearts is basicaly the reason why I start to learn how to compose music. Thank you very much for that video.

[@BlueEye096]

Oh heeeeeeell yeah Kingdom Hearts music! You could make so many videos on this series. I love this battle theme so much and the Young Xehanort part is my favorite but it's really hard to pick.