The Music of Roxas - A Retrospective of The Other Promise

Whether it's in the form of Roxas or The Other Promise, one thing is true-- if there's one theme in this franchise that everyone loves, it's this one. But what makes it work, and how do all the different versions across the years set each other apart? Who were the musicians besides Shimomura who contributed to building some of its most iconic renditions? What is the legacy of Roxas's theme when it comes to the music of Kingdom Hearts as a whole?
Today, we'll be looking to answer all of these different questions!
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[@KinodeVGM]

Small detail I forgot to mention in the video: Roxas's Return and Hearts as One were arranged by Shotaro Shima. I'm thinking of making this a continuous series of videos! Are there any character's themes you'd like me to explore next? Please, let me know ^^

[@BD_RMNCE]

A 37 minute video breakdown of Roxas theme? YES. Yes I will watch that.

[@KinodeVGM]

I have have some different music analysis on other character themes as well! Just posted one about Xion the other day, although it's a bit different from what you might expect haha. Hope you enjoyed watching this!

[@G3E007]

​@@KinodeVGM well, i cant listen to xion theme without crying like a beaten bitch

[@marleyjr00]

Ever since KH2 Roxas was my dude. I stuck through all of KH just to see him come back....And he did.

[@GeorgiaAndrea]

Same😭kh2 was so depressing for me because it was not a happy ending for him.

[@a_moth5584]

SAMEE I used to reset and play the tutorial for hours because I liked him so much. His character arc is just the best to me.

[@lpfan4491]

The promise: Sora The cooler promise: Roxas What doesn't have anything to do with the music but the story is that I find it interessting is how Roxas and Sora are portrayed in the series. Roxas is actually often shown to be the better side. But he is also the clearly more emotionally unstable, even if it is at least partially justified in his backstory, which showcases that there is a point to both besides the arbitrary chosen one-nonsense.

[@syrelian]

Roxas has a character almost precisely because he's not Sora, not just in a narrative sense, but a meta one, Sora is a protagonist through and through, and while they drag some emotional coping and angst out of him from KH2 and DDD, he's a shonen protag at his core and its hard to give him a real growth while he's the centerpiece of Adventure and not obviously flawed In a certain way, every other character's Character can be ascribed to how they Aren't Sora, they exist initially as elements of his adventure or history, which ironically means they get more story than him because they're not treated as a near-blank protag, even when playable, Sora's protagonist mentality worked fine for KH1 but it struggles to expand because its kind of a two-step feedback loop that the setting reinforces Also Roxas just gets a ton of good teen angst combined with "fucking work", Days is a good game and Roxas is an angy boy

[@lpfan4491]

@@syrelian Angy Rucksack is best Rucksack.

[@Kidkinsey]

The absolutely masterclass of quotes dropped by roxas when his theme plays are insane "It looks like my summer vacation is over" "You make a good other" "Its way past time that you learned what real hurt feels like" "I dont even know a sora" "Hands off my friends" "No one would miss me"

[@The_13th_Voyager]

4:40 Every time I hear this section of The Other Promise makes me feel so sad and angry, kinda like Roxas.

[@troublemakers.1348]

Soooo is no one gonna talk about how axel STILL doesn’t have his own theme

[@jakelester4857]

It's not 13th struggle? It plays when you fight him in recom and 2 when you beat him as Roxas

[@KinodeVGM]

13th struggle is a general organization xiii battle theme from CoM and KH2, it just happens that Axel also uses the theme

[@jakelester4857]

@@KinodeVGM Huh.... I always just prescribed to Axel cause it seemed like he used it the most in his encounters🤣🤣

[@troublemakers.1348]

@@jakelester4857 yeah but he doesn’t have his own main theme. I think he’s earned it dont you?

[@jakelester4857]

@@troublemakers.1348 I absolutely think he deserves it, the people love him as he's said😁

[@Knicks176]

4:40 Those aren’t just random notes either… They’re targeted… And every single one… is more than 100% of her power!

[@michaelagreenjr85]

Yeah this is perfect song to have some tears comes out without you knowing it. I love this version of the song the most.

[@Giaki]

Plus.... ULTRA!

[@treddox5880]

The dinky MIDI file from vanilla KH2 to the F L U T E in 2.5 is the second biggest glow-up in the whole soundtrack. The first is He’s A Pirate.

[@ariesgurl8]

Can I read sheet music? No. Do I understand music theory? No. Do I cry no matter what when I hear Roxas’ theme? Yes.. every single time…😭

[@notluxpax1994]

This I did not expect to be a recommended video

[@sonoxas7176]

3:39 .... I had to double take Because I swear you sounded almost *just* like Roxas when you said the name of the song XD

[@skyhart1377]

Enjoyed this? Yes. Gonna watch the others like this? Yes. Can't wait for more? Yes.

[@KinodeVGM]

Thank you so much. It makes me really happy that you're interested in my kh music analysis :)

[@skyhart1377]

@@KinodeVGM absolutely, honestly I really enjoy when people do these types of analysis, however I can barely find any videos about it, especially for kingdom hearts music. So whenever I do find something, especially when they're well put together like yours, it feels like a real treat.

[@hikarushimabukuro9738]

@@skyhart1377 If you haven't found it already since you posted this comment, there's a YT channel called GreenRequiem which has several videos analysing the music of KH by each installment in the series; I highly recommend - I have to go back to his videos myself, in fact.

[@HarrisSounds]

This music dissecting was so thorough i didnt even mind the blown-out headset mic of the dear narrator

[@KinodeVGM]

im so sorry this was my "i have no idea how to record audio properly" era and im still living in it!

[@HarrisSounds]

@@KinodeVGM it was a wonderful video and I'm just teasing, thank you for making it 😊

[@gavout1511]

I have never played a kingdom hearts game. But after playing against Roxa’s spirit battle in smash ultimate, I wanted to know what the hell was Roxas. Thank you.

[@Kaiidox]

"hello nice to meet you!" "hello. you were never meant to exist btw"

[@redshirtnumber3494]

Playing Roxas from the piano collections is still my favorite to play on piano

[@Hyskaris]

I have such strong feelings over The Other Promise, not to mention Roxas as a character. I can recall a 10-year old me who was first learning how to play PS2 games, getting to the cutscene with Sora and Roxas fighting, and feeling such an intense sorrow that I, being so young, had never quite felt before. I remember looking up the cutscene again afterwards on the family computer, and specifically hearing the original vanilla version of The Other Promise, or Roxas, I can't remember exactly which it was. It torn my heart apart, and I remember just tearing up. I listened to the fight again, trying to focus on the music. And again and again, just feeling so many waves of emotion. Years later, when I was in high school and we were finally getting the HD mixes in NA, I did it again. I was replaying KH2 so I could experience the new Final Mix additions, and not only did Roxas' fight absolutely REAM my ass for hours, but I kept sporadically having to stop. To just listen to the music and vividly recall a younger me doing this exact thing, years ago. A few weeks later, I did the same with the piano collections, after watching Re:Coded. I started looking up variations of the song, fascinating myself more and more with Roxas as a character. It happened again after KH3 came out. I was ensnared by this gorgeous track and the absolutely devastating feelings it brought to my heart. I tried to learn it on piano, and I've yet to be consistent with it. I have no idea how Shimomura wrote such an amazing piece, but it still makes me pause and take a breath everytime I hear it.

[@Supersonicblue1027]

We forgot about 385/2 days the prequel too KH2 which has the true first version of Roxas's theme but other than that it was interesting to learn more about my favorite KH characters theme.

[@KinodeVGM]

Days was released after KH2 and uses the same version of Roxas's theme as KH2, just downgraded to DS soundfonts, which is why I didn't include it. Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Supersonicblue1027]

@@KinodeVGM ah I see good to know.

[@troublemakers.1348]

In hearts as one in only ears for roxas’s theme out of all of them

[@GreenRequiem]

I guess i would like 2 know

[@seasaltlover]

I didn't even know about the Shinya Kiyozuka version!

[@macelloverum3527]

Incredibly underrated video

[@SaltedMallows]

Good video, had to purge my ears of the 2.5HD Remix of the song with the original KH2 roxas theme. Just a slightly different mood the original seems more cold and distant sounds more painful and less soft.

[@troublemakers.1348]

If these are in order than dramatica inspired so much

[@hezekiahthompson6817]

Thank you for this breakdown. Roxas's theme holds a really special place in my heart. I think cuz it let's me feel fragile like no other song ever could, and being fragile is never allowed in this world we're in.

[@_fukurumi_1318]

The video is really interesting, even for someone like me who doesn't know anything about composing music, Roxas is just my favourite character. But, too many ads, my frind. It was really annoing.

[@KinodeVGM]

Sorry, the ads were auto-placed by KZbin. I'll try to remove a couple of them

[@awesomeinmyworld]

Wonderful video! Roxas' themes have always my favorite, and it was so fascinating to learn more about the different arrangements. I knew quite a few of them, and was surprised about some I didn't. Thank you for the video, looking forward to seeing more. I'd love to see a video about Kairi's theme! (It might also motivate me to write that Kairi character development series I've promised a few people... whoops lol)

[@KinodeVGM]

Yay, I'm so glad there were some new things you learned in this video! You might be surprised, Kairi is the first character I thought of for a continuation of this series! No promises just yet... But it might happen!

[@thatwrengirl]

Ah!!! The Drammatica version has always been my absolute favorite specifically because of the extension. It hits me right in the heart every time. It just sounds so hopeful despite the sadness and melancholy throughout the rest of the piece. So happy to hear your analysis here. Really lovely video essay all around!

[@jocy9711]

super interesting topic to learn about! and a great performance at the end too!

[@KinodeVGM]

So glad you find interesting!! I worry not many people must care about this kind of thing much haha

[@sorasgirl]

Roxas’ Return is one of the most beautiful pieces of music that I’ve ever heard. 😢

[@protoman4622]

Recently I bought the first kh pack on the epic store to play the first few games. Though I’m playing them out of order rn since everyone praises kh2. The bare minimum hour long tutorial area where you play as roxas is super heart wrenching especially cause of how ironic it is the player knows everything roxas doesn’t and wants to know. We know he wasn’t meant to be, that he’s a smaller part of sora, and other pieces of information that makes that tutorial area mean much more than just an area they teach you about game mechanics but a long in game cutscene to display the tragedy of roxas’ existence

[@amconners]

that Enter the Darkness bit absolutely blew my mind. I knew about the Vanitas's theme -> Hearts as One transition in Overture to the Decisive Battle using Roxas's theme as an intermediary and somehow still never picked up on how Vanitas's theme actually incorporated Roxas's theme within it in the first place. I'm still in disbelief if you're still looking for opinions on whose theme to do next, I'd like to throw my vote in for Terra; given the use of his theme in both Dismiss and Rage Awakened and the similarities between the violin solo in Terra's theme and Darkness of the Unknown, I wonder what other connections are out there that I haven't noticed and well done with this video. that was so much more in-depth than I would've ever expected to find and every minute of it was well worth it. I'll have to check out your other analyses too when I have the time, because if they're as insightful as this one was, I know I'll love them

[@KinodeVGM]

Thank you so much for the sweet comment! I really appreciate it! I'll definitely keep Terra in mind for a future video! I hadn't really considered his theme, but I think there's a lot of nuances I could delve into about it! I've been having my hands full lately though, so it might be a while before my next analysis.

[@ryuuakiyama3958]

This was very enjoyable.

[@hikarushimabukuro9738]

What a fantastic video... the soundtracks of the KH series are always something I go back to when I want to relax, and like many commenters here, Roxas is definitely one of my favourite characters in the series. I love this kind of videogame music analysis, because hearing someone explain with words all the feelings that the music conjures is just SO AMAZING!! And there were a few pieces mentioned that I did not know about, so I'm going to look for them - thank you very much for all of this! Note: the first part of Roxas' theme is present in Aqua's, as well! It's just mind-blowing how Shimomura connects so many characters through her music, which makes listening to the OSTs on their own like a separate "playthrough" of the series...

[@Xesliny]

Great video again Kinode!! I absolutely love Roxas and Xion's music. And I really admire the composers to be able to basically make use of storytelling in the songs. It all connects and that's amazing. Thank you for making this video!! ^-^♡

[@KinodeVGM]

Aww thank you! So glad you liked it

[@averses]

Awesome video again. So many arrangements I hadn't heard before and it's soooo cool to see you analyse them. Great performances too!

[@KinodeVGM]

Yes! I'm so glad these arrangements were new to you. I feel like everyone should learn about them!

[@BuffShotgunsMW3]

New sub.. would love to see a vid on leitmotiffs especially xehanorts themes

[@KinodeVGM]

Yes, thank you so much! And wow, that would actually be a really fun video to script, and relevant to something else I'm working on... I'll definitely consider it!

[@BuffShotgunsMW3]

@@KinodeVGM cant wait to see it man.

[@kirbylink1042]

Simply beautiful, I'm not such a fan of the saga but listening to the melody of roxas and in its different versions gives me a very strong touch to my heart, to feel what roxas lived and even with that pain continue with the game until the fight between roxas when he wanted to be free, I liked how you taught each musical arrangement and how it is composed and who made it, I have no words to describe everything but knowing the hard research you had to do and looking for the different versions is hard work, you earned my Like and my Subscription :3

[@PCUnderdog]

It's a gift from the gods because ITS JUST THAT GOOD🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@ardianhesa4340]

I actually forgot that the original doesn't have the dramatica and piano collection addition and I've been playing the piano collection version for years lel

[@LiaKapp]

that's very interesting! congrats for the video, love the channel

[@EleumNoice]

i can't believe that it took me so long to find your channel. You make pure gold and I'm excited to see what other music you've talked about!

[@Soraiko]

My mother has a lot more music theory than I and she ended up loving Roxas theme still she's not a fan of Kingodm Hearts at all. I'll listen to your video again when she'll be around, she'll enjoy different nuances of Roxas in minor & major. This is quality depiction, eventually your voice is quite soothing which does a respectful transition between Roxas's musical pieces.

[@annyske007]

i mean its a simple transaction really, you make good video i drop the sub

[@koumori9214]

very interesting video, nice!

[@KinodeVGM]

Thank you!

[@PCUnderdog]

That ending was fire great vid👏👏👏

[@ryokukagirinai]

cool video. It kind of sounds like you don't use a pop filter with your microphone though. maybe get one? with headphones the puffing air is kind of distracting.

[@MostValuableB]

Am I the only one who watched this video to listen to the music?

[@OrigamiAhsoka]

If roxas’ themes have 0 fans I’m dead🗣️

[@Saltine3022]

The Other Promise carries an inescapable gravity around which the entire rest of the series thematically orbits, to me. The moment you face off against roxas in kh2fm, it's as if the whole word has stopped (and it kinda literally has) as sora battles, recognizes, and comforts his own self. There is perhaps no other motif or arrangement in the whole series that draws me in like The Other Promise does. There is a reason kh has a very strong connection to queer and plural identities.

[@dr.plumcake5165]

Ypu may have skipped unbreakable chains (yeah i know is vanitas theme remix but that roxas part is soo good)

[@KinodeVGM]

Lowkey I never realized this lol but you're right, I totally forgot 😅

[@eboninkdeathliquidnecrosis]

lol already crying.

[@clawlor4957]

I think you need to get into a studio to record that properly and put it up on iTunes or smth cuz I would pay for that arrangement of yours

[@Sokrex97]

Your voice reminds me of him

[@alimichalkan8046]

Wth Namine.. first thing you told him is he’s not supposed to exist. Girl has no manners.

[@rat1223]

Why did you have to talk over the most powerful bars at 10:33

[@marluxiaheart4352]

Hi Reupload!

[@KinodeVGM]

So you noticed! Hahaha First one had a ton of audio issues.! Hopefully I didn't lose much engagement from the hiccup!

[@marluxiaheart4352]

@@KinodeVGM No, i had plenty of fun with the first one. Great Work!

[@KinodeVGM]

@@marluxiaheart4352 awesome to know! Thanks for tuning in as usual :)

[@pieisapie]

is there any music sheet for the video final part - piano play

[@KinodeVGM]

I can't really distribute it, but it's adapted from the piano collections arrangements of The Other Promise and Roxas from the KH Piano Collections: Field and Battle sheet music book. There are scans of it around the internet!

[@megakoni1]

Did you ask for permission to use that music??

[@megakoni1]

Just kidding lol

[@sonoxas7176]

3:39 .... I had to double take Because I swear you sounded almost *just* like Roxas when you said the name of the song XD