Actor Erika Harlacher, perhaps best known for her role in Persona 5, has created a perfect musical puppet show based on the beloved Kingdom Hearts series. Kingdom Hearts, the eclectic Disney-meets-Final Fantasy franchise, has spanned three console generations, was adapted into both manga and light novels, had its memorable music arranged for three orchestra concert tours, and even recently received its own special Kingdom Hearts-themed chess set, proving the passion for the longstanding series.
Harlacher is no stranger to the world of gaming, having voiced several notable and memorable video game characters throughout her career. Perhaps one of the most popular roles on her resume is Ann Takamaki from Persona 5, known for stealing other kinds of hearts as the whip-wielding Phantom Thief, Panther, in the classic Atlus JRPG. As well as providing additional voices for games such as Kingdom Hearts III and Final Fantasy VII Remake, Harlacher's other notable performances include Kyoko Kirigiri from the beloved Danganronpa series, as well as the fan-favorite character Venti from Genshin Impact.
Taking to Twitter to share her Kingdom Hearts musical, named Puppet Kingdom: Musical Hearts, Erika Harlacher's impressive video recounts the moment when Sora meets Donald and Goofy in Traverse Town, as seen in the first Kingdom Hearts game. The catchy song, entitled "The Trio Song," is an upbeat, lighthearted musical number performed entirely by Harlacher, with the puppets, backgrounds, and props constructed by Harlacher herself. What is even more impressive is the animation by Stone, who gives the characters’ eyes and mouths a stop-motion feel, which lends itself to the project’s handmade quality. The full video can be found on Harlacher's YouTube channel, withakgames.
See the post on Twitter here, or watch the full video on YouTube here.
Harlacher has written five more song demos to highlight other moments in Sora, Donald, and Goofy’s Kingdom Hearts story. Harlacher is waiting to make sure her completely fan-made project doesn't get her in copyright trouble, as Disney owns the rights to Sora along with the rest of the trio. However, the project may meet copyright standards as it is transformative, with the puppet versions of Sora, Donald, and Goofy singing an entirely original song. Hopefully, this fan project will continue with Harlacher’s planned songs and stay available for all to see.
Puppet Kingdom: Musical Hearts is a fun project for fans to enjoy, and to see it come from a game actor like Harlacher only makes it even better for those who love the franchise. The cute puppet production is of great quality, and is reminiscent of the kind of content fans are looking for as they wait to see what Disney and Square Enix have in store for Kingdom Hearts' 20th anniversary this year.