Kingdom Hearts composer Yoko Shimomura takes issue with Apple’s new iPad Pro advertisement 

Some think that each new iteration of a product is supposed to replace the things that came before it. One of Apple’s new iPad Pro advertisements could certainly be interpreted this way as it shows multiple items being crushed and combined to create the company’s latest tablet computer. The destruction of the objects struck Yoko Shimomura – a Japanese pianist and composer best known for her work on Square Enix’s Kingdom Hearts franchise – so much so that she took to social media to voice her displeasure with the ad. 

Shimomura was saddened at the objects that were destroyed in the ad, particularly the classic piano which was supposed to symbolize how the new iPad can be used to create music that is just as compelling as any other musical instrument. Other music-related items that were destroyed include a trumpet, guitar, and a vinyl record player. The artist explains that there are people who spent their time and effort to create these products and others who could have used them to create their own pieces of art. To Shimomura, seeing the crushing of the objects felt akin to crushing her heart. 

This statement is more impactful when taking her background into consideration. Shimomura has been using Apple products for decades, so it must hurt her to see a brand she trusts destroy something so dear to her. Apart from her contributions to Kingdom Hearts, Shimomura has provided music for multiple games such as Parasite Eve, Street Fighter II, Final Fantasy XV, and several Mario & Luigi titles. Though she is no longer an employee of a big game company like Square Enix or Capcom, her work has garnered widespread acclaim, and she continues to provide music for video games.