Toon My Heart
Tracy Herold
1 Creator
1 Creator
In Toon My Heart, we'll dive into your favorite animated movies to see if we can discover redeeming themes, traces of eternal truth, and ideas that are relevant to the Christian faith.
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What is Toon My Heart about?
Toon My Heart is a podcast about taking a closer look at popular animated movies through a Christian lens, in search of faith-relevant themes and traces of eternal Truth. Each episode features an overview of the history behind an animated film, along with some anecdotes about my personal history with it, a "kid's eye view" synopsis of the film from my daughter, a discussion of any objections that Christians might have to the film, a theme Bible verse, and then the meat of the podcast: A synopsis of the themes and ideas I see reflected in the film's story that I believe resonate with the Christian faith.
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Top 10 Toon My Heart Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Toon My Heart episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Toon My Heart for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Toon My Heart episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Episode 3: The Lion King and The Prodigal Son
Toon My Heart
03/23/23 • 61 min
One is the highest-grossing traditionally animated film of all time. The other is one of Jesus Christ's best known and most beloved parables. In this episode of Toon My Heart podcast, find out what Disney's The Lion King and the Bible's prodigal son parable have in common, and what both stories can teach us about guilt, identity, responsibility, and redemption. Join host Tracy Herold as she dives into the history behind one of Disney's most unexpectedly successful movies, shares what Bible verse always reminds her of Scar, contemplates whether Christians should follow "Hakuna Matata," and examines the journey of Simba on the Circle of Life to see what faith-related lessons we can learn along the way.
Mentioned in this episode:
"Was 'The Lion King' Copied From A Japanese Cartoon? Here's the Real Story": https://www.huffpost.com/entry/lion-king-kimba_n_6272316
Japanamerica: How Japanese Culture Has Invaded the U.S.: https://www.amazon.com/Japanamerica-Japanese-Culture-Invaded-U-S/dp/140398476X
"The Circle of Life" (Biblical Geek, archived): https://web.archive.org/web/20190708064503/http://www.biblicalgeek.com/blog/2018/7/3/the-circle-of-life
Music by REDProductions, Sourced from Pixabay.com
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Episode 10: First Impressions: The Wild Robot
Toon My Heart
10/06/24 • 18 min
The latest episode of Toon My Heart: First Impressions is a family affair, with not just host Tracy and daughter Darcy weighing in, as usual, but also a very special guest-- their husband and father, respectively, Dave! Listen to find out what all three of us thought of the latest animated film from Dreamworks, The Wild Robot, how we felt about the changes made from the original book by Peter Brown, whether we cried or managed to hold it together, what Bible verses it reminded us of, and why we wholeheartedly recommend this movie not just for kids, but for filmgoers of every age and stage of life.
Mentioned in this episode:
- "'The Wild Robot' Director Says Film's Painted Style Offers an 'Emotional and Immersive' Experience" by Peter DeBruge, Variety
- "'The Wild Robot' Turned Its Animators Into Painters" by Bill Desowitz, IndieWire
Music from Pixabay, by REDProductions
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08/06/24 • 41 min
Welcome to the first episode of a new ongoing bonus series called "Showtune My Heart," in which Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold and a guest will discuss a song from an animated film from a Christian faith perspective. In this episode, Tracy is joined by Kevin T. Rodriguez, also known as iCritic, to discuss the song "God Help the Outcasts," written by composer Alan Menken and lyricist Stephen Schwartz for Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame. We talk about the story behind the song and how it almost didn't end up in the film, admire the accompanying animation, discover Bible passages that the lyrics reminds us of, discuss how Esmeralda's feelings and character are revealed in the course of the song, contrast it with the other "prayer" song from the movie (the villain Frollo's "Hellfire",) ponder whether it's true that "we all [are] the children of God," and more!
Mentioned in this episode:
- https://www.icritic.net
- https://www.youtube.com/@KevinTRod
- Heidi Mollenhauer's IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0597012/
- Romani Rants: The Hunchback of Notre Dame (Disney) critiques and concerns: https://www.tumblr.com/romani-in-art/121214077396/romani-rants-the-hunchback-of-notre-dame-disney
- "Is everyone a child of God?" from Bible.org: https://bible.org/question/everyone-child-god
Music by REDproductions, sourced from Pixabay.com
If you have an idea for a song you'd like to discuss in a "Showtune My Heart" episode, please email [email protected]
2 Listeners
Episode 8: First Impressions: Inside Out 2
Toon My Heart
07/07/24 • 17 min
Disney Pixar's Inside Out 2 is smashing box office records left and right, but is the sequel worth all the hype and a fitting follow up to the studio's beloved original "emotional rollercoaster" of a movie? Host Tracy and daughter Darcy weigh in with their thoughts (and feelings, of course) about 2024's first $1 billion box office film, and the return of Joy, Sadness, Fear, Anger, and Disgust, along with their new friends (or are they enemies?) Anxiety, Envy, Embarrassment, and Ennui, in this "First Impressions" episode of Toon My Heart.
Music by REDproductions, sourced from pixabay.com
1 Listener
Episode 2: Tangled and the Call to Community
Toon My Heart
01/04/23 • 47 min
Is Disney's Tangled just a swash-buckling fairy tale romance movie, or can we look past the surface to find something deeper? Listen in to find out what Disney Animation's first CGI 3D princess, Rapunzel, along with Flynn Rider/Eugene Fitzherbert, a group of dreaming pub thugs, a feisty chameleon, and an intense horse can teach us about our need for community, our innate desire to know and be known, and the challenges we face in connecting with others. Of course, we'll also talk about what the Bible has to say about these topics, and we'll also hear wisdom from two lovers of both fairy tales and God, C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkein.
Mentioned in this episode:
"Tangled" entry in Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tangled
"Eucatastrophe" entry in Tolkein Gateway: https://tolkiengateway.net/wiki/Eucatastrophe
Music by REDproductions, sourced from Pixabay.com
Questions, comments, or suggestions? Email [email protected]
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Episode 6: First Impressions: Migration
Toon My Heart
05/14/24 • 10 min
Landing in theaters late in 2023, and now available on Peacock and other streaming networks, Migration flew under a lot of people's radar. But while the latest animated film from Illumination, the studio behind Despicable Me, Minions, The Secret Life of Pets, Sing, and The Super Mario Bros. Movie didn't soar to the same levels of box-office success as those predecessors, both host Tracy and daughter Darcy (age 8) enjoyed it-- although for very different reasons. Listen to this short episode to find out why this quirky but lovable family of ducks made a good first impression on us.
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Episode 4: Encanto and Grace vs. Works
Toon My Heart
01/01/24 • 67 min
In this episode of Toon My Heart podcast, host Tracy Herold is talking about Bruno-- and the entire amazing Madrigal family! Disney's Encanto worked its way into the hearts of streaming viewers across the world when it landed on Disney+ on Christmas Eve 2021, with its relatable characters, way too catchy tunes, and unique setting and story. But is there something deeper behind this animated film's popularity? Tracy talks about the Biblical symbolism she sees in the movie, and explores how the theme of grace vs. works plays out as the story of Mirabel and her magical family unfolds.
Mentioned in this episode:
Jared Bush's Twitter/X account:
https://twitter.com/thejaredbush
(Note: In the podcast, one Tweet attributed to Byron Howard was actually from Jared Bush.)
"'Encanto is Disney's first Latino musical. How the filmmakers got Colombia right" by Tracy Brown (LA Times):
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/movies/story/2021-11-29/encanto-explained-disney-colombia-consultants
"'Encanto's' Luisa Is Way Too Beefy For A Woman" by Jeff Wright (The Federalist):
https://thefederalist.com/2022/02/04/encantos-luisa-is-way-too-beefy-for-a-woman-and-its-wrong
Charles Spurgeon quote:
https://www.blueletterbible.org/devotionals/me/view.cfm?Date=02/03&body
Music by REDProductions, sourced from Pixabay.com
1 Listener
10/07/22 • 41 min
Welcome to the very first episode of Toon My Heart, in which we'll examine some of your favorite animated films in search of themes relevant to the Christian faith and traces of eternal truth. In this episode: What can Disney's classic animated movie Beauty and the Beast teach us about the perils of pride and the redemptive power of love? We'll talk about what the Bible has to say about both pride and love, and see how these attributes are reflected in the characters of the Beast, Belle, and Gaston.
Referenced in this episode:
"Beauty and the Beast (1991 film)" Wikipedia entry: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beauty_and_the_Beast_(1991_film)
"Beauty and the Beast: True Love or Stockholm Syndrome": https://snowwhitewrites.com/beauty-and-the-beast-stockholm
"Glen Keane on Beauty and the Beast transformation sequence" on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Wrc8DCk520
Music by REDProductions, sourced from Pixabay.com
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Episode 5: First Impressions: Disney's Wish
Toon My Heart
03/11/24 • 17 min
Disney's Wish didn't get a very warm welcome from critics or audiences when it came out in theaters last year, but does it have any redeeming qualities that might make it worth seeing now that it's out on streaming and blu-ray? In this bonus "First Impressions" episode, host Tracy and daughter Darcy (age 8) give their initial thoughts on Disney's newest musical fairy tale film and whether it might just be worth watching after all.
1 Listener
Episode 7: Inside Out and the Value of Sadness
Toon My Heart
06/12/24 • 88 min
Pixar is an animation studio known for producing films that tug on the heartstrings, but perhaps its most emotional movie-- quite literally-- is Inside Out. Now, with the release of Inside Out 2 just around the corner, Toon My Heart host Tracy Herold is taking a closer look at the original, and the lessons it has to teach us about emotional and mental health, with the help of special guest Jay Nepomuceno of The Climb ministry. In this episode, we discuss the Christian faith of director Pete Docter and how it impacts his work, the stigma surrounding depression and anxiety and how pastors and churches can help break it down, the ways in which Jesus Christ experienced and expressed joy, sadness, anger, fear, and disgust during his earthly life according to the Bible, the role these emotions have to play in our own lives, and much, much more!
Mentioned in this episode:
- The Climb Ministries: https://theclimbministries.com
- The Climb Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theclimbministries
- Interview with Pete Docter (Radix, archived):
- How Inside Out Director Pete Docter Went Inside the 11-Year-Old Mind by Lisa Miller (New York Magazine)
- It's All In Your Head: Director Pete Docter Gets Emotional in 'Inside Out' (Fresh Air, NPR)
- The Science of 'Inside Out' by Dacher Keltner and Paul Eckman (New York Times)
- Universal Emotions by PaulEkmanGroup
- 'Inside Out' is a kids' movie without villains, princesses, or cool cars - and that's a good thing by Kristen Page-Kirby (Washington Post)
- Those 365 "Fear Not" Verses in the Bible by Rebecca Davis
- Is crying good for you by Leo Newhouse, LICSW (Harvard Health Blog)
- Charles Spurgeon on Psalm 6
Music by REDProductions, sourced from Pixabay.com
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Podcast Q&A
Why did you start this show?
The idea for Toon My Heart first came to me as I watched (and re-watched) Encanto with my daughter. Recently at a WonderCon panel on Pop Culture and the Christian Church, one of the panelists, Alexander James, said something that really resonated with me: "That thing you love as a passion is actually a pulpit." This podcast allows me to use something that I'm passionate about-- animated movies-- to also talk about something that is even more important to me: my faith.
What do you hope listeners gain from listening to your show?
I hope they gain a deeper appreciation for animated films and a deeper (or even new!) love for God. I also hope listeners learn to look for deeper messages in movies for themselves and recognize how themes that resonate with their faith are all around them, even in "secular" media.
Which episode should someone start with?
Each episode stands on its own, so you can start with whichever one sounds most interesting to you!
Which have been your favourite episodes so far?
I can't choose!
Which episode are you most proud of?
So far, I would say my answer is always "the most recent one." I feel like with each episode, I'm learning more and becoming a better podcaster.
What is your vision for your show?
My show is a hobby and I expect it always will be. But I still want to make it as good as it can be and keep learning and growing with each new episode I produce. My greatest hope is that it touches someone in a positive way and glorifies God.
What is your favourite other podcast that isn't yours?
If I had to choose just one, I would say Office Ladies. I found it just after the pandemic started, and in that very isolated and stressful time, it was so good to feel like I had two girlfriends chatting with me in Jenna and Angela. I still look forward to it every week, especially when I need a lift. Others I enjoy include: Let's Make A Sci-fi/Rom-com, Wolf 359, In Strange Woods, Verbal Diorama, Smash Boom Best, A Burden For The Times, and Jane and Jesus
How did you come up with the name for your podcast?
"Toon My Heart" is a play on the first line from one of my favorite hymns, "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing": "Come thou fount of every blessing, tune my heart to sing thy grace." I generated many ideas for the podcast name, but although this one felt a little obscure, I just always came back to it, so I went with my gut.
Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Tracy. I'm a sinner saved by grace, a daughter of the King, a wife, a mom, and a fan of animation. I'm a magazine editor by day and a hobbyist podcaster whenever I can squeeze it in.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Toon My Heart have?
Toon My Heart currently has 13 episodes available.
What topics does Toon My Heart cover?
The podcast is about Cartoons, Christianity, Religion & Spirituality, Podcasts, Movies, Animation and Christian.
What is the most popular episode on Toon My Heart?
The episode title 'Episode 3: The Lion King and The Prodigal Son' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Toon My Heart?
The average episode length on Toon My Heart is 42 minutes.
How often are episodes of Toon My Heart released?
Episodes of Toon My Heart are typically released every 60 days, 8 hours.
When was the first episode of Toon My Heart?
The first episode of Toon My Heart was released on Oct 7, 2022.
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