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  1. SEGA has finally revealed what the mysterious 'Sonic & Friends' branding is for in an official reveal teaser posted earlier today; it's a new series of animated shorts destined for the Japanese company's TikTok channel. Announced on the publisher's social media channel, the new series presented Sonic and his pals as cute 'chibi' style 3D characters, no doubt getting into all kinds of fun. Speculation about what Sonic & Friends was going to be spread like wildfire a month ago when a trademark for the name appeared on Japanese websites, with further details suggesting that it was related to a new video game. A logo was more recently discovered, that evoked the same kind of child-like appearance that has eventually been revealed here. Turns out it was just a TikTok show this whole time. However, it's possible that, depending on the relative success of this animated series, SEGA may explore further merchandising opportunities with the new branding. And that may involve some kind of video game (although if it did, we suspect it would be more like a mobile game at this point). sonic-friends-teaser-video.mp4 SEGA Japan released a teaser video above, which you can also find on its TikTok channel. What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments section below!
  2. SEGA has finally revealed what the mysterious 'Sonic & Friends' branding is for in an official reveal teaser posted earlier today; it's a new series of animated shorts destined for the Japanese company's TikTok channel. Announced on the publisher's social media channel, the new series presented Sonic and his pals as cute 'chibi' style 3D characters, no doubt getting into all kinds of fun. Speculation about what Sonic & Friends was going to be spread like wildfire a month ago when a trademark for the name appeared on Japanese websites, with further details suggesting that it was related to a new video game. A logo was more recently discovered, that evoked the same kind of child-like appearance that has eventually been revealed here. Turns out it was just a TikTok show this whole time. However, it's possible that, depending on the relative success of this animated series, SEGA may explore further merchandising opportunities with the new branding. And that may involve some kind of video game (although if it did, we suspect it would be more like a mobile game at this point). sonic-friends-teaser-video.mp4 SEGA Japan released a teaser video above, which you can also find on its TikTok channel. What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments section below! View full story
  3. During an October 2021 investor presentation, WildBrain, the animation company producing Sonic Prime for Netflix, took the opportunity to play up their technical advancements while working on the series. Sonic Paradise picked up on the statement and grabbed a clip from the video presentation. From Logan McPherson, from the WildBrain Investors Day Transcript [Oct 5, 2021]: Calling action sequences Marvel-like is a tall order, but this was specifically aimed at investors, and comparing something to Disney has become easy "it will look good" shorthand for those who aren't interested in a nuanced discussion of the technical details. However, it does reaffirms a dedication to Sonic Prime being an action series, in contrast to 2014's Sonic Boom, which played out more sitcom than action-adventure. Details on the series itself remain tight, including its release window (still expected this year), leading some to worry about its production, schedule, and staffing. This may not alleviate all concerns, but it does give a window into how WildBrain is approaching the series' technical demands. WildBrain's current catalog includes many CG animated series across dozens of networks and licensing partnerships, but few CG shows they've produced in recent years would qualify as "action."
  4. After the past few days of leaks around the edges, the official Sonic YouTube channel has revealed the trailer for Sonic Origins. The game will be released on June 23, and will hit all major platforms (Switch/PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Series X|S/Epic/Steam). Gematsu reports the game to launch at $39.99 for the standard edition, and $44.99 for Digital Deluxe (more on that below). UPDATE: The game's official website states that Spain, France, Germany, and Italy will be getting the game on the 12th whenever you change the language. Seems that all dates have been changed to June 23rd now. Thanks to alexizaki for the news tip! The trailer features gorgeous animation in a similar style to the Sonic Mania animated sequences and explicitly promising even more animation. The trailer also confirms the replacement of Lives with a "Medallion" system in the game's Anniversary mode (as you'll notice in the UI). The game will include features both within and beyond previous HD remakes of the games, such as the ability to play as Tails and Knuckles in other games (with the exception that Knuckles won't be in CD, per Famitsu), and the Hidden Palace boss from the Sonic 2 iOS/Android remake. Famitsu reports further special features in the game, such as a Boss Rush mode, a "Mirror Mode" that flips the entire stage left to right, a "story mode" (unclear if this just refers to the animation sequences, or if it actually connects the four games), a mission mode, a museum collection, and leaderboards. We don't know much about the Mission mode yet, however screenshots of it show off a menu with the Veg-O-Fortress from Sonic Spinball, and a screenshot of Knuckles in S&K's Death Egg Zone (which he normally does not appear in) with a unique level layout, a timer, and a letter grade. Following Sega's recent releases, Origins will have a "Digital Deluxe" version, which is set to include an additional 11 "hard" missions, 73 extra music tracks in the museum from other Genesis and 32X games, bonus menu animations, 10 Classic mode backgrounds for the letterbox, and an "Island Camera." Gematsu confirms these Digital Deluxe features will also be available as DLC under the "Premium Fun Pack" at $3.99, with further music tracks available via the "Premium & Classic Sound Pack" for $3.99. Pre-orders will also get a "Start Dash Pack" unlocking Mirror mode, a Mega Drive background for Classic mode, and 100 coins. Be sure to stay with us as further details unfold.
  5. We still don't know a whole lot about Sonic Origins' touted "Story Mode," but we do know both Ian Flynn and Tyson Hesse are involved with the animated sequences. Flynn confirmed his contribution on the BumbleKing blog today: We don't quite know what "writing" entails here, considering that most recent iterations of Classic Sonic have all been silent. It is possible that there could be some amount of dialog, or that Flynn developed the context and events of the scenes prior to Powerhouse animating. At roughly the same time, Hesse also confirmed that he worked with Powerhouse for Origins, promising that there's more animation in the game beyond the bits we saw in the trailer: With Flynn contributing to Sonic Prime and writing for both Sonic Origins and Sonic Frontiers, and Hesse leading Sonic's design in both Paramount movies, the two are quickly becoming significant figures beyond the Sonic comics, and into the franchise as a whole.
  6. Alongside the latest TGS Trailer for Sonic Frontiers last week, Sonic Team revealed a new animated logo bump. The 5-second clip shows the titular blue streak collecting rings as the trail forms the Sonic Team logo. In an official blog post on Sonic Channel, producer and creative director Kazuyuki Hoshino optimistically touts the studio's staff and legacy: This follows Sonic Frontiers' director Morio Kishimoto hoping that the upcoming game bolsters the reputation of the studio. Confidence in Sonic Team has long been shaky within the fan community and especially outside of it. With Kishimoto approaching Frontiers as a generational shift in Sonic games, there is no time more pivotal for the studio to prove that its internal confidence is justified.
  7. Sonic fans are having a great year for content: we're less than two weeks away from the release of Sonic Frontiers and less than two months away from Netflix's Sonic Prime. The new animated series just dropped a one-minute trailer during Netflix's animation Twitch stream. The trailer highlights the action in the series along with the main plot. Sonic, having smashed the "Paradox Prism" is transported to a new dimension with his friends including Tails, Amy, Knuckles, and Rouge. The series also received an official release date: December 15. Check out the link below to see the full trailer.
  8. After much anticipation, today marks the release of Sonic Frontiers Prologue: Divergence, a Knuckles-focused animated short announced during the most recent Sonic Central presentation. The short focuses on Knuckles in an introspective moment as he contemplates his own isolation. With surprising directness, the story ties itself to the events of Sonic Adventure, as well as the precursor civilizations that exist on the fringes of Sonic lore. For Sonic continuity buffs, the short certainly suggest that the tendrils of the Starfall Islands have a very wide, very old reach. As with Sonic Frontiers proper, the short was written by Ian Flynn with consulting from Evan Stanley, with the animation itself handled once again by Tyson Hesse and Powerhouse Animation Studio. Dave Mitchell returns as Knuckles, though with significantly more nuanced dialog than in his prior performance in Team Sonic Racing. And to round out the veritable who's who of official Sonic projects, Tee Lopes composed the short's original music. Divergence gives a much heartier taste of Sonic Frontiers' story than Prologue: Convergence and plays into the tone that Frontiers on the whole has established. This isn't pure goofball Knucklehead, but the short strikes a balance of not being overly serious either. It builds itself upon the existing Sonic world, both classic and modern, while seeding Frontiers' own mysteries.
  9. With Sonic Prime approaching quickly (a week from now, if you're counting), Netflix After School has shared another clip of Sonic's alternate reality adventures, this time focusing on a Tails that never knew Sonic. Featuring sprite art flashbacks and striking consistency with the new cutscenes features in Sonic Origins, the "Eggman Council" universe twists Tails' backstory. Without Sonic protecting and inspiring him as a child, he used his technical skills to shelter himself away and defend himself from bullies, leading him to develop his mecha-kitsune spider legs. The first part of Sonic Prime premieres Dec. 15 on Netflix, with a special preview this Saturday within Roblox' Sonic Speed Simulator.
  10. Sonic Prime’s road to release has been excessively weird for me to experience as a Sonic Stadium writer, with an exceptionally strange advertising campaign. Yet I never for a moment thought that this show would make me watch its first episode inside a semi-official Sonic game built within a game making app. But it did, so I might as well talk about it! And my verdict on that episode? It’s good! The first episode, titled “Shattered,” sets up a character-driven adventure, that’s full of extremely well-animated action and is easily the most game-accurate version of the blue blur’s world ever put to screen. The writing, which is handled by Man of Action Studios, has plenty of heart, and while the humor isn’t usually laugh out loud funny, it’s also never painful. There’s solid drama and character moments to be had here, giving even non-Sonic fans something to get invested in. Ultimately, Sonic Prime reminds me of some of MoA’s better shows, more along the lines of Ben 10: Alien Force then Ultimate Spider-man. What I find most interesting about the episode is that it pretty explicitly sets up an arc for Sonic. Here, Sonic is arrogant and cocky, and clearly takes his friends for granted. In essence, Sonic has notable character flaws now! I’m sure some Sonic fans will take issue with this change, especially given that this is supposed to be canon to the games, but if Sonic Prime is going to work as a story focused on drama and character, it needs a way for its main character to develop! Prime gives this version of Sonic a way to positively grow and change as a person, without changing him so fundamentally that he doesn’t feel like Sonic anymore. And really, he does still feel like Sonic. Plenty of media in both the west and Japan has portrayed Sonic with a cocky attitude, but even now he is still incredibly confident in his abilities. Prime Sonic also still loves his friends and adventure, and has a great time kicking Eggman’s butt. Prime Sonic is still Sonic, just maybe…a little less mature. Or maybe he’s grown overconfident after years of effortlessly besting Eggman. I don’t know, my personal head canon doesn’t have much issue linking Sonic Prime with the existing games & comics canon. This doesn’t feel like whole new version of Sonic, but more like a version of game/IDW Sonic who is in a different place in his life. Aside from Sonic himself, Tails is the clear focus of Shattered, and he is great. In fact, this is probably my favorite version of Tails ever put to screen. Prime Tails feels absolutely dead-on to his game counterpart, a fine mix of brother-in-arms and boy genius sidekick. Once we get to the dystopian universe, Tails’ counterpart “Nine” takes center stage, giving us a look at a tragic version of the character who didn’t have Sonic around to help him growing up. The juxtaposition between Tails and Nine is interesting to see, and the revelation of what happened to Nine without Sonic, and Sonic’s reaction to it, is truly heartbreaking. Tails and Sonic’s brotherly bond is the heart of this episode, and if this is how Sonic Prime will be treating Sonic’s interactions with his other friends, we are in for some truly great stuff once the full show launches tomorrow. We don’t see much of Sonic’s other friends and enemies, but they also seem to be pretty accurate to their game counterparts, though Knuckles’ guardianship of the Master Emerald is left ambiguous. The show treats Knuckles just like Sonic’s other friends: a protector of Green Hill. Hopefully, his lore won’t be ignored once the show turns its focus to him. Dr. Eggman’s great, and anyone who was disappointed by how much more subdued he was in Frontiers will love how consistently over-the-top he is in Prime. Shattered’s got peak mad scientist Eggman, complete with his usual “messing with powers he does not understand” schtick. And “The Council” of Eggmen we get in the dystopian universe, while not especially interesting as foils to Eggman, is at least fun. Amy and Rouge are also solid, though aside from the superb performances from their voice actors, we don’t get much. Speaking of voice acting, this may very well be the most consistent cast we’ve ever gotten in a Sonic property since at least the days of Sonic SatAM. Devin Mack is an excellent Sonic, practically a middle ground between Roger Craig Smith and Ben Schwarz. He’s got great emotive range, which is key to some of the best moments in this show. Really, in terms of the quality of their performances, this goes for just about everybody. Ashleigh Ball’s Tails and Shannon Chan-Kent’s Amy Rose are both great, and Kazumi Evan’s Rouge may very well be the best the character has ever sounded. Vincent Tong’s Knuckles is solid, though his voice does sound a little…too deep, though I suspect I’ll get used to it as the show goes on. Top all this off with Brian Drummond’s wonderfully bombastic performance, and Sonic Prime truly feels like it has an all-star cast. Finally…we have the animation. Wildbrain has bragged about using Sonic Prime to refine their CG animation to movie quality and…yeah, I can tell. Even through Roblox’s weird compression and color issues, this show looks great. It is a genuine shame I had to experience it for the first time this way, because a Sonic show has never looked this good before. The models are gorgeous, and the sheer fluidity of the movement of everything in this is simply superb. The body language, the expressions, the action, it all animates so beautifully in a way that we rarely see in CG animation made for TV. While it is possible that the other episodes won’t look this good, Shattered leaves a heck of a first impression. So, I’ve had a lot of positive things to say about Sonic Prime’s first episode so far…but I do have some issues. In addition to the humor not always landing, the story makes one very odd choice: it chooses to center everything around Green Hill. Sonic doesn’t protect the world, he protects Green Hill. Eggman isn’t seeking to conquer the world, but transform Green Hill into a technological dystopia. Sonic opens the show talking about how great Green Hill is. When Sonic is transported to the dystopian universe, he realizes this by recognizing multiple Green Hill locations. Green Hill is pretty clearly the primary location where all these characters operate, which is strange considering even in the first game Sonic traveled across an entire island of locations, of which Green Hill was just one. It seems pretty clear that Sonic Prime is trying to simplify aspects of the lore to ease in non-Sonic fans, much like the first Sonic movie did. Even so, obsessing over Green Hill as the location simply feels like an odd choice. It seems the show is trying to utilize Sonic’s emotional investment in the location to more effectively invest viewers, but that simply doesn’t seem necessary when Sonic’s friends being changed and transported into a dystopia is enough on its own. Ultimately though, this one complaint of mine isn’t likely to ruin the show, especially given that we will still be seeing loads of different locations, pirate universe included. Honestly, it’s genuinely nice seeing Green Hill in a Sonic cartoon for the first time, and even though the lore feels simplified, this still manages to feel like an adventure straight out of the games, which is something I’ve never been able to say about a Sonic show before! On the whole, Sonic Prime has left a very good first impression on me. I’ve watched every Sonic show to ever release since I was a kid in the 90s, but I’ve only ever enjoyed two of them: Sonic SatAM & Sonic Boom. Sonic Prime not only seems set to join that shortlist, it at least feels like it has the potential to be at the top of it. I eagerly await the first batch of episodes! Sonic Prime’s first 8 episodes will release tomorrow, on December 15. We will have a proper review of all 8 episodes at a later date.
  11. SEGA has uploaded a clean version of that Sonic Superstars opening animation that we recorded during our Summer Game Fest coverage last month. With this, we also get our first taste of the game’s soundtrack! It seems Tee Lopes has confirmed that this particular track was produced by both him and Jun Senoue. You can check it out at the Sonic the Hedgehog Youtube channel, or in the embed below: Sonic Superstars is expected to launch sometime this fall.
  12. SEGA has uploaded a clean version of that Sonic Superstars opening animation that we recorded during our Summer Game Fest coverage last month. With this, we also get our first taste of the game’s soundtrack! It seems Tee Lopes has confirmed that this particular track was produced by both him and Jun Senoue. You can check it out at the Sonic the Hedgehog Youtube channel, or in the embed below: Sonic Superstars is expected to launch sometime this fall. Sonic News Tips Credit: Jango Original Post Content: View full story
  13. If you've been a fan of the prior 2D animation projects in Sonic Mania, Sonic Origins, and others, get excited, because Sonic Superstars has its own sequences! Our man-with-the-camera over on the show floor this week snagged a clip of the start screen, and the full intro cinematic! You can check it out here: The video includes a number of known aspects, like Fang, the multiplication power, and some weird robot armor dude? Is this our new antagonist? Beyond that, the intro features plenty of action from the cast as Tails and the Tornado catch Sonic mid-fall while Knuckles and Amy bash Badniks in a carnival. We'll continue to share fresh footage throughout our Summer Game Fest coverage, so stay tuned!
  14. If you've already watched the first few episodes of Sonic X in Japan (either on TV or via other methods...), you're probably obsessed with the opening theme of the new anime, just like we are. 'Sonic Drive' is an absolute banger of a song, and now you can choose to pre-order the CD single so you can play it whenever you like! This might sound a bit weird, but CD single releases for TV shows is not an unusual thing in Japan. Most opening and ending themes for shows (particularly anime) are performed and produced by big Japanese pop and rock stars, and Sonic Drive is no exception with the track involving legendary Japanese musician Hironobu Kageyama and singer Hideaki Takatori. 'Sonic Drive' is available to pre-order on CDJapan (English) and Neowing (Japanese), at a price of ¥1,048 (or $9.50 USD for import). It'll release on 28th May 2023 and will feature the following tracks: SONIC DRIVE Just call me SONIC~眩しい風になれ~ SONIC DRIVE(Original Karaoke) Now if you'll excuse us, we're going to pre-order and hum the song in our heads for the next couple of weeks.
  15. It was all going so well. After releasing a couple of box sets in the US, DIC Entertainment has apparently told the SatAM fanbase that it is unable to release any more DVDs due to a refusal by SEGA to continue working with the license. The news comes from prominent SatAM community members Sonique of Fans United for SatAM and Kanshisha of the SatAM Network, who have been in communication with DIC since the DVDs were first announced. "DiC Entertainment has been informed by Sega that they refuse to allow the release of another Sat-AM DVD. This is a shock as UAV Entertainment Corp was near completing the DVD along with Super Mario Bros and Legend of Zelda," Kanshisha wrote on Sonic HQ. Sonique had a few more choice words to say. "Time to protest! ... I'm angry now, but I promise you all as the lead person of the SatAM world, we will get this DVD out. I don't know how, but we will." Maybe there's just been a bit of a communications snafu? Hopefully we can get this resolved soon and more Sonic DVDs can be released.
  16. Anyone thinking that the new Sonic X cartoon will have a link to the video games will be disappointed, as Sonic Team head Yuji Naka confirmed that the show will be unrelated to the antics of the blue blur on consoles. "There are no ties to the game [in Sonic X]," Naka said at a press conference hosted by SEGA and TV Tokyo. "I am a fan of the games, and we created this show with the games in mind, but outside of that is a completely new world. "By using an alternative dimension, it gives the writers a chance to do some really interesting things using a 'different Sonic'," the developer added, referring specifically to the use of the 'X' in the show's title. The music of Sonic X was also discussed at the press conference. The opening theme was reportedly done by Hironobu Kageyama and Hideaki Takatori. SEGA also announced that the animation is "very important" to the company, and are looking into requests from North America, Europe and Asia to air the show in those markets. Source: ZDNet Japan (via The GHZ)
  17. Yep, finally some info on the new Sonic anime series! We have a teaser poster of the new series, which will have over 26 episodes (rumored to be 52 episodes) each lasting 30 minutes. Characters will include so far, Sonic, Knuckles, Tails, Amy, Rouge, Shadow, Eggman Cream and Cheese, and will mostly take over after Sonic Adventure. It's also rumored that it'll be dubbed and aired on Fox Kids, Cartoon Network or Nickelodeon in September in America. More news as I get it. Thanks to Shayne Thames for the extra information and heads up! Poster via Sonic HQ
  18. Ken Penders has revealed some more details on the Archie/SatAM-inspired Sonic the Hedgehog animation project he is reportedly working on. While the possibility of it being a third season of the SatAM cartoon was ruled out, Penders did let slip that he intends it to be a CGI feature film - one of several in fact - that will compare in quality to Pixar's Monsters Inc. Responding to a question on his message board as to whether his new project would be a new season of SatAM, Penders wrote, "whatever is developed has to be done with the general audience in mind beyond Sonic fandom in particular, so don't be surprised if the overall plot is more in line with what you'd expect from the first film of a series, rather than something you'd expect from a third season or later entry in a film series." Later, he added that he previously worked with SatAM cartoon writer Ben Hurst on plans for an 'animated Sonic film', and reached out to SEGA about the opportunity without much luck. Hurst has also given the Archie continuity his blessing, Penders wrote, "acknowledging not only [that] we have been faithful to the work he and his co-horts have done, but have been the major force to keeping Sonic before the public on a regular basis." The Archie writer and artist noted that he doesn't want rumours "to get out of hand", so has revealed the following information about the project too. We've included it in full below. Source: Ken Penders
  19. Turns out there might be another Sonic animation in the works on top of the one SEGA is already apparently producing. And it could be an Archie-influenced production! Sonic comic artist and writer Ken Penders revealed that he has been in talks with animators about making a Knuckles comic-based series. In a post on his message board, Penders said that the discussions are in the initial phase but due to SEGA's feedback it will likely feature both Sonic and Knuckles. Full message board announcement can be seen below.
  20. We are increasingly living in a golden age of Sonic television media. We not only have two TV shows in production, but nearly every Sonic TV show is now back in print with new Complete Series releases! The latest show to get this treatment is DiC’s final Sonic show, Sonic Underground. This releases marks the show’s first appearance on physical media since 2017, and the first time it has ever received a Complete Series release in a single volume. The show will span 4 DVDs, and has an MSRP of $24.99. It is scheduled to release on July 25, 2023. You can find the original listing we used for this report here. If you want to read up on Sonic Underground, we have a helpful guide on Sonic’s many forays into TV here. Check out the DVD box art below: With this release, only a few Sonic TV releases remain out of print: Sonic Christmas Blast, and more frustratingly, Sonic the Hedgehog SatAM and the Sonic the Hedgehog OVA. Here’s hoping this is rectified soon!
  21. We are increasingly living in a golden age of Sonic television media. We not only have two TV shows in production, but nearly every Sonic TV show is now back in print with new Complete Series releases! The latest show to get this treatment is DiC’s final Sonic show, Sonic Underground. This releases marks the show’s first appearance on physical media since 2017, and the first time it has ever received a Complete Series release in a single volume. The show will span 4 DVDs, and has an MSRP of $24.99. It is scheduled to release on July 25, 2023. You can find the original listing we used for this report here. If you want to read up on Sonic Underground, we have a helpful guide on Sonic’s many forays into TV here. Check out the DVD box art below: With this release, only a few Sonic TV releases remain out of print: Sonic Christmas Blast, and more frustratingly, Sonic the Hedgehog SatAM and the Sonic the Hedgehog OVA. Here’s hoping this is rectified soon! View full story
  22. Sonic Labyrinth, a Game Gear game that combines Sonic with Marble Madness, is definitely one of Sonic’s more obscure games. It’s so obscure, in fact, that Ian Flynn has said on his Bumblekast podcast that it currently isn’t canon. Nevertheless, the official Sonic twitter account has taken the cute drawings from the game’s manual that tell the game’s plot, and have turned it into a little silent motion comic. You can check it out in the embedded tweet below: In the game, Robotnik replaces Sonic’s shoes with special shoes that slow him down. Sonic must go into the game’s titular labyrinth to get the chaos emeralds back from Robotnik in order to get the shoes off. Sonic Labyrinth released on the Game Gear in November 1995 and was later re-released via Sonic Adventure DX and the 3DS eShop. It will also be apart of the Sonic Origins Plus DLC, coming June 23.
  23. Sonic Labyrinth, a Game Gear game that combines Sonic with Marble Madness, is definitely one of Sonic’s more obscure games. It’s so obscure, in fact, that Ian Flynn has said on his Bumblekast podcast that it currently isn’t canon. Nevertheless, the official Sonic twitter account has taken the cute drawings from the game’s manual that tell the game’s plot, and have turned it into a little silent motion comic. You can check it out in the embedded tweet below: In the game, Robotnik replaces Sonic’s shoes with special shoes that slow him down. Sonic must go into the game’s titular labyrinth to get the chaos emeralds back from Robotnik in order to get the shoes off. Sonic Labyrinth released on the Game Gear in November 1995 and was later re-released via Sonic Adventure DX and the 3DS eShop. It will also be apart of the Sonic Origins Plus DLC, coming June 23. Sonic News Tips Credit: Sonictrainer Original Post Content: View full story
  24. Sonic Prime’s road to release has been excessively weird for me to experience as a Sonic Stadium writer, with an exceptionally strange advertising campaign. Yet I never for a moment thought that this show would make me watch its first episode inside a semi-official Sonic game built within a game making app. But it did, so I might as well talk about it! And my verdict on that episode? It’s good! The first episode, titled “Shattered,” sets up a character-driven adventure, that’s full of extremely well-animated action and is easily the most game-accurate version of the blue blur’s world ever put to screen. The writing, which is handled by Man of Action Studios, has plenty of heart, and while the humor isn’t usually laugh out loud funny, it’s also never painful. There’s solid drama and character moments to be had here, giving even non-Sonic fans something to get invested in. Ultimately, Sonic Prime reminds me of some of MoA’s better shows, more along the lines of Ben 10: Alien Force then Ultimate Spider-man. What I find most interesting about the episode is that it pretty explicitly sets up an arc for Sonic. Here, Sonic is arrogant and cocky, and clearly takes his friends for granted. In essence, Sonic has notable character flaws now! I’m sure some Sonic fans will take issue with this change, especially given that this is supposed to be canon to the games, but if Sonic Prime is going to work as a story focused on drama and character, it needs a way for its main character to develop! Prime gives this version of Sonic a way to positively grow and change as a person, without changing him so fundamentally that he doesn’t feel like Sonic anymore. And really, he does still feel like Sonic. Plenty of media in both the west and Japan has portrayed Sonic with a cocky attitude, but even now he is still incredibly confident in his abilities. Prime Sonic also still loves his friends and adventure, and has a great time kicking Eggman’s butt. Prime Sonic is still Sonic, just maybe…a little less mature. Or maybe he’s grown overconfident after years of effortlessly besting Eggman. I don’t know, my personal head canon doesn’t have much issue linking Sonic Prime with the existing games & comics canon. This doesn’t feel like whole new version of Sonic, but more like a version of game/IDW Sonic who is in a different place in his life. Aside from Sonic himself, Tails is the clear focus of Shattered, and he is great. In fact, this is probably my favorite version of Tails ever put to screen. Prime Tails feels absolutely dead-on to his game counterpart, a fine mix of brother-in-arms and boy genius sidekick. Once we get to the dystopian universe, Tails’ counterpart “Nine” takes center stage, giving us a look at a tragic version of the character who didn’t have Sonic around to help him growing up. The juxtaposition between Tails and Nine is interesting to see, and the revelation of what happened to Nine without Sonic, and Sonic’s reaction to it, is truly heartbreaking. Tails and Sonic’s brotherly bond is the heart of this episode, and if this is how Sonic Prime will be treating Sonic’s interactions with his other friends, we are in for some truly great stuff once the full show launches tomorrow. We don’t see much of Sonic’s other friends and enemies, but they also seem to be pretty accurate to their game counterparts, though Knuckles’ guardianship of the Master Emerald is left ambiguous. The show treats Knuckles just like Sonic’s other friends: a protector of Green Hill. Hopefully, his lore won’t be ignored once the show turns its focus to him. Dr. Eggman’s great, and anyone who was disappointed by how much more subdued he was in Frontiers will love how consistently over-the-top he is in Prime. Shattered’s got peak mad scientist Eggman, complete with his usual “messing with powers he does not understand” schtick. And “The Council” of Eggmen we get in the dystopian universe, while not especially interesting as foils to Eggman, is at least fun. Amy and Rouge are also solid, though aside from the superb performances from their voice actors, we don’t get much. Speaking of voice acting, this may very well be the most consistent cast we’ve ever gotten in a Sonic property since at least the days of Sonic SatAM. Devin Mack is an excellent Sonic, practically a middle ground between Roger Craig Smith and Ben Schwarz. He’s got great emotive range, which is key to some of the best moments in this show. Really, in terms of the quality of their performances, this goes for just about everybody. Ashleigh Ball’s Tails and Shannon Chan-Kent’s Amy Rose are both great, and Kazumi Evan’s Rouge may very well be the best the character has ever sounded. Vincent Tong’s Knuckles is solid, though his voice does sound a little…too deep, though I suspect I’ll get used to it as the show goes on. Top all this off with Brian Drummond’s wonderfully bombastic performance, and Sonic Prime truly feels like it has an all-star cast. Finally…we have the animation. Wildbrain has bragged about using Sonic Prime to refine their CG animation to movie quality and…yeah, I can tell. Even through Roblox’s weird compression and color issues, this show looks great. It is a genuine shame I had to experience it for the first time this way, because a Sonic show has never looked this good before. The models are gorgeous, and the sheer fluidity of the movement of everything in this is simply superb. The body language, the expressions, the action, it all animates so beautifully in a way that we rarely see in CG animation made for TV. While it is possible that the other episodes won’t look this good, Shattered leaves a heck of a first impression. So, I’ve had a lot of positive things to say about Sonic Prime’s first episode so far…but I do have some issues. In addition to the humor not always landing, the story makes one very odd choice: it chooses to center everything around Green Hill. Sonic doesn’t protect the world, he protects Green Hill. Eggman isn’t seeking to conquer the world, but transform Green Hill into a technological dystopia. Sonic opens the show talking about how great Green Hill is. When Sonic is transported to the dystopian universe, he realizes this by recognizing multiple Green Hill locations. Green Hill is pretty clearly the primary location where all these characters operate, which is strange considering even in the first game Sonic traveled across an entire island of locations, of which Green Hill was just one. It seems pretty clear that Sonic Prime is trying to simplify aspects of the lore to ease in non-Sonic fans, much like the first Sonic movie did. Even so, obsessing over Green Hill as the location simply feels like an odd choice. It seems the show is trying to utilize Sonic’s emotional investment in the location to more effectively invest viewers, but that simply doesn’t seem necessary when Sonic’s friends being changed and transported into a dystopia is enough on its own. Ultimately though, this one complaint of mine isn’t likely to ruin the show, especially given that we will still be seeing loads of different locations, pirate universe included. Honestly, it’s genuinely nice seeing Green Hill in a Sonic cartoon for the first time, and even though the lore feels simplified, this still manages to feel like an adventure straight out of the games, which is something I’ve never been able to say about a Sonic show before! On the whole, Sonic Prime has left a very good first impression on me. I’ve watched every Sonic show to ever release since I was a kid in the 90s, but I’ve only ever enjoyed two of them: Sonic SatAM & Sonic Boom. Sonic Prime not only seems set to join that shortlist, it at least feels like it has the potential to be at the top of it. I eagerly await the first batch of episodes! Sonic Prime’s first 8 episodes will release tomorrow, on December 15. We will have a proper review of all 8 episodes at a later date. View full story
  25. With Sonic Prime approaching quickly (a week from now, if you're counting), Netflix After School has shared another clip of Sonic's alternate reality adventures, this time focusing on a Tails that never knew Sonic. Featuring sprite art flashbacks and striking consistency with the new cutscenes features in Sonic Origins, the "Eggman Council" universe twists Tails' backstory. Without Sonic protecting and inspiring him as a child, he used his technical skills to shelter himself away and defend himself from bullies, leading him to develop his mecha-kitsune spider legs. The first part of Sonic Prime premieres Dec. 15 on Netflix, with a special preview this Saturday within Roblox' Sonic Speed Simulator. View full story
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