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00:00:00 – 00:10:47
The video explores the distinct design and backstory variations of Sonic the Hedgehog between Japanese and American versions. It highlights how American box art, influenced by artist Greg Martin, made Sonic look edgier with notable features like "fat fingers," a "pregnant belly," and a mohawk style for his spines. Meanwhile, the Western canon introduced through the "Sonic Bible" depicted Sonic's origins differently, presenting him initially as a brown hedgehog named Sunny who turned blue due to a scientific experiment. This narrative evolved over time, shifting settings from Earth to Mobius and introducing new characters such as Johnny Lightfoot, Porker Lewis, and Sally Acorn. The video also touches on the eventual alignment of Western and Japanese canons with the release of Sonic Adventure, adopting the name Eggman. Additionally, the speaker expresses a preference for the Japanese box art, praising its inspirational texts and detailed design nuances. The discussion concludes with observations on the similarities between the classic Sonic from Sonic Generations and the American Sonic design.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, the creator discusses the differences in Sonic the Hedgehog’s design between the Japanese and American box art. They note that American box art traditionally makes characters look edgier, which is why Sonic was slightly redesigned by artist Greg Martin for U.S. promotional material. Key criticisms of the American Sonic’s design include his “fat fingers,” “pregnant belly,” “bowlegged posture,” “tiny feet,” and a repetitive shiny look with a monotone smile. The most contentious design change was Sonic’s spines being depicted in a mohawk style, which influenced Western media portrayals like cartoons and comics. The segment also touches on the unsettling portrayal of Robotnik’s eyes as black voids in American art, which contrasts the Japanese depiction where he wears glasses, suggesting the dark eyes may have been intended to make him more menacing.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, it delves into the unique and varied origins of Sonic the Hedgehog as portrayed by Sega of America. It highlights that Sega of America not only had a distinct design for Sonic but also their own canon backstory outlined in the Sonic Bible, an internal document. Three versions of this Sonic Bible exist online, with the earliest detailing Sonic’s beginnings as a brown hedgehog named “Sunny” from Nebraska, who turns blue after a treadmill experiment conducted by the friendly Dr. Ovi Kintobor. A mishap involving the Chaos Emeralds transforms Kintobor into the villainous Dr. Ivo Robotnik. This origin story evolved over drafts, shifting Sonic’s setting from Earth to the fictional planet Mobius and focusing on his animal friends rather than a hedgehog family. This backstory was considered canon in the West in the 90s, as evidenced by a rare 16-page promotional comic and mentions in various publications. Although it wasn’t included in the U.S. game manuals or media, the UK embraced it in the “Stay Sonic” book, influencing the Sonic the Comic series. The video points out that this Western canon introduced names for Sonic’s friends, such as Johnny Lightfoot, Porker Lewis, and Sally Acorn, the latter becoming prominent in the Archie comics and the Saturday morning cartoon.
00:06:00
In this segment, the speaker discusses how the Western canon for Sonic the Hedgehog was aligned with the Japanese canon following the release of Sonic Adventure, including dropping the name Robotnik for Eggman. They reference a 1997 snapshot of Sega’s official website, which still featured Sonic’s original backstory. The speaker compares various box art styles between American and Japanese versions, expressing a preference for the Japanese designs, particularly noting the motivational English text often found on them. These texts provided inspirational messages, adding a unique flair to the Japanese covers. The segment highlights the distinct differences in design and presentation between regions and how these nuances contributed to fans’ experiences.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the unique design elements of the classic Sonic character from Sonic Generations, noting its resemblance to Greg Martin’s American Sonic design. Key points include the pronounced eyebrows, the distinct brow fur between Sonic’s eyes unique to the American version, and the slightly bent forward ears. The speaker concludes by expressing fascination with the unusual text found on Japanese covers, wishing more people were aware of it.