With Sonic Prime on the horizon and with me caught up with all past Sonic Cartoons, I figured why not go ahead and share my quick take on each one. While I am a bit too bias to give each series a proper review, I can at least give a general idea of what to expect and maybe you can find some enjoyment in re-visiting these old animations. So, click "read more" and let the countdown begin.
#1: Sonic the Hedgehog (SATAM)
It pains me to talk about this because it is a story that never got to finish, but there is no denying the love that went into this cartoons short run. This was a more serious and environmental themed version of Sonic that followed much more in-line with the comic books. There is drama, romance, a diverse cast, and it is one of the few times Robotnik actually comes off as intimidating. Highly worth checking out.
#2: Sonic Boom
Here is something the total opposite of SATAM, Sonic Boom the series. Following the infamous video games we got this cartoon that I feel is highly underrated. It is not meant to be taken too seriously, but instead focus on comedy with some fun action. This is one of the few shows that made me pause the episode because I was laughing too much. Really, it is sad this show ended after such a short run, it wasn't ground breaking but it had a well developed world and very likable characters. I actually grew to prefer these re-designs of some of them, especially Amy. Granted, this kind of humor does not work for everyone, and existing Sonic fans will get more enjoyment out of it especially with the 4th wall breaking, but I truly think Sonic Boom deserved more attention then it got.
#3: Sonic X
I know this anime gets a lot of hate because of its heavily edited dub, but the original is still a very solid anime. Season 1 told a story about Sonic and company ending up in the human world where they still battled Eggman and slowly made a place for themselves in this new world. Next, season 2 re-told the stories of the 2 Sonic adventure games as well as Sonic Battle. Lastly, Season 3 was an epic adventure through space to save all life in the universe with new villains and some serious drama. While this is not one of the greatest anime, Chris is annoying for most of the first 2 seasons and a lot of the writing is pretty basic, it is still enjoyable and faithful to the characters.
#4: Sonic the Movie (anime)
What on Earth is this? Years before Sonic X, there was a pitch for a Sonic anime that did not get the green light and its two OVA's were merged into this little movie. (Too bad, it actually seemed like this anime had a world that could have made decent stories.) It was dubbed and released as a direct to video movie in 1999 and I was one of those kids that had that random VHS tape of it. This is a charming little flick in a crazy universe for Sonic that places him against Metal Sonic and a crazy underworld of robots. This is fairly low on the list because while it is fun, it is also flawed. There are a few too many silly moments, pacing is a little rushed, Eggman's plot is overly complicated, some of the characters like the mayor's daughter can get really annoying, and Sonic acts like a jerk in it. Still, it is an interesting piece of Sonic history that I believe is at least an interesting story to tell. At the very least, it is still fun action with familiar music and a lot of nods to the games.
#5: Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog
Now we have reached some more infamous choices. I have a lot of nostalgia for this cartoon so I will admit to being bias, but I do think this is over-hated. It is a silly cartoon that tries to be funny with slapstick humor and goofball characters that also throws in some PSA to try and teach a lesson on every episode. There are a lot of things that can turn off people from this cartoon. If you aren't into the silly humor then you will probably find this annoying. Also, the villains very feel like any big threat. But, this was clearly not meant to be anything deep or serious, just a good time and I personally find it harmless. Besides, this might be the only version of Eggman/Robotnik that features his mother.
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#6: Sonic Underground
I honestly don't hate Sonic Underground, but it is the weakest in my opinion. Sure Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog wasn't as well written, but at least it was consistent with what it was, Underground tried to be both that and the serious theme of SATAM. The setting is post apocalyptic like SATAM but it has goofball characters like Adventures and the show was inconsistent with some odd choices. Even as a kid I thought it was weird to give Sonic a brother and sister and make them all be a band with magic instruments that are also weapons. Those songs are very forgettable to decent at best. Still, it's not horrible; the lost mother storyline isn't bad, action and animation are good, and every character has a lot of personality. Overall, this one should only be looked at with a grain of salt.
That's every animated Sonic so far besides the 2020 film and the upcoming Sonic Prime. Some people love them, some hate them, I personally found even the worst cartoon to still be at enjoyable levels. Please let me know which cartoon was your favorite. Until next time, peace.
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