Editing Sonic the Hedgehog (character) (section)

==History==
[[File:Mr. Hedgehog Ohshima concept art.png|thumb|left|The initial sketches of Sonic by [[Naoto Ohshima]], under the moniker "Mr. Hedgehog"]]
While Sega was seeking a flagship series to compete with Nintendo's [[Mario (franchise)|Mario series]], several character designs were submitted by its research and development department. Many results came forth from their experiments with character design, including an armadillo, a dog, a [[Theodore Roosevelt]] look-alike in pajamas (who would later be the basis of [[Doctor Eggman]]'s design), and a rabbit (who would use its extendable ears to collect objects, an aspect later incorporated in ''[[Ristar]]'').<ref name="GameTap retro">{{cite video|title= Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective|url= https://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9FDFDA14B6D95A9E|access-date= February 21, 2009|archive-date= July 31, 2013|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130731093446/http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=9FDFDA14B6D95A9E|url-status= live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.kafka-is-silly.net/sonicworld/angel_island_interviews/interviews/1992/sonic_1992_unknown_1.htm |title=Sega Visions Interview with Yuji Naka |date=October 1992 |access-date=June 28, 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070928010746/http://www.kafka-is-silly.net/sonicworld/angel_island_interviews/interviews/1992/sonic_1992_unknown_1.htm |archive-date=September 28, 2007}}</ref> [[Naoto Ohshima]] took some of these internal designs with him on a trip to New York City and sought feedback by asking random passersby at [[Central Park]] their opinions; of the designs, the spiky teal hedgehog, initially codenamed {{nihongo|"Mr. Hedgehog"|Mr.ハリネズミ|Mr. Harinezumi}},<ref>{{multiref2|{{Cite tweet |last=Naka |first=Yūji |user=nakayuji |number=1353259189389332480 |title=悔しいのでもう一度挑戦しましたがもっと判らなかった感じです。「セガの看板キャラクターであるソニック。世に出る前に彼に付けられていた名前を選べ」と言う問題が判りませんでした。作った人なのにね セガい共通テスト受験終了！ https://segatest.sega.com/segatest/share/jp/finish.html #SEGA60th #セガい共通テスト #SEGATEST}}|{{Cite tweet |last=Okunari |first=Yosuke |user=okunari |number=1353265118465822720 |title=これ、大島さんのラフの横に書かれた「Mr.ハリネズミ」という文字をアメリカ人が英訳した表現を言っているので、「ミスター・ニードルマウス」だと生みの親であっても日本人には？？？となりますよねw}}|{{Cite tweet |last=Naka |first=Yūji |user=nakayuji |number=1353274025393352705 |title=なんだそれ。Mr.ハリネズミだとMr.hedgehogになるのでは？誰がミスターニードルマウスと言ったのかなあ}}|{{Cite tweet |last=Okunari |first=Yosuke |user=okunari |number=1353275479625588737 |title=多分ソースは北米ファンサイトがどこかの雑誌か映像から拾った画像かと思われます http://info.sonicretro.org/Mr._Needlemouse}}|{{Cite tweet |last=Naka |first=Yūji |user=nakayuji |number=1353276720011386881 |title=これファンが言っていたのだとすると、世に出る前と言う問題はおかしいよね？ まあ「はり」「ねずみ」をそれぞれ英訳したんだろうけど、使った覚えのないミスターニードルマウスって違和感あるよ。まあ正解はしたけどね。}}
}}</ref>{{efn|"Mr. Hedgehog" is commonly, but inaccurately, translated literally as "Mr. Needlemouse".}} led this informal poll, followed by Eggman and the dog character. Ohshima felt that people selected it because it "transcends race and gender and things like that".<ref name="gamasutra gdc2018">{{cite web | url = https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/-i-sonic-the-hedgehog-i-s-origin-story-according-to-the-devs-who-made-him | title = Sonic the Hedgehog's origin story, according to the devs who made him | first = Alex | last = Wawro | date = March 21, 2018 | access-date = March 21, 2018 | work = [[Game Developer (website)|Game Developer]] | archive-date = February 1, 2022 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20220201110459/https://www.gamedeveloper.com/design/-i-sonic-the-hedgehog-i-s-origin-story-according-to-the-devs-who-made-him | url-status = live }}</ref> On return to Japan, Ohshima pitched this to the department, and the hedgehog was ultimately selected as the new [[mascot]].

The detailed design of Sonic was aimed to be something that could be easily drawn by children and be familiar, as well as exhibit a "cool" attitude, representative of the United States at the time.<ref name="gamasutra gdc2018"/> Sonic's blue pigmentation was chosen to match Sega's cobalt blue logo, and his shoes evolved from a design inspired by both [[Santa Claus]]<ref>"Regarding the red shoes, Naoto Ohshima, who was the character designer felt that red was a necessary color from a game standpoint. While thinking about the design, he referenced images of Santa Claus." [[Takashi Iizuka (game designer)|Takashi Iizuka]] - [[Sonic the Hedgehog (film)|Sonic the Hedgehog]] (2020 film) - The Blue Blur: Origins of Sonic (Blu-Ray extra)</ref> and [[Michael Jackson]]'s boots with the addition of the color red, which was inspired by the contrast of those colors on Jackson's 1987 album ''[[Bad (album)|Bad]]''; his personality was based on then-[[Governor of Arkansas]] and later President of the United States [[Bill Clinton]]'s "Get it done" attitude.<ref name="GameTap retro" /><ref name="Gamasutra Ohshima">{{cite web | last=Sheffield | first=Brandon | work=[[Gamasutra]] | publisher=[[UBM plc]] | url=http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4208/out_of_the_blue_naoto_ohshima_.php?page=2 | title=Out of the Blue: Naoto Ohshima Speaks | date=December 4, 2009 | access-date=February 15, 2012 | quote=The original Nights was chiefly made with the Japanese and European audiences in mind -- Sonic, meanwhile, was squarely aimed at the U.S. market....[Sonic is] a character that I think is suited to America -- or, at least, the image I had of America at the time. ... Well, he's blue because that's Sega's more-or-less official company color. His shoes were inspired by the cover to Michael Jackson's ''Bad'', which contrasted heavily between white and red -- that Santa Claus-type color. I also thought that red went well for a character who can run really fast, when his legs are spinning. | archive-date=July 16, 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150716002842/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4208/out_of_the_blue_naoto_ohshima_.php?page=2 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Yahoo Playback | publisher=Yahoo, Inc. | url=http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-94/1380785 | title=Yahoo Playback #94 | access-date=December 13, 2009 | url-status=dead | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091222030512/http://videogames.yahoo.com/events/playback/playback-94/1380785 | archive-date=December 22, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | author=Brian Ashcraft | publisher=Kotaku | url=http://kotaku.com/5420201/sonics-shoes-inspired-by-michael-jackson | title=Sonic's Shoes Inspired by Michael Jackson | date=7 December 2009 | access-date=December 13, 2009 | archive-date=30 October 2015 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151030030210/http://kotaku.com/5420201/sonics-shoes-inspired-by-michael-jackson | url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D9h-4vQUHM&t=245s|title=Sonic the Hedgehog GameTap Retrospective Pt. 1/4 (Watch in HD!)|author=[[GameTap]]|publisher=YouTube|date=February 6, 2009|accessdate=April 23, 2024|quote=If there was a problem, Bill Clinton took action right away. I saw that American attitude on TV. That was the kind of character I wanted to make.}}</ref> To help sell the idea to Sega's higher-ups, Ohshima pitched the concept framed by a fictional fighter pilot that had earned the name "Hedgehog" due to his spiky hair, and had decorated his plane with images of Sonic. When this pilot retired, he married a children's book author, who wrote stories about the Sonic character, the first which became the plot for the first ''Sonic'' game; Ohshima stated that this influence can be seen in the logo of the game, which features Sonic in a pilot's wing emblem.<ref name="gamasutra gdc2018"/>

The origins of ''Sonic'' can be traced farther back to a draft created by [[Naoto Ōshima]] in 1989, which years later turned into Sonic. [[Yuji Naka]] implemented the idea of a character running inside loops with an algorithm that allowed a sprite to move smoothly on a curve by determining its position with a [[dot matrix]]. This concept was subsequently fleshed out by designer [[Hirokazu Yasuhara]].<ref name="Yasuhara">{{cite magazine|author=GI Staff|title=Sonic's Architect: GI Interviews Hirokazu Yasuhara|magazine=[[Game Informer]]|issue=124|volume=13|date=August 2003|pages=114–116}}</ref>

Sonic was created without the ability to swim because of a mistaken assumption by Yuji Naka that all hedgehogs could not do so.<ref name="videogamer swim">{{cite web |url=http://www.videogamer.com/news/revealed_why_sonic_cant_swim.html |title=Revealed: Why Sonic can't swim |date=February 2009 |access-date=February 27, 2009 |archive-date=June 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210601175650/https://www.videogamer.com/news/revealed_why_sonic_cant_swim.html |url-status=live }}</ref> A group of fifteen people started working on the [[Sonic the Hedgehog (1991 video game)|first ''Sonic the Hedgehog'' game]], and renamed themselves [[Sonic Team]]. The game's soundtrack was composed by [[Masato Nakamura]] of the band [[Dreams Come True (band)|Dreams Come True]]. Sega sponsored the group's "Wonder 3" tour, painting Sonic on the tour bus, distributing pamphlets advertising the game, and having footage of the game broadcast above stage prior to its release.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sega.com/sonic/globalsonic/post_sonicteam.php?article=nakamura|publisher=Sonic Central|title=Masato Nakamura interview|format=flash|access-date=February 7, 2006|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081223022942/http://www.sega.com/sonic/globalsonic/post_sonicteam.php?article=nakamura|archive-date=December 23, 2008}}</ref> The original concepts gave Sonic fangs and put him in a band with a human girlfriend named Madonna. However, a team from Sega of America, led by Madeline Schroeder, who calls herself "Sonic's mother",<ref name="GameTap retro" /> "softened" the character up for an American audience by removing those elements. This sparked a heated issue with Sonic Team. Naka later admitted that it was probably for the best.<ref name="GameTap retro" />

Sonic's appearance varies greatly depending on the [[media (communication)|medium]] and the style in which he is drawn. In the video games, Sonic's original design by Ohshima was short and round, with short quills, a round body, and no visible irises. Artwork featuring this design and drawn by Akira Watanabe was displayed on the package artwork for ''Sonic the Hedgehog''.<ref name="sega illustrations">{{cite book|title=Sega Video Game Illustrations|year=1994|publisher=Nippon Shuppan Hanbai (Deutschland) GmbH|isbn=3-910052-50-9}}</ref> Sonic's proportions would change for the release of ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog 2]]'' on the Mega Drive; Sonic's head to height ratio was changed from 1:2 to 1:2.5.<ref name="sega illustrations" /> For the 1998 release of ''[[Sonic Adventure]]'', Sonic was redesigned by Yuji Uekawa as a character with longer legs and a less spherical body, longer and more drooping quills, and green-colored irises. For the [[Sonic the Hedgehog (2006 video game)|2006 game]], Sonic was redesigned to make him look adult-like and taller to appeal to the next generation players.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-nKwLLB6Yg| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140203060551/http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-nKwLLB6Yg| archive-date=2014-02-03 | url-status=dead|title=Sonic 06 Developer Interview |work=Sonic Team USA|access-date=October 21, 2013}}</ref> This was also done because Sonic would interact with humans more often and his design was supposed to fit.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://interviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/1590/E3-2006-Sonic-Team-Interview/p2/|title=E3 2006: Sonic Team Interview|publisher=GameSpy|date=May 24, 2006|access-date=October 21, 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131022060541/http://interviews.teamxbox.com/xbox/1590/E3-2006-Sonic-Team-Interview/p2/|archive-date=October 22, 2013}}</ref> An alternative "Werehog" form was introduced in ''[[Sonic Unleashed]]'', placing more emphasis on Sonic's melee skills rather than speed. Although Tetsu Katano acknowledged the large negative fan response to the Werehog, he believes it could return in a future game.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89847-Sonic-Unleasheds-Werehog-Will-Return|title=Sonic Unleashed's Werehog Will Return|publisher=Escapist Magazine|date=March 2, 2009|author=Ng, Kaeng|access-date=October 21, 2013|archive-date=July 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190726061010/http://www.escapistmagazine.com/news/view/89847-Sonic-Unleasheds-Werehog-Will-Return|url-status=dead}}</ref>

Bob Raffei, CEO of ''Sonic Boom'' developer Big Red Button, stated that ''Sonic Boom''{{'s}} Sonic is "very different... both in tone and art direction." That version has blue-furred arms, more quills, and wears a brown neckerchief around his neck and athletic sports tape on his wrists and shoes.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.polygon.com/2014/2/6/5386746/sonic-boom-wii-u-nintendo-3ds-sega|title=Sonic Boom gives Sega's series a new look, two new developers|website=Polygon|date=6 February 2014|access-date=February 10, 2019|archive-date=18 April 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230418134936/https://www.polygon.com/2014/2/6/5386746/sonic-boom-wii-u-nintendo-3ds-sega|url-status=live}}</ref>

===Voice portrayal===
[[File:Roger Craig Smith (52551095867).jpg|165px|thumbnail|[[Roger Craig Smith]] (pictured in 2022) has been the voice actor for the character in most English language media since 2010.|left]]
Sonic originally had a few voice samples in ''[[Sonic CD]]'', with designer Masato Nishimura providing the voice.<ref name="Nishimura">{{cite web|title=Masato Nishimura (Mazin) on Twitter: "あ、それから、プレイ中にコントローラ放置してるとソニックが飛び降りて行ってしまう時のセリフは「I'm outta here」ではなく「I'm outer here」って言ってます。あばよ！ってニュアンスのセリフですね。ちなみに1up時のYES!も含め私が声をやりました。"|url=https://twitter.com/Mazin__/status/884013547952328704|date=July 9, 2017|publisher=Twitter|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref><ref name="ManyVoices">{{cite web|last1=Terell|first1=Connor|title=The Many Voices Of Sonic The Hedgehog|url=https://www.cultureslate.com/explained/the-many-voices-of-sonic-the-hedgehog|date=February 11, 2025|publisher=CultureSlate|access-date=April 12, 2025}}</ref> Sonic's first true voice actor was [[Takeshi Kusao]] for the arcade game ''[[SegaSonic the Hedgehog]]'',<ref name="ManyVoices"/> with [[Junichi Kanemaru]] continually voicing the role beginning with the release of ''[[Sonic Adventure]]''. Kanemaru also voices Sonic in ''[[Sonic X]]'', ''[[Sonic Boom (TV series)|Sonic Boom]]'', and the Japanese dub of the ''[[Wreck-It Ralph (franchise)|Wreck-It Ralph]]'' films.<ref name="Kanemaru">{{cite web|url=https://www.animatetimes.com/news/details.php?id=1458548005|title=ソニック役でお馴染み、金丸淳一さん声優30周年！ オリジナルアルバム再販記念ロングインタビュー|publisher=Animate|work=Animate Times|access-date=April 12, 2025|date=March 21, 2016 |language=ja |trans-title=}}</ref> In ''[[Sonic Unleashed]]'', Sonic was voiced by [[Tomokazu Seki]] while in Werehog form. [[Jaleel White]] voiced the character in the [[DiC Entertainment|DiC]] animated series ''[[Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog]]'', ''[[Sonic the Hedgehog (TV series)|Sonic SatAM]]'', and ''[[Sonic Underground]]''.<ref name="AV: Seasons">{{cite web|last1=Lee|first1=Patrick|date=September 30, 2015|title=A hedgehog for all seasons: Our guide to 20 manic years of Sonic cartoons|url=https://www.avclub.com/a-hedgehog-for-all-seasons-our-guide-to-20-manic-years-1798284993|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191030183427/https://games.avclub.com/a-hedgehog-for-all-seasons-our-guide-to-20-manic-years-1798284993|archive-date=October 30, 2019|website=[[The A.V. Club]]}}</ref> [[Sam Vincent (voice actor)|Sam Vincent]] provided his singing voice in the latter DiC cartoon.

Starting with ''Sonic Adventure'', Sonic was voiced in English by [[Ryan Drummond]].<ref name="MercuryNews"/> Drummond was replaced by [[Jason Griffith]] starting from ''Sonic X'', with Griffith voicing Sonic within the games starting with ''[[Shadow the Hedgehog (video game)|Shadow The Hedgehog]]'' in 2005.<ref name="btva"/><ref name="AnimeNewsNetwork"/> Griffith was replaced by [[Roger Craig Smith]], starting with ''[[Sonic Free Riders]]'' and ''[[Sonic Colors]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blogs.sega.com/sonic/2010/07/15/out-of-the-mouths-of-hedgehogs/|title=Out of the mouths of hedgehogs|access-date=July 15, 2010|date=July 15, 2010|publisher=Sega|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110524063124/http://blogs.sega.com/sonic/2010/07/15/out-of-the-mouths-of-hedgehogs/|archive-date=May 24, 2011}}</ref> Smith announced on his Twitter account on January 29, 2021, that he would no longer voice Sonic, with his departure confirmed by Sega the same day.<ref name="sonicstadiumsmith">{{cite web |last1=Tuff |first1=Adam |title=Roger Craig Smith Hints Departure from Sonic Voice Acting Role |url=https://www.sonicstadium.org/2021/01/roger-craig-smith-hints-departure-from-sonic-voice-acting-role/ |website=The Sonic Stadium |access-date=29 January 2021 |date=28 January 2021 |archive-date=28 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210128165309/https://www.sonicstadium.org/2021/01/roger-craig-smith-hints-departure-from-sonic-voice-acting-role/ |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="rogersonictwitter">{{Cite tweet|number=1354805293369024520|user=RogerCraigSmith|title=Welp, 10 years was an amazing run. Onward to new zones! Much love to the fans who've been so kind. 💙 It's been an honor. 🦔 |date=28 January 2021|author=Roger Craig Smith|author-link=Roger Craig Smith}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet|author=Sonic the Hedgehog|number=1354942087536381958|user=sonic_hedgehog|title=For over 10 years, Roger Craig Smith has been an integral part of the SEGA family. He brought the voice of Sonic to life, and we are forever grateful for his never-ending enthusiasm in helping the community and spreading joy. Thank you, Roger, for all you've done for Sonic.|date=28 January 2021}}</ref> On May 26, 2021, Smith and Sega confirmed that he was voicing Sonic once again.<ref>{{Cite tweet|number=1397582815873490948|user=RogerCraigSmith|title=I can't fully express my gratitude for the @sonic_hedgehog crew and community. 🙏 I hope to honor your support and passion as I'm officially back voicing #SonicTheHedgehog in games. Can't wait for ya to see what we have planned! THANK YOU...from the bottom of my blue heart. 💙|author=Roger Craig Smith|author-link=Roger Craig Smith|date=May 26, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite tweet|author=Sonic the Hedgehog|number=1397587955410112512|user=sonic_hedgehog|title=💙🦔|date=May 26, 2021}}</ref> [[Ben Schwartz]] voiced Sonic in the [[Sonic the Hedgehog (film)|2020 feature film]] and its [[Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (film)|2022]] and [[Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (film)|2024]] sequels.<ref name="SonicMovieVoice"/><ref name="TheVerge">{{cite web |last1=Gartenberg |first1=Chaim |title=Sonic movie delayed to February 2020 so they can fix Sonic |url=https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/24/18638637/paramount-live-action-sonic-the-hedgehog-movie-delay-february-2020-cgi-fix |website=The Verge |access-date=July 17, 2019 |date=May 24, 2019 |archive-date=June 17, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617004949/https://www.theverge.com/2019/5/24/18638637/paramount-live-action-sonic-the-hedgehog-movie-delay-february-2020-cgi-fix |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite AV media |url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt18259086/fullcredits |title=Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) - IMDb |access-date=2024-08-28 |via=www.imdb.com}}</ref> Canadian actor Deven Mack voices Sonic in the ''[[Sonic Prime]]'' animated series.<ref name="PrimeVoice"/>
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