What is it about Sonic?

[@realroforb7676]

Sonic truly hit his peak when he changed the water filter.

[@skunthundler]

I fucking cried when he did that. I grew up in a household where no one changed the water filter, and it just spoke to me.

[@hiddenflare6169]

Dangit! This is not the place where I needed to hear that XD.

[@VoidCraftGaming]

lol

[@amberpasta9379]

Not all heroes wear capes

[@kinggalactix]

Oh yeah. That was his most powerful move since he was hyper Sonic.

[@Laekith]

He's just a guy that loves adventure

[@realroforb7676]

“It’s pronounced gif, like the peanut butter!” - Shadow 2022

[@oceanman7336]

And the planet as cool and blue as him

[@CarvedDaWarped]

He is who he is.

[@sunvinn]

He's Sonic Adventure 2!

[@koitern8785]

@@CarvedDaWarped he's who he's

[@leadubois6079]

I lost all of my friends and my girlfriend left me and, not long after, I was diagnosed with cancer (Thyroid cancer, not really a "big" cancer but still cancer nonetheless). Those last couple of years I slowly started losing interest for all the things I did in my free time, including playing games. When all of these news hit I, for whatever reason, decided to play Sonic Unleashed. I had been a fan of the Sonic series since I was a kid, I played the 3 originals, CD, Riders, Generations and All-Star Racing and they all brought me joy and comfort because of their replayability and how fun they were. I never thought of any of these games as bad. Well, maybe with CD I had a hard time 🤣 Not once did I unlock the good future. Playing Unleashed at this point of my life was... something certainly. The characterization of Sonic as, like you said, this force that represents all that is good and its positivity touched in ways that I had never felt before. It wasn't just conveyed through the story and cutscenes but also through the gameplay. Sonic just shouting "Here we.... GO!" "WOOOO" "Feeling Good!" every time I did something cool in game felt extremely rewarding. Endless Possibility was the cherry on top of the cake, the lyrics were great. Sonic in this way made me happy during my darkest hour, he motivated me to start jogging and taking care of my body, he motivated me to get my act together and keep studying, he motivated me to still be friendly to people despite of the things that happened in the past. The operation went well and right now I'm happier than ever and, in a way, it's because of this cartoon rat. So, in a way, Sonic saved my life. Thank you for this video Paraiah, I like how much you understand Sonic and I look forward for your next videos (Especially excited for the Unleashed breakdown).

[@thaddeuswilliammcchucklebe47]

Congrats on being cancer free!

[@maroonkennedy6213]

Thanks for sharing your story. It made me tear up due to sadness fkr your trauma but also joy that you find motivation even among the darkness. You're making me more hopeful and positive due to your story. 🥰

[@GamerBot125]

I read this comment and it left me with my eyes watery. This was a very touching comment and a beautiful read. Goes to show that video games and the characters themselves mean a lot more than just shapes and polygons on a screen, it's more of the messages and outlooks on life they can give to the player that can truly affect their lives in huge and incredible ways.

[@RiftalNinja]

Is there a dark reason why every one left you?

[@youtubeaccount549]

❤ this is beautiful, congrats on beating cancer!!

[@AlmyTheAlien]

I think Eggman is an overlooked part of what makes Sonic such a unique and vibrant world. He could've just as easily been some boring money-hungry oligarch, and in a way that's kind of where he started, but when you really take him as he is, Eggman is every bit as rebellious and eccentric as Sonic himself. His creations are colorful and often whimsical, he loves building amusement parks full of death traps, and his entire army down to the lowest boot-licking Egg Pawns is 100% self-made. There's nobody but him in his corner, not for more than half a game at a time at least, but he doesn't need anyone. He's brilliant, and talented, full of energy and ambition, a romantic with a vision that constantly changes in ways yet always feels perfectly signature. His animal robots and fish-inspired airships aren't just tools, they're his ART, and he takes PRIDE in them. He slaps a picture of his face on everything he makes, as though to say, "Look at this! Behold my beautiful creation! is it not wonderful? I made it all by myself!" What could've just been another generic story about a young protagonist "fighting the establishment" turned into this war between two crazy dreamers, where the actual "establishment" - in the form of GUN, or just general civilization - is powerless to do anything but sit back and watch. It's a battle not between freedom and authority, but two *types* of freedom, a light and a dark version. A hero who's free because he can take whatever life throws at him and always find a way to fulfill his dreams, and a villain who wants to attain freedom and fulfill his dreams by taking control of life. That's so much more interesting, in my eyes, and none of the series' imitators really do it.

[@EndTimesRadioTV]

I love this

[@k9spy289]

Well said my friend

[@Hugo-yz1vb]

That's what I always consider about Sonic characters and how they are usually more interesting than Mario characters: the depth and tought they put into them. The only things Mario has over Sonic is being more iconic, selling more and having good games more consistently. Sonic has everything Mario wishes he had

[@annepandesal]

beautifully said!! :0♡

[@autobotstarscream765]

I think in that same way, like how there's a Real Sonic, there's a Real Eggman, and not just in the sense of him being whoever's making problems in the world, but Dr. Eggman wanting to bring joy in his own, more selfish, credit-driven way, wanting not just to be feared and obeyed since he cam get that from his robots and it doesn't fully satisfy him, but to be loved and respected for his creations, and every time Sonic goes on one of his adventures and the player has a blast with all the obstacles and Badniks Eggman has put in Sonic's path for the Real Sonic and the player to overcome together; and when Eggman's creations that he's so proud of such as the Eggmobile/Egg-O-Matic, Death Egg, the Death Egg Robot, Metal Sonic, the E-Series Badniks, and so many others really do spark joy and get fans, then that's the Real Eggmanland, and Eggman is real in our hearts along with the Real Sonic having the time of his life with us zooming through the death traps and conquering the Badniks of Eggman's world, through which the Real Eggman is bringing us joy, too, and getting the love and praise from us that he always wanted.

[@yikeyikeyike]

my default answer to this question usually boils down to "IDK LOOK AT HIM"

[@autobotstarscream765]

Years of work have gone into creating character designs for Sonic to catch the eye and gain instant appeal.

[@nomadspeed]

​"HE'S BLUE AND HE'S SO COOL!"

[@LilXancheX]

@@nomadspeedand spiky!!

[@maiastniki]

YES

[@heroicgangster9981]

The Sonic franchise in the way you explained it feels like those "Thanks for playing our/my game" credit images but built into the spirit of the games!

[@ehhorve857]

@Dann Rajeeh gol, I dont like the she hulk show, it's ruining her perception. she didnt HAVE identity politics UNTIL that stupid series.

[@heroicgangster9981]

@@ehhorve857 Moon Knight is the best hero, I'm happy with how it represented DID systems. Anyways, yeah Sonic is cool

[@heroicgangster9981]

@Dann Rajeeh I like tokusatsu heroes like Ultraman Zero. Ultraman Zero and Sonic I feel would beat titan butt together.

[@TheNobleFive]

@Dann Rajeeh How are kids associating she hulk with breaking the 4th wall lol

[@seematahir5970]

To me, Sonic is perseverance. It's beautifully fitting that a franchise like this would be tied to Sonic's name. No matter how rocky its history, no matter whether it occasionally trips and stumbles, no matter how much its slandered, it always picks itself up. Even in-game when Sonic gets the rings knocked out of him, you always know he can just pick a couple back up and keep on running.

[@stardust-reverie]

it’s almost kind of cosmically poetic that the series with a character that represents everything good in the world and about us is relentlessly slandered by people that close their minds and refuse to understand it. the undying human spirit is the underdog in society currently

[@Difegue]

The part about NiGHTS really strikes a chord; There's something about the original sonic team's way of making unapologetically pure and ""cheesy"" characterization like that that really brings a form of childlike joy to it all. Iizuka gets a bad rep but I keep thinking about his comment on TSR where he just wanted a racing game for his kids to co-op, it's a similar vibe y'know? At the bottom of it what you really want is to bring happiness to people. I liked the concept of the metaphorical character from the rush video and this is a fantastic expansion on that: It also helps that despite being a force of good, sonic is by no means a flawless perfect character (can't swim since 1991), which helps make it all a bit more relatable. A+ sonic essay and god knows I watch too many of those for my own good

[@sethmushambavanhu8391]

never really thought about that but yeah sonic is not a flawless character just like how being good doesn't make life easy but if you have hope if sonic has hope and never gives up do those flaws really matter?

[@cassiedevereaux-smith3890]

@@sethmushambavanhu8391 But that original character design is about as on point as Mickey Mouse.

[@CHMernerner]

Yeah. Iizuka is known for his works in NiGHTS . He is kinda father of nights. And people forgot he made sonic adventure and sega is hostile to sonic team ...

[@isaacargesmith8217]

I think one aspect that even now stands out with sonic is how even if its earnest, optimistic, and cheesy they found out how to make that "cool". Most other "cool" mascot character and really cool characters in general arent like that. Thats one thing all the sonic-likes as well as later characters that were trying to evolve what "cool" was in the ps2 sorta era missed. Usually being "genuine" is seen as an uncool thing it feelss like, but with sonic "what you see is what you get"

[@orangeslash1667]

@@CHMernerner Not really Nights was mostly Naoto Ohshima's idea, sadly he left Sega.

[@Farkonso]

I feel like no matter what year you were born there's always a reason to get into Sonic. For me there was so much Sonic about while growing up. The history of the franchise was all there in mega collection, new games were on every console and he was on the Wii best friends with Mario. At school it was unanimously accepted by everyone that sonic was dope as hell and even those who'd never played Sonic before were searching for flash games and making drawings. The worlds, the music, the personality, the character designs all have had such an influence on me and I adore the franchise to this day.

[@NebLleb]

For me, the reason I got into Sonic as an adult was that it was one of the most rewarding platforming experiences I've had: Sonic Adventure, Sonic Adventure II and Sonic Colours all do momentum-based 3D platforming and do it so well. Sonic, being a Hedgehog who runs, asks you to test your reflexes, and by doing so you end up getting a series of games that are [mostly] worth mastering.

[@Farkonso]

​@@NebLleb This is where I'm at currently LOL. Everything I loved as a kid is still just as cool now, but I appreciate the gameplay so much more now.

[@NebLleb]

@@Farkonso Sonic has a fanbase because his gameplay is so rewarding, and that's why it's still popular!

[@noteglitch5032]

I knew that sonic was around all the time but i never got into it before frontiers. I am a 2007 kid. Help. I actually loved the prologue animation and the twitter takeovers, they make me feel like they are actually real. I know the series has its ups and downs but I am positive it's going to get a breakthrough

[@noteglitch5032]

I never even played any of the games, that's why gamers are a thing

[@lukemayes5007]

You really hit it out of the park with this video. I grew up in an abusive household and the expressiveness of Sonic helped me feel I still had a friend around even when I was at my worst. Furthermore, Sonic being the embodiment of good helped inspire me to continue pushing to develop relationships with people even if it was hard for me to trust and care about others. In fact, Sonic actually brought positive change into my life because the relationships I was inspired to make helped me get out of my parents abusive household and make a life for myself. And because Sonic is the good in all of us my relationship with Sonic, and subsequently the Sonic games, only continues to grow and inspire me as I continue to heal from my past and break free from the barriers of my trauma. A comforting friend; with an endless supply of handkerchiefs.

[@Creeper0550]

There is something special about Sonic, I feel like he is a friend who is always by my side, if I could ask God for a wish in heaven, I would ask to meet Sonic

[@aortaplatinum]

You bringing up the idea of "why doesn't the hero just kill the villain?" reminds me of a really great quote from Xenoblade 1 that I think really fits Sonic's character- "I can't kill you. But I can stop your blade. And I'll do it, again and again, until we understand each other" And considering some of the more spoilery aspects of Xenoblade 1 and how the Face Mechon work, I'm only half joking when I say Xenoblade is one of the best Sonic stories, even if Shulk is revenge-driven at the start of the story proper when Sonic would never be motivated by revenge

[@Gnidel]

It's simply not that easy to kill Eggman. He always manages to run away. Even if he's left alone on foot defenseless, he will just outrun Sonic. He survived being punched by tentacled monsters, being lasered by gods of destruction with 7 Chaos Emeralds, being stranded outside of time and in other dimensions, Shadow the Hedgehog with 6 Chaos Emeralds and a bunch of guns... Eggman is simply THAT competent at survival.

[@inkchariot6147]

@@Gnidel Honestly, I believe that somewhere along the line, Eggman augmented his own body. Otherwise, he'd be long dead.

[@chronoblue418]

Also its not like sonic hasn't killed before. Erazor Djinns lamp was thrown into a pit of lava so he's either traped at the bottom or dead, encouraged Elise to blow out Iblis's flame wiping it from existence and memory, and in the Sonic X anime he killed metarex.

[@Gnidel]

@@chronoblue418 Sonic's reaction to murdering King Arthur? Boasting happily. He assumed that King Arthur was a human at that point.

[@galten7361]

Eggman has never killed anyone before in canon. He is not like the Joker who has killed off enough citizens of Gotham to fill graveyards or Dr. Weil (a man who has a bodycount higher than Hitler). And he's not supposed to be irredeemably vile but actually does mean well with him not really being vile but just childlike and selfish. In actual games Sonic never actively refuses to use lethal force on his enemies. IDW (which is where a lot of recent discourse over Sonic handling his recurring enemies traces to) is just Westerners applying their own takes to the character and archenemy that reframe them as a Batman v. Joker situation. When it's not, Sonic doesn't care about how he impacts society and doesn't see himself as a ticket time bomb who'll blow if he crosses a line while Eggman in canon is not presented as making bodycount rivaling Vlad Tepes Dracula.

[@jacobkakyoin6882]

This video has me thinking about that bizarre backstory the character originally had, as an in-universe mascot character come mysteriously to life, and… Yeah. Sonic has always been very pointed as a work of fiction and symbol of hope, happiness, and a general love for life, affecting the people who know about him, huh. It’s built into his DNA. This genuinely was a really touching video, connecting things I never knew I already knew and loved about Sonic. It’s fitting you had One Way Dreams as the final song of the video, honestly. When I heard that at the end of my first playthrough of Frontiers, and every time I revisit the song since, I FEEL something. That game has some of the best buttrock he’s had since literally Black Knight, I adore the highlights of the OST much as everyone else, and the single most earnest expression of thanks for simply sticking around is the song that stays with me the most of them all. Maybe that’s why MUSIC is so constant a highlight of Sonic even at its nadirs in nearly any other category, something fans take so seriously. A song has a way of cutting through to the heart and communicating things words never could. Of course it would be such a priority of the franchise to never miss with it.

[@AHylianWarrior]

One Way Dream was written as a message from Sonic Team, this was confirmed. Put the lyrics into their mouths and it's incredibly touching

[@futureflea3917]

What I love about sonic is the way he lives. He's always doing what's most fun to him and he's always true to himself. He's always living life to the fullest and he's happy to be alive. Whenever Sonic does something like performing snowboarding tricks in city escape it reminds me of how much fun it can be to just live life.

[@minty6623]

Sonic just feels like a character I can't find anywhere else and I like those traits that make him so unique and interesting compared to other popular video game characters at the time. I'd like to add more to what you brought up of his character. Another thing I also like is how he hates being ordered around aka oppression, he lives how he wants to, and does what he feels is right and wrong even if it means having to play the villain so that he can bring to what he believes is for the best

[@scenikeight]

This isn't something you touched on but I think it's an important piece of the puzzle. I think for me, and a lot of other kids who grew up on Sonic, there's just something about it that makes it perfect for autistic/ADHD people. That's definitely where a huge chunk of the more obsessive fanbase comes from. I saw someone else in the comments mention this too, but I wanted to go into depth w my own experience lol. I feel like I always write long ass comments on these videos, I hope somebody likes reading them lmao Sometimes I've heard the term "autism trap" in anime discussions (could be a little derogatory, idk if there's a nicer way to say it), which is basically shorthand for "a piece of media that's designed (unintentionally or not) to appeal to the kind of otaku who get hyper-fixations", be that because there's a lot of hidden lore, or a lot of technical details to delve into, or a complicated power system, or whatever. If there's a lot of stuff to think about that could occupy an active brain endlessly, it could be an autism trap. Sonic I think is a really good example of one, and there aren't that many video game series like this that are aimed at a younger audience (most other series aimed at the same sort of age bracket like this are kids anime, which often tend to get dumbed down a lot when they're exported overseas too, but you'll notice there's similar communities for Dragonball and stuff as there is Sonic and a lot of overlap in fans). I think I'd put it in this category for the following reasons: 1) **Some of the stories/characters and the lore are simultaneously really well developed, and also "full of potential", so to speak.** It wasn't the only thing, but a big part of the reason why I was hyperfixated on Sonic as a kid was Shadow and his backstory. I didn't have SA2, so I only knew about it from Heroes and his game, and reading wiki pages, but there's just something about there being this whole really interesting backstory behind this character that's kind of weirdly dark for a kid's game and isn't explicitly told to you that made it so fascinating to me. There's so much going on with him in the past that we don't know that much about. Having that element to think about and all of these stories to learn about from games I hadn't played gave me hours of entertainment just from daydreaming. When I was a bit older, my fixation shifted from him to 06 for similar reasons, I loved that game's story so much because it was so interesting to think about. For a kid who doesn't have access to a lot of other media with Big Stories and kinda dark lore, Sonic is really exciting. 2) **Animal characters.** Idk why this is, but autistic people love animal characters. There's like a huge percentage of the furry community that's autistic. Don't know if I can say much more about that but your section on the designs being appealing is probably a huge part of that aspect. 3) **The music.** I saw this tumblr post once that joked the music was specifically made for autistic people to imagine AMVs to in the car. Yeah. It's like created in a lab for us, I can't explain it. Sonic music might as well be crack. it was ALL I listened to when I was younger. Frontiers soundtrack initially made me go "huh this is unexpected" but I think it might be the best indication of the people working on that game understanding the fans, it feels like it was pulled out of the mp3 player I had when I was 14, had just grown out of my hyperfixation w/ Sonic and gotten into Real Music. The lyrics in a lot of Sonic songs tell stories, and I don't even think it's a relatability aspect, it's just fun to imagine characters doing stuff to them or thinking about what they represent. As an adult I have other interests, but hearing about the thematic angle of SA2 from you and revisiting the games now because of that, that's what the games are jingling around in my brain like car keys now. These stories might not be the best ever told and I might like plenty of other things that are more traditionally "good", but damn if I don't get a bit sucked back in from what these games do. There's something about the way they execute things that's so interesting to me. There's probably lots of other reasons I can't think of or other people can share, but for me that's what it "is" about Sonic, I guess! All that aside though, really good video. I teared up a bit towards the end. Sonic really is the friends we made along the way 😭

[@Pariah6950]

Excellent point. And it is something I've thought about before. Sonic does seem to have a bizarrely large neurodivergent fanbase. But I didn't want to speak on a topic like that without personal understanding. So thanks for sharing your perspective.

[@sonic5993]

@@Pariah6950 I was diagnosed with ADHD when I was younger myself. I mostly grew out of it, but I have noticed a LOT of autistic kids and adults are attracted to Sonic for whatever reason, in a similar vein a lot of people are attracted to Anime. Which...might explain why the series and fanbase gets such a bad reputation given how neurodivergent people are treated online...

[@BlueTyphoon2017]

@@sonic5993 well it depends on the place you’re at, some communities treat nerodivergent people like anybody else, other don’t, it’s the same with the internet. However, I assume you’re talking about how a lot of times online, nerodivergent people are seen as uh… strange and “different” in a bad way, to put it lightly.

[@chandlernewman7296]

@Pariah695 As a neurodivergent diagnosed with ASD, I highly adore the Sonic series. The main reason I love Sonic is that he makes stimming easy for me. I like making loop de loop motions and attacks, and rail grinding is a personal favorite mechanic of mine. The level geometry in itself can be anything you imagine and so when I stim I like to imagine half-pipes, tunnels, half-loops etc, as well as studying it so much. The enemy design, while mostly simple, is by far my favorite thing about the series. I love studying Sonic enemy design, the various Badniks, their attack patterns, and that further helps me stim. Throughout my time as a student, I was pretty nervous about stimming in public and that's still true now as a young adult. Regardless of whether I'm an adult or not, Sonic is my comfort series because I can relax on my own and stim to my heart's content. I am currently set on making a Sonic fangame that is just in concept stage for now. It will be my own take of the new Open Zone direction that Sonic Team has introduced with Frontiers. I am hoping to realize this project someday, but until then, I will continue with stimming with Sonic.

[@radiokunio3738]

@@chandlernewman7296 As an Aspie, the first sonic game I remember playing was Sonic Rush, I really sucked at it but for what reason that never bothered me. I never owned Rush, I whould trade DS carts with my cousins, I gave him Mario Vs Donkey Kong, I got Rush and then we swap back after a week. Later I ended up getting classic collection, which was the first sonic game I owned. I remember just sitting on the start screen to listen the little jingle that played, and looking at the Illustrations wondering why some of them looked odd, like you have modern sonic on cover, but then in the gallery you have both American and Japanese classic Sonic. At the time I had no idea those were so I was just confused. I aslo remember being confused at why you chould not play as Knuckles in Sonic 1, or why tails couldn't fly when you played as him in Sonic 2, if Knuckles chould glide in 2. I remember being freaked out by those cash registers that make those ring noises, like am at the gas station or even a fancy restaurant, and suddenly I hear rings, like sonic himself was just there messing with me. I aslo remember waking my mother at midnight night, because I thought Sonic.EXE was trying to me get me, she aslo worked a night shift, so the fact I didn't lose my life was a miracle. Aslo looking up sonic on Google images likely caused some of the weird "kinks" I'm into today. I think Blaze was probably the first crush I remember having. As for that relates to me being autistic, I don't know.

[@oceanman6973]

So… is sonic just… the friends we made along the way…?

[@MattCrossMedia]

A story like Sonic Rush really stuck with me as a kid. Blaze became one of my favorite characters, but I think a big part of it was that gradual growth she experienced when being around Sonic. How she just naturally opened up to him after he gave her some comforting words, how much she learned about being a role model who didn't have to be tied to duty when being around his casual friends, and how Sonic actually taught her how to go Super - by channeling the positive energy of her emeralds and using her cursed flames as a force for good. She carried herself like everything was so clinical, like sticking to your job and getting results is how you gotta live your life. But Sonic, through sheer influence and compassion, proved her wrong and opened her heart. I can appreciate a lot of this stuff now as an adult. But even as a kid, there was something inspiring about how easy it felt for someone to change for the better by simply being around Sonic. It was the first moment where I felt that spark of a character who was designed to bring out the best of myself and others, as you've wonderfully articulated here.

[@Samicom_YT]

This video was absolutely wonderful. The part that really touched me most was about how Erazor Dijnn is a metaphor for an abusive relationship, as a family member of mine has been clutching onto a relationship with an abusive man. And I really saw a lot of her in Shahra. Unfortunately, my family member hasn't left her abuser, she's actually moved out with her recently, but we couldn't change her mind. All I can do is just hope she'll break away eventually. Beautiful video as usual, Pariah.

[@LilXancheX]

What’s the deal with women? 😂 they will get abused and hit and still go back to them?… wtf…

[@rollbustah]

I love that even to this day, Sonic still looks at you behind the screen and winks and smiles when you get a Chaos Emerald in Frontiers. A lot of protagonists try to make you feel like you're in their shoes but Sonic is one of the only ones I can think of where it feels like he's his own entity and he wants to bring YOU along on this adventure with him. I think that's what makes Sonic so appealing to so many people, he isn't your typical superhero or your self-insert protagonist, to many people he is their friend.

[@slimgrim3607]

"and he wants to bring YOU along on this adventure with him." that made me think of that weird comic "sonic live" where he reaches through the tv to grab a kid lmao. it was on game grumps if you know the one "SO REAL YOULL THINK YOU'RE PART OF THE ADVENTURE"

[@LilXancheX]

Good point

[@ZobirisMage]

Sonic is the epitome of "the whole is greater than the sum of its parts". Every single facet of the franchise is something I've been invested in; the characters, the fantastical locations and the rewarding game play. The music in particular has a special place in my heart as many of the tracks (Unleashed/Black Knight's OST in particular) were one of the things that inspired me to become a professional musician. Sonic's also taught me a lot in several stages of my life and his positive traits are something I strive to embody. I guess that's all I can really say, I just love everything about Sonic and am grateful to have him in my life.

[@kinggalactix]

Sonic is a bizarre, cool, yet loveable character. His super speed, desire for freedom, unique anatomy, and infectious charisma allows him to befriend anyone in his path, and gain the respect of rivals and enemies. He is an inhabitant of Christmas island, though one day, he choose to adventure and travel across the lands. Sonic's gameplay is unique to where no other series has ever used the style of momentum based action platforming. And his fans are always there for him, for better or worse. They create fangames, comics and fanfics of their own. Others choose a... different route... but we ignore them. He is a very unique, but amazing character. Unleashed was my first experience with Sonic (not gameplay, but watching walkthroughs). It was amazing and enticed me! He is held dear to my heart, among NMS, Portal, and nowadays GoW and R&C. Edit: tell my of your favorite sonic moments.

[@Core12054]

I think the static, flat version of Sonic that you describe is the Japanese video game Sonic. Many people grew up with the American cartoons or comics that gave Sonic family members or interpersonal relationships that aren't found in games. So in essence, Sonic became something different to them. That adaptation's Sonic became THEIR Sonic, so to have him stay static in the games, when comic Sonic had his highs and lows and grew stronger because of them, creating deeper bonds with his friends than he ever had in the games, it's a bit disappointing. I personally think that one of the amazing things about this series is that there are so many versions of the character that mean different things to different people. So while you and many others love the infallible goodness that is game Sonic, others may like the more nuanced Archie Sonic, or the meta side of the character that comes out in memes like "Sanic." I love Sonic in all of its forms...except Sonic 4.

[@Pariah6950]

I will do a video talking about the many different Sonics at some point. To me, Japanese game Sonic is the real Sonic. He's what the character was originally envisioned to be. Most other "interpretations" throw all of that away for the 90's 'tude, or just doing completely different things that have no relation to what Sonic was meant to be. At that point, it's not even Sonic.

[@TheDogSlog]

@@Pariah6950 But like, someone on the other side could say the exact same thing about Western Sonic. I think there is this complex “tofu” like relationship thing that you kinda hint at inadvertently. He is a metaphor, an idea that can be interpreted and taken any way. Obviously it’s your interpretation right and no one is more true than the other, but I like that kinda general yet specific nature to the character.

[@Agent-yw1kj]

@@Pariah6950 nono, you are right. Japanese Classic Sonic IS the original Sonic the hedgehog, and what he should be

[@galten7361]

Western interpretations of Sonic pull more from protagonists like Luke Skywalker (rebel soldier/commander who in some cases has a lost heritage he's the heir to) and Marvel with DC's superheroes (with Knuckles' heritage written as more or less Kryptonians) and Bugs Bunny/Woody Woodpecker with the settings pulling from stuff like Planet of the Apes (see SatAM's planned backstory of Julian and Snively being astronauts who abandoned their space station/colony and through time travel shenanigans ended up on a post-apocalyptic future where talking animals became the new rulers of the world) and high/heroic fantasy (see Archie's setting which circa the Adventure adaptation showed the setting as a post-apocalyptic heroic/high fantasy furry world with Station Square and later G.U.N. needing to be reimagined to fit in the setting).

[@bluebellsforever]

​@@Pariah6950L

[@ohgodwhy5626]

I really *really* liked your analysis on Sonic’s character. You talking about how Sonic is a force of good made me think about how Sonic’s character designer described him as a “fairy” in a tweet, even if he didn’t mean it literally. Man I really wish they would lean more into the more mystical and magical vibes Sonic’s world had in the early games.

[@TheManRunningTheStand]

this video perfectly encapsulates why this franchise means so much to me. the games are cool, though what keeps me around is the aura. the vibe that emanates from the character of sonic, and the music being a reminder of his existence. i love every aspect of it. from sonic jam/mega collection’s galleries, to the unbelievably large amount of fan works, there is heart and soul resonating with this character, and i will cherish it forever.

[@adsate9555]

I can't lie, playing sonic gens was my go to when I was in deep depression in my early teens, I really got connected to the character through that period of time, long story short, fell off of it for a while, then later just fully got back into it, watched KZbin videos of ALL the games and series and later just reconnected to it

[@chaoscontrolled5978]

This might be your magnum opus at least for now on this channel, and definitely one of the videos I've resonated the most with on KZbin. I think we have a lot of the same ideas on who we think Sonic is and what appeals him to us, you also brought up some things I hadn't considered before. I feel like this is the kind of video anyone who appreciates Sonic should watch

[@WindRegalia]

Strong +1

[@tobitimesthree]

growing up as a kid with undiagnosed adhd, sonic just spoke to me. he never sits still, is always fidgeting, moves incredibly fast, is super impatient, etc, and these were never things that were framed as "bad", just how he is. playing sa2 growing up just felt good because i could see myself in sonic :)

[@tobitimesthree]

also growing up as a kid with undiagnosed autism: hehe sonic special interest go brrrrrr

[@Ayo090]

mate u gotta get diagnosed. ADHD and autism are very similar. dont end up believing u have autism when its just ADHD this happened to me when i was a kid. you may have both and u may have only one thing and you absolutely need to get diagnosed. the new undiagnosed ADHD and autism generation is very silly and stupid.

[@tobitimesthree]

@@Ayo090 i am diagnosed as an adult now! also jsyk it's incredibly likely to have both adhd and autism rather than just one or the other! please don't assume and then be rude about it lol

[@thefastcommenter7774]

@@tobitimesthree He wasn't being rude though. He was just informing you.

[@hotdiggedydemon]

Its the chili dogs

[@wiizosc]

This is the first unpopular hotdiggitydemon I've ever seen

[@ViltrumiteIsRite99]

Sonic’s affected my life since I were 10, and Unleashed was making the rounds. It wasn’t uncommon for me to imagine Egg Beetle music during anytime I played sports or did anything high energy. Even today, I blast Sonic tunes in the highway or workout to Frontier’s beats. He’s a character that inspires living life to the coolest.

[@CableSpark872]

This video was just beautiful, that part near the end were you gave your interpretation of Sonic as a meta character that embodies art istelf... it made me tear up a little, thanks for sharing that :')

[@elibonham4388]

I love sonic because I can connect with him. The messages and theming of his games always resonate with me on such a deep level. Sonic and the secret rings, sonic unleashed, sonic and the black knight, sonic adventure 1, sonic heroes sonic 06, sonic unleashed, sonic adventure 2, hell even sonic forces. All have endings that resonate with me to this day. Not only because of the theming and characters arc coming to a conclusion at the end of the game but the epic climax that proceeds that is so memorable and exciting and intense, with the music astethic and emotinal build up. For me when I finally beat that boss--It's just an awesome feeling that can never be recaptured. Our Heroes inspire us to do amazing things but that's only when you see them and overcome that obstacle.

[@FrayTheHunter]

I think that sonic has been ingrained into our youth and really stuck into that 90's culture. I think the nostalgia of what we remember from the Renaissance of Sonic. Where he was a household name. After the constant up and down, the sonic fans who held on are just hoping for that surge again. Bleach saw a similar situation where the fans were ravenous, I see a lot of the same qualities in dedicated sonic fans Also, I love your content my friend! I really hope you keep up the good work

[@oilfoil3866]

“90’s culture”, if you’re American maybe

[@sjsidnfjdbaknsjxc1397]

@@oilfoil3866nah if you’re Japanese I grew up in Japan and sonic is an icon

[@Mehtaru]

Can't relate, 2000s kid

[@oilfoil3866]

@@sjsidnfjdbaknsjxc1397 not saying that, I just mean that all American sonic fans don’t shut up about his “radical 90’s appeal” where that wasn’t ever really sonic, yk

[@oilfoil3866]

@@Mehtaru same lol

[@BIG_MUNKY]

pariah i just wanted to say I love you, I've been watching your videos non-stop and I'm getting stressed because I've seen almost all of them

[@ViltrumiteIsRite99]

We love him. 😌🖤

[@PoppySynQ]

My guy you did NOT have to go THIS HARD on this video! I absolutely adore your content, Sonic has meant the world to me before I can even remember and seeing someone else so deeply passionate about the lil guy warms my heart, thanks for all the amazing videos I’ve spent hours and hours enjoying. Seriously, with all the work you put in you deserve more recognition.

[@BluPhoenixofNight]

I played Sonic 2 as the Pack-in title, and I became a life-long Sonic fan after that. I loved how he could just break through with such speed, even to the point where he could outpace the camera and oh man do I love Super Sonic. My favorite Sonic games have to be Mania and Adventure 2. I do want to comment on something that you touched on about Sonic being a "character." You defined him as more of an "avatar" of goodness and morality. You know where else we have that in our media through out time? Mythology. Ancient Gods, Mythology, and Religion was made to help teach morality to others, and that strikes a strong parallel to what you are getting at with Sonic. Being a "moral focus" for the adventure he is in allows us to understand the point of the story, and we get to PLAY as him helping others, and hopefully help ourselves. Comics were like that for a long time, characters that we aspire to be. Unfortunately, the writers made those Superheroes cry. They were deconstructed and left bare on the page, where they couldn't do what they were meant to do. I hope we still get the Sonic that inspires us all to do the best that we can for the next few decades.

[@briimines101]

This vid has been in my watch later since it was uploaded, and i finally had a long car trip to fully listen to it. And wow!! Was it worth it. Sonic is the manifestation of freedom and kindness, the human instinct to reach out and say, "im here for you," the bubbling smile of pure joy and unrestrained fun of being alive. The one person who will swoop down when you need it most in your deepest darkest pit and tell you to stand up, to get your legs moving because laying down does nothing. "Come on, you got this, make it happen." Hes the childlike joy that only a middle-aged jaded adult can feel when his theme plays, the crackling smile under years of worries washing away. Hes a kind hand at your side. Hes the unmitagated need to run-run-run, the instinct to jump across that gap between walls, the need to see if youre powerful enough to grab the side of the basketball rim, hes the urge to find that just right skipping stone and send it flying. Hes the young and mischievous child in all of us, naïve enough to smile at the end of the world and stubborn enough to look at the ruins and say "no." When all else fails, hes the chaos factor that can set things right. Im so glad to see people in this community fully appreciate this little blue dude for all he is and represents. 💙

[@marshallhamilton5605]

This was one of the hardest videos to get through with all that sap, and I mean that in the most positive, genuine way. This took me over an hour to watch just from pausing to recover over that heartfelt emotion you brought with this video. But I slayed my cringe, and I'm glad to have watch through this amazing video! I do think one thing I wish you brought up was the extended material - personally for the longest time, I absorbed most of my Sonic content through the comics and cartoons in the 2000s along with thousands, if not millions, of other fans. It's the reason why people were so excited that Ian Flynn was writing for Frontiers! Hell, even stuff like the Sonic Twitter Takeovers the recent TailTube videos have undoubtably brought in more fans by connecting people with these characters through the medium of the internet. Sonic may have started as a video game, and he's certainly still running on that path, but he's become so much more nowadays, and while I'm sure the fans helped him reach out to those new frontiers (heh), it's just as important to acknowledge that many of those fans started out through those outside sources. But that's probably just my own take on things lol. Can't wait to hear from you even more about things, Blue Hedgehog related or not!

[@therealvibes8955]

I feel like this video has made me discover why I like Sonic so much and has genuinely brought back the hope that I lost before. Hope for humanity and the future as a whole. Thank you for making this video.

[@Racecar564]

This was a great watch! I'll share my own Sonic backstory here, for whatever it's worth: I grew up in an abusive household feeling like nobody at all cared about me. But, I always had Sonic. To me, he has always been the friend I had when there was nobody else. Thinking about him warms my heart. I looked up to him so much, and I wanted to be like him. I've always felt a strong connection with him. When I was sad, I looked at him and I saw so much in him, perhaps like that of you would a celebrity you admire, but with the closeness of that of a best friend or an older brother. Just the thought of him, it was like he was telling me that he's here for me and that it'll be alright, even if I didn't think so. Even after so much has changed years later and I'm doing a lot better, still this all stays with me. He's helped me so much, to become a better guy, a better friend, a better everything. I still have a lot of healing to do, but Sonic has played a tremendous part in my betterment, and that continues to this day.

[@1999bazz]

I always loved how Sonic sticks to his guiding principles & keeps moving forward, no matter what comes his way. That isn't unique to him but, the way he does that with so much swagger & charm always stuck with me. He doesn't believe in endings. He believes in new beginnings. And I think that can also be applied to my experience with the Sonic games. It can make these adventures that in reality, last a few hours, feel like they last a lifetime. I think that's why I keep replaying the older games & wait in anticipation for the next one. To me, Sonic games, while cheesy at times, have heart that you can't really get anywhere else.

[@Sparkys_World-0]

I don’t wanna say too much, since I’m working on my own Sonic magnum opus, but I do wanna speak to one point you made about Sonic towards the end. Every classic Sonic game in Japan would come with a little message on the box; a message straight from “Sonic” himself. He’d give some aspirational words to the kids playing the games and tell them awesome *they* could be if they believe in themselves. Listening to Cosmic Eternity, it’s literally the exact same sort of message but in song form. Oshima designed Sonic not just to be seen as cool, but to help bring out the coolness in others. He’s truly one of the most aspirational characters in gaming, simply by being himself. Unleashed put it into words perfectly: he’s too strong to lose himself. Great stuff!

[@yinshon]

Sonic being a representation of positive change in the world is something I've been saying for years, thank you for this video. 😂

[@mikalalaaa]

When my severe anxiety and depression began planting it's roots in me during my early teens Sonic was one of the things that brought me comfort. I would hide in the bathroom for 20-30 minutes at a time to avoid classes, my head in my t shirt imagining Sonic was nearby. His emotional presence in me gave me comfort in those rough times. As I got older I didn't literally imagine Sonic by my side anymore, but my love for the series was that comfort. I think that's why Sonic Boom hurt me as much as it did. When I tried to play it through 2015-16 it actually made my depression worse. I was seeking comfort in Sonic, but what I gravitated to in him as a character and world wasn't there. It was a shell of who he was. To this day Sonic Boom is the only Sonic platformer I ever returned to the store. Now as a grown woman I have a fiancé who I've been helping get into sonic over the last three years. We played Frontiers together because he likes watching me play things. Seeing Sonic and his friends in this way after so long nearly brought me to tears. It felt like an old friend coming home after being gone for over a decade. The amount of times I said "I can't believe this is real." while playing Frontiers is too much to count. Thanks for verbalizing why I love Sonic so much~

[@pokemaster374]

Sonic to me is someone who I wanted to become when I was younger, someone who can make friends whereever they go, someone who can face their problems with no more than a cheeky grin, but I realized I couldn't mold myself into him as I grew older but unlike you couldn't deeply describe on why that was never going to be. There was another video I watched in the past that discussed the "coolness" of sonic, he's always been the same, his beliefs, his ability to draw people and communicate with anybody from anywhere. It wasn't just the he goes to plenty of different places or how how he doesn't stay in one place for too long, sonic was cool because he was just being himself, and that's why I often thought of sonic as the pretty cool friend I needed when I was alone

[@Itz_Kwame]

this video is so powerful, it made me shed a tear, and i dont cry too often

[@Specialzone5]

Thank you. Thank you for this. As I lay here in my bed at 3am watching this I'm tearing up as you say exactly how I feel about my favorite character. Incredible work.

[@hyruleguy9569]

I mostly agree with everything you said, but there's one human "flaw" of his character that I've always loved: He's overconfident. That usually gets him in trouble. The entire reason Unleashed starts is because he lets his guard down and falls right into Eggman's trap. Another thing that I really like, and what I believe to be his defining trait, is that he never gives up, no matter what, to the point of self sacrifice. In Sonic and the Black Knight, Merlina almost beats him to death, but he keeps getting back up after every blow. Even when his sword breaks, his spirit doesn't. He keeps going just to get his point across. In Frontiers (SPOILERS) . . . . He lets the cyber corruption take over him to save his friends, and he keeps going until it completely spreads and efectively kills him. He doesn't stay that way, of course, because they return the favor. But the fact that he's willing to go so far is really compelling. Even though he's this larger than life character, he still somehow feels like a real person, he has an actual personality. Because of that, I find him to be similar to Superman or Goku.

[@bluestar5812]

43:14 In the obscure Dreamcast game "Segagaga" the player Sega characters which all live in the in game's universe as real life actors playing characters in their respective videogames, one of them being Alex Kidd. In one of his cutscenes Alex states he feels stagnant in his life because, as a videogame character, he cannot move without the player's input. In one of the games, I think it was Black Knight, Sonic states his life only ends when he stops running. That always stuck with me because in that game Sonic teaches Merlina that everything will have an end, but we should take this as an opportunity to celebrate life while we can. However, Sonic's life will remain as long as he keeps running, as in, as long as people play his games.

[@odd-eyes6363]

Your point about how the games being repayable made them special to a lot of people is much more accurate than you could imagine The first trilogy of Sonic games was so accessible that it became a bestseller in lower-income households in Brazil. This made the series so popular to the point that new Mega Drive (Sega Genesis) systems have never stopped being produced and sold in the country. That remains true to this day.

[@stoneapollyon8313]

There is no other character like sonic the hedgehog for me. The speed, the personality, his blue color - everything from the world to the characters just has a charm that grabbed me when i was a kid and I don’t think i’ll ever forget this blue rodent even when i’m on my deathbed.

[@SliceJosiah]

You did it. All this research into every single possible part of the series has led to this. You glorious madman, you've done it.

[@ManicMekka]

Static characters aren't inherently bad and I think you did a good job arguing why it's ok for Sonic to be a static character.

[@Barmeecarba]

Great video, I do enjoy your perception of Sonic although I now see why you were a fan of that more meta original origin of the character. I like Sonic as a symbol but not as an overly literal symbol who knows he's a game characters, feels like a bit overboard especially considering that one of the aspects that people love so much about Sonic as outlined from this video is the characters. He's a flat character and I'd rather that be the end of it. I'm also interested in seeing you talk more about Flynn, I can see why you don't love his interpretation of Sonic. Archie Sonic is pretty much the opposite of everything said in this video, Archie Werehog even has Sonic deal with the negative influence of dark gaia as I'm sure you're aware. But all this together really just makes Archie Sonic standout as an entirely different character which is why I think some of the hate that version gets by more purist fans in somewhat unjustified. Although I'll admit I really don't like IDW Sonic as he is actually moreso written to be game sonic and yet I feel like he loses all that made the original special.

[@Reddeth6332]

Im 30 and married now but I fell in love with the series when I was a kid. Also I miss Ryan and Jason as Sonic.

[@ToastyCubes]

My favorite thing about your channel is that it has these peaks and valleys. Sometimes you do a niche topic which very few will be interested in, at other times you delve into a broad facing subject anyone can get behind, and it's so cool that you're passionate about both regardless of how many clicks it might get.

[@Chillipeffer]

Should I be embarrassed that this video brought me to tears near the end?

[@Pariah6950]

Not at all. That was the point of the video lol. I'm glad you found it touching.

[@quasar4780]

I really love this video. It really shows how the average outsider looks (and a lot of fans too) don't really understand what Sonic really is about, whether it is about the stories or even how the gameplay works. I was one of those people too. I discovered Sonic through Sonic X and Advance 3, and for the longest time, I wondered "Why can't Sonic, story-wise, become more than he already is?" Without realizing the real answer is because he doesn't need to. Although, one side complaint I have to make is that you seem to confuse "flat" characters and "static" characters, because Sonic represents a lot of things, and as you described it thourouhly, there's really a lot of hidden depth around what he represents, how he behaves... That's why I can't call him a flat character. He is a static character, someone that doesn't evolve, but instead changes the world around him and the people in contact with him. That's this particular thing that makes me love Sonic above all other characters in the series, and why I love static characters, period. As for the gameplay and the games, I really resonate on a personal level about what you just said. When I was a kid, I quite disliked the games, to be honest. I loved Sonic X and really wanted to be able to play the characters I loved, but the sheer hidden depth of some of the games' mechanics is not something a child can understand or master. I recall I really struggled with Advance 3 and Shadow the Hedgehog, and I just thought they were alright games, but with a lot of problems. As I grew up, I started becoming more and more frustrated about how the games work, because none of them effectively taught me about their mechanics or what you could do with them. I played Black Knight, struggled with Unleashed, did not even play past the tutorial of Secret Rings (which is ironic, since it has a tutorial) and Chronicles was the game that almost made me quit the Sonic series (although I started to warm up to it after the story really kicked off). And it's only nowadays, since I've discovered your channel, that I start to really understand what Sonic is about. I genuiely think Sonic is a franchise you can truly appreciate for what it is once you finally become an adult and start studying it. Like, just the level design philosophy of the 2D games, can a child truly grasp that by themselves on their first Sonic game ? Or the characters, could anyone tell what Sonic is all about without a proper character study ? It's honestly crazy that this series a particular, geared towards kids, is able to provide such an extensive discussion about what Sonic is 30 years later. To this day we are still discovering and discussing new things about Sonic as a character, story or games. I've played Sonic Riders since I'm 8, and now I'm 23, and I still discover some new mechanics about it! Do you see people going such lengths about Mario or even Zelda, aside from fan theories that don't really mean anything ? Sonic is the only one like that, really. Sonic is actually one of the main franchises that make me want to become a game developer for these reasons, and also for the fact that Sonic Team and Dimps, regardless of their past mistakes and their dstructive philosophy with Sonic, are willing to push the series in different and interesting new ways. They weren't just content about making a classic, faithful 3D adaptation of the 2D gameplay, you see each new 3D game bringing something new to the table, for the better or the worse. Sure, as a consumer and a simple Sonic fan, this sucks a lot, because they tend to remove a lot of things people liked about the older games and replacing them with things that are more miss than hit, but as a creative person who makes games and writes stories, I really respect that kind of philosophy. They were not just content with their achievements, they always wanted to see what more could be done with the series. Like, the Advance series : Advance 1 started just as a faithful class Sonic experience, then in Advance 2 they were like "Okay, now that we have a solid base, what more could be done about it to make the gameplay richer?", and, while Advance 2 didn't work out as well, they didn't let that deter them, they were more like "Okay, the level design didn't work very well, but the Boost mode was a good addition, for the next game let's keep it and see what we can do with it", and for Advance 3, they pretty much fixed almost all the issues Advance 2 had, while adding new zones, new mechanics, a partner character and team mechanics. This is what I like about Sonic and Sonic Team, they were always willing to innovate. They didn't just want "good", they wanted "more". Even Sega themselves, back when they were making consoles, they were still at the top of the game, one step before Ninentendo in termes of innovation with their consoles. Did you know that the sega Saturn was the first console to allow the download of DLCs and online multiplayer through Sega's network? DLCs and multiplayer in the 90s! They didn't care that much about the reception of their games, or whatever trend was mainstream at the time. They made what they liked with their own identity. That's why Sonic Riders is my favorite Sonic game, not only because I consider it very good, but because it's a perfect incarnation of that philosophy. They didn't just make Sonic & friends run or drive a car, they gave them hoverboards, and I think this was the exact correct thing to do. This game has its own visual identity and gameplay unique to only itself, and pushed in the right direction, it could have been a really serious competitor to Mario Kart. You talked about how the Sonic series is unique and there isn't really anything like Sonic, and Sonic Riders encapsulates that perfectly : Did you know that apart from Sonic Riders, there is only ONE other game series about racing on hoverboards (Streak)? That's how unique Sonic Riders was, there is litteraly nothing like it in the entire world. And that makes all of this a lot sadder to me, because we'll never get that philosophy again. Most people didn't understand or even liked their approach to game design or that unique identity, and Sonic Team, I think, listened to the wrong voices. I'm honestly not one of those that wants to rip a new one to Lost World, because while I don't like that game, I like that they tried to experiment with it to see what Sonic could do with a more vertical level design, but I hate how they never capitalized on that and ditched the formula rather than trying to improve it.

[@LoliconSamalik]

20:00 you hit the nail on the head about Sonic's appeal as a character. He's not the kind of person to call himself a hero. Hell, he's gladly become the villain in someone else story and made the most fun out of it as long as what he does feels right. But it just so happens, that sometimes that is the heroic thing to do to help someone in need. He's a borderline antihero who follows his selfish freedom loving heart, a heart that just to happens to align with people's best interest making him a pure hero to others around him.

[@lordpeeps1]

Interestingly enough, in one of the recent twitter takeovers Tails actually acknowledges that their adventures get turned into video games

[@ArcueidBrunestuddo]

I can't wait for you to touch on Sonic & The Black Knight. That game's message is truly powerful, especially with the credits song Live Life.

[@minty6623]

This video will be the closest I will get to an idealistic "There will Never Ever be another franchise like Sonic the Hedgehog"

[@Eniggma39]

Sonic as a franchise means different things to different people. By being so inconsistent , Sega basically created the franchise that allow the most self expression from it's fans. *Chaos is also a form of Freedom.*

[@BraviaGames]

Woah, cool! That's my concept art at 9:29! You have put into words what Sonic means to me. One reason why I watch your videos is for light guidance on where I want to take my Sonic fangame as I want it to be as purely Sonic as possible and you have proven to be very in tune with the essence of Sonic. I want to say from the bottom of my heart, thank you, Pariah, for making this video along with the rest of your channel library. I can't wait to see where you go and what you create in the future! Keep being you!

[@sonictimm]

I disagree on the point of "not because he's being a hero / doing what's right." The way you define Sonic is basically as a hero who is doing what's right. The only difference between him and these dopey depressed "superheroes" we get in movies nowadays is that Sonic is full of hope and love while he does it. That doesn't negate the heroism, it amplifies it. He doesn't spend much time on self-pity. My favorite Superman is the 1930's version. He can't even fly, but he has a lot more in common with Sonic personality-wise than you would expect. I have a long rant about how old superheroes like that have been slowly deformed into what we see nowadays. While Sonic has evolved and changed inconsistently, at least he's always a hero :) And that's one of my favorite things about him-- he's still a hero when most other "heroes" barely qualify for the title anymore. Additionally, the franchise is generally clean and family-friendly / AKA / pure and wholesome in an age when most franchises aren't and don't strive to be. I'm a sucker for good role models, and I see entertainment as a way to prepare us for life by putting us in good spirits. Sonic excels at that! But I would also say he isn't perfect. He's impatient, tends to rush into things, and doesn't always seek help when he needs it. Some games minimize this (much to my chagrin) but the very premise of Forces is that Sonic needs help. That, plus the continuation of those traits in other franchises, speaks to their continued validity. Part of the reason the franchise resonates with me is probably because I personally find those flaws extremely relatable. That's probably also why I cringe when I see sonic "Mickey Mouse'd" into a perfect flawless character (Mickey Mouse originally had a very short temper before Disney decided the face of their company had to be immaculate, then he slowly lost all personality and his character became that of a corporate logo).

[@julien2983]

I think of Sonic the hedgehog as a catalyst for change, in his world and environment but also and perhaps most importantly, in the people around him including us. Just by existing and pursuing what he believes in, he inspires others to be true to themselves and believe in the power they hold as individuals, and as friends to each other. Sonic's true power is the ability to empower others, in his world and ours, and I think that a lot of people subconsciously resonate with that.

[@Poyostar]

Finally went ahead and watched this, and... yeah, I think this sums up why so many people continue to be inspired by Sonic in spite of all the ups, downs and all arounds. Truly a must-watch for any longtime Sonic fan.

[@NotSoGenesiz]

sonic is the only thing i love that i DONT know how i got into, even though it’s a huge part of my childhood and i keep near and dear to my heart to this day. (my dad may have introduced it to me since he had a genesis). when i was young i never felt like i was able to really relate to anyone as much as i did with sonic for many reasons. we both were super energetic and spunky (i was diagnosed with adhd) and i always loved his attitude and i wanted to be just like him when i was young. hell i even did the “sonic run” cuz i thought it would make me go faster. one of my favorite games was free riders because i really felt like i was in the game, and yes i know that game is terrible but i was a kid can you blame me? some of my favorite memories involve sonic. i have a picture of my seventh birthday, it’s me with a sonic adventure 2 shirt, and i’m at a chuck e. cheese with some friends having a sonic birthday. another is when i took a photo with a mascot sonic when i was a kid and i was so unbelievably happy. i think about how me and my dad used to play all star racing transformed all the time together. even to this day i’m still making memories with him, like how me and my friends went to watch sonic 2 together. quite frankly i can’t explain my love for the franchise, but i’m happy that it’s been in my life regardless. even my username is inspired by him, haha

[@netizen10008]

I can’t believe a KZbin video on a blue hedgehog brought me to the verge of tears. Growing up sonic was an integral part of my childhood, whether that be scrambling to find all the red star rings in Sonic Colours DS, or endlessly replaying Windy Hill Zone act 1 before my demo ran out of plays. I probably wouldn’t understand the way I feel, so many people around me feel, and so many people on planet earth feel about this blue pineapple if it wasn’t for you. From the bottom of my heart, thank you.

[@SonicAndre2]

To me, I don’t think there’s no real definitive “true” Sonic. Like the wind, Sonic’s never stays in one place, and he’s as ever-changing as the wind itself, always trying something different and new. I’ve always kept an open mind about whatever new gameplay style or mechanic(s) Sonic Team would try, and in the end, I’d end up having fun playing through the games, and with Sonic Frontiers being the game that Sonic Team themselves wanted to make, I knew I had to give it a try. And after my playthrough at 100%, I loved every single moment I had playing through it. I’ve never really been someone who gets pulled into the discussions involving Sonic’s appearance, because I never cared about anything so trivial, because in the end, it doesn’t matter. And through the challenges, the struggles, and the obstacles, both Sonic and Sonic Team always push through, and when they stumble and fall, they’ll always get back up, and that’s something I strongly admire about both of them, and I can’t change that, nor do I want to. And the way you go into the details about why you love Sonic as a character are the same reason why I love Sonic as a character too. And his actions and how far he was willing to go to save his friends in the story of Sonic Frontiers is what further cemented my love for Sonic as a character. I also love your commentary on the meta stuff that’s been around since the beginning. It truly makes me grateful and happy that I had discovered Sonic when I was a kid, as he’s been a strong inspiration throughout my life for as long as I can remember.

[@waypastcoolkid]

This honestly made me feel so happy. This video was so beautifully put and I couldn’t stop smiling the whole time. Excellent job, Pariah. 🎉

[@azure361]

Fantastic video! I think you hit the nail on the head regarding Sonics character; what it means to us and how he influences peoples lives in a positive way. But to add on top of what you stated in your video, I think one of the many reasons of why I* love Sonic is because the character will never be one thing. I love how I can engage with this character regardless of the form of media it is in. I love how I can better myself as a gamer to become skillful in what I play, something I can't find in anything else to the same caliber. I love how each and every gameplay style no matter if its boost, Adventure, open zone, lost world, or the classics. I love how I can have a conversation about these things with other people who feel the same way. I love the sense of accomplishment these games give to me when I perfect a level. And I love the beautiful sense of positivity and joy that radiates from every piece of artwork that has ever been related to the character. Thank you for these videos that have reminded me and many others of why Sonic matters.

[@gemlik_rogue]

This video changed the way to see the Sonic franchise (and Sonic himself) as a whole. It opened my eyes on why I keep following this blue hedgehog, despite I think his products aren't the same as they used to be. I thought I was just getting old.

[@typreegamingtpg2198]

I like Sonic because I can’t get it anywhere else. And I find the series the most frustrating when the officials seem like they’re trying their damnedest to run away from the “It” that makes the series so special to me in the first place.

[@typreegamingtpg2198]

Mario embraces its “It”, Zelda embraces its “It”, Megaman embraces its “It”, and the only thing that I want for Sonic is to embrace what it and only it has to offer as faithfully and confidently as his peers do.

[@typreegamingtpg2198]

Not only do they embrace their charm, but they understand it so well that they transform it into multiple subseries that people gravitate toward just as much, if not more. However Sonic can’t/hasn’t done this properly because it really doesn’t understand its own success and especially FUN as much as they do, and it’s pretty frustrating.

[@quasar4780]

@@typreegamingtpg2198 You've put the finger on what frustrates me so much about Sonic Team. Both Classic and Adventure eras, while very different, have such a unique identity I've never seen anywhere else before or after, and Sonic Team never seemed to understand what was that identity they themselves created. The themes, the atmospheres, they've always been the same between the two versions, which is why I like they both equally, regardless of the quality of the games.

[@Agent-yw1kj]

@@quasar4780 "classic and Adventure very different" here's the real pill here: they aren't. Infact, they are almost one and the same. They are very, very identical

[@Agent-yw1kj]

@PhantomLee Yes they are, as a matter of fact. If you can look below surface level

[@BinglesP]

You know, I kind of needed this video. I’ve had moments where I felt that I was wrong for wanting to see the Sonic cast be in certain ways, like being more emotional or expressive, but I see why I felt like that now. I just want them to be the good characters I know they can be. Thank you for all these essays, good sir.

[@Barrnickle]

Grew up with Sonic, best memories of my childhood are me in an apartment with my PS2/360/Wii playing Heroes, Mega Collection, Colors, Unleashed, 06 and so on. Watching Sonic X and all kinds of videos on KZbin. I realize that most of the games have flaws big or small, specifically the 3D ones. But Sonic games weren’t even that important to me. The character himself attached to me like a sticker, too many factors to explain simply but he felt like my best friend that I could always fall back on whenever, get sucked into his world and stories to escape reality. I’ve been a fan since I was a child and I will be one till the day I die. Oh and the music is kickass.

[@robinsonsonic]

This video does such a great job capturing the nebulous reason why Sonic is such a brilliant character. I've been a fan for all of my 32 years of life, and no matter how many bad games come I remain a fan. The core of his concept and character is so great and you nailed it on the design aspects of him. Just looking at him he's so fundamentally cool, straight up. For years I've been unable to explain why he remains my favorite character, but this video is outstanding in the way it defines who Sonic is at the core. Great work.

[@aaaaaaaaaa22877u]

this is one of my favorite videos i’ve ever seen thank you!! you are way past cool. imo sonic is one of few perfect characters in visual fiction. perfect design and personality. simple characters like sonic are “easier to make” but their accessibility is the real reason why they work so well. somebody need to make a new sonic-tier character design in games i think it’d be fun!

[@Thehotdogman]

I'm not crying, you're crying! This was a very sweet and wholesome reading of sonic. I love it. And I appreciate you for sharing it with us!

[@sanglish18]

You really explained well what I think about Sonic in words that I couldn't describe before, the part of Sonic being a metaphor character and not a literal character really was the thing that was missing in my mind, thank you so much! The replayability aspect is something that I also always thought out as something that really contributes because for this character to work you have to be attached to it in some way, and the fact that the games are designed for replayability (sometimes to the point of making it pretty frustrating for new players, but that's beside the point) helps us to create a more deep conection with the franchise than with other franchises like Zelda, while they can have good stories or gameplay on their own, the vast majority of people just play those games by reaching the credits, maybe do 100%, and realize they had a good experience *AS* a video-game, but not really stick into your actual life or way of thinking in the same way Sonic as a character does, and the fact that Sonic is so easily attached to people's lives makes so the mismanagement of it create for opportunities for people to really show THEIR Sonic that they dream of in a way that Mario or Zelda really don't have it in their communities since their games are all fun and perfectly good as they want. The part of NiGHTS really is also important to me because I really enjoyed those games, but just like Sonic, it wasn't just because of its simple yet pretty fun action gameplay, the embodiment of NIGHTS as a character and the world that it brings in the game makes me feel a lot more than just "fun video-games". There was a lot going on with Sonic Team's mindset at that time and as time goes on I think everyone agrees that that same Sonic Team is just fading away with time and transforming into another thing entirely, maybe they'll make something magical to be remembered in the future the same way they did in the 90s and 2000s, who knows...

[@Far2Sega4U]

This is now one of my favorite videos of all time. And I love how you used Nate's theme at the end of the video knowing the message behind it, it's so perfect

[@NIGHTBLOODUSAGI]

i think little planet is a metaphor too. its literally a little earth(earth is the smallest and closest to the sun) chained down by a human(or humans irl) who wishes to do selfish or bad things to the planet instead of working with it.

[@massimodalessandro108]

I was having a bit of a rough day and this video cheered me up immensely, thank you!

[@LucentAzure]

Completely lost track of time listening to this and before I knew it the video was over. Great points all around. I'm really not sure I can articulate what it is about Sonic that I like other than saying I played it a lot as a kid and just gained a nostalgia from the repetition of playing the classics like you said as well. I'm really not sure what it is about the stories that I like. I guess Sonic Stories are things that give me hope? I dunno... It's so much easier to just say "I like blue hedgehog that go fast"

[@1MarmadukeFan]

I think the transformation of the character over time is interesting in and of itself. You can divide his timeline into different eras. He’s a memorably designed character stretched across different eras of gaming, and the poor games actually inspire design ideas.

[@vanilla7981]

I agree with a lot of your reasons as to why we fans care so much about Sonic. I've been into Sonic since I was a kid and it never stopped being an interest of mine, Sonic has inspired me in so many ways. He was the reason I did track, the reason I loved drawing, the reason I'm into voice acting, and so much more. Even when I was being bullied for liking Sonic I never stopped because I knew that I should live my life the way I want to and not by anyone else's rules. Just like Sonic! He and this franchise mean so much to me, I can go on and on about what its done for me. All n' all my life wouldn't be the same without it. ALSO its funny that you say Sonic might be aware he's a video game character and that what he does gets turned into a game because, in the recent twitter take over somone asked what Sonic and the gangs favorite Sonic game was and they did answer! Sonic even said something along the lines of "People take some of our adventures and turn them into games!", Eggman was the only one unaware that these games existed lol.

[@nicholas6613]

I know this video is over a year old now so this comment probably won’t be seen, but I think that this was a very interesting and nuanced take on not just Sonic fans but the character himself. One thought that kept popping into my head during the discussion of Sonic as a character was his similarities to the main character of It’s A Wonderful Life, George Bailey. George is a character who constantly uplifts and improves the lives of the people in his town not for his own gain or even really something he does consciously, but because it’s who he is as a person. Every other character’s life is improved just by their proximity to George Bailey, much like your description of the inhabitants of Sonic’s world. One place where I would actually disagree, just slightly, with your analysis, is the idea that Sonic can’t ever feel doubt or sadness, and I think It’s A Wonderful Life is a good way to explain that. Spoilers for a classic movie ahead: George eventually becomes stressed and overwhelmed with the burden that rests upon his shoulders, and in a low moment, almost jumps off a bridge, deciding that the town might be better off without him. When he goes on the main journey of the movie with his guardian angel, to a world where he never existed, he realizes his own importance and comes back to his life with a renewed sense of purpose. I think to say that a metaphorical character such as Sonic should not be able to experience character development such as that is incorrect, and in some versions of the character I feel he does go through moments like that. Again, I have to say that this was a really good video and absolutely was better than my own expectations!

[@NTyrzi]

The connection that sonic has with the player by knowing that he is a videogame character and that's why he goes for adventures is something I've actually thought about this in my child years, not specifically about sonic but like when I play a game, I want to see fights, I want to see struggle and overcome all odds thru the challenge etc because that's interesting because it's thrilling, so by default the character I'm playing as should feel the same right? Not because I do but because the character is doing those things I make em do. Why would that character do those things if they don't like it, and then every time when a moral reason is brought up, they actually don't like to do those backflips, don't actually like to take the harder route, they don't want to fight and they think something is waste of time because they gotta safe the world, the disconnect starts to happen. The character isn't having fun as I am, but Sonic is. He will take the hard route for the sake of an adventure, he will do flips and tricks because he wants to give me a thrilling experience, he will fight not because he wants there to be violence, but because if no other way opportunity is given he will take it and have fun with it, and he will save the day at the end of it all and tell me "Fuck yea dude! You did it!". The only thing he doesn't like is when you are not moving. If you don't move, you're not experiencing much. You're not having an adventure if you're standing still. But this is just about the player connection. Goku is kinda the same way with his different personality. We want to see an epic fight with high stakes and the test of strength, and that's exactly what Goku wants too.

[@starstorm4077]

This is my second time watching the video. I just couldn't help but nod and pause from being overwhelmed by hearing my thoughts spoken back to me. I love this character, his friends and their world.

[@Niemand]

Maybe the real Sonic is the fun we had on the way all along

[@sirhoopsalot7605]

i think what makes me gravitate toward sonic so much is the sheer creativity on display. the world of sonic oozes so much style and personality that it's hard not to get invested in it. i love all the various settings that sonic has come up with over the years and how they have these little moments and setpieces that stick with you, from the snowboarding in ice cap to that one really cool camera angle while rail grinding in final rush, that gives these places a real identity and makes them feel less like just another video game level to run through the design of sonic himself is also inspirational as he exemplifies how there's a real beauty to simplicity. the fact that, no matter how much a person can mangle his design into something as simple as a blue blob witn spikes, it can still be easily identified as sonic really shows just how solid a character design it is i also like the sheer amount of gameplay styles present in the games, for better or for worse. i find there's always something to like about them and, when it comes to their shortcomings, ways to make them better. this also extends to stories and character writing and how to bring out the best in those areas too. the series is so packed with potential that there's a joy in seeing people discuss what could have been, what can be improved, and talking about new ideas wholesale. it always feels like someone's talking about SOMETHING i don't fully agree with sonic being this meta character that represents the joy we get playing games, nor do i think the mandate of sonic not being allowed to cry is a good thing. not that i think sonic SHOULD cry at points, i don't think he's the type of guy to get that distraught over something, i guess it's that the mere existence of the mandate implies he's less "human", if that makes any sense. like i think sonic has the CAPACITY to cry, but never does because he's that confident that things will always get better no matter the situation. i don't tend to think of sonic as a metaphor because it makes all his positive qualities, never giving up hope, always seeing the best in people, and doing good because he wants to, feel less like something i can realistically achieve than when he's a full-fledged character

[@startvpodcast]

What a good time to be a sonic fan. Naoto oshima truly created an amazing character

[@Rishi123456789]

If we're lucky, Sonic might enter a second golden age. Fingers crossed.

[@startvpodcast]

@@Rishi123456789 we can only hope so 🤞🏾 but based off of frontiers and the comics being all Canon now I'd say we're in for a very golden Future for sonic 🦔

[@Rishi123456789]

@@startvpodcast I genuinely hope you're right.

[@BlueRainbow101]

For me, while I really enjoy a lot of the series' aspects, the most important thing for me is definitely the character of Sonic himself - his looks and personality are just so fun and likeable. I love just... watching him be himself, do cool things and positively infulence people around him. Real or not, he's like a comfort friend you can always count on. The post-NiGHTS portion of the video is so sweet and something I swear I must've subconciously noticed but just never registered. Man. I may not prefer it per se but I really appreciate this more methaphorical aspect of the character, it's neat! (Great usage of One Way Dream at the end btw. It's such a heartfelt song)

[@just_ducky]

I just love the way Sonic makes friends with everyone he meets. He befriends Tails before Sonic 2, who saves him from death (in the bad ending, at least). He forgives Knuckles for his misunderstanding, then teams up with him to defeat Eggman in 3K. He does the same with Shadow. The best example would be his friendship with Chip, despite the world being broken, he takes his time to go on a *world adventure* with him, and the serious moments are honestly unforgettable, he teaches Chip that friendship is important (in a way that isn't corny!), and will never forget him (until the bracelet is no where to be seen ever again)...

[@someguy912]

Might keep the bracelet in his house

[@brendiesel386]

i like watching the gameplay videos because its fun to hear someone talk about the way they play the game. i like knowing there are different styles or ways of playing certain games. i also like watching people so i can find out about tricks, or watching speedruns or people who know what their doing so i can potentially learn from their runs and improve.

[@kilometersperminute4113]

As cheesy as it sounds, I think Sonic is a good role model for all audiences. Sonic is free as the wind and does the things he thinks is right. He never gives up and overcomes every challenge he encounters. He isn’t perfect by any means but that’s what makes him more relatable, “Maybe one day I could be like Sonic too!” 7 year old me may or may not have actually said this. Some people describe Sonic as a religion with devotees living and breathing Sonic in every moment, but I’d say Sonic as the squeaky clean flawless for character Sega shaped him to be, is pretty much the perfect character to be idolised on. That’s why I think the mandates aren’t deterrent to Sonic’s ‘growth’ as a character because in the ideal situation he wouldn’t need any. The mandates helped Sonic retain his widespread appeal and what made Sonic Sonic in the first place, just as you said in the video.

[@Nalhirrim]

I agree a lot. I'm a huge Sonic fan, spend a lot of time watching videos, lore discussions, reading fanfics. But I've never played a single Sonic game. I just like the characters.

[@invisiiso]

You won't (or probably will, given the nature of it all) believe how much fun the free mobile version of Sonic CD gave me during my entire childhood. Despite its flaws.

[@cadaver8011]

Video genuinely made me cry. Thank you so much for making this video.

[@SicMetalMaggot4life]

This put the fandom's love for the character and franchise into very concise words that describes exactly what people like about Sonic the character and the game. Very well said, fam. I grew up personally with more western interpretations of the character via the 90s cartoons alongside Sonic Megacollection, so my Sonic is a bit different to the OG Japanese intention, but I think that radiant optimism and fun-loving personality is exactly why I enjoyed the character back then and still do now. I'm not even a particularly optimistic or upbeat person, so I normally can't stand characters that try to be all rainbows and happy-happy-joy-joy (I'm a tired 26 year old with mountains of student debt living in the 2020s, optimism is not exactly the easiest thing for me) but I give Sonic a welcome pass because of just how damn good the character is at being a positive role model and literal/metaphorical force of happiness. I actually laughed watching the video when I saw you came to a similar conclusion lmao. But yea, it's the sincerity in the character and genuine earnestness that routinely impresses me, so you describing all of my (and the fandom's) grievances with the way modern Sonic is written is...actually very on point. I HATED the forced, unnatural way modern Sonic in the 2010s just stood there and claimed this and that about friendship and doing good, and it almost felt like a parody of the character played straight by people who just never understood the character. I think that's where even the early western stories succeeded: they actually did believe in the positive message Sonic stood for, and while they played a bit more into the rebellious attitude part from the marketing of the time, I still think some of that original character shined through.

[@33pandagamer]

What made me become a Sonic fan in the frist place was the Story of SA2. That game showed me the power video games have as a story telling device. I like the characterization of these characters. I could watch them do some something boring like taxes, and I'd still be entertained. These characters have so many layers to their personalities that they almost feel real.

[@DanielAntovski]

Some people hate sonic, like really hate because its a platformer and because it has 2d pixelated graphics and low poly games, which is pretty stupid because they only care about high graphics multiplayer games and thats 50-60% of gamers nowdays