Who has never played Sonic? Even if you never had a game from the series, whether during the time when SEGA developed its consoles or later, it is very unlikely that you haven’t heard of this character. He is present in various toys, even had stuffed cookies, notebooks, comics, and several animated series for TV. However, there is only one developed in Japan, which is considered by the vast majority of fans as the best of all: Sonic X.
The anime was developed by TMS Entertainment, which is a subsidiary of SEGA, and shows the adventures of Sonic and his friends after being teleported to planet Earth thanks to the Chaos Control ability that Dr. Eggman activated with the power of the seven emeralds. There, Sonic meets Chris Thorndyke, a rich boy (did he win in the mega sena lotteries?) who hosts him in his home, and they both end up becoming great friends. Basically, Sonic’s goal is to find a way to return to his planet along with his friends.
There are three distinct seasons, with the first containing entirely original episodes and placing great emphasis on the character Chris Thorndyke. The second seeks to adapt the adventures from the games of the time, including episodes that encompass the stories from the first Sonic Adventure released for the Dreamcast in 1999, Sonic Adventure 2, from the same console, released in 2001, and Sonic Battle released in 2003 for the GameBoy Advance. Finally, the third season, which is considered by the vast majority of fans as the best of all, takes place in the Sonic universe and tells an original story as well.
Interestingly, there is a noticeable evolution in quality throughout the episodes, especially regarding the script. In the first season, they tried to bet on something more “light” and focused on comedy with some action scenes, leading to fun episodes, but not so memorable, while in the third and final season, the story becomes much denser, and all characters become fundamentally important. It’s almost “sad” that the series ended just at its peak, with very addictive episodes that always end on a cliffhanger that encourages you to keep watching, in addition to holding the viewer’s attention quite well.
Unfortunately, the version that reached us via TV was the 4KIDS adaptation, which censored various types of scenes and modified the soundtrack to a more generic one, aiming to appeal more to children and thus align with American kids. However, those who had access to the original Japanese edition tend to prefer this one, as it features more battle scenes and dramatic dialogues.
The anime was very well received worldwide for being quite faithful to the format of the games from the Adventure saga, with the game developers themselves being involved in the production of the animation. They respect the individual characteristics of the characters very well, and the new ones that appear throughout the plot also fit well with the rest of the cast.
The highlight goes to the exciting final stretch of the last season, with very epic battles and a surprisingly touching conclusion that could make the “coldest” hearts shed tears. Additionally, this is also the incarnation where the relationship between Amy and Sonic is much more “close” than in other franchises. It seems that he shows some kind of affection for her, indicating that he might reciprocate her feelings, although there is no official confirmation from SEGA and TMS. There’s even one episode where Amy Rose asks Sonic if he loves her, and when he gives her a flower, he responds, but this audio is muted to the viewer, leaving it open about what he must have said to her.
Sonic X achieved great popularity in the United States and France, constantly reaching the number one position in both countries. In 2007, it was the most exported anime from TMS, inspiring the company to develop animes that would sell well outside the country.
However, the biggest point of criticism among all is, besides the English localization, the presence of the character Chris Thorndyke, who has great importance in the story, but for many, ends up becoming the typical “annoying” character. There is significant maturation of him throughout the episodes, and he becomes fundamentally important for the other characters during the last season. Thorndyke was created specifically to appeal to Japanese children, and there he is very well regarded and considered the favorite character of many. However, due to cultural differences, we end up not having the same view as the Asians.
In the end, Sonic X is worth checking out. As it is older, it may have somewhat outdated animations and some backgrounds are visibly in low resolution, but the protagonist’s charisma combined with very fun moments makes this the best cartoon of the mascot. Just be careful with the final episodes! Prepare the tissues.
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