@@mr.unsmiley8656 sir. I need you to know, that you have activated the horde. those are fighting words, and the sonic armies will FIGHT to the bitter end, to either correct you, convert you, or slay you. I hope, I pray, that you are strong enough, fortified to stand up to the onslaught, and defend your position with gusto. all of which is to say yeah I agree, stinkin' blue rat's kinda boring!
the thing i always loved about sonic as a character is that he shows up when he is needed, and leaves before you can thank him. like with the spider man comparison, he is not Peter Parker. he is the spider that bit him.
I think this gave me an idea of why Sonic and Shadow work so well as Deuteragonists. Sonic inflicts himself on the plot and Shadow wishes the plot would stop happening to him.
It's the funniest shit, there's a cut segment of this video focused on Shadow where I say exactly that, Shadow's reflection of Sonic even extends to the meta-narrative 😭
I find the line "The plot doesn't happen to him, he happens to it" really cool because after I thought about it, that's exactly what happens in the Subspace emissary in Super Smash Bros Brawl. Right when Tabuu was about to finish off all the other fighters and turn them into trophies again Sonic came out of nowhere at the last second after being absent during the whole campaign and stopped Tabuu's attack, leaving him vulnerable for the other fighters to fight and defeat him. Sonic came when everything seemed pointless and gave everyone that ray of hope they needed to win against Tabuu.
Sonic being meta-literally too fast/impatient to wait for the inciting incident to happen to him is a hilariously accurate way to describe the game stories.
Yea it’s informative and the editing is some of the best I’ve seen on TH-cam! I think a good writing lecture is still better for learning but as an entertaining and informative video for sonic fans this is probably my fav sonic YT video lol. But yea, also I’m replying here because I’m a Christian and wanted to share the gospel with you! Please consider the Gospel message. To anyone reading this, there is a loving God who wants to save you. And because He loves us, He (Jesus) died on the cross and resurrected 3 days later so we can be forgiven of our sins and be saved. Repent and believe the Gospel! Please consider the state of your soul, don't let this chance pass you by. Believe in Jesus and follow Him so you can have salvation. Life is short, please make the right choice today before its too late. Jesus loves you.
Naoto Ohshima once said in an interview that he joined Sega because he wanted "to be Santa Claus" as a way for him to bring joy and fun to children, and his love of Santa Claus is evident through his work. Sonic's shoes were inspired in part by Santa Claus, he was originally said to have been born on Christmas Island, and possibly his earliest appearance in 3D was as part of a bonus mode in the Christmas NiGHTs into Dreams promo disc. With that in mind, it's interesting to see how so many of Ohshima's characters fit into a sort of folkloric archetype akin to Santa Claus. They're these mystical beings who appear in your life, whisk you away on an adventure, and inspire change just by being themselves. I feel like recognizing Naoto Ohshima's admiration for Santa Claus is a key part of understanding what kind of character Sonic is.
Th-that's not true. EGGMAN was created based on Santa Claus, and then he got repurposed to become the main villain. Sonic's shoes were inspired by MJ, and no, that's NOT Mary Jane.
@davebob4973 nope, it wasn't because of the colors of the album cover (that's silly), Naoto literally states in a 2009 interview that he got inspired by MJ's shoes, but he thought black and white colors were boring, and just thought of red because he suddenly thought Santa was the second most popular thing in America and bingo! He painted them red.
@@FindingsOfAnArmouredMind which interview did he say he thought Santa was the second most popular thing in America? I found an interview from 2009 for Gamasutra, but the most he mentions there is that the color scheme was Santa-inspired, and that he thought the red worked well visually for when Sonic was running fast. There's also a bit more evidence for Sonic's shoes being Santa-inspired. A fan on Twitter asked him a couple years ago what the "white parts" on top of Sonic's shoes were supposed to be, and Ohshima confirmed that they were designed to be more like boots rather than sneakers. The white parts are actually cuffs attached to his shoes instead of bunched up socks. While he doesn't explicitly state as such, the accompanying photo he posts for reference is of a pair of boots with similar cuffs that appear very "Christmas-y," at least to me. In all honesty, Sonic's shoes don't really look much like Michael Jackson's boots. The only inspiration that shows are the buckles going across the top, but that's about as far as it goes. Even then, the buckles also take on a Christmas motif, resembling the one on Santa's belt more than the ones on MJ's boots.
This was cold. It sounds kind of like you want Sonic to be written quite a bit like One Piece, and by extension, Luffy. And, I actually think comparing Sonic to Luffy given the themes of freedom, anti-authoritarism and the command Sonic's presence has on how the story/message is told actually makes more sense than a lot of the parallels people make between Sonic and Dragon Ball.
exactly sonic games should be one piece arcs, a cool new location with its own backstory and characters and sonic is the driving force to solve that problem
I think Game Sonic being static is actually pretty crucial for his character. He's meant to be unchanging because the franchise doesn't have a planned end, so if they had Sonic learn every moral lesson under the sun it would only result in eventually regressing his character so he could repeat the same stories. In fact, this has already happened with several Sonic characters who do grow and change (Tails most notably). For better and worse, Sonic changes people and yet he stays the same himself. Except for that one time where he grew like a foot and got green eyes and a voice
It’s also if you want to keep on making more Sonic games, games to have meaningful stories while still being able to sell products of the games, it allows for ways to find it hard on where to end. If you have a conclusion to something, it ends and if it ends, then what’s the point in continuing it. And if you want to continue making more content, then the show must keep on going, more settings, new themes, and struggles to tackle Like Sonic said, his story doesn’t end until he stops running. That’s a benefit with Sonic being a static character and relying on having him happen to the plot. His contribution to what he adds to the characters around him, that he sticks with for the thrill of another awing adventure worth living for. I see people compare him to Luffy or obscurely Lupin even though I’ve never seen those characters before, but I also like to add in another character to the list like Vash the Stampede from Trigun who helps the people around him with his belief of pacifism. Except that what separates Sonic from him is the cool unintentional aura that Sonic is because of the person that he is, a pure hearted hedgehog who laughs at corrupt authoritarian figures and crush those who deserve defeat(Erazor Djinn and Merlina, mainly aspects that seem irredeemable like control and harm)
he is unchangable and inspires others around him! but the characters have a dynamic to sonic aka the supporting cast they are allowed to grow and develop aka his friends..
There are _some_ points of growth for Sonic: SA1 to SA2 has him pick up a more observant, reflective side after learning that the Blob monster he fought wasn't just intelligent, but had a whole-ass tragic backstory and lore Regardless, this was an evolution rather than a revolution
You really got it right bro. Sonic and Goku aren’t supposed to be “relatable.”They’re supposed to be mythical heroes who we simply find cool and want to see change people for the better.
Funny thing is, some fans forgot this. Some never realized. Some criticize because they don’t understand. Some knew it all along and everything you said, all your sickest bars are not even new. But you said them all and explained them so others could understand. Thanks for understanding Sonic. It’s not complicated. But some people blinked and missed it.
@@Axxidous can’t blame them, the sonic movies (arguably the most popular iteration of sonic) don’t follow this trope at all. they completely reinvented sonic
@@therandomvideochannel8589 That iteration of Sonic works for the movies though, and it wasn't like he was already a flat character in the movie forced into a hero's journey.
@@therandomvideochannel8589 They literally always do in the DIC cartoons and the Archie comics. I mean the movies are a fairly new addition to the overall franchise. So that’s not the primary issue. People were starting to say Sonic wasn’t a real character because he had no development or arc and because mandates won’t let him cry and such. The mandates on Shadow are weird. But the mandates on Sonic are fine, just misunderstood.
Sonic always feels like a breath and breeze of fresh cool air, he’s cool composed and swift. He motivates you to be stronger, more confident and most importantly more YOU!
Sonic isn't a hedgehog or a rat ...or a living being for that matter. He's the wind , he brings chaos to the world, the chaos brings him back to the world , he surfes on the chaos going wherever it takes him. He's is chaos
I’m glad that Helen’s episode from Sonic X has gotten more attention this year. It’s the textbook character study of Sonic. The storybook games were always held up by their stories as well.
I agree about the fact that Sonic isn't serialized There IS a connected story beetween a certain universe, even the mainline universe has that, the games have some kind of connection But the fact that you can pick any game in any order to play is super nice and beginner friendly, even with the references and comebacks to previous adventures that happens in MANY games like SA1, SA2, Heroes, Black Knight, Frontiers, etc. The story of each game is closed to itself, sometimes it may pick up where the last game left from, but that's it at best, even then you can play the "sequel" without having played the prequel or any past games, the game will give you everything you'll need And especially what you mentioned about after each game the world still exists, the games aren't directly connected, beetween 2 games that take place one after the other there may be tons of off-screen adventures those characters had Even if this series comes to an end one day, I don't want there to be a last game with a closure to it, I want it to be just like any other game, an adventure that ends with the characters ready to go to the next one and keep living Also the reason why I don't like the idea of those characters aging like so many people want, I'm fine with Sonic being a teenager forever, I'm actually happy they removed all their ages completly and just gave them age "ratings" with Tails being a kid, Sonic being a teen, etc. That world is endless, it keeps on going without you, it will continue after the whole series ends, it even gives YOU the opportunity to create adventures of them in-beetween the adventures they had You can totally create casual trips beetween Sonic and his friends, adventures Sonic had in beetween 2 certain games like Sonic Adventure 1 and Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic keeps on running! And... I love slices of life, especially a SONIC Slice of life, and that's why I don't find Sonic X boring and unlike many people I also like season 1, and it's a reason why I always wanted a Slice of Life in the mainline universe, we have some One-Shots from IDW at least, which are few, but cool, and Sonic X is close enough to the mainline universe by having the characters with the same personalities, and it is amazing for its own unicerse too, but I also really want a Slice of Life that takes place in the world of the mainline universe as we know, with all those cool locations and adventures Sonic has around the whole world One of my favorite Sonic X episodes is pretty simillar to Helen's episode, I love Helen's episode episode too, but one of my favorites that also has a simillar approach is Episode 51, and it has a pretty simillar vibe, it's literally Sonic hanging out with Chris passing through many beautiful places while Chris asks Sonic where he wants to go and Sonic just awnsers that he doesn't care where, Chris should decide, by the end Sonic teaches Chris a leason by not even talking much and returns home (I also love episodes 52, and 75, 76, 77 and 78) Also, I think that Sonic can be relatable in some way, although he's not relatable through his strugles, because he has none, he can be pretty relatable on his personality, which is pretty human, he has a favorite food, a favorite car model, has a love for trips and vacations around the world, loves his friends but also enjoy his time on his own enjoying the places he go, I'd say he can be pretty relatable for people with personalities like that
Yeah, I love Sonic X. I think it has the best interpretation of the cast by far, it’s the best way to truly understand who the characters are in my opinion.
@@SuperSpinDash64yeah I'm personally someone who likes most of the stories that have the help of Sonic Team, even the post 2010 stuff, because as silly and nothingburger as those stories are, for me, they still keep Sonic's character in-tact being static, unchanging and not really learning anything new, just doing things his way, helping those who feel opressed, having new adventures, having fun on everything he does, etc. But I still think Sonic X is peak, their characterization is so good in that anime
@@ThisisTheUltimatePersonally, I don’t think the sonic cast in general has been the same since 2010, or it’s storytelling either. It’s nice to know there’s people who do like it though, I’m just not one of them. Really miss the older interpretations of the cast from the 2000’s but I don’t think we are ever getting them back. Sonic has changed and become much more of a jokester who thinks he has to be the hero people want him to be, instead of the go with the flow character who did what he considered good. The other characters have also received changes I’m not a big fan of, especially Amy.
@@SuperSpinDash64 For me, it's what I said (super big text ahead, I'm sorry 😭) Personally, I don't think the 2010s are like, peak of Sonic stories, def the 2000s have my favorite stories like many people's But I don't think the characters lost their traits, what makes them be who they are, they definetly could be better and have all those AWESOME moments the older games had which made us realise why those characters are so cool But using Colors as an example, many quotes, actions and even music lyrics shows the traits we love and that makes Sonic be Sonic for example: Sonic is quick to jump into action after seeing Orbot and Cubot capturing innocent Wisps (it is in character since Sonic likes to help those who are opressed) Sonic gets super pissed when he sees Eggman is draining the energy from Wisps inside his generator (again, he hates opression) Sonic's quote "No copyright law in the universe is going to stop me", although being used as a meme, is in character for him because Sonic is a character that doesn't respect authorities or rules from anyone, he'll do what he wants/has to do no matter what anyone else thinks, and that's also shown throughout the game with Sonic invading Eggman's park even if Eggman said he changed, because Sonic doesn't believe him, he knows Eggman and will do what he wants to prove him wrong, Tails is the one to say that the place seemed totally harmless at the start in which Sonic responds by saying that it had Eggman involved so he wasn't so sure (or something among those lines) Sonic's quote at the end of Colors "a hedgehog's gotta do what a hedgehog's gotta do" is pretty simillar to Black Knight's final quote "I just gotta do what I've gotta do", just worded differently and in a different moment Even the lyrics from Reach for the Starts have quotes that define Sonic perfectly, things like "I'm running wild, living fast, and free. Got no regrets inside of me" which also is pretty simillar to the SA1 boxart quote "I'll never look back, I've got no regrets.", or "I'm gonna find my own way" which fits a lot with It Doesn't Matter's lyrics like "I've got my way, my own way", etc. And what you said about Sonic being more of a jokester around that era, it's true, I cannot deny that, but, I don't think that's actually "descharacterizing" him, he always was a jokester, but it seems like that era of stories just had a different focus, focusing more on comedy, so that trait of Sonic started to be used more often, is more about they turning up a trait Sonic already had up to 11 rather than descharacterizing him and giving him a trait he didn't had before Even the butt smack he does in Colors isn't something new, he also does that in Sonic X episode 3 against one of Eggman's robots lol As I said, it's not that I think the stories are the best thing ever, they are silly and super simple, but even when placed in those simple stories that don't have as many cool moments as they once had, they still act like they should to me And I could go on and on, not only with Colors, but also with other games from that era, like Generations, even though it isn't a game known for it's complex story, and even Lost World and Forces And even the current era of writting, post 2017, like Frontiers and Shadow Gens, also both have many of those cool moments too, executing it better than the 2010s, but also for me keeping them in character, like Sonic smilling through the pain of cyber corruption and continuing moving forward to save his friends, or making jokes to "authorities", and many other things, those actions he had fits him perfectly And the same also applies to other "canon" media supervised by Sonic Team, like TailsTube, the Sonic Channel artworks and stories, or the animated prologues/promotional animations, the characters are also really well written in those, and I love them But hey, I do understand and respect your view, just wanted to share mine with more insight!
@@ThisisTheUltimate I really wish I could better describe my side, it’s difficult for me to really put it into words. I’ve done a lot of research into the stories and characters over the past few months actually, and it’s one of the reasons I started to notice this. There’s just something about the writing post Black Knight that makes it feel like it’s very disjointed from what came before to me, and this applies to anything related to the game’s continuity as well.
05:50 THANK YOU! He's already lived and learned his lesson. This is what some, dismiss as plot armor. Hes not supposed to win PHYSICALLY. Shadow and even knuckles have more moves. Sonic is is strong bc of WHO he is. Spirit. If ANY of his friends had his personality, theyd be his superior. Hes a miracle worker. Not a dbz tank. "I'm the spark that won't go out". "Been down this road before, already know this story"
"He *is* the inciting incident. The plot doesn't happen to *him, he* happens to *it."* That line just goes hard omgs XD it's so true, it's just awesome ^^
I love when OP protagonists are done right and Sonic is a prime example. The story is hardly about them struggling against a physical conflict. Saitama and Frieren are other good examples that come to mind
Actually the most perfect video on this topic ever, down to the script, editing, music choice, and everything else. You put into such eloquent words how I've felt about this character for years, and it makes me *so* happy to see this vision for the blue dude expressed in such a gorgeous fashion. Greatest video of 2024 submitted right at the deadline, let's go AL
Okay wow yeah, the line "Silver's story is about Silver, Shadow's story is about Shadow, but Sonic's story is about Elise" drove it home for me. Such an amazing video dude. Thanks for this.
14:20 - 14:32 "That's why I don't like calling it a twist, I prefer... Chaos." I can't even lie, that one gave me chills. Insanely well done video, I love how you manage to make all of this so concise and entertaining and I REALLY love how you describe Sonic as a character; everyone's brought up the "The plot doesn't happen to him, he happens to IT" for good reason, as it's SUCH a good way to describe him and how he does things, and one thing I wanna give MAJOR props for in particular; Using Move Me in the section starting from 4:14, absolutely EXQUISITE taste; would love to hear a Sonic game have a track like this honestly I always felt like this vibe'd be perfect for a sunset level where you get to just go wild Sonic's my favourite character of all time so this video was an amazing watch to really put into perspective as to why that is, amazing work
"The plot doesn't happen to Sonic, Sonic happens to the plot." Holy shit that's it, that's the fucking quote. That quote PERFECTLY describes the best Sonic stories.
after seeing so many people hate on sonic because of his nature years ago, it's so insanely refreshing and wonderful to see someone just GET HIM and talk about him so passionately and in such a positive light, wah
This is the sauce we’ve been missing since 2009. Sonic doesn’t change because he’s meant to come and go with the wind and when you need it, he can either be a gentle breeze or an overwhelming hurricane. Sonic’s stories aren’t always about him, the usually have almost nothing to do with him, but he takes total control of the story the second he shows up, and even when he doesn’t, his narrative presence is still there. Sonic’s relatable because he’s an introvert who’d rather get something done than explain himself, not because he struggles in any way. He’s not the guy panicking when he’s about to get isekai’d, he’s the guy jumping headfirst into the portal. Heck, he’s the guy pushing you in. He’s not just a force of nature, he’s the ever confident catalyst of the narrative, the force that thrusts the story into motion. *The story may be about you, but it starts with Him™.*
This video made me realize that Sonic might work best when he feels like he’s in an isekai. Two of the best portrayals of his character are literally isekais, and many of the rest give off the vibe of Sonic being in an outsider in the setting he’s in. I wonder if this is a concept worth exploring further.
Sonic has always been awesome to me, since it's a game where you play as a force of nature, an uncontrollable, chaotic being that changes the course of events around him. Time passes in the world between games, eggman has a new plot, a new enemy comes out, and sonic is the same as ever, free spirited, ready to set things straight in his own way, shaping those around him. We aren't placed in a hero's shoes, watching his story play out, we ARE sonic as a player, going along nature's path on how the story will resolve itself around the twist of sonic himself. That was the entire plot of the first game, eggman is mechanizing the world and sonic, the free, chaotic spirit is putting a stop to it. And its so cool to have an action-based story in games like SA2 with big conflict, but you arent the one who is learning from it, you are the one solving it.
15:20 No truer words have been spoken. Sometimes, you can totally freestyle and do the most nonsensical writing ever, and the audience will STILL mess with it. Seriously AL, this might be the greatest Sonic video created, and I don't know if any other video can touch it. You completely understand what makes a Sonic story, a Sonic story, and manage to put that in words I never could have done myself. Oh, and the *editing*, I can just FEEL your passion for Sonic as both a character and a series in it. It's practically punching me in the face, dude. Not a single frame is wasted at all and is just a treat to look at. "The plot doesn’t happen to him. He happens to it.” Might just be the bar of the century. (Would have said year but, lmao) Great work AL, can't wait to see you again in 4 years :3
Thank you SO MUCH for putting in work on this subject. It is a SUPER important topic that is completely invisible to some fans, depending on the media that brought them in. With the movie, videos like this will be SUPER important for constructive discussion. You've given people far more specific vocabulary to use, that encourages media study. Incredible work Al.
Thanks for addressing how Sonic doesn't need the hero's journey, I feel like that's one of the number one misconceptions that western writers (especially Americans) have about his character
@JDog2656 the one he talks about in the video. that lots of western adaptations try to teach Sonic lessons, when in the games he is basically never the one learning lessons
@@samquik The thing is changing a character to be more of a round character rather than flat can work for a movie plotline. In the video he explains this too and at least for me I think it can be necessary. The movies for example. Sonic starts off like a young adolescent and as the movie progress he becomes more--not exactly a 1:1--like his video game counterpart.
I honestly couldn’t have said it better myself. Sonic isn’t the one who has an arc or has a story revolving around him but is actually the opposite he controls the narrative, does things his way and has fun with it. To put it simply Sonic is the surprising/random beam of light in a dark room.
I was hesitant to watch this because I thought it was gonna be another tuber who doesn't understand who and what Sonic is supposed to be in his stories and games. But damn, you nailed it. Sonic is a flat character who doesn't change for the plot, but helps others change by interacting with the plot. Many of the Sonic games are about Sonic changing others. His best stories that hit the hardest, are the ones where he's a positive influence on other characters but it's their journey that we connect with, not his. I think that's the reason why Sage in Frontiers falls a little flat ironically because she's there to deconstruct Sonic. Through her, the game shows us how important his friends are to Sonic and the lengths he'd go through to save them as long as he has the strength to do so. It's one if the few stories that isn't about someone other than Sonic, but it doesn't change him but allows us as the player to dive deeper into his motivations. Could go on but more than enough has been said. Gonna recommend this video to friends.
That video was BEAUTIFUL!!!!! OMG!!! Sonic is a wind fairy, and his world is an immersive experience that existed before the story, and continues to exist after. That was super well said as per usual!
Honestly, I love flat character arc characters when done well. I love characters that stay true to themselves when reflecting variations of a theme with others (think like a Superman, Paddington, Luffy). I think that's part of why the first two movies bug me a lot. I loved that aspect instead of introducing this totally different arc and approach for the character. Also, fam I love your editing and hell yeah to kishitenketsu, exactly something I love seeing time to time
It's always SO refreshing, to hear someone that just gets sonic, on such a deep, fascinating, and fundamental level. Welcome back AL. The community desperately needs talent like yours, since your insightfulness is pretty rare.
Genuinely this might be the best sonic video ive seen to date It really does explain why I love the series so, the story , each story resonates with someone different hence why different games are held special to one person (and why i keep yapping to my brother about this dumb blue hedgehog) It reminds me of when Astrid was talking to Hiccup after losing Toothless, "He didn't give it to you, he just made it easier" when i remind myself I can't relate to sonic, but he can show me how to be myself. Man would it be cringed to get teary eyed about a sonic video? Yes? No?
Thats always been the appeal for me when it comes to modern sonic. I want stories that sort of fell JRPG ish. Starts off pretty grounded at the begining with shit going off the rails by the end in a way that you never were expecting, yet it was forshadowed to an extent. Makes me kinda sad Sega won't experiment with an actual sonic rpg though. Other than brotherhood of course.
I think this is one of the best Sonic videos ever. Seeing clips edited from all over the series treating everything on equal footing is so refreshing, rejecting the mentality that sonic stories are definitively one thing or the other and highlighting the fact that Sonic literally just runs from story to story, situation to situation and continues to be the same cool, blue hedgehog that we all love.
This video was so unexpectedly amazing, that "opposite of clickbait" is a great way to describe it. When i clicked the thumbnail did not know i was going to be treated to a well thought storytelling masterclass funny banger
This was easily one of the most if not the most thought provoking and intellectual analysis of Sonic the Hedgehog I have ever sat and listened through. Also your editing was amazing. I’ve always had such a strong love for the franchise and really reflecting on it and thinking about it the way you’ve presented here helped me see more clearly a very big part of why. Thank you, I’ll have another.
I think a funny thing about a lot of Sonic stories (especially in the 2000's) have a lot of Sonic in them despite him never changing. Whether it be Adventure 1, 2, Battle, 06, Heroes, Secret Rings ect. Sonic stays the same and everyone is effected by him at some point. Like literally almost everyone has Sonic to thank for or attribute to something at some point. Sonic is like this nomadic angel that if you get to hang out with him, you get to learn more about yourself. Have something work out for you. Sonic technically isn't the focus of his own series, at least not in a standard sense. The focus of any given Sonic story is usually someone closely affiliated with him at that moment.
This video fucking rules, I love how you capture the essence of Sonic in your editing and scriptwriting BUT the one thing I disagree with is that you said a lack of attachment is built between the player and Sage during Frontiers. You get to see her full progression from emotionless AI to loving daughter through her many encounters with Sonic, there's plenty of time and cutscenes in the game for the attachment to form. Maybe I'm on my own here but I became very attached to her by the end and look forward to seeing her in more Sonic stuff
Nah, Sage doesn't have enough time to develop. The crying scene on Chaos Island sorta comes out of nowhere, especially if you haven't read the missable Egg Memos before then. She doesn't have enough scenes with Eggman to really show their growing relationship. At least, that's how it felt for me. I do like the concept, and I also look forward to seeing her in future titles, but the execution of her arc in Frontiers seemed a bit on the rushed side. Which makes sense if you look at how development was for that game.
I agree Personally, I think what was missed in Frontiers is her development with EGGMAN You really do feel bad for Sage dying, I felt bad for her, and MANY playthroughs I've seen of Frontiers had players feeling bad for her And that's because she has a good development I think, you encounter her almost through the entire game as Sonic and see her evolving through the cutscenes of the main story happening with Sonic and his friends and you see her changing from emotionless IA to a completly live "being", starting to feel bad for Sonic, questioning if she should help, etc. so you have time to connect to her I think the only negative part is that you don't feel as bad for Eggman because you don't see THEIR interactions as much, only if you read the Egg Memos, then I think everything works fine I think they should've made more cutscenes and go in-depth on Eggman and Sage's relationship growing on the main story, but I guess they didn't had the time or budget, Frontiers development was rough so I don't even blame them, Shadow Gens did a better job showing Shadow's connection to Maria and Gerald, a thing we barely had in past games and why we didn't felt bad for Maria in SA2, even if we did felt bad for SHADOW himself
I feel like Sage works better in concept than in execution for me. I sort of felt for her and her want of familial connection, but what she gets with Eggman really falls flat with me. I really didn't feel anything in her crying scene or death mostly cause those hinged on the like 4 cutscenes she has with Eggman in Cyberspace, all of which do next to nothing to really make me think they've gotten as close as Frontiers wants me to think they did. With what I've come to know about Dr. Eggman his care for Sage from what little we see is....very off to me.
I've always had trouble describing why sonic stories are so different, and special to me. And it seems like a lot of people who like Sonic, like him as a brand and not for what he is as a character, the stories that are built around him, or the characters he's caused to grow just by being him. And that goes especially for most influencers. You're the first one I've seen to truly capture and explain why Sonic is special to me, from the stories, to the music, to each individual character, to what Sonic himself represents. And that's not including your editing style and delivery. Your channel is SUPER UNDERATED and I'm glad I found it through your leitmotif video last year. I hope it continues to grow for the fandoms sake, because the idea of Sonic has been lost for quite sometime and I think your someone who has found it again. (I've always seen Sonic as a character as a lot more closer to Luffy and Superman, as they represent an Idea, like freedom or Justice, and because of that they rarely have a character arc. However most assume Sonic is more like Spider-Man with his quippyness, and I think that's where it got lost. I.E. Colors)
Finally somebody put into words what makes Sonic's own character and stories amazing in a "simple way": The plot doesn't happen to Sonic... Sonic happens to the plot. BANGER VIDEO!
Better yet, send this to Ian Flynn and Evan Stanley. I'm pretty sure Sonic Team already know this stuff - as evident by Superstars' story - but they want the games to be written by American writers because the games sell more here.
@@JakeThehedgehog-m1x Ian Flynn wrote Frontiers, and Sonic in that game is literally what he's described as in this video He comes into the story, spends a lot of downtime with the other characters inspiring them to change while not changing himself, never gives up and disrupts the villains plot, then leaves for new horizons
this video has reignited my love for these dumb stupid stories again and properly put into words why they worked so well and also cool of you for not being biased against the comics and the show, even if I'm not the biggest fan of either I do understand that they are completely separate things trying to do their own type of sonic story and integrating their own elements to the preexisting ones, not trying interfere with the canon ... except maybe the sho
Man, I know people overexagerate everything on the internet so you must have heard this thousand of times, but YOU are my hero. Your storytelling is so cool that I didn't see the time pass, and you editing, oh boi your editing ! I started making videos for real the last year, and every time I look at your videos I remember why you motivated me. For me, you're a star far, far away in the distance that I obviously try to reach ;p, and I spend parts of your video just tapping my backward button in order to process what I saw. This smothness, the way you even characterize yourself with a plus sign, a FUCKING PLUS SIGN !!! For me you're the definition of Absolute Cinema. Don't like sonic ? Ok, just come see the spectacle. Like Sonic ? Oh boy we will eat good today ! I have so much things that I love in your editing, I hope one day you can make a living out of this (or not if you just want to keep it on the side ?) And don't press yourself, as a great friend of mine said, a delayed video is eventually good, but a rushed video is bad forever ;)
That was hard as fuck, it's really put my own thoughts on Sonic to paper and just all around really explains why Sonic stories are so much fun, heartfelt and sometimes sad, in a way this kinda works as the secret rings video
I adore this so much, you capture the spirit of why we love Sonic stories and Sonic himself! The fact that he's the central pillar to characters yet not the focus. His whole existence is to inspire change while still, going at his pace, admiring the world we get to see through Sonic. Your editing as usual creates such vibrant storytelling to go alongside your commentary, you turn these essays into something we can listen to and feel from the heart! I'm happy to always see 06 talk too as the thematics are so diverse and yet all come together in the end, and the highlight about how development can be shown from change or the rejection of change.
This makes me think of how many stories Sonic could fit in no problem no matter how weird that is. Imagine him dropped in the actual attack on Titan universe, throw some punches with Goku, find The Flash running through the speed force or steal some pizzas from the ninja turtles. I’m not saying we should do any of it but, if a story with these plots in mind existed, Sonic can happen to any of them. A good think about Sonic is his “power scaling” I think he will fit with most problems of the fantasy or sci-fi type. This was an insanely good video, I haven’t been into Sonic for a while, so this was nostalgic.
I love my episodic, static character Sonic 🙏I want Sonic to change others, and the world itself, but not him. Gimme a little bit of continuity where it matters for characters who have undergone arcs in previous games, but that's all I really need. I don't need major plot points that carry into each game. I don't care about Eggman's extended family, or where the Chaos Emeralds come from. That's not a story.
So Sonic _is_ the inciting incident. Okay, that's cool. Also, real talk, the ending was just what I needed. Almost felt like you were talking directly to me, with a situation I'm dealing with. One that, doesn't seem to end. However, that's alright I suppose. I have my friends, my family, and ahead of me is a blue wind that'll always inspire me to keep pushing, embodying the Blue Light that's my soul. AL, I'm serious when I say this. Thank you for coming back, and thank you for _this_ video. Not sure when I'll see you again, but I'm sure it'll be a blast like all the other times. Till then, catch ya on the finish line.
Black Knight will probably be my favorite Sonic game forever. Literally the *only* complaint that people seem to have about it is that they're not used to the controls, and as someone who has played it time and time again, that isn't even an issue for me. It's a perfect game in my eyes. So much love and detail was put into it. I really wish more people appreciated it...
A sonic game with the quality of Shadow Generations x10, with the style of either Shadow Generations (modern but clean), or a more stylized sonic game like the SA1, with a story like the storybook games, and cg cutscenes like Sonic 06 or Unleashed or Colours, and finally boss fights and the general nostalgic vibe of Frontiers (all with polish and a good budget) would easily become probably one of the greatest sonic games to ever exist.
No. I'm sorry but no. If you had a game with all those elements, and don't forget the music. That would not be just the greatest Sonic game, that would be one of the greatest pieces of media to ever exist. Sonic's always had a habit of lacking in one area or another for a long time, but if all the stars aligned and each area was a smash hit success? We'd have the next Mario 64 on our hands.
@ I think for a sonic game to have the relevance games like 64 have, they need a lot of depth gameplay wise, that allow people to still find things to break in the game. Or something like that I suppose.
@@Squorzel Oh for sure, Frontiers is a great showcase of that, people don't really think about it but, Frontiers is very Mario 64 in the way it operates. You have a lot of creativity and freedom to go about puzzle solving in any way you want. If you ask me, I believe that's a big part of why Frontiers is so popular. If what they say is true, and Frontiers is their stepping stone to a new era. Then I am hopeful that they realize, Frontiers is in game form the very spirit of Sonic as a character. In the same way SA1 was. Give us an even bigger open zone, more characters, more in-depth combat, immense freedom, and finely-tuned physics based off fans' criticisms? Frontiers sequel could very well be that next big thing. Now we just wait and see.
@ yeah, Frontiers is my favourite 3d sonic game for a reason, even if Shadow Generations and others are better. It’s much like BOTW/TOTK in that way. I doubt that BOTW was the “greatest” video game ever as everyone used to say (that’s just me though), but the freedom these games give is unlike anything.
We love an underdog story, but Sonic can't be the underdog. We're the underdog. And I know it's cheesy as hell, but he's the one who helps us overcome. What a solid fuckin video bruh
I already love Sonic games. I think they're a nice chance in tone and no other character hits like Sonic does. That being said, this video alone has reignited my passion for the games like when I first started. Nicely done. 10/10. Would watch again.
5:59 I had to pause here because Emerl is A: my favorite Sonic character, B: one of my actual favorite fictional characters of all time, and I love how you putting him in the center like that is so... revealing. Like as soon as I saw this shot I went "Okay so this person _definitely_ went through Sonic Battle's ending too, huh. We bros." and it's always a magical moment. Now, I could be wrong about all this, but I just wanted to thank you for the subtle shoutout. Yeah, Sonic's one-off companions really are the spotlight; and Sonic really does inspire just by existing. For me personally, that happened in Sonic Riders.
8:53 I don't know why this hit so freakin' hard...but it did. I was first introduced to Sonic at like, 7 years old, and this character basically feels like a childhood friend to me. I've grown and changed SO MUCH during the years, but I know I can always come back to this franchise and he's still here. Still cool. Still inspiring. Still...him. He's never let what others think or feel about him be a deterrent from being himself, and accepting who HE is. That really helped me through a lot as a kid and continues to do so today. That's why these stories are very dear to me, encouraging me to keep pushing forward to be the best version of myself. And maybe even be able to help someone else along the way... IM SORRY, I KNOW THIS IS A PRETTY OVEREMOTIONAL RAMBLE OVER A BLUE HEDGEHOG, BUT I SERIOUSLY ADORE THIS FRANSHISE SM, AND AM NOT AFRAID TO SHOW IT!! LET'S KEEP ON RUNNIN', SONIC FAM!! 💙 💪 🔥
reading this while considering that Pariah just said he isn't gonna make more Sonic videos (at least until a new game comes out) gives me the feeling of "He paved the way, we'll walk through it"
@@Peasham you're right, it doesn't mention the Japanese scripts per se, but it breaks down the story of the mentioned Sonic games by showcasing how they present their Japanese storytelling techniques (Kishōtenketsu), which is something that Pariah mentioned in one of his videos: Sonic has Japanese DNA in his storytelling and narrative, we need to understand it that way, it's not just about localization, it's about the artistic intention, metaphors and messages that are part of the Japanese culture, and how they represent those ideas in Sonic. Basically: the script may not be the original Japanese one in terms of "language", but the spirit behind the story is, creating something special for many that way.
@douglas4610 Imma level with you, that's pretty much just fetishization. This video itself points out that it isn't some mystical writing technique, and I know for a fact myself that it is by no means uniquely Japanese, you would not be glazing this mystical secret sauce "Japanese" writing has were it a story that was bad or that you didn't like.
You get it man. I have spent the past decade and a half of my life trying to figure out how to articulate exactly why this character has always been so captivating to me, and you nailed to to a T. This is the video I will be pointing people to from now on whenever I need to explain why I love Sonic so much.
Oh so this is why Snapcubes live fandubs work so well for Sonic games. Its the same concept of just living in the moment starting rabdom bits and letting things build to that moment of chaos surrounding the bit. Whether that but be the gamecube 2, the Devil being Shadows biggest fan, forming a polycule, gamer girl, Gamer cringelord Memphis, and most importantly Team Furaffinity cucking Eggman
I think this might be one of my favorite videos on the internet. I love Sonic. a lot. the franchise just has this undefinable special quality that makes me go feral whenever I experience it. the characters, gameplay, (yes, all of it. 2D, Adventure, Boost, Werehog, the whole gang,) the stories, the music, the style, the vibes, they just all blend into such a delicious franchise that I don't think I'm ever going to abandon. And this video is, like... it pins down so many of the reasons I love Sonic's stories, the fact that they don't follow a typical "heroes journey" structure, or the fact that Sonic is never the one being taught the lesson, he's the teacher of it, or the fact that he isn't inspiring in the sense that he's relatable, and him doing these amazing things inspires you, it's the fact that he simply does these things at all, and still keeps a smile on his face and some snark in his speech. And the editing, too, just pictures Sonic in so many of his best ways. bittersweet, cool, and funny. he's stylish, he's cocky, he just feels like he's having such a good time. the music, transitions, and visuals all feed into this, and it's... amazing. this is such a well-made video, and I'm so happy this exists and I get to view it whenever I want.
5:31 This quote has never been able to leave my mind since I first heard it, because I still don't understand what exactly he means by it. It makes me think he's referring to some kind of character-type that has a term for it in Japanese but not in English. The Japanese word for "fairy" is "Yosei", so that might be what he was talking about.
Okay, so I looked up the original quote. In it, he uses the term "Yosei", which is what I *thought* he was referring to at first, so my suspicions were correct. He also directly refers to Mickey Mouse as a fairy-like character too, which is interesting! I'll have to look into this.
I was absolutely flabbergasted watching this video because of its beautiful editing! The writing and timing and everything just hit right. Fantastic job!
OMG, I don't think I ever cry over a video this much. This is Sonic. His presence sparks hope and inspiration within others. He is the force of nature, a hero of action, a guy who loves freedom and adventure, full stop, that's it. We don't need to know what he had been through, it should be a mystery. Hundreds and thousands of protagonists can be related to, but not Sonic, never Sonic. He is a way of living through hardship and challenges, someone to look up to, and inspires us to be better versions of ourselves. With the recent variations of Sonic, I'm afraid of the approaches they are taking with Sonic; he has become more... well, too plain. Is like watching some hero I admire so much regressed into a kid. I missed what he was, truly. Btw, You have some sick editing skills. This video hypes me up as much as listening to the Sonic playlist. Respect!
The storytelling in this video is so emotionally grabbing, every valley and crescendo are so tightly stuched together. Its a masterpiece that you should be proud of.
I feel like Murder Of fits into this narrative structure particularly interestingly because we still have the beginning, development and resolution of all of the established plot but we don't even see Sonic before the twist. He's there in everything as this larger than life character in the way his friends speak of him and how their bonds with eachother are inextricably tied to their bonds with him but Sonic himself only shows up in the last act to *be* the actual conclusion.
i got the milk
I'm so glad you came back!
Thank you dad.
yooooooooo
Good, my cereal's been dry
HOLY SHIT
Your editing style forces emotions out of the viewer something fierce.
It really is just... vibes... and feelings and shit.
BROOO THE LYTHERO
DEADASS
this
… say that again
Forces
“The plot doesn’t happen to him. He happens to it.” Yeah, that’s the rawest thing I have ever heard someone say to describe Sonic.
thats like the best line ever
Mary Sue definition
That's part of why I don't really like most Sonic stories. He almost never has a genuine attachment to what's going on.
@@mr.unsmiley8656 sir. I need you to know, that you have activated the horde. those are fighting words, and the sonic armies will FIGHT to the bitter end, to either correct you, convert you, or slay you. I hope, I pray, that you are strong enough, fortified to stand up to the onslaught, and defend your position with gusto.
all of which is to say yeah I agree, stinkin' blue rat's kinda boring!
@@ehhorve857 If the horde comes, I'm ready for em!
the thing i always loved about sonic as a character is that he shows up when he is needed, and leaves before you can thank him. like with the spider man comparison, he is not Peter Parker. he is the spider that bit him.
That’s so hard
doesn't the spider always die after biting him
I see him as "if Bugs Bunny got dropped into a semi serious, semi gritty story": things WOULD be spooky if we weren't playing as That Guy(tm)
toughest thing i've read all year and it just started
@Josuhkinda like sonic whisking away after "happening" to the plot i guess
I think this gave me an idea of why Sonic and Shadow work so well as Deuteragonists. Sonic inflicts himself on the plot and Shadow wishes the plot would stop happening to him.
Shadow wishes the plot would stop happening to him, proceeds to decide to end the plot as soon as possible, and is karmically punished for it.
That's true, never thought of that, that's so damn cool
"Wish I may, wish I might, be someone else tonight"
you absolutely cooked here.
It's the funniest shit, there's a cut segment of this video focused on Shadow where I say exactly that, Shadow's reflection of Sonic even extends to the meta-narrative 😭
>Doesn't post in over a year
>Walks in and spits fire thing you've ever heard/seen
>Leaves
I think you forgot a word or two.
>PROFIT!!!
He's just like sonic! /hj
Woah, this guy is faster than Sonic!
I find the line "The plot doesn't happen to him, he happens to it" really cool because after I thought about it, that's exactly what happens in the Subspace emissary in Super Smash Bros Brawl. Right when Tabuu was about to finish off all the other fighters and turn them into trophies again Sonic came out of nowhere at the last second after being absent during the whole campaign and stopped Tabuu's attack, leaving him vulnerable for the other fighters to fight and defeat him. Sonic came when everything seemed pointless and gave everyone that ray of hope they needed to win against Tabuu.
truly a biblically accurate sonic adaptation by nintendo
Sonic being meta-literally too fast/impatient to wait for the inciting incident to happen to him is a hilariously accurate way to describe the game stories.
LMFAOOOO
As a filmaker, this is the best screenwriting lession I've seen in a bit.
As a Sonic and Spider-Man fan, BRO this video RULES
@@noventaporcento agreed this is the perfect video to end this year 👏
If I was considering to pass on this video, this comment brought me back in
Yea it’s informative and the editing is some of the best I’ve seen on TH-cam! I think a good writing lecture is still better for learning but as an entertaining and informative video for sonic fans this is probably my fav sonic YT video lol.
But yea, also I’m replying here because I’m a Christian and wanted to share the gospel with you! Please consider the Gospel message.
To anyone reading this, there is a loving God who wants to save you. And because He loves us, He (Jesus) died on the cross and resurrected 3 days later so we can be forgiven of our sins and be saved. Repent and believe the Gospel! Please consider the state of your soul, don't let this chance pass you by. Believe in Jesus and follow Him so you can have salvation. Life is short, please make the right choice today before its too late. Jesus loves you.
Naoto Ohshima once said in an interview that he joined Sega because he wanted "to be Santa Claus" as a way for him to bring joy and fun to children, and his love of Santa Claus is evident through his work. Sonic's shoes were inspired in part by Santa Claus, he was originally said to have been born on Christmas Island, and possibly his earliest appearance in 3D was as part of a bonus mode in the Christmas NiGHTs into Dreams promo disc. With that in mind, it's interesting to see how so many of Ohshima's characters fit into a sort of folkloric archetype akin to Santa Claus. They're these mystical beings who appear in your life, whisk you away on an adventure, and inspire change just by being themselves. I feel like recognizing Naoto Ohshima's admiration for Santa Claus is a key part of understanding what kind of character Sonic is.
I need this comment pinned desperately
Th-that's not true. EGGMAN was created based on Santa Claus, and then he got repurposed to become the main villain. Sonic's shoes were inspired by MJ, and no, that's NOT Mary Jane.
@@FindingsOfAnArmouredMind it was both mj and santa. Also by mj he specifically meant the album cover of bad, which is red and white
@davebob4973 nope, it wasn't because of the colors of the album cover (that's silly), Naoto literally states in a 2009 interview that he got inspired by MJ's shoes, but he thought black and white colors were boring, and just thought of red because he suddenly thought Santa was the second most popular thing in America and bingo! He painted them red.
@@FindingsOfAnArmouredMind which interview did he say he thought Santa was the second most popular thing in America? I found an interview from 2009 for Gamasutra, but the most he mentions there is that the color scheme was Santa-inspired, and that he thought the red worked well visually for when Sonic was running fast.
There's also a bit more evidence for Sonic's shoes being Santa-inspired. A fan on Twitter asked him a couple years ago what the "white parts" on top of Sonic's shoes were supposed to be, and Ohshima confirmed that they were designed to be more like boots rather than sneakers. The white parts are actually cuffs attached to his shoes instead of bunched up socks. While he doesn't explicitly state as such, the accompanying photo he posts for reference is of a pair of boots with similar cuffs that appear very "Christmas-y," at least to me.
In all honesty, Sonic's shoes don't really look much like Michael Jackson's boots. The only inspiration that shows are the buckles going across the top, but that's about as far as it goes. Even then, the buckles also take on a Christmas motif, resembling the one on Santa's belt more than the ones on MJ's boots.
This was cold. It sounds kind of like you want Sonic to be written quite a bit like One Piece, and by extension, Luffy. And, I actually think comparing Sonic to Luffy given the themes of freedom, anti-authoritarism and the command Sonic's presence has on how the story/message is told actually makes more sense than a lot of the parallels people make between Sonic and Dragon Ball.
💯 agreed Sonic is pretty much a Shonen Protagons. 💙
Hi TheStorytellerAJ 👋🏿
It's less people themselves making the parallels and more the series itself blatantly taking from dragon ball.
exactly sonic games should be one piece arcs, a cool new location with its own backstory and characters and sonic is the driving force to solve that problem
@vizualeater as both a sonic fan and recently a one piece fan, I'm excited for the future 😄
I think Game Sonic being static is actually pretty crucial for his character. He's meant to be unchanging because the franchise doesn't have a planned end, so if they had Sonic learn every moral lesson under the sun it would only result in eventually regressing his character so he could repeat the same stories. In fact, this has already happened with several Sonic characters who do grow and change (Tails most notably). For better and worse, Sonic changes people and yet he stays the same himself.
Except for that one time where he grew like a foot and got green eyes and a voice
It’s also if you want to keep on making more Sonic games, games to have meaningful stories while still being able to sell products of the games, it allows for ways to find it hard on where to end.
If you have a conclusion to something, it ends and if it ends, then what’s the point in continuing it. And if you want to continue making more content, then the show must keep on going, more settings, new themes, and struggles to tackle
Like Sonic said, his story doesn’t end until he stops running. That’s a benefit with Sonic being a static character and relying on having him happen to the plot. His contribution to what he adds to the characters around him, that he sticks with for the thrill of another awing adventure worth living for.
I see people compare him to Luffy or obscurely Lupin even though I’ve never seen those characters before, but I also like to add in another character to the list like Vash the Stampede from Trigun who helps the people around him with his belief of pacifism. Except that what separates Sonic from him is the cool unintentional aura that Sonic is because of the person that he is, a pure hearted hedgehog who laughs at corrupt authoritarian figures and crush those who deserve defeat(Erazor Djinn and Merlina, mainly aspects that seem irredeemable like control and harm)
he is unchangable and inspires others around him! but the characters have a dynamic to sonic aka the supporting cast they are allowed to grow and develop aka his friends..
There are _some_ points of growth for Sonic: SA1 to SA2 has him pick up a more observant, reflective side after learning that the Blob monster he fought wasn't just intelligent, but had a whole-ass tragic backstory and lore
Regardless, this was an evolution rather than a revolution
Also happened to goku in dbs, to horrible effect
Bro remembered his TH-cam login details
You really got it right bro. Sonic and Goku aren’t supposed to be “relatable.”They’re supposed to be mythical heroes who we simply find cool and want to see change people for the better.
Funny thing is, some fans forgot this. Some never realized. Some criticize because they don’t understand. Some knew it all along and everything you said, all your sickest bars are not even new. But you said them all and explained them so others could understand.
Thanks for understanding Sonic. It’s not complicated. But some people blinked and missed it.
@@Axxidous can’t blame them, the sonic movies (arguably the most popular iteration of sonic) don’t follow this trope at all. they completely reinvented sonic
As Sonic says,
“Don’t blink”
He is called the "Blue blur" for a reason. He is to fast, to elusive to catch with the bare eye, to easy to miss his point.
@@therandomvideochannel8589 That iteration of Sonic works for the movies though, and it wasn't like he was already a flat character in the movie forced into a hero's journey.
@@therandomvideochannel8589 They literally always do in the DIC cartoons and the Archie comics.
I mean the movies are a fairly new addition to the overall franchise. So that’s not the primary issue.
People were starting to say Sonic wasn’t a real character because he had no development or arc and because mandates won’t let him cry and such. The mandates on Shadow are weird. But the mandates on Sonic are fine, just misunderstood.
Watching this video is like watching the sickest edit you've ever seen for 18:07 minutes.
Perfectly encapsulated what Sonic's character is all about "the plot doesn't happen to him, he happens to the plot"
Sonic always feels like a breath and breeze of fresh cool air, he’s cool composed and swift. He motivates you to be stronger, more confident and most
importantly more YOU!
Sonic isn't a hedgehog or a rat ...or a living being for that matter.
He's the wind , he brings chaos to the world, the chaos brings him back to the world , he surfes on the chaos going wherever it takes him.
He's is chaos
BOOOOOIIIII JOIN THIS MAN IN THE KITCHEN
I’m glad that Helen’s episode from Sonic X has gotten more attention this year. It’s the textbook character study of Sonic. The storybook games were always held up by their stories as well.
I agree about the fact that Sonic isn't serialized
There IS a connected story beetween a certain universe, even the mainline universe has that, the games have some kind of connection
But the fact that you can pick any game in any order to play is super nice and beginner friendly, even with the references and comebacks to previous adventures that happens in MANY games like SA1, SA2, Heroes, Black Knight, Frontiers, etc. The story of each game is closed to itself, sometimes it may pick up where the last game left from, but that's it at best, even then you can play the "sequel" without having played the prequel or any past games, the game will give you everything you'll need
And especially what you mentioned about after each game the world still exists, the games aren't directly connected, beetween 2 games that take place one after the other there may be tons of off-screen adventures those characters had
Even if this series comes to an end one day, I don't want there to be a last game with a closure to it, I want it to be just like any other game, an adventure that ends with the characters ready to go to the next one and keep living
Also the reason why I don't like the idea of those characters aging like so many people want, I'm fine with Sonic being a teenager forever, I'm actually happy they removed all their ages completly and just gave them age "ratings" with Tails being a kid, Sonic being a teen, etc. That world is endless, it keeps on going without you, it will continue after the whole series ends, it even gives YOU the opportunity to create adventures of them in-beetween the adventures they had
You can totally create casual trips beetween Sonic and his friends, adventures Sonic had in beetween 2 certain games like Sonic Adventure 1 and Sonic Adventure 2, Sonic keeps on running!
And... I love slices of life, especially a SONIC Slice of life, and that's why I don't find Sonic X boring and unlike many people I also like season 1, and it's a reason why I always wanted a Slice of Life in the mainline universe, we have some One-Shots from IDW at least, which are few, but cool, and Sonic X is close enough to the mainline universe by having the characters with the same personalities, and it is amazing for its own unicerse too, but I also really want a Slice of Life that takes place in the world of the mainline universe as we know, with all those cool locations and adventures Sonic has around the whole world
One of my favorite Sonic X episodes is pretty simillar to Helen's episode, I love Helen's episode episode too, but one of my favorites that also has a simillar approach is Episode 51, and it has a pretty simillar vibe, it's literally Sonic hanging out with Chris passing through many beautiful places while Chris asks Sonic where he wants to go and Sonic just awnsers that he doesn't care where, Chris should decide, by the end Sonic teaches Chris a leason by not even talking much and returns home (I also love episodes 52, and 75, 76, 77 and 78)
Also, I think that Sonic can be relatable in some way, although he's not relatable through his strugles, because he has none, he can be pretty relatable on his personality, which is pretty human, he has a favorite food, a favorite car model, has a love for trips and vacations around the world, loves his friends but also enjoy his time on his own enjoying the places he go, I'd say he can be pretty relatable for people with personalities like that
Yeah, I love Sonic X. I think it has the best interpretation of the cast by far, it’s the best way to truly understand who the characters are in my opinion.
@@SuperSpinDash64yeah
I'm personally someone who likes most of the stories that have the help of Sonic Team, even the post 2010 stuff, because as silly and nothingburger as those stories are, for me, they still keep Sonic's character in-tact being static, unchanging and not really learning anything new, just doing things his way, helping those who feel opressed, having new adventures, having fun on everything he does, etc.
But I still think Sonic X is peak, their characterization is so good in that anime
@@ThisisTheUltimatePersonally, I don’t think the sonic cast in general has been the same since 2010, or it’s storytelling either. It’s nice to know there’s people who do like it though, I’m just not one of them.
Really miss the older interpretations of the cast from the 2000’s but I don’t think we are ever getting them back. Sonic has changed and become much more of a jokester who thinks he has to be the hero people want him to be, instead of the go with the flow character who did what he considered good. The other characters have also received changes I’m not a big fan of, especially Amy.
@@SuperSpinDash64 For me, it's what I said (super big text ahead, I'm sorry 😭)
Personally, I don't think the 2010s are like, peak of Sonic stories, def the 2000s have my favorite stories like many people's
But I don't think the characters lost their traits, what makes them be who they are, they definetly could be better and have all those AWESOME moments the older games had which made us realise why those characters are so cool
But using Colors as an example, many quotes, actions and even music lyrics shows the traits we love and that makes Sonic be Sonic for example:
Sonic is quick to jump into action after seeing Orbot and Cubot capturing innocent Wisps (it is in character since Sonic likes to help those who are opressed)
Sonic gets super pissed when he sees Eggman is draining the energy from Wisps inside his generator (again, he hates opression)
Sonic's quote "No copyright law in the universe is going to stop me", although being used as a meme, is in character for him because Sonic is a character that doesn't respect authorities or rules from anyone, he'll do what he wants/has to do no matter what anyone else thinks, and that's also shown throughout the game with Sonic invading Eggman's park even if Eggman said he changed, because Sonic doesn't believe him, he knows Eggman and will do what he wants to prove him wrong, Tails is the one to say that the place seemed totally harmless at the start in which Sonic responds by saying that it had Eggman involved so he wasn't so sure (or something among those lines)
Sonic's quote at the end of Colors "a hedgehog's gotta do what a hedgehog's gotta do" is pretty simillar to Black Knight's final quote "I just gotta do what I've gotta do", just worded differently and in a different moment
Even the lyrics from Reach for the Starts have quotes that define Sonic perfectly, things like "I'm running wild, living fast, and free. Got no regrets inside of me" which also is pretty simillar to the SA1 boxart quote "I'll never look back, I've got no regrets.", or "I'm gonna find my own way" which fits a lot with It Doesn't Matter's lyrics like "I've got my way, my own way", etc.
And what you said about Sonic being more of a jokester around that era, it's true, I cannot deny that, but, I don't think that's actually "descharacterizing" him, he always was a jokester, but it seems like that era of stories just had a different focus, focusing more on comedy, so that trait of Sonic started to be used more often, is more about they turning up a trait Sonic already had up to 11 rather than descharacterizing him and giving him a trait he didn't had before
Even the butt smack he does in Colors isn't something new, he also does that in Sonic X episode 3 against one of Eggman's robots lol
As I said, it's not that I think the stories are the best thing ever, they are silly and super simple, but even when placed in those simple stories that don't have as many cool moments as they once had, they still act like they should to me
And I could go on and on, not only with Colors, but also with other games from that era, like Generations, even though it isn't a game known for it's complex story, and even Lost World and Forces
And even the current era of writting, post 2017, like Frontiers and Shadow Gens, also both have many of those cool moments too, executing it better than the 2010s, but also for me keeping them in character, like Sonic smilling through the pain of cyber corruption and continuing moving forward to save his friends, or making jokes to "authorities", and many other things, those actions he had fits him perfectly
And the same also applies to other "canon" media supervised by Sonic Team, like TailsTube, the Sonic Channel artworks and stories, or the animated prologues/promotional animations, the characters are also really well written in those, and I love them
But hey, I do understand and respect your view, just wanted to share mine with more insight!
@@ThisisTheUltimate I really wish I could better describe my side, it’s difficult for me to really put it into words. I’ve done a lot of research into the stories and characters over the past few months actually, and it’s one of the reasons I started to notice this. There’s just something about the writing post Black Knight that makes it feel like it’s very disjointed from what came before to me, and this applies to anything related to the game’s continuity as well.
HE’S BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAACK
05:50 THANK YOU!
He's already lived and learned his lesson.
This is what some, dismiss as plot armor. Hes not supposed to win PHYSICALLY. Shadow and even knuckles have more moves. Sonic is is strong bc of WHO he is. Spirit.
If ANY of his friends had his personality, theyd be his superior.
Hes a miracle worker. Not a dbz tank.
"I'm the spark that won't go out". "Been down this road before, already know this story"
"He *is* the inciting incident. The plot doesn't happen to *him, he* happens to *it."* That line just goes hard omgs XD it's so true, it's just awesome ^^
"does sonic have a timeline or continuity?"
"Sure sort of I guess"
"Cool where do I start?"
"The vibes"
"Huh"
"The vibes..."
Literally a must-watch for everyone in the fanbase.
exactly
I'm legit overwhelmed by how beautiful that was and I'm pissed off that I'll probably never find another Sonic video like it.
I love when OP protagonists are done right and Sonic is a prime example. The story is hardly about them struggling against a physical conflict.
Saitama and Frieren are other good examples that come to mind
Actually the most perfect video on this topic ever, down to the script, editing, music choice, and everything else. You put into such eloquent words how I've felt about this character for years, and it makes me *so* happy to see this vision for the blue dude expressed in such a gorgeous fashion. Greatest video of 2024 submitted right at the deadline, let's go AL
Also I would sell my soul for even an ounce of the video editing finesse that you have my guy
@@UGotBoostPWR _THAT'S WHAT I'M SAYING!_
Okay wow yeah, the line "Silver's story is about Silver, Shadow's story is about Shadow, but Sonic's story is about Elise" drove it home for me.
Such an amazing video dude. Thanks for this.
14:20 - 14:32 "That's why I don't like calling it a twist, I prefer...
Chaos."
I can't even lie, that one gave me chills. Insanely well done video, I love how you manage to make all of this so concise and entertaining and I REALLY love how you describe Sonic as a character; everyone's brought up the "The plot doesn't happen to him, he happens to IT" for good reason, as it's SUCH a good way to describe him and how he does things, and one thing I wanna give MAJOR props for in particular;
Using Move Me in the section starting from 4:14, absolutely EXQUISITE taste; would love to hear a Sonic game have a track like this honestly I always felt like this vibe'd be perfect for a sunset level where you get to just go wild
Sonic's my favourite character of all time so this video was an amazing watch to really put into perspective as to why that is, amazing work
That’s why Black Knight’s characterization of Sonic was so good. He was used to teach someone else a lesson, not the one being taught.
"The plot doesn't happen to Sonic, Sonic happens to the plot."
Holy shit that's it, that's the fucking quote. That quote PERFECTLY describes the best Sonic stories.
16:48 "The plot doesn't happen to him, he happens to it"
Such a badass way to describe Sonic
I went for a walk, got sad I couldn't buy something nice, came back, and AL uploaded. Thank you AL for uploading at just the right time.
after seeing so many people hate on sonic because of his nature years ago, it's so insanely refreshing and wonderful to see someone just GET HIM and talk about him so passionately and in such a positive light, wah
This is the sauce we’ve been missing since 2009. Sonic doesn’t change because he’s meant to come and go with the wind and when you need it, he can either be a gentle breeze or an overwhelming hurricane. Sonic’s stories aren’t always about him, the usually have almost nothing to do with him, but he takes total control of the story the second he shows up, and even when he doesn’t, his narrative presence is still there.
Sonic’s relatable because he’s an introvert who’d rather get something done than explain himself, not because he struggles in any way. He’s not the guy panicking when he’s about to get isekai’d, he’s the guy jumping headfirst into the portal. Heck, he’s the guy pushing you in. He’s not just a force of nature, he’s the ever confident catalyst of the narrative, the force that thrusts the story into motion.
*The story may be about you, but it starts with Him™.*
This video made me realize that Sonic might work best when he feels like he’s in an isekai. Two of the best portrayals of his character are literally isekais, and many of the rest give off the vibe of Sonic being in an outsider in the setting he’s in. I wonder if this is a concept worth exploring further.
we need more storybook games!
Spaghetti Western Sonic.
He pops in, does his thing, and leaves.
They could even give him a gun
@@therandomvideochannel8589 hardddddd agree
@@ParadoxTheBox yeah that’s actually a perfect comparison, I love that lol
Mf just drop a bomb before the year ends, simply amazing
Sonic has always been awesome to me, since it's a game where you play as a force of nature, an uncontrollable, chaotic being that changes the course of events around him. Time passes in the world between games, eggman has a new plot, a new enemy comes out, and sonic is the same as ever, free spirited, ready to set things straight in his own way, shaping those around him. We aren't placed in a hero's shoes, watching his story play out, we ARE sonic as a player, going along nature's path on how the story will resolve itself around the twist of sonic himself. That was the entire plot of the first game, eggman is mechanizing the world and sonic, the free, chaotic spirit is putting a stop to it. And its so cool to have an action-based story in games like SA2 with big conflict, but you arent the one who is learning from it, you are the one solving it.
15:20 No truer words have been spoken. Sometimes, you can totally freestyle and do the most nonsensical writing ever, and the audience will STILL mess with it.
Seriously AL, this might be the greatest Sonic video created, and I don't know if any other video can touch it. You completely understand what makes a Sonic story, a Sonic story, and manage to put that in words I never could have done myself.
Oh, and the *editing*, I can just FEEL your passion for Sonic as both a character and a series in it. It's practically punching me in the face, dude. Not a single frame is wasted at all and is just a treat to look at.
"The plot doesn’t happen to him. He happens to it.” Might just be the bar of the century. (Would have said year but, lmao)
Great work AL, can't wait to see you again in 4 years :3
Your one of the few sonic yts that makes me feel like im learning something new about sonic, thank you
That dig against people who mischaracterize Sonic online was so good lmao
Thank you SO MUCH for putting in work on this subject. It is a SUPER important topic that is completely invisible to some fans, depending on the media that brought them in.
With the movie, videos like this will be SUPER important for constructive discussion. You've given people far more specific vocabulary to use, that encourages media study.
Incredible work Al.
Bro turned a Pariah video into an edit and I flipping love it.
basically lol
Basically a pariah video but with actual production value 😭😭😭
"Sonic is Fundamentally Japanese: The Cool Edit Version"
Lmaooo
Thanks for addressing how Sonic doesn't need the hero's journey, I feel like that's one of the number one misconceptions that western writers (especially Americans) have about his character
What misconception is that exactly?
@JDog2656 the one he talks about in the video. that lots of western adaptations try to teach Sonic lessons, when in the games he is basically never the one learning lessons
@@samquik The thing is changing a character to be more of a round character rather than flat can work for a movie plotline. In the video he explains this too and at least for me I think it can be necessary. The movies for example. Sonic starts off like a young adolescent and as the movie progress he becomes more--not exactly a 1:1--like his video game counterpart.
I honestly couldn’t have said it better myself. Sonic isn’t the one who has an arc or has a story revolving around him but is actually the opposite he controls the narrative, does things his way and has fun with it. To put it simply Sonic is the surprising/random beam of light in a dark room.
I was hesitant to watch this because I thought it was gonna be another tuber who doesn't understand who and what Sonic is supposed to be in his stories and games. But damn, you nailed it.
Sonic is a flat character who doesn't change for the plot, but helps others change by interacting with the plot. Many of the Sonic games are about Sonic changing others. His best stories that hit the hardest, are the ones where he's a positive influence on other characters but it's their journey that we connect with, not his.
I think that's the reason why Sage in Frontiers falls a little flat ironically because she's there to deconstruct Sonic. Through her, the game shows us how important his friends are to Sonic and the lengths he'd go through to save them as long as he has the strength to do so. It's one if the few stories that isn't about someone other than Sonic, but it doesn't change him but allows us as the player to dive deeper into his motivations.
Could go on but more than enough has been said. Gonna recommend this video to friends.
That video was BEAUTIFUL!!!!! OMG!!!
Sonic is a wind fairy, and his world is an immersive experience that existed before the story, and continues to exist after. That was super well said as per usual!
the editing, the script, cheff kiss he is the cook
Honestly, I love flat character arc characters when done well. I love characters that stay true to themselves when reflecting variations of a theme with others (think like a Superman, Paddington, Luffy).
I think that's part of why the first two movies bug me a lot. I loved that aspect instead of introducing this totally different arc and approach for the character.
Also, fam I love your editing and hell yeah to kishitenketsu, exactly something I love seeing time to time
Maybe u are raw
✋😌🤚
@@GamesCage HES RAW AS HELL GIVE THE MAN HIS FLOWERS 😭😭😭 THIS VIDEO GAVE ME CHILLS ❤️❤️❤️❤️ love u both!
Sonic definitely brought chaos to GamesCage’s story
Bro got the password back
It's always SO refreshing, to hear someone that just gets sonic, on such a deep, fascinating, and fundamental level. Welcome back AL.
The community desperately needs talent like yours, since your insightfulness is pretty rare.
Genuinely this might be the best sonic video ive seen to date
It really does explain why I love the series so, the story , each story resonates with someone different hence why different games are held special to one person (and why i keep yapping to my brother about this dumb blue hedgehog)
It reminds me of when Astrid was talking to Hiccup after losing Toothless, "He didn't give it to you, he just made it easier" when i remind myself I can't relate to sonic, but he can show me how to be myself.
Man would it be cringed to get teary eyed about a sonic video? Yes? No?
0:44 probably the best term is absurdist. I've always said sonic works best when its looney toons meets jrpg.
OOooooooo that's real good actually
I guess that's what Shonen Sonic is
Thats always been the appeal for me when it comes to modern sonic. I want stories that sort of fell JRPG ish. Starts off pretty grounded at the begining with shit going off the rails by the end in a way that you never were expecting, yet it was forshadowed to an extent.
Makes me kinda sad Sega won't experiment with an actual sonic rpg though.
Other than brotherhood of course.
I think this is one of the best Sonic videos ever. Seeing clips edited from all over the series treating everything on equal footing is so refreshing, rejecting the mentality that sonic stories are definitively one thing or the other and highlighting the fact that Sonic literally just runs from story to story, situation to situation and continues to be the same cool, blue hedgehog that we all love.
No way I say “come back to TH-cam” then the next 2 days later you drop this. Absolutely awesome
Man it's crazy all you had to do was ask
This video was so unexpectedly amazing, that "opposite of clickbait" is a great way to describe it. When i clicked the thumbnail did not know i was going to be treated to a well thought storytelling masterclass funny banger
I got goosebumps when you said. "That why I don't like calling it a twist, I preferer... Chaos." The delivery was really good.
This was easily one of the most if not the most thought provoking and intellectual analysis of Sonic the Hedgehog I have ever sat and listened through.
Also your editing was amazing.
I’ve always had such a strong love for the franchise and really reflecting on it and thinking about it the way you’ve presented here helped me see more clearly a very big part of why. Thank you, I’ll have another.
I think a funny thing about a lot of Sonic stories (especially in the 2000's) have a lot of Sonic in them despite him never changing. Whether it be Adventure 1, 2, Battle, 06, Heroes, Secret Rings ect. Sonic stays the same and everyone is effected by him at some point. Like literally almost everyone has Sonic to thank for or attribute to something at some point. Sonic is like this nomadic angel that if you get to hang out with him, you get to learn more about yourself. Have something work out for you. Sonic technically isn't the focus of his own series, at least not in a standard sense. The focus of any given Sonic story is usually someone closely affiliated with him at that moment.
This video fucking rules, I love how you capture the essence of Sonic in your editing and scriptwriting
BUT the one thing I disagree with is that you said a lack of attachment is built between the player and Sage during Frontiers. You get to see her full progression from emotionless AI to loving daughter through her many encounters with Sonic, there's plenty of time and cutscenes in the game for the attachment to form. Maybe I'm on my own here but I became very attached to her by the end and look forward to seeing her in more Sonic stuff
Nah, Sage doesn't have enough time to develop. The crying scene on Chaos Island sorta comes out of nowhere, especially if you haven't read the missable Egg Memos before then. She doesn't have enough scenes with Eggman to really show their growing relationship.
At least, that's how it felt for me. I do like the concept, and I also look forward to seeing her in future titles, but the execution of her arc in Frontiers seemed a bit on the rushed side. Which makes sense if you look at how development was for that game.
I say that sage works pretty well… if you go out of your way to read all the egg memos first.
I agree
Personally, I think what was missed in Frontiers is her development with EGGMAN
You really do feel bad for Sage dying, I felt bad for her, and MANY playthroughs I've seen of Frontiers had players feeling bad for her
And that's because she has a good development I think, you encounter her almost through the entire game as Sonic and see her evolving through the cutscenes of the main story happening with Sonic and his friends and you see her changing from emotionless IA to a completly live "being", starting to feel bad for Sonic, questioning if she should help, etc. so you have time to connect to her
I think the only negative part is that you don't feel as bad for Eggman because you don't see THEIR interactions as much, only if you read the Egg Memos, then I think everything works fine
I think they should've made more cutscenes and go in-depth on Eggman and Sage's relationship growing on the main story, but I guess they didn't had the time or budget, Frontiers development was rough so I don't even blame them, Shadow Gens did a better job showing Shadow's connection to Maria and Gerald, a thing we barely had in past games and why we didn't felt bad for Maria in SA2, even if we did felt bad for SHADOW himself
I feel like Sage works better in concept than in execution for me. I sort of felt for her and her want of familial connection, but what she gets with Eggman really falls flat with me. I really didn't feel anything in her crying scene or death mostly cause those hinged on the like 4 cutscenes she has with Eggman in Cyberspace, all of which do next to nothing to really make me think they've gotten as close as Frontiers wants me to think they did. With what I've come to know about Dr. Eggman his care for Sage from what little we see is....very off to me.
This is one of the most incredible sonic related videos I have ever seen, it made me remember why I love sonic as a character so much.
I've always had trouble describing why sonic stories are so different, and special to me. And it seems like a lot of people who like Sonic, like him as a brand and not for what he is as a character, the stories that are built around him, or the characters he's caused to grow just by being him. And that goes especially for most influencers. You're the first one I've seen to truly capture and explain why Sonic is special to me, from the stories, to the music, to each individual character, to what Sonic himself represents. And that's not including your editing style and delivery. Your channel is SUPER UNDERATED and I'm glad I found it through your leitmotif video last year. I hope it continues to grow for the fandoms sake, because the idea of Sonic has been lost for quite sometime and I think your someone who has found it again. (I've always seen Sonic as a character as a lot more closer to Luffy and Superman, as they represent an Idea, like freedom or Justice, and because of that they rarely have a character arc. However most assume Sonic is more like Spider-Man with his quippyness, and I think that's where it got lost. I.E. Colors)
Finally somebody put into words what makes Sonic's own character and stories amazing in a "simple way": The plot doesn't happen to Sonic... Sonic happens to the plot. BANGER VIDEO!
SEND THIS TO SONIC TEAM
Don't think they would care too much.
more like ian flynn!
Better yet, send this to Ian Flynn and Evan Stanley. I'm pretty sure Sonic Team already know this stuff - as evident by Superstars' story - but they want the games to be written by American writers because the games sell more here.
??? Sonic Team knows how to write stories
@@JakeThehedgehog-m1x Ian Flynn wrote Frontiers, and Sonic in that game is literally what he's described as in this video
He comes into the story, spends a lot of downtime with the other characters inspiring them to change while not changing himself, never gives up and disrupts the villains plot, then leaves for new horizons
this video has reignited my love for these dumb stupid stories again and properly put into words why they worked so well
and also cool of you for not being biased against the comics and the show, even if I'm not the biggest fan of either I do understand that they are completely separate things trying to do their own type of sonic story and integrating their own elements to the preexisting ones, not trying interfere with the canon
...
except maybe the sho
BABE WAKE UP,NEW ALTHEBOI VIDEO JUST DROPPED!
writting a good sonic story is the same a writting a good Superman story, which is very hard if you don't understand him
which most people dont do
Man, I know people overexagerate everything on the internet so you must have heard this thousand of times, but YOU are my hero.
Your storytelling is so cool that I didn't see the time pass, and you editing, oh boi your editing !
I started making videos for real the last year, and every time I look at your videos I remember why you motivated me. For me, you're a star far, far away in the distance that I obviously try to reach ;p, and I spend parts of your video just tapping my backward button in order to process what I saw.
This smothness, the way you even characterize yourself with a plus sign, a FUCKING PLUS SIGN !!!
For me you're the definition of Absolute Cinema. Don't like sonic ? Ok, just come see the spectacle. Like Sonic ? Oh boy we will eat good today !
I have so much things that I love in your editing, I hope one day you can make a living out of this (or not if you just want to keep it on the side ?)
And don't press yourself, as a great friend of mine said, a delayed video is eventually good, but a rushed video is bad forever ;)
That was hard as fuck, it's really put my own thoughts on Sonic to paper and just all around really explains why Sonic stories are so much fun, heartfelt and sometimes sad, in a way this kinda works as the secret rings video
"The plot doesn't happen to him, he happens to it" Is probably the most accurate way to describe any Sonic story.
I adore this so much, you capture the spirit of why we love Sonic stories and Sonic himself! The fact that he's the central pillar to characters yet not the focus. His whole existence is to inspire change while still, going at his pace, admiring the world we get to see through Sonic.
Your editing as usual creates such vibrant storytelling to go alongside your commentary, you turn these essays into something we can listen to and feel from the heart!
I'm happy to always see 06 talk too as the thematics are so diverse and yet all come together in the end, and the highlight about how development can be shown from change or the rejection of change.
This makes me think of how many stories Sonic could fit in no problem no matter how weird that is. Imagine him dropped in the actual attack on Titan universe, throw some punches with Goku, find The Flash running through the speed force or steal some pizzas from the ninja turtles. I’m not saying we should do any of it but, if a story with these plots in mind existed, Sonic can happen to any of them. A good think about Sonic is his “power scaling” I think he will fit with most problems of the fantasy or sci-fi type.
This was an insanely good video, I haven’t been into Sonic for a while, so this was nostalgic.
I fully agree. Sonic stories have basically *mastered* avoiding the uncanny vally, and dodging disbelief, both narratively and visually.
I love my episodic, static character Sonic 🙏I want Sonic to change others, and the world itself, but not him.
Gimme a little bit of continuity where it matters for characters who have undergone arcs in previous games, but that's all I really need. I don't need major plot points that carry into each game. I don't care about Eggman's extended family, or where the Chaos Emeralds come from. That's not a story.
So Sonic _is_ the inciting incident. Okay, that's cool. Also, real talk, the ending was just what I needed. Almost felt like you were talking directly to me, with a situation I'm dealing with. One that, doesn't seem to end. However, that's alright I suppose. I have my friends, my family, and ahead of me is a blue wind that'll always inspire me to keep pushing, embodying the Blue Light that's my soul.
AL, I'm serious when I say this. Thank you for coming back, and thank you for _this_ video. Not sure when I'll see you again, but I'm sure it'll be a blast like all the other times. Till then, catch ya on the finish line.
4:35 Okay, you didn't have to make me cry with that one, Chief 😭😭😭💙💙💙💙
Black Knight will probably be my favorite Sonic game forever. Literally the *only* complaint that people seem to have about it is that they're not used to the controls, and as someone who has played it time and time again, that isn't even an issue for me. It's a perfect game in my eyes. So much love and detail was put into it. I really wish more people appreciated it...
A sonic game with the quality of Shadow Generations x10, with the style of either Shadow Generations (modern but clean), or a more stylized sonic game like the SA1, with a story like the storybook games, and cg cutscenes like Sonic 06 or Unleashed or Colours, and finally boss fights and the general nostalgic vibe of Frontiers (all with polish and a good budget) would easily become probably one of the greatest sonic games to ever exist.
No. I'm sorry but no. If you had a game with all those elements, and don't forget the music. That would not be just the greatest Sonic game, that would be one of the greatest pieces of media to ever exist. Sonic's always had a habit of lacking in one area or another for a long time, but if all the stars aligned and each area was a smash hit success? We'd have the next Mario 64 on our hands.
@ I was scared for a second, but yeah. It would be massive.
@ I think for a sonic game to have the relevance games like 64 have, they need a lot of depth gameplay wise, that allow people to still find things to break in the game. Or something like that I suppose.
@@Squorzel Oh for sure, Frontiers is a great showcase of that, people don't really think about it but, Frontiers is very Mario 64 in the way it operates. You have a lot of creativity and freedom to go about puzzle solving in any way you want. If you ask me, I believe that's a big part of why Frontiers is so popular. If what they say is true, and Frontiers is their stepping stone to a new era. Then I am hopeful that they realize, Frontiers is in game form the very spirit of Sonic as a character. In the same way SA1 was. Give us an even bigger open zone, more characters, more in-depth combat, immense freedom, and finely-tuned physics based off fans' criticisms? Frontiers sequel could very well be that next big thing.
Now we just wait and see.
@ yeah, Frontiers is my favourite 3d sonic game for a reason, even if Shadow Generations and others are better. It’s much like BOTW/TOTK in that way. I doubt that BOTW was the “greatest” video game ever as everyone used to say (that’s just me though), but the freedom these games give is unlike anything.
We love an underdog story, but Sonic can't be the underdog. We're the underdog. And I know it's cheesy as hell, but he's the one who helps us overcome.
What a solid fuckin video bruh
You got it. You really understood the essence of why Sonic stories hit so hard. He’s not supposed to be relatable, he’s supposed to be _inspiring_
I already love Sonic games. I think they're a nice chance in tone and no other character hits like Sonic does. That being said, this video alone has reignited my passion for the games like when I first started. Nicely done. 10/10. Would watch again.
5:59 I had to pause here because Emerl is A: my favorite Sonic character, B: one of my actual favorite fictional characters of all time, and I love how you putting him in the center like that is so... revealing. Like as soon as I saw this shot I went "Okay so this person _definitely_ went through Sonic Battle's ending too, huh. We bros." and it's always a magical moment.
Now, I could be wrong about all this, but I just wanted to thank you for the subtle shoutout. Yeah, Sonic's one-off companions really are the spotlight; and Sonic really does inspire just by existing. For me personally, that happened in Sonic Riders.
HE'S BACK!!!!!
If I could like this video 10x over I would. Incredible editing.
8:53
I don't know why this hit so freakin' hard...but it did. I was first introduced to Sonic at like, 7 years old, and this character basically feels like a childhood friend to me. I've grown and changed SO MUCH during the years, but I know I can always come back to this franchise and he's still here. Still cool. Still inspiring. Still...him. He's never let what others think or feel about him be a deterrent from being himself, and accepting who HE is. That really helped me through a lot as a kid and continues to do so today. That's why these stories are very dear to me, encouraging me to keep pushing forward to be the best version of myself. And maybe even be able to help someone else along the way...
IM SORRY, I KNOW THIS IS A PRETTY OVEREMOTIONAL RAMBLE OVER A BLUE HEDGEHOG, BUT I SERIOUSLY ADORE THIS FRANSHISE SM, AND AM NOT AFRAID TO SHOW IT!! LET'S KEEP ON RUNNIN', SONIC FAM!! 💙 💪 🔥
waiting a year for this video was so worth it
HAPPY NEW YEAR AL
Here's to a new year with our favorite Hedgehog. 🎉
I can see Pariah left a huge impact in the Sonic community. Glad to see more people appreciating that original japanese Sonic writing.
reading this while considering that Pariah just said he isn't gonna make more Sonic videos (at least until a new game comes out) gives me the feeling of "He paved the way, we'll walk through it"
The original Japanese scripts aren't even mentioned here, what?
@@Peasham you're right, it doesn't mention the Japanese scripts per se, but it breaks down the story of the mentioned Sonic games by showcasing how they present their Japanese storytelling techniques (Kishōtenketsu), which is something that Pariah mentioned in one of his videos: Sonic has Japanese DNA in his storytelling and narrative, we need to understand it that way, it's not just about localization, it's about the artistic intention, metaphors and messages that are part of the Japanese culture, and how they represent those ideas in Sonic.
Basically: the script may not be the original Japanese one in terms of "language", but the spirit behind the story is, creating something special for many that way.
@douglas4610 Imma level with you, that's pretty much just fetishization. This video itself points out that it isn't some mystical writing technique, and I know for a fact myself that it is by no means uniquely Japanese, you would not be glazing this mystical secret sauce "Japanese" writing has were it a story that was bad or that you didn't like.
You get it man. I have spent the past decade and a half of my life trying to figure out how to articulate exactly why this character has always been so captivating to me, and you nailed to to a T.
This is the video I will be pointing people to from now on whenever I need to explain why I love Sonic so much.
Oh so this is why Snapcubes live fandubs work so well for Sonic games. Its the same concept of just living in the moment starting rabdom bits and letting things build to that moment of chaos surrounding the bit.
Whether that but be the gamecube 2, the Devil being Shadows biggest fan, forming a polycule, gamer girl, Gamer cringelord Memphis, and most importantly Team Furaffinity cucking Eggman
INSANE video, not even a fan of sonic but had me hooked
I think this might be one of my favorite videos on the internet.
I love Sonic. a lot. the franchise just has this undefinable special quality that makes me go feral whenever I experience it. the characters, gameplay, (yes, all of it. 2D, Adventure, Boost, Werehog, the whole gang,) the stories, the music, the style, the vibes, they just all blend into such a delicious franchise that I don't think I'm ever going to abandon.
And this video is, like... it pins down so many of the reasons I love Sonic's stories, the fact that they don't follow a typical "heroes journey" structure, or the fact that Sonic is never the one being taught the lesson, he's the teacher of it, or the fact that he isn't inspiring in the sense that he's relatable, and him doing these amazing things inspires you, it's the fact that he simply does these things at all, and still keeps a smile on his face and some snark in his speech.
And the editing, too, just pictures Sonic in so many of his best ways. bittersweet, cool, and funny. he's stylish, he's cocky, he just feels like he's having such a good time. the music, transitions, and visuals all feed into this, and it's...
amazing. this is such a well-made video, and I'm so happy this exists and I get to view it whenever I want.
5:31 This quote has never been able to leave my mind since I first heard it, because I still don't understand what exactly he means by it. It makes me think he's referring to some kind of character-type that has a term for it in Japanese but not in English. The Japanese word for "fairy" is "Yosei", so that might be what he was talking about.
Okay, so I looked up the original quote. In it, he uses the term "Yosei", which is what I *thought* he was referring to at first, so my suspicions were correct. He also directly refers to Mickey Mouse as a fairy-like character too, which is interesting! I'll have to look into this.
"...Mickey would not be a mouse even if he were live-action. They are fairies who can stay alive if everyone believes in them."
I was absolutely flabbergasted watching this video because of its beautiful editing! The writing and timing and everything just hit right. Fantastic job!
OMG, I don't think I ever cry over a video this much. This is Sonic. His presence sparks hope and inspiration within others. He is the force of nature, a hero of action, a guy who loves freedom and adventure, full stop, that's it. We don't need to know what he had been through, it should be a mystery. Hundreds and thousands of protagonists can be related to, but not Sonic, never Sonic. He is a way of living through hardship and challenges, someone to look up to, and inspires us to be better versions of ourselves.
With the recent variations of Sonic, I'm afraid of the approaches they are taking with Sonic; he has become more... well, too plain. Is like watching some hero I admire so much regressed into a kid. I missed what he was, truly.
Btw, You have some sick editing skills. This video hypes me up as much as listening to the Sonic playlist. Respect!
Your style of editing and execution of ideas is something to behold.
The storytelling in this video is so emotionally grabbing, every valley and crescendo are so tightly stuched together. Its a masterpiece that you should be proud of.
I feel like Murder Of fits into this narrative structure particularly interestingly because we still have the beginning, development and resolution of all of the established plot but we don't even see Sonic before the twist. He's there in everything as this larger than life character in the way his friends speak of him and how their bonds with eachother are inextricably tied to their bonds with him but Sonic himself only shows up in the last act to *be* the actual conclusion.
(Technically he's there during the intro)