Sonic the Animation

Sonic the Animation 

Man of the Year

Original Release Date: 1994?

Sonic the Hedgehog was always intended to be an animation star. From the beginning, Sega planned him as a multi-media franchise, much the way Nintendo had turned Mario from a simple set of pixels in "Donkey Kong" to one of the most recognizable characters in all of pop culture. This is inherent in the hedgehog's design, which is inspired by classic "rubber hose" cartoon icons like Mickey Mouse and Felix the Cat. By the release of the third game, this prophecy had already been fulfilled, Sonic starring in two animated series produced for American television with many more having followed. This means, when you say the words "Sonic the Animation," any number of programs come to mind first. However, that phrase also refers to something very specific, which happens to be the topic of today's rambling dissertation...

During the peak of their profitability, Sega wasn't only in the video game business. The company, after all, has its earliest origins as a producer of slot machines, jukeboxes, pinball games, photo booths, and other coin-operated frivolity. This creates the mental image of walking down a boardwalk occupied with any number of Sega branded entertainment. The company's long-held interests in arcades led to the creation of many company operated "amusement arcades" known as Sega Worlds. These locations were so popular during the nineties that Sega expanded out into a chain of indoor amusement parks known as Joypolis. Most of these parks – such as the notorious Sega World Sydney – would close during the arcade implosion of the early 2000s. However, I was surprised to read that four Joypolises are currently still in operation: Two in Japan and one in China. Once again, Asia gets all the cool shit. 

Obviously, Sega would not enter into such a venture without making room for their mascot character. Most of the Sonic themed attractions were found at the now defunct Qingdao location, probably owing to the blue hedgehog being more popular internationally than in Japan. However, the character has remained a stable presence in these various parks. An exact release date is hard to locate but, as the earliest mention I can find is from 1994, I'm going to say that is when a short, Sonic-themed cartoon started screening exclusively at Joypolis and Sega World locations. This animation would reach a far wider audience upon its inclusion as a bonus in the 1997 Sega Saturn game, "Sonic Jam." The is the "Sonic the Animation" I'm talking about today. Since that is such a non-specific title, the short is usually referred to as "Sonic: Man of the Year" by fans. Excuse me if I slip up and call it that during this review. 

The premise is simple enough. Outside of a sprawling metropolis occupied with seemingly normal humans, Eggman resides on his island base of operations. (Perhaps taking a cue from "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog," the laboratory is decorated by a large gold statue of the man with one arm in the air.) The doctor's morning ritual of reading the newspaper is soured when he sees the top story: Sonic has been awarded the honor of "Man of the Year" by city officials, despite obviously being a hedgehog. Enraged, the villain quickly creates a scheme to ruin the hedgehog's good reputation. He puts on a crude Sonic disguise, straps some rocket skates to his feet, and embarks on a campaign of mischief around the city. This works, the public quickly turning on Sonic. Upon discovering this, our hero is glued into Eggman being behind the scheme by the villain's distinctive laugh. That's where "Sonic the Animation" ends, promising that this story will be continued. Considering it's been somewhere in the area of thirty years since this cartoon's release and no second part has arrived, we should probably stop expecting that. 

The first thing you'll probably notice about "Man of the Year" is the quality of its animation. The short was produced by the studio that would become TMS in time, years before "Sonic X" was a twinkle in anyone's eye. Giving the budget probably usually afford to a full length cartoon to crank out a two minute short instead results in some lovely visuals. The animation is fluid and lively. The brief sequences devoted to Sonic zipping along the sides of buildings or Eggman blasting around on his rocket skates have the kind of speed and force of impact that, well, "Sonic" animation always should have and almost never does. Considering this was probably a glorified tech demo or sizzle reel, there's some flashy 1994 graphics too. By which I mean, all the environments in the short are CGI while the characters are traditional cel animation. Maybe it's my nostalgia for the nineties "Spider-Man" cartoon talking here but I find this art style – brightly color cartoon characters moving around on big, blocky, shiny, Windows '95 screensaver images – incredibly charming and appealing. There's some neat touches in the environment too, such as Eggman's office chair being patterned after a chicken. I guess because chickens lay eggs? It all looks so interesting, yesterday's version of cutting edge like the finned rocket ships in a "Flash Gordon" comic strip. 

Another element about the animation is immediately apparent. TMS is probably best known for their work in the Japanese animation industry. However, around the same time this short was done, the company was where some of the animation for American cartoons like "Animaniacs" and "Tiny Toon Adventures" was being outsourced. Since "Sonic" was always meant to appeal to American sensibilities, that means a lot of "Man of the Year" looks like an episode of an especially good Fox Kids Saturday morning cartoon show. I still find it weird whenever Sonic has to interact with regular people... However, the decision here to have him standing among what easily could've been background extras from "Freakzoid" makes that awkwardness a little easier to swallow. The people are exaggerated and, at times, grotesque. As in the close-ups of some weird looking kids with tomatoes thrown into their mouths. Still, these minor designs have a personality to their appearances that make them memorable. Such as the news reporter with the big Jay Leno chin. Or the dark skinned, short haired babe in a sweater we see in one scene that, I'm pretty sure, popped up in a few panels during "Worlds Collide." If you are a little younger or older than me, it's entirely possible you'll have no built-in affection for animation of this style and won't be able to appreciate these things beyond the level of them looking good. However, there's definitely something satisfying about seeing Sonic and Eggman brought to life in the style of a big budget 90s American cartoon show. Probably the closest we'll get to seeing what a feature length, traditionally animated "Sonic" movie might have looked like. 

That "Sonic the Animation" looks so much like a Warner Bros cartoon of the same vintage is fitting. Tonally, the short is most comparable to a Roadrunner & Coyote or Tom & Jerry installment. Like those animated adversaries, there's no dialogue traded between Sonic and Eggman as they are locked in their slapstick war against each other. The two are rendered as silent figures whose oversized emotions are evident entirely through their big, goofy, cartoon movements. Coming on the heels of "Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog" – which, everyone surely will feel the need to point out, TMS also animated a few episodes of – this is a mood that definitely fits these two characters. Honestly, I'm surprised more "Sonic" media hasn't run with the idea of Eggman being Wile Coyote, always trying to get ahead with fancy gimmicks, and Sonic being Roadrunner, effortlessly fast and unaffected by anything. Eggman being doomed as much by classically bad luck as he is his own hubris is an interpretation you sometimes see in "Adventures" and "Sonic Boom," with Sonic as an all-powerful trickster figure. You'd think writers would try that out more often. 

The simplicity of those classic chase cartoons is visible in other parts of the film. The soundtrack is composed entirely of Edvard Grieg classical pieces – "Morning Mood" and "In the Hall of the Mountain King," of course – and some leftover tracks from "Sonic CD." A lot of the sound effects are also taken from "Sonic CD," furthering this feeling of intentional exaggeration and artificially. In other words: There's not a lot to "Man of the Year," mostly because it's so short. A full story is not told, on account of being the first act of a complete cartoon. Sonic is barely a character in it, Eggman being better classified as the short's protagonist. Whether you think it feels like Classic Sonic, in the same way the "Sonic CD" opening animation so clearly did, is up for debate. However, "Sonic the Animation" remains really interesting and fascinating for what it is. TMS or Sega or whoever owns this needs to upload a HD version to YouTube or something, so we're not stuck watching the grainy Sega Saturn rips until the Big Bang crunches back and we're all instantly unmade again... [8/10]