Modern Sonic, a new era was coming for Sonic and it was time for a change after his classic was coming to a close and heading into a new way of gaming. 1998-1999 was Sonic Adventure where we get to see a new Sonic, a new design to still remind us that he is the same blue hedgehog that we have encountered back in 1991. The redesign of Sonic showed him much different from what he have seen from him. 15-year-old character, with longer legs and a less spherical body, longer and more drooping spikes, and emerald-green-colored eyes. Sonic was also purposefully made more of a “bad boy” for Sonic Adventure. That also meant that he should look too cute like Hello Kitty at the time of the game being released.

This design has been going on for years after Sonic Adventure and its most well-known to everyone who either experienced Sonic Adventure or in the later years of his games, or even towards the 2010’s era from most people who I have met on here who weren’t like me when I saw this design but it what it is right? My first encounter with Modern Sonic was Sonic Advance, the first Sonic game I ever played on handheld, I was so fascinated by this design that I would draw him all the time and even up til now I do and you guys can see for yourself about how far I went from this. Modern Sonic really made himself more recognizable years later at this time age with his games from Sonic Adventure to now with the re-release of Sonic Colors: Ultimate. Despite from the setbacks that he has been through from time to time, Modern Sonic still manages to get his way back to many of us and that’s what I love.

Yuji Uekawa was the one who made this redesign happen for many of us fans who played Sonic Adventure even though I played Sonic Adventure DX. Other artists within Sega at the time also played their part for this to happen for Sonic Adventure. An internal contest was held at Sega to determine who would be in charge of character redesigns. The participants included Yuji Uekawa (Sonic R character designer), Satoshi Okano (Sonic Jam promotional art), Naoto Oshima (Sonic’s original creator) and Takumi Miyake (designer for Knuckles’ Chaotix). Uekawa was the winner, though he would take some inspiration from the other entries for his final design. He redesigned Sonic with longer legs and spines that Iizuka subsequently noted were more suitable for 3D than Sonic’s original and more compact design, which was meant to be seen from the side. It’s thanks to him and everyone else of course to make this happen but for Uekawa, he has continued to make more of his art of Sonic even at todays time with the Sonic Channel art every month, it was his still to make me do this and I’m very happy for it.

I know what you guys are thinking, Modern Sonic is around like Sonic X, Sonic Rush, Shadow the Hedgehog, and Sonic 06. Most of you guys see it as that Modern Sonic but in honest opinion from me, I see it as his modern look back in 1998-1999. And I know you guys will say that’s Dreamcast Sonic, not Modern, but you have to consider that this was the beginning Sonic with his new design, it doesn’t about the game or the era, this design showed up in the late 90’s to show the Sonic was going to be different compared to Classic Sonic. That’s how I see it. It showed the new era Sega was going for with the Dreamcast games for Sonic.

If you want to argue with me, don’t! Because I’m not diehard like many others or just do stupid bs to make myself in the rights and make someone look wrong. If this is how I see it, this is how I see it. Its not wrong for me to see it this way or anyone else. It doesn’t matter, he’s still Modern Sonic no matter what you think the year or game showed modern. Be respectful. Thank you.

At the end of day, Modern Sonic is and always will be the Sonic that we will be continuing to see in art, comics, merch, and his games in the future, I don’t ever see this design changing anytime soon regard to what people believe the Movie Sonic would take over, I wouldn’t say so, Modern Sonic will continue on, its like Mario, he has not change in a long time so would Sonic? I will forever love Modern Sonic in the future and for his new game next year, I’m super excited!

HAPPY 30TH ANNIVERSARY!!!