Classic Sonic: The Design

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During the Classic Era of Sonic, there were two designs of the blue hedgehog we know and love. These designs respectively were from SEGA Of America & SEGA Of Japan, with these designs being radically different from each other, mostly in terms of aesthetics. Now, let's dive in.

The Japanese Design - By Naoto Oshima

As you know, Naoto Ohshima is credited for creating Sonic The Hedgehog's design.

Here is a close analysis of the design.

-Has a bit of a cutesy look

-No defined border

-Smooth style of shading

-Sonic looks rounder and more correctly proportioned

-Muzzle and eyes are rounded

The American/Western Design- By Madeline Schroeder

Wanting to appeal more to the Western market, and due to the fact that people barely knew what hedgehogs were in the USA, Sega of America wanted Sonic to have a new look to appeal to the American/Western market. So, Madeline Schroeder, the product manager of Sonic 1 took cues from 1980s cartoon phenomenons & redesigned Sonic to have a more "hip, cool & with an attitude" type of look.

-Defined borders

-Metallic-like shading

-Meant to look more hip, and have a big attitude

-Muzzle looks more exaggerated

-Spikes are in a mohawk like style

-No tail visible

-Eyes are completely different in size

Sooo, which design of Classic Sonic do you prefer and why? I highly prefer the Japanese design myself, because he looks sooooo cuteee. i have a soft spot for cute things. And, IMO, he just looks neater and cleaner than the American design, though I do somewhat like the American design to a degree.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Felix

[Sonic the Hedgehog in 3D]

The American version is so goddamn ugly, I'm not much of a fan of the Japanese design but it's a ton better than the American one.

Sonic more like he's made out of Metal than he does in SADX, he looks out of proportion and it's just plain ugly

[Phos]

I still don't get what they were going for with the American version.

[Johnny Boy]

The Japanese version hands down. The American version is just so butt ugly it's not even funny.

[SilJeff]

Sonic 3 because of the badassness

[Soniman]

Fuck you guys, I like American Sonic (in ceartain cases).

But obviously Japan Sonic is better.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Soniman

[Balding Spider]

I can't be the only one who thinks the American Sonic looks like he's melting.

[Burnt Ash]

I like both, but I think I like the American one better.

[Diogenes]

The Japanese design is pretty good, the American design looks like he was put through a thresher.

[Law]

They tried to hard for the American design. The Japanese design is superior.

[Jango]

Japanese hands down, it's too damn perfect. The american version is weirdly drawn with bad coloring and incorrect proportions. What the hell are they thinking changing an awesome design?

[buba]

The American Sonic has a more menancing/scary look to me than a way past cool one.

Also the round outline in the head is really weird and the shading just makes him weirder.

[Sparky]

I like the japanese one. But for the American one... I prefer the design from SatAM/AoStH.

[Komodin]

I still don't get what they were going for with the American version.

They were shooting for "coolness" and "attitude"; they just screwed up while doing it, making him look more like a dumbass than a badass in the process.

Anyway, I also vastly prefer the Japanese design. The "buttbrow" and quill-mohawk of the American design are just plain tacky.

[BlueBlurMe]

Japenese is perfect in everyway. Not to mention he's incredibly CUTE!

[MachSpeed]

I like the American one. I think he does look badass.

[Wraith]

The Japanese one by far. The american one is really fucking ugly, not gonna lie.

[MachSpeed]

The Japanese one by far. The american one is really fucking ugly, not gonna lie.

I like that he's a bit ugly. It makes him look cooler.

[Diogenes]

I like the American one. I think he does look badass.

You like lumpy plastic monsters?

I like that he's a bit ugly. It makes him look cooler.

You are constantly searching for new and horrifying ways to have the worst opinions, aren't you. Edited August 27, 2012 by Diogenes

[Debug Ring]

I much prefer Japan's. It seems more polished and Sonic like.

Edited August 27, 2012 by Rainbow Ring

[MachSpeed]

You like lumpy plastic monsters?

You are constantly searching for new and horrifying ways to have the worst opinions, aren't you.

I like the fact that he's more menacing and less cute. It looks cool.

[Soniman]

I swear that they're were much more flattering renders of Classic American than the one pictured.

[Wraith]

I personally think this is the best rendition of Sonic by far.

[JBrewer]

I prefer the Japanese one... It looks like they tried to make the American one look somewhat angrier.

[Phos]

They were shooting for "coolness" and "attitude"; they just screwed up while doing it, making him look more like a dumbass than a badass in the process.

But they gave him those frilly ears and that bow legged stance.