Sonic Boom (Working Title)

[Tara]

Oh my god, look at knuckles silhouette, they've changed it, I WILL NEVER WATCH THIS SHOW!!!

 

....this fanbase

 

Let's not wait to see any actual content from the show, hell let's not even wait to see their actual designs. Let's just write this one off based on a shadow.

 

I for one, am looking forward to seeing more of this. I was shocked by the redesigns but I'd at least like to see them before deciding they're shit. Can't wait to see how eggman's gonna be

Because that's exactly what everyone said. =v Do we really have to put "but I'm going to wait until the actual release to fully judge" before every sentence to not sound shallow and presumptuous?

 

Also, I think now is the perfect time to judge it. while they still have time to change it.  Why wait until it's too late and be left with a terrible product?  Even if the show turns out to be good despite the Knuckles model, there's no reason it couldn't have been good and have a presentable Knuckles model.

[VGamer]

 

There's been lots of talks about Sonic trying to keep an image of brand consistency. There was also rumors that Sega was going in a new direction for Sonic in 2014. 

 

With both of those statements in mind, its not a stretch to be really worried about the future of the franchise as a whole. And even if everything else doesn't change, it still doesn't explain why Sega would just let this happen on the side whenever they're making Archie!Sonic stick to the games more.

 

I guess I could see why people would be worried, and now that you bring it up I am kinda anxious about the design in future games, but then you gotta remember Lost World. That game's art style is something the series hasn't done since Heroes (some would even say Sonic 3&K), and they talk about it in interviews like it's gonna stay. That being said, I don't think they'd redesign the characters in the games so soon.

 

What concerns me the most though is that they said they'd be going back and forth with Iizuka about the consistency of the series and that it stays true to their characters so...

 

 

On the contrary, I'd still be complaining about the non-character art.  That scenery looks absolutely atrocious, if you ask me.  It's like Sonic Generations... only bad. (Or worse, if you didn't like Generations' art style)

 

 

I gotta agree. That background looks way too... bland I guess. I was expecting checkered hills, or cartoony grass like Lost World. Not... A mountain and a loop that looks kinda jarring in the background.

[Tails spin]

Oh my god, look at knuckles silhouette, they've changed it, I WILL NEVER WATCH THIS SHOW!!!

 

....this fanbase

 

Let's not wait to see any actual content from the show, hell let's not even wait to see their actual designs. Let's just write this one off based on a shadow.

 

I for one, am looking forward to seeing more of this. I was shocked by the redesigns but I'd at least like to see them before deciding they're shit. Can't wait to see how eggman's gonna be

 

 

This is coming from the same fanbase that complains about Sonic's change of iris color

[Briraka]

Well to be (un)fair, I've alway disliked it when franchises de-rail into another style and a lot of other franchises I liked have done the same thing, such as Castlevania and the Lords of Shadow games, Devil May Cry and DmC, Spyro and the Legends series, and Tomb Raider with... well... Tomb Raider.

 

It's changing your artwork to make it more "mainstream" for the sake of cash than anything else. Who knows? This might actually be good, or at least okay. I've seen this happen to other series and I just don't want Sonic to become temporary because of the current success this cartoon may have.

[WarioBone]

This is coming from the same fanbase that complains about Sonic's change of iris color

 

E-fucking-nough of this.

 

Nobody actually fucking complains about this shit.  Maybe ten people.

 

Just stop.  It's old and irrelevant and a total cop-out.

[Person]

I just want to mention, the designs on the teaser look, to me, like 2D concept art of some kind, so these may not be the final designs.

 

I also just want to mention that I actually do not mind the redesigns, I just question why they decided to redesign in the first place. I'd really like to see the final versions later on down the line.

[Ferno]

Other than being really tall, and the realistic arms and legs (would've rather them be tube-shaped like Vector's or something,) I could sorta get used to that Knuckles design, (as long as it only exists in the show.) I mean when you think about it, too many characters in the series have standard "sonic-like" body types, with the only real variation coming from Big, Vector, Storm, and Eggman.

Edited October 2, 2013 by Inferno

[-blank-]

So, lets see what we've got here;

We have a new Sonic cartoon... That's in CGI. Okay, I prefer traditional animation, but CGI cartoons have gotten a little better-looking in recent years.

It's for children in the 6-11 age rage. Well, it's a cartoon, makes sense that kids are gonna be the target audience. The question is whether the writers can still make it accessible for folks outside that age range.

It's a comedy. Okay, I can deal with that. As long as the humor as clever, witty, and there's still an actual plot, I can deal.

Okay, character designs. Amy and Tails? Can't really judge them, but the shadows look fine.

Sonic might be wearing a jacket and his quills have a slight windswept look to them? I'd be cool with that.

Knuckles has decided to get new gloves? Okay I suppose. And I can't tell if he's supposed to actually be taller, or he's just furthest from the cliff, making his SHADOW look bigger.

Yeah, I can't really judge this right now. I'll wait until I know more at least.

[WarioBone]

Knuckles has decided to get new gloves? Okay I suppose. And I can't tell if he's supposed to actually be taller, or he's just furthest from the cliff, making his SHADOW look bigger.

 

Let's be honest with ourselves here.  Really.

Edited October 2, 2013 by Bold n' Brash Wario

[Komodin]

This is coming from the same fanbase that complains about Sonic's change of iris color

Let's not do this strawmanning thing, please. Leaving aside the facts that a fanbase is not a hivemind and that the whole "green eyes" nonsense was started by one dude (who, in case you forgot, later got over it), having an issue with an entire character is in a wholly different league from whining over one minor, nearly inconsequential part of the design.

[Celestia]

I think he's just taller, which makes sense, since he's a few years older and all.

[Octarine]

One of the things I've always liked about Knuckles was that he's the strong guy without needing to be big and bulky, but I wouldn't be opposed to a change on that front under certain circumstances. The thing that really bothers me about that silhouette is that he doesn't even seem to be a cute or sleek kind of big guy, like Bulkhead from Transformers Animated or even Storm the Albatross. He's not round, he's chiseled, like some kind of creepy caricature of Sylvester Stallone. It's honestly a little gross.

 

Otherwise I'm not too fussed; it'll probably be kind of lousy just on the basis of it being a CG cartoon based on a video game, but nothing in the actual blurb is particularly offensive. It just baffles me a little that Lost World has established a really pleasant, simple cartoon look for the franchise and they're not using it.

[Tani Coyote]

Not sure if the buff Knuckles design will stick. I'll be honest I always thought Knuckles should have a wider build than other characters simply to illustrate he's the strongest without being on 'roids.

I was supposed to remove myself from the internet today so I could focus on homework but I check in JUST to see this announcement and my voice become high pitched as all hell.

I'm excited. I've always wanted a new cartoon. I'm optimistic, and who knows, I think I might like the direction.

From a business perspective, if the MLP folk are working on this, I'm very optimistic; we could see a huge surge of new blood into the fanbase from this cartoon. It would definitely aid the Revolution. On the 6-11 note, isn't that pretty much MLP's target audience too? You don't need to be in the target group to enjoy it, so I wouldn't worry.

[Mr Useful]

Everyone is wrong. That's clearly Storm the Albatross trying to cosplay as Knuckles. 

^{HOY HOY HOY}

[SonikkuForever]

Sega Blog mod Kelly posted a few more tidbits (which have probably already been posted here):

 

- We are pleased and excited that many of the voice actors used in game for Sonic and friends will also be voicing the TV animation.

- SEGA and Lagardere Entertainment Rights are actively seeking broadcast partners in support of the new series worldwide.

 

 

Also, when reading the press release, this sentence stuck out to me:

 

"In the New Business & Licensing Side, we are proud and excited to handle the representation of Sonic which counts among the leading characters loved by kids. Thanks to our 360° platform which includes Digital Activities, Magazines, Indoor Parks, Grass Root events, we will push Sonic and the Consumer Products to a new level.”

 

It sounds like they're going to market this to the moon and back, which is good for Sonic, I suppose. I just hope those new designs don't scare kids away. I don't mind design changes, but it's important to keep your character designs consistent, or you'll confuse people and they'll start losing interest.

[iDEATH]

 

Rounding out the ensemble are fan favorites Knuckles and Amy Rose, plus a rogue’s gallery of enemies—some familiar to Sonic fans and some brand-new.

 

Wonder what this could mean, outside of Eggman there aren't that many villains in the series. Shadow and Rouge possibly? They're played more as good guys these days though...

 

Wonder if there's a possibility we could see some older characters brought back for this, Nack anyone?

 

Edit: Babylon Rogues?

Edited October 2, 2013 by Jake Bird

[RobotOmega]

Very interesting news. I don't know what to make of it yet...

[Tani Coyote]

Thanks to our 360° platform which includes Digital Activities, Magazines, Indoor Parks, Grass Root events, we will push Sonic and the Consumer Products to a new level.”

Grass roots events? Am I smelling more than one Sonic Boom every year? Perhaps... Sonic Booms across the world? Canada, Australia, Germany, both coasts of the United States?

Well. This greatly helps accomplis Revolution's goal if I'm taking it right.

Speaking of Boom I'm honestly amazed they didn't announce this cartoon back in August... but I guess it wasn't quite ready yet.

Wonder what this could mean, outside of Eggman there aren't that many villains in the series. Shadow and Rouge possibly? They're played more as good guys these days though...

God yes, please. I really think Shadow shines best as a tragic villain rather than antihero. It'd be nice to see him in that role again; it also helps Knuckles shine as Sonic's rival instead.

Edited October 2, 2013 by Ogilvie Maurice

[Tornado]

This is coming from the same fanbase that complains about Sonic's change of iris color

 

The next person who equates any of this discussion with the made up green eyes drama gets a strike. I've had it with this. That strawman was really fucking tiresome in 2010 when it was derailing discussions regarding the flaws in Sonic 4, it's no more fresh in 2013 when people are trying to discuss the design direction that this cartoon appears to be taking, and it ultimately is an inherently self-destructive argument to the fanbase as a whole that we could do without being brought up every time someone even mentions something about character design.

 

This thread isn't 26 pages deep because people are circle-jerking about how much better Sonic was back in the classic days; so stop dismissing this discussion as if it is.

[Tenko]

Return of the old Needlemouse design with haphazard quills? Their face outlines look a bit off too.. Is it just me or does Sonic have a cowlick sticking out the front? A fringe?

[Tani Coyote]

I'm seeing what looks like a jacket on Sonic, myself... hmm, makes me really curious what sort of feel they're going for. They say "comedy" but it looks like they really altered Sonic and Knuckles.

Now the real question. Since SEGA are uniformity-philes since the Adventure era... will they be redesigning the game cast for the third unrevealed game as well...? Sonic is overdue for a redesign as the usual schedule of a decade goes. And yes, we'll say he's fine the way he is, but no company ever thinks that.

Iizuka's "new generation Sonic" or whatever remark carries very interesting implications now, possibly.

Edited October 2, 2013 by Ogilvie Maurice

[Mando-Whirl-Wind]

Wonder what this could mean, outside of Eggman there aren't that many villains in the series. Shadow and Rouge possibly? They're played more as good guys these days though...

 

Wonder if there's a possibility we could see some older characters brought back for this, Nack anyone?

 

Edit: Babylon Rogues?

I agree, if this show brings back Nack it would have one thing going for it

[azoo]

I'm seeing what looks like a jacket on Sonic, myself... hmm, makes me really curious what sort of feel they're going for. They say "comedy" but it looks like they really altered Sonic and Knuckles.

Now the real question. Since SEGA are uniformity-philes since the Adventure era... will they be redesigning the game cast for the third unrevealed game as well...? Sonic is overdue for a redesign as the usual schedule of a decade goes. And yes, we'll say he's fine the way he is, but no company ever thinks that.

Iizuka's "new generation Sonic" or whatever remark carries very interesting implications now, possibly.

 

Please don't imply that this is gonna be the redesign, or that we have to put up with one at all. As likely as it could possibly be, I can't even handle that.

[Ferno]

 

Watch Knuckle's face look like this and everyone suddenly likes him.

[Tani Coyote]

Between the Deadly Six and this cartoon, it sounds like the series is aiming to expand the gallery of villains beyond Eggman. A way to keep things fresh without ruining Eggman's character as the "surprise betrayal" at the end of half the games did.

So who knows, maybe Nack would be necro'd for that. I doubt it, but since Sumo acknowledged him however slightly (if I recall anyway), it might mean something.