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| Sonic the Movie |
Overview
Story
Notes
Releases
Last Updated: 12.26.05 |
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Runtime:
60 min
Format:
VHS / DVD
Origin:
Japan
Dub:
ADV Films
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 09.09.99
 Unknown
 See Notes
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Cast Credits:.
Director:
Kazunori Ikegami
Screenplay
credits (in alphabetical order)
Masashi Kubota
VOICE ACTING
Sonic the Hedgehog:
Martin Burke
Masami Kikuchi (JPN)
Miles 'Tails' Prower:
Lainie Frasier
Hekiru Shiina (JPN)
Knuckles the Mole:
Bill Wise
Yasunori Matsumoto (JPN)
Dr. Robotnik:
Edwin Neal
Junpei Janikuchi (JPN)
Sera:
Sascha Biesi
Mika Kanai (JPN)
President:
Edwin Neal
Old Man Owl:
Charles Campbell
Metal Sonic:
Gary Dehan
Producers:
Naoharu Hokutani
Akinori Ohno
Koichiro Sugie
Takayuki Sugizaki
Original Music:
Mitsuhiro Tada
Film Editing:
Seiji Morita
Production Design:
Kazunori Ikegami
Art Direction:
Seiko Akashi
Production Directors:
Yuji Naka
Naoto Ohshima
Sound Effects:
Daisuke Jinbo
Sound Arrangement:
Mitsuhiro Tada
Special Effects:
Kenji Ikeda
Lyricist:
Riu Konaka
Singer:
Riu Konaka
Assistant Animation Director:
Fumie Muroi
Animation Director:
Tsuneo Ninomiya
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| Overview |
Often called Sonic OVA throughout the community in homage to its Japanese roots, Sonic the Movie is the only feature-lengthed cartoon of Sonic's career. It's strange, it's crazy, and it's often considered the best of Sonic's appearances off consoles. It was released in Japan in two separate, 30 minute episodes, but combined into one hour-long "movie" when ADV Films did the dub for the English versions. Although it was released in Japan long before the days of the Dreamcast, the American version launched on the same day.
The world of Sonic the Movie is completely different from those featured in the previous cartoons and games. The entire story takes place on Planet Freedom, which is separated into two dimensions: Sonic lives in the "Land of the Sky," and Robotnik lives in the "Land of Darkness." Robotnik has infiltrated the Presidential House in the Land of the Sky and holds the President and his daughter hostage. According to Robotnik, he means no harm: he just wants to keep everyone safe. The evil Metal Robotnik has taken over the Land of Darkness and overloaded a generator in his city, Robotropolis. If the generator is not shut down within 24 hours, it will cause the whole planet to explode. When Sonic comes to the rescue, he is forced to accept Robotnik's mission. Are the two actually working together for once, or does Robotnik have a trick up his sleeve?
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| Story | |
WARNING
This section is an expanded summary of the plot with tons of screen captures. We're not holding anything back, so it's full of spoilers. Read the Overview section if you want a short, spoiler-free summary. |
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Robotnik is up to no good again. Images of a particular robot from Sonic CD are projected in the room around him.
"Finally, the only thing left to be done is to capture the essential life data from your counterpart. Then, you will be complete, my Hyper Metal Sonic! When you awaken...you will kill him!" |
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Suddenly we're out of Robotnik's lab and in the skies of Planet Freedom. A bird chugs along in a little hovership reminiscent of the Eggmobile towards a floating island. The island, somewhat like the junkyard of the heavens, turns out to be the home of Sonic and Tails. While Sonic relaxes on the beach, Tails decides to go for a ride on his new "jet-propelled bodyboard." He can't convince Sonic to join him, but it doesn't matter: they're interrupted by the bird, whose ship has somehow caught on fire since we last saw it. Tails calls for Sonic's help.
"Soooooooooooooooooooooniiiiiiiiiiiiiiic! Heeeeeeeeeelllllp! Heeeeeeeeeeey! Wake up! Sonic! Come on! Wake up! Help!"
"SHUT UP, TAILS! You're the one who can fly! |
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Tails is finally convinced to take matters into his own hands. He flies up to the bird, whose name happens to be "Old Man." Old Man was unaware that he was on fire, so as you can imagine, he is rather surprised upon figuring out what Tails is trying to say. Tails manages to get the hovership balanced by putting his weight on one of the wings, but Old Man is legally blind too and can't see the giant wall he's about to drive them into. Tails screams for help again, but this time Sonic answers. He manages to save them just in time with perfect Hollywood style.
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After Old Man finishes crying over his the loss of his vehicle, he realizes that he can't remember why he came in the first place. Sonic and Tails figure out that the President wants to see them at the "Presidential House." Tails activates the island's hidden runway and they take off in Sonic's biplane.
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After Old Man finishes crying over his the loss of his vehicle, he realizes that he can't remember why he came in the first place. Sonic and Tails figure out that the President wants to see them at the "Presidential House." Tails activates the island's hidden runway and they take off in Sonic's biplane.
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| Notes |
Knuckles the...Mole?
The original translation was hurried to ensure that it could be released alongside the Dreamcast, but we have to wonder how ADV Films confused Knuckles to be a mole. Simple error, right? Actually, the label is repeated in the bios from the new DVD version. Perhaps Knuckles really was supposed to be a mole for this movie? Who cares, but it made a good laugh for the community anyways. Wikipedia even has an entry for it. |
"You Pervert!"
At one point in the movie, Sera accuses Metal Sonic of being a pervert for looking up her dress. As harmless as it is, the joke never would have made it through the death camps of 4Kids Entertainment. There are plenty of other not-so-kid-friendly scenes in the movie too: Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles have an unmistakably dirty vocabulary, and at one point, Sonic flashes his middle finger at Robotnik. ADV attempted to edit the middle finger into Sonic's index, but...well, you make the call for yourself. Perhaps the most notorious edit is Knuckles' line when he is about to be shot by Metal Eggman. In the dubbed version, he says "Now I'm stuck," referring to the glue-like substance Metal Robotnik used to trap him. In the original script, he's supposed to yell "SHIT!" |
| Releases |
Japanese Versions
Sonic Vol. 1: Journey to Eggmanland - 1996, VHS
Sonic Vol. 2: Sonic vs. Metal Sonic - 1996, VHS
Sonic Vol. 1: Journey to Eggmanland - 2004, DVD
Sonic Vol. 2: Sonic vs. Metal Sonic - 2004, DVD
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American Versions
Sonic the Movie - 1999, VHS
Sonic the Movie - 2004, DVD
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European Versions
Sonic the Movie - 1999, VHS
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