Perhaps the darkest days of the Blue Blur’s history have finally subsided. The films are widely beloved, the 2D games seem broadly appealing, and evenSonic Frontierswas a masterpiece by the franchise’s usual standards. While the games continue their dogged sprint to outrun the terrible expectations, Sonic’s on-screen efforts have never been better.Sonic Primedemonstrates the simple fun that can be had by stretching an action cartoon around a classic game.
The mighty Man of Action team is known forkeeping action cartoons alivethrough the drought they experienced near the beginning of the streaming era. From Marvel to Mega Man, these four comic book creators offer a slight seal of quality to whichever IP they take on. Their fingerprint is visible inSonic Prime’s solid grasp of animated action.
RELATED:Sonic Prime Review
For the uninitiated,Sonic Primefollows the adventureof the eponymous hedgehog as he travels the multiverse to collect pieces of a powerful stone and resurrect his destroyed home. Sonic shattered the Paradox Prism, which catapulted him into a new reality with altered versions of his friends and enemies. Sonic visits New Yoke City, a dystopian cyberpunk take on Sonic’s woodland palls fighting Eggman. He also encounters a primal jungle environment and a high-seas adventure with appropriately different characters. As last season concluded, Sonic acquired the tools to traverse the “Shatterverse” just in time to run afoul of his longtimerival, Shadow the Hedgehog. Season 2 picks up moments after the non-ending of the first.
Much has been made aboutSonic Prime’s take on Shadow. He appeared briefly in the first season but became a fixture in the second season premiere. He’s one of the least consistent characters in the franchise, with at least three distinct personalities depending on the adaptation. Shadow is generally either pure evil, a troubled anti-hero, or a satirical parody of the grimdark edgelord he became in the early 2000s.Sonic Primesplits the difference between the first two options. Shadow is on the heroic side of the story, actively trying to aid Sonic in restoring Green Hill Zone. On the other hand, he’s riddled with crippling trust issues that bring him into regular conflict with the rest of the team. It’s a textured version of the character that outdoes almost every other previous iteration. Fans of tough-talking, gun-toting “Sonic but cool” Shadow might not loveSonic Prime’s Shadow, but he’s a solid character.
As in season one,Sonic Prime’s best aspect is its action set pieces. The first episode depicts an all-out brawl between Sonic and Shadow that easily dwarfs every version of that rivalry yet.Sonic Primeis a multiverse story, but it isn’t as sprawling assomething likeSpider-Verse. Instead of dropping the barriers and revealing an endless expanse of alternate realities,Sonic Primebrings its three dimensions together by regularly allowing characters to slip across the void. The best action scenes in the series are the massive hoard battles in which six or seven heroes fight dozens of killer robots. Terrorist Knuckles from New Yoke City fighting alongside Pirate Knuckles from the high seas remains entertaining every time. Unfortunately, the series has trouble escalating. The fight between Shadow and Sonic is a brilliant opening, but there’s never a sense that things are getting bigger or better. The action is characteristically solid overall, but there remains room for improvement.
Sonic Prime’s story isn’t particularly groundbreaking, but its characterization pushes the franchise forward. Every character plays with their usual tropes in fun and unique ways that will make longtime fans smile. This show has two distinct target audiences: childrenand hardcore Sonic fans. The kids will have no trouble following the plot, laughing at the jokes, or jumping up and down on their couch during the action scenes. Hedgehog devotees will rarely, if ever, get a laugh out of the show, but the action remains compelling.Sonic Primeenters into a strange conversation withSonic Frontiers. Both works attempt to add a hint of maturity to a character designed for the radical kids of the 90s.Primeoffers a genuine exploration of the characters' emotional foibles, demonstrating a greater understanding of these beloved figures.Frontiersseems to tell a storyabout Sonic’s time ending and all of his friends leaving him behind. The shows have frequently one-upped the games, but this example is impressive.
Sonic Primeis better than it needs to be, and fans were more than happy to heap praise upon it. The characters feel like real people, the action stands out in a crowded market, and the creativity keeps the series interesting. There’s at least one more season ofSonic Primeto comeunless Netflix axes the show unceremoniously. There’s very little new ground being broken here, but in the long, well-documented history of the Blue Blur’s adventures,Sonic Primeis a tally in the win collum.
