Just last Saturday, our old friend SEGA held a somewhat special"Sonic" themed event.
It's considered special because this event differs from any official event we've attended before. Most participants are ordinary and pure players, with many traveling specifically from other regions or cities just to gather with fellow fans who share the same interests, welcomingthe special milestone of the "35th Anniversary".
Such enthusiasm is not hard to understand—This event is one stop on the "Sonic Fan Tour Meet-and-Greet," but it is also the first time that "Sonic," this "living fossil" IP in the video game industry, has held a fan meet-and-greet in mainland China. In this event, SEGA officially will take "Sonic" to seven cities globally, which happen to correspond to the seven Chaos Emeralds in the "Sonic" series setting. And Shanghai happens to correspond to the red emerald among them.
At this event,The "Sonic" team prepared numerous fan interaction segments for Chinese players, unveiled commemorative merchandise for the 35th anniversary, and to strengthen ties with Chinese players, the team specially created an exclusive illustration featuring Shanghai as the backdrop, serving as a special gift for this event.
On this long scroll, the blue hedgehog most familiar to players is depicted tasting the iconic local delicacy, hairy crab, against the backdrop of Shanghai's landmark, the Oriental Pearl Tower.
Sonic in Shanghai
If we talk about the most heavyweight segment of this fan meet-and-greet, it was naturallytwo core figures from the "Sonic" team—Series Creative Director Kazuyuki Hoshino and Series Music Director Tomoya Ohtani, the two producers personally interacted with the fans below on stage.
It should be noted that many players attending this event have beenhardcore fans who have followed the series since the MEGA DRIVE era. For them, the significance of these two veteran producers goes without saying. Amidst the enthusiastic atmosphere, the two also personally distributed gifts to the fans below, and the event's atmosphere reached its peak during the lucky draw segment.
Mr. Kazuyuki Hoshino (left) and Mr. Tomoya Ohtani (right)
After the entire fan meet-and-greet event concluded and the fans gradually departed, we finally had the opportunity to sit down with the two producers for a detailed interview about this fan meet-and-greet andthe "Series 35th Anniversary." Although we didn't get any news about new titles, the many pieces of information revealed by the two during this interview still hold significant weight for "Sonic" series fans.
However, due to the long duration of this interview and the large number of questions, there is some repetition in the content—Therefore, we have reorganized some parts of the content, as follows:
Q: This is"Sonic" series 35years since the first official fan meet-and-greet held in Shanghai. And we also realized something very interesting: the composition of the domestic fan base is quite special. Part of them arecore fans who have been around since the MEGA DRIVE and Dreamcast eras, but there are also many new-generation players who got into the series through movies and animations. The expectations of these two groups of players for the series differ greatly.ThatIn subsequent game development andIPDuring operations, how does the team balance the demands of old fans for classic characters and narratives while lowering the barrier to entry for new young players?
Hoshino:Actually, it's not just Shanghai; "Sonic" fans worldwide come in various types and attributes. There are very hardcore players, those who enjoy illustrations, stories, fashion, and music, people who like to communicate on social media, and those who enjoy creating things themselves.
Therefore, we have been striving to spread "Sonic" through various media, allowing people with different interests, different ways of thinking, across a wide range of ages and genders, to increase their opportunities to engage with "Sonic" and derive enjoyment from it.
Q: Actually, many young Chinese players learned about this"Sonic"movies and games, only then did they learn about thisIPof, and then realizedoriginallyit has alreadyexistbeen 35 years.From the development team's perspective,"Sonic" serieswhy has it been able to continuously innovate and maintain vitality?
Hoshino:Persisting in one thing, from another perspective, actually means constantly changing. Repeating the same things cannot sustain survival, which aligns with the history of biological evolution. Since Sonic's debut, the core message he conveys has remained consistent, butThe "Sonic" series itself has undergone various changes. Looking back, each attempt has maintained the style that Sonic should have, which is proof of the history we have run together with fans.
Q: I'd still like to ask Mr. Hoshino, when integrating Sonic and his partners into the worldview and design style of "PICO PARK," in order to preserve"Sonic's unique characteristics", what specific design details required special attention or research? During the process of coordinating collaboration plans with the developers, did you gain any new inspirations?
Hoshino:Like in "games like PICO PARK", it wasn't produced directly by us; we participated as supervisors. Rather than discussing "how we made it," let's talk about what we paid attention to during supervision. I was impressed by how well character traits were expressed using very few pixels and low-resolution small characters. To enhance the effect, we made various adjustments, especially emphasizing the impact of facial expressions on character impression and adjusting the amount of information in each character's overall design to make their personalities stand out more.
Q: In recent years,"Sonic"series has made many attempts in different directions in terms of gameplay, such as incorporating"open areas"designed "Sonic Frontiers",combined with live-actionCGmovies,andand indie gamesIPcollaborative "SONIC PICO PARK" will also be released this year. Facing these new directions, how does the team usually judge whether they fit"Sonic"? When deciding to develop a title, what factors do you prioritize?
Hoshino:As the "Sonic" brand, we always have one principle: constantly challenge new things. As for judging whether something fits "Sonic," the standard is "Does this feel like Sonic?" and "Will Sonic fans like it?"
Q: Mr. Hoshino has served as character designer in many"Sonic"seriesworks as a character designer—In your opinion, how has the image of Sonic characters evolved from2Dshift towards3Dhistorical process, what changes left the deepest impression? Furthermore, did these changes in character image,Did this indirectly influence game design?
Hoshino:For action games like "Sonic," character design and game design are closely linked. In the past, Sonic ran horizontally, but after entering the 3D era, the world gained depth, and he acquired a form suitable for 3D adventures. Adventuring in polyhedral 3D scenes is very dynamic and fun, and I was deeply attracted by this charm.
However, after entering the 3D era, jumping onto small footholds in the depth direction became very difficult. Ultimately, we solved this problem by projecting a shadow under Sonic's feet—allowing precise position judgment even during jumps, thus successfully landing on the target platform. In this way, we continuously invented new solutions while solving various problems.
Q:"Sonic"team wasfromWhen did you first realizeChinafansexistence of? Regarding the Chinese fan communitywhat impressions do you have?
Hoshino:Actually, before coming to Shanghai this time, our team had no idea what Chinese fans were like—So, we had very high expectations for this trip.
It was probably about two years ago. We偶然ly discovered on social media that Chinese players were spontaneously organizing fan events, and the participants' enthusiasm was very high. It was probably from that time that we became aware of the existence of Chinese fans.
Q:"Sonic"The music of the series has always been thisIPsoul, allowing many players to remember the theme songs of past games even after many yearsandstage'sBGM—Mr. Otani has participated in numerous"Sonic"seriesworks'ssoundtracks, and we often rearrange classic tracksandcross-media music project. In your opinion, how will future titles balance remaking old tracks versus creating new ones?
Otani:Creating new songs and remaking past ones are equally important to me. We choose the best approach depending on how and where the song will be used. For new tracks, I aim to create music that feels fresh, surprising, and impactful; for remakes of past works, I focus on reinterpreting those familiar tunes so listeners can enjoy them anew.
Q:"Sonic"'sLong-time fans might feel regretful, as the series has never had a substantialRPGtitles, I'd like to ask the team about"Sonic"series' future titles, what are the plans?
Hoshino:Of course, our team also has many RPG fans. Regarding future lineup plans, we cannot reveal too much at present, but please stay tuned.
Q: Looking back at"Sonic" series' 35years of artistic evolution, from the initial classic pixel art to today's3Drendering style,the changes are truly significant—As Creative Director, what kind of design does Mr. Hoshino believe,is what keeps Sonic being Sonic"fundamental"? During this process,which stylistic shift impressed you the most, orbear the most pressure?
Hoshino:With technological advancements and changes in game styles, Sonic's appearance has indeed evolved continuously, but I believe these changes themselves are not fundamental. I wonder if everyone is aware that we recently created a statue piece called "SONIC DNA."
The concept is to encapsulate Sonic's "DNA" within it, preserving his essence for eternity—and this statue shines with a silver hue, not even blue. Yet it still strongly conveys the feeling of "this is Sonic." For me, the minimum essential element required for Sonic to maintain his identity is his highly recognizable, sharp silhouette. In Japanese, the word "sharp" carries meanings such as "strong personality," "radical," and "avant-garde"—isn't that exactly Sonic's style?
"SONIC DNA" Statue
Q: Nowadays,,many gamesIPhope to achieve long-term development, and Sonic has evolved from a game character into a globalized IP. Looking back at"Sonic"series35 years of development, what do you think aIPwants to continuously expand its influence, what capabilities are needed? For those who also wish to build long-termIPdevelopers, what advice does the team have?
Hoshino:This question is somewhat similar to the previous one—evolution means change, meaning continuous change. Facing the shifts of the times, executing the best ideas conceivable at the moment is the power that sustains continuity. When looking back on these attempts later, if each one maintains the style Sonic should have, then the judgments made at the time were correct. I believe in this, and what creators need is the courage to make judgments at every moment.
Q: In recentyears, many Chinese games have achieved good results worldwide, including notable game music tracks. Has Mr. Otani noticed any Chinese game music creators?
Otani:I am certainly aware of the impressive achievements Chinese games have made in recent years, and I think it is truly remarkable. However, I don't yet have a deep understanding of specific Chinese music creators. The "Sonic" series has always been proactive in collaborating with overseas artists, having worked with many Western musicians in the past. If there are outstanding musical artists in China, we would very much like to explore collaborations and create something interesting together. If anyone has recommendations, please let us know; we would be delighted to work with them.
Q: There have always been players in the community hoping for official remasters or remakes of classic titles like "Sonic Adventure."3Dtitles, but there are also voices urging the team to focus fully on new originals. May I ask Mr. Hoshino, how does the team view the remake of older works? Regarding the series' classic IP, do you prefer continuing the story with new titles, or would you consider bringing some older works to modern platforms via remakes or remasters?
Hoshino:We have always paid close attention to voices from the player community and value everyone's opinions. To briefly summarize the team's current direction, rather than remaking past works, we prefer to focus our energy on developing newer, more anticipated original titles.
Q: This time,"Sonic"seriesin35thanniversary released an anniversary song with versions in different languages. Although the melody uses the sameis a, but after being,anniversary,English lyrics, presenting a different feel—for example, the Chinese versiontitled "Go! Rush Forward!", this track has also been loved by players across China. May I ask,will you consider releasing more Chineselocalization'ssongs?
Otani:Taking"Sonic" seriesFor the 35th anniversary, we created an "Anniversary Song" for the first time and attempted a Chinese version. If this attempt receives positive feedback, we hope to continue releasing Chinese versions of songs we create in the future. So, please share your thoughts on this Chinese version.
Q: Many of today's"Sonic"seriesnew generation of players, many of whom discovered,rather than encountering the character for the first time through the game. As Creative Director on the game side, Mr. Hoshino, how do you view“the cinematic depiction of Sonic"and“the original game depiction of Sonic"design differences? In terms of maintaining design consistency,any insights or challenges?
Hoshino:The core existence of Sonic was first born from sketches under a designer's pencil, then spread worldwide through low-resolution pixel art in games, later adventuring in 3D worlds as polygons. With technological advancements, his image gradually approached photo-realism, becoming more realistic in movies. The goal of this path is to depict a "physical entity."
On the other hand, Sonic is also active in anime and manga, where creators depict him with their unique styles, resulting in varied appearances. Even though the directions differ, each version has its charm—because they are correct in their respective directions. As supervisors, we judge in each instance whether "this maintains the style Sonic should have." The difficult part is clearly expressing these judgment criteria in words, turning them into rules that anyone can understand and apply.
Q: During the“Sonic"series35years of development, the player base and market environment have undergone huge changes—Mr. Hoshino, as Creative Director, what do you consider to be Sonic's most core and irreplaceable charm,or rather“soul"is it?
Hoshino:It's not just games; art, music, and even people's lifestyles change with the times. But even amidst such changes, the image and message that Sonic has always conveyed are very clear and consistent. That is, "If you don't run, nothing will start."
Rather than worrying, just run—Sonic is a character who always maintains a positive mindset. He reaches out to people, gives them courage, and encourages them to take action. I believe this is the decisive element that makes Sonic who he is, something that can be called his "soul."
Q: Up to today,“Sonic"series has brought too many classic tracks to players—So, for Mr. Otani, who has been responsible for composing and supervising the series' music for over twenty years, is there any particular track among thesepossesshas specialofmeaning, orisone you personally favor?
Otani:Fans have asked me this question before, but every track holds unique significance for me, making it difficult to choose just one. However, if I had to name my representative work, I mightwould answer that it's the theme song from "Sonic Unleashed," titled "Endless Possibility." Even among all the tracks I've composed, this one best fits the characteristics of the "Sonic" series.
But personally, I would prefer my representative work not to be a past track, but the latest one that everyone can hear recently—In this sense, the tracks in "Sonic Frontiers" are very special to me.
Q: Standing at the35thanniversary milestone, looking back at the entire“Sonic"series history, which includes both highly acclaimed titles and those with mixed reviews. Could you briefly share the team's"Sonic" serieswhat are your long-term goals, or any plans you can reveal?
Hoshino:In the long term, we hope to continue creating new games that satisfy players, thereby leading the development of the "Sonic" brand. At the same time, we will continue to utilize media beyond games, such as movies, anime, and manga, to expand our fan base.
Otani:As the sound team, our long-term goal is to create game sound effects and tracks that can receive award recognition globally.
Q:“Sonic"thisIPwas born during the golden age of console wars, and its spread was closely linked to Western pop culture of that time (music, racing, etc.). In the current era, as an oldIP,“Sonic"what do you most want to convey to everyone?
Hoshino:"If you don't run, nothing will start. Rather than worrying, just run."
We recently released a brand promotional video for "Sonic," which conveys exactly this message—we hope everyone will remember and spread this concept.
Q:"Sonic" seriesmusic style spans a wide range—From rock and electronic to jazz and symphonic, it covers almost every conceivable genre.May I askMr. Otani,At35thanniversary milestone,youwhat do you prioritize most when creating new tracks?
Otani:In the past,"Sonic" seriesWe have indeed tried many different music genres. I believe this is also because Sonic himself possesses a strong inclusivity; no matter what kind of music genre it is, he can absorb it into his own style and ultimately turn it into Sonic's music. Of course, personally speaking, as a musician, I have always wanted to maintain an attitude of challenging new styles.
Q:"Sonic" seriesdevelopment process, although different titles have experienced changes in gameplay and direction, the music has almost consistently received praise.At the same time,“Sonic"'smusic is very diverse, ranging from rock and electronic to orchestral. So, how does the team maintainseriesrecognizability, and continues to move players?
Otani:We are very happy to receive such evaluations from everyone. If there is a reason why the "Sonic" series' music continues to move players, I believe a very important point is that we always aim to go beyond "game music" and create world-class music. Every creator involved in producing "Sonic" music works with high goals and standards. Perhaps it is this pursuit and ambition that ultimately reaches players through the music.
Q: Excellent music with a dynamic feel,has always been“Sonic"an important memory point of the series. Mr. Otani, what do you prioritize most when composing music for the titles? Also,“music"seems to have always been SEGA'sundergames' strengths, will we have the opportunity in the future to see"Sonic"series titles to engage in more and closer"music"type of collaboration?
Otani:The point I value most in my创作 is that the music must first function well as gameBGM. At the same time, even apart from the game itself, it needs to have enough vitality to stand alone as a piece of music and reach a broader stage.
Actually, previously, "Sonic"music has already been featured in "maimai DX"—I recall one of the earlier instances was when "SonicColors' "Reach for the Stars" was includedentered"maimai DX." Recently, in "Sonic Racing Cross World," we also collaborated with Hatsune Miku andVOCALOID music creators. ForFor the "Sonic" series, this is also a new attempt. If suitable opportunities arise in the future, we hope to actively explore musical collaborations with various games and IPs. If there are Chinese IPs that align well with "Sonic" on a musical level,highly compatibleIPs, and we welcome your recommendations.
Q:"Sonic"series often features iconic musical themes for different characters, such as Knuckles' hip-hop and Shadow's rock. When designing exclusive music for characters, how does Mr. Otani extract musical inspiration from the characters' visual designs or personality settings? Are there any memories of deep collaboration with Mr. Hoshino in this process that you can share?,How do you extract musical inspiration? Do you have any memories of deep collaboration with Mr. Hoshino in this area that you can share?
Otani:When composing character theme songs, what I value most is the character's personality settings and identity. Rather than the design itself, the impression of colors is absorbed to some extent. In terms of music genre, I make sure to choose styles that don't overlap with other characters.
Actually, I haven't composed music for characters designed by Mr. Hoshino, as we belong to different generations. However, recently, the theme song for "Sonic & Friends" was a collaboration between Mr. Hoshino and myself. Although it wasn't an original game track, it became a theme song from a fresh perspective, and I think it turned out really well.
Q:"Sonic"series celebrates its35anniversary, from the very beginning onMega Drive to the latest hardware, over these35years, what has been your deepest impression?
Hoshino:The year the original "Sonic the Hedgehog" was released coincided with my start at SEGA. Since then, I have been involved in "Sonic"-related work in various forms. As "Sonic's" influence expanded, along with support from SEGA, I was given many opportunities to participate in interesting projects. I have always felt very happy doing this work every day. You could say that "Sonic" has given me a very fulfilling and wonderful life.
Otani:One of the main themes of "Sonic Unleashed" is "traveling the world." Coming to Shanghai this time made me feel like Sonic was taking me on another journey around the world. Thanks to "Sonic," I've been able to see many landscapes I hadn't seen before, and these experiences have provided me with new stimulation and inspiration.
In the future, I also hope to incorporate the feelings and inspiration I've gained from my travels back into my own work. For me, "Sonic" has always been a source of constant fresh excitement.
Q: This year marks"Sonic" seriesbirthofthe35thanniversary, in your opinion, besides the already announced works, what else is worthattentionworks or events?
Hoshino:There is indeed one thing we'd like to take this opportunity to promote properly: to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the "Sonic" series,anniversary, SEGA's first official flagship store worldwide"SEGA STORE Shanghai" will be releasing new anniversary merchandise, so we hope you look forward to it.
Otani:On the music front, there are still unannounced new projects for this year. We can't reveal specific details yet, but they will be disclosed gradually, so please look forward to them.
Q: Finally, please share some words with Chinese"Sonic"fans,say something!
Hoshino:We really hope to come here again. Now is an era where we can communicate via text with fans worldwide through the internet, but being able to meet face-to-face is indeed a good thing, and I am very happy about it.
Otani:As Mr. Hoshino mentioned, we are now in the age of social media, allowing us to exchange information with fans around the world. However, face-to-face interaction is truly enjoyable. We hope to have more opportunities to meet everyone in the future. Today was a great pleasure, thank you all.