Sonic Boom is an animated television series produced by Sega of America, Inc. and Technicolor Animation Productions (formerly OuiDo! Productions in season 1) in collaboration with Lagardère Thématiques and Jeunesse TV, respectively for Cartoon Network, Canal J, and Gulli. Loosely based on the video game franchise Sonic the Hedgehog created by Sega, the series is the fifth animated television series based on the franchise and the first to be produced in computer-generated imagery animation and in high-definition.
The series premiered in November 2014.[3] The series is a part of the Sonic Boom spin-off franchise, which also consists of three video games: Rise of Lyric, Shattered Crystal, and Fire & Ice; a comic series by Archie Comics, and a toyline by Tomy.[4] The series received positive reviews for its witty and self-referential humor, gaining a cult following on the Internet in spite of the games' critical and commercial failure.[5][6]
The series focuses on the adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Amy Rose, Knuckles the Echidna and newcomer Sticks the Badger. They reside in a tropical jungle, interacting with its unique denizens while having to fend off or begrudgingly tolerate the presence of Doctor Eggman and his henchmen. Each episode mainly features a stand-alone plot and comedic elements.
Sega confirmed various cast and characters for Sonic Boom on February 25, 2014.[7] On May 29, 2014, Sega announced that Nika Futterman will play the role of Sticks, a jungle badger, who joined the franchise as a major character.[8][9] Numerous new characters were also created for Sonic Boom.[10] Jack Fletcher works as the show's voice director, a role he has also held for the video game series since 2010.
The CGI-animated series was first announced on October 2, 2013, revealing a teaser image featuring Sonic the Hedgehog, Miles "Tails" Prower, Knuckles the Echidna and Amy Rose, in silhouette form. The series, which consists of 52 11-minute episodes, was developed by Evan Baily, Donna Friedman Meir and Sandrine Nguyen, with Baily and Bill Freiberger as showrunners, under the supervision of Sonic Team head Takashi Iizuka.[44] On February 6, 2014, Sega revealed the first trailer for the series,[45] showcasing the new designs for the characters.[46][7]
The series features returning voice actors from the video game series, including Roger Craig Smith as Sonic, Travis Willingham as Knuckles, Cindy Robinson as Amy, Mike Pollock as Doctor Eggman, Kirk Thornton as both Orbot and Shadow and Wally Wingert as Cubot respectively, while voice actress Colleen Villard succeeds Kate Higgins in the role of Tails.[7][47] The series also introduces a new character named Sticks the Badger, a somewhat-delusional hunter who has been living alone in the wilderness for many years before meeting Sonic and his friends,[48] who is voiced by Nika Futterman. In an interview with Polygon, Iizuka stated the series came about as a desire to appeal more to Western territories, following the 2003 Japanese anime series, Sonic X, with Iizuka also stating that the franchise will run in parallel with the 'Modern' series of Sonic games.[49] Baily stated that the series would be a mixture of action and comedy, featuring an episodic structure.[50] On October 4, 2014, Sega announced the air date of the series in the United States to be November 8, 2014, on Cartoon Network.[51]
On February 19, 2015, Cartoon Network announced in a press statement that Sonic Boom, along with 10 other shows, was to return for the 2015–2016 TV season.[52] This was subsequently confirmed by executive producer Bill Freiberger in a fan commentary to not be an indicator of a renewal or second season at this time.[53] However, on October 10, 2015, Lagardère Entertainment Rights announced a second season which premiered on October 29, 2016.[54][55] It was announced on November 10, 2016, that the remainder of season two would air on Boomerang while Cartoon Network airs reruns of the series.
Season 1 of Sonic Boom was released in Japan as a Netflix exclusive on July 1, 2017, under the title Sonic Toon (ソニックトゥーン).[56]
As of 2020, there are no plans to continue the show past its two-season run.[57]
Sonic Boom made its international debut on Cartoon Network in Australia and New Zealand on April 4, 2015.[58] In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the series premiered on Boomerang on June 1, 2015,[59] and premiered on Pop on 25 August 2018.[citation needed] The series is also airing on Cartoon Network in Singapore and Malaysia,[60] on Cartoon Network in India as Sonic Boom Dhamaal Aur Dhoom,[61] on Okto (later Okto on 5) in Singapore,[62] and on Minika GO Channel in Turkey.[citation needed] It also aired on Boomerang in the United States from October 8, 2015, to November 12, 2017.[63] The series premiered on Family Chrgd in Canada on October 24, 2015.[64] It has also been acquired by the English-language feed of Cartoon Network in Africa as well as the English and Arabic-language feeds in the Middle East.[65]
The series started airing reruns on Nicktoons on December 7, 2024, alongside Sonic Prime.[66]
Throughout 2016, the UK and French branches of Universal Pictures Home Entertainment released four 13-episode volumes of the series which all make up the first season. They were also released for digital download. Universal later released the first two volumes in Brazil in 2017.
On May 22, 2016, the first season was available to stream on Hulu in the United States, under a deal with Sega and OuiDo! Productions. The series was later made available for streaming on Netflix outside of the United States as of December 23, 2016.[72] The second season of the show was added to Hulu on November 19, 2017.[73] On January 31, 2023, Netflix has both seasons available in the US.[74] The series is also available on Tubi.[citation needed]
The launch edition of the game Sonic Boom: Fire & Ice for the Nintendo 3DS included a Sonic Boom DVD with 3 episodes from season 1.[citation needed]
NCircle Entertainment released various DVDs of the show. The first regular DVD of the series titled "Sonic Boom: Here Comes The Boom!" was released in the US on March 12, 2019[75] featuring 8 episodes from Season 1. Another DVD titled "Sonic Boom: Go Team Sonic!" was released on June 4, 2019 in the US[76] featuring 8 episodes from Season 1 and a bonus episode from Season 2. "Sonic Boom: Season 1, Volume 1" was released on October 1, 2019 in the US as both a standard DVD only release as well as a limited edition action figure + DVD release with a Sonic the Hedgehog action figure and a Dr. Eggman action figure by NCircle Entertainment[77] a collection of 26 episodes of the first season. They also released “Sonic Boom: Season 1, Volume 2”, a collection with the remaining 26 episodes of the first season as both a standard DVD only release as well as a limited edition action figure + DVD release with a Miles "Tails" Prower action figure and a Knuckles the Echidna action figure on February 4, 2020. In the release, an episode titled "Fire in a Crowded Workshop" has a Spanish audio, other than the English audio, but customers had to reach out to NCircle Entertainment to get the fixed issue (this would later be fixed on the complete season 1 Blu-ray). On September 1, 2020, it released a fifth DVD, "Sonic Boom: Robot Uprising", featuring mostly Season 2 episodes. Sonic Boom: Season 2 Volume 1 was released on DVD as both a standard DVD only release, as well as a limited edition with a Sonic backpack clip, on May 4, 2021, while Sonic Boom: Season 2 Volume 2 was released on DVD as a standard DVD only release by NCircle Entertainment on September 21, 2021.[citation needed]
Both seasons of Sonic Boom were released on Blu-ray between May 4, 2021 and September 21, 2021, respectively. Season One has 3 discs, with the episode titled "Fire in a Crowded Workshop", now uses the English audio. The Complete Series was also released on March 8, 2022 as well. This also includes a steelbook of the Blu-ray.[78]
Sonic Boom received generally positive reviews. Emily Ashby of Common Sense Media said that it was somewhat violent for children but that some viewers can have fun watching it.[79] Patrick Lee of The A.V. Club called it the first great Sonic cartoon in over 20 years, finding the updated cast of characters to be "a good fit for a hangout show".[80]
In a scene of the "Eggman's Anti-Gravity Ray" episode, Amy boasts about proving that a woman can be just as good of an athlete as a man, prompting Knuckles to tell her that when "someone calls attention to the breaking of gender roles" it "undermines the concept of gender equality", by implying an "exception", rather than a "status quo". Knuckles then proclaims himself to be a feminist. Charles Hall of Polygon praised this scene as having a progressive message for children.[81]
A pair of video games that serve as prequels for the series were released for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS systems in November 2014.[86] The Wii U version, Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric, was developed by Big Red Button Entertainment and the 3DS version, Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal, by Sanzaru Games. The games were announced alongside the TV series' first trailer on February 6, 2014, and serve as prequels to the series. Rise of Lyric sees players alternate control between Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy. The game utilizes each of their abilities—Sonic's speed, Tails' flight, Knuckles' strength and Amy's agility—allowing two players to play cooperatively and four players competitively. Shattered Crystal lets players control Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Sticks and places more emphasis on platforming and puzzle-solving than the more adventure-oriented Rise of Lyric. Rise of Lyric received absolute critical lambastment and became notable for its mostly negative reception from critics, who criticized its gameplay, story, low quality visuals, level design and glitches.[87] On June 20, 2014, it was confirmed that both games would be released on December 18 in Japan under the name of Sonic Toon.[88] A third game, Fire & Ice, was for Nintendo 3DS in September 2016.[89] Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom, a follow-up to the free-to-play Sonic Dash, was released on Android devices on July 1, 2015.[90] Since her debut in the show, the character Sticks has gone on to be featured and mentioned in peripheral Sonic titles that are not part of the Boom brand, such as Sonic Runners, Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games,[91][92] and Sonic Frontiers.
In early 2016, a series of children's books adapted from several Sonic Boom episodes were released in France by Hachette under the Bibliothèque Verte collection.[93]
A comic based on the new franchise by Archie Comics was released beginning in October 2014, with Ian Flynn as the writer and Evan Stanley as the artist, similar to Archie's long-running Sonic the Hedgehog comic series.[94] Several issues were also written by TV series showrunner Bill Freiberger.[95] Jesse Schedeen of IGN rated the first issue of the comic a 7.2 out of 10. He commended Flynn for not having relied on nebulously-defined "trendy, modern humor or dialogue" in the comic's presentation and also appreciated the fourth-wall humor and "clean, expressive" art style. Schedeen did, however, find the plot fairly disjointed and possessing little coherent structure and he criticized Sticks, whom he considered a needless exposition device.[96]
The Sonic Boom comics were featured alongside Archie's Sonic the Hedgehog, Sonic Universe and Mega Man comics, as well as various other Sega and Capcom video game series as part of the 2015 Sonic/Mega Man crossover "Worlds Unite", with issues #8-#10 forming parts 2, 6 and 10 of the story.[97][98][99][100][101] The series concluded with its 11th issue in September 2015, though stories featuring the characters continued to be printed as part of the Sonic Super Digest and Sonic Super Special Magazine books.[102][103] Flynn and Stanley later began writing for the television series during its second season.[104]
TW Barker Your Honor, counsel for the plaintiff. I intend to prove that Sonic T. Hedgehog willfully and maliciously attacked and permanently injured my client, Doctor Eggman.
Isn't it true that Dr Eggman was attacked by Mr The Hedgehog while doing nothing more than taking a leisurely evening drive in a harmless moth-shaped vehicle?
That'll do it. Sonic T Hedgehog you are under arrest. You have the right to remain silent.
If you know everything, Mr and Mrs Know Everything, then where's your camera, your robots?
Bill Freiberger: @VOColleen is the voice of Belinda.