Sonic the Hedgehog is an animated television series based on Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog video game franchise. It aired for two seasons with a total of 26 episodes on ABC from September 18, 1993, to December 3, 1994. It was produced by DIC Productions, Sega of America, and the Italian studio Reteitalia in association with Telecinco. It is the second of DIC's Sonic animated Sonic series, after Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and before Sonic Underground. To distinguish it from Adventures and other Sonic media, fans commonly refer to the series as "Sonic SatAM", in reference to its Saturday morning timeslot.

Compared to Adventures, the show features a darker and more dramatic tone. It depicts Sonic the Hedgehog, Sally Acorn, and their team of Freedom Fighters battling to overthrow Dr. Robotnik, who has already conquered their home planet, Mobius and rules over it as a polluted industrial dystopia.

Despite its cancellation, the series has become a cult classic.Way Past Cool!: A Conversation with Ben Hurst, Sonic The Hedgehog - The Complete Series. Brian Ward. Cookie Jar Entertainment. Burbank, California. 2007. B000M8N41W. Some original characters of the series later appeared in the video games Sonic Spinball and Sonic-16 that was cancelled after the release of Spinball. The show also inspired the long-running Sonic the Hedgehog comic book series by Archie Comics.

Plot Mad scientist Dr. Julian Robotnik rules as dictator over the planet Mobius, having overthrown the city of Mobotropolis with his fleet of military robots, and converted it into a polluted industrial cityscape (Robotropolis), transforming nearly all of its animal citizens into robotic slaves using his Roboticizer machine.

From the hidden woodland village of Knothole, Sonic the Hedgehog and Princess Sally Acorn lead a team of Freedom Fighters in a rebellion against Robotnik's regime. Other group members include Sonic's best friend Tails, scientist Rotor the Walrus, Antoine Depardieu the Coyote, and half-roboticized Bunnie Rabbot.

During the series, the heroes fight against Swat-Bots commanded by Robotnik and his resentful nephew Snively. Sonic collects Power Rings that temporarily boost his power, and uses them to restore free will to his roboticized Uncle Chuck, inventor of both the rings and the Roboticizer. Chuck acts as a spy among Robotnik's ranks. They find Sally's father King Acorn, who is imprisoned within the Void, alongside the evil sorcerer Ixis Naugus. They gain new allies including Dulcy the Dragon, Ari the Ram, and Lupe, leader of the elusive Wolf Pack.

In the series finale, "The Doomsday Project", Robotnik builds a Doomsday Machine to annihilate all organic life on Mobius. The Freedom Fighters launch a full-scale counterattack, and Sonic and Sally use the Deep Power Stones to destroy his machine. Robotnik disappears amid the wreckage. The Freedom Fighters declare victory, with Sonic and Sally kissing. In a final scene, Snively survives and is accompanied by an unseen ally with red eyes, stated by writer Ben Hurst to be the evil sorcerer Naugus, who would have become the main antagonist if a third season was produced while having enslaved Dr. Robotnik and King Acorn.

Characters

Main Sonic the Hedgehog (voiced by Jaleel White as his older self, Tahj Mowry as his younger self) is a blue hedgehog and the main protagonist of the series. He is able to run at superhuman speed, and is the only Freedom Fighter capable of using magical rings called Power Rings. Sonic has an impatient and head-strong personality, but is also fearless, heroic, and well-meaning. He always mockingly refers to Robotnik as "Ro-butt-nik". Princess Sally Alicia Acorn (voiced by Kath Soucie as her older self, Lindsay Ridgeway as her younger self) is a chipmunk who is the rightful princess of Mobotropolis and Sonic's love interest. As strategist and leader of the Knothole Freedom Fighters, she is knowledgeable and the voice of reason. Sally tries to keep Sonic grounded. She is known for her compassion and master diplomacy. Bunnie Rabbot (voiced by Christine Cavanaugh) is a Southern-accented rabbit. Half of her body was roboticized, leaving her left arm and both legs mechanical. She is skilled in martial arts and wants to be returned to normal. Antoine "Ant" Depardieu (voiced by Rob Paulsen as his older self, Katie Leigh as his younger self) is a French-accented coyote whose awkwardness often places the others in danger and gets him captured. He has some difficulty speaking English. He has romantic feelings for Princess Sally, and attempts to impress her. However, his selfishness hinders this goal. Sonic often teases Antoine over his shortcomings. Rotor (voiced by Mark Ballou in Season 1, Cam Brainard in Season 2) is a walrus and the mechanic of Knothole Village. He provides the Knothole Freedom Fighters with useful inventions, and accompanies them on infiltrations. Tails (voiced by Bradley Pierce) is a young two-tailed fox who idolizes Sonic. While usually left behind in Knothole, he proves useful in deadly missions. Nicole (voiced by Kath Soucie) is a portable computer that Sally uses to hack into Robotnik's technology. Nicole speaks in a female monotone, and exhibits artificial intelligence. It is indicated that Sally received Nicole from her father. Dulcy (voiced by Cree Summer) is a young dragon who provides the Knothole Freedom Fighters with transportation. Sporting powerful lungs, Dulcy can blow enemies away and burn/freeze them with fire or ice breath. She has trouble landing, and often crashes mid-flight.

Villains Dr. Julian Robotnik (voiced by Jim Cummings) is an evil human warlord who seeks to cover Mobius in machinery and transform its population into robotic slaves by roboticizing them. He is chiefly opposed by the Knothole Freedom Fighters. Robotnik's obsession with destroying Sonic is often his downfall. In this version, his real first name is Julian, adopting the moniker "Robotnik" after his takeover. Snively (voiced by Charlie Adler) is Robotnik's nephew and assistant. He is frequently abused by his uncle. As such, Snively hates Robotnik and plots behind his back. Cluck (vocal effects by Frank Welker) is a robotic chicken-like bird and the only creature Robotnik shows affection towards. Swat-Bots (voiced by Jim Cummings and Frank Welker) are Robotnik's primary henchmen and foot soldiers. The Nasty Hyenas are a biker gang of cannibalistic hyenas that ride on hoverbikes. They consist of three unnamed male members (voiced by Dorian Harewood, John Kassir, and Jim Cummings) and one female member (voiced by Alaina Reed Hall). The Nasty Hyenas are known to find people lead them and then eat them. Ixis Naugus (voiced by Michael Bell) is a powerful humanoid hybrid sorcerer with a chimpanzee-like muzzle, bat-like ears, a rhinoceros horn, a lobster-like claw for a left hand, and a lizard-like tail. He resents his former associate Robotnik for betraying and imprisoning him within the Void. Naugus desires retribution, but he cannot escape without turning into crystal due to him being in the Void for too long as he can no longer exist outside the void. He has mastered holding off the Void's effects in the center of the Void.

Supporting Sir Charles "Chuck" Hedgehog (voiced by William Windom) is Sonic's uncle, and the inventor of the Roboticizer before Robotnik stole it. He was roboticized and made into one of Robotnik's slaves, until Sonic restored his free will with a De-Roboticizer prototype. He serves as a spy for the Freedom Fighters. According to Robby London, he was named after the writer and animator Chuck Menville who died in 1992. Ari Ram (voiced by Victor Love) is a Freedom Fighter who worked as a double agent for Robotnik, only to be betrayed later and trapped in the Void. He is later rescued by Sonic and joins the Knothole Freedom Fighters. King Acorn (voiced by Tim Curry) is the former king of Mobotropolis and Sally's father. He was banished to the Void during Robotnik's takeover, and like Naugus, cannot escape without turning into crystal due to prolonged exposure to the Void. Before returning to the Void, he gives Sally the list of all the Freedom Fighter groups in Mobius, telling her to find them, unify them under her banner and establish a Freedom Fighter network so they can be strong enough to overthrow Robotnik once and for all. Lupe Wolf (voiced by Shari Belafonte) – Leader of the Wolfpack Freedom Fighters and one of the Knothole Freedom Fighters' allies in the fight against Robotnik.

Voice cast

Jaleel White as Sonic the Hedgehog Charlie Adler as Snively Mark Ballou as Rotor Walrus (Season 1) Cam Brainard as Rotor Walrus (Season 2) Christine Cavanaugh as Bunnie Rabbot Jim Cummings as Dr. Julian Robotnik, Swat-Bots, Nasty Hyena #3 (in "Fed Up With Antoine"), additional voices Rob Paulsen as Antoine Depardieu Bradley Pierce as Miles "Tails" Prower Kath Soucie as Princess Sally Acorn, Nicole Cree Summer as Dulcy the Dragon Frank Welker as Cluck, Swat-Bots, Kraken (in "Sub-Sonic"), Terapods (in "Sonic Past Cool"), Muttski (in "Heads or Tails"), additional voices William Windom as Uncle Chuck

Additional voices Shari Belafonte as Lupe Wolf (in "Cry of the Wolf", "The Doomsday Project") Michael Bell as Ixis Naugus (in "The Void") Crystal Cooke as Additional voices Tim Curry as King Acorn (in "Blast to the Past" Pt. 1, "Blast to the Past" Pt. 2, "The Void" and "Drood Henge"), Keeper of the Time Stones (in "Blast to the Past" Pt. 1) David Doyle as Cat (in "Sonic Boom"), Additional voices Dave Fennoy as Additional voices Ed Gilbert as Guardian / Lazar (uncredited) Alaina Reed Hall as Female Nasty Hyena (in "Fed Up With Antoine") Dorian Harewood as Nasty Hyena #1 (in "Fed Up With Antoine"), additional voices Gaile Heidemann as Mama T's translator voice (in "Sonic Past Cool"), Additional voices Dana Hill as Baby T's translator voice (in "Sonic Past Cool") John Kassir as Nasty Hyena #2 (in "Fed Up With Antoine"), Additional voices Katie Leigh as Young Antoine (in "Blast to the Past" Pt. 1), Additional voices Nancy Linari as Sabina (in "Blast to the Past" Pt. 2), Mother Dragon (in "Dulcy"), Additional voices Victor Love as Ari Ram (in "Game Guy", "The Void", "The Doomsday Project"), Additional voices Danny Mann as Alien-Bot #3 Jason Marsden as Dirk (in "Warp Sonic"), Additional voices Tahj Mowry as Young Sonic (in "Blast to the Past" Pt. 1, "Blast to the Past" Pt. 2) Hal Rayle as Wolf Pack Soldier (in "Cry of the Wolf"), Additional voices Lindsay Ridgeway as Young Princess Sally (in "Blast to the Past" Pt. 1, "Blast to the Past" Pt. 2) Charlie Schlatter as Griff (in "Warp Sonic") April Winchell as Rosie (in "Blast to the Past" Pt. 2), Ro-Becca (in "Ro-Becca"), additional voices

Production Sonic the Hedgehog was created by DiC Animation City in association with Sega of America, which produced a total of 26 episodes for its two-season run, and the Italian studio Reteitalia S.p.A., part of Fininvest company in association with Telecinco. The show's animation was outsourced to the Korean studio Sae Rom Production and Spanish studio Milimetros. Pre-production stages of the show's first season (as well as the weekday syndicated show Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog) were handled by Canadian Studio B (later known as DHX Media Vancouver).