Topic: Emma's Sonic Underground Marathon

[snowcat]

Sonic Underground is an animated series which follows Sonic the Hedgehog and his two siblings Manic and Sonya, as they try to find there mother and save Mobius from Dr Robotnik.

both Sonya and Manic never featured in a video game.

Sonic Underground was created around the time of the Dreamcast but failed miserably as did the Dreamcast. the series was cancelled at 40 episodes before most of the plot could be resolved, although it was rumoured for a long time that 69 episodes were made last year a creator finally said that unfortunately only the 40 episodes were ever made. As with most Sonic the Hedgehog cartoons each episode tries to teach some form of moral lesson etc... for example one episode taught Manic that stealing was wrong.

I recently bought the entire 40 episode boxset for £5

...I have to say the series is growing on me.

Ill review each disc... as I go, im currently on Disc 4 ill post reviews up shortly.

[Critter]

 

Sonic is fantastic, I used to watch it every morning.

[snowcat]

So it seems the episodes are not in order, which I have to admit has cheered me up, I thought id missed something dramatic out.

Disc 1

Episode 30 - Wedding Bell Blues.

When Dr Robotnik announces he is going to marry Queen Aleena (the Hedgehogs mother) Sonic, Manic and Sonya race to the rescue only to discover its a trap.

As I said, I put the disc in and though I had missed something dramatic out, I was criticising the series for not explaining the origins of the characters, although its fairly easy to pick up what's happening, and I guess it proves you can pretty much watch the series in any order. although I can see inconsistencies with the animation, I understand the series was rushed for a release in time with the Dreamcast, to some that would be unforgivable, and whilst I think they should have waited and created a better story, I understand why they rushed it.


Episode 4 - To Catch a Queen

A former captain of Queen Aleena's guard (Argus) is on his way to a secret meeting, he is soon intercepted by Robotnik's bounty hunters Sleet and Dingo, he is captured and roboticised, but will the Siblings be able to get the information they need about there mother from him before he is completely changed?

This episode felt a little more real, the siblings discover that Argus had been around alot during there early years after discovering a picture of them with him, sadly after becoming roboticised Argus doesn't seem to remember them until there medallions, which release a musical instruments (Sonic - guitar, Manic - drums Sonya - keyboard) were able to zap him and bring him to his senses briefly, sadly they don't learn anything new and have to leave Argus as he is a danger to them.


Episode 5 - Mobodoon

The siblings try to discover a town called Mobodoon which only appears every so many years, they know it was the place they were born but that is all. on the way they are ambushed by Sleet and Dingo who end up in the Robonik free Mobodoon. Here the hedgehogs battle with the prospect of loosing Manic as he discovers he has never felt at home until he got to Mobodoon.

the Mobodoon episode has stuck in my head, maybe its because I found it quite sad, Manic the hedgehog talks of how (the hedgehogs who were split up at birth and adopted) his siblings had homes where they felt the belonged, upon finding his birth place Manic finally feels as though he has found his home and toys with the idea of staying there, each episode features a song sang by the Sonic Underground, this episode the song was sung by Manic, it was sad that even though Manic had his family he still felt alone because of his upbringing (each sibling was bought up differently as to attain different skills)


Episode 6 - The Price of Freedom

After getting dirty on a mission and angry Sonya, who feels her brothers don't understand, runs away to an old friend, at the same time Sonic and Manic here of a sighting of there mother near the castle Sonya is staying in. Sonya's old friend Mindy gives Sonya a watch created by her father, unbeknownst to Sonya the watch is a spying device created for Dr Robotnik.

It was around this points (just 4 episodes in) that I actually started to enjoy the series, was one of the "moral ones" as was the previous. this episode dealt with how Mindy's father was working for Dr Robonik to save her even though it meant creating devices to spy on people. Although Mindy was angry to start with she grew to understand why her father did what he did and they managed to escape together. as with the other episode I really enjoyed it, the story was heart felt and I guess that what I like about the series, sometimes Moral stuff can be annoying and preachy, but this feels right, like the hedgehogs are learning, not the viewer.

[venomsinner]

  your already that much of the way through your christmas present? EMMA!

[snowcat]

Disc 2

Episode 7 - Underground Masquerade

Manic slips in to his old thieving ways when he meets a band of child thieves, meanwhile Sleet and Dingo collect taxes for Robotnik but plan to steal them framing Manic for the theft.

I found this episode boring, the episode is mainly about the group of child thieves Manic meets, and how the underground try to use them in there band for there next performance, on the way they meet a disguised Dingo, who dressed as a child thief makes Manic feel out of touch. this episode felt more like filler then a real episode.


Episode 8 - Tangled Webs

Sonic meets up with an his old friend Cyrus, who he believes is a freedom fighter, although he soon finds that Cyrus is working for Dr Robonik and is tricking Sonic. As Sonic leads Cyrus to "Sanctuary" the place where the resistance children are raised, Cyrus is suddenly struck with a sense of morality and destroys his communicator.

So as with a few of the other moral episodes I quite liked this one, Cyrus works for Robotnik as his father has been captured, if Cyrus disobeys Robotnik will roboticise his father, and kill him (although its never actually said that this will kill him) When Cyrus disobeys and helps Sonic, Robotnik kills Cyrus's father, which again is not mentioned although the final scene shows Cyrus sitting buy a river crying as the hedgehogs go to comfort him.


Episode 9 - The Deepest Fear

On a trip to Port Mobius the hedgehogs learn that a sea monster Moby Deep is sinking the ships, Captain Squeege arrives to tell the hedgehogs of Robtniks scam, charging the citizens or protections from Moby Deep when really it is Robotnik who is causing the ships to sink. Sonic must overcome his fear of water, to save the port.

This was a strange episode, it starts off in a dream sequence which gives away the end of the episode, its also fairly obvious that this is the end of the episode at this point. Moby Deep is strange character a whale who just wants to help people, he gives sonic a ride to his siblings and sonic still does not overcome his fear of water, which is starting to become a running joke, sonic does not bathe or drink water according to his sister. As the ending was pretty much told at the beginning I did not feel like watched the episode, but I did although I have to say its one I didn't enjoy so much.


Episode 10 - Who do you think you are?

The siblings arrive in Tashistan is search of there mothers journal, whilst there Sonya bangs her head and looses her memory, she is quickly saved by Raphi a local freedom fighter. but will Sonic and Manic be able to get her memory back?

Again, an episode that felt out of place, it seems around the episode 6+ mark they ran out of ideas for a while, Manic and Sonic seem to spend most of the time walking right past Sonya and not finding her, they finally play a song and she is reminded of who she is. Sonya almost gets the chance to see her mother but just as she catches up Raphi is pulled into the sewers and has to be saved by Sonya.

[Critter]

I know you said at the start that the episodes are out of order. But how come the first one was episode 30, yet the rest from then on have been in chronological order?

[snowcat]

Because that's the way Anchor Bay put the episodes on the discs.

There is no explanation... just how it is. They have never said why, to be honest I would not have realised until I found an episode guide.

It seems the pilot three part episode is on Disc 7.

[Critter]

Hmm that would annoy me I think, I usually have an almost OCD type need to watch/read things in their proper order. I suppose it wouldn't bother me though if I didn't know.

[snowcat]

...With Sonic Underground once you have seen one episode you can pretty much watch it in any order anyway, episodes don't link together (apart from the pilot) each episode is self contained and when you know the basic outline.

Siblings will learn of there mothers appearance
Siblings will try and meet her but be attacked by Robotniks minions Sleet and Dingo,
Siblings play a song as Sonic Underground
Siblings miss seeing there mother

[Critter]

Haha it almost sounds a bit like Scooby-Doo, I don't remember exactly when I realised that every episode of Scooby-Doo had the same plot but one day it just clicked. I don't think I have seen Sonic Underground before, but I have on occaision watched Sonic X and quite liked it. I have played osme of the games as well, don't remember which ones though.

[snowcat]

The games have no realtion to this series, the only characters that make appearances in both are Sonic, Dr Robonik (or Eggman now) and Knucles briefly, even Tales was not included, showing how much they did rush this series. Sonic Underground is easily the worst Sonic cartoon followed by Sonic X and Sonic The Hedgehog. The Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog was always the better series, darker in tone and a better story line, a little less preachy then the latter 2 as well.

...Afterall, who needs to watch this at the end of each episode?





(Series: Sonic the Hedgehog)

[venomsinner]

Haha, Sonic Sez, I remember this well. I loved Sonic the Hedgehog when I was little.

[snowcat]

Disc 3

Episode 11 - The Last Resort

The siblings come across an resort "untouched by Dr Robotnik" lead by Stripes. Although the siblings soon find out things are not what they seem.

So this episode pretty much focuses on the siblings being tricked, stripes is a creepy sleaze ball and I don't understand why they don't see through him. Strangely Stripe does seem to care for Sonya as he lies to Robotnik just telling him Sonic and Manic are there. Although as usual the hedgehogs teach Stripe that the resistance is the best way to cope with Robonik not creating deals with him.


Episode 12 - Come Out Wherever You Are

Sonya is invited to the débutante ball by her ex fiancé Bartleby (now Robotniks right had man) Sonic who initially does not understand why Sonya wants to go, manages to sneak her in disguised, only to have her announce who she really is at the ball.

I found this episode boring, I have no interest in ball's and how all girls should go to one. This showed Sonic in a new light, Usually he doesn't pay attention to the act the siblings are annoyed that he is the fatest and knows it etc, but he really seemed to take offence to Sonya telling him he doesn't understand. He goes out to make things right between them, nice to think he would do that but still, kinda borring.




....Disc the rest of Disc 3 to come (will update this)