Sonic the Hedgehog (OVA)

Ow! The Tagline! It BUUURNS!


Sonic the Hedgehog during his final face-off against Metal Sonic.

An hour-long anime OVA starring everybody's favorite blue hedgehog. It was originally released in Japan in 1996 (initially as the two half-hour VHS tapes Journey to Eggmanland and Sonic vs. Metal Sonic); the English dub by ADV was released in 1999, the day before Sonic Adventure hit the shelves.

Sonic and Tails are enjoying a relaxing day on the beach when they're visited by Old Man Hoot, who's carrying a message from the President of South Island — a message so urgent that Hoot doesn't notice his aircraft is on fire. After rescuing Hoot, Sonic and Tails fly off to speak with the President, only to find that he and his Catgirl daughter Sera are being held hostage (for a given value of "hostage") by Dr. Robotnik.

Oddly enough, what Robotnik wants is Sonic's help — he's been forced out of his base in Robotropolis by the evil(er) Metal Robotnik. And now, Metal Robotnik has overloaded the power generator of Robotropolis — in less than a day, the generator will explode and cause the end of Planet Freedom as we know it. Sonic distrusts the story, but he's persuaded to help out anyway.

Sonic and Tails fly off to Robotropolis, breeze through the hazards in their way, and fight through Metal Robotnik himself. Along the way, they're joined by the free-roaming treasure-hunter Knuckles, who just happens to be in the area.

However, when the trio finally reach the generator, they find that Sonic was right to distrust Robotnik. The story was a ruse to enable the completion of Hyper Metal Sonic — a robotic dopplegänger who not only has Sonic's speed, but Sonic's knowledge as well. A dopplegänger hell-bent on destroying the world for Dr. Robotnik...

Sonic The Hedgehog is widely regarded as that rarest of rarities — a good videogame movie, though the voice acting in the English dub is debatable. It only has a superficial resemblance to the events of the video games yet the plot, art, and characterization still do an excellent job of capturing the spirit of the classic games. In any case when it was made the Sonic canon had far less development to clash with. Certainly it's surprisingly well-received among the fanbase, despite having no links to anything else. It currently holds a 68% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes via the RT community (no official critic reviews, however).

NOTE: ADV Films released two different versions of the movie on DVD, although they are both the same dub — the original 1999 version (which edited out/censored several bits of the movie) and the 2004 version (which is completely uncut).

ANOTHER NOTE: This film is not to be confused with the anime series or three western animation shows also based on the Sonic character.

Tropes used in Sonic the Hedgehog (OVA) include:
  • Abnormal Ammo: Metal Robotnik's glue gun.
  • Accidental Pervert: Sonic can apparently see through Metal Sonic's eyes due to Metal being a copy of Sonic; this explains why Sonic was blushing when Metal got a good look up Sera's skirt. The radar also missed Tails grabbing hold of Sera after being scared and one of his hands mistakenly grabbing onto one of her breasts. Knuckles tells him off for it.
  • Adaptation Distillation: Compared to the other animated versions of Sonic in the 90s, this was the most accurate interpretation of the canon characters at the time.
  • Adam and Eve Plot: The end point of Robotnik's scheme — himself and Sera married, and the only remaining inhabitants of Planet Freedom.
  • Affably Evil: Robotnik. When he isn't acting up the part of hostage-taker for Sonic, he gets along pretty well with Sera and the President. One of his robot minions can be seen cleaning up the President's office.
  • After the End: It appears this is where Sonic and everyone lives, as seen in the desolate city (among other things) that Sonic and Robotnik fight it and the fact that there's not a lot of other people/creatures/characters aside from the ones we see.
  • Alien Sky: A planet with Saturn-like rings is visible in the sky.
  • Animation Bump: The fight scenes. The rest is largely more limited despite the designs being (somewhat) similar to those from Sonic CD
  • As You Know: Lampshaded.

Robotnik: As you both well know, Planet Freedom is made up of two separate dimensions. The outer world, the one you live in, is known as the Land of the Sky!
Sonic: Tell us something we don't know!

  • Bare Your Midriff: Sera during the first half of the movie shows off her middle, but not so much after she dons her dress later.
  • Bash Brothers: Taking the characters directly from Sonic 2 and 3 gives us Sonic and Tails, moreso that any other adaptation and even many of the games - a good amount of the movie is huge action scenes where Sonic and Tails engage in coordinated asskicking so effective only the most powerful enemies stand a chance.
  • Big Damn Heroes: Knuckles' entrance.
  • Big Damn Movie: The games were just stock "beat the bad guy to save the world and cute fuzzy animals" type games. This movie features intense action scenes, an Adam and Eve Plot, the potential destruction of the entire planet, and the death of Metal Sonic at the end.
  • Big "Shut Up!": SHUT UP, TAILS!
  • Bittersweet Ending: The world is saved, but Metal Sonic (who had then formed a mental bond with Sonic) deliberately allows himself to perish in a glacial volcano. Why? Because "There is only one Sonic."
  • Bond Villain Stupidity: Robotnik is clearly one of those grandiose super villains who doesn't want to simply kill his foe, but first defeat him in something resembling a fair fight. Hence the scene where Robotnik, taking advantage of Sonic's and Tails' distraction, whips out a handgun and shoots Tails' wrist-radar — even though Tails' head must have been an equally clear shot.
  • Brilliant but Lazy: Sonic, particularly in the opening scene, where he doesn't move a finger to help Old Man Hoot until it becomes clear that Old Man and Tails are in grave danger.
  • Catgirl: Sera.
  • Catch a Falling Star: Sera falls out of Robotnik's aircraft, and Knuckles catches her in mid-air.
  • Catch and Return: Sonic rides a missile right back into the robot that shot it.
  • Chekhov's Gag: Robotnik's extremely-slow-moving turtle missile. It pops up later just in time to destroy the CD Robotnik has with Sonic's DNA data that he could use to make another Metal Sonic.
  • Cool Old Guy: Old Man Hoot, but Your Mileage May Vary.
  • Canon Discontinuity: While never outright stated, the movie seems to be doomed to this status, due to its lack of direct connection to the games, the fact that Sega never ever brings it up in the documentaries, and the current lack of re-releases (although this could be due to ADV Films, the company that dubbed it, going bankrupt after its 2004 re-release) and its obscure, generally unknown status as a whole. With that said, "Look-a-like" was released on the compilation album True Colors in 2009, so SEGA hasn't completely forgotten about it.
  • Death Course: The path to Robotropolis, though Sonic and Tails make short work of it.

Sonic: I bet Robotnik purposefully picked the route with the most traps for us!

  • Damsel in Distress: Sera...sort of. She plays the role of hostage when Sonic's around, but she treats Robotnik like a friend the rest of the time.

(Sera and Robotnik are playing a fighting videogame. Sera loses.)
Sera (hysterical): No no no no no it's not fair you always beat me every time! (abruptly regains her composure) Alright, one more!
Robotnik: Just give up! We've played a hundred times!
Sera (devious): I'll stop being your hostage...
Robotnik: Alright, start it again.

Sonic: Thanks a lot, pal! I owe you one!
Knuckles: I think we're even.

  • Mood Whiplash: The scene where Metal Sonic dies is really stuck in utter contrast to the previous scene, which was a comedic albeit intense action-packed battle. Heck, it sticks out in utter contrast with the rest of the film's tone and mood in general.
  • Motivational Kiss: Sera gives one to Knuckles.
  • Names to Know in Anime: Sera is voiced by Mika Kanai in the Japanese version.
  • Neck Lift: Metal Sonic does this to Sonic whilst simultaneously throttling him.
  • Never Say "Die": Averted. "When you awaken...KILL him!" (cue Evil Laugh)
    • Also averted when Robotnik meets Sonic at the Generator.

Robotnik: You fell for my trap! You came all the way here and now you'll die here. Good job, Sonic!

Knuckles: MY HAT'S ON FIRE, HELP!

Sera: Back, no no no! Don't look there, you pervert!

  1. ↑ The singer pronounces memory as "memorai" in one verse, which itself isn't entirely grammatically sound.
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