Extremely well done and bold video to make. I think that videos like these answer questions a lot of people with or without ASD are asking and offer a better understanding of the disorder to both groups 🙌
I know other autistic people and most of them don't like Sonic. One of them likes metal gear. My love for Sonic started when I played Shadow the Hedgehog in 2019. Then I became a full blown fan when I played my all time favorite game Sonic Unleashed.
I don't know if this is just my own experience, but a lot of furries I've occurred are gay or of a different sexuality/gender, so I wonder if there's also a correlation
ASD seems to be the driving force behind most nerdy hobbies. The whole idea behind fandoms (especially the online variety) feels custom made for people on the spectrum. Want to go on endlessly about your fixations? Here's some online forums. Hate change and want to avoid having to leave the fictional world you have been experiencing the last few months? Here's a nigh-infinite supply of fan-made stories continuing that very adventure. Feel like your human body is a limitation on your ability to express yourself? Cosplay/Furries/SelfInserts exist.
I'm just gonna say it cause I'm not sure anyone else will. But, the quality of this video is really lackluster compared to your past and some of the others. You really have talent for what you do, that last video was quite evident of that, what happened here? Even if you only uploaded once a month, you'd probably grow a much more stable fan base pumping out content lie that. The visuals, the background music, I might be tripping but even the mic quality sounded better. Better structure, thumbnail, the topic at hand is one which inherently entices the viewer, whereas this isn't quite that. Really I am quite shocked, but I'll be excited for your next upload!
I have autism and let me tell you, I used to LOVE sonic. Anything that had sonic in it, i needed. One day, my friends showed me an animation on newgrounds of sonic, and my frail mind was shattered by the gore i saw. I couldn’t look at sonic anymore without thinking about this stuff. I quickly lost interest afterwards and became more of a fan of Pokémon. Sometimes, I think… what if I never saw the animation? Would I be the same person I am today? Or would I become one of many whose mind got warped after getting too much into sonic? Guess I will never know…
As a 20-year-old autistic person who has been a big Sonic the Hedgehog fan since the age of 11, here's my personal anecdote: I fell in love with Sonic because of how appealing the characters look and how exciting their world is. (I've been attached to things like Fetch! with Ruff Ruffman and Cars for their unique aesthetics. In particular, Fetch!'s art style intrigued me so much.) I was so specifically fixated on the characters' looks and how I would interpret them as if they were children's literature characters that I didn't care for the lore itself. Weird, to be frank. And my trauma (please do not ask about it) took a toll on my liking for Sonic in the last 5 years, but my heart knows I am still strongly bonded with Sonic and his friends himself. I would also like to say that I've never really been attached to humans in fiction (with the exception of highly abstract human-like characters, like Minecraft and Roblox characters), because of how awkward I found it to be. Instead, I'm close to non-humanoid yet anthropomorphic fictional characters, allowing me to explore humanity within a comfortable venue. That's why my imagination is filled with Sonic characters and anthropomorphic animals in my original style.
Can confirm. My half brother has autism and is a Sonic fanatic in his late 20s. We both played SA2 as kids and enjoyed it, but he made it his entire identity. I outgrew Sonic as a teenager. I'll still go see the movies with him but I don't play the games. It's fine, I have nothing against it, I just don't relate to the characters and if I gotta go fast I'd rather play a racing game or something.
Just starting the video but, always noticed how many of us are neurodivergent (ADHD in my case) diagnosed at an early age at around the turn of the millennium, which was... Well ya know, bit of a troubled time looking back, while also having Sonic media like the collections, Adventure 1 and 2, the GBA titles, and Sonic X, which where a nice escapism. In shorter words, neurodivergent 2000s kid brains adapted to relate Sonic with endorphins... Plus he's just a cool guy.
Autistic woman, here. Sonic the hedgehog was a HUGE special interest when I was growing up. I used to watch my brother play the games on the TV and I would watch SonicX episodes on RU-vid (before they were taken down and it was also where I found the Japanese Sub). I really found myself gravitating towards Sonic and Amy. Sonic because of his confidence, cool and easygoing personality (plus blue is my favorite color because it calms me down). Amy because of her optimistic attitude, strong will and compassion for others. Looking back I think she helped me shape into the person I am today. I also find myself drawn to the settings the characters are placed in. Specifically ones that have natural scenery.
Us Autistic people with ADHD like sonic just like my little pony and spongebob the Simpsons and family guy and southpark were interested and easily infested
Amazing video. I related to this video very well it made me feel better about being autistic. Also, quick question, @Odysseus, what song did you use at the start of the "escape" section. 7:59
You may also consider: Is Sonic himself a personification of ADHD? (Which brings up the topic of ASD + ADHD = AuDHD) I still have my Sonic 1 & 2 carts, he was something new with a major focus on "Attitude" that was arguably a first in the videogame industry? (unfortunately leading to a ton of "attitude heroes" in the 90s that were trying to cash in on the trend.)
We aren't a "disorder", thanks! ; - ) We are a different brain structure. This is an interesting discussion. I will also bring up "flow state" which seems more prominent in Sonic than other classic series, for example while zooming through zones. 5:30 Cartoons (as well as games) in general are appealing to Autists, and Sonic is a modern continuation of classic cartoons in style.
From a graphic design perspective, I'd say Sonic has a lot to offer neurodivergent folks, myself included (albeit for ADHD rather than autism). Assigning a bright, distinct color to each character is definitely one, but to me, it's more about shapes. First, the shapes are a perfect balance of "exciting" and "safe." All the characters are ball-and-rubber-hose cartoon characters (ie, ellipses and cylinders; basically, Mickey Mouse) with triangles for ears and other features. Typically, round shapes communicate safety and sharp shapes communicate danger. There's danger in Sonic's adventures, but it's mostly harmless fun, perfect for the type of person who yearns for excitement but is genuinely afraid of going out of their comfort zone. Second, all of the characters are constructed from variations on these same shapes, so even with distinctions like color, outfits and eyes, they're all made of those same shapes. And even the eyes and outfits have a shape language unto themselves and can easily be mixed-and-matched at will. You can pick them out in a crowd and still know it's a Sonic character from it's silhouette. That's a given when it comes to branding, but a byproduct of that is a massive pattern with seemingly inexhaustible variations and a nonverbal language that's really easy to decipher. That's also why I'd bet anything that this is why most aspiring cartoonists in the last 30 years, myself included, started with Sonic fan characters: just plug any distinguishing features into this one pattern of shapes and boom, new character.
0:00 just fyi, we don’t use the puzzle pieces as a symbol for autism anymore. it represent negativity around autism and is associated with an ableist organization called Autism Speaks. instead, use a rainbow infinity symbol. that is what we use. good video other than that.
