I've been meaning to do this for ages, but with SatAM's 30th anniversary, it felt like the perfect time! Please let me know if you want to see more Sonic videos in the future. c: You can also support me on patreon at patreon.com/dorked, as my non-Undertale videos tend to be less algorithm-friendly. Chapters: 0:00 - Introduction 1:37 - Attitude 4:29 - Intelligence 10:29 - Kindness and Compassion 15:25 - Trauma and Vulnerability 18:39 - Love 21:13 - Conclusion You can watch SatAM here: ru-vid.com/group/PLCqVjSmgi6GpkIFrPptdwk7oEZ_WrZu7I 1080p Episodes here (out of order): ru-vid.com/group/PLtVvHIP9olLwyAxPvNake-SBekHOgRw0Q Check out the awesome work of TeamSea3on at www.sea3on.com/ My Other Analysis Content... Undertale and Deltarune: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-4VfHhBh1c8c.html&pp=gAQBiAQB Kingdom Hearts: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Ruy5aYUijGE.html&pp=gAQBiAQB Mario RPGs: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-79py_BE502o.html&pp=gAQBiAQB
One of my favorite things about the Sonic franchise are the different takes on the characters. Seeing someone give their respect to a version of the character that hasn't been given as much attention as others is refreshing and fun to see. Great video.
Aw, thanks a bunch! It's definitely something I've noticed a lot. Even within the SatAM fandom, Sonic's often sidelined in favor of his fellow Freedom Fighters. I don't see as much in-depth discussion about him as, say, Sally or Bunnie or even Robotnik, which is fair, but he's always been my favorite aspect of the show.
Regarding Satam Sonic’s intelligence, I like to think there is a difference between book-smarts and wit-smarts. Book-smarts being what Tails usually embodies in other versions. Good with machines and knows big words. Or villages from the comics that know magic and stuff. Wit-smarts being what you described. Good at battle strategies, using the environment, looking for weaknesses, and of course the cheesey one liners.
While SatAM has my absolute favorite version of Robotnik I've admittedly never given Sonic much thought. It's nice to see he's got more to him than first appears!
Yeah, that's a pretty common sentiment, tbh. SatAM Robotnik has a very *distinct* presence as this very menacing, cold, threatening version of the character that stuck with a lot of people, but with SatAM Sonic, I think people tend to overlook him in favor of the other Freedom Fighters, like Sally and Bunnie. It's so funny to me because Sonic was what drew me to the show above all else. xD Kid me adored him.
One of the things I love about SatAM Sonic and SatAM in general is that overall Sonic and his friends aren't completely overthrowing Robotnik, they live lives and constantly ruin his plans but at the same time they're already in a losing situation and at times it might feel like they're in a losing battle and despite the inner feelings they have about it they (especially Sonic) don't let that stop them from living and fighting. Even if it strays from the canon it at the same time is just the same under a different lens, Robotnik wants the world to be in a way he imagines it and Sonic against all seemingly impossible odds fights against it and inspires others to fight with him. It's why on rewatches I just can't help but love every episode with the characters under all that context.
Not just that, they bastardized her character & ultimately killed her when she became Mecha Sally. Sure, she returned in the post-Second Genesis Wave reboot, but it was short-lived, since the Archie Sonic comics were cancelled in 2017 and ever since, the Freedom Fighters have been left to past memories, since SEGA of Japan HATES its American counterpart and only owns the Freedom Fighters due to the fact that SEGA of America created them and as such, even if the Japanese running SEGA now dislike the American Sonic continuity, they sometimes drag them back out when they want an exercise in nostalgia (for instance, having various comic covers & even full pages of the Archie Sonic comics included as bonus content in the PS2/Gamecube/Original Xbox release of the 16-bIt Sonic videogames collected together under the umbrella title of Sonic Mega Collection Plus).
This entire video summarizes everything I love about Sonic's portrayal in SATAM. His personality, Jaleel White's performance, and just how Way Past Cool he is. :) Excellent video, Dorked, and happy 30th anniversary, Satam! :D And I would love to see more Sonic the Hedgehog content from your channel!
Thanks! :D I'm so glad to see others who enjoy this version of him, and I really do love Jaleel White's performance in the show. He just puts so much heart into it, and when I think classic Sonic, this is the voice I always hear.
Sonic Prime is really interesting! I can definitely take that into consideration. I'd also love to do a vid nerding out about the excellent way Adventure 2 builds up to Live and Learn throughout its OST.
I know what it feels to love an otherwise unpopular portrayal of Sonic’s character outside of the respective series’ fans; the Fleetway comics iteration is one of my favourites, up there with Adventure 1 & 2 and Black Knight.
I watched various Sonic TV shows when I was younger. I always loved them, they were so cool to me back then, haha. Maybe I should make some time to rewatch this one…
As a fan of both SatAM and Archie Sonic I really appreciate this video, hopefully it can still reach a large amount of people and maybe even make some of the detractors appreciate this version of Sonic some more.
Looking back at it, this comment does seem pretty naive and maybe even a bit childish, but that just seems to be how I am when I don't fully think my words through.@@Idazmi7
@@greflog It just shows that you have an optimistic outlook and faith in humanity - both are good traits. If only more people would meet that expectation.
Oh yeah, I always thought the Griff/Ari plots were super weird. Not only did Sonic and Sally trust one but not the other, swapping roles with each, but each said "There ARE no other freedom fighters!" in both episodes, and were surprised to learn that more existed. It almost feels like Griff's episode was just forgotten about when Ari was introduced.
I love both this and the official canon tbh. Out of all the Classic Sonic portrayals, I always felt this (and by extension the Archie Sonic) were the closest to a personality I feel he would have if Sega wasn’t afraid to let him talk in his appearances. Heck, considering he was almost voiced by Jaleel White in Generations, it does indeed seem like Sega at one point agreed. Side note but I do like that Sonic’s bond with Nicole would eventually lead to her being sentient a la Vision if the series continued (Archie did do the Nicole/Vision thing too but as far as I remember neither continuity had Sonic involved). Kinda reminds me of the OVA where Sonic had an effect on Metal, SA1 where Amy had one on Gamma or Battle with Emerl
I think people tend to lump the DiC Sonics together since they're all pretty similar on the surface, so it's nice to see what makes Satam Sonic unique while still being distinctly Sonic tackled.
happy 30th anniversary SatAM! one of the best sonic cartoons EVER! i was 9/10 when this first came out when i watched it! i just can’t believe it’s been 30 years!… 😢 Thanks for making this fantastic video!! 😊❤
Thanks a bunch! c: And no prob. SatAM is one of those series that's always stuck with me, and I come back to it every now and then. I remember downloading those really small real player episodes on dialup internet before the DVD release. Good times...
@@Dorked lol hey! i remember those days! i download plenty of cartoons via WinMX back in the day via Dial up! lol XD wow… those were the days… makes me wanna cry… ;_;
The SatAM cartoon (and early issues of the Archie Comics series) were my main exposure to Sonic as a young kid. I was aware the games existed, but never got into them. I loved the characters and world building of SatAM Sonic more.
I 100% AGREE WITH YOU! Sonic himself in this show is the most real & human he has ever felt to me (more than Robotnik or Snively). The show’s environmental message being portrayed as a rebellion would be a million times more engaging to kids than just straight-up lecturing them like “Captain Planet” as kids can easily identify with rebellions like the one in the original “Star Wars” trilogy. I feel like “Sonic SATAM” is one of the few Saturday morning cartoons of the 90’s (& all time) that SHOULD be remade today! It’s all about looking for the RIGHT creative team to do it justice, & I can think of a few reasons why it should be remade. There’s the fact that animation & technology have come far in the last 30 years, TV shows are as popular as movies these days & not just a little brother, & with a bigger push towards eco-friendly everything, a “Sonic SATAM” reboot under a different name like “SONIC FREEDOM FIGHTERS” would probably one of the best cartoon reboots since the “DuckTales” reboot! WHAT DO YOU THINK?! 😊
The best cartoon, the best portrayal of Sonic and the darkest Robotnik. It could have easily gotten a seven year run. Baffles me that there exists people who don't like it.
I've been seeing so much sally hate in the last couple of years and hate for satam. I am just so sick of people crapping on the classic sonic stuff. There is so much effort put into stuff like satam or sonic mania. There is a reason people hold satam in a high regard and I am sick of being gaslighted into thinking its not. Thank you for making this video.
Sally in Sonic SatAm is arguably Sonic's complement. Their relationship is natural, forged on years of trust, success, and failure. In terms of characterization-she is quite realistic and developed, arguably the best female character of the franchise in her prime.
This was a great overview of Sonic’s character. It’s very impressive how the writers were able to make sure sonic wasn’t one note when his most in your face part of his personality is often his go to. Great job
I was also introduced to the Sonic franchise via SatAM!! As well as Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and Sonic Underground. I watched them all on Netflix when I was really young before I played or even knew of the existence of the games. This is a great character analysis, I love SatAM Sonic dearly. And I will always adore his ridiculous little quips 😅 "Juice and jam" will always live in my head
11:21 That part made me bawl my eyes out....and Ultra Sonic too. Those momenets were just so heartbreaking and it kinda had a lastijg impact on me. When I finished the series, that one moment kept popping into my mind and dreams for almost 2 months straight, and i kinda found myself crying for 10 mintues on a....regular basis. Uncle Chuck really sticks to ya hard
Uncle Chuck's episodes are really solid and easily some of the best in the entire series. He's such a compelling character, and his dynamic with Sonic is so warm and wonderful.
@@Dorked couldn't have said it better myself. He's a true MVP. And thankfully, in the comics, he's permanently Deroboticized. Wish he got a proper ending too
I always love it when you make videos about things that you really like, even though I don't know most of the media. They're always fun to listen to, and I appreciate that you generally look at the good side of things. I hope more people watch this.
Thanks! They don't typically perform as well, but sometimes I just gotta make a video because I wanna talk about something and hope that others care enough to check it out anyway.
This is fantastic. Satam is such a special show. Sonics characterization is AMAZING. Characters need to have flaws to be believable, and I love how this version of Sonic is a bit more flawed but has a heart of gold.
You know, he kinda does have Papyrus vibes! Boastful and cocky, but also really kindhearted and just as eager to boost others' morale as he is to stroke his own ego.
This video is so interesting... While I know nothing about Sonic, I still really enjoyed it- it's really clear that this is a subject you genuinely enjoy discussing and analyzing, and that's just really great to see. I was able to understand all the points you've made in this video, you've described this version of Sonic really well so that even someone who doesn't know anything about Sonic as a whole can see what type of character this version is. Overall, great video- I'm definitely looking forward to more of your content, both the ones that are UTDR related and those that are about a different topic like this one.
It's good to hear that the video was still accessible even if it's a topic you aren't as personally familiar with. That's always a goal when I do these kinda character breakdowns, so that people can still get a general idea of who they are even without the full fandom context.
@@Dorked yeah, it was really weird. If I’m remembering right people were bringing up things like the concept art to show how much SATAM “ruined sonic”. There are things to criticize about the show but the recent hate it got felt really rude and unnecessary
@@Dorked yeah, it was a piece of concept art of robotnik specifically. he was a green monster thing?? And even though that design was never used people were saying how the creators never cared about sonic as a series at all :/
Overall great analysis. I've had my own quibbles with SatAM (mainly with its portrayal of Robotnik), but I actually *do* think Sonic himself is written pretty well. And I really think your analysis of him did a great job of explaining why his character works. In a way, the bones of game Sonic are still there - the brashness, the playfulness, the attitude. It's almost like that same archetype living through very different circumstances resulted in the differences we see in the show, which I think make sense for how he's written there.
@@Blanktester685 I think you misunderstood me. I was not a fan of SatAM Robotnik. It's fine that you liked him! But I *like* silly, fun, lovable goofball Eggman. I feel like SatAM Robotnik is just too... *dull* for my tastes. He mostly sits around in a chair and doesn't do cool stuff like pilot big awesome mechs to fight Sonic directly with. He doesn't build all that much himself either - he builds some of the robots on the show, but many of them are outsourced to Snively. He's just a very hands-off version of the character, and his character's a bit too one-note for me. Like I said, it's fine if you like him, but I feel like he lacks the flair, the showmanship, the *personality* that I always like seeing in my Eggmans/Robotniks. (On topic with the video, SatAM *Sonic* is fine though.)
@@DrMechano The reason BUTT-nik is the way he is in this show is, he's kind of already won. There's a reason why the Knothole resistance are called Freedom Fighters, because they're fighting to free Mobius from Dr. Robotnik's control.
i absolutely adore satam, and more specifically the thing that hooked me was sonic's relationship with his friends. he has nicknames for all of them that we see immediately, and he cares so so deeplyfor them. and as you said, he boasts about them just as much as he does himself!! he is so multidimensional here and so so fascinating
A lot of this is consistent with how Sonic is portrayed in the Archie comics too. Tho at times he's flanderized even more severely for the most part his character remains consistent.
I think it is implied executive meddling had a lot to do with season 2 being less intelligent initially, and then Hurst required control as the series progressed, moving back towards the original vision.
This video was way past cool. And I 100% agree with your perspective on this Sonic. SatAM is not only my favorite show but literally have maybe my favorite Sonic characters. This show did a good job establishing a world for Sonic and having a great well tell story and characters with very good character development. And Sonic is literally one of them when it comes to his character and how he interact with others. Great video. Also just subscribe to your channel. Keep it up with some more content and even SatAM content
I always enjoy watching your character analysis videos. They're very informative, and it gives me more appreciation to a character I already liked, or see a new perspective to a character I didn't like or understand well.
I've been really into the nature of canons with different iterations lately, the ways those iterations differ in characterization and why, both in-character and in a meta sense. So this was such a cool video to see, especially since Sonic is one of those canons I've been thinking about. I enjoyed this a whole lot and have subscribed for more character analysis, I think whatever you go on to tackle will intrigue me!
Eyy, thanks a bunch! :) I love overthinking characterization. I think it's a nature of all the years I've done fanworks, haha. And RP. Big nerdy stuff.
honestly sonics streetsmarts is a really underrated aspect of his character. mostly because it is overshadowed by tails academic smarts, despite it being the reason sonic doesn't repeatedly go "erm repeat in english please" like so many other teams with a techno babble wiz on hand. only itteration which does do that is boom and that series really dumbs down its characters for the sake of comedy. it's actually a bit funny how sonics attention to detail goes over peoples heads like questioning how he knows chaos control when dude literally watched someone else perform it when he's able to tap into any muggufin of the week for a new one off form. hell in that same scene one of the few intentional interuptions happen with sonic immediately knowing tail's cockup. it's actually impressive how inteligent the writing for the series was and one of the reasons i still enjoy the supposid dark age games compared to say forces or lost world which i would actually consider the true dark age of the series.
It's been over 10 years since I watched this show. I was a kid so I didn't remember much of it. I didn't know it was still possible to find it. Thank you for including a link to the playlist in the description. Can't wait to watch it with the ability to pay attention this time.
Sonic fans: "SatAM Sonic is too dumb." Boom!Sonic: "Hold my chili dog." More seriously though, while I can't comment on the SatAM Sonic specifically (going to have to watch that now that I know it's on here!) I'm a fan of the headcanon that in general Sonic basically has ADHD. So he's actually fairly smart, it's just that his thoughts zip along as fast as he does - which leads to him not always thinking things through (and also makes it super easy to botch the time travel landing zone if it depends on concentration. In this case those intrusive chili dog thoughts wouldn't even have entirely been his fault) It's also why most versions of the character can't handle being bored or sitting still. Which, honestly, makes it even more conceptually interesting to see a version of the character who's been forced to spend an entire decade having to just bide his time for the most part.
One of the good things about Sonic being a big franchise is that it allows for so many different takes for the character. Some have more attitude and others are more relaxed, but it almost never feels out of place, at least to me. I really appreciate what this version of Sonic offers along with other versions of him and I think people should allow these different takes to coexist and maybe even try to experiment with the them in the future.
SatAM Sonic is... not very liked by me. I never questioned his love for his friends, but when he gets snarky or egotistical towards them in the midst of danger, it really grates on my nerves. Thats mostly why i dont like the Archie comics. I'd say that the only Jaleel Sonic I appreciate is underground Sonic. He's pretty much SatAM Sonic except vastly more mature. He knows how to handle condensending princesses much better mostly due to the fact he's not smitten. You took a good shot at this, though. I think looking at the comments and various essays though Id say the Sonic that is most appreciated is the Adventure era Sonic. Now what the majority likes doesnt always mean quality, but id definitely say that Sonic became a mythological figure due to that era.
Very nice video. Likely the one with the most in-depth analysis of Sonic. Though I kinda wish you would also focus on the other characters of the show.
It's a really fun watch! I think the real trick is to treat it as its own universe w/o comparing it too much to the games. It's definitely a series that means a lot to me. c:
"Who is what??" That's probably my new favorite Sonic quote, even replacing quotes from Sonic Boom like "NOBODY WEARS PANTS" and "RADICAL SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE!!!" Edit: When I was talking about Boom, I was talking about the show because I made this comment as soon as I heard "Who is what." Edit 2: I watched this video again and I have to say I have a newfound appreciation for this Sonic. Thank you for making this!
I became a Sonic fan in my toddler months and it was very likely that the cartoons and the fact that blue is my favorite color are what caused that because it's obvious that I was way too young to play any of the games at that time in my life. It's totally hilarious that that 90s DIC cartoon version of Sonic calls Robotnik, "Ro-butt-nik." Lol. Comically silly nickname for that mad scientist. Also have you ever heard that in April 24, 2022 a RU-vid video got released that holds a recording of a cover version of the SATAM theme song with the Crush 40 lead singer (Johnny Gioeli) singing the lyrics of it instead of the person who originally sang that show's theme song?
This video is super good and nostalgic. It really warms my heart hearing someone talk about and address several different instances of Sonic's character throughout this series. I don't think I've ever heard anyone really mention the episode with Griff, which is why I'm so glad to hear it talked about now because it's one of my favorite episodes from when I first watched the show.
This whole thing just reminds me how picky Sonic fans are about his characterization. Sonic can't cry, he can't be vulnerable, he can't be in a relationship, he can't stay in one place, etc. That just leaves such a boring Sonic who's perfect and inspiring all the time. That's probably why I gravitate towards different takes of him like Movie Sonic (who's kinda similar to SatAM Sonic now that I think about it)
Yeah, I remember movie Sonic getting some flak for being too emotional/vulnerable/dependent on other people, but like. Movie Sonic is also a kid who spent most of his childhood alone.
@@Dorked Sonic as an inspiring static character isn't inherently bad, but for a long-term story like a TV show or movie franchises it makes sense why they'd rather have a take on Sonic who can develop and experience more emotions
@@Dorkedthe only OOC moment I felt Movie Sonic had was lecturing Tom about wanting to move to further his career. Yeah I know he was projecting and a deleted scene had him apologize for that but it just seemed weird for Sonic of all characters to berate someone for following their gut/dream period, especially considering the sequel had him going to places to play vigilante.
An excellent video. And good work shouting out Season3. SatAM is the superior version of sonic. 100%. Instead it branched off to be the gimmicky version, which has had it's ups and downs to say the least as a franchise. The SatAM production was a labor of love, and sega couldn't have given free license to a better crew. Ironically, they would eventually shut down this spilt reality version of sonic in favor of... Werewolves, space dragons, and gimmicks which feel like even now the franchise doesn't know what it's identity is. The SatAM world was deep, full of conflict, flawed heros. Sometimes they failed. Sometimes they had to deal with their failures and grow as characters. They were well developed, the world was deep and full of potential. And there was always this feeling of doom, but then knothole and their relationships were the sanctuary. They had everything to lose, everything to gain. It's a shame that it was cut down in it's prime. And the only chances that it ever had of bringing back this world or characters was ultimately destroyed by Ken Penders. Oh, what it could have been. I grew up in the 90's. SatAM was my favorite show, and it will always be the true version of Sonic to me. Oh, and thanks for playing all of those bangers in the background. Even from the cancelled saturn game!
Finally got around to watching this. I never really cared about SatAM, but I can definitely see the appeal of this version of Sonic. He is a bit too whippy and narcissistic (regarding how much he compliments his looks) for my liking, but with the way you described him in this analysis, especially the Season 1 version of him, he's actually not that different from game Sonic: a street-smart and rebellious free spirit who's loyal to his friends and has a heart of gold. Even when he has the responsibility of leading a whole team of rebels, he's always ready to do his own thing. It's interesting to me that even with the circumstances of SatAM and all the trauma it gives Sonic, he's still able to be like that.
I usually just watch your content for Undertale/Deltarune but I decided to give this one a watch, and I really enjoyed it! I’m not even a sonic fan but honestly I might check out the show now because it sounds pretty cool.
I really like this cartoon. I saw a lot of It on Netflix when I was younger. I really don't understand why it says much hate as it does, it's really good.
It’s nice to see dorked review sonic media I hope to see other non Undertale videos =] (Note:I’m not implying I hate your Undertale videos . It’s just interesting to see your opinions on different series)
No worries, I totally get it. I'd like to branch out more, but the algorithm can be a cruel lil' beast, so I usually gotta fall back on 'safer' video topics as a cushion.
To say SatAM Sonic is not true to the character is just wrong. Even since the 90s, Sonic’s main motif is that he’s “way past cool”. Even into the new millennium, that motif has not changed. What has changed is the interpretation of Way Past Cool as a concept. In the 90s, both in comics and even the video games, remember if you took too long in the original he’d literally jump off the screen, that meant being brash, arrogant, and quite cocky. It was a reflection of the 90s being a change in social norms and what heroes should look like. However, unlike Liefeld’s copy pasted “super heroes”, Sonic had staying power because his medium was just fluid enough he could change. With the adventure series, Sonic maintained his cocky attitude, but had an infallible sense of Justice and a desire to be free, often running off from one adventure to the next. In some ways, you could say Shadow changed him being the first friend that genuinely died, at the time, and he became much more soft and open to the pain of others such as Silver, Elise, and Blaze the cat. This triggered another crucial piece of Way Past Cool translation: compassion. Sonic became much more attached to his friends, such as in lost worlds where he thought Knuckles and Amy had died, and was much quicker to show his heart on his sleeve. All of this culminates in what I consider the perfect culmination of all of Sonic personalities across time: IDW. This version of Sonic is as fun loving, adventurous, kind and cocky as other iterations, but it’s here his overall philosophy is explained. Sonic believes everyone should be free to live their own lives as they see fit, provided they’re not encroaching on the freedoms of others. It’s why Sonic will never take Eggman or any villains’ life if he can avoid it so they have the chance to reevaluate and pursue better alternatives. All the while, Sonic will keep running, making friends and finding adventure one way and one way only: way past cool.
Happy 30th anniversary to one of the best sonic cartoons out there!!! I was introduced to the show last April, and ive been a fan ever since. And Sea3on is definitely keeping the determination
One thing sad is that I think Sonic crying in this show caused Sega to crack down on how you can portray sonic leading to more bland versions of sonics in future cartoons and games where he lacks as much of the depth he has in this show. That eventually led us to the dark age of Sonic's writing with Sonic colors reducing Sonic's character to a joke machine that takes nothing seriously.
Yeah, I think I remember hearing that Sega of Japan had issues with Sonic crying in those episodes of SatAM, though it's interesting that Archie got away with far more egregious things for a while until SEGA actually cracked down. Not to diss Archie Sonic on the whole. I just find it interesting.
It was really nice to see someone else who loves SatAM Sonic talking about him! While he's not my favourite, I really loved watching the cartoon when I was younger, and I rarely see anything about the show on the internet. Good stuff chief!
I have practically no idea about Sonic other than some basic facts. Clicked in order to boost the video, actually enjoyed it because I can feel someone being passionate about a show they like.
this was an amazing video, that really opened my eyes to a part of sonic i don’t have much experience with, i’d absolutely love if you did more videos about sonic
Aw, thanks! :) I'm always happy to use my platform to share the things I love and perhaps even inspire others to check them out. SatAM is old enough that a lot of fans are probably only aware of it through word of mouth, which is why I'm so happy it's easily watchable on YT.
