Shadow the Hedgehog

Shadow the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog character
Shadow the Hedgehog as he appears in Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed (2012)
First game Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Created by Takashi Iizuka[1]
Voiced by Video games
David Humphrey (2001–04)[2]
Jason Griffith (2005–10)[3]
Kirk Thornton (2010–present)
Animation
Jason Griffith (Sonic X)
Kirk Thornton (Sonic Boom)
Kōji Yusa (Japanese)

Shadow the Hedgehog (シャドウ・ザ・ヘッジホッグ) is a fictional character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series. He is an artificially created black and red hedgehog whose hover shoes propel him at extreme speeds that rival those of Sonic.[4] He can also use the Chaos Emeralds to manipulate time and space through a technique called "Chaos Control". The character first appeared in Sonic Adventure 2, where he was depicted as a villain and later an antihero; often switching from becoming an ally or enemy character and makes his own decisions, suffering from a tragic backstory; occasionally, he becomes an ally to Sonic and his friends, but remains at odds with them due to their differing moral compasses.

Designed as Sonic's arch-rival, Shadow has been featured in a variety of Sonic series games, including a self-titled game, which received generally unfavorable reviews from critics. Reception to the character himself was initially very positive, but in later years has been more mixed. Shadow was rated the second most popular character in the franchise (after Sonic himself) in an official poll from Sega in 2009.[5]

Concept and creation

Shadow was first shown by Takashi Iizuka for Sonic Adventure 2,[1][6] he was first shown to the public in a game trailer, but his name was not revealed.[7] GameStop described what little was shown as Anti-Sonic - "similar in appearance, but with darker skin, more angled eyes, a fearsome scowl, instead of Sonic's trademark grin."[7] Iizuka said that they maintained the mystery around Shadow and had wanted to feature him in his own game since he was introduced.[8] After feeling that it would be inappropriate to give Sonic's character a gun as fans had requested in mailings,[9] Yuji Naka believed that by focusing on Shadow for his own game, they could use his different identity from Sonic to build upon the Sonic brand.[10] The character was featured as a guest announcer and performed other promotional work for the game's release during a wrestling show set up by the Japanese league, Pancrase, in December 2005.[9] Shadow's design was influenced by films such as Underworld, Constantine, and Terminator.[11]

Eventually Shadow's skin tone often shifts in games, first appearing as a yellow-brown tone which later became a brown-cream colour.

Appearances in video games

Timeline of release years
2001Sonic Adventure 2
2002
2003Sonic Battle
Sonic Heroes
2004
2005Shadow the Hedgehog (2005 game)
2006Sonic Riders
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic Rivals
2007Sonic and the Secret Rings
Sonic Rivals 2
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games
2008Sonic Riders: Zero Gravity
Super Smash Bros. Brawl
Sonic Chronicles
Sonic Unleashed (Originally)
2009Sonic and the Black Knight
Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games
2010Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing / With Banjo-Kazooie
Sonic Free Riders
Sonic Colors (DS version only)
2011Sonic Generations
Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games
2012Sonic & All-Stars Racing Transformed
2013Sonic Dash
Mario & Sonic at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games
2014Sonic Jump Fever
Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric
Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal
2015Sonic Runners
Sonic Dash 2: Sonic Boom
2016Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
Lego Dimensions
2017Sonic Runners Adventure
Sonic Forces: Speed Battle
Sonic Forces / Episode Shadow
2018Team Sonic Racing


Shadow debuted as a playable character in Sonic Adventure 2. The game sets up much of his backstory as a creation of Dr. Eggman's grandfather, Gerald Robotnik, who designed Shadow to be the "Ultimate Life Form", or the cure to the deadly disease called "NIDS". When the government deemed him a threat, though, his project was forcefully shut down, Shadow was placed in suspended animation and Maria, whom had the fore-mentioned "NIDS", and was Gerald's granddaughter, was killed in an effort to protect him. Dr. Eggman revives him in the hopes to use his power for his own goals 50 years later. Once awakened Shadow instead desires to exact revenge upon the world for Maria's death. He is eventually persuaded out of it, and instead works as both an ally and rival with Sonic to prevent the Earth's destruction, seemingly perishing in the process. In Sonic Heroes, Shadow is revived and teams up with Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega to take on Dr. Eggman. Shadow encounters the androids of himself over the course of the game, leading him to question his own existence.

In the video game of the same name, Shadow, still suffering from amnesia remembers nothing other than his name and brief images of Maria's death. He meets an invading race of aliens called the Black Arms; their leader, Black Doom, seems to know Shadow. Throughout the game, Shadow searches for information about his past and for the Chaos Emeralds. He can use a variety of handheld weapons and vehicles. In the end, Shadow recovers from his amnesia and learns the truth about his past, including that Professor Gerald Robotnik created him using Black Doom's blood, and he defeats the Black Arms. In Sonic the Hedgehog (2006), Shadow appears as a playable character, and he works with Rouge and Omega to retrieve a dark artifact while clashing with Mephiles, an evil entity resembling Shadow.

After Sonic '06, Shadow became relegated to playable roles in spin-off and multiplayer games, and non-playable roles in the main games. In the console version of Sonic Generations, Shadow is a boss battle character in a fight that re-enacts Shadow and Sonic's fight on the ARK in Sonic Adventure 2. In the 3DS version, he is a character the player races in Radical Highway. He is a playable character in all Mario & Sonic, Sonic Rivals, Sonic Riders, and SEGA All-Stars games. Shadow appears as a party member in the Nintendo DS role-playing game Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood. Shadow also appeared in the game Sonic and the Secret Rings, being an unlockable character for the multiplayer mode. In its sequel, Sonic and the Black Knight, Shadow appears as a bonus playable character in the single-player campaign, playing the role of Sir Lancelot in the game's narrative.

Shadow is briefly featured in the Sonic Boom video games, including Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric and Sonic Boom: Shattered Crystal.[12] He appears as a boss character, being mind-controlled by antagonist Lyric the Last Ancient. Shadow also makes a non-playable appearance in the Sonic the Hedgehog level pack in Lego Dimensions, being kidnapped by Eggman and inadvertently sent to another dimension before being rescued by Sonic. He later appears in the game's Sonic-themed adventure world, where he requests the player's help in creating the ultimate flower arrangement.

Shadow appears in Sonic Forces, as well as being playable in its free downloadable Episode Shadow add-on.[13]

Characteristics

According to official profiles, Shadow was created over 50 years ago by Prof. Gerald Robotnik as the Ultimate Life Form.[14][15] Shadow is sharp witted, seemingly always on the edge,[15] and is described as the dark incarnation or an Alter Ego look-a-like of Sonic.[16] Once he has set himself to a goal, he will do whatever it takes to accomplish it,[15] regardless of any danger.[17] After the trauma of the death of his only friend, Maria Robotnik, Shadow strives to fulfill his purpose and keep the promise he made to her,[15] despite his general loathing of mankind.[17]

However, Shadow shares a lot in common with Sonic.[17] Although Sonic's speed is described as "second to none," Shadow can skate at speeds fast enough to rival the speeds of Sonic's running.[18] He can also perform spin attacks common to Sonic,[14] which are a variation on the tendency for hedgehogs to roll into tight balls for protection. Additionally, with the power of a Chaos Emerald, Shadow can warp time and space with Chaos Control.[14][16][17] Shadow is also able to use a variety of other Chaos powers, such as "Chaos Spear" and "Chaos Blast".[17] Much like Sonic solely believes he is the fastest thing alive, Shadow truly considers himself the "ultimate life form", regardless if he's the real one or not.

By harnessing the power of the seven Chaos Emeralds, Shadow is able to use super transformation to transform into Super Shadow,[19] and is bestowed with the new abilities of flight and near invulnerability, like Super Sonic, and his normal abilities of speed and his Chaos powers are greatly enhanced. However, this does come at the cost of a time limit on the transformation. Although he is mostly a maverick, he also works with his team (Team Dark) and is mostly portrayed as rough and cold. He is not without positive emotions, though, and has shown these rare tendencies on a few occasions. Shadow has a very strong sense of justice, often going to extreme lengths to ensure such.

In other media

Television

Sonic X

Shadow appears in the animated Sonic X as a morally conflicted character who is mostly on Eggman's side. He is voiced by his game voice actor, Kōji Yusa, in the original Japanese version; in English, he is voiced by Jason Griffith, who also voiced Sonic. Although his character has little difference from the games, the series is the first to introduce Shadow's ability to increase the powers he draws from the Chaos Emeralds when he removes the rings on his wrists, but he loses power after a short time. Shadow is only featured briefly in the opening sequence during the series, and he does not appear until Episodes 33 through 38, which are based on Sonic Adventure 2. Afterward, he makes short appearances in flashbacks, but he makes his real return in Season 3 episode 60, “Trick Sand” (dubbed 'Shadow's Rebirth' in Japanese). During this season, Shadow had no clear memory of his mysterious past and was still on Eggman's side. Only a fragment of his memory returns when he meets Molly, and decides to help her save her planet. At the end of the season, he sacrifices himself again to warp away the explosive seed of the dead Metarex. However, at the end of the Japanese and French version of the show, his shadow can be seen by the grave he made for Molly where he has placed a flower, so it appears that he is still alive after all, although in the Japanese version of Sonic X, he is still alive and he is seen near Molly's tomb. However, this last scene was cut in the 4Kids version, mainly for the reason that Molly's death never occurred in that version.

Sonic Boom

Shadow appears as an antihero in the Sonic Boom animated series, with Kirk Thornton reprising his voice role from the game series. Unlike the rest of the cast, Shadow's design remains mostly unchanged, other than having several cowlicked quills and a taller, slimmer build like Sonic, and his head quills are less spread out. He first appears in the episode, "It Takes a Village to Defeat a Hedgehog", when Eggman tries to convince him to join his army of villains, but Shadow refuses him and decides to challenge Sonic alone, but also attempts to defeat Eggman as well for using him. Shadow has then returned in Season 2 in the last two episodes that are both entitled "Eggman the Video Game" when Dr. Eggman tricks Shadow who then gets so angry that he wants revenge on the whole universe because of how many times Dr. Eggman has tricked him, but then when Sonic saves the universe, Shadow then admits to Sonic that he's impressed with how he saved the Universe.

The Sonic Boom incarnation of Shadow is noticeably more selfish and hostile, and can easily hold his own in a fight against both Sonic and Eggman at the same time. He is determined to prove himself better than Sonic, believing friendship and trusting others is a sign of weakness, and is dismissive of Eggman and his methods, believing that villains are a waste of time, despite the doctor's admiration of him for his popularity within the series.[20] His characterization and lack of backstory and plot relevance was a point of criticism in the Sonic Boom games and TV show.

Comic

Sonic the Hedgehog (comic)

Shadow also appears as a hero in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series. His origin is similar to that in the games in that he was created by Gerald Robotnik to stand against the threat of Black Doom and the Black Arms. He debuted in an adaptation of the game, Sonic Adventure 2, with a few changes to accommodate the Archie version of Earth/Mobius. However, instead of the events of Sonic Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog, Shadow later reappears explaining he was rescued by the alien race called the Bem to combat the Xorda.

Shadow often works alone to achieve his goal, which is to discover the truth about his mysterious history. He has at times allied with Sonic and the Freedom Fighters to fight greater evils, like the Xorda, and he has been known to work either for or against Dr. Eggman depending on the circumstances. Often, he will side with whomever he believes will bring him closer to the truth. This search has led him to interact with various other characters, including the robot Isaac, Brotherhood of Guardians member Locke, and various versions of Metal Sonic. Hope is one of the few living beings to show compassion towards him besides Maria, and also bears a striking resemblance to her (enough so that he nearly mistook Hope for Maria at one point). After discovering and resolving to fulfill his creator's wish to protect Earth/Mobius from the return of the Black Arms, Shadow joined the Guardian Units of Nations, or G.U.N.

Shadow's abilities in the comics are similar to those in the games, but this version can directly access the "Chaos Force" and does not require a Chaos Emerald for any of his Chaos powers. The Chaos Force (also referred to as "The Power of Chaos") is a mystical energy field that serves as a wellspring for all Chaos powers of which Shadow is the first known to be able to harness outside of the Brotherhood of Guardians. When he removes the "inhibitor rings" from his wrists, his Chaos powers are greatly enhanced.

In Sonic Universe, the first four issues are a sub-series that explore more of Shadow's multi-dimensional encounters and newest stories. In issue #61, he becomes a temporary servant of Black Death (Black Doom's successor) due to being brainwashed by Black Death. Once brought back to his senses by Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega, Shadow defeats Black Death and escapes the New Black Comet. Team Dark then chases the one remaining Black Arm (Eclipse the Darkling) to Mobius and team up with Knuckles and several others to attempt to destroy him. Eclipse is presumed to have escaped in a G.U.N. ship.

Reception

The character was ranked as the second most popular Sonic character in an official Japanese Sonic character poll, missing 1st place by just 10 points.[21] Many game reviewers, like GameSpot, have called Shadow a "clone" of Sonic.[22] Game Revolution described his character as a "quintessential anti-Sonic."[23] GameDaily included him in a top 25 list of video game anti-heroes, stating that while he sometimes fights for good, he also enjoys using firearms.[24] Yahoo! Games listed Shadow on its April 2010 unranked list of the top nine "Sour Game Characters", calling him "a wise-cracking, free-wheeling free agent."[25] Similarly, he was listed as the third best Sonic character by Official Nintendo Magazine based on his role in Sonic Adventure 2.[26] He was also voted 25th out of the top 50 video game characters of all time in Guinness World Records 2011 Gamers' Edition.[27]

Conversely, in a 1UP.com feature about "How Sega Can Save Sonic the Hedgehog," Jeremy Parish wrote that of the "tagalongs" that the series must ditch, Shadow's character was the most in need of it.[28] In 2009 Levi Buchanan, an editor at IGN, referred to Shadow as an unnecessary "would-be mascot" along with a few other characters new to the Sonic Universe;[29] Hilary Goldstein, Editor-in-Chief of IGN's Xbox team mentioned the mechanics of Shadow's solo game, specifically the use of firearms, as part of the central problem nowadays with Sonic games, being there is less emphasis on both speed and the original hedgehog.[29] GamesRadar saw his role in his solo game as the main reason for listing him as one of Sonic's worst allies as he gradually didn't have an important role to play.[30]

References

  1. 1 2 "PlayStation Games & Media News: Fast Talking". Retrieved 2007-12-03.
  2. ↑ Author Dreadknux (2006-10-02). "David Humphrey Voices Fan Animation – The Sonic Stadium". Sonicstadium.org. Retrieved 2016-11-02.
  3. ↑ "Jason Griffith". amtcworld.com. 2015-09-26. Archived from the original on 2016-11-01. Retrieved 2016-11-01.
  4. ↑ "Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood". Characters (Tails icon): Sega.com. p. Shadow the Hedgehog. Archived from the original on August 17, 2008. Retrieved 2008-08-18. Shadow is an artificially-created life form designed by the renowned scientist, Professor Gerald Robotnik at the height of his career. His trademark hover shoes propel him at extreme speeds that rival those of Sonic
  5. ↑ "ソニックチャンネル/イベント/ソニック キャラクター 人気投票 結果発表！". archive.org. 15 December 2009. Archived from the original on 15 December 2009. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  6. ↑ Pallesen, Lasse (2004-03-25). "News Article: Sega Confirms Shadow the Hedgehog". Nintendo World Report. Retrieved 2009-01-28.
  7. 1 2 "Sonic Adventure 2 Hands-On". GameSpot.com. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  8. ↑ "Shadowing a Hedgehog". Yahoo.com. Archived from the original on 2013-04-12. Retrieved 2008-12-16.
  9. 1 2 "Shadow the Wrestling Hedgehog". 1up.com. Retrieved 2009-01-26.
  10. ↑ "Sega's Yuji Naka Talks!". GameSpy.com. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  11. ↑ Castro, Juan (August 25, 2005). "Shadow The Interview". IGN. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  12. ↑ "New Trailer, Screenshots, and Concept Art for Sonic Boom". SEGA Blog. Sega Corporation. Retrieved 14 August 2014.
  13. ↑ "Sonic the Hedgehog on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 27 March 2018.
  14. 1 2 3 Sega (2002). "Characters: Shadow". Sonic Adventure 2 Instruction Manual. Sega. pp. 7
  15. 1 2 3 4 "Sonic Central/about/characters". Archived from the original on February 17, 2009. Retrieved 2015-11-16.
  16. 1 2 Sega (2004). "Team Dark". Sonic Heroes Instruction Manual. Sega. pp. 8
  17. 1 2 3 4 5 "Sonic channel/character/character data/shadow". Archived from the original on 2006-12-31. Retrieved 2007-01-08.
  18. ↑ Sega (2005). "Characters". Shadow the Hedgehog Instruction Manual. Sega. pp. 7
  19. ↑ Sega / Backbone Entertainment. Sonic Rivals. Sony PSP. Sega. Level/area: Card Collection, #147. Super Shadow (2005)
  20. ↑ "It Takes a Village to Defeat a Hedgehog". Sonic Boom. Season 1. Episode 52. November 14, 2015. Cartoon Network. Weasel Bandit: "Who's he?" / Eggman: "He's only the second most popular character in the whole canon!"
  21. ↑ "Sonic Channel Official Popularity Poll" (in Japanese). Archived from the original on December 15, 2009.
  22. ↑ "Sonic Adventure 2 Hands-On". GameSpot.com. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  23. ↑ "Sonic Adventure 2 Review for DreamCast". Game Revolution. Archived from the original on 2008-08-21. Retrieved 2008-07-11.
  24. ↑ Gallery and Images - GameDaily Archived April 27, 2009, at the Wayback Machine.
  25. ↑ "Shadow the Hedgehog (Sonic the Hedgehog Series)". Yahoo! Games. April 15, 2010. Archived from the original on April 12, 2013. Retrieved April 29, 2010.
  26. ↑ "The best and worst Sonic characters". Official Nintendo Magazine. May 29, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Guinness Names Top 50 Video Game Characters Of All Time". Game Informer. Retrieved 2011-02-19.
  28. ↑ "Hit Reset: How Sega Can Save Sonic the Hedgehog". 1UP.com. Archived from the original on 2012-07-19. Retrieved 2009-02-02.
  29. 1 2 "Where did Sonic go Wrong? - Page 2 of 3". ign.com. 2009-02-20. Retrieved 2018-04-29.
  30. ↑ "The 10 worst Sonic friends". GamesRadar. June 23, 2013. Retrieved October 24, 2013.
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