Is Sonic X canon? »

          This actually isn't a plothole, but is more of a subject that is long debated between many Sonic fans ever since the very beginning of the anime TV series, Sonic X in 2003. Its Japanese release combined with Sonic Team's heavy involvement and fairly accurate adaptations to the Sonic Adventure series would suggest that Sonic X is inspired by the Sonic games and could be considered canon. But in the end, is it? Nobody knows for sure, but there is both evidence that Sonic X is canon, but also evidence it isn't.

           Hehe, you know what is weird, though? I always find it funny that most Sonic fans don't think Sonic X is canon, yet they seem to have NO problem using the character statistics offered on the Sonic X info cards that appeared between commercials when writing official character profiles for their own sites. They're basically saying, "Hmm… okay, the game's have never stated Espio's height, but Sonic X episode 39 did, so I'll use that since it's just as good!" Pfft, rather hypocritical, wouldn't you say? It isn't just as good if Sonic X isn't canon like you claim to believe. It just goes to show that this fanbase can sometimes be just as fully loaded as Shadow is in his video game, if you catch my drift. Anyway, enough dilly-dallying. So okay, let's get started, shall we?

Evidence that Sonic X IS canon:

(1). Sonic Team's involvement with Sonic X was actually more substantial than their involvement with the Sonic OAV. Just like in the games, Sonic X's producer was Yuji Naka. Just like in the games, Sonic X's character designer is Yuji Uekawa. In Japan, the entire cast for the video games is the voice cast for Sonic X (as it is in the US as well). Even the original conception was done by Sonic Team.

(2). Unlike pretty much every other Sonic TV series, Sonic X is promoted and sprinkled allover official game sources such as Sega and Sonic Team.com, along with Japan's Sonic Channel official Sonic website. Sonic X was even promoted in Sonic Adventure DX in mission mode: missions #3 and #12 involve billboards that show the Sonic X logo. And yes, Sonic Adventure DX was developed by Sonic Team.

(3). In Sonic Adventure DX, Cream is seen flying around Station Square as a cameo. This shows that it is possible Sonic knew Cream before the Sonic Adventure plot took place… just like in Sonic X. So in other words, it's possible the reason they probably did that cameo of Cream was to coincide with Sonic X.

(4). Sonic X has offered revolutionary fillers to some of the most notorious plotholes the Sonic continuity has made such as where Sonic comes from and how the hell so many humans suddenly appeared in SA and SA2. These are plotholes that the games will never fill. If Sonic X is canon, these plotholes were filled probably because Sonic Team wants you to watch Sonic X to fully understand the continuity

(5). The Sonic X adaptations to Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 are perfectly accurate with the meager exception of Chris and the human's roles.

(6). Relating to the above piece of evidence, the characters in Sonic X are portrayed fairly similarly to how they are in the games.

(7). And last, but most CERTAINLY not least, the English video game voice cast was recently replaced with the Sonic X voice actors. Why? Take a look at what Ryan Drummond said when he found out he was relieved of his duties as Sonic's voice actor:

" I am NOT leaving Sonic's voice by choice.", Ryan explained, "Sega decided that product continuity WAS important to them starting with this new Shadow game. So, WITHOUT TELLING ME, they have *replaced* me as the voice of Sonic with the fella who does Sonic’s voice for the Sonic X show. I was only told after it happened... Now I have no ill-will towards the new voice... I DO, however, have issue with Sega for having no grace in letting me go from my position."

            Product continuity? Okay, that's cool, but how exactly will replacing the original videogame VAs with the Sonic X cast help the product continuity? Simple: the cast replacement was probably meant to unify the games with Sonic X EVEN MORE. In Japan, the video game cast is the same as the Sonic X cast, and it is now the same here in the US. Yuji Naka probably ordered the replacement to solve any disputing as to why the Sonic X voices are different from the games to not arouse suspicion that they are different dimensions of Sonic. Otherwise, WHAT other reason would he do it?

            If he didn't do it for the reasons mentioned above, then he basically threw away a perfectly good and functional cast. I mean really, it's not like he did it because the Sonic X voice cast doesn't have to be paid as much. Think about it.

            Anyway, there's the evidence that Sonic X is canon. Now let's see why Sonic X isn't canon and is its own continuity:

Evidence that Sonic X ISN'T canon:

(1). The sole fact that Sonic X just isn't the games, but is just a made-for-TV show is evidence that it is its own continuity.

(2). It is believed that Yuji Naka once mentioned that Sonic X is an alternate storyline. If that is true, then this entire article is unecessary. But this piece of evidence hasn't been confirmed.

(3). Cream is in the Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 adaptations, confirming she knew Sonic beforehand. This is not how it was thought to be in the games. But notice this: Sonic Adventure DX has Cream cameo in Station Square by flying around. So that means Sonic probably knows her, thus tying in with Sonic X and Cream's participation in the story. However, whether or not her cameo has anything to do with Sonic X in the first place is beyond the fan's knowledge.

(4). Sonic Battle's "adaptation" (if it is even an adaptation) is completely and utterly different from how it is officially portrayed in the Sonic Battle video game. I'm talking… an Archie level of different.

(5). The third season of Sonic X (episodes 53-78) is rather different from anything seen in any Sonic game and shows no relations to the game continuity what so ever. Some think it is a Sonic Heroes and Shadow the Hedgehog adaptation since Shadow comes back and it involved aliens and humans. But I highly doubt that, since his return was under some VERY different circumstances and said aliens and humans are not at all like the ones in ShadTH.

(6). Shadow the Hedgehog takes place on a world filled with humans. This would make sense in the Sonic X continuity since, hey, there was a world of humans. But the thing is, in episode 52 and beyond, Sonic and co. has been back on their own world and has remained there since. His world has no humans, so how does this tie in with Shadow's upcoming game?

(7). And finally, the number one reason most fans think Sonic X isn't canon: CHRIS AND HIS HUMAN FAMILY/FRIENDS.

           There you have it. It's mostly Chris and his family/friends that make Sonic X look like its own continuity. Because come on, there was no 12 year old boy or old man scientist in the game continuity, correct? Well, try watching the Sonic X Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2 adaptations again and perhaps study it. Notice that they left Chris out of most of the key parts of the game that the adaptations shown. In the Sonic Adventure adaptation, Chris was most of the time with Big while he was out searching for Froggy, which was a rather vague and pensive asset to the Sonic Adventure storyline in the first place. Saying Chris actually WAS with Big looking for Froggy wouldn't change the game storyline of Sonic Adventure in the least bit.

            And then Sonic Adventure 2 when the characters are at Prison Island. Almost the entire time, Chris and his butler, Mr. Tanaka are down on side of a mountain trying to get onto Prison Island while the others are up doing what they do in the game continuity. And on the ARK, Chris just stays in the lobby while the story continues. It seems as if Chris and the humans are not involved so much that it would arouse suspicion. And parts they did involve them in are obviously meager and negligible. If you took Chris and his family away, the SA and SA2 adaptations would be identical to the games. But in the end, who knows? Sonic X probably isn't canon. Making it canon would cause more confusion, and Sonic Team knows this. Anyway, if I am missing any evidence that it isn't canon, drop me an e-mail

Conclusion: There you go, people. Why Sonic X could be canon or why it couldn't. But in the end, we can only learn one thing out of this. There is no crappy logic, smart-assed point-out, or witty observation you can make that can prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that Sonic X isn't canon, NOR is there anything you can say that proves it is canon either. So in the end, what does that make this all?

            A huge impasse. Nobody can win. The thought that Sonic X is canon or not is based ENTIRELY around belief and what we personally favor and trust. And we all know nobody can win when it comes to belief. Some people believe it is, some people believe it isn't. That's all it lowers down to, really. There is no undeniable logic or evidence that can prove it is or isn't canon and perhaps we'll never know. Personally, I am indifferent and won't make any assumptions until I am given the official word. (In other words, I don't think it is canon anymore, like I used to.) In fact, the best thing to do is remain neutral in this argument. You have no proof that Sonic X is or is not canon, so just stay indifferent until this topic has been answered beyond doubt, preferably from a from a high-ranking Sonic Team representative.

            Anyway, the main focus is to give out reasons on why or why not the Sonic X TV series could be considered Sonic Team canon. There is no article that can answr this question. It's your belief on whether it is or isn't canon. This page is just meant to help guide you a little. Is Sonic X canon, or is it not? The choice is your own.