Sonic the Most American Japanese franchise

[Retro Doomer]

Hear me out my guys just think about it while it may be true Sonic comes from Japan but most of its marketing and promotional material was focused on the West,
primarily America even the Sonic Anime got a Season 3 in America but never in Japan which feels weird like some kind of parallel universe...

but it does go also deeper then this even the Themes are more American inspired especially in the Games

So can we all call Sonic a honorary American ?

but perhaps I am wrong and you can correct me on this..but so far I would go with what I said.

 

[Dr.Kisaragi Dr.Kisaragi]

I mean to be fair he was made with American audience in mind for me his like the half Japanese half America I'm curious Since Sonic is the Sega Mascot in worldwide in Japan who they consider the mascot of Sega in Japan like famous one

 

[Retro Doomer]

I mean to be fair he was made with American audience in mind for me his like the half Japanese half America I'm curious Since Sonic is the Sega Mascot in worldwide in Japan who they consider the mascot of Sega in Japan like famous one

True they focused the marketing mostly towards the west probably because they probably thought they could not compete with Nintendos Mario in Japan.
Its still strange though how hard they nowadays try to market it towards Japan but falling down hard afterwards its just how it is...its more popular in the West its not impossible to make it popular in Japan though as Frontiers shows but its a lot of work they have to put in,

 

[RanmyakuIchi's icon RanmyakuIchi RanmyakuIchi]

Naoto Ohshima literally ran his "Mr Hedgehog" initial designs by New Yorkers for feedback before returning to Japan. He wanted something that "transcends race and gender and things like that" in his own words.

Also keep in mind that Sega was founded in America (Hawaii) by Americans (Martin Bromley and Richard Stewart), which lead to Sega being a bit more tuned in on American taste at this time. Sega of America had more influence then most American branches of Japanese companies as a result.

 

[Boofytan]

Sanic is angery edgy attitude blue spikey thing; not kawaii. No no not kawaii at all. Most unforgivable though is his lack of waifu on the MD.

No pantsu. No modesty. Waving his finger. Heh.

 

[Ikagura Ikagura]

While the Felix the Cat roots can still be seen and that his cool attitude is associated with the US kind of protagonist I also think that Sonic isn't the "most american" since we also got many western influenced franchises in Japan (between Superhero comics for BNHA/MHA, western movies and spy flick in MGS, Greek statue poses and classic Rock songs for JoJo, etc...).

Maybe it's one of the most american-like video game franchise I do agree on that.

 

[Retro Doomer]

While the Felix the Cat roots can still be seen and that his cool attitude is associated with the US kind of protagonist I also think that Sonic isn't the "most american" since we also got many western influenced franchises in Japan (between Superhero comics for BNHA/MHA, western movies and spy flick in MGS, Greek statue poses and classic Rock songs for JoJo, etc...).

Maybe it's one of the most american-like video game franchise I do agree on that.

Well true the whole Superhero thing is very much American inspired but I still would call MHA very Japanese in its themes and overall vibe compared to Sonic.

I also would not know any franchise which feels more American than Sonic from Japan and sure there are many franchises in Japan with American and overall western themes but more often than not they still feel inherently Japanese unlike Sonic who feels far more western in its setting and theme.

But that may be just my personal view and overall feeling I get.

Post automatically merged: 39 minutes ago

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

View attachment 140694
So can we all call Sonic a honorary American ?

who doesn't atp?

 

[Lod 10]

Hear me out my guys just think about it while it may be true Sonic comes from Japan but most of its marketing and promotional material was focused on the West,
primarily America even the Sonic Anime got a Season 3 in America but never in Japan which feels weird like some kind of parallel universe...

but it does go also deeper then this even the Themes are more American inspired especially in the Games
View attachment 140694
So can we all call Sonic a honorary American ?

but perhaps I am wrong and you can correct me on this..but so far I would go with what I said.

Well, my friend, it's because Sonic was created more for the American audience. Since it came from Japan, it wasn't very successful; the Mega Drive wasn't a big hit in Japan either.

 

[Evaccaneer Doom]

Well, my friend, it's because Sonic was created more for the American audience. Since it came from Japan, it wasn't very successful; the Mega Drive wasn't a big hit in Japan either.

The Mega Drive’s launch didn’t help matters either.

 

[Retro Doomer]

Naoto Ohshima literally ran his "Mr Hedgehog" initial designs by New Yorkers for feedback before returning to Japan. He wanted something that "transcends race and gender and things like that" in his own words.

Also keep in mind that Sega was founded in America (Hawaii) by Americans (Martin Bromley and Richard Stewart), which lead to Sega being a bit more tuned in on American taste at this time. Sega of America had more influence then most American branches of Japanese companies as a result.

That is surprising to me I thought it was founded in Japan like most Japanese companies.
That does explain a lot though but either way they did focus there market in regards of Sonic more towards a western primarily American audience at that,
later of course they tried to win over Japan with mixed results Frontiers was a hit but that was already what they god in terms of success over there as far as I am aware.

 

[CheesyExplosive]

Can you say "jaleel white franchise with chilidogs? SANIC UNDERGROUNNNNNNNNDDDD!!!! SANIC UNDERGROUND!!!!!" cause that's where it all started. sonic never ate chilidogs until sega decided to apply it into him in sonic generations or sonic and the black knight spinoff.

also:

so... blame sega of america for this not sega of japan. (i would rather see shadow throw surikens at robutnik forehead vs a shotgun... get-it?)