Sonic Underground – The Series, Volume One
Picture:
C+ Sound: C+ Extras: C+ Episodes: C
Shout
Factory! has just recently added another ‘classic’ videogame series turned
television series to their wide range of animated classics. Sonic
Underground: Volume One offers fans a chance to own the first half of the
1999 series (20 Episodes) on DVD. The
series is tangential from any story arches presented in previous Sonic the Hedgehog Series or Sonic
Video Games. The series was very odd and
though it had the famous blue hedgehog and his foes, little else resembles the
fun and fast nature of the original video game that inspired the series.
The
series story is simple and odd. The plot
follows the three children of former Queen of Mobius (Sonic, Sonia, and Manic)
as they fight the evil Doctor Robotnik and his hoard of evil doers. The children’s mother (Queen Aleena Hedgehog)
was deposed by the evil Dr. Robotnik and is now in hiding (or something like
that) and awaits the day her and her children can reunite and overthrow the
tyranny of Doctor Robotnik. Throughout
the series the children’s mother comes to their aid; sometimes directly and
other times more indirectly. The children
all possess a magical amulet that has the power to turn into either a helpful
weapon to defeat Robotnik or turn into an awesome MUSICAL INSTRUMENT (I told
you the series was odd). By day they
fight the evils of Mobius and by night they head an underground rock band named
Sonic Underground.
The
history of the series has the same tainted intentions as most video game
inspired animated series. Around 1998
when Sega Dreamcast was at the height of its short lived popularity, Sega went
to the DIC Animation Studio and commissioned them to create a new Sonic the Hedgehog Series (this being
the third of its kind). The series
intention was to get people talking about Sonic
the Hedgehog again; but after only one season, it seemed their attempt to
promote through animation failed. The
series has a bit of a cult following and was broadcast in many countries, but
to this reviewer is the weakest of the three Sonic the Hedgehog Series (this is the last of the three released
by SHOUT! Factory)
The
series is fun, wacky, and colorful but truly failed in capturing this
reviewer’s interest. The series really
deviates from what this reviewer would call ‘the true essence of Sonic the Hedgehog.’ Between the whole kings & queens aspect
of the series and the odd rock band amulets, this reviewer just thinks the
series is a bit much.
The
technical features of the series set are adequate and in line with what Shout!
Factory normally produces. The picture
quality presented in a 1.33 X 1 full frame is lacking color depth and does have
a bit of a gritty quality that needs to be improved. The sound quality is adequate in its Dolby
Digital Stereo but at times does sound distant.
The extras are nice on this set, but nothing spectacular. Extras include a whole CD of Sonic Underground (a soundtrack of 8
songs), a featurette entitled Developing
Sonic Underground with producer Robby London, a look at the music of the
series, a Music Video Juke Box, Storyboards, and Original Concept art. Though this reviewer did not particularly
care for the series, I must give praise to the extra features. The special features give fans a lot to look
at for such a short lived series and the CD is a nice touch because TV
soundtracks are big business and often times hard to find. Shout! Factory may finally be starting to go
in the right direction as special features.
Though
not this reviewers cup of tea; I am more than certain this is a sure buy for
many other fans to Rock out to!
- Michael P Dougherty II
