All the Announcements from Anime Expo 2024

The Year of Shadow the Hedgehog

Sonic X Shadow Generations is probably one of the more anticipated games releasing this fall. I can't speak for everybody, but I know for a fact that this game is going to consume my life the minute it comes out, so I jumped at the opportunity to find out what new details would be revealed at Anime Expo 2024. Kirk Thornton was at the panel and hyped his involvement in the project. Sonic X Shadow Generations is looking to be the game that delves back into the past of the ultimate lifeform that has not been done for over a decade. Despite voicing Shadow for the past couple of years across different media, Kirk was never allowed to voice the character under these circumstances. He is looking forward to seeing how he could develop him further.

This also applies to Stephanie Sheh, the new voice of Maria. She is pivotal in the development of Shadow's character. Maria hasn't been prominently featured in any media for a long time. Having an industry veteran like Stephanie portray a modern retelling of the character is an exciting prospect. Not only will she be voicing Maria in any potential cut scenes of the game, but she will also be voicing Maria in the newly announced three prologues animated series that will be released later this year as a promotion.

We were allowed to check out a small sample of this animation, and it shows a lot of promise. Shadow's backstory from Sonic Adventure 2 with updated voice acting and gorgeous animation was a sight to behold. Shadow's creator and the current head of Sonic Team, Takashi Iizuka, stated that they wanted to expand upon Shadow's backstory and highlight the elements that fully establish him as the dark hero he is supposed to be in the franchise. Shadow was heavily inspired by Western dark antiheroes. Takashi noted how popular these characters were when he visited America during the development of Sonic Adventure. He specifically notes Spawn as a point of influence, and you can see the influence more clearly in Shadow's prototype design, which was also showcased here. Shadow's original design was slightly different from what we see today, and he used to go by the name Terios. This design will be showcased as a skin in the upcoming game.

Shadow's popularity across the Sonic franchise is noteworthy. To many, he is just as iconic and popular as Sonic. Although Takashi insists that Shadow was not inspired by Vegeta, his dynamic as an occasional rival to Sonic probably appeals to fans in a similar way. Between this game coming out and his later appearance in the upcoming Sonic 3 movie, it truly does feel like the year of Shadow the Hedgehog.