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Shout! Factory was kind enough to ship me a copy of Sonic the Hedgehog – the Complete Series, so I decided to check it out. For many, it is the show that came on Saturday mornings on ABC and looks like every other kids show in the time period of the White Ranger. And for some, it was truly one of the greatest cartoon shows ever created. Grab a few power rings for protection and read the full review after the jump!

Originally, the show had aired in the early 90’s by DiC, the same people that had brought you other video game shows like the Legend of Zelda and the Super Mario Bros. Super Show. It’s not to be confused with the Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, which premiered in the same month, but was a very different show. It ran for two seasons, and was cancelled because of low ratings, mainly due to competition from shows like the Power Rangers.

Nonetheless, the show had received very well reception. Sonic the Hedgehog, in comparison to AoStH, had a much darker feeling. The plot revolves around the Freedom Fighters, a group of friends dedicated to stopping Dr. Robotnik’s plans, to bring back Robotropolis to its original state of being. The new city is causing polution and is an industrial waste site. Sonic and his friends must band together to foil the evil doctor’s plans.

The packaging comes in a box set, totalling 4 DVD’s. The art work is composed entirely of fanart, which I thought was a great idea. Although some of the images are kind of crude and don’t look very pleasing to the eye, its the novelty that counts. Some of the features include interviews with Jaleel White (better known as Urkel) and Ben Hurt, storyboards, deleted and extended scenes, concept art, and a printable pilot script. It’s seriously jam-packed with a bunch of things to keep you entertained for a while.

The show itself has shown some aging; it reminds me of a lot of retro cartoons that sound and look the same, almost as if the people who were working with the production team had been in the same staff for every single show in the 90’s. Many fans of Sonic might not actually like this, mainly because it has very little to do with the actual story of the games. There is also no mention of key characters such as Knuckles or Metal Sonic. If you’re not familiar with the show, I highly recomend you to stay away from this show. Some of my friends have watched an episode or two, and laughed at it, calling it a “kiddy show from the past.” That is what it is though, a children’s cartoon, but that doesn’t mean the quality of the show is any less than from when it was first shown.

So basically what I’m trying to say is if you have watched this show in the past and enjoyed it, you should really check this out. Sonic is very nostalgic and the DVD comes with loads of extras. However, if you don’t want to try something new and would rather watch more up-to-date video game adaptations, try something like Sonic X. Overall, Sonic the Hedgehog is a fun and exciting family show that nostalgia seekers should be aware of.