A report from Andrew Paulson has revealed that US anime localisation company 4Kids are to start providing original, uncensored episodes of the Japanese Sonic X series. A short trailer featuring a clip from the first episode, Enter the Supersonic Hero, has been uploaded to their Youtube Channel. The only problem is, if you’re outside of the US, you’re blocked from watching it – just like any other Sonic X video the company has on their account.
The move is both a positive instance of 4Kids coming to terms with what a lot of their audience has asked for, yet a shock for worldwide fans that even today have to put up with archaic regional rights issues. The TSSZ article is littered with comments from fans disappointed that they cannot watch their favourite cartoon online.
4Kids has received a lot of venom in the past for their handling of Japanese anime shows. Vitriol from Sonic the Hedgehog fans have been somewhat more intense due to an ownership of the franchise’s merchandising rights, along with a controversial move of integrating their voice actors into the Sega games.
They may well be trying to make things up to a ton of their disgruntled viewers tired of the American edits and censors, but have 4Kids scored another own goal here? Let us know in the Comments box or the SSMB.
Meh. Sonic X has been and gone. TBH it wasn’t that good when it was here. Even before 4Kids got their hands on it, it was obviously aimed at 10 year old boys (why else would they include Chris?)
They included Chris because when I watch Sonic X, I AM Chris. When he talks to Sonic, I feel like I’M talking to Sonic. When he ruins a series, it’s like I’M ruining a series.
It had real potential, those first three episodes were great (especially the 2nd episode in Japanese, where Sonic says the “s” word.) Episode 4 kinda sucked, then unfortunately more and more episodes like 4 kept coming. But that last season was great, in outer space and everything. But I agree with that marticulated guy, it wasn’t that good. The SA and SA2 adaptations were boring and that whole season had bad animation. I strongly preffer the anime movie, SatAM, AoSTH and even Sonic Underground.
Though Sonic X was a pretty mediocre cartoon I had to admit it had it’s moments like the race between Sonic and Sam in the first ep (gotta love good speed eps) and the later space eps were interesting in parts because they tried to work outside the game series, with a darker tone.
YES!! I used to like the 4kids version, but now I hate it. Now 4kids is doing something right for once, and I will watch the episodes again (in Japanese of course)
why is it only us only why why why that fucking stupid
4Kids are pure evil. End of story.
why cnt everyone watch it like im from ireland jesus make thnig world wide
Ryan Drummond needs to come back, stop with the RYAN DRUMMOND fanboy crap.
I just want sonics peronality back, its one of my dreams…
A voice DOES matter.
So who owns the rights in Europe?
Eh, I’ve watched the episodes in Japanese before, it’s nothing special. The one episode I recommend, though, is number 20, because you get to see Sonic karate chop Amy’s stomach. He he he…
4Kids has diddled me for the last fucking time…
Now I am truly insane.
No good to me if I m not American. Sort THAT out 4Kids. š
Watch this be just like when they tried to hand out dubbed, but uncensored, episodes of Yu-Gi-Oh! on DVD and then cancelled that project after 3 DVDs were released.
So they’re answering to the American fans, but they still want everyone else who dubbed off their version to be brainwashed with a plate of shit? Good going 4Kids, I’m sure you’ll lose even more fans now, not that you had that many to begin with -___-.
If they make a new uncensored dub with the original soundtrack and no pointless jokes, then they’d be doing things right.
Ah 4Kids… what a stupid, stupid company. *shrug* I guess they tried, right? Too bad they need to try harder.
Soooo, we it’s only in Japanese or English too?
:/ i wanna go to America… they bring nothing to european countries… TT^TT
@Daniel Butler:
*shrugs* If you say so.
@Waaurufu
I also recommend that episode but from what Ive seen he chops her in the back of the neck.
@ l.e.
Jetix aired it in Europe. So its jetix’s problem.
@ Barry: It’s SEGA’s way of trolling us because. Most of our fanbase DID ruin the series. Next up, In Shadow The Hedgehog 2, there is Mii support.
Well good! The Japanese version was way better.
It’s a shame about the region lock thou, but it’s not like a Sonic fan hasn’t seen it.
Guess they’re getting the message that their attempt to dub the series into english failed
A. Ryan’s good. Jason’s good. Doesn’t really matter to me. Sonic’s Sonic, plain and simple.
B. What exactly is different between this and the Sonic X I’m used to seeing, besides language?
and C. Can’t see it on You Tube, try Daily Motion. That’s the site I usually check out for free WWE Pay-Per-Views.
4kids
4….kids
for……KIDS!
OMG! Did you see that??
Well, that’s really lame. Jeez, more and more people are gonna go look for the original episodes now…
(By the way ‘Jackskellinghog’, I would have rather had that then ’06, just sayin’.)
Restricting sonicX in other countries?why does that kinda piss me off?
Sonic X was pretty good but Chris ruined it I thought he wouldn`t return for Season 3 but no… he had to come back
if SEGA ever makes a new anime or a spin off to Sonic X I hope that there`s no Chris or a character like Chris I mean Chris is pretty much an rip off to kid that has no brother or sister
SonicToast said “(especially the 2nd episode in Japanese, where Sonic says the āsā word.) ”
…who gives a shit? Dragonball has Goku’s underage flacid uncircumsized penis in full display. It’s still a kids show. Also, “adult” content doesn’t automatically make things good. Example: A majority of Adult Swim’s lineup.
4Kids posts original Jap eps on YT channel, great 4Kids, you get a gold star. Oh wait, I cannot access them because I’m in the UK. I’ll just be taking that gold star back now…
Saw this on YT the other day.
I hope they release them on DVD… (I feel kinda naughty now for DLing the WPP sub from a torrent… XD)
(I would buy them to make up for that. xD)
I can’t access them because of AGE RESTRICTIONS.
@Umiyuri
“AGE” restrictions? I think you mean teritory restrictions…
I think I saw some Japanese Sonic X episodes at Google Video.
@RS
Agreed.
I couldn’t watch that version because of the restrictions, but I watched a Japanese version. The first thing Eggman said was a swear word ^.^ Gotta love the Japs…
@Will.
Nope. AGE restrictions. D:
I just hope they(or Funimation) release the whole complete series (uncut of course, but in English) on to DVD. I would definately buy it!
Oh, I wanted to have a look.
If anyone in America downloads them, uploads them, and e-mails me a link to download them, I’ll appreciate it.
I hate Sonic’s face there. Not even SEGA, who created anything that you would consider horrible, would pull that out. Urgh.
EDIT:
tiagoj7monteiro@gmail.com
@TrueBlueJ7: I don’t know… Look at Dark Gaia, that thing’s horrendous. (In a good way of course.)
@Humble Fellow: LOL Yes, in a good way. In that picture, Sonic’s face is even uglier than in that leaked screenshot of SU. Dark Gaia is just like Perfect Chaos, but dry and hotter. LOL Come to think of it, Dark Gaia is very similar to Metal Overlord as well. I think SEGA makes their final bosses look similar on purpose: they just don’t hire another artist.
Well… at least some people who didn’t know the goodness of the Japanese Sonic X actually knows now.
I just hope 4kids will re-dub the shows WITHOUT editing the important parts… like…how Molly dies and Shadow and Maria holding hands…you know? the GOOD parts they edited out.
God people…more bashing on Chris?
Anyway… I can still watch episode thanks to a website.
I feel sorry for those who can’t watch them. The Japanese episodes are WAY better than the English edits ((Duh)).
If they were to sell those episodes to us now, I would be glad to buy them because buying $50 per imported DVD…yeah can’t afford it.
Again… 4kids…. re-dub them WITHOUT editing. If they can cuss in Shadow The Hedgehog, they can cuss in Sonic X. If they can do violence in Shadow The Hedgehog and up, then they can handle the violence.
Dude… my 8 year old niece plays rate E10+ games. Any games with “Damn” and such just remind her not to say it.
DUH.
It’s not that hard to correct little kids… ((actually it is but you get the point)).
It’s the parents responsibility, not the t.v. companies. They have the right to show whatever the heck but I forget what made them change the whole thing about violence in kid shows. Oh yeah…. fat kids being bullies… coming from t.v. hmm…
oh well xD
I do sure miss those times… even Disney had violence in their old movies…now it’s…High School Freaking Musical.
I’ll admit that Sonic X wasn’t the greatest anime in the world, but I still have to give thanks to it, for it was the deciding factor that made me become a Sonic fan in the first place.
When I watch it now, the only thing that really stands out for me is the TailsxCosmo subplot. The ending to episode 77 still makes me weep…
Not that I encourage the use of proxies or anything, but… >_>
Have the original American cast redub the entire series with the uncut japanese video and audio.
I dunno why I didn’t think of this before, but you could use an American proxy server to download the videos using something like vixy.net. Just throwing that out there.
@Umiyuri
I didn’t occur to me that the Jap version was THAT mature (Sure there is a little cursing in it, but still…)
@Will: I’m sure you wee talking about Knuckles’ discovery about showgirls xD
Garbage is still garbage. I don’t understand what people saw in this show or how the very minor edits were enough to get people so riled up. With or without the minimal edits the show was still pretty terrible in almost every department. Which is sorta sad because TMS has done alot of really good TV series and movies but it seemed like even they didn’t want to work on this what with how it turned out.
Anywho instead of doing this I think they should spend more time finding better voice directors or something.
Retroman is replying to (Quote)l.e. Says:
July 10th, 2009 at 5:45 pm
So who owns the rights in Europe?(unquote)
Jetix(Walt Disney company subsidiary in Europe) owns rights to Sonic X in European territories. They have translated Series 2 into english and dubbed series 1 (obviously The JETIX translations are as same as the 4kids, so They stole 4kid’s translation or the other way ’round).
I HATED JASON’S FIRST SHADOW! chaos control now! No emotion, HORRIBLE VOICE, and comment ruined by the horribly added now. That was the reason I stopped watching. Dark Super Sonic was cool though!
I can’t find the original japenese episodes easily, but I’d like to see them.
On an unrelated note, I have that picture.
ok, I can say that I don’t like sonic x because of the story and that sonic x has own stories for SA and SA2.
But this is good that they make them free to watch (but I live in Europe lol)
(And sorry that I didn’t login because I have lost my password since year 2005.)
I am rather happy that they are doing this, but what will happen to the fans outside of the US? What will happen if they don’t get the uncensored show (as I am british)? On the other hand, shouldn’t 4Kids do this with other shows, like Tokyo Mew Mew and Kirby??