Welcome to the Archive site of The Sonic Stadium (2008-2023)
Please note that this site is no longer being updated or maintained; as a result, there may be design issues, and links to images and other media may be broken. Links to posts may redirect you to the same article on the current Sonic Stadium website.
Well, this merch announcement snuck right past us! It appears that Sonic the Hedgehog will be immortalised this Fall as a collectible BE@RBRICK figurine, forming part of the Japanese brand of toys’ Series 46 lineup.
This will actually be the second time Sonic has appeared as a BE@RBRICK – the last time being around 2011 for Series 23 to coincide with the blue blur’s 20th anniversary. That previous figure had a slightly different design (and honestly looked pretty goofy with his massive nose), so this new design actually feels a lot closer to the real deal.
Sonic will be one of 21 special BE@RBRICK designs (six of them are secret) in the Series 46 set that you can collect, but as is tradition with these kinds of Japanese toys, actually getting him will require a significant amount of luck as you have to buy these figures in “blind box” packaging. Meaning you won’t know which figure you will get until you actually open the box.
But if that’s a risk you’re willing to take, for a figure that looks like this, then you will be able to order individual Series 46 BE@RBRICK figures from this website when they officially go on sale around August 2023 (it seems the website is sold out for pre-orders at this time). Each figure will cost around $8 USD.
If you’re a masochist with bags of money – in this economy! – you can also get a full blind box set of 24 figures for $184 from the above website (or for a little more sane $115 USD from this store instead). We would hope that would guarantee you get the Sonic figure, for that price, but nothing is truly certain in this world.
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If you haven’t been paying attention to YouTube in the last couple of years, you might be interested to know that there’s been a bit of a trend – particularly in Japan – towards creating content using virtual hosts instead of real people. Even the Sonic social team has got on board recently with its TailsTube series.
Now, SEGA Japan has launched its own VTuber called Usaki Rin, and one of the first things the company got ‘her’ to do was to sing Sonic Adventure 2’s “Escape From The City”. Because, of course it did.
This cover of the iconic City Escape theme, which features a cool new arrangement by Jun Senoue, was actually posted a couple weeks ago on Usaki Rin’s standalone YouTube channel – and is itself a full version of a song originally performed back in February during a ‘SEGA New’ livestream.
But the Official Japanese SEGA Twitter account has only just got round to posting it, so we’ve heard it, and now we’re obliged to share it with you, ensuring that there is truly no escape from hearing the vocalised tones of our new Kawaii Overlord.
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Even though he’s way more popular in the West, Sonic the Hedgehog games continue to see exclusive special editions in SEGA’s home country, Japan. Sonic Frontiers will be no different, with a limited release of the upcoming game coming complete with an art book and a Koco charm toy.
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The second Sonic the Hedgehog movie is (finally) about to be released to cinemas in Japan, and there’s been plenty of hype building up in the country as they get to see Sonic and Knuckles in live action. An interview with a producer at SEGA discusses the success of the first movie – and interestingly appears to suggest a release window for the upcoming Netflix series ‘Sonic Prime’ as well.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
Did you know that Sonic the Hedgehog technically has TWO anniversaries? That’s right – even though SEGA’s blue blur first landed on the Mega Drive and Genesis on June 23rd, 1991, that was only in Europe and North America. In Japan, the original Mega Drive release of Sonic the Hedgehog was a month later, on July 26. That makes today Sonic’s official 30th Anniversary in his creators’ homeland!
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We’re not ones to push rumours and hearsay on the blue blur’s birthday, but according to a frequent Famitsu and Weekly Shonen Jump leaker, SEGA Japan appears to have plans to turn Sonic the Hedgehog into a VTuber.
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We might not have a game that specifically celebrates Sonic’s 30th Anniversary like Sonic Generations or Sonic Adventure 2 before it, but that isn’t stopping SEGA Japan! The company is using the remastered Sonic Colours Ultimate as a vehicle to promote the landmark occasion, with a special edition pack of the game that will make most of us Westerners very jealous!
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Japanese green tea company ITO EN has launched a brand new TV commercial for its popular range of bottled ‘Oi Ocha’ drinks, leveraging a new partnership with pop group Dreams Come True. As part of this collaboration, DCT’s Masato Nakamura appears to have introduced a new arrangement of Sonic the Hedgehog’s ‘Green Hill Zone’ for the commercial’s music.
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It has been 10 years sine the devestating Tohoku earthquake and tsunami hit Japan, causing massive loss of life. The folowing nuclear disaster at the Fukushima Diachii power plant still has lasting repurcussions, affecting a huge number of lives of those living in and around the Prefecture. A large area around the wrecked power plant – known as the exclusion zone – is still deemed too radioactive to safely live in.
The Youtube channel, Exploring the Beaten Path, spent time in the Fukushima exclusion zone back in 2019, investigating those places that stand frozen in time since 2011. As part of their exploration, a pair of daring explorers has ventured into the ruins of a SEGA Games Hall (with it’s SEGASonic logo still intact on the building) to get a glimpse into life so suddenly brought to a halt a decade ago.
You can check out the video below:
On this sombre anniversary, the thoughts of everyone at TSS are with those who were and still are affected by this disaster.
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If you’re old (like us) or have been living under a rock (like us), you’re probably unaware of the latest streaming craze that’s swept the internet – ‘VTubers’. And this week, the internet has been going gaga over one particular hyper-popular virtual icon who’s on a quest to play all of the classic Sonic the Hedgehog games for the very first time.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
Last night, one of Tokyo’s most landmark SEGA arcades closed down for good. The SEGA Akihabara Building 2, best known for its iconic orange escalator design, had its final day of business on August 30. Continue reading Iconic Akihabara SEGA Arcade Closes Down For Good
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Even though we still haven’t heard much in the way of #Sonic2020 announcements, SEGA’s Japanese Sonic team has managed to keep its ‘Sonic Station Live’ shows ticking. The next broadcast is scheduled for August 28th. We should expect some new goods and music-based merchandise, at the very least. Continue reading August’s Sonic 2020 Livestream Promises New Merchandise and Compilation Album
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
If you’re as old as Dreadknux is (he’s turning 35 tomorrow!), you’ll remember that way, way back in 2002 Japanese manga book CoroCoro ran a series of Sonic the Hedgehog gag strips. We thought they’d be lost to time to all outside of Japan, but for a limited time CoroCoro has brought back the entire series for online users to read for free! Continue reading CoroCoro Comics Publish 2000’s Sonic Manga For Free, For A Limited Time Only
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
In today’s “Japan gets all the cool stuff” news, SEGA is celebrating Sonic the Hedgehog’s 29th birthday by making sure its arcade-goers don’t go hungry. A select number of Tokyo-based SEGA Taiyaki stores will be selling taiyaki in the shape of the blue blur’s face! Continue reading Munch on Sonic’s Delicious Face With This Chili Dog-Flavoured Taiyaki
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
Fancy some new ways to express yourself when messaging your pals? Well, thanks to an ongoing collaboration with Japanese chat app LINE, SEGA has unleashed a fresh set of Sonic-themed stamps that you can use to decorate your conversations. And they’re so cute! Continue reading Cute Sonic Stamps Are Now Available on the LINE Messaging App
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
Surprise! To help cheer everyone up during these weird virus lockdown times, Sonic Team has launched a limited-time radio channel on YouTube playing non-stop music from Sonic’s history. Pump up those speakers! Continue reading Sonic Team Launches 24-Hour Non-Stop Music Stream
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
Can you believe that in three days time it will have been a whole 28 YEARS since the original Sonic the Hedgehog game launched on Sega Mega Drive? To celebrate, SEGA Japan is throwing a massive party at its Tokyo Joypolis arcade, on Sunday 23 June – and there will be special music events as well as awesome merchandise to collect. Take a look at what’s in store – you’ll want to check back on this page to check a livestream on the day too! Continue reading Tokyo Joypolis Hosting Sonic 28th Birthday Party & Ohtani DJ Set on 23 June
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
A few months ago, Japanese clothing boutique ThunderBox launched a new exciting range of Sonic inspired clothing and products and they’re not stopping with just one range.
Over the weekend they launched season 2 of their clothing range with a pop up shop in the Laforet Harajuku Department store (It’s in Japan).
Well… check out who paid them a visit!
Yuji Naka himself attended the store with his family! We’re not sure if he made any purchases but based on his social media platforms he really enjoyed his time at the store.
Also, one of our writers was actually in the area and managed to take some photos of the store so you can check out what’s on offer.
The store will be open until November 16th, at which point their online website will start to take orders, and yes folks, they do ship outside of Japan!
Special thanks to Jonathan Dixon who provided us with some more photos!
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
If you’re thinking of travelling to Tokyo, Japan in September, then make sure you take time out to visit the Yokohama store of department outlet ‘TOKYU HANDS’. SEGA Japan has announced a special ‘SEGA Fair’ promotion with the commercial chain, where customers can bag themselves some cool Sonic-themed merchandise for a limited time. Continue reading Limited Edition ‘SEGA Fair’ Merchandise To Be Made Available in Japan Throughout September
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At the end of 2015, twitter user and bike enthusiast 250moriyuki wanted to test out his new bike around some of the more remote parts of Japan, on his journey he documented the trip and posted a number of images showcasing the sights on his adventures.
Including the following…
One of three images showing a giant Sonic statue, standing on what appears to be a snowboard held in place against two trees.
Only a handful of Sonic fans had seen this, at the time only a single blog entry showing a low quality image of it existed online which again didn’t give an exact location.
Given the lack of information and the significance of the find, many users on our forums including myself attempted to find the statue. We knew that it was in the Mie Prefecture and on the day moriyuki posted his original images, he mentioned the Soni Village, so we knew the rough area it was in.
However, despite efforts to pin point the location, that region is huge, with hundreds of roads, it was going to take a long time to find searching manually.
Since then, other images of the statue have surface, but again, no location posted.
Since August 2016, the trail had gone cold. Until last night…
SSMB user BxB-Meister posted a single image from what appears to be a google street view search showing the statue! Following a conversation with BxB, he agreed to give me the exact address of the statue on one condition.
That condition is to keep the exact location a secret for now.
The reason being is that the statue is in a very remote location and people are worried that once the location is fully revealed, the statue’s days are numbered, there is a risk of vandalism or even theft.
Until someone can go out there, and document this statue with the intention of taking high quality photographs and even video, it’s exact location should be kept secret.
Now that said, I will gladly give out the location of the statue if someone is able to go out there and document it. So here is the only hint as to where it is.
By car, it’s between 15-30min away from the Kindai University Technical College located in Nabari. So if you are capable of getting to that location, it should be very easy (even by foot) to get to the statue.
If you do happen to live in Japan can get to this area and are willing to go on an adventure, contact me via the SSMB forums and I will give you the address if you be worthy! Yup, I’m treating this exactly like a quest, because let’s be honest! This is as close to an RPG quest as we’re going to get!
So until the day comes where someone fully documents this statue, let’s hope it has many years ahead of it as it cheers on riders and other adventures!
Although, as one mystery ends, the other remains.
Just why is this statue there?
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
To help celebrate Sonic’s 25th Anniversary, from October 1st until November 13th, there will be a special Sonic themed cafe open at the Suites Paradise Ueno ABAB shop on Japan.
A specially designed Sonic themed menu has been created, including Sonic themed drinks, all meals purchased will come with a special gift (coasters and stickers). Some of the drinks even come in special containers, the Tails themed drink for instance comes in a science beaker.
Some more pictures are available in our gallery and lots more are in the topic on SSMB.
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Japans Sonic twitter account announced today that there would be a number of new 25th Anniversary pieces of merchandise released later this month. One of those was this rather nice figurine of Classic Sonic. Continue reading Classic Sonic 25th Anniversary Figurine Announced
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
SEGA of Japan have today launched their 25th Anniversary website, and have already begun to populate the page with events and items set to be released for this year.
The Sonic Stadium may link to retailers and earn a small commission on purchases made from users who click those links. These links will only appear in articles related to the product, in an unobtrusive manner, and do not influence our editorial decisions in any way.
