Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024) Review

Welcome to my review of Sonic The Hedgehog 3! This latest installment of the trilogy is easily its best, so let’s open it up and find out why.

We open on Prison Island, which is in Tokyo Bay in the live-action timeline. As two of a contingent of GUN mercenaries keep watch, we get the first of many parts of Shadow looking back at his time with Maria set to “Live and Learn.” We’ll come back to this song later, and this movie made good use of it even with the legal issues. Much of the cast reprises their roles, with much to discuss in new and familiar people.

The security mainframe is hacked as Shadow awakens, shattering the stasis tube! Though they never outright name his “Chaos Control” in the movie, certainly not a stretch as he’s voiced by someone who was Neo. He fights his way out of the compound, speed skating into the city and our title card!

"Are you sure this line is clean?"

Back in Green Hills, Sonic is on a camping trip with his companions. There’s even a fun friendly race at the campsite, set to Goldfinger’s cover “99 Red Balloons.” I prefer the original German version by Nena, but it’s a nice touch that sets up Tails’ holograms. There’s even the stage clear music from the games; as the trip is to celebrate his arrival on earth! Yet, not even that is respite from a global cataclysmic event. 

It is a nice moment, especially as Tom and Sonic talk in his old knothole. There’s a lot to touch on in this movie; but it definitely takes the best elements from the games and the other adaptations. In many respects, Tom is something of an adult take on Chris from Sonic X; albeit without the more divisive qualities of that character. These movies work quite well for an unofficial live-action adaptation of that anime.

Back in Tokyo, Shadow discovers he’s been in stasis for 50 years; as GUN summons “Team Sonic” to help contain Shadow. The scene of them diving into the city and into battle is quite effective. The subsequent battle on the streets is great; and the following motorcycle chase is full of visual Easter eggs from in and out of the franchise. As Sonic gives chase, Shadow uses a GUN sidearm when it’s clear he won’t let him go easy.

The chase goes up and above the Tokyo Tower skyline, complete with an Akira slide up the tower. Got to give it to DP Brandon Trost and editor Al Levine- their work here is great. Though Shadow escapes, the three regroup to determine their next move.

The Chao Garden cafe is a signature scene; and seeing all the details from the cakes to the Chao in Space poster in the background is a delight. Also like the joke of a Japanese girl mistaking Tails for Detective Pikachu (nice nod to another successful video game turned successful live-action film).

As Commander Walters meets with Team Sonic, he explains to them about Shadow. His story started like Sonic’s; but while Sonic found family and friends, Shadow found pain and loss. I especially like how the next action scene is set up- the lights go down, then back up to a J-pop cover of “I Want You Back,” lulling the audience into a false sense of security before the cafe is attacked for real. Though it’s not clear what really happens to Walters; this ends up remixing the GUN storyline from the games in a way that makes sense. He does give Sonic one of the two keys to the Eclipse Cannon, which will be important later.

Stone breaks up the attack, and in order to find Shadow; the heroes must form a reluctant alliance with an old enemy- Dr. ivo “Robotnik” Eggman, played again by Jim Carrey. Well, this is consistent with what he said after the last movie. Knuckles remarks “this is sad, even for you.”

He finally got his wish for his game character’s body type, thanks to a mixture of Olive Garden (among other caloric takeout) and campy telenovelas. He grudgingly forms an enemy mine with our heroes, and even has a new, game-accurate suit. Also, yes, he really did get his haircut during this part. Eggman tracks the drones back to their point of origin, in exchange for one of Sonic’s quills.

We flashback to 1974, where Shadow’s backstory takes place with Maria, played by Alyla Browne. Though she lacks her game counterpart’s terminal illness, there are constants between her role in Shadow’s story. I especially like the donut angels and Easter egg of the Bio-Lizard in an old kaiju movie they watch.

Everyone starts exploring the old GUN base, and I really enjoy the way the characters play off each other; especially Tails and Stone. Stone is also something of a remix of Snively of the Archie comics and SatAM- though in Stone’s case, he remains friendly and loyal to Robotnik to the end. From making his coffee to building his various machines, he’s willing to do anything for him. 

Riddle me this, Batman- what’s better than one Jim Carrey Robotnik? How about two- Jim also plays Gerald Robotnik. It’s a comedic goldmine; and it’s also done with a more advanced version of the tech in the Eddie Murphy Nutty Professor films. As they bond and make up for lost time (nice Eggman Land Easter egg in VR); Stone later tries to warn Ivo about his grandfather’s ulterior motives, but Ivo fires him in response.

Chaining Team Sonic to an old defense silo, Shadow takes their key to the Eclipse Cannon and activates a miniature black hole device! In the nick of time, they’re able to use a ring to go back to Green Hills before the base is enveloped!

The other key to the Cannon is in London, and this whole sequence in act 2 is setup like a heist film; and even with Maddie and Tom taking up baking and puppetry respectively; they’re happy to help. Also kind of neat how puppets were used to place the characters for the VFX team.

The key is protected by three trap countermeasures- a shield and laser grid are two; both of which could end Sonic in a way that actually wouldn’t be out of place in the games. Why, may you ask; can’t he just use a ring? That requires an idea of where you’re coming out, and the third countermeasure and trap is off the books. As for his request for Tom Cruise- I think he was shooting a movie in the Baltics.

Tom and Maddie slip in disguised as Randall and Rachel; planting a “crash drive” in the compound’s servers. I like the little bit of Tom blowing the dust out of the contact points- I am old enough to remember doing that to my Sega games.

As Shadow waits for Sonic to make his move, he ends up getting invested in Eggman’s telenovelas; which is a deep-cut in-joke I rather enjoy. On the other side of the coin, the film does not hold back in depicting Maria’s tragic fate- though not exactly the same as the games; the one constant is this- Maria was the only one who showed him kindness, and her death made Shadow who he is.

Though this is the darkest film in the trilogy by far, the humor is still in abundance. The scene where Ivo and Gerald dance through the laser grid to the Chemical Brothers’ “Galvanize” is a riot and predictably went viral online.

The hidden third trap is a floor with artificial gravity controls; which can decrease or increase at the touch of a button. Knuckles gets called in; but accidentally breaks the control panel, and even starts a collapse of the concrete roof! Sonic is able to spin dash just in time to stop Tom and Maddie from being struck by falling rebar! 

After that close call, it’s a similar bait and switch from the Chao Garden scene- Tom secures the key while disguised as Walters; but Shadow takes it and gravely injures him in the process, benching him for about half the movie. 

With few options left, Sonic demands to know where the Master Emerald is. Knuckles remains hesitant, as they decided after the last movie it’s too much power to wield lightly (again, like Sega’s own Infinity Gauntlet). He does grudgingly agree to tell him where the gem is- in the care of Wade; showing that the Knuckles event is still canon. Also, Sonic gets it from him practicing hockey on the roof- well, somebody saw Clerks.

Taking the Emerald, Sonic, having learned the sickening truth, decides to confront Shadow and the two Eggmen. When Ivo tries to dissuade Gerald from global destruction and to mutual conquest; Gerald coldly dismisses the idea with just three words- “You’re no Maria.”

Both Eggmen and hedgehogs come to blows, with the sequence being a major highlight. Shadow even removes his inhibitor rings after crashing into a crater, always a sign he means business. 

Though Iizuka denies the connection, if Sonic is like our Goku, then Shadow is something of our Vegeta; an antagonist who comes around to the light; as the fight reminds him of what Maria meant to him. 

Cue “Live and Learn,” and as Sonic and Shadow become allies for the assault on the Cannon to both the song from Crush 40 and a full orchestra arrangement. Seriously- Chaos Spears, game-accurate robot soldiers; cutting the moon in half- they do it all. Even with the behind the scenes drama with the band, it’s still a great song. As for how the non-human characters can breathe in space- well, it is in keeping with the games; and they are functionally aliens in this continuity, something Sonic lampshaded near the beginning.

Ivo zaps Gerald into the cannon’s energy field, and as he stays behind to stop the cannon; he sends a last goodbye message to Stone. As for what comes next, Jim has said “anything is possible.”  Holding him to those words.

We close on the camping trip from before, Tom getting out of the hospital (guess NHS fixed him up) and finally finishing the race we started with. The credits roll to “Run It” by Jelly Roll. On top of it being a good song (single has been in heavy rotation even as someone who’s otherwise unfamiliar with the singer); I once again like the visuals recalling the low-polygon graphics of the Saturn (very underrated console, most people I knew had/liked the N64 or original Playstation).

The first stinger sees Sonic winning the race; but also going all the way to New York in the process. He’s attacked by a wave of Metal Sonic drones; but they are in turn smashed by a familiar pink hedgehog’s hammer! Her hood comes down, revealing her as Amy Rose! So, I would presume they’re going to be adapting Sonic CD next (my favorite game on Sega CD in fact). Also, my shortlist of celebrity voices for her is still the same: Scarlett Johansson, Margot Robbie, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Emma Stone and Zendaya.

The second stinger has Shadow picking up his inhibitor rings from the crater he landed in. We’ll see where his storyline goes next; since this movie ended up omitting the amnesiac aspects of the character. A TV spinoff about him is in early development for Paramount Plus, which I am open to as someone who enjoyed the Knuckles event.

This is one of the rare examples of a film franchise getting better with each passing installment (only others I can think of are the Wolverine trilogy and the Mission Impossible franchise). Though I do not know if the upcoming fourth film in 2027 will be a total conclusion; I do know I enjoy this film heartily on its own and as adaptation of the games. I’m not the only one either- its blend of offbeat humor, video game and anime-infused action and surprisingly engaging characterization make it easily my favorite entry so far.

Naturally, the movie also became the biggest hit of the trilogy; taking in more than $236 million in the US and over $491 million worldwide. I can also now officially say that the Sonic films are better film adaptations of The Flash than the actual one. I am eagerly awaiting what’s next, and I will see you again soon. Take care.

Luca and Turning Red- Pixar's Western Anime Films

Hey everyone- with Pixar's Elio releasing this summer solstice weekend; I thought I would take the opportunity to say: and now for something completely different. Let's take a look back at two of my favorite films from the past few years and how they've been accepted among people of my persuasion with great enthusiasm. Here's a quick look at Luca and Turning Red, especially how Pixar made them something of Western anime films.

Let's start with the former- Luca, directed by Enrico Casarosa in his feature debut (looking forward to his follow-up, "Gatto"), the story follows the titular humanoid sea creature Luca (voice of Jacob Tremblay) as he tries to navigate the surface world of a small town known as Portorosso, Italy in the year 1955. In this, he forms a friendship with fellow humanoid sea creature Alberto (voice of Jack Dylan Grazer) and a young woman named Giulia (voice of Emma Berman) to discover more about himself and grow as a person of both land and water.

Courtesy: Buena Vista Entertainment/Pixar Animation Studios

Since its debut on June 18, 2021; I have seen the film numerous times. I have particularly gotten into a habit of watching it near the start of summer each year; and it does a great job of capturing that feeling of discovery and wonder the season invites. The film does bear a few similarities to The Little Mermaid (both the book and the classic 1989 film); I would argue at has more in common with my favorite version of that story- the Studio Ghibli anime film Ponyo. The conflicts are less rooted in cataclysmic sea monsters and more in the ebbs and flows of summer days as they often are. Alberto's boisterous persona comes from being estranged from his father. Even the closest thing the film has to a villain, Ercole (voice of Saverio Raimondo) is portrayed as more of an arrogant pain in the tailfin than an actual threat (with Yosemite Sam and Pepe Le Pew being used as reference points). I especially like how both a traffic cop and the town cardinal respond to his introduction with a reaction to the effect of "Dear Neptune, not this guy again." Another underlying theme in this movie I like that's still resonant now is this- discovery and perseverance in the face of outside challenges are rewarded and bigotry and callousness don't pay in the long run. Even the ending is a bittersweet, but ultimately hopeful one to show how the leads will keep learning even after the credits roll.

The following year saw a film that ended up sharing even more of its storytelling and artistic DNA with anime- Turning Red.

Courtesy- Buena Vista Entertainment/Pixar Animation Studios

Though it would have been cool to see theatrically (saw trailers and posters like the one here when I went to see Matt Reeves' The Batman), I was among the many online who dove right in when it went live on March 11, 2022. Marking the feature directorial debut of Domee Shi (who is also one of the co-directors of Elio); the story follows 13-year-old Meilin Lee (voice of Rosalie Chiang). As she tries to navigate the challenges of coming of age while honoring her family's bloodline, she must also deal with turning into a massive red panda when she experiences strong emotional states- something that happens fairly frequently at that age. 

I have also seen this film numerous times since its debut, and have spoken quite highly of its mix of humor and earnestness in depicting coming of age. Each viewing brings new layers to appreciate, and it's a story that I can very well see becoming a future classic.

Of course, the animation is certainly one of the biggest talking points. As I have stated before elsewhere- I like it. On top of the angles, lighting and color palettes showing an increasing willingness to integrate elements from 2D animation (thank the acclaim and success of Spider-Verse biting the rest of the business); I especially like how the art direction as well as the story take cues from works I've enjoyed. Key ones include Fruits Basket, Sailor Moon and especially One Piece. Come on- you think a man who stays up till 2AM watching that last one has an issue with the art direction?

As for a (now-retracted) question from another creator about why they weren't talking about the war at the time; my first response was this: do the words "Remember Me" mean anything to you? (Disclaimer: I said in years past I supported Pattinson's willingness to experiment as a performer- I never said each experiment was a success.)

One last note- it's another film where the growth has connections. The thrill of a kaiju fight/Dynamax Battle in the Toronto Sky Dome to Mei-Mei's favorite band is an energetic rush, but the ensuing heart-to-heart that follows with the essence of her mother (voice of Sandra Oh) as a teenager in the bamboo forest is what cemented my appreciation for it.

Bottom line- as a longtime fan of both anime and Pixar films; I never pass up a chance to share my enthusiasm for both. Hope we can all have a great summer, and I will see you all again soon. One last thing- go see Elio, it really is that good. Take care.

Pokémon Legends Z-A Countdown- 120 Days Remaining

Hey everyone- with the launch window now in sight; I thought I would formally begin the countdown. With 120 days remaining till launch on the Switch family, here's an update regarding Pokémon Legends Z-A!

Though I can’t claim to speak for anyone else, I think the Lumiose City map should be more than enough for the game's setting given how important it was in X and Y. On top of the "wild zones" and "battle zones," I am eager to see how much I can explore with the parkour-inspired traversal.

As talk persists of new ones, I am glad all the previous Mega Evolutions will be returning to the game; what I have seen so far looks great.

While the Switch 2 port will have the expected boosts in frame rate and resolution, I honestly think the game will be a fantastic showcase across the Switch family as a way to send off this era of the main series. Even at this stage and details being kept close to the chest; it remains among my most anticipated games of the year.

With a new Pokémon Presents debuting next month, there is sure to be more revealed; and I will bring more details as I get them. That is all for now, and I will see you all again soon. Seek out all Pokémon.

Pokémon Horizons- Mega Voltage (JP) First Impressions: Horizons 02

Now that I have seen all the episodes I currently have access to, I present my first impressions on Pokémon Horizons' Mega Voltage. 

Even with the much-ballyhooed time skip, I'm not particularly impressed by it. Before I explain why, getting into my issues with this arc so far (especially with how I don't think the time jump has been that well-implemented); I will address the positives as usual. The animation is once again very good, especially in terms of battles. This is especially true when they're seen through to the end, something HZ has been oddly hesitant to do. Also, when they actually do adapt elements from the games instead of just hinting at them. I still maintain that HZ would have been way better if they had just directly adapted the video games. Scarlet and Violet would have been perfect for the character-driven story they're aiming for.

Now, onto the issues I have with it; which also tie into the ones I have the end of Rayquaza Rising. One constant I have with others is that when there's an issue with Horizons is not the ideas themselves; but their implementation. That's what tends to break willing suspension of disbelief, with one of Tinkatuff's hammers. On a basic level, the characters trying to clear their names and taking the fight to the enemy is not bad. It's everything else that's the issue- you're telling me all this happened in the span of a year? Get out of here. Personally, I don't think that's a substantial enough amount of time for things to have changed. 

It's especially not good when 5/6 of the Legendary Heroes fall into a crevasse, only for the preview to show the bad guy has them. Honestly, I'm starting to get bored with Spinel and the Explorers as villains- I personally found the AI variants of Sada and Turo; as well as the smaller-scale antagonism of Team Star and the rivals more interesting.

Inconsistencies aside (2/3 of the mains not having stage 2 starters and an offhand mention of Blueberry Academy without actually showing it), part of the supposed appeal of a time skip is to show a new perspective. I've never believed it was a solution in and of itself to anything in a story. It's just a storytelling tool to be used well or used badly, just like anything else.

It's a difficult thing to get right and an easy one to mess up, and it's very much a mixed bag. Some character behaviors have thankfully been dropped, but I honestly don't see that much different. The biggest difference I notice with these characters is they started dressing differently. As someone who took years to warm up to the costuming in the Advanced Generation; a new set of cosmetics isn't enough for me. 

Instead of clarifying what continuity this anime takes place in, things have been made even less clear with the presence of one new character. As you can imagine, I do not like Ult as a character personally. It is fine helped save Liko and Roy from Exceed, but apart from that, I find him obnoxious at best and a danger to himself and others at worst. I know it's wishful thinking to see "you-know-who" crossover with this cast, but Ult to me displays the worst qualities of Yamcha without any of the redeeming aspects. They especially crank the distrust of female characters up to 11- I've seen "shyness" and this isn't it. This is much worse- I also don't enjoy how he's functionally taking the place of Dot as tritagonist for most of what I've watched of this arc; especially as she was most actively trying to improve herself and has changed the most out of the main cast. I can't say I was impressed with the episode addressing "nuisance streamer" culture- personally think the 2018 version of GeGeGe no Kitaro did it better in its first episode. I would not have invited the prankster with the Stunfisk on my stream- I would have him turned into a tree. I really have a hard time buying even in this day and age that nearly everyone took Exceed's account at face value when I see mistakes about the Switch 2 and the new Superman addressed and corrected in real time.

You only get one chance at a first impression, and in my eyes at least; Mega Voltage and Ult in particular wasted theirs. I'm willing to entertain some details had to be changed because of the Tera Leak, it's just not a direction I personally would have taken. Honestly getting harder and harder for me to buy this was all planned out when the actual result suggests the opposite. I will have more to say when I review each arc (after the EN dub is out), but it will not surprise me at all if what I hear about Generation X going back to basics is true.

Despite everything, what Pokémon Horizons' Mega Voltage arc reminds me most of is Digimon Adventure 02- lots of interesting ideas; but they don't really come together as a unified whole. Honestly hope the plan for the Generation X anime is much simpler, I also won't be surprised if it's a hard reboot. Thankfully, I will have much more pleasant matters to talk about soon. That will be all for now, take care.

Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War (EN) First Impressions

Hey everyone- now that I've see the first four episodes; I thought I would go into detail more about this anime as I deal with the summer heat coming early. So, here are my first impressions on Bleach: The Thousand-Year Blood War.

Having read the whole of the manga, the anime does a good job of translating this arc from page to screen even with how much the market has changed in the time the franchise has been absent from the public eye. In many ways, the cancelation of the initial run now comes off like a prolonged hiatus.

Likewise, the anime also wastes no time in establishing what's at stake in the conflict. Much like its precursor YuYu Hakusho and more recent phenomena such as Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba (lowkey excited for the Infinity Castle movie); the plot armor is functionally off- anyone can die, or at least; they won't make it through entirely unscathed. The animation is also vastly improved from when the anime left our screens in the previous decade, and Kubo's penchant for memorable character design remains on trend. Admittedly, the idea of an enemy who wants to remove an entire bloodline they deem inferior from the gene pool isn't exactly a stretch these days... make your own assumptions.

Glad I have this out, and it won't be the only anime time jump I'm covering either. Just want you to know that I'm not just drinking Baja Blast and playing Capcom Fighting Collection 2 this weekend, though that's also true. That's all for now, take care.

Dragon Ball Daima Coming To Toonami This Weekend.

Once again, I apologize for not being able to get out as much as I wanted to- mixture of heat wave and getting stuff ready for when I have my molars out. Regardless, I have a pleasant announcement to share with you all.

The English dub of Dragon Ball Daima, the final Dragon Ball project Akira Toriyama had direct involvement in before his passing last year at age 68; will debut on Toonami this weekend after Lazarus at 12:30. As the franchise has been a cornerstone of the block since its origins in the 1990s and early 2000s; this was a natural move. Plus, I am very glad that Stephanie Nadolny is back as the voice of young Goku.

I will bring you more stuff as it's ready, and I will see you all again soon. Take care everyone.

Pokémon Legends Z-A Coming October 16 and More.

Hey everyone- with one week to the release of the Switch 2 and a whole slew of games launching alongside it; I thought I would give some updates to one in particular I've been looking forward to as well as its banner franchise. Yes folks, much as I guessed; Pokémon Legends Z-A will see release around the world on the Switch family this fall on October 16!

Courtesy: Nintendo/Game Freak/The Pokémon Company

This also coincides with a litany of details, with more to come at a new Pokémon Presents in summer. For now, we have received more and more details on the gameplay and presentation. The traversal bearing similarities to parkour still intrigues me immensely. I am also eager to experience the new active combat mechanics. I don't know about Xenoblade parallels as someone who is not a fan of that franchise; but I can identify parallels to Shin Megami Tensei and Persona in terms of gameplay.

While the Switch 2 version will of course get a higher graphical resolution and framerate; it honestly looks great to me no matter where I try it first. I am also confident the music will be fantastic, especially as Kalos had some of my favorite songs in the franchise upon its debut.

Finally, because it just amuses me so much, the now-iconic EN logo went through many revisions before its designer Chris Maple gave us the one we all know and love. That is just a testament to how the creative process can take interesting twists and turns sometimes. That is all for now, and I will see you all again soon. Seek out all Pokémon.