The opening part of this video to later you going off the rails claiming sonic is a socialist anarchist is one of the biggest power moves in this entire channel.
Finally, some good food. It’s nice to have someone on here talk positively about black knight. I always thought Sonic’s character shines through the most there.
I always had this feeling these sonic games had a deeper message. All these themes aren't put by accident either. The devs must have known what they doing.
I'm nowhere near politically or socially informed enough to make an detailed comment about the subject matter, but what I can say is that I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts. The topics you went into weren't something I thought could connect to Sonic, but it was an entertaining watch nonetheless. Keep it up, man.
This is unironically one of the best Sonic videos on this platform. After going through so many videos that either state the same buzzwords, or poorly thought out take, this was refreshing. I know in the video you state how much you're stretching, but I honestly think you're thinking about Sonic in a way that is not only fresh, but it also stays true to the core elements of Sonic and Eggman's relationship in the games. Great video!
Well I feel its the literal opposite, I think sonic is being very capitalist in empowering freedom to everyone and eggman is trying to take that freedom away because he wants control and doesn't people in his level no matter what (I have a comment in more detail if you scroll a little bit in the comments)
@@andersonsansonowski5644 I never really saw Sonic as the type of person to care too much about politics. He chooses to fight against Eggman because Eggman is a evil guy doing evil things and not much else.
I want to add, Robotnic could also be seen as scientism and spciecism personified. To give some examples, his amoral attitude to the safety of his test subjects, believing science is the only source of knowledge, he sees the cultures of Moebious as irrational, the fact that he is human capable of reason and looks down on non-human animals as being who are incapable of reason makes him a human exceptionalis, and how he disregards Knuckles' faith as not real knowledge makes him all the more of a science worship attitude. Otherwise he's the perfect caricature of the four horsemen of the non-apocalypse and New Atheism.
Great video. All that's missing is Sonic Heroes. "Animals or the world unite!" I hear Trotsky was a fan of Team Chaotic but Stalin gravitated more to Team Sonic.
This was an adorable video that adds some nice viewpoints to what I'd imagine some people would deem "apolitical franchise." Or at least one that not a lot of people who aren't crticial of media would have thought over. I love this video. I also enjoy the positive mention of Black Knight. With the two Storybook games, that one was my fave of them, and they really fumbled a little in not keeping it going, even if it was like... spin-off content. (It's better than whatever the Boom games are doing.)
Genuinely, one of these days I'd love to hear you do something similar about Jet Set Radio/JSRF. I know it's a bit more niche but I think it's messages, while less subtle compared to Sonic, are def worth exploring and I really like your perspective in particular with these things.
When I rewatched Sonic SatAM recently, I found it really interesting how they depicted Robotnik's origin story in a double episode in the middle (A Blast to the Past I+II) where he rose to power as a minister of the previous government. What I didn't know on the first viewing was that this is essentially an exact retelling of the 1973 coup d'état in Chile where the socialist president Salvador Allende was violently deposed by his top general Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet bombed the presidential palace with the help of the CIA, became a neoliberal dictator by murdering the left opposition, and then privatised Chile's copper mines to sell them to foreign investors.
While I appreciate the analysis, you clearly forgot the analysis of Sonic's physicality himself. His blue fur represents the blue waters upon which our ancestors were shipped in inhumane slave ships. The red on his shoes represents the blood of the Black people shed under white supremacist cisgender heterosexual capitalist imperialism. This is the blood that unites all Black peoples across the diaspora. The green in his eyes, however, is interesting. As we all know, the eyes are the window to the soul, and, Sonic eyes are larger than most. This green, obviously, represents the abundant wealth and land in the motherland of Afrika. In this sense, we see that Sonic's color scheme itself is a clever ironic, and tragic twist on the Pan African flag popularized by Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Thanks for your thoughts brother. Gotta go fast to dismantle white supremacy. Hotep!
you seem to have doubts about this interpretation, but i think it is a good and valid one, even if the authors probably didn't thought it that way, because it is not so important what the authors intended to do, but more what the end up doing and how it resonates with the interpreter or the audience. This is not only subjectively true, but also objectively because when the authors work on a theme the tend to follow a certain kind of logic that leads them to things they probably never intended to do, in this case taking a freedom loving guy against the scientistic villain, pretty much has to end up in environmentalism and an anti-authorian direction, that goes against the state institutions who as in real life often back these guys and in the end capitalistic production which in part with the environmentalism leads directly the imperialistic rule over all the resources. So no worry you did a very good job.
Interesting vid, but I'm concerned that you kinda jumped over the Starbucks counter, world-stared the cashier, slapped a Mocha Java Chip Frappuccino out of another employee's hand; that they were about to give to someone and grabbed the secret stash of straws they keep under the counter.
@@kaisolomon5187 Yeah, but he's not enthused by the concept of police or being with a cop. Sonic's a free spirit. While I have a fondness for the Sonic Movie, Sonic borderline acts like fanboyish Alvin in it.
@@TheStorytellerAJ i agree, but that is the point of the movie. Their intention seemed to be to take thr alvin and the chipmunks route and make him more childlike. Its just an easy way for Hollywood writers to make sonic fit into the world he was placed in. I think it was easy for Hollywood to tskr him in such a direction seeing how immature and obnoxious sonic has become ever since colors.
Interesting, I always see it as robotnik is a dictator who after absorbing the evils of mankind wants to warp the world in his image by force. Basically a corrupt dictator who thinks any evil is ok if it gets him what he want. Whereas sonic is the rebellious preservationist aka freedom fighter and he still always protect the environment and world. But of course he's also impulsive lol and naturally bored and gets in fights with originations just because he might get a challenge and their evil....aka goku.
I've also seen an interpretation, particularly of the earlier games, that the very environment has become integrated with machines to provide Sonic with his means of getting around. Springs, televisions with pickups, artificial trees, tunnels and loops that were built and not naturally formed, etc. This is mostly headcanon but, interesting to consider. Makes it seem like the rebellion is self-destructive if not properly restrained. You could see this reflected in being incentivized to go fast, but enemy/hazard placement screws you over if you don't know the level well enough, so you aren't too reckless and freewheeling, ironically, as the character himself. Learning the mechanics and environment is instrumental in his success, but how much of that is paradoxically owed to what he is tearing down?
@@viscountrainbows6452 The interviews are from before the great Internet error so generally speaking if it doesn't make any sense and it helps on a get around the stage the purpose of it is gaming related however over time they started trying to incorporate story elements into it most notably starting with sonic adventure. Generally speaking according to the creators, Sonic is just an environmentalist he just happens to mimic goku on some levels Egg man is not freezer but Do to him meeting that hover chair cozy so fat all the time the comparisons were made but he was just a generic villain meant to Be the danger to the environment that initiates there lifelong rivalry
The ending of Sonic and the Black Knight is a TRULY UNDERATED STUDY OF SONIC and I cried when I was a kid because I use to think like the bad guy and Sonic convinced me how that thinking was wrong if I wanted to 'Live Life' (Great song BTW)
Man i'm binging your channel right now and the content is super good, instant sub. I got a question for you tho, judging by some of your older videos, you don't seem to really give a shit about the story/lore in these games. implying that they're "for kids", and shouldn't mean anything besides a blue hedgehog fighting robots, and that people shouldn't take them so seriously. but in this video you're analyzing the "deep rooted meanings" behind these games, something which you said they shouldn't have. not tryna be an asshole, honest question, has your opinions changed on this subject in anyway?
The thing with Sonic is... I care. I just don't care like everyone else cares. I like the stories I like, but I don't look at them as particularly deep or well-realised. Like Sonic fans on Twitter will lose their minds over Tails being a coward in Forces, or Shadow not being an agent of G.U.N. or Infinite's motives, but I've never quite viewed Sonic as this 'deep' series with intricately thought out characters. Tails' story in Adventure 1 and 2 is simple. It's just about a kid getting confidence. It's a tale that's been done better elsewhere, and his singular purpose in conception as a sidekick is to make Sonic look cooler by comparison. Now, I like Tails' character. I would PREFER if he was consistent. But, I'm also here like... man, I want a good game. Sonic has, like, what? Maybe two honestly well-told stories? He has never set a standard for strong storytelling, so I don't hold him to it. I don't hold Sonic to a standard he hasn't withheld and that's my whole thing. Whereas the games used to be really experimental and really fun and really inventive and stylish, and whatever. And now they're feeling really uninspired. I voice frustration towards THAT because Sonic's never set the standard for being safe. That's never been who he was. So, while I have softened certainly, I habour many of the same views. Hold Sonic accountable to the standard he's set is always my rule.
I have Never looked at it from that point of view. "Hold Sonic accountable to the standard he's set". that's a great stance to take. I don't know what it is about sonic in particular that attracts this sort of reaction from people, for some odd, unknown reason me and many others have connected with him as a Character, and when we see this character that we love, well written, (Unleashed, Black knight) we naturally want more of that, it becomes the "Ideal Sonic", the "Golden standard". The longer we don't get that, the better those games look in our minds, because we held them as high regard. with each passing game, they'll look better, which leads to sonic fans having unrealistic expectations from sonic, something that never existed. that's my thesis anyway. As for people that *Really* give a shit, that's just Twitter bieng its cancerous self.
This isn't a reach. This is something they need to go back to and not that Teen Titans Go clone BS they're pulling and trying too hard to please every fan because they fucked up and let too many versions of the series be made between Japan and America in the same manner Capcom did to Megaman, especially considering that Sonic is lowkey a Shounen.
Game sonic: social anarchist Movie Sonic: commie conservative Gotta love the internet lol Seriously good vid bruv, love the boondocks commentary, but this one is as good as anything you’ve made 👌🏾🤙🏾
To gun sonic is arrested as a means to an end so that they can hide what they did on the ARK 50 years ago. The police on the other hand weren't aware of this
I think you're generally right in the basic claim that Sonic is an anarchist. I'm not sure that Sonic has ever sat down to really figure out what he is, though. I suspect he'd get bored immediately. Also, there's so much irony in this video, given how you started with it. But it fits because you don't take it too seriously and Sonic, despite his ego, doesn't take himself or anything too seriously. As far as story telling and themes, what Sonic is or isn't about is complicated by the fact that multiple writers and creative teams have been involved over the years, leading to a bit of retconning and also differences of opinion regarding themes and direction, which complicate matters. It's actually very similar to the problems of retconning and multiple universes in comic books. You had enough reaches and stretched for a yoga class, but I found this very enjoyable. You did a good job with it. Cheers!
Wow...you made me have a greater appreciation for Sonic and his character. By any chance, have you read up on the IDW Sonic The Hedgehog series? It’s fantastic, and does a wonderful job at portraying Sonic. There’s a bit of SAT AM in it.
My brotha, you gotta slow down a little bit. Lmao! I had to check my playback settings at the beginning. Good analysis, though. You're always consistent.
THIS! It is very interesting to me how Sonic fans have in a lot of ways taken charge of the series for non-profit related purposes when the capitalist corporation behind it constantly fails to deliver what we seek, effectively creating a Sonic of our own. A Sonic for the people, by the people. But in the end, the games still always sell... ok yeah maybe this is reaching lol
It does raise the question, then, as to why Eggman is associated with red when that's often the color of socialist ideals. However, you did raise an interesting point I'd like to extrapolate on: Since Sonic is opposed to authoritarianism in all its forms, might I suggest that we may draw metaphorical conclusions that the entirety of the Sonic games is about the cold war? Eggman, in this metaphorical sense, represents the Soviet Union, the uber-industrialized nation of control and oppression, where men are made into machines. At first it can be read as a pro-US cold war epic, but when you include the organization GUN, you realize that Sonic represents the nations dubbed "third world", those who sided neither with the USSR nor the USA, because while one side has many sins, the other is little better. As a side note, if Sonic represents anarchy, what does Shadow represent? He's often drawn as a parallel to Sonic in that he's more serious, darker and more violent. I would propose that Shadow represents the darker side of anarchy, destruction, which seeks not to establish freedom but to cause destruction and, fittingly, chaos.
I think a joke a friend of mine made as a joke is actually kinda relevant here. Shadow is a Libertarian. He acts like he's against the system, against the oppression, but uh... he sure fights on Eggman's side a lot. And in '06 he's just straight up working for GUN. He gets the idea of defying authority and living for himself, but he doesn't really *get* it, and his edgy ass becomes just another pawn for the powerful. He's still down to teach Cream the Rabbit how to use a gun tho, so even if it's for the wrong reasons he's cool.
His first ever game was literally about an animal fighting back against climate change, with an anti-corporation and anti-industry attitude as he fights the personification of human greed. Eggman seeks to build Eggmanland, the ultimate metaphor for narcissistic displays of wealth. Sonic as a character, is about fighting back against the corrupt billionaires that seek to destroy our planet with their factories and pollution. He’s all about the power of teamwork, working together as friends to make the world a better place for everyone (socialism, as opposed to the conservative view of individuality, only caring about oneself and seeing community behaviour as weak). Sonic Adventure’s entire plot revolves around man’s greed in trying to use nature’s natural resources and control it, e.g mass production and plunder of Earth’s resources like fossil fuels. And the only way they stop it is with the positive energy of the chaos emeralds (clean energy like solar power). Sonic Adventure 2’s entire plot is a warning on what can happen when an insane man is given the power of a nuclear bomb with the ARK being a metaphor for a weapon of mass destruction. Not content to try voting away the destruction brought on by Robotnik’s capitalist means, Sonic takes to occupation and sabotage. He doesn’t stay home and buy a more efficient car or start recycling. He acts. The Oil Oceans and Chemical Plants of the world, hubs of environmental exploitation, are just sitting around chugging out smog when we arrive. They’re vulnerable to anyone willing to put forth the effort, protected from destruction only by the idea that we shouldn’t cross that fence or turn this valve. Sonic’s brand of industrial sabotage isn’t a destructive action, it’s a protective action. He liberates the animals trapped by the construction of capital oppression (represented somewhat hamfistedly but still effectively by a big metal cage). And every time, these animals simply scatter, having learned nothing of their brush with death at the hands of industrialism. These animals represent the center, the people most at risk but least conscious of the danger looming over them. These animals are the right-wing poor, the social liberals, the capital apologists. Sonic isn’t the only one. Knuckles protects the master emerald, the world’s most natural and positive power source from being used for evil. He guards it, representing climate friendly power sources and being from an ancient tribe, you could take it as an allegory for native american culture and stopping corporate america from infiltrating native spaces with their modern pollution. Tails is a kid, who looks up to Sonic and isn’t quite on his level, but does his best to emulate his actions - like a kid who’s just learning about climate change and does his best to keep a clean footprint and do some good in the world. Shadow represents an edgy alt-right kid who was manipulated by Eggman (representing capitalism/conservatism) into thinking he was on their side but who eventually realized that apathy/anger/hate isn’t the answer and the only way to save the world was compassion/empathy and humanity. Rouge the bat is a strong, independent female character who has sex appeal but isn’t objectified. And is arguably the leader of Team Dark. Sonic (and every other Sonic Hero) are painted as the radicals that will save us. They’re on the ground trashing equipment, freeing the oppressed and slowly choking to a rightful death the Mean Bean Machine that is capitalism.
This is sorta completely unrelated, but fuck man, your taste in music is consistently fantastic Also I think my favorite type of video essay is quickly becoming “rad leftist analyses of media that completely catch you off guard because the subject material lead you to expect the video to be a joke”
I've not seen the whole video yet, but I'm almost 5 minutes in, and so far, I find it an improvement over your last 2 Sonic videos. I can't believe I'm actually saying that 😲😯
It's sad when you do something as a joke, you begin with a preamble that it's a joke, and despite every clear communication that you are engaging in an intentional exercise of ridiculousness - you still get comments of "wow, you make some good points." What a mindfuck it would be if Marx himself was just trying to see how far he could stretch the absurdity of some ideas he felt were bad - only to accidentally create the ultimate form of it. Something like the example of Evangelion. Hideaki Anno trying to make an intense criticism of the extremely problematic tropes and themes in a genre he disliked, and accidentally just giving the people he is trying to be critical of, something that is to them a paragon of what they find appealing about it - despite everything he was trying to present as a negative. I feel like people who find a bad idea appealing may lack some mechanism necessary to see the idea for the bad that it is just by exaggerating it. If the base bad idea is seen as a good one, then JUST exaggerating it won't necessarily make it cross that line for them. They'll just see the exaggerated version as even more good.
Sorry to break it to you, but one of the defining rites of passage into official Bread Tube status is to make a video analyzing the politics of Sonic. It's kind of specific, but it's real: hbomberguy - ruclips.net/video/3Oco4WYRdaU/видео.html Vaush - ruclips.net/video/LKSC--tF0C4/видео.html Cuck Philosophy - ruclips.net/video/8F5PUEbCRQI/видео.html Renegade Cut - ruclips.net/video/D1xhep2zCyM/видео.html Jack Saint - ruclips.net/video/losBbRx_4iM/видео.html More Hbomberguy - ruclips.net/video/TebCHHCw9rY/видео.html but maybe that was your point
See here's the thing and I'm not sure if I've said this before or not. It's not that my views aren't similar/don't allign with Breadtube on many things. The problem is, I don't want to be labelled as a "a breadtuber." Just like I don't want to be seen just a "cartoon reviewer" or a "Boondocks RUclips." I just wanna do what I want.
One thing I find that doesn't work about Sonic Sat AM is that, as a socialist work, it doesn't meet its standards as you have Sonic serving a bourgeoisie , anthropomorphic chipmunk against a bourgeoisie human mad scientist. It just goes into circles, and it's a very liberal, environmental message it's packing. It may be subtle in its environmental message, but it has a very Lockean way of looking at revolutionary politics in the same way Star Wars does.
@@TheStorytellerAJ I guess so. Still I ponder why she would be referred to as 'princess', unless the title were ceremonial and figurative, especially in a political Taoist-anarchial manner. Then again, Sally is trying to find her father, the King and thus restore the monarchy, which is counter-revolutionary. Not to mention that before Robotnik's takeover, Mobotropolis was at war with another nation of animals, so by restoring the Mobotropolis Monarchy, and the Other nation, it entails restoring the old status quo?
Also, the description of anarchism you have chosen, it sounds more like Nietzsche's version of Liberalism, which makes Sonic a very atomistic character who probably might as well disregard the group and become a sociopath imo.
![Eminem - Like My Shit [Official Audio]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/vx_IMvFkrfA/mqdefault.jpg)
Busted: Mario is a Communist
Trusted: Sonic is a Socialist
Gold-Encrusted: Sonic is an Anarchist
@Angryman64 oof
i forgot what i was replying to
Titanium encursted: Sonic is a bhuddist, seeking to escape all attachment.
The opening part of this video to later you going off the rails claiming sonic is a socialist anarchist is one of the biggest power moves in this entire channel.
Wrong ppl: “You think it’s funny to unironically claim that Shadow the Hedgehog is a cool character?”
Me: “I do and I’m tired of pretending he’s not.”
Sonic 06 really did a good job with shadow personality
Finally, some good food. It’s nice to have someone on here talk positively about black knight. I always thought Sonic’s character shines through the most there.
Black Knight is my favourite depiction of the character.
TheStoryteller you have great taste sir
Black Knight is my favorite sonic game
Both black knight and secret rings was good to me
I always had this feeling these sonic games had a deeper message. All these themes aren't put by accident either. The devs must have known what they doing.
I'm nowhere near politically or socially informed enough to make an detailed comment about the subject matter, but what I can say is that I really enjoyed hearing your thoughts. The topics you went into weren't something I thought could connect to Sonic, but it was an entertaining watch nonetheless. Keep it up, man.
This is unironically one of the best Sonic videos on this platform. After going through so many videos that either state the same buzzwords, or poorly thought out take, this was refreshing. I know in the video you state how much you're stretching, but I honestly think you're thinking about Sonic in a way that is not only fresh, but it also stays true to the core elements of Sonic and Eggman's relationship in the games. Great video!
"rough transition to 3D" always makes me laugh
Don't undercut yourself as you make your own points fam, you spoke truth. Stand behind it.
TLDR: Sonic is more based than I thought and its no wonder Im a socialist when I pkayed Sonic games 24/7 as a kid
Well I feel its the literal opposite, I think sonic is being very capitalist in empowering freedom to everyone and eggman is trying to take that freedom away because he wants control and doesn't people in his level no matter what
(I have a comment in more detail if you scroll a little bit in the comments)
@@andersonsansonowski5644 I never really saw Sonic as the type of person to care too much about politics. He chooses to fight against Eggman because Eggman is a evil guy doing evil things and not much else.
@@Skibster-w9l its kinda true
This is absolutely my new favorite video essay on this franchise. Thank you for making all of these points.
*puts on hotep*
SONIC IS FOR THE CULTURE.
I don't think you were reaching fam
I honestly was ready to laugh at this video but you actually made some good points.
Dude, almost all of what you said I’ve wanted to discuss with fans online but never had the guts to talk about. Thank you for being that voice
I want to add, Robotnic could also be seen as scientism and spciecism personified. To give some examples, his amoral attitude to the safety of his test subjects, believing science is the only source of knowledge, he sees the cultures of Moebious as irrational, the fact that he is human capable of reason and looks down on non-human animals as being who are incapable of reason makes him a human exceptionalis, and how he disregards Knuckles' faith as not real knowledge makes him all the more of a science worship attitude. Otherwise he's the perfect caricature of the four horsemen of the non-apocalypse and New Atheism.
yeah tho, there are a lot of dumb sonic video essays, lol. but this isn't one of them ~ honestly made my day
Sonic and anti capitalist ideology. . . I like
Loved the environmental and freedom Themes of the Sonic Series, Love your Videos Dude🤘🏿
Great video. All that's missing is Sonic Heroes. "Animals or the world unite!"
I hear Trotsky was a fan of Team Chaotic but Stalin gravitated more to Team Sonic.
you steadily growing to be my favourite channel my man keep up the RUclips hustle
This was an adorable video that adds some nice viewpoints to what I'd imagine some people would deem "apolitical franchise." Or at least one that not a lot of people who aren't crticial of media would have thought over. I love this video. I also enjoy the positive mention of Black Knight. With the two Storybook games, that one was my fave of them, and they really fumbled a little in not keeping it going, even if it was like... spin-off content. (It's better than whatever the Boom games are doing.)
Goddam one of my fav people on RUclips comes out with an awesome Sonic textual analysis vid, so good! Way past cool.
Genuinely, one of these days I'd love to hear you do something similar about Jet Set Radio/JSRF. I know it's a bit more niche but I think it's messages, while less subtle compared to Sonic, are def worth exploring and I really like your perspective in particular with these things.
An Sonic video from The Storyteller? Didn't know I needed until now.
When I rewatched Sonic SatAM recently, I found it really interesting how they depicted Robotnik's origin story in a double episode in the middle (A Blast to the Past I+II) where he rose to power as a minister of the previous government. What I didn't know on the first viewing was that this is essentially an exact retelling of the 1973 coup d'état in Chile where the socialist president Salvador Allende was violently deposed by his top general Augusto Pinochet. Pinochet bombed the presidential palace with the help of the CIA, became a neoliberal dictator by murdering the left opposition, and then privatised Chile's copper mines to sell them to foreign investors.
Black skin, blue hedgehog by shadow the hedgehog
8:36 I immediately thought of Eggman screaming about how Shadow the Hedgehog pissed on his wife.
Wasn't expecting this but I'm happy I got it, thank you sir.
While I appreciate the analysis, you clearly forgot the analysis of Sonic's physicality himself. His blue fur represents the blue waters upon which our ancestors were shipped in inhumane slave ships. The red on his shoes represents the blood of the Black people shed under white supremacist cisgender heterosexual capitalist imperialism. This is the blood that unites all Black peoples across the diaspora. The green in his eyes, however, is interesting. As we all know, the eyes are the window to the soul, and, Sonic eyes are larger than most. This green, obviously, represents the abundant wealth and land in the motherland of Afrika. In this sense, we see that Sonic's color scheme itself is a clever ironic, and tragic twist on the Pan African flag popularized by Marcus Garvey and the Universal Negro Improvement Association. Thanks for your thoughts brother. Gotta go fast to dismantle white supremacy. Hotep!
You're definitely reaching my man lmao
Now this is reaching
It’s a joke
you seem to have doubts about this interpretation, but i think it is a good and valid one, even if the authors probably didn't thought it that way, because it is not so important what the authors intended to do, but more what the end up doing and how it resonates with the interpreter or the audience. This is not only subjectively true, but also objectively because when the authors work on a theme the tend to follow a certain kind of logic that leads them to things they probably never intended to do, in this case taking a freedom loving guy against the scientistic villain, pretty much has to end up in environmentalism and an anti-authorian direction, that goes against the state institutions who as in real life often back these guys and in the end capitalistic production which in part with the environmentalism leads directly the imperialistic rule over all the resources. So no worry you did a very good job.
Game theory: Mario is a communist.
The Storyteller: Sonic is a Anarchist.
This hilarious after watching a video about how much conservative ideals are in the Sonic movie
What video is that?
@@Tom-zo4hk search up Renegade Cut. It's one of his most recent videos.
He's right tho, movie Sonic is a fucking narc
That's because it's a Hollywood movie.
Idealization of Police and the Military is common conservative staple. Original Ghostbusters has similar themes
Good job making Navi into something pleasant... I didn't think that was possible.
You took the joke, ran with it, and made it work.
Been about 2 years and I still need more of this sonic videos.
You always make the raddest videos.
Interesting vid, but I'm concerned that you kinda jumped over the Starbucks counter, world-stared the cashier, slapped a Mocha Java Chip Frappuccino out of another employee's hand; that they were about to give to someone and grabbed the secret stash of straws they keep under the counter.
Yes. And that's exactly how you should order coffee
You know, with this in mind, I'd like to know how you see Sonic in the Movie being paired with a cop.
It was stupid.
@@TheStorytellerAJ i see no issue here. Sonic has been shown to work with police several times in the series via sonic x
@@kaisolomon5187 Yeah, but he's not enthused by the concept of police or being with a cop. Sonic's a free spirit. While I have a fondness for the Sonic Movie, Sonic borderline acts like fanboyish Alvin in it.
@@TheStorytellerAJ i agree, but that is the point of the movie. Their intention seemed to be to take thr alvin and the chipmunks route and make him more childlike. Its just an easy way for Hollywood writers to make sonic fit into the world he was placed in. I think it was easy for Hollywood to tskr him in such a direction seeing how immature and obnoxious sonic has become ever since colors.
@@kaisolomon5187 that doesn't make it good
Interesting, I always see it as robotnik is a dictator who after absorbing the evils of mankind wants to warp the world in his image by force.
Basically a corrupt dictator who thinks any evil is ok if it gets him what he want.
Whereas sonic is the rebellious preservationist aka freedom fighter and he still always protect the environment and world.
But of course he's also impulsive lol and naturally bored and gets in fights with originations just because he might get a challenge and their evil....aka goku.
I've also seen an interpretation, particularly of the earlier games, that the very environment has become integrated with machines to provide Sonic with his means of getting around. Springs, televisions with pickups, artificial trees, tunnels and loops that were built and not naturally formed, etc. This is mostly headcanon but, interesting to consider. Makes it seem like the rebellion is self-destructive if not properly restrained. You could see this reflected in being incentivized to go fast, but enemy/hazard placement screws you over if you don't know the level well enough, so you aren't too reckless and freewheeling, ironically, as the character himself. Learning the mechanics and environment is instrumental in his success, but how much of that is paradoxically owed to what he is tearing down?
@@viscountrainbows6452 The interviews are from before the great Internet error so generally speaking if it doesn't make any sense and it helps on a get around the stage the purpose of it is gaming related however over time they started trying to incorporate story elements into it most notably starting with sonic adventure.
Generally speaking according to the creators, Sonic is just an environmentalist he just happens to mimic goku on some levels
Egg man is not freezer but Do to him meeting that hover chair cozy so fat all the time the comparisons were made but he was just a generic villain meant to Be the danger to the environment that initiates there lifelong rivalry
I think you might get a kick out of a melodramatic analysis video that leftist RUclipsr, Hbomberguy, did about Sonic.
The ending of Sonic and the Black Knight is a TRULY UNDERATED STUDY OF SONIC and I cried when I was a kid because I use to think like the bad guy and Sonic convinced me how that thinking was wrong if I wanted to 'Live Life' (Great song BTW)
With me. Live Life. It Doesn't Matter. Black Knight, story-wise, is honestly incredible.
@@TheStorytellerAJ Heard ✊.
Man i'm binging your channel right now and the content is super good, instant sub.
I got a question for you tho, judging by some of your older videos, you don't seem to really give a shit about the story/lore in these games. implying that they're "for kids", and shouldn't mean anything besides a blue hedgehog fighting robots, and that people shouldn't take them so seriously. but in this video you're analyzing the "deep rooted meanings" behind these games, something which you said they shouldn't have.
not tryna be an asshole, honest question, has your opinions changed on this subject in anyway?
The thing with Sonic is... I care. I just don't care like everyone else cares. I like the stories I like, but I don't look at them as particularly deep or well-realised. Like Sonic fans on Twitter will lose their minds over Tails being a coward in Forces, or Shadow not being an agent of G.U.N. or Infinite's motives, but I've never quite viewed Sonic as this 'deep' series with intricately thought out characters.
Tails' story in Adventure 1 and 2 is simple. It's just about a kid getting confidence. It's a tale that's been done better elsewhere, and his singular purpose in conception as a sidekick is to make Sonic look cooler by comparison. Now, I like Tails' character. I would PREFER if he was consistent. But, I'm also here like... man, I want a good game. Sonic has, like, what? Maybe two honestly well-told stories? He has never set a standard for strong storytelling, so I don't hold him to it. I don't hold Sonic to a standard he hasn't withheld and that's my whole thing.
Whereas the games used to be really experimental and really fun and really inventive and stylish, and whatever. And now they're feeling really uninspired. I voice frustration towards THAT because Sonic's never set the standard for being safe. That's never been who he was. So, while I have softened certainly, I habour many of the same views. Hold Sonic accountable to the standard he's set is always my rule.
I have Never looked at it from that point of view. "Hold Sonic accountable to the standard he's set". that's a great stance to take.
I don't know what it is about sonic in particular that attracts this sort of reaction from people, for some odd, unknown reason me and many others have connected with him as a Character, and when we see this character that we love, well written, (Unleashed, Black knight) we naturally want more of that, it becomes the "Ideal Sonic", the "Golden standard".
The longer we don't get that, the better those games look in our minds, because we held them as high regard. with each passing game, they'll look better, which leads to sonic fans having unrealistic expectations from sonic, something that never existed. that's my thesis anyway.
As for people that *Really* give a shit, that's just Twitter bieng its cancerous self.
This isn't a reach. This is something they need to go back to and not that Teen Titans Go clone BS they're pulling and trying too hard to please every fan because they fucked up and let too many versions of the series be made between Japan and America in the same manner Capcom did to Megaman, especially considering that Sonic is lowkey a Shounen.
When you showed the sonic forces menus I audibly "YOOO"d
I'll bite, all the Sonic character analysis video's that have been coming out for the last year or so, I did not expect one like this and from you.
Game sonic: social anarchist
Movie Sonic: commie conservative
Gotta love the internet lol
Seriously good vid bruv, love the boondocks commentary, but this one is as good as anything you’ve made 👌🏾🤙🏾
I could have sworn they arrested sonic, because they confused him for shadow. It takes place after radical highway.
To gun sonic is arrested as a means to an end so that they can hide what they did on the ARK 50 years ago.
The police on the other hand weren't aware of this
I think you're generally right in the basic claim that Sonic is an anarchist. I'm not sure that Sonic has ever sat down to really figure out what he is, though. I suspect he'd get bored immediately. Also, there's so much irony in this video, given how you started with it. But it fits because you don't take it too seriously and Sonic, despite his ego, doesn't take himself or anything too seriously. As far as story telling and themes, what Sonic is or isn't about is complicated by the fact that multiple writers and creative teams have been involved over the years, leading to a bit of retconning and also differences of opinion regarding themes and direction, which complicate matters. It's actually very similar to the problems of retconning and multiple universes in comic books. You had enough reaches and stretched for a yoga class, but I found this very enjoyable. You did a good job with it. Cheers!
I can actually track how all of my favorite RUclipsrs slowly uploading more and more radical content as time goes by.
I'm ok with this lol
Expecting: "SONIC IS DEAD NOW MAKE SA3 PLZ!"
What I got: Anarchist theory by a well-rounded political junkie.
Hotel; trivago.
Never thought I'd care about a sonic video...but here we are.
So THATS what drew me to Sonic all these years. :)
9:38 Hear of gold?
*gong sounds*
Lol this whole video reminds me of that one black rage scene in Chasing Amy
Wow...you made me have a greater appreciation for Sonic and his character. By any chance, have you read up on the IDW Sonic The Hedgehog series? It’s fantastic, and does a wonderful job at portraying Sonic. There’s a bit of SAT AM in it.
Love this.
Low how much replay value this video has😭
I didn't wanna make a generic Sonic video that would age like dry toast in 5 years.
Nice vid, huge sonic franchise fan hope tou have more sonic vids in the future
I love this kind of content. Keep up the good work comrade.
COMRADE SONIC
COMRADE SONIC
i read this title (didnt look at who uploaded at first) and had to do a doble take bc i thought it was a joke lmfao
My brotha, you gotta slow down a little bit. Lmao! I had to check my playback settings at the beginning. Good analysis, though. You're always consistent.
THIS! It is very interesting to me how Sonic fans have in a lot of ways taken charge of the series for non-profit related purposes when the capitalist corporation behind it constantly fails to deliver what we seek, effectively creating a Sonic of our own. A Sonic for the people, by the people. But in the end, the games still always sell...
ok yeah maybe this is reaching lol
anthy pfp :')
I always suspected Sonic was more based than I thought
It does raise the question, then, as to why Eggman is associated with red when that's often the color of socialist ideals. However, you did raise an interesting point I'd like to extrapolate on:
Since Sonic is opposed to authoritarianism in all its forms, might I suggest that we may draw metaphorical conclusions that the entirety of the Sonic games is about the cold war? Eggman, in this metaphorical sense, represents the Soviet Union, the uber-industrialized nation of control and oppression, where men are made into machines. At first it can be read as a pro-US cold war epic, but when you include the organization GUN, you realize that Sonic represents the nations dubbed "third world", those who sided neither with the USSR nor the USA, because while one side has many sins, the other is little better.
As a side note, if Sonic represents anarchy, what does Shadow represent? He's often drawn as a parallel to Sonic in that he's more serious, darker and more violent. I would propose that Shadow represents the darker side of anarchy, destruction, which seeks not to establish freedom but to cause destruction and, fittingly, chaos.
I think a joke a friend of mine made as a joke is actually kinda relevant here. Shadow is a Libertarian. He acts like he's against the system, against the oppression, but uh... he sure fights on Eggman's side a lot. And in '06 he's just straight up working for GUN. He gets the idea of defying authority and living for himself, but he doesn't really *get* it, and his edgy ass becomes just another pawn for the powerful.
He's still down to teach Cream the Rabbit how to use a gun tho, so even if it's for the wrong reasons he's cool.
His first ever game was literally about an animal fighting back against climate change, with an anti-corporation and anti-industry attitude as he fights the personification of human greed.
Eggman seeks to build Eggmanland, the ultimate metaphor for narcissistic displays of wealth.
Sonic as a character, is about fighting back against the corrupt billionaires that seek to destroy our planet with their factories and pollution.
He’s all about the power of teamwork, working together as friends to make the world a better place for everyone (socialism, as opposed to the conservative view of individuality, only caring about oneself and seeing community behaviour as weak).
Sonic Adventure’s entire plot revolves around man’s greed in trying to use nature’s natural resources and control it, e.g mass production and plunder of Earth’s resources like fossil fuels. And the only way they stop it is with the positive energy of the chaos emeralds (clean energy like solar power).
Sonic Adventure 2’s entire plot is a warning on what can happen when an insane man is given the power of a nuclear bomb with the ARK being a metaphor for a weapon of mass destruction.
Not content to try voting away the destruction brought on by Robotnik’s capitalist means, Sonic takes to occupation and sabotage. He doesn’t stay home and buy a more efficient car or start recycling. He acts.
The Oil Oceans and Chemical Plants of the world, hubs of environmental exploitation, are just sitting around chugging out smog when we arrive. They’re vulnerable to anyone willing to put forth the effort, protected from destruction only by the idea that we shouldn’t cross that fence or turn this valve.
Sonic’s brand of industrial sabotage isn’t a destructive action, it’s a protective action. He liberates the animals trapped by the construction of capital oppression (represented somewhat hamfistedly but still effectively by a big metal cage). And every time, these animals simply scatter, having learned nothing of their brush with death at the hands of industrialism. These animals represent the center, the people most at risk but least conscious of the danger looming over them. These animals are the right-wing poor, the social liberals, the capital apologists.
Sonic isn’t the only one. Knuckles protects the master emerald, the world’s most natural and positive power source from being used for evil. He guards it, representing climate friendly power sources and being from an ancient tribe, you could take it as an allegory for native american culture and stopping corporate america from infiltrating native spaces with their modern pollution. Tails is a kid, who looks up to Sonic and isn’t quite on his level, but does his best to emulate his actions - like a kid who’s just learning about climate change and does his best to keep a clean footprint and do some good in the world.
Shadow represents an edgy alt-right kid who was manipulated by Eggman (representing capitalism/conservatism) into thinking he was on their side but who eventually realized that apathy/anger/hate isn’t the answer and the only way to save the world was compassion/empathy and humanity. Rouge the bat is a strong, independent female character who has sex appeal but isn’t objectified. And is arguably the leader of Team Dark.
Sonic (and every other Sonic Hero) are painted as the radicals that will save us. They’re on the ground trashing equipment, freeing the oppressed and slowly choking to a rightful death the Mean Bean Machine that is capitalism.
This is sorta completely unrelated, but fuck man, your taste in music is consistently fantastic
Also I think my favorite type of video essay is quickly becoming “rad leftist analyses of media that completely catch you off guard because the subject material lead you to expect the video to be a joke”
I've not seen the whole video yet, but I'm almost 5 minutes in, and so far, I find it an improvement over your last 2 Sonic videos. I can't believe I'm actually saying that 😲😯
Sonic stories still don't matter.
I think my third eye opened watching this
This video is eggcellent.
As someone who's an Anarchist, and a Sonic Fan, I love this message. 😎
DOPE VIDEO CONCEPT
Never knew Eggman and K. Rool were so similar.
*HE'S* *THE* *FASTEST* *THING* *ALIIIIII-EEIIIIIIVVEE!!!!*
Say,what did you think of the sonic movie?
It got me a date.
TheStoryteller nice
I Always Knew That Sonic was Chaotic Good, And I Guess Shadow Was lawful Good Before Forces
Solid video, I really appreciated it
You could talk about anything and I’d tune in
Being a Sonic fan is really fucking hard and I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy
Music??
It's sad when you do something as a joke, you begin with a preamble that it's a joke, and despite every clear communication that you are engaging in an intentional exercise of ridiculousness - you still get comments of "wow, you make some good points."
What a mindfuck it would be if Marx himself was just trying to see how far he could stretch the absurdity of some ideas he felt were bad - only to accidentally create the ultimate form of it.
Something like the example of Evangelion. Hideaki Anno trying to make an intense criticism of the extremely problematic tropes and themes in a genre he disliked, and accidentally just giving the people he is trying to be critical of, something that is to them a paragon of what they find appealing about it - despite everything he was trying to present as a negative.
I feel like people who find a bad idea appealing may lack some mechanism necessary to see the idea for the bad that it is just by exaggerating it. If the base bad idea is seen as a good one, then JUST exaggerating it won't necessarily make it cross that line for them. They'll just see the exaggerated version as even more good.
I mean
Sonic just wants to run around and eat chili dogs while seeing a beautiful scenery
Ain't nothin wrong bout that lmao
Does that mean that shadow the hedgehog was based on centrist ideologies
Wouldn't this make the avengers all anarchists?
Man, I love sonic.
Came for Operation: Black Steel, stayed for the political reading of Sonic. That's half a joke but this video is great
amazing content. *You Deserve More Subs. 🙏👍📈👍*
Well would you look at the ones who made sonic were tryna wake people up way back then
Eggman taking the mean of product doesn't that mean he's the commie. Plus eggman is red and sonic is blue. So you're video just got debunk. (Parody)
Jorge Hernandez eggman isn’t “the workers”
@@utryping he build/ design the evil robots so that work
A brief clarification but Eggmanland refers to an Amusement park, rather than a state.
I mean, same difference
Huh. Neat.
You’re not reaching, why the fuck is everyone acting like Sonic wasn’t saving the world from industrialized capitalism from the beginning?
I can't believe it's not an April Fool's joke!
Sonic lost world should never be used as an example for anything.
To be fair, it's just a very good analysis imo
Sorry to break it to you, but one of the defining rites of passage into official Bread Tube status is to make a video analyzing the politics of Sonic. It's kind of specific, but it's real:
hbomberguy - ruclips.net/video/3Oco4WYRdaU/видео.html
Vaush - ruclips.net/video/LKSC--tF0C4/видео.html
Cuck Philosophy - ruclips.net/video/8F5PUEbCRQI/видео.html
Renegade Cut - ruclips.net/video/D1xhep2zCyM/видео.html
Jack Saint - ruclips.net/video/losBbRx_4iM/видео.html
More Hbomberguy - ruclips.net/video/TebCHHCw9rY/видео.html
but maybe that was your point
See here's the thing and I'm not sure if I've said this before or not. It's not that my views aren't similar/don't allign with Breadtube on many things. The problem is, I don't want to be labelled as a "a breadtuber." Just like I don't want to be seen just a "cartoon reviewer" or a "Boondocks RUclips." I just wanna do what I want.
@@TheStorytellerAJ yeah, i member you talking about it so I thought I'd poke fun. I understand, but I am a "breadtube viewer," if there ever was one
One thing I find that doesn't work about Sonic Sat AM is that, as a socialist work, it doesn't meet its standards as you have Sonic serving a bourgeoisie , anthropomorphic chipmunk against a bourgeoisie human mad scientist. It just goes into circles, and it's a very liberal, environmental message it's packing. It may be subtle in its environmental message, but it has a very Lockean way of looking at revolutionary politics in the same way Star Wars does.
I agree loosely, but the thing with Princess Sally is that she's still treated equally to everyone else.
@@TheStorytellerAJ I guess so. Still I ponder why she would be referred to as 'princess', unless the title were ceremonial and figurative, especially in a political Taoist-anarchial manner. Then again, Sally is trying to find her father, the King and thus restore the monarchy, which is counter-revolutionary. Not to mention that before Robotnik's takeover, Mobotropolis was at war with another nation of animals, so by restoring the Mobotropolis Monarchy, and the Other nation, it entails restoring the old status quo?
Also, the description of anarchism you have chosen, it sounds more like Nietzsche's version of Liberalism, which makes Sonic a very atomistic character who probably might as well disregard the group and become a sociopath imo.
Perfection.
Sonic from 4chan. Alongside Kirby and YuGiOh. Similar themes to me
Remember when sonic became a cop?
bro when?
@@SantaFishes101 Zonic, Zamy, Zhadow, Zails. Cmon man.
@@whywyatt376 lmao