Special Announcement for the Segaphiles!

Good afternoon, Takahashi-sensei here.

First off, I hope you’re taking care of yourselves in this uncertain time regarding the Coronavirus situation. I’m barely ever allowed to leave the house!

Second, one of everyone’s favorite video game companies with a rich history, SEGA Sammy, is celebrating its 60th Anniversary. Regarding SEGA, I’m well aware of the runaway success of Paramount Pictures’ adaptation of their most iconic property, Sonic the Hedgehog, which has outgrossed much of the competition this year so far. And everyone pretty much loves it(shout out to Fowler-sensei for breaking the video game movie curse!), Even though I felt it was a little TOO family-friendly for my tastes. Even I, myself, have gotten in a bit of a habit considering that I’ve been a fan of Sonic the Hedgehog ever since 2005. (The first game in the franchise I played was Sonic 3D Blast for Windows PC.)

You may have noticed that I’ve been tweeting a lot about my experience with the film for the last few months. From a typical fanboy perspective, I’m fairly excited for a sequel, if not too excited. However, more importantly, from a business perspective, I believe in the prospect of SEGA as a company to consider undergoing a revival in similar fashion as a brand. While Sonic may be all the rage within SEGA’s portfolio of intellectual properties, SEGA themselves have yet to unlock the potential of their other original properties from the likes of Shinobi, to NiGHTS into Dreams…,to Jet Set Radio, many of which, are creative and original by design, are also as well received, sometimes all the more than their mascot’s most recent outings, yet underused. And due to the popularity of the Cinematic Universe formula made famous by Marvel, (or more importantly, Disney, which finished what Paramount began with Iron Man(2008)), that very same potential can be seen in the works of SEGA as well, considering the fact that SEGA itself is no stranger to crossovers (SEGA Heroes is on your phone!). Which is why I’m announcing a project which will serve as an unofficial direct sequel (or more like an interquel or filler arc) to the aforementioned Sonic the Hedgehog, since official sequels, especially in Hollywood, usually take 1-3 years to make, despite the success of the original. (And may take longer if COVID-19 keeps lingering despite all the social distancing taking place.) I announce unto everyone, the SEGA MegaVerse project!

The SEGA MegaVerse, in similar fashion to what was achieved in the Marvel Universe, expands upon the universe of the Sonic the Hedgehog film, to incorporate characters, setting, plot, and lore of other SEGA I.P’s as if they had been adapted into film, should the company consider their relationship with ViacomCBS(a conglomerate that owns Paramount). This will allow for a balanced experience for people wanting to know about SEGA’s vast history beyond Sonic of bringing unique concepts and stories to life, or if they ever want to revisit it, if they grew up playing the Master System, Mega Drive, Game Gear…you get what I mean(or if they get fed up with Sonic, which can still happen with time). If Sonic can be put in the spotlight again, then so can SEGA as a brand even nearly 20 years after the death of the Dreamcast, the last of their platforms which showcased that unique creativity they once had.

Many of these ideas and concepts will be explored in the upcoming Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog(no, not the syndicated DiC cartoon), set a month after the events of he film, which pits everyone’s favorite alien hedgehog against a new group of villains who are part of a cult that aims to become disciples of Jim Carrey’s portrayal of Dr. Robotnik/Eggman.(and no, Tails won’t be showing up, since I plan on making this as canonical as possible.) A monthly manga serial set to give you memories of Archie Comics’ many adaptations of Sonic media(as well as other SEGA media), I can hope it will make the wait for the official sequel worthwhile!

As a creator, I always try to maintain originality first and foremost. Which is why I usually don’t partake in these kinds of fan projects. But, I understand that being original can sometimes become a pain, if the idea is too crazy or unconventional for a targeted audience. Whether this project continues depends on how well received it is, or if the nature of things changes. For one thing, I hope it stays faithful to the movie team’s vision, while embracing originality along the way, so things will stay fresh like caught fish.

Look forward to an upcoming detailed description and preview pages soon! And as Sonic Sez, Stay Inside, and Stay Safe! Thanks!