SEGA Wants to Re-Release This Classic Sonic Anime (But a…

Summary

The Sonic the Hedgehog OVA, or Original Video Animation, is a 1996 Japanese animated film inspired by the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series.
The film features Sonic and his friends teaming up to stop the evil Dr. Robotnik, and it introduced new characters like Sara and Knuckles the Echidna.
The OVA was last released in America in 2004 but has since gone out of print due to legal issues regarding lost paperwork, preventing SEGA from re-releasing it internationally.

Considering how many different forms of Sonic the Hedgehog media are out there, it's not surprising that fans have their favorite interpretations of the character. When it comes to animation, Sonic has had about a dozen different series produced (with the latest incarnation - Sonic Prime - currently streaming on Netflix).

One of the more unique Sonic productions was an OVA animation that was produced in Japan. Known for its sleek animation and bizarre take on the source material, many fans have fond memories of this movie. So much so that attempts have been made to re-release it internationally. However, there is a legal problem preventing SEGA from making this a reality.

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By Kevin T. Rodriguez

What Are Some of the Sonic Animated Series that are Out There?

Ever since the nineties, there have been a multitude of animated series about the blue hedgehog. Some of them include:

The Adventure of Sonic the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog (nicknamed SatAM by fans)
Sonic Underground
Sonic X
Sonic Boom
Sonic Prime

Despite all these different interpretations of the character, one adaptation from Japan has a special place in fans' hearts for not only being difficult to obtain, but for being the first anime that SEGA had direct involvement in.

What is the Sonic the Hedgehog OVA?

The Sonic the Hedgehog OVA refers to an animated film titled Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie. It is a Japanese animated film released in 1996 and was a direct-to-video release. The OVA was created by Pierrot, a Japanese animation studio that also provided animation for the SEGA CD game Sonic The Hedgehog CD, and it features characters from the Sonic the Hedgehog video game series.

The story revolves around Sonic and his friends as they team up to stop the evil Dr. Robotnik, who plans to steal Sonic's DNA to power his new invention, the Hyper Metal Sonic. The film introduces new characters like Sara (a human character) and an eccentric Owl, and also proved to be the first animated appearance of fan-favorite Knuckles the Echidna.

What is an OVA?

OVA stands for "Original Video Animation." It refers to animated content, typically in the form of a film or series, that is released directly to the home video market without prior theatrical or television broadcast. OVAs are often produced as special episodes, additional content, or standalone stories that complement existing anime series or serve as independent projects. The term "OVA" is commonly used in the context of Japanese animation but has been adopted internationally.

When Was the OVA Last Released in America?

Sonic the Hedgehog: The Movie was originally released in two parts in Japan and later compiled into a single feature for international releases. This release was done by the now-defunct ADV Films, who released the movie as part of their ' ADV Kids' video line. It was first released on VHS and DVD in 1999 to coincide with the release of the SEGA Dreamcast and the (at the time) new installment in the video game franchise Sonic Adventure.

In 2004, the movie would be re-released on a new DVD by ADV Films once again. A few years later the company would dissolve, and as a result, all releases have been discontinued and out of print. Because of the new direction the franchise had taken, it was assumed that SEGA was willing to let the title slide into obscurity and focus on new movies and projects. It turns out, SEGA isn't opposed to re-releasing the film, but there is a slightly huge problem that is preventing them from doing so.

What Happened to ADV Films?

ADV Films, a once-prominent anime distribution company based in the United States, faced financial challenges and underwent significant changes. In 2009, A.D. Vision (ADV Films' parent company) underwent a restructuring process. Some of its assets were transferred to a new company named Section23 Films, and ADV Films effectively ceased to operate under its original structure. The transition included transferring certain licenses and distribution rights to other entities.

Why Haven't We Gotten a Re-Release of the Anime?

During a recent New Years Eve livestream for the upcoming Discotek Media releases, the company was asked if there had been any attempt to rescue the license of the film. During the questions part of the livestream, host Mike Toole answered that Discotek had made an attempt to rescue the license, and that SEGA was more than willing to give it to them, but they were unable to release the show internationally because of paperwork that was lost when ADV was shuttered. According to Toole:

SEGA owns it, they know they own it, we were gonna license it, but they don't [know where] the paperwork for the music and the voices [are]. They don't know who they have to pay residuals to on it and... [That's] kind of where the logjam is, they don't know where that is, so it can't be licensed out beyond Japan... In Japan I think it's still available on streaming, but it can't be licensed outside there because they don't know who to pay and what to pay them.

While some might think that drawing up new paperwork would be an option, it would require a contract negotiation that could be long and difficult (and hardly worth it considering the niche nature of the title these days). Maybe someday the paperwork will show up in someone's closet or something, but in the meantime, if you want to watch this strange piece of Sonic history, you'll need to hunt down one of the out-of-print DVDs that still pop up on eBay from time to time.

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Sonic the Hedgehog

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Sonic the Hedgehog is a prolific game franchise that started life on the Sega Genesis/Mega Drive. Covering both 2D and 3D iterations through the generations, Sonic is known for speedy movements and interesting platforming mechanics.

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