#sonic channel 2020

[hoody-bob]

Sonic Channal 2020 Fullbody Commission for Josephemer_

Thank you for your patience !!

[sylveonechidna]

CONGRATULATIONS AND GOOD LUCK TO THIS BIG FRANCHISE!

[trashcreatyre]

Still not over this btw

Everyone say thank you sega japan <3

[sonknuxadow]

I think it's cool that Sega is now letting the comic characters be referenced in their games and other media, even having them be playable characters in the app games, I know it sucks that they couldn't do the same with archie characters especially since the Archie characters have been around longer but that's because Sega owns the IDW characters while Archie owned the Archie characters. (The only exception is Sticks but Sega actually brought her ownership)

i thought that sega does own some of the archie characters (or at the very least could use them if they wanted to) and are just intentionally choosing to place them off limits forever for some reason. like i could have sworn i heard they own the main freedom fighters at the very least but idk im no expert on that. also im a bit confused on sticks being labelled as an archie character yeah she was in some stuff made by archie but she was created for sonic boom and isnt just in the tv show shes in the games too. therefore shes a game character even if shes mostly only appeared in an alternate universe that doesnt get new content anymore

[dylanrosales25]

[sonichedgeblog]

Blaze wallpaper, released on the Sonic Channel website in November, 2020. Support us on Patreon

[silverthehedgehogcharacteristics]

Silver the Hedgehog Characteristics

Justice -  Driven by a strong Sense of Justice. Very confrontational because of this(Has zero tolerance for injustices and things like breaking promises, will take on anyone to right wrongs or help his friends(Mario & Sonic 2020)). Seeks to settle scores(Sonic Forces) and get back for those that have been wronged(or himself if you mess with him). Sometimes grapples with doing the right thing. His wish is to maintain peace, not to eradicate evil(Sonic & Silver).

Hope & Optimism/Positivity - Embodies hope and does not give into despair no matter the circumstances(fought through the Iblis future in the hopes of seeing a blue sky). Believes “There’s always hope as long as you don’t give up”(JP Sonic Forces quote). Inspires hope in others in the darkest moments(Sonic 06 last episode, Sonic Forces, helping Elise through her performance anxiety in Otherworld Comedy). Has an “Honest, unpretentious and kind demeanor”(Sonic Channel Staff Column Wallpaper) and an Enchanting Smile(His smile fills Elise with trust and joy during their performance in Otherworld Comedy and a recipient he serves apple slices to can’t say no to his smile even though they're full already in Wallpaper Comedy 2022). When he is down it does not take much to bring him back up(Sonic Rivals 2). “His way of life inspires people and makes them want to watch over him and cheer him on forever”(Sonic & Silver).

Kind - Is an Altruist with a strong desire to help others. “Does not want to use his powers for himself but to help others”(Sonic Channel Otherworld Comedy). His kindness is the only thing that can make him drop his mission as he can’t say no to a sad face and will stop to help those in need(Amy in 06, Soleanna Post Office in Sonic Pict). Actively goes out and does things like serve apple slices, deliver Christmas presents, play holiday mascots and engage in Cheerful Activities(Sonic & Silver). Wants to become a hero because it means being someone that can ‘protect smiles’, wants to “protect smiles” and make people happy because he grew up in a world where everyone lived in despair(Sonic & Silver).

Peace - Lives and fights for World Peace. Greatly empathetic to the world around him so his feelings reflect the state of the environment. Destroyed environments sadden and upset him while Beautiful Scenery and places with people prospering/living happily leave him breathless(in contrast to the apocalyptic suffering, darkness and devastation he’s experienced). Blue Skies make him feel at peace and people’s Smiles make him smile. Peace, blue skies and smiles are very important to him and he is vicious to anything that threatens them. His head quills are in the shape of a Japanese Red Maple Leaf which represents peace and prosperity.

Determination - Determined to protect peace. Arguably the most determined character. Doesn’t give up easily(got exact hedgehog apple slices after 40 tries) no matter how badly he’s hurt or how hopeless the situation. Has no regard for pain/massive pain tolerance(Kept fighting undeterred after being kicked in the head by Shadow and skipped across the street like a rock by Sonic in Generations, endures "pain beyond description” caused by his powers in Sonic & Silver).

Forthright - Straightforward and Honest(Sonic & Silver) to a fault, he cannot tell a lie(Sonic and Silver) though he can change the subject(“Circumstances have changed”, ending of Rivals 2). Is direct, blunt and wears his heart on his sleeve. Like his namesake he is said to have purity(Sonic & Silver). Is straightforward, outgoing and blunt in contrast to Blaze being shy and reserved.

Brash - Described as “Young and Immature” by his creator Shun Nakamura. Is juvenile(indicated in the Japanese terms that describe him as “young”). So straightforward and honest that he’s Rude and Blunt. He has no filter and will call you an idiot to your face if he thinks you’re an idiot. So straightforward and blunt that he often manners and social customs(Sonic Rivals 1/2, how he approaches NPCs in 06, even Sonic says that he has an attitude in Sonic Rivals). Abrasive and quick to insult both enemies and competition(mocks Sonic after beating him in 06, sneers at competition in Rivals 1/2 and Riders Zero Gravity, insults everything that gets in his way in Rivals 1/2, insults Eggman after stopping the Eclipse Cannon in Wallpaper Comedy 2021). Has a snotty attitude towards anything he one ups(“Can’t you do better?”). Prone to sarcastic remarks(“What am I doing?” when traveling with Amy in 06, "They think THAT is what the future is like? Please." in Colors DS). Headstrong(Offended when treated like an amateur in Otherworld Comedy Act 8, explodes at Jet’s provocations in Mario and Sonic). Has a Mischievous Side(Commemorative Illustration Series). In Japanese he uses informal/rude impressions “Ore”(I) and “Anta”(You)(instead of the polite “Anata”), points directly at people talks to(confrontational rude gesture) and crosses his legs while sitting(roughly the Japanese equivalent to putting your feet on a table). Informal overall in contrast to the polite mannered Future Trunks.

Naive - Has a Black and White mindset/Innocent in his ideals(06). Expects people to believe him when he says he’s from the future or explains outlandish situations just because he knows them to be true(Which causes people to think he’s crazy). Can be unfamiliar with things in the past. Can sometimes take things literally(has an angry “What’s so funny?” attitude when he doesn’t understand things. Says “Yes, why?” when Espio says “you want me to believe that?”).

Sentimental - Appreciates little things and finds great beauty in nature and simple parts of the world that most people take for granted(Calls Dusty Desert beautiful, comments on the beauty of a beach in TSR). This side of him ties into his peace themes due to his ability to appreciate beauty and serenity(also what a maple leaf represents) in various forms. Enjoys sightseeing and going on journeys(Colors DS, Olympic Games, Sonic Pict) because of this. Can be Introspective/contemplative(sits paused on his mission to destroy the Iblis Trigger to think about the morality of his actions in 06, thinks heavily about his worries about Dodon Pa in TSR). Says his favorite moment in racing is “seeing everyone come together and giving their all for a single objective”(Team Vector Interview).

Emotional - High-Spirited and Hot-blooded. Emotionally immature and unregulated. Feels joy and rage loudly but sadness and contemplation quietly. can get loud and carried away when riled up(06 design docs, Mario and Sonic 2020). Puts his all into what he gets invested in(I’m giving this everything I’ve got!). Easily angered(Gets indignant when Soleanna officials don’t listen to him in Sonic & Silver)/has a vindictive temper like Blaze(he’ll twist you up if you mess with him). Needs to be calmed down/held back at times(2012, 2020 Olympic Games, why he has stoic partners like Blaze, Shadow and Espio). Dead quiet when contemplating his dilemma and the loss of Blaze in 06 or thinking about his anxious feelings in TSR. Can deal with things too head-on or take on everything himself because of the strength of his feelings(Sonic & Silver) which can make him Impulsive and Reckless(such as when he goes to fight Ifinit in Sonic Forces ). Is passionate and controlled by his emotions while Sonic and Shadow are calm and cool(Sonic & Silver).

Warrior -  fought and struggled for half his lifetime in the hellish Iblis future(Sonic & Silver), constantly fighting against Iblis, Iblis monsters and putting out disasters including Flame Tornadoes to bring peace to the world(06). Shadow describes him as a Fighter in Team Sonic Racing. Enjoys Fighting and can be quick to start fights(Fights almost everyone for both in Rivals 1+2 and Infinite in Forces, almost fights Blaze in Colors DS and Otherworld Comedy and Bowser Jr and Jet in the Olympic Games). Extremely Brave(Self-sacrificial, no regard for his own safety and will sacrifice himself at a moment’s notice(Sonic Comic Pumpkin Trigger), Instant fight response when surprised in Sonic Generations, does not back down in the face powerful threats like Iblis, Infinite or large disasters, fought Iblis monsters since he was Cream’s age). Values bravery and dislikes cowardice/cowardly tactics(Rivals 1+2, Colors DS, Team Vector interview). Has high aggression, determined expressions and aggressive body Language during anything he's focused on. Often makes fists, punches things when he’s frustrated and gets up with his fists in Sonic Forces. Due to his backstory he is deeply appreciative of peace and prosperity but also has a violent personality(Colors DS).

Focused - Is Focused on saving the Future(06 design docs). Very serious and focused when it comes to his mission or dealing with potential danger(Team Sonic Racing). Calls himself a realist in the English version of Sonic Forces and rallies the Resistance to focus and move forward after Tails disappears. Very proactive in dealing with things as he was the only one actively trying to defeat Iblis and change the world(06) and the only one trying to find the truth of Dodon Pa and Eggman(TSR). Has a Straight-To-The-Point mindset(doesn't care what the plan is called, only that it works in Forces) and doesn’t like things getting in his way. Very goal focused(even during competitions, he says the Jade Wisp Ghost ability is the only item he likes because it lets him “disappear and focus on racing”(Team Vector interview)). Takes things much more seriously than Sonic and sometimes gets mad at Sonic for not taking things seriously or messing around(JP TSR, Famitsu Magazine comic). Has pointed angular shape eyes like Sonic’s other rivals which represent intensity, danger and seriousness in character design.

Can be Ruthless - “sometimes calls forth great power without mercy”(Sonic x Silver). Opens both his fights with Sonic in 06 by trying to sneak attack and snipe Sonic with psychic energy balls. Has fought dirty(Played possum to hit Sonic in 06), tried to assassinate Sonic, snuck past Soleanna guards. Mugs Tails in Sonic Rivals 2(he’s okay with stealing), has no qualms with fighting kids like Tails or Bowser Jr. Leaves his enemies to die even if they beg for life(Sonic Rivals 2/IDW Sonic). Has the pragmatic “get-it-done” mindset of Future Trunks/will do whatever it takes to save the future.

Intuitive - Solves problems by using his mind in all his major game roles including figuring out how to revive Sonic(06), being a detective(Town Mission 13), uncovering Eggman/Nega’s plots(Rivals 1+2, TSR) and solving various puzzles. Very perceptive(Sees through Eggman Nega’s disguises by noticing small details), turns his fight with Sonic into a race to collect Chao to advance his mission(Crafty). Intuits Blaze trying to control great power when seeing it for the first time(Otherworld Comedy). Not trusting(Didn’t initially believe in time travel, Immediately suspicious of Dodon Pa in TSR, questioned Mephiles’ mission even as Blaze reaffirmed it as their only option, takes time to work with others in the Rivals series). Eggman is unable to deceive him the same way he does Knuckles in Team Sonic Racing.

Challenger - Enjoys challenges and seeks out ways to test himself(Climbed Tokyo Tower, disappointed when Orbot and Cubot don’t pose a challenge). Very Competitive(Almost fights Blaze when they start one-upping each other over who could deal with Orbot and Cubot on their own in Colors DS). Self-confident and has a smug attitude about his abilities but is otherwise pretty humble(doesn’t think of himself as a hero but rather someone just trying not to mess up the timeline in Sonic & Silver, has a humble attitude when befriending Donkey Kong in Mario & Sonic). Cherishes his friends and strongly believes in/very grateful to those who help him. Regularly trains off screen like Sonic’s other rivals and is said to make Steady efforts to improve(Wallpaper Comedy 2022). Bold and undeterred by any threat(“We can take them all on!” when facing Eggman, Knuckles and Rouge in Rivals 2, “I’ll just destroy him everywhere at once” when facing Solaris). Will take on anything for what he believes in or to help his friends(threw himself at Iblis and Infinite, took on Wendy for Tails and Luigi). one of his catchphrases is “I’ll take you on”.

Curiosity - Has a certain curiosity and likes seeing new and different things(“Interesting”). Can praise or call things cool as much as he can insults others as he has no filter(Sonic Runners). Might have a weakness for cute things(Has a soft spot for/plays with Chao in Sonic Rivals 2 and an official magazine comic). 

Skills - Powerful psychic with various super powers(Sonic Runners). Like Sonic’s other rivals he has various skills including car racing, acrobatics, fighting near the level of Shadow(they were both out of breath during their fight in 06), sharp shooting among the best in Soleanna’s 1500 year history(he takes offense to being treated like an amateur for a reason). Has been a detective, delivery boy, butler, top ranked ice skater and “genius” skating coach celebrity that helped taught others and helped Elise through her anxiety(Sonic Channel). Fly/Skill-type character so he specializes in more technical sports like ice skating and drives a car with high balance(TSR, Team Vector Interview). Can be sharp as he was able to turn his fight with Sonic into a race to advance his mission in Rivals 2 and is noted to be very perceptive by Eggnan Nega. Eggman fails to deceive Silver the same way he does Knuckles in Team Sonic Racing.

Polar Opposite of Eggman Nega(Blaze’s best friend, Pure, Young, Honest, Rude, Empathetic, Impulsive/Reckless, Naive, Practical/Focused, Altruistic, wears blues themed with white, desiring Peace and Happiness and willing to die to protect the world opposed to Eggman Nega being Blaze’s arch enemy, Twisted, Old, Deceitful, Polite, Psychopathic, Calculating, Sophisticated, Petty, Egoistic, wears red, themed with black, desiring Chaos and Destruction and willing to die to destroy the world)

Enhancer-Emitter - Enhancer is someone that is determined and simple, never lies, hides almost nothing, is straightforward in actions and thinking, whose words and actions are often dominated by their feelings and is very focused on their goals. Emitter is someone that is impatient, not detail-oriented and quick to react in a volatile manner but can also calm down and forget easier

Lives in the good future when not helping Sonic in the present the same way Blaze lives in her dimension. Thinks things in Sonic’s time are dated(sometimes, in Sonic Rivals and Colors DS). Often implied/shown to like apples(Ate apple flavored calorie bars in the Iblis Future according to Sonic Pict) and to live in Soleanna(He was originally going to be named Venice because he lived there, he may be Italian coded as his counterpart Galahad uses an Italian Cinquedea as a sword). 

[shadamyheadcanons]

Hi there, hope you're doing ok! I was wonder what are your headcanons for future!Shadamy when they are together and growing old. What are their jobs? Shadow is still at G.U.N.?Where do they live? How do their dynamic evolve as Amy ages physically (and they both age mentally obviously)?

For jobs, they’ve got options. I’ve written Amy as a florist in headcanon 29, a baker in headcanons 15 and 176, and a kindergarten teacher in headcanon 254. Florist and baker both jive with canon. She’s been shown to like flowers, and it’s natural to put a Rose in a garden.

Top, wallpaper on Sonic Channel Bottom, Sonic Pict May 2021 on Sonic Channel

For baking, there’s official art of her making baked goods, and she says in a Sonic Station LIVE vtuber special that she’s apprenticing at a cake shop.

Sonic Pict February 2020 on Sonic Channel

[link]

The kindergarten teacher angle works for me because she works well with kids. She’s not a Mom Friend, but she has a strong nurturing side:

Whatever she does to pay the bills, I think it’s important that she has a way of giving back and helping others. I could see her actively doing volunteer work. Frontiers has a detail I really like where she apparently goes back to check on places that have been impacted by Eggman’s destruction:

“Yep, but...I’ve seen this kind of recovery in areas Dr. Eggman damaged. Something ruined this land, and it’s barely begun to recover.”

She was always a helper even when she needed help more than anyone. I don’t think she could feel completely happy if she didn’t have the chance to give back in some way. It’s not enough for her just to whack a villain with a hammer and leave.

Shadow and Amy have significant overlap in this regard and could very believably be coworkers. He likes flowers just like she does; there’s been a lot of buzz about this lately, but for those who haven’t seen, they have a very extensive line of matching cherry blossom memorabilia, just for the two of them. Calendars. Bags. Hats. Thermoses. Shirts. It lines up nicely with the idea of Shadow calling Amy “Rose” as a term of endearment, which I’ve always liked. His fondness for flowers is “canon,” and by “canon,” I mean it’s in Lego Dimensions. When it comes to outside canon, I pick and choose what to count for my headcanons based on how in-character the event feels, and Shadow feels very in-character in that game, funnily enough. Lego gets it right.

Regardless of whether it’s a job, I love the idea of Shadow gardening because he’s very much a “protector,” and I think looking after smaller things would do him a world of good. It’s tangible, manageable, and rewarding in a way that protecting the entire world usually isn’t. That’s why I had him adopt Rosie. In headcanon 134, I wrote Shadow volunteering at a Chao shelter and inviting Amy to join him, and he became a guidance counselor in that headcanon above about Amy being a kindergarten teacher.

Sega seems to want us to believe Shadow and G.U.N. are on good terms. I don’t buy it. The only way I can see him happily working with them is if someone like Rouge gets put in charge and does some serious work to turn them around, like in headcanon 280. Even then, I wouldn’t say it’s ideal; I don’t want Shadow to have to fight his whole life. I can’t see him giving up fighting entirely to become a pacifist, but there’s more than one way to help the people of Earth, and he deserves peace, preferably with his friends and a delightful pink hedgehog by his side. And speaking of Amy’s motherly tendencies and Shadow feeling fulfilled by looking after little ones, I want them to have a couple kids, too. She canonically wants kids...

[Weird scene from Sonic X. Can’t believe there’s an honest-to-goodness typo in this finished game]

...and once most of the fighting is over, I think Shadow would crave some sort of focus and center in his life. Fatherhood could do that for him.

Silver has to come from somewhere, after all.

I like to put them in a cottage by the edge of the woods—far enough to enjoy nature and have peace and quiet when necessary, but close enough to the city to visit their friends. Big probably lives nearby.

As for growth and aging, most of it makes me sad. One-sided immortality can do that, especially for someone who experiences emotions as strongly as Shadow does. Check out headcanons 255, 238, 101, and 83 if you want to feel sad. Headcanon 286 is bittersweet. Headcanon 273 is nice and cute, though.

I hope you like links. Thanks for the question!

[autisticshadowthehedgehog]

Thank you women 🫡 May we have their names? I don’t know all of them. -☀️

(anon is referencing my recent gifset of sonic women!)

Sure! I put them in order of debut/release date. I realized while making this that I messed up the order of Shade and Merlina so I swapped em.

Amy Rose - first debuted in 1992 Shogakukan manga

Sally Acorn - SatAM and Archie canon. Was first created for SatAM but debuted in the comics first as a promo.

Bunnie Rabbott - SatAM and Archie canon. Same as Sally.

Breezie - Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog; she also appeared in Archie but with a diff personality. She was one of the few recurring female characters (along with Ms Possum and Mama Robotik) but since her appearances had actual arcs for her I picked her for the set.

Dulcy the Dragon - SatAM, wasn't as major in Archie iirc. Debuted in SatAM second season.

Seira - Sonic OVA, 1996.

Sonia the Hedgehog - Sonic Underground, 1998. I considered including Aleena as well but it's hard to find decent shots of her and she's barely onscreen. Also was hard to find a good shot of Sonia but that's just bc I hate the animation in this show.

Tikal the Echidna - first debuted in 1998's Sonic Adventure. Appeared later in Sonic X (where the gif is from) and I want her to come back pls

Lumina Flowlight - only appearance so far is Sonic Shuffle in 2000, but she's a major presence throughout the entire game.

Rouge the Bat - first debuted in 2001's Sonic Adventure 2. Gif is from Shadow Dark Beginnings.

Maria Robotnik - same as Rouge

Cream the Rabbit - first debuted in Sonic Advance 2 (2002)

Vanilla the Rabbit - first debuted in Sonic Advance 2 (2002). She appears more in supplementary materials (comics, Sonic Channel) than the games proper (hence why her gif is from Sonic X), but she does so enough that I felt safe counting her as a major character.

Ella - Sonic X. Secondary character who appears through almost every episode of seasons 1-2.

Topaz - Sonic X. Secondary character but major due to her partnership with Rouge as a GUN agent. Also her and Rouge are kinda fruity. Appears in seasons 1-2.

Cosmo - Sonic X season 3. Pretty much the main character of that arc.

Blaze the Cat - debuted in Sonic Rush (2005).

Wave the Swallow - debuted in Sonic Riders (2006).

Princess Elise III - major character in Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).

Shahra the Genie - major character in Sonic and the Secret Rings (2007).

Marine the Raccoon - major character in Sonic Rush Adventure (2007).

Shade the Echidna - my darling light of my life. Major character in Sonic Chronicles: the Dark Brotherhood (2008).

Merlina - major character in Sonic and the Black Knight (2009).

Zeena the Zeti - debuted in Sonic Lost World (2013), hasn't appeared in the games since but has reappeared in the canon IDW comics.

Sticks the Badger - major character in the Sonic Boom franchise starting in 2014

Longclaw - Sonic's original guardian in the Sonic film franchise. So far her only living appearance has been in 2020, but her hologram appears in the 2022 sequel and she's directly referenced in the 2024 film.

Maddie Wachowski - Sonic's adoptive mother in the Sonic film franchise, debuting in 2020.

Sage Robotnik - major character in Sonic Frontiers (2022), is likely to appear in later games

Trip the Sungazer - major character in Sonic Superstars (2023).

Ariem the Ram - major character in Sonic Dream Team (2024).

There were plenty of comic women I wanted to include but this was a gifset and comics don't, well. Move. So some comic girlie shoutouts:

Shogakukan: Tania

Sonic the Comic: Tekno, Ebony and Pyjamas

Archie: there's a ton and I still haven't read it in full so I probably missed a couple, but I know Julie Su, Fiona, Mina and Hope are pretty major

IDW: Tangle, Whisper, Jewel, Belle, Lanolin, Surge

And bc the image limit on tumblr is 30, I had to narrow down my initial list. Special shoutout to Aleena, Helen SonicX, and Rachel and Jojo SCU.

[rascallyrose92]

I wish the details in the original (link below) was in SxS Generations.

In the og, the reason why she was pointing to the stars was bc they were the same ones as the Tanabata fable. She was also leaning towards shadow more, putting the two of them on the same level.

And Shadow’s change is more apparent. In the first one, he leans forward, listens to the story Maria’s telling and looking at the stars. He’s calm and relaxed, silently enjoying the moment.

The other one has him look surprised at the stars she’s gesturing to, which makes no sense bc it’s been established that Shadow doesn’t care as much as Maria abt the beauty everywhere, only going along bc its her. He also seems too relaxed in this picture, leaning back and such.

Overall, the SxS one looks more like a teacher pointing out different constellations rather than a friend geeking out about the Tanabata fable.

By the way, the story’s significance to the og art can’t be understated, because of the parallels between the Tanabata story, and Shadow and Maria’s.

Tanabata is about two people separated from each other unless the time is right, with versions of the tale having the separation be bc one is mortal and the other is immortal. Sound familiar?

Another thing is them having Earth be the background of the scene rather than the Milky Way. This change makes the scene feel less grand.

The last detail that the Sonic Channel has is revealing that Maria loves talking not just about Earth’s beauty, but its stories too. That combined with her brains makes me think she would’ve been a great professor if she was still alive…

I know that there are limitations and such, but it still makes me sad thinking of what was lost:(

[hoody-bob]

Raffle Prize for RogerDatSoldier

Congratulation!

[sseas0ning]

Sonic Channel, call me 👀 A parody of the 2020 calendar style with one of my sonic main ones 🌟

[tailschannel]

LeakWatch: Prototype versions of Sonic mobile games found after major iOS app database leak

Early development builds of Sonic Jump, Sonic and Sega All-Stars Racing, and Sonic Dash have been found.

This is after the builds on a content delivery network for TestFlight, a previously independent beta-testing system for iOS, were released to the public.

Described at a similar scale to Nintendo's prototype "gigaleak" in 2020, the database containing terabytes worth of in-development and unreleased iOS apps.

As fans continue to dig through the database, the apps, dating from late 2012 to 2015, may give us a wealth of information on how popular Sonic mobile games like Dash took shape.

(with files contributed by MC for the Tails' Channel newsfeed.)

[7grandmel]

Todays rip: 02/12/2023

snow halation but it shreds

Season 4 Episode 2 Featured on: Halation Celebration ~ 10th Anniversary Tribute to Snow halation

Ripped by Joshua Taipale, Nolithium ft. Charles Ritz

December 2020. Near the end of Season 4 Episode 2, closing out SiIvaGunner's fifth year straight of running, a new project is suddenly unveiled to us as part of the SiIvaGunner All-Star Winter Festival. To commemorate the tenth anniversary of Love Live's Snow Halation, a song closely tied to the channel's history, the SiIvaGunner team unveiled "Halation Celebration" - a full-on arrangement album featuring two dozen contributions both from within the team and from external submissions. You can sort of trace a journey here, from the original King for a Day Tournament, to the King for Another Day Tournament, to Halation Celebration, and to Season 5 and beyond - the journey that would eventually form "SiIvaGunner Fusion Records", the branding used to denote these sorts of full-scale arrangement projects in the future.

I've talked about a few of these in the past - hell, the blog's first-ever post was on Running Through Cookie Country from SGFR's "Super Star Symphony" project, and later on I'd cover *** EVERYTHING IS FINE *** from the first SGFR release of Season 7 - "Shovelware from Beyond the Deep!". Yet for as great as all these projects are, it all truly began with a Christmas celebration - it all began with Snow Halation, and for my money snow halation but it shreds was one of the utmost best parts of that celebration.

And that's not to disparage or dismiss any of the other contributions - like every SGFR release, Halation Celebration is filled with tons of different interpretations, different styles and creators all outputting at an utmost high level of quality, to where it almost does feel a little bad to pick just one favorite. Yet I am at the end of the day merely a Sonic fan, a total sucker for punk-rock and wailing electric guitars - and snow halation but it shreds is quite literally exactly what it promises on the tin. And its a fantastic performance - though I adored hearing the arrangements from SiIva's mainstay rippers, its just as fascinating to hear contributions from people like Joshua Taipale and Nolithium, who contribute despite otherwise not being associated with the channel! And the two are EXCELLENT musicians in their own right - something that I only discovered through this arrangement.

Holiday cheer can be a lot of things, and there's going to be a variety of different rips featured on the blog during the month to truly encompass that (and some more silly stuff too, don't worry!). Yet its in large part about appreciation and celebration, of shared and spread love and joy. And that feeling transcends any sort of conventions of music genres - that joy can be felt, even through the shredding riffs of snow halation but it shreds. Every part of Halation Celebration is an absolute gift, and I'm eternally going to be grateful for it playing part in kickstarting SGFR, and introducing me to so many talented musicians both inside the team and out.

[dylanrosales25]

[sonichedgeblog]

Charmy wallpaper, released on the Sonic Channel website in April, 2020. Support us on Patreon