Shadow the Hedgehog

This article is about the character. For the video game, see Shadow the Hedgehog (video game).

Shadow the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog character
A tall and angry black hedgehog making a menacing pose. He has red eyes, dark skin around his snout and ears, red streaks on his quills and arms, black and gold handcuffs, white fur on his chest, and white, black, red, and yellow skates, with yellow-orange fire from his air shoes.
Artwork for Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) by Yuji Uekawa
First appearanceSonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Created by
Designed byKazuyuki Hoshino
Voiced by
In-universe information
SpeciesHedgehog
GenderMale
AffiliationTeam Dark (Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega)
OriginSpace Colony ARK

Shadow the Hedgehog[a] is a character who appears in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. He was created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa, designed by Kazuyuki Hoshino, and first appeared in Sonic Adventure 2 (2001).

Within Sonic's fictional universe, Shadow is an anthropomorphic black hedgehog created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of the series' antagonist Doctor Eggman. After witnessing the death of his best friend Maria Robotnik, Shadow initially seeks revenge, but later vows to keep his promise to her that he would protect the world from danger. An antihero, Shadow has good intentions but will do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals, putting him at odds with Sonic the Hedgehog.

Shadow shares many attributes with Sonic and controls similarly in games, but is distinguished by his use of vehicles and firearms. The idea for Shadow originated during the development of Sonic Adventure (1998). Iizuka and Maekawa sought to portray him as a subtle, "cool" character players could care about. Sonic Adventure 2 was intended to be Shadow's only appearance, but his popularity among fans led to Sonic Team including him in Sonic Heroes (2003). Shadow has since featured in numerous Sonic games, including the spin-off Shadow the Hedgehog (2005). He also appears in Sonic adaptations, comics, and merchandise.

Shadow is one of the most popular Sonic characters and was named one of the greatest video game characters by Guinness World Records in 2011. However, he has proven divisive among video game journalists. Some praised his role in Sonic Adventure 2 and his levels' preservation of the Sonic theme, but others criticized his dark and brooding characterization, particularly in later games. He has been ranked among the worst Sonic characters. The Shadow game received generally unfavorable reviews, though it sold well.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cygnettheatre was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "Jason Griffith". amtcworld.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  3. ^ "Otakon ®: Please Welcome Kirk Thornton to Otakon 2019 - News & Announcements". Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference Griffin-2022 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ Couch, Aaron; Kit, Borys (April 15, 2024). "Keanu Reeves Joins 'Sonic 3' as Shadow". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on April 15, 2024. Retrieved April 15, 2024.


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