Back القنفذ شادو Arabic القنفذ شادو ARZ Shadow the Hedgehog Catalan Ježek Shadow Czech Shadow the Hedgehog Danish Shadow the Hedgehog German Σάντοου ο Σκαντζόχοιρος Greek Shadow the Hedgehog Spanish شدو خارپشت Persian Shadow the Hedgehog Finnish
| Shadow the Hedgehog | |
|---|---|
| Sonic the Hedgehog character | |
 Artwork for Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) by Yuji Uekawa | |
| First appearance | Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) |
| Created by |
|
| Designed by | Kazuyuki Hoshino |
| Voiced by |
|
| In-universe information | |
| Species | Hedgehog |
| Gender | Male |
| Affiliation | Team Dark (Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega) |
| Origin | Space Colony ARK |
Shadow the Hedgehog[a] is a character created by the Japanese game developers Takashi Iizuka, Shiro Maekawa, and Kazuyuki Hoshino. He is a major character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Shadow is an anthropomorphic black hedgehog created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of Doctor Eggman. Shadow shares design traits and attributes with Sonic the Hedgehog. He is an antihero who has good intentions but will do whatever it takes to accomplish his goals, putting him at odds with Sonic.
Shadow first appeared in the Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), although he was conceived during the development of Sonic Adventure (1998). Iizuka devised the concept, while Maekawa developed his character and Hoshino designed him. Influences included the Dragon Ball character Vegeta, the Image Comics character Spawn, the Sonic character Metal Sonic, and speed skaters. Sonic Team envisioned Shadow as a one-off character who would only appear in Sonic Adventure 2, but his popularity among fans led to his inclusion in subsequent games, beginning with Sonic Heroes (2003), in which he forms "Team Dark" alongside Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega.
Shadow has featured in many Sonic games, including the standalone games Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) and Shadow Generations (2024). Shadow is one of the few Sonic characters to have a full character arc; after witnessing the death of his best friend Maria Robotnik, he initially seeks revenge, but later vows to keep his promise to her that he would protect the world from danger. After losing his memories, he seeks to recover them, reaffirming his promise and gaining a stronger sense of identity upon doing so. Kōji Yusa voices Shadow in Japan, while his English voice has been provided by David Humphrey, Jason Griffith, and Kirk Thornton. Keanu Reeves voices him in the feature film Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024).
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, and ranked him among the worst Sonic characters. The Shadow the Hedgehog game received generally unfavorable reviews, though it sold well.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Cygnettheatrewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "Jason Griffith". amtcworld.com. Archived from the original on March 24, 2016. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ "Otakon ®: Please Welcome Kirk Thornton to Otakon 2019 - News & Announcements". Archived from the original on March 1, 2023. Retrieved August 23, 2019.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Griffin-2022was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ 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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