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Review
First, this story is done 3 years after the Series ended, that it is a return probably adds a couple of points to it and that bought back the main cast with there Original Voices (Sonic, Tails, Robotnik, Scratch and Grounder). Being a Christmas one it is more based on 'earth' then on Mobuis, or at lest that's how it seams. There are a lot of 'human's' in it, well, Santa Claus is shown as Human. We can debate a Christmas story in a Sonic timeline for a while but that's not the point. The first thing you will notice is the Theme Music has changed, along with the whole intro. It is a more Christmas sounding mix and the intro is mixed with the original and shots from this episode. This doesn't come off amazingly well mostly because of the animation improvements in the episode. The Art and animation seams much better then AOSTH which makes sense and seams to be a part mix with SatAM Style. This seams REALLY a mix when you watch the Episode. There are a lot of SatAM defences thrown in, Princess Sally (though colour wise, more her early pink version), Robotroplis is the name of the Main City in the Episode, also some Badniks are called 'Swatbots'. These aren't bad but a bit on the iffy side for what is clearly a AOSTH episode. The Story is a pretty good one if you get past the 'Christmas on Mobuis?' problem and just enjoy it as a standard "Christmas in Danger, Hero saves the day, Merry Christmas everybody!" storyline. It does, however, fall down in a number of places. Sonic has a ring but to use it, he needs to pass some Impossible tasks! Well.. there are only two of these and they aren't that hard.. the first is to climb an average size mountain. When he is up there, is there anything? No.. so why did he need to do that? the second is to Snowboard down a Dangerous cliff. Really, he fails this. Part of the way down, he paraglides, then bikes the rest of the way.. the glider and bike are already set up so that must be expected.. but still, nothing happens to show that he NEEDED to do this and who set up this challenge? It was a new-ish looking bike and glider so Maybe Santa Claus? nope.. cause he said he found the information in a cave with odd-style drawings. So this whole section is pointless.. Maybe even a glow from the ring to show it did something would be nice but sorry, nothing. All the time, Santa Claus is saying how hopeless the whole thing would be.. Why? He said they don't have time to deliver the gifts cause it would take half the year.. So how does he do it normally? The whole Last half of the episode with the Ring and saving the day is just badly done.. maybe a lot of the script was cut.. it's the only thing I can think of. In the end of the day, Sonic saves Christmas, gives Sally a whole bunch of gifts and a kiss and then returns to Santa where he decides to give everything up and make Sonic into Sonic Claus. A Role he takes up and everyone is happy and they do the 'And Merry Christmas to everyone at home' bit. This ending is the final nail in the coffin of this whole episode. At the end of the day, Worth having this episode and probably okay for Kids from ages up to about 5 maybe 6. Any older then that and that will start asking questions about the plot holes and things. This episode might have been better if they stuck a few other old characters and there voices in this. Or maybe Showing Robotnik's Old Fortress instead of a new castle but these aren't there. It is written by Bruce and Reed Shelly so at lest they get the characters right but I really must say they fail at a good episode. Again, maybe script changes cut a lot of scenes out, in which cause if this was a 45 Min episode (double length) it MIGHT have enough stuff to make it a good episode and to fix all the holes but it doesn't. The Saving off it is to recapture the old show with original cast back and it being a Christmas story to get you into the Christmas Spirit. But 3 years isn't long enough to get back an old feeling and these days, its not as easy so it fails on that point, and the Christmas Spirit bit? well.. don't know.. maybe if I was much younger and it was Christmas I watched and reviewed this on then maybe.. but i'm afraid it completely fails on that point too. Ending score out of 10? probably only a 4 and most of them points come from better art & animation and the 'return' feel to the show.
- Manic Man |
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