Sonic X Shadow Generations is probably one of the more anticipated games when it releases this fall. I can't speak for everyone, but I know for a fact that this game will consume my life as soon as it comes out, so I jumped at the chance to find out what new details will be revealed at Anime Expo 2024. Kirk Thornton was on the panel and hyped up his involvement with the project. Sonic X Shadow Generations is looking to be the ultimate lifeform's past game that hasn't been done in over a decade. Despite voicing Shadow in various media over the years, Kirk has never been allowed to voice the character in these instances. He's looking forward to seeing how he can further develop himself.
This also applies to Stephanie Sheh, the new voice of Maria. She plays a key role in Shadow's character development. It's been a while since Maria has been featured prominently in any form of media. Having an industry veteran like Stephanie take on a modern retelling of the character is an exciting prospect. Not only will she voice Maria in any potential cutscenes in the game, but she'll also voice Maria in a newly announced three-part prologue animated series that will be released later this year as a promotional piece.
We were given a small sample of this animation and it shows a lot of promise. Shadow's backstory from Sonic Adventure 2 with updated voice acting and gorgeous animation is a sight to behold. Shadow's creator and current head of Sonic Team, Takashi Iizuka, has stated that they wanted to expand on Shadow's backstory and highlight the elements that make him the dark hero he should be in the series. Shadow was heavily inspired by dark Western anti-heroes. Takashi noted how popular these characters were when he visited America during the development of Sonic Adventure. He specifically cited Spawn as an influence and you can see that influence more clearly in Shadow's prototype design, which is also shown here. Shadow's original design was slightly different than what we see today and he was known as Terios. This design will be featured as a skin in the upcoming game.
Shadow's popularity in the Sonic franchise is remarkable. For many, he's just as iconic and popular as Sonic. While Takashi insists that Shadow wasn't inspired by Vegeta, his dynamic as Sonic's occasional rival probably appeals to fans in a similar way. Between this upcoming game and his eventual appearance in the upcoming Sonic 3 movie, it really does feel like the year of Shadow the Hedgehog.