A number of sites lately have written pieces on what's wrong with the series/how to make it better (Destructoid had a great one that they've since had to take down), but there's one area of contention in recounting the glory days of Sonic that no one seems to have any answers about -- the shift from Robotnik to Eggman. Name changes don't just happen in midstream, and a lot of gamers don't feel like they've been given any answers on the subject. Considering that Sonic Adventure was both the first game to feature a shift in name and the first game to slowly kill the franchise with poorly executed 3D design, it's a hang up that some of us just can't let go of. Luckily wikipedia has some answers;

Due to a split storyline between the Japanese and American/European Sonic games, the character of Robotnik/Eggman has been known by several names in the various media and adaptations of the Sonic franchise. In Japan, the character has always been known as "Doctor Eggman" since his introduction in the first Sonic the Hedgehog game. However, in early American and European game versions and other media he is known as Doctor Ivo Robotnik. Although, despite this, both names slipped occasionally in the different regions.

In Fleetway's Sonic the Comic, the character's name was originally Ovi Kintobor. But an explosive accident involving a rotten egg reversed his kindly personality (along with the letters of his name), and he emerged as Ivo Robotnik. The Sonic the Hedgehog animated series expanded on the character's name further, revealing his first name to be Julian. The Sonic the Hedgehog comic book, which is closely based on the cartoon, gives Robotnik's birth name as Julian Kintobor of the House of Ivo, with "Kintobor" being his family name.

Beginning with Sonic Adventure, Sega began a process of merging the American and European game stories to the Japanese version, including introducing the concept of calling the character "Doctor Eggman" in the American and European versions. Initially, both names were used in the English language version, as he referred to himself as "Robotnik" while others mockingly called him "Eggman" because of his round physique. In the sequel, Sonic Adventure 2, he begins referring to himself as "Dr. Eggman", although his grandfather and cousin share the family name "Robotnik".

In later games, and in the English dub of Sonic X, usage of the name Robotnik became rare. The airboards in Sonic Riders are labeled as being built by "Robotnik Corp." It is also featured occasionally in Sonic X: in the character's eyecatch profile card from the Japanese version of Sonic X[7], and again in Gerald and Maria's family name.

So there you have it -- the name change was little more than an attempt to merge two divergent character names into one. A stupid move by my calculations, but at least now we know why.

There was one other great tidbit about Robotnik on that wiki page that I just can't help but share -- the origin of the character;

In April of 1990, Sega requested a game capable of selling over one million copies and a character to replace Alex Kidd as the company's mascot, as well as to rival Nintendo's flagship character, Mario. Several character designs were submitted by its AM8 research & development department, including an armadillo (who was later developed into Mighty the Armadillo), a dog, a spiky hedgehog (which would later become Sonic the Hedgehog), and a rabbit (intended to use its extending ears to collect objects; these aspects were later incorporated into Ristar).[4] A caricature of Theodore Roosevelt was also one of the possible designs, but it lost to Sonic the Hedgehog, and eventually became the basis for Eggman.

Teddy Roosevelt? Kick ass! I would've guessed from his constant use of transportation that doesn't require legs he was more of an FDR man, but cool nonetheless.

[via wikipedia]

Comments (8)

Name

Email

Website

Title

Comment

smaller | bigger

Subscribe via email (registered users only)

Add Comment