"It's the code name of the blue hedgehog before he was named Sonic, right?" - You'd say.
Well today, this long-believed fact about Sonic's development code name was claimed to be wrong by creator of the Blue Blur - Yuji Naka-san!
The truth was unveiled today as Naka-san took the SEGA TEST, a special test which SEGA of Japan prepared as a part of SEGA 60th anniversary events for SEGA fans to test their knowledge about SEGA. Three tests were held in two days.
"I regret the result of the last test so I tried it again, but this time I knew even less answers. I didn't get the question asking 'Sonic is the signature character of SEGA. Choose the name he had before he went public'. Even though I'm one of the creators."
- Naka Yuji
In response to his confusion, Yosuke Okunari-san, a Creative Producer at SEGA and one of the professors (i.e. SEGA employees) of SEGA TEST SEMINARS released beforehand, replied as follows:
"This refers to the English translation of "Mr. Harinezumi" which Ohsima-san wrote on his sketch by Americans, so to Japanese, and even to Sonic's creator himself, "Mr. Needlemous" causes so many questions, right? (laugh)"
- Yosuke Okunari
So as he states, the expression "Mr. Needlemouse" was never used by Japanese creators, but it is a result of mistranslation of the Japanese word for 'hedgehog' by English speakers.
"If this is what fans are saying, isn't it strange that the question asks about the name before [Sonic] was made public, isnt' it? Well I guess they translated "Hari" and "Nezumi" separately, but seeing the word "Mr. Needlemouse" which was never used feels strange. I got the question correct anyway though."
- Naka Yuji
. . . . .
To explain what happened more clearly, basically the word for hedgehog in Japanese is written like this:
ハリネズミ (harinezumi) = hedgehog
However, you could see this as a compound of two separate words, each with individual meaning:
ハリ (hari) = needle
ネズミ (nezumi) = mouse
It's likely that the person who spread the nickname Mr. Needlemouse picked these two words separately for literal translation (for whatever reason) instead of just taking the whole word meaning hedgehog.
🔵According to Naka-san and Okunari-san, the rumored Sonic’s dev code name “Mr. Needlemouse” was a misunderstanding of English speaking fans who translated Ohshima-san’s note “Mr. ハリネズミ” word to word by mistake, while it’s supposed to be translated simply as “Mr. Hedgehog”. https://t.co/Rt6xqqhVYv
...So yeah. After all these (30!) years, Naka-san finally got to know one of the standard knowledge of Sonic fans, just to deny its factfulness. Oh well.
I didn't know about it either, and for all this long I thought they were using a pun for Sonic's code name to give it a twist... but no, it was just one of those mistranslations agian. My life was a lie.
Knuttunk
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New trailers of "Mario & Sonic AT 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games" were released & official website of the game was updated with tons of new information!
There are two versions of the trailer: one for US & Europe and one for Japan, which is longer and has more interesting new footages.
These trailers confirmed the anticipated '2D Classic Mode' of the game which was teased in the first trailer in June. Moreover, the release dates were revealed to be beginning of November this year!
MEGA DRIVE MINI, as announced at SEGA FES 2019, will contain 40 titles in total which made the history of MEGA DRIVE.
The first 10 titles were already showcased at the event and were available for demo-play.
Today, the 11th to 20th titles of MEGA DRIVE MINI were announced in a Famitsu livestream!
"So the announcement of 10 further lineups for MEGA DRIVE MIINI is today from 8 pm, huh. I totally forgot about it. I don't have a clue what is going to be revealed, so I'm excited."
- Masato Nishimura (Mazin)
Okunari-san updated the website with full title list of 'Game Can'!
Package illustration is specially done for this game set by Yoshiyasu Matsushita-san.
One of them is the 'SEGA GAME CAN', a collection of 12 games from the Game Library service for Mega Drive (SEGA Meganet) - so Mega Drive Mini will in fact have not only 40, but 52 games in total!! Wow!
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🔵Maekawa-san on Mega Drive Mini's newly revealed game titles:
"Mickey & Donald is the reason I thought about joining SEGA. Its quality was superb since its release.
Also, Bare Knuckle is of course 2! Okunari-sensei always gets it so right. "
Sound composer Yuzo Koshiro-san is also glad to see Megadrive Mini trending!
Japanese twitter trend is filled with the words related to Megadrive mini after they revealed the additional titles. (The screen shows MD mini, MD mini, MUSHA, Land Stalker, Thunder Force III)😆 pic.twitter.com/fFwpuYzTvm
Not anymore, as we unveil the next 10 titles for the SEGA Genesis Mini, including Sonic the Hedgehog 2, Earthworm Jim, and Castle of Illusion Starring Mickey Mouse.
I'm proud to join the Genesis mini project doing music for the menu lined up the great games. I programmed the music dedicated to YM2612 sound chip playing authentic Genesis/MegaDrive sound with many soundbanks chosen from actual games in the menu. I hope you guys like it!
"I heard there will be separately-sold MEGA DRIVE MINI's pads, and I think I might buy multiple of them meaninglessly because I wanted the fighing pads badly."
- Mazin
On the 30th to 31st of March 2019, SEGA of Japan held their annual event SEGA FES in Akihabara, Tokyo.
SEGA fans gathered in Akihabara that weekend or watched the livestream of the stage events to enjoy the atmosphere of SEGA-ness.
And of course, there were news to each of their franchise. Let's have a look!
"Today and tomorrow is SEGA FES at Akihabara! Such crowd even before the event start! The passion of SEGA fans. Famitsu will report on the event through articles!"
- Famitsu
🔵A new work to the popular series co-starring Mario and Sonic:
Experience and enjoy the Olympic games with Nintendo Switch's Joy-Con on "Mario & Sonic AT Tokyo Olympic Games" this winter 2019! https://t.co/lgtsxjihHu
🔵Enjoy various Olympic games with simple control!
Smartphone application "Tokyo 2020 Sonic at the Olympic Games" is coming in 2020!
As an app, there will be social interactive elements too! https://t.co/5tynC3HhJQ
🔵For the announcement of official Tokyo Olympics games, Sonic, Mario, and Miraitowa the mascot character of Tokyo Olympics appeared on stage! https://t.co/rBamBZhkgx
"Amazing reproduction of the shell!! Perfect recreation of movable parts! The detail of letting the attachment slot open without actual function! I'm definitely going to get it as a miniature display too!"
"I'll have to buy normal and W versions of Mega Drive Mini for their packages, lol. Well, I'm going to need one for storing and display anyway, and I want at least 3 USB fighting pad 6B so it's fine that way. Because it's SEGA hardware, my wife would allow this to me easier than other stuff I buy. I could actually buy 2 normal editions, in total 3 Mega Drive Minis."
Additionally, MEGA DRIVE MINI's US version GENESIS MINI was announced officially from the SEGA of America side!
SEEEEGGGGAAAA!
The iconic SEGA Genesis returns September 19, 2019, with our lovingly crafted SEGA Genesis Mini for $79.99!
Simply plug-in and play 40 of the console's legendary titles, 10 of which we're announcing today.
We are very excited to announce Project Sakura Wars (official name TBA!), the newest entry in the beloved Sakura Wars franchise, is heading to the West for the PS4 in Spring 2020!https://t.co/JfzBeOa5UHpic.twitter.com/FAxTr2fg61
🔵From March 31st at 2 p.m. Japan time, story of the first Yakuza game and Kazuma Kiryu (SSR) will be available at 'Ryu ga Gotoku ONLINE'! https://t.co/ZaineMFLe6
"Ryu ga Gotoku (YAKUZA) series fan meeting 2019 in SEGA FES. SSR Kazuma Kiryu was announced for Ryu ga Gotoku Online; moreover, the fans enjoyed the Ryu ga Gotoku cult quiz by the guests. "
"SEGA FES merchandise booth waiting time is currently 45 minutes. I'll give up today and will buy them when they come to our company's shop, even if I'll have them a little later."
The bakery Shiro-Cooppe's Sonic Chili Dog and SEGA's Taiyaki Shop!
"The 'Japan's best singing office worker' Takenobu Mitsuyoshi-san was at SEG AFES 2019, so I aimed my camera at him - and he showed various expressions!"
He carried heavy SEGA Saturn on his back and walked on gravels with bare foot, went out in cold, and punched the buttons so hard that his hand was bleeding... so much energy he put into the making of Segata Sanshiro CMs. Respect!
"We started off laughing as we watched Segata Sanshiro CMs but we were having tears in our eyes at the end - and as finale, we sang the 'SEGA Saturn, Shiro' song together with everybody."
"Mega Drive Mini's select screen music is done by Koshiro-san, but the music itself sounds more like Sonic sounds or the music of Land Stalker played with OCM data.
Alright, I might get on my way home now. It was a fun event! Tomorrow is Sege-ichi."
🔵There will be a group photo right after the end of SEGA FES. If you want to be in the picture, go on front of this big SEGA logo after the event! https://t.co/a8jd2o3QFQ
"It will be released in spring. Just a little bit more. Please look forward to it!!"
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