One of the perks of being homeschooled for most of my formative years has been the breadth of subject material I was able to consume. What I lack in pop culture knowledge I make up for in understanding of medieval history, farming, woodworking, and literature. A large perk was also an early exposure to various media formats; I consumed several stories through audio dramas, including The Count of Monte Cristo and Rikki-Tikki-Tavi, and I quickly learned to appreciate the art of visualization. It's been a while since I've listened to anything similar, and it's only fitting that one of my newer interests should collide with one from my youth.

Sonic & Tails R is an audio drama by Emi Jones featuring a fan-made story in the world of Sonic the Hedgehog. It's about ten brief episodes, and clocks in at about a hour and a half in total runtime. As brief as the episodes are, though, everything flows well in what may be one of the best fan stories Sonic the Hedgehog has in his massive library.

Personal Score

this criteria uses the DecentFilms rating formula.

Letter-Grade Recommendability: A+
Artistic/Entertainment Value - ★★★★★
Moral/Spiritual Value - +3
Age-Appropriateness - Kids & Up

Now this rating is high praise, but I do mean it. There is a beauty to Sonic & Tails R and the meaning that it brings. There's great voice acting, great original music, and all-around solid production here. Wrapping that all into an edifying story filled with adventure and friendship turns it into something really special.

The plot is one that fans of Sonic Unleashed may find common territory with: the Chaos Emeralds have been shattered into pieces in a scuffle with Eggman, and it's up to Sonic and Tails to race him around and collect the fragments of the emeralds. Both parties have their own way of resolving the fractured gems, with our main focus being on Sonic and Tails as they go to different locales and meet up with other friends like Amy and Silver. The plot is about the adventure, which I find very much in line with Sonic stories, and the pacing allows for a lot of living in the heat of the moment without wondering how things are going to end. That alone makes it very fun, whether it be the run-in with Amy or the high-pursuit escape from the local police. Sonic is all about these moments and it's played faithfully.

One very nice feature of this series is its voice cast. Emi is voicing Tails, but everyone notable is voiced by an iconic voice actor from the series. Ryan Drummond is back playing Sonic, a role he hasn't touched since the Sonic Adventure days, and Jason Griffith returns after over a decade for Shadow. We have Lisa Ortiz of Sonic X fame back as Amy, Pete Capella returning to play Silver, and David Humphrey of SA2 fame playing Knuckles. And, of course, no one is better at voicing Eggman than the legendary Mike Pollock. Everyone here is bringing their A-game to this project, and it is extremely satisfying to hear so many of these beloved characters revitalized with familiar voices. It's especially fun how it builds on everyone involved, setting them into a refreshing return-to-form in characterization while also building a little upon the established canon. Any fan will love this aspect of the series, especially if you sit around for Episode X (let's say a couple characters swap roles).

Something I enjoyed in particular, though, is the thematic material that the story brings. This is a Tails-centric story, building primarily off of the development he received in the Sonic Adventure games. Tails here is struggling to find an appropriate level of self-confidence in his life; he earned a boost from his past heroics, but he believes that he shouldn't need to lean on anyone else for support. This is all portrayed honestly, and through it all Sonic is there to remind Prower that it's okay to have faults. Sonic's characterization is excellent here, his honesty and empathy for who is basically a brother to him really illustrates and strengthens the bond the two share. When we reach the finale we have a little more mature Tails who isn't afraid to ask for help, but has the confidence to use his strengths in helping others. If you like the character of Tails, the essence is here and built upon splendidly.

Tails' journey also coincides with the secondary theme of emotion, particularly in regard to the Chaos Emeralds. The Emeralds are an important part of the mythos in Sonic's world, and here their importance is elevated through their ability to turn thoughts into power. While they have been used out of anger and negativity, like with Chaos in Sonic Adventure, Sonic and his friends have proven time and again that relentless optimism and positivity brings out their full potential. This is accentuated in how they come back from their fragments: not through technological alchemy like Eggman attempts, but through the comradery and heroism that Sonic and Tails exemplify. The Chaos Emeralds are not just a power-up, they're a symbol of the pure hearts of the heroes and their desires manifested in the world around them. It's an excellent use and certainly one of the better treatments of them in general.

In my mind, Sonic & Tails R is a part of the Sonic the Hedgehog canon. It serves to elevate the characters, the setting, and themes commonly found in its stories, and in my mind it certainly succeeds at this. I would recommend this to any Sonic fan, enjoyer of audio dramas, and even anyone who wants to understand just why people like Sonic the Hedgehog in the first place. You can find the whole thing here on Youtube.