Sonic the Hedgehog is a legend for all the right reasons. He is a blue hedgehog that has starred in masterpieces of the 16-bit era (and some other games) and became a mascot that could go toe-to-toe with Nintendo’s mustached plumber. Then there is Sanic Hegehog.
Initially created by YouTuber 0nyxheart in 2010 using Microsoft Paint, this crudely drawn version of the blue mammal is always eager to go fast and always wants opponents to “step it up.” The character gained such notoriety that he even appeared in live-action movies. He has also been in his fair share of memes. Here are some of them featuring the spunky “hegehog.”
7 Gotta Do Math!
This creative meme from Reddit User TheBlackHoleofDoom looks at first like another picture of Sanic, but upon closer inspection, there is something mathematical about this image.
It was produced using only math symbols. The arms and legs are parentheses, the eyes are an infinity symbol with two decimal points, and the spikes on the back are made of parentheses and the V for velocity. Sonic is all about speed, and speed is measured with numbers, so it makes sense to construct Sanic out of the symbols that bind the universe.
6 Gotta Go Fuel!
Energy drink and supplement brand G-Fuel is a prominent name in the gaming community, being a sponsor of YouTubers and streamers including PewDiePie and MoistCr1TiKaL. Its products come in a range of flavors, including, of all things, chili dogs(?).
On April 1st, 2021, G-Fuel promoted a special Sanic-themed energy drink mix, along with a special cup with Sanic plastered on it. The weirdest thing was that this wasn't just an April Fools joke; it was a real product that people could actually buy. The link in the announcement leads to a 404-page now, but customers can still get two Sonic-themed flavors.
5 Skyrim Belongs To The Sanics
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim is still being played a decade after its initial release. With its stunning landscapes, rich lore, and myriad characters, there is always something new to explore. The game also still gets fan mods to this day, including this character mod.
At the beginning of Skyrim, players can choose what race of creature to play. This mod introduces the Sanic race, in this snapshot from a video by YouTuber VideoGameDunkey, posted by Reddit user Tkamran1. Its strength is to go fast, but its weakness is that it must go fast. This mod closely resembles the initial Sonic design for the 2020 Sonic the Hedgehog movie.
4 Sanic Thinkr
This is an interesting take on Sanic from Muumi on KnowYourMeme.com. Here, he is in the pose of French artist Auguste Rodin’s classic sculpture, The Thinker. The image uses variation in the shading of colored pencil to create the illusion of dynamic light, and the outline is wavering and lingering.
This image perfectly captures the existential angst of Sanic, as he glares forward, deep in thought. What is fastness? Why must Sanic go fast? Must his life be nothing but going fast? Rodin initially created The Thinker as a representation of Italian poet Dante in a larger work based on Dante’s Inferno, so maybe Sanic is dreaming up some fast poetry.
3 Sanic The Elden Lord
Elden Ring has exploded across the internet, not only for its vast open world and its challenging combat but also for its detailed character creation. Players’ creations range from Samuel L. Jackson to the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles.
Now Sanic is an addition to that list of Elden Ring creations. His Shining Horned Headband radiates with Godly power, and he is ready for a fight with his Iron Balls on his fists. Now Lunar Princess Ranni shall bring in the new age of the Dark Moon alongside the Elden Lord of Speed.
2 Amiibo Amii-Go Fast!
Sanic is a celebrated work of art throughout the internet, having inspired many iterations. In this meme, Sanic is immortalized as the greatest form of art: an Amiibo.
This Amiibo for Super Smash Bros. features Sanic hand-sculpted upon a base emblazoned with the words “Step It Up.” The Amiibo even comes in its own custom packaging, with an illustration of Sanic up in potential buyers’ faces. As tempting as it would be to send Sanic into the ring, die-hard fans should consider this item NRFB: Never Remove From Box.
1 Sanic Pop Art
This Sanic meme from Reddit user ACivilizedSavage pairs Sanic with the caption: “Me literally zooming through life after chugging enough caffeine to kill an elephant.” Enough caffeine will make someone feel like Sanic.
On its own, this would be a funny MS Paint image, but if one looks more closely, one will discover that this image, along with the window, is entirely hand-painted. The panels on the left side show that a steady hand drew out the elements. This masterwork honoring the fastest “hegehog” around is worthy of being in a museum among the great works.