Shadow the Hedgehog

Shadow the Hedgehog
Sonic the Hedgehog character
Artwork for Sonic Adventure 2 (2001) by Yuji Uekawa
First appearance	Sonic Adventure 2 (2001)
Created by	Takashi Iizuka Shiro Maekawa
Designed by	Kazuyuki Hoshino
Voiced by	Japanese Kōji Yusa (2001–present) Toshiyuki Morikawa (live-action franchise) English David Humphrey (2001–2004)[1] Jason Griffith (2004–2010)[2] Kirk Thornton (2010–present)[3] Ian Hanlin (Sonic Prime)[4] Keanu Reeves (live-action franchise)[5]
In-universe information
Species	Hedgehog
Gender	Male
Affiliation	Team Dark (Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega)
Origin	Space Colony ARK

Shadow the Hedgehog^[a] is a character created by the Japanese game developers Takashi Iizuka, Shiro Maekawa, and Kazuyuki Hoshino. He is a major character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. An anthropomorphic black hedgehog, Shadow shares design traits and attributes with Sonic the Hedgehog, and serves as Sonic's principal rival throughout the franchise. Described as an antihero, Shadow is portrayed as having noble intentions and a compassionate heart, but is standoff-ish with the people he encounters and often willing to fight anyone who comes in the way of his objective. His solemn demeanor and antagonistic traits put him at ideological odds with Sonic, though the two have a begrudging respect for each other and frequently team up for the greater good. Kōji Yusa voices Shadow in Japan, while his English voice has been provided by David Humphrey, Jason Griffith, and Kirk Thornton. Keanu Reeves voices him in the feature film Sonic the Hedgehog 3 (2024).

Shadow first appeared in the Dreamcast game Sonic Adventure 2 (2001), although he was conceived during the development of Sonic Adventure (1998). Iizuka devised the concept, while Maekawa developed his character and Hoshino designed him. Influences included the Dragon Ball character Vegeta, the Image Comics character Spawn, the Sonic character Metal Sonic, and speed skaters. Sonic Team envisioned Shadow as a one-off character who would only appear in Sonic Adventure 2, but his popularity among fans led to his inclusion in subsequent games, beginning with Sonic Heroes (2003), in which he becomes part of "Team Dark" alongside Rouge the Bat and E-123 Omega. Shadow has since featured in many Sonic games, including serving as the main protagonist of the games Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) and Shadow Generations (2024).

Shadow is one of the few Sonic characters to have a character arc across multiple games. Shadow was created by Professor Gerald Robotnik, the grandfather of series main antagonist Doctor Eggman, using alien DNA with the intention of creating the "Ultimate Lifeform". He was housed on a space colony, the ARK, where he developed a close friend with Robotnik's daughter, Maria Robotnik. However, the government organization G.U.N., upon discovering Robotnik's schemes on conquering the world, invaded the ARK and killed its occupants, including Maria, before capturing Shadow and keeping him in stasis for fifty years. After escaping, he initially plots revenge and desires to annihilate humanity for Maria's death, but later remembers his promise to her that he would protect the world from danger and allies with Sonic against Robotnik's own revenge plans. Shadow is presumed dead in the battle, but is in actuality kept comatose and with amnesia by Eggman. After being freed by Rouge, he begins recovering his memories and goes on a quest to continue protecting the world, reaffirming his promise and gaining a stronger sense of identity upon doing so.

Shadow is one of the most popular Sonic characters and was named one of the greatest video game characters by Guinness World Records in 2011. However, he has proven divisive among video game journalists. Some praised his role in Sonic Adventure 2 and his levels' preservation of the Sonic theme, but others criticized his dark and brooding characterization, particularly in later games, and ranked him among the worst Sonic characters. The Shadow the Hedgehog game received generally unfavorable reviews, though it sold well. In the third installment of the Sonic the Hedgehog film franchise, Reeves's adaptation received critical praise for his moody portrayal of the character's stoicism, empathy and darkness.

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