Sonic is one of video gaming's most enduring characters, so it's little wonder that there's been plenty of attention given to his origins over the years.
It's been commonly accepted that the mascot's codename during the initial development of his Mega Drive debut was "Mr. Needlemouse" but it would seem that doubt is being cast on this particular piece of trivia by none other than Yuji Naka himself, the lead programmer on that game and former head of Sonic Team, the internal Sega studio responsible for many Sonic outings.
Sega recently held a special exam to test the knowledge of its fans during its 60th anniversary, and Naka failed on one of the questions relating to Sonic. The question asked what the character's internal codename was before he was called Sonic, and Naka didn't know the answer (thanks to Google Translate for this translation):
I was frustrated, so I tried again, but I didn't understand more. I didn't understand the problem of "Sega's signature character, Sonic. Choose the name he was given before he went out into the world." Even though I was the one who made it, I finished taking the Sega common test!
The correct answer, according to Sega, is indeed "Mister Needlemouse", but Naka claims that this name was never used by either himself or anyone else at Sonic Team.
Yosuke Okunari, a creative producer who works on Sega's many retro projects, replied to Naka with the suggestion that "Needlemouse" is the English translation of the Japanese compound word for "Hedgehog", which is scrawled on a piece of concept artwork by Sonic designer Naoto Oshima.
According to Sonic JP News, when you translate the Japanese word for hedgehog in English, it can actually be split into two words: ハリ / hari (needle) and ネズミ / nezumi (mouse) – which is where the confusion appears to have come from.
Together, they combine to form hedgehog (ハリネズミ / harinezumi). In Naka's eyes, the character's codename was always "Mr. Hedgehog", but, as is often the case when translating Japanese to English and back again, the meaning changed when western translators become involved.
Naka adds:
Well, I guess I translated "Hedgehog" into English, but Mr. Needle Mouse, which I don't remember using, feels strange. Well, I got the correct answer.
Thanks to Greatsong for the tip!
[source twitter.com]
Comments 10
Never heard Sonic referred to as needlemouse until now. The explanation given makes sense and now I'm imagining some alternate universe where the character is named Sonic the Needle Mouse.
I wonder what Yuji Naka thinks of recent Sonic games? It would be interesting to see what it would be like if he ever worked on one again.
Goddammit! We were so close of having Mr. Needlemouse dating Madonna.... so close...I guess some things are too perfect and are never meant to happen... (sigh)
Off topic (Kinda) but I just can't stop thinking about sonic A getting a remake I never played the first one but I did play part two, I would love a sonic colors port as well, never playing the game It would be perfect fit saying sonic colors was on a nintendo console only, So porting it to the switch seems like a no brainer.
@Snatcher I would like remakes of them on Switch too (never played Sonic Colours) and also a new Sega and Sonic All-Star Racing!
I started playing the encore Sonic Mania DLC last night and it's so fun playing as all the different characters. Love it.
Not really interested in sonic games but give me some more sega games on the switch anyday please!
I have never heard of it either. It sounds more like too many reinterpretations of the translation and it evolved into a myth that makes sense. As far as Kalinske goes he was known to bend the truth to benefit his goal.
I always though project needlemouse was just the code name of the first game; never knew it also referred to the blue blur himself.
I find it kind of hard to believe though that Naka-san had NEVER heard this trivia over the past 30 years as closely as he is associated with Sonic. Even if the trivia is false, which it appears to be a long-held legend turned into a typical 90's translation guff. Surely if it is fairly common knowledge among the fanbase he had to have heard about it at some point.
Yuji Naka gets way too much attention and credit for creating Sonic. He was just the programmer. He didn't design the characters or art (Naoto Ohshima did). He didn't design the levels (Hirokazu Yasuhara did). He's really riding those coattails.
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