Agent Sonic (2016 anime movie)

Agent Sonic (映画 ソニック・ザ・ヘッジホッグ 黄金のスパイ大作戦 Eiga Sonikku za Hejjihoggu Ogon no Supai Daisakusen Sonic the Hedgehog Movie: Operation Golden Spy) is an American-Japanese 2016 action spy fantasy comedy anime movie based off of the 2011 anime movie, "Crayon Shin-chan: The Storm Called: Operation Golden Spy" that was directed by Soichi Masui and Ian Flynn. The film is the fourth entry in the yearly movie series based off of the "Sonic the Hedgehog: Angel Island Adventures" anime.
The plot centers on Sonic being recruited by G.U.N for a mission to retrieve the Flatus Serum, a dangerous sweet potato jelly made by Dr. Taterspud, to save the world.
It was released on April 16, 2016 in Japanese theaters, produced by Shin-Ei Animation and distributed by Toho Co. Ltd. The film was released in American theaters on April 30, 2016 for 2 weeks by Warner Bros. Pictures and Fathom Events. The film was rated G in Japan and PG (TV-PG-DV on TV) in America for "crude humor, mild peril, and mild action."
The film received positive reviews and grossed over $209.1 million at the box office.
Vlcsnap-2017-05-15-17h37m32s681.png|The human database.
Vlcsnap-2017-05-15-17h41m36s641.png|The plane escorting Sonic and friends to Spuddistan
Vlcsnap-2017-05-15-17h30m39s238.png|The launch base preparing the fart missiles.
Vlcsnap-2017-05-15-17h33m40s499.png|The Flatus Serum in all of it's glory.
== Plot ==
Rouge is looking through a citizen database for a spy for G.U.N's Operation Ozone, a mission to stop getting Dr. Eggman from retrieving the Flatus Serum, a jelly made of highly concentrated sweet potatoes that causes extreme flatulence when eaten, to destroy most of the ozone layer, except for a large portion, Eggmanland, forcing everybody on earth to move there. After reaching the database's main computer, she finds the perfect spy who can get the serum, Sonic the Hedgehog.
After, back on Angel Island, Stealthy and Stella are sniffing candles until they come across a disgusting scent. After discovering the culprit, Sonic, who unknowingly farted in his sleep, they send him outside so they can sniff candles in peace. However, while walking, Sonic finds a strange note addressed to him. It is saying that he has been recruited for G.U.N.'s spy agency. After reading the note, Rouge greets him, gives him his spy uniform, and starts training with him.
While training, Tails, Knuckles, Shadow, and Silver find Sonic, and Rouge tells them that they are training for a gymnastics tournament, making them want to join. On one of his practice runs, Eggman Robo attempt kidnapping Sonic, but Rouge and the others stop them. After being saved, they go home and introduce Rouge to Stealthy and Stella. While eating dinner, men from G.U.N gas everybody to sleep and put them on a plane set to arrive at Spuddistan, the island where the Flatus Serum is located.
After a debriefing on his mission, Sonic gets into Dr. Taterspud's lab. However, he gets noticed by the scientist, and they have a talk. He reveals that the Flatus Serum was created on accident. He says that he was eating a sweet potato as a child and farted and wondered, "Why do you fart when you eat sweet potatoes?", looking into it so much that he became a scientist. While trying to create a sweet potato that won't make you fart when you eat it, he did the exact opposite, create a sweet potato that makes you fart a lot, thus making the Flatus Serum. Sonic then takes the serum and Dr. Taterspud wishes him luck.
After retrieving the serum, Dr. Eggman gasses everybody to sleep, takes the serum, and takes them to Flatuland, the island where he is preparing fart missiles. After bringing Sonic and his friends to the Flatuland theater, Dr. Eggman ties up Rouge, forcing her to watch the horror about to ensue. Sonic and friends are strapped into strange chairs, and are unknowingly fed the Flatus Serum. They learn the unfortunate truth about the mission by the effects of the serum on them.
After getting out of the lab, everybody but Sonic and Rouge decide to go home, but end up getting stuck on the island. Sonic then decides to stop the missiles and help Rouge. After getting into the launch base and untying Rouge, they try and reroute the missiles, but get caught by Dr. Eggman. After opening the missile launch base, they are chased by Eggman Robo, and Rouge gets kidnapped again.
After finding a hiding spot, Sonic unknowingly starts eating the serum out of hunger, and decides that he can stop the plan by eating all of the serum. After eating all of the serum running out of the island, Sonic starts feeling the effects of the Flatus Serum and destroys the lab with a giant fart.
After visiting with Dr. Taterspud, Sonic and friends all go back to Angel Island. After walking into his room, Sonic finds a package and note on his bed. The package contains his spy outfit as well as all of his gadgets, and the note says, "Sonic, thanks for serving as a spy and saving the world. I wanted you to remember this whole adventure, so I sent back all of your spy gear. Hope to see you again! Love, Rouge"
== Music ==
* Opening Song: Sonic Drivethumb|330x330px|The music video for the film's ending theme.
* Ending Song: Yellow Pansy Street by Kanjani 8
The film's score was mostly composed by Tomoya Ohtani, with some tracks being kept from the original Shin-chan movie. The reason for most music being recomposed is to avoid TV Asahi's music importing rules.
Track names for the film's soundtrack. The film score, opening, ending songs, as well as karaoke versions are included on 2 CDs.
* Nosy Rouge
* Sonic Drive
* Sonic Drive (Karaoke)
* Sonic's accidental gas-passing
* The invitation
* Training Time
* The practice mission
* Almost getting caught
* Meeting the others
* The Kidnapping
* Rouge, Sonic and the debriefing
* One fateful dinner
* The big debriefing.
* Let's sneak in!
* Hanging trouble
* Flatulation Ventilation
* Sonic's big break-in
* Meeting Taterspud
* The reason for the Flatus Serum
* Sonic's exit
* Sleepy time
* Flatuland
* The Flatuland experiment
* Aftermath
* Sonic leaves his friends
* Let's save Rouge
* Let's stop the missiles
* Rouge gets captured
* Give the Serum back!
* The big chase
* Sonic accidentally eats the serum
* Let's go
* Oh no...
* He's okay...
* In Spuddistan again
* Goodbye
* The note and package
* Yellow Pansy Street
* Yellow Pansy Street (Karaoke)
== Characters & Cast ==
* Sonic - Roger Craig Smith
* Tails - Coleen O'Shaughnessy
* Knuckles - Travis Willingham
* Amy - Cindy Robinson
* Cream - Michelle Ruff
* Shadow - Kirk Thornton
* Silver - Quinton Flynn
* Stealthy the Skunk - Sean Schemmel
* Stella the Skunk - Cynthia Cranz
* Rouge - Karen Strassman
* Blaze the Cat - Laura Bailey
* GUN Major - Mike Pollock
* GUN Soldiers - Roger Craig Smith
* Dr. Eggman - Mike Pollock
* Dr. Taterspud - Chuck Huber
* Misc. Background Characters - Misc.
== Release ==
The film was released in Japanese theaters on April 16, 2016, and released on Japanese DVD and Blu-Ray on June 12, 2016. The film was released in US theaters by Fathom Events and Warner Bros. Pictures on April 30, 2016 for 2 weeks. On May 12, 2016, the film recieved a proper TV airing on Disney XD with a TV-PG-DV rating, being one of the few programs to air on the channel with such rating. The film was released in the US on DVD and Blu-Ray on June 5, 2016. In order to promote the movie's US theatrical release, Archie Sonic issues #305 to #307 had a continuous Agent Sonic arc, with the events of the movie taking place in the same canon as the Archie comics. Similarly, in Japan, a manga based off of the movie was released on April 30, 2016, with an English translated version being released by Viz Media on June 13, 2016.
== Trivia ==
* The film's extreme similarites to the 19th Crayon Shin-chan film are a result of a deal between, SEGA, TV Asahi, Toho, and Shin-Ei Animation, where Crayon Shin-chan is produced. The deal gave SEGA and Shin-Ei permission to use stories and ideas from Crayon Shin-chan.
* The film received backlash for being "fetish material", due to two scenes of inflation late into the movie. Studiopolis, the dubbing studio responsible for dubbing the movie in English was prepared for this though, making jokes about the aforementioned scenes, for example, after being experimented on in Flatuland, Sonic says, "You think they're running an art site here?".
* In the credits, the last credit says, "Rest in Peace, Yoshito Usui, we'll miss you, you brilliant man.", honoring the creator of Crayon Shin-chan, who died in 2009.
Category:Films
Category:Anime