A dash into Sonic’s appeal to autistic folks.

Here’s what’s in store for today’s episode:

* Our hosts kick off this episode by exploring Sonic's journey, from a Nintendo game to a Saturday morning cartoon to the epic blockbuster franchise we know today.

* Next, we dive into the surprising connection between Sonic the Hedgehog and... Michael Jackson?

* Michael Jackson was undoubtedly neurodivergent, and much of his persona can be attributed to heavy masking.

* We discuss the personas that famous public figures like Taylor Swift, Walt Disney, and Michael Jackson become locked into, and how this can be a form of masking.

* So, how does this tie back to Sonic? Well, Michael Jackson had a passion for video games and video game scores. He actually worked on the Sonic score but wasn’t credited—similar to his uncredited work on The Simpsons.

* There’s a well-known connection between autistic people and Sonic, but unfortunately, much of the documentation comes from ABA practitioners.

* ABA practitioners often attribute Sonic to just a special interest, which is ironic, considering Sonic’s attack is literally called a SPIN.

* The world of Sonic is incredibly stimmy, immersive, and can easily pull you into a monotropic flow state.

* Additionally, the history of Sonic offers literal decades of lore to explore—including the movies, where Jim Carrey, likely an autistic person himself, came out of retirement to star.

* Other autism-friendly aspects of Sonic include the bright colors, easily recognizable characters, and a whole Reddit community that connects Sonic to autism.

* There’s also an emphasis on justice sensitivity in Sonic, with all the villains being animals trapped in robots that you must free.

* The games are also fast-paced, which works well for hyper-connected autistic brains.

* Also, the Sonic games are also very predictable and follow a routine, making them super autism-friendly.

* In conclusion, Sonic’s immersive world, predictable gameplay, bright colors, and themes of justice sensitivity make it a uniquely autism-friendly franchise that resonates deeply with many autistic individuals, offering both comfort and connection.

“Well, only autistic children exist, right? And then we grow out of it on our 18th birthday or something and they take our autism card away.” - Angela

“One of the things with a hyper-connected brain is that we often think faster than most people. So when you’re spinning and going through loops and jumping and everything, it captivates our attention. The gameplay is really, really inductive to a flow state. And we love our flow states. That’s where our obsessions come from.” - Matt

Did you enjoy this episode? We explored how Sonic, as a franchise, connects with autism and neurodivergence, from its immersive world to its predictable gameplay and themes of justice. Tune in as we unpack how these elements resonate with many autistic individuals and how media can shape our understanding of neurodivergence. Let us know your thoughts in the comments, and use #AutisticCultureCatch to share your perspectives on the episode!

Shoutout!

We love The Good Art Friends, a podcast where good friends discuss good art! Each episode, Spencer and Jonathan, the neurodivergent hosts, dive into one of their special interests, sharing a piece of art that they love with listeners. This might be a book, movie, album, video game, comic book, or anything else that has lifted their hearts that month. The first half of the episode is a spoiler-free conversation about why that piece of media moved them, and then there’s a time-stamped jump to insightful and entertaining analysis. They cover a wide array of topics, from Spider-Man to the Boy and the Heron and so much more, so scan through their backlog to find a piece of art that you connect with.

It’s always pleasant hearing good friends connect over good art, so be sure to tune into The Good Art Friends wherever you get your podcasts.

Check out the Good Art Friends podcast at: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/show/the-good-art-friends

Show Notes:https://blog.delcampe.net/en/the-history-of-sonic-part-1-mascot-wars/

https://theboar.org/2021/12/concept-creation-of-sonic/

https://venturebeat.com/games/the-retrobeat-sonic-knuckles-turned-a-problem-into-success-25-years-ago/

https://eccentricemmie.medium.com/what-is-it-with-autistic-people-and-sonic-the-hedgehog-fb3830a7cba1

https://michael-jackson.fandom.com/wiki/Sonic_the_Hedgehog_3 YouTubeMichael Jackson SONGS in Sonic 3! - YouTubeFebruary 16, 2019 — By a request from Dr. Waluigi, this is a video on the infamous Michael Jackson's contributes to the Sonic the Hedgehog 3 soundtrack!

https://imgur.com/a/sonic-hedgehog-origin-comic-1991-fshgCOx

Related Episodes:

Related Episodes:

Pokémon is Autistic - https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/p/episode-16-pokemon-is-autistic

Animation is Autistic - https://www.autisticculturepodcast.com/p/episode-32-animation-is-autistic

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