Sega kicked off Sonic’s 35th Anniversary celebrations in style at Anime Expo 2026, announcing a brand-new animated short: Sonic the Hedgehog: Memories and Beyond. The reveal came during the “Sonic the Hedgehog Animated Shorts: A Frame-by-Frame Retrospective” panel, and let’s just say—the hype was real.
What’s the Plot?
Dr. Eggman is up to his old tricks, but this time he’s got a shiny new scheme: upgrade Metal Sonic into the ultimate fighting machine by stealing Sonic’s life-data and harnessing the power of the Chaos Emeralds. Classic Eggman, honestly.
But here’s the twist—Sonic and his friends realize that to take down this souped-up Metal Sonic, they can’t rely on speed alone. They’ll have to lean on the friendships they’ve built through years of adventures. Cue the feels.
A Panel Full of Sonic Legends
The panel was a who’s who of Sonic animation talent, moderated by Aaron Webber and featuring:
- Takashi Iizuka
- Austin Keys & Jasmin Hernandez
- Tyson Hesse
- Evan Stanley
- Alan Wan
Together, they walked fans through the creative process behind Sonic’s animated legacy before dropping the big announcement.
When Can We Watch?
Sonic the Hedgehog: Memories and Beyond releases later in fall 2026 as part of Sonic’s 35th Anniversary programming lineup. No exact date yet, but we’ll be keeping our eyes peeled.
Source: SEGA
