 Season 1 · TV Tokyo 2003 · Fox Box 2003–2004 | |
| Series | Sonic X (ソニックX), TMS Entertainment, 2003–2006 |
| Season | Season 1 of 3 · 26 episodes (nos. 1–26) |
| Japan | TV Tokyo, Sundays 8:30 a.m. · 6 April – 28 September 2003 |
| United States | Fox Box on Fox · sneak peek 23 August 2003; regular run 6 September 2003 – 27 March 2004 |
| English version | 4Kids Entertainment |
| Series director | Hajime Kamegaki |
| Writers | Hiro Masaki (12 episodes), Kiyoko Yoshimura, Yoshio Urasawa, Chinatsu Hōjō, Masahiko Shiraishi, Mutsumi Mikuni |
| Story arcs | New World Saga (1–13) · Chaos Emerald Chaos (14–26), as named on 4Kids’ DVD sets |
| Japanese themes | “Sonic Drive” (opening) · “Mi-ra-i” (ending, 1–13) · “Hikaru Michi” (ending, 14–26) |
| English theme | “Gotta Go Fast” (opening and ending) |
| Next season | Season 2 (episodes 27–52) |
Sonic X starts with a bang – literally. A Chaos Control blast throws Sonic, his friends and Dr. Eggman out of their own world and into Station Square, a very human city where a blue hedgehog doing the speed of sound makes the evening news. Season 1 is the story of that first year on Earth: Sonic’s friendship with Chris Thorndyke, the boy who fishes him out of a swimming pool, and the hunt for the seven Chaos Emeralds that might take everyone home.
It is a lighter, more episodic stretch than what follows. The first half (the “New World Saga” on the US DVDs) is about keeping a houseful of talking animals secret from the neighbours, the military and a suspicious teacher; the second half (sold as Chaos Emerald Chaos) turns Sonic’s gang into celebrities while Eggman’s Egg Fort battleships keep the city on its toes. Knuckles, Rouge and a pair of government agents run their own side stories, and everything comes together in a two-part finale with the first appearance of Super Sonic.
TMS Entertainment made the series for TV Tokyo, where Season 1 aired on Sunday mornings from April to September 2003. 4Kids Entertainment’s English version followed on Fox’s Fox Box block from August 2003 with new music, new voices and a new name for every episode – both sets of titles are on this page.
Our original Sonic X page, written by Luke in 2017, was a complete episode table with the Japanese and English titles and air dates. All of it lives on in the episode guides here, checked against current sources: a handful of dates and spellings were corrected, and every change is logged in our build notes.
- 26episodes, shown weekly on TV Tokyo from 6 April to 28 September 2003
- 7Chaos Emeralds hunted across the season, starting with the green one in episode 4
- 12of the 26 scripts by head writer Hiro Masaki
- 4½–6months: how far the 4Kids version ran behind Japan
- 0episodes dropped from the English version (scenes were cut, episodes were not)
Quick Answers
How many episodes are in Sonic X Season 1?
Twenty-six: episodes 1 to 26, in the same order in Japan and the US. Strictly speaking Japan had no seasons – TV Tokyo ran the first 52 episodes straight through from April 2003 to March 2004 – and the three 26-episode seasons come from the English release, where 4Kids called episodes 1–52 Seasons 1 and 2 and episodes 53–78 Season 3.
4Kids’ later DVD “saga” sets split the show into six 13-episode chunks, so you will also see this season described as two: New World Saga (1–13) and Chaos Emerald Chaos (14–26).
When did Season 1 first air?
In Japan, on TV Tokyo from 6 April to 28 September 2003, Sunday mornings at 8:30. In the US, 4Kids ran a sneak peek of episode 1 on Fox Box on 23 August 2003, started the regular run on 6 September and reached the finale on 27 March 2004, with a five-week break over the holidays.
Is anything missing from the English version?
No whole episodes – unlike some 4Kids imports, Sonic X kept all of its episodes – but 4Kids trimmed scenes for content and running time, replaced the music and rewrote a lot of dialogue. See Japan vs 4Kids below.
Where can I watch Season 1?
TMS Entertainment’s official YouTube channel, Anime! on TMS, has the full 4Kids English dub; every episode page on Sonic Scene embeds it. The whole series is also on DVD and Blu-ray from Discotek Media.
Season 1 at a Glance
Strangers in Station Square (episodes 1–7)
Sonic lands in Chris Thorndyke’s swimming pool, and the Thorndyke mansion becomes a secret hideout for Sonic, Tails, Amy, Cream and Cheese. Chuck the inventor is in on it from day one; Ella and Mr. Tanaka find out at a party; the government plants an agent as Chris’ teacher; and Eggman starts building an empire from a deserted island.
Sonic’s first night on EarthChaos Control Freaks
Cream and Cheese are rescuedSonic to the Rescue
Ella meets the animalsParty Hardly
The Emerald hunt begins (episodes 4–13)
The heroes realise seven Chaos Emeralds could send them home, and the race is on. Tails and Chuck build the X-Tornado, Rouge swaps jewel theft for a government badge, and the arc ends with the military storming Eggman’s fortress in the two-part “Beating Eggman”.
The first EmeraldChaos Emerald Chaos
Topaz and RougeFly Spy
The assault on Eggman’s baseBeating Eggman, Part 2
Celebrity heroes (episodes 14–24)
Now famous, Sonic and friends get passports, holidays and a White House invitation – and still find Emeralds everywhere from a sunken ship to a film studio. Eggman answers with the Egg Fort and the Egg Fort II, and quieter episodes give the spotlight to Helen, Knuckles, Ella and a hidden colony of Chao.
Helen’s day outThat’s What Friends Are For
King Boom BooSonic’s Scream Test
The Chao colonyLittle Chao Lost
Seven Emeralds (episodes 25–26)
With six Emeralds found, Chris has to face the thought of losing his friends. Knuckles makes a deal with Eggman, Eggman double-crosses everyone, and Super Sonic settles it – but the Chaos Control that follows doesn’t send Sonic home. Not yet.
Knuckles’ dealA Dastardly Deed
Super SonicCountdown to Chaos
Chris on the Egg Fort IICountdown to Chaos
Episode Guide
All 26 Season 1 episodes in broadcast order, which is the same in Japan and the US. Each row gives the 4Kids English title first, then the Japanese title and its translation, with both premiere dates. Every title links to a full episode page with a synopsis, trivia and the official English upload.
| # | Episode | First aired | In short | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1no. 1 overall | Chaos Control FreaksJapan: “Supersonic Hero Appears!” 超音速ヒーロー登場！ | JP 6 Apr 2003 US 23 Aug 2003 | A blast of Chaos Control flings Sonic and friends from Eggman’s base to Station Square, where Sonic meets Chris. · Series premiere Episode guide → |
| 2no. 2 overall | Sonic to the RescueJapan: “Infiltrate! Area 99” 潜入！エリア９９ | JP 13 Apr 2003 US 13 Sep 2003 | Chris and his grandfather Chuck help Sonic break Cream and Cheese out of the military base Area 99. Episode guide → |
 | 3no. 3 overall | Missile Wrist RampageJapan: “Dr. Eggman’s Ambition” Ｄｒ．エッグマンの野望 | JP 20 Apr 2003 US 20 Sep 2003 | Eggman unleashes E-23 Missile Wrist on Station Square; Amy and Knuckles pitch in before Sonic finishes the job. Episode guide → |
| 4no. 4 overall | Chaos Emerald ChaosJapan: “Get the Chaos Emerald!” カオスエメラルドを手に入れろ！ | JP 27 Apr 2003 US 27 Sep 2003 | A Chaos Emerald turns up at a building site, and Chris races Eggman for it – while a new teacher, secretly a government agent, arrives at his school. Episode guide → |
 | 5no. 5 overall | Cracking KnucklesJapan: “Clash!! Sonic vs Knuckles” 激突！！ソニックｖｓナックルズ | JP 4 May 2003 US 4 Oct 2003 | Eggman tricks Knuckles into blaming Sonic for their exile, setting up a grudge match that is really a trap. Episode guide → |
 | 6no. 6 overall | Techno-TeacherJapan: “Fierce Battle! School Wars” 熱戦！スクール・ウォーズ | JP 11 May 2003 US 11 Oct 2003 | Eggman’s teaching robot E-51 Intelligente takes over Chris’ class, and Chris’ parents come home. Episode guide → |
| 7no. 7 overall | Party HardlyJapan: “Giant Free-for-All! Chris’ House Party” 大混戦！クリスのホームパーティ | JP 18 May 2003 US 18 Oct 2003 | A party at the mansion threatens to expose Sonic’s gang, Chris’ mother leaves again, and Cream misses her own mum. Episode guide → |
 | 8no. 8 overall | Satellite SwindleJapan: “Emergency Launch! X-Tornado” 緊急発進！Ｘトルネード | JP 25 May 2003 US 25 Oct 2003 | Eggman’s E-90 Super Sweeper swallows satellites; Tails and Chuck rebuild the Tornado into the X-Tornado to chase it into orbit. Episode guide → |
 | 9no. 9 overall | The Last ResortJapan: “Amy on the Beach” 渚のエミー | JP 1 Jun 2003 US 1 Nov 2003 | At the Emerald Coast, Eggman turns a new hotel into a theme park, and Amy’s good-luck charm for Sonic gets broken. Episode guide → |
 | 10no. 10 overall | Unfair BallJapan: “Fierce Fight! Sonic Baseball Team” 激闘！ソニック野球軍 | JP 8 Jun 2003 US 8 Nov 2003 | Two Chaos Emeralds are at stake when Sonic’s team takes on Eggman’s robots at a doomed ballpark. Episode guide → |
 | 11no. 11 overall | Fly SpyJapan: “The Beautiful and Mysterious Thief Rouge” 美しき怪盗ルージュ | JP 15 Jun 2003 US 15 Nov 2003 | Caught in a trap meant for Sonic, Rouge the Bat trades jewel theft for a government badge and a mission inside Eggman’s base. Episode guide → |
 | 12no. 12 overall | Beating Eggman, Part 1Japan: “Eggman’s All-Out Base Attack! (Part One)” エッグマン基地 総攻撃！（前編） | JP 22 Jun 2003 US 22 Nov 2003 | Chris and friends dig for an Emerald in a cornfield as the military launches an all-out attack on Eggman’s base. · Two-parter Episode guide → |
 | 13no. 13 overall | Beating Eggman, Part 2Japan: “Eggman’s All-Out Base Attack! (Part Two)” エッグマン基地 総攻撃！（後編） | JP 29 Jun 2003 US 29 Nov 2003 | Sonic defeats Funfun, Knuckles joins the raid, and Eggman’s fortress is blown sky-high. · Two-parter Episode guide → |
| 14no. 14 overall | That’s What Friends Are ForJapan: “Chase the Hero Sonic!” 英雄ソニックを追え！ | JP 6 Jul 2003 US 6 Dec 2003 | Sonic skips a presidential party to keep a promise to Helen, and the military is sent to fetch him. Episode guide → |
 | 15no. 15 overall | Skirmish in the SkyJapan: “Raiding Egg Fort the Flying Fortress!” 移動要塞エッグフォート襲来！ | JP 13 Jul 2003 US 13 Dec 2003 | Eggman’s flying battleship, the Egg Fort, rises from the wreck of his base and attacks Station Square. Episode guide → |
 | 16no. 16 overall | Depths of DangerJapan: “Aim for It! The Sunken Ship in the Southern Sea” 目指せ！南海の沈没船 | JP 20 Jul 2003 US 17 Jan 2004 | On holiday by the Sapphire Sea, the heroes dive for a Chaos Emerald inside a legendary shipwreck. Episode guide → |
 | 17no. 17 overall | The Adventures of Knuckles and HawkJapan: “Knuckles! Clenched Fists of Anger” ナックルズ！怒りの鉄拳 | JP 27 Jul 2003 US 24 Jan 2004 | Knuckles and treasure hunter Hawk go after the red Chaos Emerald in Oriental City, pursued by E-91 Lady Ninja and Rouge. Episode guide → |
 | 18no. 18 overall | The Dam ScamJapan: “Huge Shoot-out on the Savanna!” サバンナの大決闘！ | JP 3 Aug 2003 US 31 Jan 2004 | Crash-landed on a savanna, Tails and Chris fight a crooked dam project while Sonic battles Eggman’s ape robot. Episode guide → |
| 19no. 19 overall | Sonic’s Scream TestJapan: “The Ghost of King Boom Boo in the Old Castle” 古城の亡霊キングブーブ | JP 10 Aug 2003 US 7 Feb 2004 | At a castle film shoot, a disturbed talisman releases King Boom Boo and his ghosts. Episode guide → |
 | 20no. 20 overall | Cruise BluesJapan: “Departure! Egg Fort II” 出撃！エッグフォートⅡ | JP 17 Aug 2003 US 14 Feb 2004 | Sonic can’t relax on a cruise; Eggman unveils the Egg Fort II, and an enraged Ella settles the score. Episode guide → |
 | 21no. 21 overall | Fast FriendsJapan: “Speed Match! Sonic vs Sam” スピード勝負！ソニックｖｓサム | JP 24 Aug 2003 US 21 Feb 2004 | Sam Speed wants a rematch in his new rocket car, and the President’s aide turns it into a publicity stunt. Episode guide → |
 | 22no. 22 overall | Little Chao LostJapan: “Summer Vacation Diary – Chao Observation” 夏休み・チャオ〜な観察日記 | JP 31 Aug 2003 US 28 Feb 2004 | Camping near Mr. Tanaka’s Japanese home town, the gang discovers a Chao colony threatened by Eggman’s muddy mishap. Episode guide → |
 | 23no. 23 overall | Emerald AnniversaryJapan: “Mayhem! 6 Chaos Emeralds” 大混乱！６カオスエメラルド | JP 7 Sep 2003 US 6 Mar 2004 | Nelson’s anniversary gift for Lindsey is a ring set with a Chaos Emerald – and everyone wants it. Episode guide → |
 | 24no. 24 overall | How to Catch a HedgehogJapan: “Wild Sonic! Strategic Capture Operation” 暴走ソニック！捕獲大作戦 | JP 14 Sep 2003 US 13 Mar 2004 | A robot part lodged in Sonic’s ear leaves him unable to stop running, and his friends must find a way to catch him. Episode guide → |
| 25no. 25 overall | A Dastardly DeedJapan: “The Last Chaos Emerald” 最後のカオスエメラルド | JP 21 Sep 2003 US 20 Mar 2004 | With six Emeralds split between them, Knuckles brokers a deal with Eggman – and Chris hands over Sonic’s Emeralds. Episode guide → |
| 26no. 26 overall | Countdown to ChaosJapan: “Birth! Super Sonic” 誕生！スーパーソニック | JP 28 Sep 2003 US 27 Mar 2004 | Sonic goes Super for the first time in Sonic X to stop the Egg Fort II, and Chaos Control strikes again – but Sonic stays. · Season finale Episode guide → |
New Faces of Season 1
Sonic, Tails, Knuckles, Amy, Cream, Rouge and Eggman come from the games, but Season 1 surrounds them with a whole human cast created for the anime. Character designs are by Satoshi Hirayama, based on Yuji Uekawa’s concepts. Voices are Japanese / 4Kids English.
Chris ThorndykeTwelve years old, rich, kind and a bit lonely – until a hedgehog lands in his pool. Chris hides Sonic’s friends at home and becomes the human heart of the series.Voice: Sanae Kobayashi / Suzanne Goldish
Chuck ThorndykeChris’ grandfather and a genius tinkerer who becomes Tails’ partner in invention; together they build the X-Tornado.Voice: Bin Shimada / Jerry Lobozzo
Nelson ThorndykeChris’ father, the head of a big company, who is rarely home but loves his family.Voice: Ken Yamaguchi / Ted Lewis
Lindsey ThorndykeChris’ mother, a film star whose career keeps her travelling.Voice: Naomi Shindō / Jennifer Blood (ANN) or Jennifer C. Johnson (Wikipedia)
EllaThe family’s chef and housekeeper: warm with Cream and Amy, terrifying when angered – as Eggman learns in “Cruise Blues”.Voice: Kujira / Mike Pollock
Mr. TanakaThe Thorndykes’ butler and martial artist, who keeps the secret and takes the gang to his home town in “Little Chao Lost”.Voice: Naoki Imamura / Darren Dunstan
Sam SpeedLeader of the police Speed Team, Lindsey’s younger brother and Chris’ uncle – and the man determined to beat Sonic in a race.Voice: Sōichirō Tanaka / Frank Frankson
Mr. StewartChris’ teacher and secretly a government agent sent to keep an eye on him.Voice: Michio Nakao / Andrew Rannells
TopazA government agent and Rouge’s partner, who starts out distrusting the bat and ends up her friend.Voice: Yukari Hikida / Jennifer Johnson and Kayzie Rogers (ANN lists both; Wikipedia only Rogers)
DannyOne of Chris’ best friends from school.Voice: Naomi Shindō / Rachael Lillis
FrancesChris’ adventurous classmate, who joins the Emerald dig in “Beating Eggman”.Voice: Yuka Shioyama / Kerry Williams
HelenChris’ classmate, a wheelchair user whose day out with Sonic is the heart of “That’s What Friends Are For”.Voice: Noriko Hidaka / Amy Birnbaum
BocoeHalf of Eggman’s bickering robot assistant duo.Voice: Bin Shimada / Darren Dunstan
DecoeThe taller half of the duo.Voice: Ken Yamaguchi / Andrew Rannells
BokkunEggman’s messenger robot, whose video messages tend to end in an explosion.Voice: Yumiko Kobayashi / Andrew Rannells
HawkA treasure hunter who joins Knuckles on the trail of the red Emerald in “The Adventures of Knuckles and Hawk”.Voice: Takeharu Ōnishi
Voice credits: Anime News Network’s encyclopedia and Wikipedia, which agree except where noted on the series page (Lindsey’s English credit differs between them, and only ANN lists Jennifer Johnson alongside Kayzie Rogers for Topaz). Character art via Sonic Wiki Zone.
Japan vs 4Kids: Season 1 Dub Differences
- New titles. Every episode got a new English name – compare “Supersonic Hero Appears!” with “Chaos Control Freaks”. Both are listed in our episode guide.
- New music. Yoshihiro Ike’s Japanese score and the songs “Sonic Drive”, “Mi-ra-i” and “Hikaru Michi” were replaced by a new 4Kids score from the composers behind its Yu-Gi-Oh! dub, and by the theme “Gotta Go Fast” by Norman Grossfeld and Russell Velazquez.
- Content edits. 4Kids removed or rewrote alcohol, coarse language, fourth-wall jokes and suggestive scenes. Producer Michael Haigney said Fox’s broadcast standards, which ruled out things like smoking and strong violence, drove most of the changes.
- Running time. Scenes were trimmed for length as well as content, but no episode was dropped.
- New voices. 4Kids cast its own actors rather than the game voice cast of the day; from Shadow the Hedgehog (2005) the Sonic X cast took over the games too.
- Episode 26. Japan’s original broadcast used an Off Course song as an insert; the English version has its own score instead.
Sources: Wikipedia’s Sonic X article (citing Destructoid, Anime Boredom’s Michael Haigney interview and Mike Pollock interviews) and episode list. Scene-by-scene differences listed on fan wikis are not repeated here unless a second source confirms them.
Theme Songs
| Song | Used for | Performed by |
|---|---|---|
| “Sonic Drive” | Japanese opening, all episodes | Hironobu Kageyama and Hideaki Takatori (lyrics Takeshi Aida, music Cher Watanabe) |
| “Mi-ra-i” (ミ・ラ・イ, “Future”) | Japanese ending, episodes 1–13 | Run&Gun |
| “Hikaru Michi” (光る道, “Shining Road”) | Japanese ending, episodes 14–39 (and 53–78) | Aya Hiroshige (music Masataka Matsutoya) |
| “Gotta Go Fast” | 4Kids opening and ending | Written by Norman Grossfeld and Russell Velazquez |
More on the music, including the PAL “Sonic X” theme and the Japanese soundtrack album, is on the series page.
Home Video & Streaming
| Release | Label & date | Season 1 episodes |
|---|---|---|
| Japanese DVD/VHS vols. 1–7 | Victor Entertainment, July 2003 – January 2004 | 1–5, 6–9, 10–13, 14–17, 18–21, 22–25; vol. 7 starts with 26 |
| A Super Sonic Hero (vol. 1) | 4Kids Home Video / FUNimation, 1 June 2004 (DVD and VHS) | 1, 2, 3 (plus 27) |
| The Chaos Factor (vol. 2) | 1 June 2004 | 4–7 |
| Satellite Swindle (vol. 3) | 12 October 2004 | 8–11 |
| Beating Eggman (vol. 4) | 7 December 2004 | 12–16 |
| Sonic’s Scream Test (vol. 5) | 25 January 2005 | 17–21 |
| Countdown to Chaos (vol. 6) | 12 April 2005 | 22–26 |
| Game Boy Advance Video: A Super Sonic Hero | 2004 | 1–2 |
| New World Saga / Chaos Emerald Chaos sets | 4Kids / FUNimation, 13 November 2007 / 20 May 2008 | 1–13 / 14–26 |
| Sonic X Collection 1 (8 DVDs) | Discotek Media, November 2016 | 1–52 |
| Sonic X: The Complete Series Blu-ray | Discotek, 28 May 2019 (English) · 25 April 2023 (Japanese, subtitled) | All 78, in standard definition |
Streaming: the English dub of every episode is free on TMS Entertainment’s official Anime! on TMS YouTube channel. Line-ups change; this was checked on 6 November 2026.
Release dates from Wikipedia’s episode list and press releases (AWN, June 2004). Sources disagree on the exact November 2016 date of Collection 1 (4 or 22 November).
Trivia
- Head writer Hiro Masaki wrote 12 of the 26 episodes, including the first four and both halves of “Beating Eggman”.
- Director Hajime Kamegaki opened and closed the season himself: he directed and storyboarded episodes 1 and 26.
- The Japanese ending changed after episode 13, when “Hikaru Michi” replaced “Mi-ra-i”.
- Game cameos and nods are everywhere: Emerald Coast, King Boom Boo and the Chao come from Sonic Adventure and Sonic Adventure 2, and Knuckles’ grudge in “Cracking Knuckles” recalls Sonic 3.
- The first two episodes were also sold on a Game Boy Advance Video cartridge.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these sources in November 2026. Where they disagree we say so.
- Luke’s original Sonic X episode table, Sonic Scene (2017; Joomla article 470).
- Wikipedia: List of Sonic X episodes – titles, credits, air dates, home video.
- Wikipedia: Sonic X – production, localisation, music (with its cited sources).
- Sonic Wiki Zone: Sonic X and its episode pages – air dates (citing Team Artail), plot notes, title cards and screenshots.
- Anime News Network encyclopedia: Sonic X – Japanese and English cast, staff.
- Anime Boredom: Michael Haigney interview (Wayback copy) – 4Kids’ editing.
- AWN: 4Kids home entertainment releases for June 2004 (Wayback copy).
- Anime! on TMS Official Channel (YouTube) – official English episodes.
Part of our Sonic X guide: see the series page for the show’s history, the Japanese and English casts, the theme songs and home video.