Sonic the Hedgehog Converse by KyozoKicks.

If there is one thing I can say about the original Sonic the Hedgehog game, it sure was a lot of fun. Which is something you can’t say about all games, even the ones you really like. The games we choose to play are always enjoyable, but fun is something different. Waking up on a Saturday morning circa 1992 however, I would forgo my early morning cartoons and celebrity endorsed breakfast cereal in favour of playing Sonic the Hedgehog, I only remember having fun.

Sonic is twenty years old this month. Two decades is a long time to be relevant and liked in anything, let alone video games. Sonic and his merry band of misfits are inductees into a nonexistent video game Hall of Fame, ostensibly to be forever enjoyed and admired. Being asked to do a pair of custom shoes based off of the Sonic the Hedgehog franchise, my second, on such a milestone I was happy to oblige.

I had visited the Sonic franchise recently in my work with my custom Sonic the Hedgehog Vans. Enthusiastic for the opportunity to revisit something still so fresh in my mind. I could approach the series from a whole new direction. The worlds created in the Sonic games are truly something to marvel at, how fluid an experienced player can move through them, they would serve as a wonderful inspiration. Alas, I’m drawn to characters and although purist may argue you cannot have Sonic without Tails.

Actually playing Sonic was when I first became aware that there were people who made these games and that these people lived in a far off place called Japan. The final design is a nod to Sonics roots. I wanted to give the shoes a feeling of a sketchbook, where the ideas for the game would have first been brought to life, pages filled with sketches and notes.

To help give the feeling of a paper the base converse are on off-white, which complements the chocolate-brown found in the design, laces and lettering. Next to each characters portrait it reads ‘Sonic’ and ‘Tails’ respectively.

The design takes into consideration (much like my God of War Vans) not how the shoes leave my hands, but how they will appear in 6 months, once they have been worn and dirtied. They are designed to age gracefully, the more time that passes will only add to its authenticity.

Feedback appreciated!

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