Here's Why Everyone's Talking About How Sonic Can't Cry

thegamer.com:

Sonic's cameo in Chip 'n Dale: Rescue Rangers has been popular, but has also raised some eyebrows in the fanbase. In recent years, Sega has notoriously been quite particular about how its mascot is depicted on screen, giving writers guidelines on what he can and can't do. It, therefore, seems strange that the company was okay with him being depicted as the ugly creature we see in the new film.

But this renewed interest in the rules around Sonic the Hedgehog has brought in newcomers, and they can't quite believe what they're hearing. This has resurfaced discussions on some of the things Sonic can and cannot do under Sega's rule. Is Sonic really not allowed to cry? Can he seriously never get a girlfriend? Some fans are adamant that this is the case, and aren't happy that Chip 'n Dale got a pass to show a very different Sonic when the comic book writers apparently have to stick to strict rules. However, as it happens, it's actually a bit more complicated than that.

Related: Sonic 2 Is Proof That There's Nothing Wrong With Human Characters

Claims that Sega bans Sonic from crying have been circulating since the 2010s, and it's not without merit. The most popular example of Sonic having his emotions censored comes from these iconic panels, where our hero mourns the loss of his children. In the original draft, he seems to react quite appropriately to the situation, but in the final version he just looks mildly annoyed.

Controversial comic writer Ken Penders often gets the blame for these mandates being put in place. When Penders left Archie Comics, a lawsuit ensued. In the end, Archie agreed to stop using every character he created for the Sonic comics - making it necessary to reboot the canon in the process. The story goes