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Sonic the Hedgehog is one of the most iconic and popular video game characters of all time. Whether you love or hate him, that fact is undeniable. With Sonic Frontiers on the horizon and the live-action movies continuing to break records, that legacy is likely to continue for years to come. For that reason, the honor of being the official voice for such an iconic character is highly regarded and taken seriously by so many fans. If you’re the official Sonic the Hedgehog voice actor, chances are plenty of people who love and hate you for one reason or another.
Right now, that honor belongs to Roger Craig Smith, who has been voicing the character for longer than anybody else. While Roger was met with some flak when he first arrived on the scene in Sonic Free Riders, he has since given his own flair to the role that many have come to love over the past 12 years. But, as Sonic himself would even say, all good things must end eventually, and even though we had a bit of fake-out with whether or not Smith would stay in the role a while back, he’s still not going to remain Sonic forever.
Eventually, the torch will need to be passed to a new generation, but luckily, there are quite a few choices to consider. Here is our list of 5 potential new Sonic the Hedgehog voice actors that could take on the role after Smith, whenever possible.
1. Deven Mack
Even though Mack is the newest person to bring life to the Blue Blur, his performance in Sonic Prime has already been incredibly impressive, even based on the limited lines we have to go by, and his record speaks for itself. A voice actor’s true talent can often be quantified by the number of characters they have portrayed and the wide range of personalities that distinguish each performance from the last. Mack certainly has all the right signs of someone with incredible range.
Having provided a voice to everyone from Bakugan to LEGO NINJAGO to Johnny Test and Dragalia Lost, Mack has been everywhere, even in places you may not even have expected him to be. Other Sonic the Hedgehog voice actors have boasted similar records that helped them bring life their unique flair to the fastest thing alive, and Mack’s style so far is incredibly unique. At first, listen; it sounds like a good mix of Roger and Jason, but Mack’s distinguishable tone makes it stand out.
So while Mack is the newest kid on the block, his performance is already high up there.
2. Yuri Lowenthal
Most people probably recognize Yuri Lowenthal from his most recent performance as Peter Parker in the Insomniac Spider-Man games series. Still, you’ve likely heard his voice across various video games and shows, and each role has that signature inflection of his that’s almost picture-perfect for a character like Sonic. A young, confident, and friendly tone accentuate all of Lowenthal’s roles, from Peter Parker to Ben Tennyson to Sasuke Uchiha; his voice is very easy to recognize across almost all of his roles, with slight variations between them.
But even the smallest differences can go a long way and show that Lowenthal is more than capable of changing the tone and personality of his voice almost on the fly. Even a character like Ben 10 can go from sounding confident and boisterous to serious without feeling out of place, thanks to Lowenthal’s skill. Still, it’s that natural youthful inflection that makes his voice perfect for the role of Sonic’s official voice actor.
In short, Sonic is a teenager, and many of Lowenthal’s characters either are or sound like teenagers. This one is a no-brainer.
3. Max Mittelman
Max Mittelman is a really cool dude, and he’s an even cooler voice. That’s probably the best way to describe many of his voice roles: a cool, smooth voice that adds a casual and friendly edge to many of the characters he brings to life, like Ryuji Sakamoto from Persona 5. This sort of tone is simply perfect for Sonic the Hedgehog, especially his generally laid-back nature. Still, Mittelman carries enough skill as a voice actor to sell Sonic’s more serious moments as well easily.
It’s Mittelman’s energy that is the reason he would make for such a great Sonic, and in many respects, he already sounds like he was born for the role. He is also a well-known household name that everyone would recognize, and he could easily carry the legacy of the role on his shoulders. Overall, it’s a crime Mittleman has not been approached by Sega by now.
4. SungWon Cho (ProZD)
This may seem like an odd choice at first, considering SungWon Cho, better known as ProZD, is known for having a rather deep voice that may not immediately remind people of Sonic. That being said, ProZD is undeniably one of the most famous voice actors in modern-day, and one of the key skills any good VA needs is a range, as we’ve discussed.
While the deepest Sonic’s voice has gone has been Roger Craig Smith, ProZD has shown he is more than capable of changing his pitch on the fly and giving it a more youthful edge, most notably through his roles in Craig of the Creek, O.K. KO, and some video game roles. Whether or not Sega will make Sonic older in future games is unclear, but ProZD’s many roles show that he is more than capable of selling the boisterous edge of the Blue Blur and would offer a breath of fresh air to the role.
5. Ben Schwartz
This is an obvious choice, but that doesn’t make Ben Schwartz any less fitting for the job. Having already provided his vocal talents to the Blue Blur in the live-action movie franchise, as well as a variety of main roles for shows like the Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, DuckTales, Randy Cunningham: 9th Grade Ninja, and so many more. Schwartz’s talent speaks for itself, and the energy he managed to bring to the live-action version of Sonic could easily be transferred to the games.
Although Sega has not directly contacted Schwartz about a potentially permanent role, the success of the Sonic movie franchise is unlikely to stop the question from ever coming up again. Schwartz almost perfectly captures the energy and vigor that makes Sonic who is in the movies, and even though he sounds a bit younger than Smith in tone, it would still strike the perfect note to bring life to the one and only Sonic the Hedgehog. Only time will tell if Sega decides to approach him about the role, but the signs so far seem to be pointing in a good direction.