When the Sega Corporation was looking for a new character to take the video-game world by storm, they chose a critter that has now become a household name: Sonic the Hedgehog. Why a hedgehog? Those involved in the creation of the character felt the hedgehog was a universally recognizable animal, one that transcended such distinctions as race and gender, and an animal without any entrenched cultural stereotypes or roles. The real hedgehog is indeed a distinctive animal—even without Sonic’s cobalt-blue color and Michael-Jackson shoes—and a closer look at the archaeological and historical record shows that it has played a role in folklore, mythology, and superstition for thousands of years.
