I always thought that the Sonic OVA was fantastic. It has a very Sonic CD-esque feel to it (probably due to its director being
Naoto Ohshima), it's brilliantly animated, and it has a very simple yet enjoyable plot. The sequences really capture Sonic as a character, and his no-bullshit, egotistical, and stuck-up sort of attitude. And I love it! Sonic was always
The Original Badass™, and Sonic's movements, dialogue, and the way he traverses vast portions of land really excentuate that trait.
One thing that
really struck me, though, was the music. It's awesome! I don't recall the composer offhand; I know it wasn't
Naofumi Hataya, but the style is extremely similar—a very backbeat-centric, synthy, house sort of style with strong moog basses, strings, and upbeat melodies. It's very fitting of Sonic as a character, and is extremely reminiscent of the musical stylings in Sonic CD. That really hits home for me; I've always wanted a "full" animation of the Sonic CD story in animation form, and the music and animation style together really make the OVA seem like it is, indeed, a spiritual successor to Sonic CD.
While I'm not the fondest of the new characters, they fit into the universe just fine. There's lot of traditional anime humor, and it feels right at home. I'd definitely recommend it to anyone who hasn't seen it.
Oh, and of course, we can't forget
this. Best part of the movie.