Sonic the Hedgehog had a major presence at Anime Las Vegas 2026, and nowhere was that more present than the Sonic the Hedgehog cast panel! From answering questions to a sneak peek at the upcoming fan film, Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Mania! The panel had appearances by:
- Jason Griffith, former voice for Sonic, Shadow and Jet
- Colleen O’Shaughnessey, current voice for Tails and Charmy
- Pete Capella, former voice for Silver
- Eddie Possehl, director of Sonic the Hedgehog: Metal Mania
Jason’s Favorite Game He Worked On
Jason was first asked which game in the Sonic series was his favorite to voice in. Jason answered that it was the Shadow the Hedgehog spin-off, joking that the reason he loves it is that he got to swear. He even topped off his answer by saying “Damn,” as Shadow the Hedgehog.
What Instruments Would Their Characters Play?
A fan then talked about how amazing the music in the franchise is and asked what instruments their characters would play. Jason said that Sonic would play trumpet, Shadow would play a Fender bass and Jet would play a jug. Colleen said she believed Tails would play xylophone and Charmy Bee would be a pro at the harmonica. Pete said he thinks Silver would love to play the theremin.
More Facts Revealed Throughout the Panel
As the panel continued, the panelists revealed more interesting tidbits about their experiences as part of the franchise. Jason revealed he didn’t know Sonic Rush was a handheld game until very recently and talked about how awesome it was for him to learn that. Colleen talked about the warm and fond experiences she has had doing her voice work for the Sonic Boom show and Sega’s recent audio drama, The Chaotix Casefiles. She highlighted the audio drama since she, Keith Silverstein, who voices Vector, and Matthew Mercer, who voices Espio, all got to record together in the same room, which made it extra special.
Eddie talked about his personal experiences being a fan of the Sonic games, saying he was amazed when playing Sonic Heroes for the first time, when he saw you play as three characters at once and an impressive 12-character roster, with four different teams of three. He also talked about one of his favorite songs in the franchise, Endless Possibilities, the main theme for Sonic Unleashed.
Overall Experience
The panel was one of the more unique panels at the convention, and it was delightful to experience. Sonic the Hedgehog fans proved themselves as some of the most passionate people around, and the love for the franchise was shared by both panelists and the audience. The panelists were some of the funniest guests at the convention, especially Jason, who joked a lot about Shadow memes and jokingly hating Jet, which drew a lot of laughs. Overall, it was amazing to experience and a pleasure to hear what the panelists had to say about Sonic the Hedgehog.
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