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Published: 2004-11-19 00:10:08 +0000 UTC; Views: 14746; Favourites: 169; Downloads: 608
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Phew, almost coming to the end of all these picsAgain, for those who aren't familiar with the premise, I'm basically doing a series of pics where I reinterpret Sonic the Hedgehog and various characters as if they were created in the early days of animation as cartoon characters.
Whilst the Miles "Tails" Prower we know to day first debuted in the 40's, his origin can be traced as far back as the 20's.
Back then, the writers and animaters of Sonic (Then called Hasty Hedgehog) were trying to come up with ideas for various villains, seeing as Doctor Ivo wasn't an out and out villain. And so every now and then, a new bad guy would be introduced into the cartoon, seeking to steal Sonic's super speed. When it came time for a new villain, the writers decided to go for something truly terrifying for the hedgehog and figured what better than a natural predator of the hedgehog, the sly Fox!
And so, minds set to work and the end result was the character Prowler the Fox. He debuted in the episode "The Sly and the Speedy" where Hasty and Amy were constantly pursued by the Fox, who saught to eat them. He'd set up all manner of traps and build various inventions to catch the hedgehog. Prowler wasn't a huge success but was popular enough to warrant two further appearences. Several of his characteristics would soon go on to define another character in the 40's.
So, come the 40's and minds are abuzz about creating a new character. A partner in crime, somewhat, for Sonic. Many ideas were suggested and a whole different character almost saw light until the directors saw it and said a black version of Sonic just wasn't original enough. And so the writers went for the unexpected. They took the natural predator of the hedgehog, the fox, and decided to make him friendly. When designing the creature, the animators went back to the designs of the character Prowler. Realising he looked a little too big and evil to be a friend of Sonic's, they tweaked the design to make him look cuter.
The writers theorized that this Friendly Fox could run as fast, if not faster, than Sonic. They said he could run a few miles faster. When deciding on the name, someone joked "Name him Miles, cos he can run a few miles faster than Sonic". The name stuck in the end and the fox become Miles the Friendly Fox. Miles made his debut in the episode "Emerald Race" in which the fox challenges Sonic to a race across the mysterious Emerald Island. The winner would claim the magical Emerald of Chaos. Miles wins the race and everyone is astounded that he's a bit faster than Sonic. Sonic goes into training to get faster and challenges the fox again. Once again he loses. He tries one last time to beat the fox. Sonic decides to play a little dirty and knocks over a tree to try and stop the fox. The tree lands on his tail and it looks like it's split it in two but Miles doesn't even notice. After the race, Sonic confronts the fox and discovers that he actually has two tails and that he was disguising them as one. During the races, he'd spun them like propellors to make him go faster.
Miles was an overnight success, and many thought he may end up becoming more popular than Sonic. He even had a short lived spin off series between 1943 and 1945. Miles featured in many episodes after this and very much became Sonic's closest friend and partner. Together they battled against the tyranny of Dr. Robotnich. Due to his twin tails, people began to calling the character by the nickname, Tails. Whilst the creators weren't too amused at first, preferring the name they gave him, it eventually stuck to the character like glue.
When the series was revamped in 1960, Mile's name was changed to Miles "Tails" Prower. He'd originally been unofficially named Miles Prowler in the 40's but the creators didn't want people confusing him with the bad fox. The name Miles Prower was also a play on "Miles per hour" as the fox was a faster runner too. Although by the 60's, he no longer used his tails so much to run faster but to fly. Tail's real peak of popularity was the 40's as in the 60's he became much more Sonic's side kick. Whilst the two had been equals in the 40's, Sonic was now clearly taking the spot light, and Tails became more and more a background sub character. And so, despite being well loved, he didn't reappear in the 80's revamp of the cartoon but would later return in 1992 sporting a brand new look.
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Comments: 49
DannyWapBang [2020-12-30 17:27:45 +0000 UTC]
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dc99-design [2019-08-02 02:40:01 +0000 UTC]
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DannyWapBang In reply to dc99-design [2020-12-30 17:32:57 +0000 UTC]
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Jared-The-Rabbit [2015-12-23 23:54:59 +0000 UTC]
Ah, good ol' 1977, when I bought a cassette tape featuring this cartoon. Ah, those were the days.
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DannyWapBang In reply to Jared-The-Rabbit [2018-03-01 00:28:41 +0000 UTC]
Good to see you picked my 8 year old self's mannerisms up. She honestly thought these were real. What I'd give to relive 2009 and 2010 (and pre-Touhou and Kirby 2011) again on dA, when I was 7 and 8. Only I'd be nicer to a certain someone and act like a genuine kid to her.
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cookiepink3 [2015-12-02 21:22:46 +0000 UTC]
Hey, I love your designs for 80s! I wonder what Cream the Rabbit would look like? Maybe you can try her next? :3
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TheNamesN [2015-01-30 02:49:53 +0000 UTC]
I think I saw a 1970's episode of this show on tape once.
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emirizahejjihoug [2014-08-26 19:53:43 +0000 UTC]
I like how in your fake history, they almost had Shadow come before Tails, but they said "a black version of Sonic just wasn't original enough" XD
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TheNamesN In reply to emirizahejjihoug [2015-01-30 02:51:38 +0000 UTC]
It's not fake. I saw this on tape.
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emirizahejjihoug In reply to TheNamesN [2015-08-11 18:54:09 +0000 UTC]
I realize that now, but still is hilarious in hindsight.
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emirizahejjihoug In reply to emirizahejjihoug [2014-08-26 19:59:38 +0000 UTC]
Also, I think this was what inspired me to make my parody series of Sonic, Speedxey the Hedgehog. Β The parody Tails is Yager "Flyboy" Fleetfoot. Β Knux is Muscles the Echidna Β Eggman is Leekdude. Β Amy is Rhea Impatiens, Shadow is Darchey, and Silver is Litey. Β Still thinking up the parody versions of the other major characters. Β And, no, they're NOT supposed to be original XD.
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Dolphin-Fly [2014-01-16 07:12:44 +0000 UTC]
I originally saw these posted on /co/ with the descriptions (and sought them out on dA because of it) and I really am blown away by the amount of creativity and ingenuity present in each and every one of the 'animated history' designs. You did a fantastic job on reworking both the designs and the history. Amy's is particularly impressive, following the trends of the opinion of what is right and wrong for women to act like. Tails is my personal favorite, though, as I like how you used a sort of 'Looney Tunes' start with him being a villain that hunted the protag and got tricked. Got some Bugs Bunny vibes from that.Β
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sonicgirlforever [2012-09-30 00:53:17 +0000 UTC]
O_________________________________________________________________O
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KingZuruzukin [2012-09-05 01:25:23 +0000 UTC]
I like the whole concept of Tails starting out as a villain. Also, I enjoyed your throwaway reference to Shadow.
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Yoshifan1000 [2011-06-10 22:43:37 +0000 UTC]
I thought that Prower was supposed to be power not miles per hour.
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gamerC0LA64 [2010-09-19 17:13:14 +0000 UTC]
Nice job. I enjoyed the fake history lesson.
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Jared-The-Rabbit In reply to gamerC0LA64 [2017-08-16 03:06:58 +0000 UTC]
Nah, I had a tape of this in 1977.
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DannyWapBang In reply to Jared-The-Rabbit [2018-01-02 01:19:17 +0000 UTC]
Are you copying old me? (Sonbreezie)
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DannyWapBang In reply to Jared-The-Rabbit [2018-01-03 00:44:55 +0000 UTC]
And thank god someone decided to pick up on what I started. I used to love the Knuckles drawing spydaman did of him in the 60s.
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ungrateful-dead [2010-08-02 19:12:04 +0000 UTC]
I never noticed the miles per hour thing... COOL! XD I'm such a bad fangirl.
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Photon-Kitsune [2009-04-28 00:46:51 +0000 UTC]
If I hadn't read the comments, I'd have believed that completely. XD I'm glad it's not real... I hate brown Tails, and old fashioned cartoons that look like... the characters are made of rubber or something.
I think the original idea for Tails came out around 1991 when the creators of Sonic realized they needed a sidekick for him so they held a contest and Tails won. I even heard on dA he's supposedly gonna grow more tails as he gets older, while I don't like even numbers, and would be glad to see a third tail on him I'm worried about what it'd do for his flying, if the rumors are true. Anyway, his original name was "Miles Prower" because of the speedy pun, like was stated up there, and SEGA tried to change it to 'Tails" to suit him better but the creatur insisted it remain as so, so they compromised and this came about. I personally like the name Miles anyway. It's also rumored he was supposed to be a girl, and there are much less appropriate DA drawings going around that symbolize this. and by 'less appropraite' I mean they all suck, he looks too old and suited for a porno in every single one. Why? I don't know. But he really would've been cuter as a girl, IF drawn correctly.
It's an interesting drawing though, interesting thought. I always wondered why exactly SEGA chose a fox as an ally to a hedgehog but maybe they just liked the idea, I mean, his concept art was so cute in 1992 x3
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Jessy-ca [2009-03-11 23:25:27 +0000 UTC]
if i didnt know better id believe that
i love the drawings you have done for the characters in this style
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Sonadowgirl12345 [2008-04-01 22:49:43 +0000 UTC]
Uhh the first game tails was shown in was 1992...
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spydaman In reply to Sonadowgirl12345 [2008-04-06 12:33:52 +0000 UTC]
It's not a real history dude it's a "What if..."
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sonbreezie In reply to spydaman [2012-05-27 21:29:52 +0000 UTC]
Its real history not a what if
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jamesprower [2007-03-27 21:40:23 +0000 UTC]
Wow! now THERES an origional idea! Very cleverly thought out, It almost sounds beliviable! (pity It's not true, acctualy..)
Either way, I really like these little drawings. The first one gives a nice little twist to Tails' Charecter!
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bitchwolf [2007-02-16 14:33:23 +0000 UTC]
I love these! You know, I'd buy each of them right off if I didn't know they were fake. A very original background for Miles, I liked it a lot.
The story also reminds me of Bimbo's fate in Betty Boop, as in a character being reduced to a supportive role, from once having been major (in Bimbo's case, the star of the show). And I can see so clearly what that cartoon "Emerald race" would have looked like! Great.
I smiled at the hint about the black hedgehog.
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InsanePurin [2006-06-16 16:35:46 +0000 UTC]
"Miles per hour"? Wow, that puts a whole new meaning into Tails's last name now. I adore these little sketches. X333~
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Abstormal [2006-05-12 09:45:40 +0000 UTC]
Doh!
I forgot I was loged on to my club
*de-favs on club, faves on this account*
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EeveeFanClub [2006-05-12 09:43:38 +0000 UTC]
Lol!
This is very well writen. I sure believed it (if I hadn't known the real story behind I would probably think this was it )
You've put allot of thought in to it, and it's very creative
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tintin2005 [2005-12-14 04:14:00 +0000 UTC]
Say i alway Tails design are look like the Woody Woodpecker 1947's design
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tintin2005 In reply to tintin2005 [2005-12-14 04:14:49 +0000 UTC]
Say i alway think Tails current design are look like the Woody Woodpecker 1947's design (sorry for double post)
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RollingEye [2005-01-26 05:00:43 +0000 UTC]
Dang, that's like somethin that shoulda been on E!. For a second, I almost beleived that, very kick ass man.
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KitsuneFoxman [2004-11-19 00:26:56 +0000 UTC]
funny! You've obviously put a decent amount of work into it. Tails and fang are my favorite sonic characters ^.^
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TheStiv [2004-11-19 00:18:31 +0000 UTC]
Dude, these theories are so beievable it's unreal.
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