The Mystery Behind A Sonic Statue That’s Hidden In The Mountains… And The Plea To Help Save It

Video gaming mysteries appear to be an extinct species; many if not most have been solved at this point. Yet a new one recently came to light… which has been around for a little while, but known only to those in certain circles… and discussed with a hushed toned. Only now has its existence been finally revealed, motivated by the perceived need for public awareness.

The video above from YouTube user Badnik Mechanic starts off at the very beginning; in December 2015, a Japanese cyclist driving around the mountains stumbled upon a gigantic Sonic statue by the side of the road. Said cyclist posted a photo of his discovery on social media, which predictably got fans of the blue blur very excited.

But the exact location of the statue was unknown, so the search was on; there was a desperate need to locate and document it with higher quality pics (along with video), largely due to the fear of theft and vandalism. Hence the veil of semi-secrecy; over time, along with its origin (it originally hailed from an old Sega World arcade), the coordinates were eventually pinpointed, yet only shared with a handful of individuals.

Though perhaps due to the statue’s remote location… or maybe more so that the mystery surrounding it was so obscure… interest in actually documenting it became virtually nil and the years simply passed by. That was until very recently (we’re talking last month), when someone finally stepped up to the plate and were given the keys. The much-desired higher quality pics (including footage) finally materialized, revealing wear & tear to Sonic.

As Badnik Mechanic (real name Dave Luty) notes, it’s a miracle that the statue managed to remain in relatively decent condition despite it being in the middle of the mountains after an estimated 10 to 15 years. Ultimately, fears over the harsh elements doing further damage is why the word is finally being spread. Now, I myself am a fan of urban decay, and also feel it’s best to keep Sonic where he is (it’s like the intro to Sonic 3’s Ice Cap Zone IRL), but you’re in a position to take ownership and care for it… the location can be found in the video’s description.