Sonic the Hedgehog protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog, a blue hedgehog able to run at supersonic speeds, and recurring villain Dr. Eggman, an evil scientist whose ambition is to conquer the world. Among Sonic's many allies, the most well-known include: Miles "Tails" Prower, a twin-tailed, highly intelligent yellow fox who is Sonic's sidekick and best friend; Amy Rose, a pink hedgehog who is Sonic's self-proclaimed girlfriend and a hero in her own right; Knuckles the Echidna, a coolheaded red echidna who is the guardian of the Master Emerald; Shadow the Hedgehog, an anti-heroic doppelgänger of Sonic with a dark past; and Metal Sonic, a
Sonic the Hedgehog (character) of the three game characters inducted on the inaugural Walk of Game class in 2005, along with former rivals Mario and Link (both from Nintendo). One of a class of genes involved in fruit fly embryonic development, called hedgehog genes, has been named "sonic hedgehog" after him. He is also named in the song "Abiura di me" of the Italian rapper Caparezza. Sonic has also been used as a symbol for Sega's various sponsorships. Between 1993 and 1997, Sega sponsored the JEF United Ichihara Chiba football team, during which period Sonic appeared in the team's uniform. During the 1993 Formula