#my issues

The universe has armed my period with weapons of mass destruction and I feel like my pelvis has shattered.

I want to be wrapped up in a heating blanket and some strong arms. I want forehead kisses and head pats and some memory foam pecs for my pillow so I can cry and be small and safe. I want someone with a deep voice and maybe a lil drawl to just talk to me so I don’t feel so alone.

So far I have the heating blanket, the alone, and the crying 🤣😭

The man himself

Keeps Shadow away from the fleas ridden stray cats

The issue many, and not only I have is, well, I don't know if he has a poor memory and doesn't want to admit this, or, he just changes his mind and still, he doesn't want to admit he changed his mind.

This alone makes me fear him, like, I can't really trust him if when he changes his mind, and you mention his contraddictory claims, he just sais: 'Uh, it never happened, I never said such things!'

He's certainly not the only man who change his mind on things and forgets. But, another one who used to have a poor memory, Akira Toriyama, well, he admetted that: 'Yes, I'm bad at remembering stuff, is my flaw!'.

This is, however, my very personal issue with him. for another person, this would not be a big deal (Today it seems I can't write properly, like, I can't put words togheter in English... it is not my mother tongue but nowadays is 20 years I read English daily I wonder if it would be better if I lived in an English speaking country).

I don't really agree with everything Pariah says (he's a SoJ purist and I'm not, this alone underlines our overall different mindsets). But is a good explanation about what is the issue many have with IIzuka

Iizuka also said this about Sonic (I had to re-read to make sure I was truly reading this)

Mandates

The effect of mandates affects characters spontaneity. They feel like those pictures: tied.

He's also known to be the man behind the current mandates we all dislikes.

Mandates existed even before Takashi iizuka. It was called something like 'The Sonic Bible'. Those who wrote stories in Archie and Fleetway followed it and all the work had to be double cheeked and revised by SEGA before seeing anything publishied. But they were more like guidelines that still leave enough room of freedom that made character feel natural. After Penders (who went over the top with highly questionable content) there was a bit of restrictions, but nothing too bad.

Shadow's chains

Who Shadow used to be?

Shadow is the most affected character. Original Shadow was mischievous, sneaky, capable to be dangerous without being violent, but also capable to have fun and to not take himself too seriously when he was not into mission and he was caring. He was calm, melancholy and mostly non-verbal.

Although he hadn't all the liveliness Sonic had, he felt authentic. His behaviour was not forced, he just did things the way he felt at the moment. Whenever he looked in the space, all zooned out and pondering about stuff, whenever he initiated a fist bumb with Rouge and Omega (Heroes), that was what he was.

Shadow would have never liked to dance in front of a crowd (weirdly, that was IIzuka's Shadow doing in an advertisement). Singing? Maybe when distracted or when he though he was unseen/unheard. Eye contact? Unlikely, he never did this not even with Maria.

There was a lot of room of movement.

Usually the more essentials the guidelines are, the more a character can act untied. For example one trait stated 'Thoughful, doesn't laugh' (it depends how it is translated, but this is the idea) Indeed, although Shadow could smile and even shout in excitement, I never heard him laugh or chuckle. Common sense will prevent the character getting OoC.

That was a sober character. His personality was a mixture of positive, negative and neutral traits, he wasn't so strong in Adventure 2, but he improved in later game, still remaining balanced.

Let's see what Iizuka himself say:

I can't find all what Iizuka said but those are just a couple of examples

Aside the fact in past games Shadow helped people he didn't even know or wasn't so close with, who were in trouble like:

Rouge, somebody who was indifferent for him and who he didn't trust in SA2 - he was panicked, fearing to fail. And most notably, he was a villain.

Rouge who was a stranger, in Heroes.

Lots of humans, including the nasty Sabrina, all strangers, Rouge, a friend there, Sonic, who was someone he trust, Silver, who was an enemy was helped greatly (Shadow made him turn toward the good side), all in Sonic 06.

You can't talk about localization because those are all actions, no words involved. Actions alone can't be localized.

Example of Iizuka's Shadow and the effects of current SEGA mandates in IDW...

Iizuka is certainly well aware of this. And he is fine with it.

As for Shadow's strenght? I see a tendency to put an emphasis on this aspect. Shadow is presented as close as being invincible.

Unfortunately, vulnerability to manipulation is rarely properly explored. Especially in most recent media. Shadow generations was a fun game, but I would have liked a more emphasis on Shadow's vulnerability to manipulation. I think the manga did a little bit better. The movie did great. I can't say the same about the physical strenght, unfortunately.

I think phisysical weakness is important too. Unlike many who think Shadow is 'nerfed' in Prime, I liked how in there, Shadow was more similar to the others in strenght. He matched Sonic rather than being invincible and can be neutralized.

Sonic adventure shows us a quite vulnerable Shadow, here he matched Sonic, and could be visibly winded. In Sonic Battle he can be hurt badly and even needs assistance/rest.