Sonic Underground, which debuted in 1999 was the third cartoon series based on Sega’s popular video game character, Sonic the Hedgehog. Underground finds Sonic as one of three siblings—also including Manic and Sonia--who has joined the others to form the rock group Sonic Underground. The band members are also the children of Aleena, queen of Mobius, who hid her kids away at an early age to keep them safe from the evil dictator who overthrew her: Sonic's enemy since birth, Dr. Robotnik.

Dr. Robotnik discovers a prophecy that the hedgehogs will eventually defeat him, be reunited with their mother and restore peace to the planet. He makes it his mission to ensure that Sonic, Manic, and Sonia don’t fulfill their destiny. With the assistance of powerful medallions, the three siblings are doggedly determined to win the fight for freedom over the evil Dr. Robotnik and his high-tech swatbots.

Sonic is the quickest and coolest hedgehog on the planet. Everyone wants to be like him. His patented “super spin” allows him to buzz right through robots, walls, and any other barrier put in his way. Manic, Sonic’s brother and the drummer in the band, is pretty much focused on his drumming all the time. Sonia is the group's keyboardist. Her portable synthesizer folds up and serves as a gun when needed. Sonia can also do a “super twirl” which allows her to gain speed into a “whirlwind spiral.”

The siblings (all voiced by Family Matters’ Jaleel White) need all the power and fortitude they can muster, because Dr. Robotnik is the epitome of evil. He will do whatever it takes to wipe out the hedgehogs and his crew of swatbots are there to help him. Dingo and Sleet are Dr. Robotnik's evil bounty hunters, although Dingo is in love with Sonia.  He is buff and none too bright, but he can make himself into anything. Sleet is a very smart wolf who comes up with solid ways to catch Sonic and his siblings.

Shout Factory has just released Sonic Underground - Volume 1. The three-DVD set includes the first twenty episodes of the cartoon series. Some of the best episodes of this set are as follows:

“Beginnings (Origins, Part 1)” - Queen Aleena tells the story of how Dr. Robotnik took over Mobius, and how she had to give up her three children to fulfill a prophecy exclaiming that one day, the siblings would be able to rise against Robotnik's rule and restore peace to the planet.