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And by the way, he roller-skates!
They're Air Shoes.


Sonic the Hedgehog and Shadow the Hedgehog, "The Yoke's on You"

The Air Shoes,[1][2][3] also sometimes referred to as the Hover Shoes[3][4] or Jet Shoes,[3] are objects that appear in the Sonic the Hedgehog series. They are the shoes worn by Shadow the Hedgehog. Their origins are unknown, although Shadow has worn them since his awakening on the Space Colony ARK.[5]

Description[]

Appearance[]

Shadow 4

Shadow's Air Shoes from below, from Sonic Adventure 2: Battle.

The Air Shoes are mainly white and smooth with black heel regions. Above the topline, each shoe has a red tongue and black collar encircled by a single Inhibitor Ring. Around the rim of the soles, the Air Shoes have red strips of metal on the rear and front of the bottom, broken below the in-steps. The space between the break has a small groove that allows Shadow to slide on rails, similar to Sonic's Grind Shoes. Over time, these strips have been depicted with spots where the red paint has been scratched off, pertaining perhaps to either Shadow's longevity or battle scars. On the bottom of each sole is an orange-yellow line of five small "jets" (three up front and two on the heel).

Features and traits[]

The Air Shoes (as their name suggests) can expel air from their jets to create a cushion of air, which lets Shadow hover just above the surface of the ground. This allows him to glide just above the surface[4] on seemingly any terrain, much like a hovercraft. For Shadow, the Air Shoes are the primary source of his speed.[4] With them, he can achieve speeds matching,[3] and supposedly even surpassing Sonic the Hedgehog's running speed.[2]

Hover Shoes flying

Shadow hovering with his Air Shoes, from Sonic Adventure 2.

The Air Shoes' jets are controlled by Shadow at will. By increasing their intensity, Shadow can produce fire from his Air Shoes' jets to attack opponents[6] or provide extra power to jump.[7] The Air Shoes can also produce strong enough propulsion to let Shadow hover in midair (though they have no flight capabilities) and boost forward at speeds matching the Boost at a hovering height just above the ground.[8]

In other media[]

Animation[]

Sonic X[]

In the Sonic X anime series, the Air Shoes appear during the Shadow and Metarex Sagas, where they are worn by Shadow the Hedgehog.

Sonic Boom[]

In the Sonic Boom series, a version of the Air Shoes appear, where they belong to Shadow the Hedgehog. In this media, the shoes keep much of the same appearance, with the only change being that they have larger cuffs, and the red section goes onto the shoes as well. These shoes also allow Shadow to fly, letting him reach mid-air speeds rivaling that of the Eggmobile.

Sonic Prime[]

Air Shoes Prime

Shadow's Air Shoes, from "The Yoke's on You".

In the Sonic Prime television series, the Air Shoes appear as Shadow the Hedgehog's footwear. In "The Yoke's on You", when a narrating Sonic quotes that Shadow roller skates, Shadow, seemingly hearing him, corrected him that they're Air Shoes.

In this media, the Air Shoes allow Shadow to move around via skating, along with letting him hover.

Books and comics[]

Archie Comics[]

Rocket shoes

The rocket-skates, from Sonic Universe #70.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, the Air Shoes are called rocket-skates. They were worn by Shadow the Hedgehog and allow him to travel at near-Sonic speeds.

Following the Super Genesis Wave, the rocket-skates became nearly indistinguishable from their game counterparts.

IDW Publishing[]

IDWRocketSkates

Shadow using the Rocket Skates, from Sonic the Hedgehog #11.

In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by IDW Publishing, the Air Shoes are called Rocket Skates.[9] They are worn by Shadow the Hedgehog and allow him to travel at near-Sonic speeds.

Films[]

Paramount[]

In the Sonic the Hedgehog film series produced by Paramount Pictures, the Air Shoes appear as Shadow the Hedgehog's footwear. In the film Sonic the Hedgehog 3, they share a similar appearance to their game counterparts, with the primary difference being the addition of segmented detailing on the shoes.

Trivia[]

MephilesBows

Mephiles the Dark wearing his imitation Air Shoes, from Sonic the Hedgehog (2006).

Gallery[]

Concept artwork[]

Screenshots[]

Gallery

References[]

  1. Sega (November 13, 2011). Mario & Sonic at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Wii. Sega. Area/level: London Party. "Shy Guy: The shoes that Shadow wears are called Jet Shoes, right? / ... / Shy Guy: They're Air Shoes! They let him glide across the ground as he runs."
  2. 2.0 2.1 Sonic Team (February 27, 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Shadow Run: Shadow's running skill. With help from his Air Shoes, he can run faster than Sonic."
  3. 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Sonic City. Sega. Archived from the original on February 29, 2008.
  4. 4.0 4.1 4.2 Sonic Rivals 2 (PlayStation Portable) United States instruction booklet, pg. 8.
  5. Sega Studio USA (November 18, 2005). Shadow the Hedgehog. PlayStation 2. Sega. Cutscene: Before Cosmic Fall.
  6. Sonic Team (February 27, 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Shadow Slider: Shadow's dash attack. He uses the fire from his Air Shoes to attack opponents."
  7. Sonic Team (February 27, 2004). Sonic Battle. Game Boy Advance. Sega. "Shadow Jump: Shadow's jumping skill. He uses the power of his Air Shoes to jump."
  8. Sonic Team (November 4, 2011). Sonic Generations. PlayStation 3. Sega. Area/Level: Shadow the Hedgehog.
  9. Sonic the Hedgehog #20, "Crisis City, Part 2"
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