- For other uses, see Espio the Chameleon (disambiguation).
In other media[]
Animation[]
Sonic X[]
Espio in Sonic X.
Espio appeared with Team Chaotix in the anime Sonic X. Along with Vector and Charmy, Espio played a minor role in season 2, only appearing in Episode 39 to help find Cream when Chaotix was hired by Vanilla, Cream's mother (though in the end, it is Sonic who unites the two). In this episode Espio along with Vector and Charmy broke the proverbial fourth-wall by introducing themselves to the audience (Charmy mostly since he begged for more time to introduce himself). They play a larger role in Season 3, first appearing to bring Chris supplies from his parents. The second time Espio appears, he reluctantly helps Vector and Charmy help Tails get Cosmo, a girl he likes, to like him back, and after that appears with the others to help fight the Metarex. Espio states in his first appearance that he is the brains behind the Chaotix (to which Charmy claims that he's "Super Full of Himself"), when in the Sonic Heroes instruction manual, Vector is stated to be the brains. In the anime he is sometimes seen as a comic relief character as he has been hit (unintentionally) by Amy's hammer, woken up by Vector when he had pepper poured on him and was discovered in a humiliating way shortly before being clobbered.
Books and comics[]
Sonic the Comic[]
In the Sonic the Comic series published by Fleetway Editions, Espio is a member of the Chaotix Crew and a native of the Special Zone. He is a friendly (or sometimes not so friendly) rival to Mighty and has an extremely short temper. The two of them will end up clashing and arguing who's the best on almost any subject, to the extent of demanding a defeated enemy says which of them had punched him the hardest.[8] This incarnation of the character differs significantly from the Espio portrayed in the games and Sonic X.
Espio has the ability to turn invisible, although he rarely uses this talent.[9][10]
Espio's profile in Knuckles Knock-Out Special says that he was once a prisoner in Robotnik's Combi Machine, and that he has a personal grudge against Robotnik for this. However, this is never mentioned in any strip in the series, and may not be canon.
Archie Comics[]
In the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics, Espio is a bonafide hothead, which causes his friend Charmy to constantly remind him of his manners. This incarnation of the character differs significantly from the Espio portrayed in the games. After the Worlds Collide event however, he has become virtually identical to his game counterpart.
IDW Publishing[]
Theme songs[]
"Team Chaotix" (although this theme is shared with Vector the Crocodile and Charmy Bee, Espio is mentioned in the two lines: "And the ninja stars fly, too!" and "Espio is clearly ready to go".)
Quotes[]
- "I've got a bad feeling about this."
- —Espio, Sonic Heroes
- "Born in the Darkness to live in the darkness, that's the ninja's creed..."
- —Espio singing during the Team Blast Chaotix Recital, Sonic Heroes
- "Impossible feat! Ultimate ninja power."
- —Espio getting an A-Rank, Sonic Heroes
- "Insulting. Your training has been a waste of time."
- —Espio getting an E-Rank, Sonic Heroes
- "Spirits unite!"
- —After getting a 1000-point combo, Sonic Heroes
- "Behold! Ninja power!"
- —Epsio getting a 2000-point combo, Sonic Heroes
- "Death to the evil one! Prepare to die, Eggman!"
- —Espio after fighting the Egg Hawk, Sonic Heroes
- "Forgive me, but this is our duty."
- —Espio after fighting Team Rose, Sonic Heroes
- "Damn! We've been detected!"
- —Espio when Eggman discovers him and Shadow in his mainframe, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "Hey, back off! Data retrieval isn't exactly my specialty."
- —Espio when Charmy and Vector are rushing him, Shadow the Hedgehog
- "My name is Espio, a mere citizen I say not."
- —Espio introducing himself to Silver, Sonic Rivals 2
- "My skills exceed yours."
- —Espio when starting a battle, Sonic Rivals 2
- "You reap what you sow, Eggman Nega!"
- —Espio when Eggman Nega requests help, Sonic Rivals 2
- "Thank you, my friend. Beware, for I have looked into the soul of our enemy and saw only darkness."
- —Espio after Classic Sonic rescues him at Seaside Hill, Sonic Generations
- "It takes a mighty foe to trap a ninja. Be on your guard, Sonic."
- —Espio after Modern Sonic rescues him at Seaside Hill, Sonic Generations
- "As much as it pains me to say it, the best we can do now is to live to fight another day."
- —Espio to Knuckles, Sonic Forces
Merchandise[]
Espio's First Plush released for Sonic the Fighters.
Despite Knuckles' Chaotix receiving no merchandise, Espio received his first plush as well as a keychain for the release of Sonic the Fighters in 1996. Due to the main amount of Sonic merchandise throughout the 2000s being dedicated to Sonic X, Espio didn't receive further merchandise until 2010 when Jazwares created the first action figure of him.[11] Later, a purple translucent variant of Espio was released. His first figure was then later re-released the following year with slight changes as part of a Team Chaotix 3-pack. Great Eastern Entertainment later produced a plush toy of Espio in 2015. A player piece figurine of Espio was made for the Sonic the Hedgehog: Battle Racers board game.[12]
In 2022, Jakks Pacific released their first articulated Espio figure for Wave 9 of the 4" line.
Outfits[]
Trivia[]
- Espio is an extremely talented polygot, being able to speak over fourteen languages.[citation needed]
- According to Takashi Iizuka, Espio and the Team Chaotix in Sonic Heroes were recreated as new characters from the same characters in Knuckles' Chaotix when Sonic Heroes was designed, ignoring certain traits that had been established in Knuckles' Chaotix that would have contradicted their intent in the game.[13]
- Espio's name is thought to either have been derived from the word espionage, meaning spying; it also may be a reference to the Spanish and Portuguese word espío (literally meaning I spy).
- Espio is the only member of Team Chaotix to appear in a game released between Knuckles' Chaotix and Sonic Heroes.
- Espio is the second-most used member of Team Chaotix. He has fewer game appearances than Vector but more than Charmy.
- In Sonic Heroes, Espio is the only speed formation character whose shoes are not partly red and white. He is also the only speed formation character who is not a hedgehog.
- Throughout the series, Espio's color gradually lightens from a dark purple to a light pinkish purple.
- In Shadow the Hedgehog, Espio is one of the five characters to swear (the others being Shadow, Sonic, Knuckles, and Commander Tower).
- Espio is the only playable character in Sonic Rivals 2 who did not appear in the story mode of Sonic Rivals.
- In Sonic Generations, Espio is the one of the two characters who did not notice Sonic was different after being rescued. The other was Vector.
- Espio is the only animal character in Knuckles' Chaotix to have been created originally for that game, as Vector, Mighty, Charmy, and Knuckles had all appeared (or in Vector's case, was going to appear) in previous media: Knuckles (Sonic the Hedgehog 3), Mighty (SegaSonic the Hedgehog), Vector (Sonic the Hedgehog), Charmy Bee (Sonic the Hedgehog manga).
- Espio is the only new character in Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games available from the start in the 3DS version to appear as a playable character in the Wii U version.
- Espio was going to appear in Sonic & Sega All-Stars Racing as a playable racer alongside Rouge, Vector, Blaze and Silver, but was scrapped from the final product.[14]
- It is not known exactly which species of chameleon Espio belongs to, but the presence of the horn indicates that it belongs to the genus Trioceros. In this genus there are more than 30 recorded species, like for exemple: Jackson's Chameleon, Owen's Chameleon, Helmeted Chameleon, Meller's chameleon etc.
- Espio is the only member of the Chaotix to not be infected by the Metal Virus.
References[]
- ↑ Szczepaniak, John (21 February 2018). The Untold History of Japanese Game Developers: Volume 3. SMG Szczepaniak. p. 303. ISBN 978-0992926083. "Naoto Ohshima: And this one in the middle here, with the horns, was designed by a manga artist named [Takumi] Miyake. He went on to be the art director for NiGHTS."
- ↑ ●SonicJPNews● on Twitter (12 November 2019). Archived from the original on 12 November 2019. Retrieved on 12 November 2019.
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 Sonic Channel (Japanese). Characters: Espio. Sega. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved on 3 July 2015.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Chaotix (32X) Japanese instruction booklet, pg. 6.
- ↑ Sega (24 June 2016). Mario & Sonic at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Wii U. Nintendo. "Mii: Do you know what Espio's favorite food is? It's dango, or sweet dumplings! It figures a ninja would go for a Japanese dessert!"
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 6.3 Devra Newberger Speregen (2016). Sonic: The Ultimate Character Guide. Scholastic. p. 45. ISBN 978-1338033243.
- ↑ Sonic Channel (Japanese). Characters: Espio. Sega. Archived from the original on 29 March 2025. Retrieved on 2 March 2025.
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #121, "On the Run, Part 1"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #54, "Total Chaotix, Part 2"
- ↑ Sonic the Comic #98, "Doomsday, Part 2"
- ↑ First Look at New Wave of Jazwares Sonic Figurines. TSSZ News.
- ↑ Sonic the Hedgehog: Battle Racers. Kickstarter. Archived from the original on 6 March 2021.
- ↑ Electronic Gaming Monthly (3 February 2004). Afterthoughts: SONIC HEROES - A candid chat with Sonic Team's lord of the rings.. Electronic Gaming Monthly. Archived from the original on 30 March 2004.
- ↑ Sonic & SEGA All-Stars Racing Concept Art Found!. YouTube. Parax (13 December 2013). Retrieved on 14 October 2018.