Patrick Viesti
Mark Twain once said that “Clothes make the man.” And those words could not be truer for the egg-shaped man that we are showcasing in this Top 6 List. Of all the video game villains that designers have come up with over the years, one stands above them when it comes to the world of fashion: Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with the good doctor, Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik is the archenemy of Sonic The Hedgehog, the blue blur of justice who is the star of the popular video game series of the same name.
Dr. Robotnik’s M.O. is to capture cute, furry woodland critters, convert them into robots via his mechanical “Roboticizer” and then use these newly created “Badniks” to do his bidding. His end goal: to take over the world and find the legendary seven Chaos Emeralds that would allow him to become master of the planet Mobius (or Earth in the newer games).
Originally, Eggman was one of multiple characters created by Sega of Japan’s staff back in 1990 to pitch to then Sega president Hayao Nakayama as the new mascot lead for the company. This was a response to Nintendo’s Super Mario, who was dominating the video game scene, and Sega wanted a piece of the video game profits. And sadly, the original Sega mascot Alex Kidd was not cutting it.
Sega artist and video game designer Naoto Ohshima drew Eggman as an egg-shaped being who wore red & green pajamas (complete with hat and slippers), thick glasses, and a strong resemblance to U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt (It’s the mustache folks. Ladies dig the mustache). His initial inspiration, according to Naoto Ohshima, was a cross between “Humpty Dumpty and Mario.”
While this version did not win the contest, another one of Ohshima’s designs would: a certain blue hedgehog that would become the beloved mascot to millions of video game fans all over the globe.
However, the original design of Eggman would not disappear into the sketchbook of abandoned video game designs. A young up-and-coming video game programmer named Yuji Naka and the members of the newly formed Sonic Team loved Ohshima’s Eggman design and wanted to include him in the upcoming Sonic The Hedgehog game, which was being developed on the Sega Genesis (or Sega Mega Drive for our readers across the pond).
Since Eggman could not be the hero of the game, why not make him the main villain? They took Eggman’s original design and evolved him into the robot creating, pollution pumping, aircraft engineering, techno-building, wrecking ball wielding, Egg-O-Matic flying, ego-stroking and evil diabolical genius that we all know today.
Even the choice to make Eggman into the main villain was a perfect counterpoint to Sonic’s heroism. As Sonic represented being one with nature/the natural order, freedom, believing in yourself and living one’s life to the fullest, Dr. Robotnik was the opposite, representing environmental destruction/pollution, tyranny, heavy industrial machinery and having strict order and control over others: a subtle play on environmental themes & the fight for democracy that are still discussed to this day.
So why do we call him Dr. Robotnik in the U.S. and elsewhere?
Well, you can thank Sega of America’s marketing team for that one, as Sega of Japan had no idea that the character’s name was going to change in the West. For you see dear readers, Robotnik was always called Eggman in Japan. And the name Robotnik has been so popular with gamers worldwide for years that even Yuki Naka himself has stated that Dr. Robotnik’s last name is his canon name, with the name “Eggman” referred to as an insult for his round, egg-shaped body. So officially, his full name is Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik.
And I’ll be honest, Dr. Robotnik is still the best villain name. It sounds more menacing and fits better with the robot themed villainy of his character in my humble opinion.
Fun Fact: Eagle-eyed Sega fans will happily point out that the video game character of Enzo in the first Bayonetta game does refer to a certain old man as “Humpty Dumpty taking his last fall” and “Even old Eggman the Destroyer gets scrambled in the end.”
But we’re not here to bury the good doctor. We’re here to praise him!
While other video game villains have had their looks change over the years, and some with little to no change, Dr. Robotnik has had some of the most unique and stylish changes to his character design that can only be described as “The Top Banana” in certain video game fashion circles.
And with the newest film Sonic The Hedgehog 2 racing into theaters, it’s time to give the doctor his due.
Without further ado, here are the Top 6 Times that Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik was very Fashionable:
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Best First-Impression on the Fashion Scene:
Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik – Sonic The Hedgehog 1-3, Sonic & Knuckles SEGA Genesis / SEGA Mega Drive Games / Soinc The Hedgehog Japanese OVA
The original classic that started it all and still holds up over 30 years later (hope I didn’t make you feel too old their dear readers). The distinctive round body shape, the red shirt, tight black pants with two silver buttons, white gloves, two yellow triangles on the front of the shirt that hold up his small yellow cape from behind, smooth bald head, deep pink nose, ominous grin, pair of blue sunglasses, black goggles and the ever distinctive red-orange moustache, this is the gold standard that every video game villain needs to take note of in the world of fashion.
This design is recognized the world over by fans and non-fans alike. Simple, distinct, elegant.
And that’s not by chance either. Sonic Team wanted kids playing these games to be able to draw Dr. Robotnik easily to share with their friends and family.
His original design and look are so excellent that he still makes cameos in modern day Sonic games, most notably in Sonic Generations.
So here’s to the one that started it all! Cheers!
Best Classic Saturday Morning Cartoon Style: Dr. Ivo Robotnik – The Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog
A much more cartoony take of the good doctor, this version of Dr. Robotnik sports a more pointed, cone-shaped bald head, a larger-than-life, thick for days mustache, red elf-inspired boots, grey gauntlet gloves, rounded shoulder pads, a red and black one-piece outfit with an olive-green cross that divided his color scheme up and black eyes with red pupils. And he’s a lot bigger and rounder than his original Japanese iteration (with Sonic SatAM’s Robotnik being the biggest, but we’ll get to that one soon).
An oddity by today’s standards, but he still holds a special place in the hearts and minds of all those who grew up with him in the early 90’s, myself included.
Even in the show he had a HUGE wardrobe of various outfits that he wore. From a superhero outfit, to a World War I Red Baron inspired flight jacket to a snazzy tuxedo for a man his size, this iteration of Robotnik has the biggest and most diverse wardrobe of any of his contemporary counterparts (with Dr. Eggman from the animated Sonic Boom series giving him a run for his Chaos Emeralds).
And even after the show’s ending in 1996 with a Christmas Special, this Dr. Robotnik’s legend only grew in the age of the Internet as a legendary meme generating machine. A “Meme-Bean Machine” if you know what I mean. So I’ll still give him a promotion for that!
While this Robotnik sadly does not wear his distinct yellow cape as much in this version, the next Robotnik on our list not only does, has the better version of the same outfit.
Best Sinister Style for World Domination: Dr. Ivo Robotnik (aka Dr. Julian Kintobor) – Sonic The Hedgehog (aka SatAM) and Archie Comics Sonic The Hedgehog
Still one of the most dark and intimidating versions of the character to date, this Dr. Robotnik simply looks menacing. His much larger head to match his larger body size, accompanied by his pointed shoulder pads, make him look like a giant red devil. His black eyes and red glowing pupils alone are enough to creep you out as they stare into your very soul. And brought to life by the legendary Jim Cummins, his voice acting is intimidating, baleful, dark and just plain frightening.
He literally sounds sinister when he’s just expressing joy and delight. The mark of a true villain.
While he mostly sports the same color scheme, pattern and design as his goofier 1993 animated counterpart on this list, don’t let that fool you. With his black boots with red tips, grey leggings, grey gloves, a long flowing yellow cap, pointed regal shoulder pads, robotic ear drums and a robotic left arm to boot, this is the definitive diabolical version of Dr. Robotnik from the 1990’s.
There’s even a reason within the show itself as to how he gets his metal arm. No spoilers for this one. Go check out the original 1993 animated series to find out.
From what I have seen in all the years I have read the Archie Comics and played the various video games, this Robotnik is the largest, heaviest and roundest version of any Robotnik on this list. An entire robotic chair is designed just so that he does not have to turn around in it.
And unlike other versions of Dr. Robotnik on this Top 6 List, this diabolical doctor actually conquered planet Mobius, becoming its absolute ruler. Sonic, Sally and their Freedom Fighters are the only ones who can save the world from his mechanical clutches.
This animated style of the character also carried into the Archie Comics version of Robotnik as well, with another addition: spiked up red boots. And in the Archie comics, Robotnik has had crazy multiverse versions of himself too, much akin to Marvel or DC Comics heroes and villains. But that’s another Top 5 for another time.
His overall look is fantastic and is still a recognized staple of the ’90s Saturday morning cartoon pantheon. And is still one of my favorite animated shows of the 1990s. A personal favorite of mine and for all 90’s kids who grew up seeing this menacing iteration of Dr. Ro-butt-nik.
Best Overall Sense of Style: Dr. Eggman – Sonic Boom (Video Game / Animated Series / Archie Comics)
While the 2014 Sonic Boom: Rise of Lyric video game was terrible, the Sonic Boom animated series was a surprisingly funny, smartly written, self-aware comedy show that knew what it was and just had fun with its storytelling. The use of action and slice-of-life standalone tales with a focus on Sonic and his friends is worth the watch. A genuine love letter to Sonic fans who want a more light-hearted take on the characters in silly mundane situations vs. the darker, more serious tones of…let’s just say…Sonic Forces.
In this iteration, everyone got a wardrobe update, including our favorite mustachioed menace.
I personally loved the Red Baron styled bomber jacket that Dr. Eggman sported in the show. I’d even go as far as calling him a regal ringmaster of a robotic circus, which would not be too far off.
This red outfit is a military styled bomber jacket with gold buttons that clip around the main center torso, with part of the flap that snaps to a button on the main chest a-la Captain Kirk’s Starfleet outfit from Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. But the inside is yellow vs. pure white. Nice yellow cuffs around the wrists, grey pants with black military boots and the classic glasses and goggles as always.
He feels like he stepped off the lot of a classic Hollywood film set to be honest.
And like Dr. Robotnik from The Adventures of Sonic The Hedgehog, he too has a wide variety of outfits that he wears throughout the show’s run. This includes pink footie pajamas (a nod to his original sketch design), a red fitness vest for exercising (gotta keep that round figure looking good), a traditional old-fashioned striped diving suit and even Lederhosen in the Sonic Boom Archie comic. Yes, you heard me right. Eggman wears Lederhosen with his logo on the front!
This Evil Ham’s look is just right. 😉
Best Wardrobe Update for The New Millennium: Dr. Eggman – Sonic Adventure 1 & 2 / Sonic Advance series / Sonic X
When Sonic and company made their way to the next generation of home consoles at the dawn of the new millennium, Sonic Team knew that they had to go bigger, bolder and more radical than their previous iterations. And with Sega’s flagship console the Dreamcast as their last hope to stay relevant in the ever-competitive marketplace, they knew that they had to have a game that would be their killer app. And Sonic Adventure was their answer.
This was also the point where Sega was pushing to have Dr. Eggman be the universal name for the character, even though years later they would drop it.
But the results speak for themselves. And Dr. Eggman looks GOOOOOD!
A redesigned red jacket with gold square buttons and white racing lines that run alongside them, gold yellow cuffs at the end of each sleeve, white gloves, long black skin-tight pants with boots incorporated into the pants themselves and still sporting those famous blue shades, goggles and his signature thick & manly mustache. Eggman looks SHARP!
Seriously: go back and watch the intro cutscene of Sonic Adventure. Look at how Dr. Eggman is standing on top of his Egg Carrier, the machine he built with his evil genius to take over the world. He is so bold and confident with the wind blasting in his face at top speeds that he doesn’t even flinch. BOLD! CONFIDENT! MANLY!
This Eggman has The Master Plan!
Best “Real World” Look: Sonic The Hedgehog (2020) & Sonic The Hedgehog 2 (2022)
Now we come to the most recent iteration of the character. And overall, this is a solid evolution of how Robotnik changes from top tier eccentric government scientist with a chip on his shoulder to evil mad genius who will stop at nothing to capture The Fastest Thing Alive!
Over the course of the original film, we see Jim Carrey’s Dr. Robotnik showcase a sleek black coat with red striped lining on the underside, foreshadowing the eventual transformation of his character. Black gloves, a sharp haircut and a nice thick “normal” mustache are also present. Not as round as his video game counterpart, which is a shame as Carrey even offered to wear a fat suit for the role.
After super powering his hovercraft with one of Sonic’s electrically charged quills, (yes, that is a real plot point in the first movie), Jim Carrey then looks stylish and slick in this red and black flight suit, sporting the classic goggles: a nice tribute to Dr. Robotnik’s newer red jacket from Sonic Adventure.
By the end of the film as he makes his way through Mushroom Hill Zone, he looks more like his traditional video game counterpart: a smooth shaved head, the damaged red suit and now sporting a full mustache that would make the original Dr. Eggman proud.
From what we have seen in the current trailers for Sonic The Hedgehog 2, Carrey is still rockin’ that bigger, bolder mustache from the end of the previous film that is worthy of Sonic’s greatest arch-enemy.
He’s also sporting a newer iteration of his black coat, now with red sleeves on the arms, red collar and red accents on his chest in a lovely turtle shell pattern. Simple, but distinct. I dig it myself. A natural evolutionary step for Carrey’s Robotnik as he takes his villainy and his new outfit “To The Next Level.”
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Honorable Mentions:
Dr. Robotnik (Sonic The Comic)
Dr. Eggman Nega (Sonic Rush Series)
El Gran Gordo (Archie Comics Sonic X)
So that’s my Top 6 Times Dr. Ivo “Eggman” Robotnik was very Fashionable. I hoped you enjoyed reading it as much as I had writing it. As you can tell, I love Sonic The Hedgehog and it’s been an honor sharing my personal thoughts with you all.
Amazing how one egg-shaped man can be such a fashion sensation in the world of video games. With 30 years under his belt, plus the new CGI animated series Sonic Prime coming later this year to Netflix and the new video game Sonic Frontiers racing to consoles and PC in late 2022, who knows what other fashion statements Dr. Robotnik will make then and in the next 30 years.
Thank you for reading and I’ll see you at the theater for Sonic The Hedgehog 2!
