Behind every great hedgehog, there stands a great man. Actually, a group of great men. And a few great women, too. This page is dedicated to the collaboration of talented individuals who comprise the greatest game development division in the entire industry: the Sonic Team. Sega's success in the home market can almost solely be attributed to these guys, and they continue to produce the cream of Sega's in-house crop. Lead by the valiant Yuji Naka, their growing repertoire remains unscathed. Not a single sub-stellar title has made it out of the Team's offices, a claim that can be made only by an elite two or three developers in all the industry.

   But even the game of a billion polygons starts with a single line of source code, and the Team's beginnings were humble. Once upon a time, Sonic Team was simply Sega Consumer Department #3, aka AM#8, with a staff of merely fifteen (which was fairly large for the era). At the time of its conception, the department was headed by Shinobu Toyoda, with Yuji Naka acting as lead programmer and Naoto Ohshima as director. The group proved to be a potent formula, and their first collaborative effort, Sonic the Hedgehog, put Sega on the map. If it all seems like it was too easy, it was. After the completion of Sonic 1, Naka, frustrated with Sega's seniority-based salary policy, left the company. When the US-based Sega Technical Institute began working on Sonic 2, Naka joined them only temporarily, once again leaving the company -- this time before the game was even completed. Nonetheless, when Sonic 2 turned out to be a tremendous commercial success, producer Shinobu Toyoda moved up to executive management at Sega, while Naka was taken back and immediately promoted to Toyoda's old position. The rest, as they say, is history. The Team's complete gameography is listed below. For more information on a game, see its respective Museum page.

1. Sonic the Hedgehog, released for the Sega Genesis in the US on June 23, 1991.
2. Sonic the Hedgehog 2, released for the Sega Mega Drive in Japan on November 21, 1992.
3. Sonic the Hedgehog 3, released for the Sega Genesis in the US on February 2, 1994.
4. Sonic & Knuckles, released simultaneously in the US and Japan for the Genesis/Mega Drive on October 18, 1994.
5. NiGHTS into Dreams..., released for the Sega Saturn in Japan on July 5, 1996.
6. Christmas NiGHTS, released for the Sega Saturn in Japan on November 22, 1996.
7. Sonic Jam, released for the Sega Saturn in Japan on June 20, 1997.
8. Burning Rangers, released for the Sega Saturn in Japan on February 26, 1998.
9. Sonic Adventure, released for the Sega Dreamcast in Japan on December 23, 1998.
10. ChuChu Rocket!, released for the Sega Dreamcast in Japan on November 11, 1999.
11. Samba de Amigo, released in Japanese arcades in December, 1999.
12. Samba de Amigo Ver.2000, released for the Sega Dreamcast in Japan on December 14, 2000.
13. Phantasy Star Online, released for the Sega Dreamcast in Japan on December 21, 2000.
14. ChuChu Rocket!, released for the Nintendo Game Boy Advance in Japan on March 21, 2001.
15. Phantasy Star Online Ver 2, released for the Sega Dreamcast in Japan on June 7, 2001.
16. Sonic Adventure 2, released for the Sega Dreamcast in the US on June 19, 2001.

   Today, the Team is larger than ever before, capable of handling multiple projects simultaneously. Listed below are merely the most important Team executives, those who have had the greatest impact on the Team's course, and those who have contributed their talents to numerous titles. If you don't see someone's name listed who you think deserves to be mentioned, or if you've got any additional info to contribute, smack me one. Oh yeah, Japanese names are listed in the proper order of family-name-first. The more familiar "modern" order is listed in parenthesis below each name to prevent confusion. Big squishy thanks to Andreas Tunek and Robin Whittleton for sharing their info and images. Show your respects by surfing over to Andreas' Y2 - a Sonic Team section and Robin's MFDC. Special thanks to Rillis Lim for the error checks.

Naka Yuji (Yuji Naka) Profile: Naka-san's story begins in his junior year of high school, when he was around 17. At that point, he decided that he wanted to make games. This sudden fascination with computers came as a direct result of Ryuichi Sakamoto's Yellow Magic Orchestra, a band who used computers to compose their music. (YMO was also responsible for inspiring many of today's biggest names in GameLand, including D creator Kenji Eno.) Thusly, Naka signed up for a game school and, upon graduation, moved from his home in Osaka to the bustling metropolis of Tokyo. Being a large fan of Namco, that was his first choice for a potential employer. But alas, laziness got the better of him. Namco, at that time, was not hiring highschool graduates without University degrees. Naka didn't feel like going to University to study, so he just fell in with Sega. A remarkable twist of fate, indeed. (Wonder if this means I can ditch this college bit and still become a well-respected game god?) The beginning of his career was spent mostly on Master System (Mark III) conversions, but his real break came in 1990, when he was assigned the job of lead programmer on Sega's ambitious bid for mascothood, Sonic the Hedgehog. Pending the completion of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 a year later, he was promoted to producer, and today is the president of Sonic Team. Gameography: Girls Garden -- lead programmer Great Baseball -- programmer F-16 Fighting Falcon -- lead programmer Hokuto No Ken (aka "Fist of the North Star") -- programmer Spy vs. Spy -- lead programmer Space Harrier -- lead programmer Outrun -- lead programmer Phantasy Star -- lead programmer (credited as "Muuu Yuji") Super Thunderblade -- lead programmer Phantasy Star II -- producer, lead programmer (credited as "Muuu Yuji") Dai Makai Mura (aka "Ghouls & Ghosts") -- lead programmer Sonic the Hedgehog -- programmer (credited as "Yu2") Sonic the Hedgehog 2 -- lead programmer Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- producer, lead programmer Sonic & Knuckles -- producer, lead programmer NiGHTS into Dreams... -- producer, lead programmer Christmas NiGHTS -- producer, programmer Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island -- advisor Sonic Jam -- producer Sonic R -- producer Burning Rangers -- producer Sonic Adventure -- producer ChuChu Rocket! -- producer, director Samba de Amigo -- producer Sonic the Hedgehog Pocket Adventure -- supervisor Samba de Amigo Ver.2000 -- producer Phantasy Star Online -- producer ChuChu Rocket! (GBA) -- producer, director Phantasy Star Online Ver.2 -- producer Sonic Adventure 2 -- producer
Ohshima Naoto (Naoto Ohshima) Phantasy Star II -- designer Sonic the Hedgehog -- character designer (credited as "Big Island") Sonic CD -- director NiGHTS into Dreams... -- director, NiGHTS designer Christmas NiGHTS -- director, visual designer Sonic Jam -- supervisor Sonic R -- graphic advisor Burning Rangers -- director, graphic artist Sonic Adventure -- story event coordinator, event motion designer, CG movie producer, opening movie editor (Naoto Ohshima left Sega and Sonic Team in August '99 to join Artoon, where he has since gone on to direct Pinobee: Quest of Heart for the Game Boy Advance.)	Iizuka Takashi (Takashi Iizuka) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- senior game designer Sonic & Knuckles -- senior game designer NiGHTS into Dreams... -- lead game designer Christmas NiGHTS -- game designer Sonic 3D Blast -- game concept design, Special Stage design, Saturn enhancements Sonic Jam -- director Sonic R -- game design director Sonic Adventure -- director, character game designer, Chaos game designer, field designer ChuChu Rocket! -- product support (Sega of America) Sonic Adventure 2 -- director
Miyoshi Takao (Takao Miyoshi) Sonic CD -- game designer Christmas NiGHTS -- game designer Sonic 3D Blast (aka "Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- head designer, game concept designer, playfield design Sonic R -- game advisor Burning Rangers -- game designer Sonic Adventure -- character game designer, enemy game designer, field designer ChuChu Rocket! -- design, puzzle editor	Yasuhara Hirokazu (Hirokazu Yasuhara) Sonic the Hedgehog -- game planner (credited as "Carol Yas") Sonic the Hedgehog 2 -- game planner, object placement Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- director, lead game designer Sonic & Knuckles -- director, lead game designer Sonic 3D Blast (aka "Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island") -- playfield design, Saturn enhancements Sonic R -- map design director
Mori Daisuke (Daisuke Mori) Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- Special Stage game design Sonic Jam -- game designer Sonic Adventure -- enemy game designer, A-Life system designer ChuChu Rocket! -- web engineer	Hoshino Kazuyuki (Kazuyuki Hoshino) Sonic CD -- character designer, Special Stage designer, visual design NiGHTS into Dreams... -- character designer Christmas NiGHTS -- visual designer Sonic R -- additional artwork Sonic Adventure -- art director, lead field artist, enemy character designer
Hata Shintaro (Shintaro Hata) Burning Rangers -- game designer Sonic Adventure -- event scene editor ChuChu Rocket! -- puzzle editor	Nishiyama Akinori (Akinori Nishiyama) Phantasy Star IV -- planner, script, monster graphic design, system plan, mecha design, map design, object design, font design, papaet event design Sonic Jam -- special thanks Sonic Adventure -- scenario writer, story event director ChuChu Rocket! -- designer, puzzle editor Phantasy Star Online -- scenario writer
Ogawa Yojiro (Yojiro Ogawa) Sonic Adventure -- character game designer, field designer ChuChu Rocket! -- designer, puzzle editor Phantasy Star Online	Morimoto Kenjiro (Kenjiro Morimoto) Sonic Adventure -- enemy game designer ChuChu Rocket! -- designer, puzzle editor Phantasy Star Online

Uekawa Yuji (Yuji Uekawa) Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- artist Sonic Jam -- artist Sonic R -- character designer Sonic Adventure -- character designer ChuChu Rocket! -- art director Samba de Amigo -- character designer	Okada Shigeru (Shigeru Okada) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- scene artist Sonic & Knuckles -- scene artist NiGHTS into Dreams... -- world artist Sonic R -- visual advisor
Nishiyama You (You Nishiyama) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- world artist Christmas NiGHTS -- visual designer Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- artist Sonic Jam -- artist	Higashi Shinichi (Shinichi Higashi) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- world artist Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- artist Sonic Jam -- artist Burning Rangers -- graphic artist Sonic Adventure -- modelling art support
Honda Nobuhiko (Nobuhiko Honda) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- CG movie artist Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- artist Sonic Jam -- artist Sonic Adventure -- lead field artist	Kawamura Sachiko (Sachiko Kawamura) Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- artist Sonic Adventure -- visual effects designer, A-life artist ChuChu Rocket! -- character designer Sonic Adventure 2 -- A-life artist
Nishiyama Norihiro (Norihiro Nishiyama) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- CG movie director, artist Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- movie creator (Saturn version) Sonic Adventure -- lead CG movie artist	Moriya Hideaki (Hideaki Moriya) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- A-Life character designer Christmas NiGHTS -- visual design Burning Rangers -- scene artist Sonic Adventure -- lead field artist Phantasy Star Online -- field artist
Watanuki Tohru (Tohru Watanuki) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- A-Life character designer Christmas NiGHTS -- visual design Burning Rangers -- scene artist Sonic Adventure -- lead A-Life artist, enemy character design	Dobashi Tomonori (Tomonori Dobashi) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- artist Christmas NiGHTS -- visual designer Burning Rangers -- graphic artist Sonic Adventure -- event motion designer
Okano Satoshi (Satoshi Okano) Sonic Jam -- artist Burning Rangers -- scene artist Sonic Adventure -- field artist Samba de Amigo -- designer	Kitamura Kosei (Kosei Kitamura) Burning Rangers -- scene artist Sonic Adventure -- field artist Phantasy Star Online -- field artist

Senoue Jun (Jun Senoue) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- SEGA Sound Team Sonic & Knuckles -- SEGA Sound Team Sonic 3D Blast (aka "Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island") -- music composer (Genesis version) Sonic Adventure -- lead music composer, sound director, music producer Sonic Adventure 2 -- music producer, lead music composer	Kumatani Fumie (Fumie Kumatani) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- compose & arrange, sound effects Burning Rangers -- composer Sonic Adventure -- composer Typing of the Dead Phantasy Star Online -- composer Sonic Adventure 2 -- composer
Setsumaru Masaru (Masaru Setsumaru) Sonic CD -- special thanks Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- SEGA Sound Team Sonic & Knuckles -- SEGA Sound Team Sonic 3D Blast (aka "Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island") -- music composer Sonic Jam -- compose & arrange Burning Rangers -- composer, sound effects Sonic Adventure -- sound effects Samba de Amigo -- sound creator	Yukifumi Makino (Makino Yukifumi) 3x3 Eyes (Mega CD) Sonic CD -- sound director, sound effects, sound programmer Heavenly Symphony Panzer Dragoon -- special thanks NiGHTS into Dreams -- chief sound designer Christmas NiGHTS -- sound director Sonic R -- special thanks Burning Rangers -- sound producer Sonic Adventure -- executive sound coordinator ChuChu Rocket! -- sound coordinator Space Channel 5 -- sound producer Roommania #203 Samba de Amigo -- product manager
Hataya Naofumi (Naofumi Hataya) Ristar -- special thanks Sonic CD -- special thanks Chaotix -- composer NiGHTS into Dreams... -- compose & arrange Christmas NiGHTS -- compose & arrange Sonic R -- sound advisor Burning Rangers -- sound director, composer Sonic Adventure -- special thanks Space Channel 5 -- sound director, music Samba de Amigo Ver.2000	Sasaki Tomoko (Tomoko Sasaki) Ristar -- music composer Sonic CD -- special thanks NiGHTS into Dreams... -- compose & arrange, lyrics Christmas NiGHTS -- compose & arrange Burning Rangers -- lyrics, vocals Sonic Adventure -- special thanks Space Channel 5 -- special thanks Samba de Amigo Ver.2000
Tokoi Kenichi (Kenichi Tokoi) Daytona USA Championship Circuit Edition -- music & remix Sonic Jam -- compose & arrange Sonic Adventure -- composer Space Channel 5 -- music Sonic Adventure 2 -- composer	Maeda Tatsuyuki (Tatsuyuki Maeda) Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- SEGA Sound Team Sonic & Knuckles -- SEGA Sound Team Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- composer (Genesis version) Sonic Adventure -- sound effects

Matsumoto Takuya (Takuya Matsumoto) Ristar -- effects programmer NiGHTS into Dreams... -- senior programmer Christmas NiGHTS -- programmer Sonic R -- special thanks Burning Rangers -- programmer Sonic Adventure -- technical supervisor, lead field programmer	Takahashi Yasuhiro (Yasuhiro Takahashi) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- programmer Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- Special Stage programmer Sonic Jam -- programmer Sonic Adventure -- player character programmer, program advisor ChuChu Rocket! -- programmer, puzzle editor
Yamamoto Masanobu (Masanobu Yamamoto) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 -- assistant programmer Sonic the Hedgehog 3 -- senior programmer Sonic & Knuckles -- senior programmer Sonic Adventure -- player character programmer, technical staff coordinator ChuChu Rocket! -- programmer	Katano Tetsu (Tetsu Katano) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- A-Life programmer Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- Special Stage programmer Sonic Jam -- programmer Sonic Adventure -- main programmer, player character programmer, lead field programmer
Matsunami Shinya (Shinya Matsunami) Sonic Adventure -- field programmer ChuChu Rocket! -- programmer	Nakagawa Atsutomo (Atsutomo Nakagawa) Sonic 3D Blast (Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island) -- Special Stage program NiGHTS into Dreams... -- programmer Sonic Jam -- programmer
Hamano Takahiro (Takahiro Hamano) Sonic the Hedgehog 2 -- project assistant Sonic & Knuckles -- senior programmer NiGHTS into Dreams... -- senior programmer Christmas NiGHTS -- programmer Sonic Jam -- main programmer Sonic R -- special thanks Sonic Adventure -- program coordinator Samba de Amigo -- programmer, technical programmer	Setsumasa Akio (Akio Setsumasa) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- programmer Christmas NiGHTS -- programmer Burning Rangers -- programmer Sonic Adventure -- lead field programmer ChuChu Rocket! -- network programmer
Watanabe Yasuhiro (Yasuhiro Watanabe) NiGHTS into Dreams... -- programmer Christmas NiGHTS -- programmer Burning Rangers -- programmer	Kawabata Yoshitaka (Yoshitaka Kawabata) Burning Rangers -- programmer Sonic Adventure -- field programmer, story sequence programmer Samba de Amigo -- programmer
Wakayama Masahiro (Masahiro Wakayama) Burning Rangers -- Burning-Ship subgame programmer Sonic Adventure -- lead field programmer ChuChu Rocket! -- network programmer, puzzle editor

• Kodama Reiko (Reiko Kodama): designer for Sonic 1 and Zone artist for Sonic 2, where she was credited as "Phoenix Rie". Kodama-san is best known for her work as the lead designer and director of Phantasy Stars I, II, and IV. These days she hangs out at Overworks, where she's produced classics such as Eternal Arcadia (aka "Skies of Arcadia").
• Suzuki Hisashi (Hisashi Suzuki): project manager for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles; executive manager for ChuChu Rocket! and Samba de Amigo
• Takashi Thomas Yuda: character designer, animator, and scene artist for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles; later went on to direct Space Channel 5
• Yoshida Chie (Chie Yoshida): scene artist for Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles; art staff coordinator for Sonic Adventure
• Yoshii Masaharu (Masaharu Yoshii): director of Sonic the Hedgehog 2, project manager of Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and Sonic & Knuckles
• Yamaguchi Yasushii (Yasushii Yamaguchi): chief artist, Zone artist, and character designer for Sonic the Hedgehog 2, where he was credited as "Judy Totoya"; Special Stage designer for Sonic CD
• Sugano Yutaka (Yutaka Sugano): object placement for Sonic the Hedgehog 2; producer for Sonic 3D Blast (aka "Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island")
• Ishiwatari Jina (Jina Ishiwatari): Zone artist for Sonic the Hedgehog 2; special thanks in Sonic CD, Sonic the Hedgehog 3, and Sonic & Knuckles; character designer for Chaotix
• Ono Kenichi (Kenichi Ono): game designer for Sonic CD; game concept design for Sonic 3D Blast aka "Sonic 3D: Flickies' Island"
• Miyake Takumi (Takumi Miyake): landscape and visual designer for Sonic CD; chief designer for Ristar; world artist for NiGHTS into Dreams...
• Shibata Fumitaka (Fumitaka Shibata): recording director for Panzer Dragoon Zwei and Space Channel 5; sound director for ChuChu Rocket! and Samba de Amigo
• Nirenburg Yasushi (Yasushi Nirenburg), game designer for Burning Rangers
• Kusunoki Manabu (Manabu Kasunoki), CG movie director for Sonic Adventure
• Ishii Youji (Youji Ishii), project manager for all of Sonic Team's major titles through Sonic Adventure. Ishii-san left Sega in August '99 to form his own independent development studio, Artoon.
• Hasegawa Ryoichi (Ryoichi Hasegawa), Sega of America's Sonic Team liaison
• Toyoda Shinobu (Shinobu Toyoda), producer of Sonic the Hedgehog 2 (currently in executive management at Sega)
• Endo Takashi (Takashi Endo), created the original Sonic SFX
• Shimizu Kayo (Kayo Shimizu), the Sonic Team financial administator

• Nakamura Masato (Masato "King Masa" Nakamura) -- The "Dreams Come True" band member who was credited as the music producer for Sonic 1 and music composer for Sonic 2
• Jason Kuo -- Sega of America's localization producer for most of Sonic Team's Genesis games
• Spencer Nilsen -- composed the US Sonic CD soundtrack
• Howard Drossin -- produced the Sonic 3 & Knuckles soundtrack
• Richard Jaques -- composed the soundtracks for Sonic 3D Blast (Saturn ver.) and Sonic R
• Steve Hutchins -- Sega of America's localization producer for NiGHTS into Dreams...
• Keith Palmer -- Sega of America's localization producer for Burning Rangers, Sonic Adventure, and ChuChu Rocket!
• Sato Katsu (Katsu Sato) -- Sega of Europe's localization producer for most recent Sonic Team titles
• Marlon D. Saunders, vocalist for "Dreams Dreams" (A Capella), "We Are Burning Rangers", and "Unknown From M.E."