Japan Resident here. The reason for flopping is the movie only played in Aeon Cinemas and United Cinemas, meaning the distribution of the movie was limited to these theaters only. I live in the west side of Japan and if I wanted my son and I to watch this movie, we'd have to drive 2 hours roundtrip plus highway tolls to see it at that specific movie theater. There are 4 movie theaters in my area and none of them could play it. It's not about the popularity. Many people know Sonic. It's just limited release is all.

Won't lie... Sonic feels like a kid rejected by their parents but embraced by their friends

"And this character is?"

３０代の日本人として言えることはソニックを所有するセガのハード自体が日本で全く人気がなかったことが遠因だということです

Sonic isn't hated in Japan tho. Just because its not as popular doesn't mean he's not liked.

Let's not forget that Sonic Frontiers won the Japanese game award for most anticipated game.

Sonic was born in Japan, but raised in America.

Sonic being so loved everywhere else, but unknown in the country that created him is crazy to me.

As a big Mario fan and a sonic fan, How did the Italian plumber who lives in America managed to be liked more than sonic by the japaneese

So this is why Sonic felt more like an American franchise than a Japanese franchise. I always wondered why I didn’t hear more about Sonic in Japan as much as I hear about it in the US. I always thought that it was because I live in the US.

Japan is literally the opposite of Brazil in question of the blue hedgehog's popularity. Change my mind

A Japanese here.

Imagine seeing Sonic x Shadow Tokyo just to have the final battle take place in England.

I find it ironic that most Japanese don't even know who Sonic is despite the fact that, to this day, Sonic is the only franchise we seem to be getting consistent releases from SEGA.

Wanna know what's funny? Sonic being not popular with Japanese gamers is kinda strange, since Crash Bandicoot is extremely popular in Japan, despite some of his games not selling too well over there. I personally Won't forgive them for Boom Bang, though. That was just wrong on their part.

HEARING THAT THE SONIC OVA COULD HAVE BEEN A FULL ANIME REALLY UPSETS ME WHYY JAPAN

People seeing peak fiction and going "Who is that guy? Is he from Nintendo?" reminds me of how it was to be a Sonic fan with no internet