How to Catch a Hedgehog

Sonic X episode #24 "How to Catch a Hedgehog"
Written by: Masahiko Shiraishi
Directed by: Makoto Moriwaki
Production no.: 024
Original airdate: 2003-09-14 (JP)
Country: Japan
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"How to Catch a Hedgehog", known as "Bousou Sonic! Hokaku Dai Sakusen" (暴走ソニック! 捕獲大作戦) in Japan, is the 24th episode in the first season of Sonic X.

Summary

The episode opens at a farm, where Sonic rescues Amy from a birdlike robot. During the fight, a chip from the robot gets stuck in Sonic's ear. At first this seems only to impair his hearing, which makes Amy think that he is ignoring her on purpose. As she voices her annoyance to Chris, however, Sonic unexpectedly runs off. It soon becomes apparent that the chip in his ear is forcing him to run at high speed, unable to slow down. After a trip around town and through the subway, and a brief chase by Sam Speed, Sonic decides that staying in town is too dangerous, and runs into the desert, with Tails, Amy, and Chris following in the X-Tornado.

Chuck Thorndyke hatches several plans for catching Sonic, none of which are successful. Operation Balloon involves sticking a balloon to Sonic that lifts him off the ground, but the balloon proves too buoyant and carries him far away. Sonic's cries for help prompt Knuckles to throw a rock and break the balloon, putting him back on the ground at full speed again.

Operation House Mouse involves catching Sonic in a large hamster wheel. This proves effective, until the wheel overheats and breaks.

Sam's help is recruited for Operation Sticky-Sticky. The plan is for Sam to race Sonic down a canyon, through a pair of doors. Sam is to drive through Door 2, leaving Door 1 for Sonic; a patch of tar behind Door 1 will then hold Sonic in place. However, Sam's competitive nature ruins the plan. Considering himself "number one", Sam takes the wrong door, sticking himself and leaving Sonic free.

At this point, Chuck and Tails trace a nearby source of static back to the farm, where the robot Sonic had fought before, now repaired, is being chased around by a cow. Amy attacks it, and when Sonic jumps in to help, the action knocks the chip out of his ear. As the robot explodes, Sonic and Amy land together in a haystack...and Sonic, for once, doesn't run away.

Localised names

Also known as

Language	Localised Name	English Translation
English	How to Catch a Hedgehog	How to Catch a Hedgehog
Japanese	暴走ソニック! 捕獲大作戦	Bousou Sonic! Hokaku Dai Sakusen
Portuguese	Como Apanhar Um Ouriço	How to Catch a Hedgehog

Eyecatch cards

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  E-88 Lightning Bird

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  Eggfort II