Doctor Eggman facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Doctor EggmanIvo Robotnik |
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| Sonic the Hedgehog character | |
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| First appearance | Sonic the Hedgehog (1991) |
| Created by | Naoto Ohshima |
| Designed by | Naoto Ohshima (1991–1997) Yuji Uekawa (1998–present) |
| Portrayed by | Jim Carrey (live-action films) |
| Voiced by |
Japanese
Masaharu Sato (1991–1993)
Junpei Takiguchi (1996) (OVA) Chikao Ohtsuka (1998–2015) Kotaro Nakamura (2016–present) Kōichi Yamadera (live action films) English
Long John Baldry (1993–1996) (AoStH)
Jim Cummings (1993–1994) (SatAM) (AoStH, unaired pilot) Deem Bristow (1998–2004) Edwin Neal (1999) (OVA) Garry Chalk (1999) (Underground) Mike Pollock (2003–present) Brian Drummond (Sonic Prime) |
| Information | |
| Gender | Male |
| Occupation |
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| Relatives | Gerald Robotnik (grandfather) Maria Robotnik (cousin) Sage (daughter) |
Doctor Ivo "Eggman" Robotnik is the main bad guy in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog games and shows. He was created by Naoto Ohshima to be Sonic's biggest enemy. Eggman first appeared in the 1991 video game Sonic the Hedgehog.
In the games, Eggman is a smart but evil scientist. He wants to take over the world and build his own empire. Even though his look has changed a bit over time, he always has an egg-shaped body, a big mustache, and wears red, black, and yellow clothes. Eggman loves to build machines and robots, especially his "Badniks." In many games, he is a recurring boss that Sonic has to defeat.
Eggman has been in almost every Sonic the Hedgehog video game since 1991. He also shows up in comics, books, and cartoons. In 2020, he appeared in the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie, played by Jim Carrey. Fans and critics really like Eggman, making him one of the most famous villains in gaming.
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Creating Doctor Eggman
In 1990, the head of Sega, Hayao Nakayama, wanted a new game series. He also wanted a character to be Sega's main mascot, like Mario was for Nintendo. Many character designs were sent in for a contest.
One design was an egg-shaped person in pajamas, drawn by Naoto Ohshima. This character looked a bit like U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt. Ohshima said he was inspired by different characters, like Humpty Dumpty. This egg-shaped character did not win the contest. Instead, a hedgehog character named Sonic, also by Ohshima, won.
However, as the game Sonic the Hedgehog was being made, the game's team thought the egg-shaped design was great. Since he couldn't be the hero, they made him the main villain. They designed Eggman to be the opposite of Sonic. Eggman was meant to show ideas of "machines" and "building things." He was a symbol for people who thought nature was messy and buildings were clean. The character was also made to be easy for kids to draw.
His Name: Eggman or Robotnik?
In Japan, the character was always called Doctor Eggman. But when Sega of America brought Sonic the Hedgehog to other countries, they changed his name to Doctor Ivo Robotnik.
Takashi Iizuka, a game designer, said in 2016 that Sega of America changed the name without asking the game creators. He explained that "Robotnik" became very popular in the West. But the creators didn't want a character to have two names. So, they decided to make "Eggman" his official name everywhere. In the game Sonic Adventure (1999), they explained that his real name is Robotnik, but his nickname is Eggman. Now, everyone calls him Eggman.
The first game's English manual called him "Doctor Ivo Robotnik." The Japanese manual called him "Doctor Eggman." In Sonic Adventure, both names were used in English. Since then, all English games call him "Doctor Eggman." The game Sonic Frontiers even shows that Eggman accepts the name "Eggman" to show he doesn't care about Sonic's jokes.
In Japanese games, he is not directly called Robotnik. However, the name "Robotnik Empire" appeared in Sonic Adventure 2. Also, his company was called "Robotnik Corp." in Sonic Riders. His relatives, Maria Robotnik and Gerald Robotnik, also use the surname Robotnik.
Voice Actors and Movie Stars
Many voice actors have played Eggman/Robotnik in games and shows. In Japanese games, Chikao Ōtsuka voiced him for a long time. After he passed away, Kotaro Nakamura took over.
In English cartoons, different actors voiced him. These include Long John Baldry in Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog and Jim Cummings in Sonic the Hedgehog. Mike Pollock started voicing Eggman in the English cartoon Sonic X and then in the games. He is now the longest-serving voice actor for Eggman.
Jim Carrey played Eggman in the live-action Sonic the Hedgehog movie in 2020. He played the role again in the 2022 sequel.
Eggman's Look and Personality
Eggman's first design showed him as a bald, round man. He wore pince-nez sunglasses, a red suit, and had a big, bushy mustache. This round shape was made so kids could draw him easily. He was also based on "nerdy, socially awkward" people with glasses and a mustache.
Later, for Sonic Adventure in 1998, Eggman's look was updated. He got goggles and a detailed red lab coat. For the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog game, he was made slimmer and more realistic. However, his look from Sonic Adventure is the one used most often now.
Eggman is a super genius with an IQ of 300. He loves machines and is an expert in robotics. His main goal is to take over the world and create his perfect "utopia," which he calls the Eggman Empire. He is very selfish and never gives up. He sees anyone who stops his plans as a big threat. Even though he laughs wildly and makes evil speeches, he sometimes says he has a softer, romantic side.
Even though Sonic always ruins his plans, Eggman secretly respects Sonic's determination. Sometimes, Eggman even works with Sonic and his friends to fight bigger dangers. For example, they teamed up to stop the Space Colony ARK from crashing into Earth in Sonic Adventure 2. But after the danger is gone, Eggman goes back to being Sonic's enemy.
Eggman's Adventures
Main Video Games
Doctor Eggman is the main villain in most Sonic the Hedgehog video games. In many early games, he was the final boss you fought. He also appeared as a boss at the end of almost every level in the 2D Sonic games. Each time, he would use a different machine to fight Sonic.
In 1991, Eggman (called Dr. Ivo Robotnik in the West) first appeared in Sonic the Hedgehog. He tried to steal the Chaos Emeralds and turn all the animals into robots. Sonic defeated him and saved the island.
Eggman returned in Sonic the Hedgehog 2. He wanted all seven Chaos Emeralds to build the Death Egg, a giant space station shaped like him. Sonic and his friend Tails stopped him. Sonic then raided the Death Egg, fought a robot copy of himself, and defeated Eggman, sending the Death Egg crashing down.
After the Death Egg crashed on Angel Island, Eggman met Knuckles the Echidna in Sonic 3. Eggman tricked Knuckles into thinking Sonic and Tails were bad guys. Knuckles stole the Chaos Emeralds from Sonic. Eggman managed to launch the Death Egg again, but Sonic made it crash once more.
In Sonic & Knuckles, Eggman stole the Master Emerald and got the Death Egg into space again. With Knuckles' help, Sonic chased Eggman into space and destroyed the Death Egg for good. Eggman tried to escape, but Super Sonic defeated him.
In Sonic CD, Eggman and his new robot, Metal Sonic, went to Little Planet. They wanted magical Time Stones to control time. Sonic followed them, and Metal Sonic kidnapped Amy Rose. Sonic raced Metal Sonic and rescued Amy. Sonic then defeated Eggman again.
Eggman later found a new island with powerful Chaos Rings in Knuckles' Chaotix. He wanted to use them to make evil Dark Rings. Knuckles and his friends, the Chaotix, stopped him. They defeated Metal Sonic, who Eggman had powered up into a huge beast.
In Sonic 3D Blast, Eggman captured bird-like creatures called Flickies. He wanted to turn them into robots for his army. Sonic freed the Flickies and collected the Chaos Emeralds, defeating Eggman again.
Eggman also trapped Sonic in a maze in Sonic Labyrinth. He made Sonic wear special shoes that took away his super speed. But Sonic still escaped and got his real shoes back.
In Sonic Triple Trouble, Eggman tricked Knuckles again and teamed up with a bounty hunter named Nack. Sonic and Tails had to fight both Knuckles and Metal Sonic before convincing Knuckles of Eggman's tricks.
Eggman held a tournament in Sonic the Fighters. He challenged Sonic and others to stop him from destroying landmarks. Sonic won the tournament and destroyed Eggman's space station, the Death Egg II.
Years later, in Sonic Adventure, Eggman discovered a monster called Chaos. He shattered the Master Emerald to free Chaos. Eggman wanted to control Chaos to destroy Station Square and build his "Robotnikland." But Chaos turned against him. Eggman had to team up with the heroes to defeat Chaos. In this game, he started calling himself "Robotnik," but Sonic and friends still called him "Eggman."
Sonic Adventure 2 was the first game where Eggman was a playable character. He revived Shadow the Hedgehog and worked with him to use the Eclipse Cannon on Space Colony ARK. Later, Eggman helped Sonic stop the ARK from crashing into Earth.
In Sonic Heroes, Eggman built a fleet of battleships. But it turned out he was captured by his own creation, Metal Sonic. Metal Sonic had disguised himself as Eggman and taken over the fleet.
Eggman tried to get the Chaos Emeralds during an alien invasion in Shadow the Hedgehog. He was sometimes an ally and sometimes an enemy to Shadow. In the end, he sent his robots to help stop the aliens.
In the 2006 Sonic the Hedgehog game, Eggman kidnapped Princess Elise. He wanted to control time. He was forced to help the heroes again to fight a bigger threat. In this game, Eggman had a more realistic human look, but this look was not used again.
Eggman continued his plans to gather Chaos Emeralds and conquer the world in Sonic Advance and Sonic Advance 2.
In Sonic Unleashed, Eggman tricked Super Sonic and used the Chaos Emeralds to power a giant laser. This laser broke the Earth into pieces, freeing a monster called Dark Gaia. Eggman tried to control Dark Gaia's power. Unlike other games, Eggman didn't team up with Sonic at the end. He was defeated and shot into space by Dark Gaia.
Eggman survived the Death Egg's destruction and returned in Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode I. He rebuilt his old robots to fight Sonic. He was the main boss in this game and Sonic the Hedgehog 4: Episode II.
In Sonic Colors, Eggman claimed to be sorry for his past actions. He opened an interstellar theme park by chaining planets together. But this was a trick to use the power of alien Wisps for a mind-control cannon. Eggman was the final boss, piloting a mech powered by corrupted Wisps. After his defeat, he was sucked into a black hole created by his own machine.
Eggman appeared in both his classic and modern designs in Sonic Generations. He found a creature called the Time Eater and used its powers to undo his past defeats. This caused time rifts, bringing Classic Sonic and Classic Eggman to meet their modern versions. The two Eggmans worked together, but were defeated by both Super Sonics.
In Sonic Lost World, Eggman went to a floating continent called the Lost Hex. He planned to use an energy extractor to steal the world's energy. He controlled the Deadly Six, villains from Lost Hex, but they turned against him. Eggman was forced to work with Sonic and Tails. In the end, Eggman used the stolen energy to power a giant mech and was the final boss. Sonic defeated him, and Eggman fell back to Mobius.
In Sonic Mania, Classic Eggman found a powerful gem called the Phantom Ruby. His elite robots, the Hard Boiled Heavies, were changed by it. Eggman used the Phantom Ruby to turn Little Planet into a high-tech base. Team Sonic stopped him and destroyed his creation.
In Sonic Forces, Eggman captured a jackal bandit and turned him into the villain Infinite using the Phantom Ruby. Eggman used Infinite's illusions to cause destruction and take over Mobius. He defeated Sonic and held him prisoner. Sonic escaped and joined a resistance group. Both Classic and Modern Sonic, along with a new hero, defeated Eggman and Infinite, destroying the Phantom Ruby.
In Sonic Frontiers, Eggman activated an ancient portal and was pulled into Cyber Space by his new A.I. assistant, Sage. Sage, who Eggman calls his "daughter," tried to stop Sonic from freeing his friends. Sage eventually grew to care for Eggman and Sonic. Sonic freed his friends, but accidentally released a cosmic entity called the End. Eggman, Sonic, and friends teamed up to defeat the End, but Sage seemed to be lost. However, Eggman later managed to bring Sage's consciousness back into his system.
Other Games and Media
Eggman has appeared in many other games, including Sonic Chaos, Sonic Spinball, and Sonic Labyrinth. He is also a playable character in racing games like Riders and sports games like Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games. He even made cameo appearances in Super Smash Bros. Brawl and Wreck-It Ralph.
The only game where Robotnik is the main character is the 1993 puzzle game Dr. Robotnik's Mean Bean Machine. In this game, he tries to stop all fun and music on Mobius by turning people into robots.
Eggman did not physically appear in Sonic and the Black Knight, but there were small references to him.
He also appeared in Sonic Rush and Rush Adventure with a parallel version of himself called Eggman Nega. Eggman is also a playable character in the RPG Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood.
Television Shows
Doctor Eggman, often called "Robotnik," was the main villain in two Sonic the Hedgehog cartoons that started in 1993. In Adventures of Sonic the Hedgehog, he was voiced by Long John Baldry. In Sonic the Hedgehog, he was named "Julian" and voiced by Jim Cummings. He was also the main villain in Sonic Underground.
In the Sonic the Hedgehog animated movie, Eggman tricked Sonic into thinking a robot copy had banished him. It was a plan to copy Sonic's DNA for his new robot.
In Sonic X, Dr. Eggman is usually called Eggman, but his real last name is Robotnik. He accidentally transported himself, Sonic, and friends to Earth. He then tried to take over Earth. Later, he discovered his grandfather, Professor Gerald Robotnik, and the Space Colony ARK. Eggman tried to use the ARK to threaten Earth, but his grandfather's failsafe almost crashed it. Eggman had to team up with Sonic and Shadow to stop it. In the final season, Eggman reluctantly joined forces with Sonic to fight alien invaders called the Metarex.
Dr. Eggman is also the main villain in the Sonic Boom cartoon. His look was changed a lot, making him more muscular and wearing a military uniform. He is also less serious in this show.
In the newest animated series Sonic Prime, Eggman accidentally shattered an ancient gem called the Paradox Prism. This created many different dimensions called Shatterspaces. One of these is New Yoke City, ruled by the evil Chaos Council. This council is made up of five different versions of Eggman, including Mr. Dr. Eggman, who is the closest to the original. The council wants to get all the Prism shards and conquer the Shatterverse.
Comic Books
When the first Sonic the Hedgehog game came out, Sega of America created a different story for Sonic and Robotnik. In this story, set on the planet Mobius, Dr. Ivo Robotnik was once a good scientist named Dr. Ovi Kintobor. He was Sonic's friend and helped him get super speed. Kintobor turned into Robotnik because of a lab accident involving the Chaos Emeralds and a rotten egg. This story was used in comics and books in the United Kingdom. In Sonic the Comic, Robotnik was the dictator of Mobius for a long time.
From 1993 to 2017, Archie Comics published a Sonic the Hedgehog comic book. In this comic, Robotnik was a dictator who took over Sonic's hometown. He later died, but another Robotnik from a parallel world replaced him, becoming the Dr. Eggman from the video games.
After legal issues, Archie Comics stopped publishing the comic. IDW Publishing then started a new Sonic the Hedgehog comic. This comic takes place after Sonic Forces. In it, Eggman lost his memory and became a friendly handyman named "Mr. Tinker." Sonic was unsure, but Mr. Tinker protected children from robots. It was revealed that Metal Sonic was leading Eggman's empire. A villain named Dr. Starline later found Mr. Tinker and brought back the Eggman persona. Eggman then tried to infect the world with a virus that turned organic matter into robots. He eventually teamed up with Sonic to stop the virus.
Movies
Eggman appeared in the 2012 Disney movie Wreck-It Ralph. The movie is about video game characters living inside arcade machines. Eggman appeared in his modern design as a member of a villain support group. He also made a cameo in the sequel, Ralph Breaks the Internet.
Robotnik/Eggman appeared in the 2020 theatrical Sonic the Hedgehog film. Jim Carrey played him. In the movie, he is called Robotnik. He is a twisted scientist hired to hunt Sonic. Sonic gives him the nickname "Eggman" because of his egg-shaped robots. Robotnik is defeated and sent to a planet filled with mushrooms. After being stuck there, he shaves his head and grows his mustache, looking more like his game design.
In the second film, Robotnik teamed up with Knuckles to find the Master Emerald. Robotnik betrayed Knuckles and absorbed the Master Emerald's power. He used it to create a giant robot copy of himself. Sonic, with the Chaos Emeralds, transformed into Super Sonic and destroyed the robot. Robotnik's fate is unknown at the end of the film. The movie's book says his full name is "Ivo Gerald Robotnik."
Images for kids
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Promotional artwork of Eggman for Sonic Rush (2005)
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Naoto Ohshima, the person who created Eggman, at a conference in 2018.
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Doctor Eggman's classic design.
See also
In Spanish: Doctor Eggman para niños
