It’s almost 20 years since Sega introduced to the world their blue hedgehog Sonic; to mark his birthday on 23rd June a new game is being released and 1,000 figurines produced. He’s a gaming megastar, making appearances in comics, on clothes and toys and in his own cartoon.

 But is he on a par with the cartoon greats, such as Looney Tunes’ Bugs Bunny, whose birthday is the following month?

 Bugs made his entrance almost 71 years ago, popping up out of a rabbit hole to ask Elmer Fudd “What’s up doc?”  He survived the War, appeared in comic books, Video games and was an inhabitant of Toon Town in the 1988 film ‘Who Framed Roger Rabbit?’  Not one for retirement he is still working today on TV, on the Cartoon Network. 

 Most people over the age of 20 would say Sonic vs Bugs is no contest.  Bugs wins hands down.  But what about younger critics?  And what will both characters be doing in another 20 years?  Given that computer games are now an integral part of mainstream culture, alongside films, TV and books, maybe Sonic and his successors will dominate in years to come.