We get to hear the details of the drastic, controversial changes made to Sonic, Tails, Knuckles and Amy straight from the house of Sega.

Sure, they might be wearing more tape and bandages than Rock Lee and Imhotep combined, but when we hear why our beloved Sonic characters were changed in Sonic Boom, it makes sense. In this video, Bob Raefi, the creative director behind Sonic Boom, explained that changes were made to the core Sonic cast in order to show that the series was moving forward.

The athletic tape that is seen across all of the characters' bodies are to help convey the notion that they are all fast and that each one is extremely outgoing (not just Sonic). Sonic's scarf is a nod to action game stars, such as Nathan Drake in Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception and reminiscent of the ascot Freddy would wear in the classic 'Scooby Doo' cartoon series.

Sonic Boom's development studio, Big Red Button, really wanted to emphasize that Sonic's cohorts were just as awesome as the Blue Blur is, so much of the redesign was focused on bringing more character and personality to Amy, Knuckles and Tails. Tails' accessories reflect that he's a gadget guru and a wild pilot. Amy is stronger, more  independent, skilled with her hammer and has a sleeker look to reflect her increased speed.

Since Knuckles was Sonic's size when he debuted in Sonic 3, they felt that a character who can punch through rocks should be a lot larger and more muscular. The size difference really lets Knuckles establish himself as his own character instead of being a rival to Sonic (which Shadow eventually took from him anyway).

The behind-the-scenes video also focuses on the upcoming Sonic Boom tie-in CGI series, which looks absolutely amazing. This redesigned Sonic squad will debut in Sonic Boom for the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS later this year.

More From Arcade Sushi