Sonic the Hedgehog Arita Ware "Infinite Blue," a porcelain craft work from the global porcelain brand YOYOYO™ based on the worldwide-loved game character Sonic the Hedgehog, goes on sale on Friday, October 9, 2026. The work is limited to 50 pieces worldwide at 1,000,000 yen (tax included) per piece, and was created to commemorate the 35th anniversary of Sonic's birth.
Sonic's "fastest blue in the world" is expressed in gosu (呉須), the "eternal blue" that Japan's representative porcelain takes pride in and that never fades. The momentary trail drawn by a blue flash moving at the speed of sound is sealed by artisans into porcelain that is handed down across generations. Made with respect for each other's history and craftsmanship, the work is meant to be passed on 100 years ahead and to the generations beyond, bringing a craft where tradition and the future intersect from Japan to the world.
Craft Process Film
The work is a joint creation by two kilns in the lineage of Arita, the birthplace of Japanese porcelain. The form was made by 224porcelain, which combines 3D digital technology with the tradition of Hizen Yoshida ware (肥前吉田焼), whose kiln was opened 400 years ago. The painting and finishing were handled by 李荘窯, a kiln built on the site of the residence of Yi Sam-pyeong (李参平), the founder of Japanese porcelain, which pursues the ultimate in blue-and-white (sometsuke) ware and is favored by starred restaurants around the world.
From October 9, 2026, the actual piece will be on display at "SONIC the Exhibition -ACROSS GENERATIONS-" (venue: PARCO FACTORY, 7F of the Ikebukuro PARCO Main Building), where 5 pieces exclusive to the venue will also be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. On the same day, entries for a lottery sale open at the YOYOYO Official Store.
Porcelain Forming That Balances Flowing Lines and Strength
The design combines Sonic's streamlined silhouette with an infinity-shaped trail that symbolizes the instant he races past at the speed of sound. Even the complexly undulating and crossing lines are built as a single porcelain form. The longer and thinner porcelain is stretched, the more it is affected by shrinkage and warping during firing, and even a slight difference in thickness can lead to cracks or breakage.
Line thickness, curvature, joints, and shrinkage after firing were all carefully verified, achieving both light, flowing beauty and the strength required of a finished work. About 8 months passed from the start of production to completion. To make the floating legs and crossing trails possible, the data, molds, and firing tests were repeated many times. A single artisan, giving full effort, can form only one or two pieces a day. Some pieces do not take shape even at the unfired stage, so not every piece can move on to the next process.
Mold making
Casting and bonding
Bisque firing
Brushwork That Carves in the Eternal Blue
Underglaze painting is an extremely delicate step that shapes the impression of the whole work. Painting seigaiha (青海波, wave) and shippo (七宝, interlocking circle) patterns in balance along Sonic's complex curved surfaces demands extreme concentration. The outlines are drawn stroke by stroke with a mensō (面相) brush, and gosu is then carefully layered over them with a dami (濃み) brush. By finely adjusting brush pressure and the water content of the pigment, the flow of the lines and the shades of blue give Sonic's streamlined form a sense of depth and speed.
Each brushstroke is applied with the color after firing in mind, carving into the surface of the still porcelain an "eternal blue, gosu" that keeps shining through the ages.
The gosu used for this work is made by 深海商店, a paint maker in Arita Town. 李荘窯 blends several of its gosu in its own way, pursuing the vividness that symbolizes Sonic while inheriting the deep, clear indigo seen in Ko-Imari (古伊万里). It is a blue found only in this work, where the depth nurtured by tradition blends with a modern brilliance.
Traditional patterns such as shippo, seigaiha, and yagasuri (矢絣, arrow pattern) are applied delicately to the curved surfaces. Shippo, with its circles linked without a break, expresses endless power and energy. Seigaiha, with waves spreading layer upon layer, expresses a never-ending adventure. Yagasuri, which goes straight ahead and never returns, expresses Sonic's will to charge into the future without hesitation.
The instant Sonic races past is expressed as an infinitely linked infinity trail. That vivid energy is drawn in akae (赤絵), the red-painted decoration handed down in Arita ware since long ago. Against the deep, quiet blue of gosu, the glossy red carries a vitality and heat as if it might start moving at any moment. The red lines, which develop their bright color through overglaze firing, bring out Sonic's speed and powerful sense of life.
The Kilns and Makers
Painting and Finishing: 李荘窯
A renowned kiln built on the site of the residence of Yi Sam-pyeong (李参平), the founder of Japanese porcelain, with the Tengudani Kiln Ruins (天狗谷窯跡) behind it. Shinji Terauchi (寺内信二), the fourth-generation head, was struck by the pottery shards unearthed there and rebuilt the ultimate in blue-and-white ware under the belief that "beautiful things transcend the ages." Its refined tableware is highly regarded by starred restaurants and luxury hotels in Japan and abroad, such as Gaggan in Bangkok and Mugaritz in Spain.
Form: 224porcelain
Hizen Yoshida ware (肥前吉田焼) has made tableware that stays close to people's daily lives for about 400 years. 224porcelain blends that traditional technique with the latest technologies such as 3D printers and continues to take on new ways of making that are not bound by conventional values.
Product Overview
©SEGA
- Product name: Sonic the Hedgehog Arita Ware "Infinite Blue"
- Material: Arita ware porcelain
- Size: W15.6 cm × D22.8 cm × H21.3 cm
- Price: Japan: 1,000,000 yen (tax and shipping included) / Overseas: USD 7,000 (excluding customs duties and taxes; shipping not included)
- Production: Worldwide limited edition of 50 pieces (with edition number)
- Set contents: Main piece, certificate, pedestal, wooden box
- Shipping regions: Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Australia, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, EU member states (France, Germany, the Netherlands, and others), Switzerland, and Norway. For shipment to regions other than these, please inquire in advance.
- Delivery: Shipped in sequence after the order deadline (up to about 10 months; made to order)
Sales Information
Event Pre-Sale: SONIC the Exhibition -ACROSS GENERATIONS-
From Friday, October 9, 2026, 5 pieces will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis at "SONIC the Exhibition -ACROSS GENERATIONS-," held at PARCO FACTORY on the 7th floor of the Ikebukuro PARCO Main Building.
Exhibition overview
- Title: SONIC the Exhibition -ACROSS GENERATIONS-
- Dates: Friday, October 9 to Sunday, November 1, 2026
- Venue: PARCO FACTORY (7F, Ikebukuro PARCO Main Building)
- Hours: 11:00 AM to 9:00 PM (last admission 8:30 PM; closes at 6:00 PM on the final day)
- Details: https://art.parco.jp/parcomuseum/detail/?id=2018
Online Lottery Sale: YOYOYO Official Store
Entries for the first lottery sale open at 10:00 AM (Japan time) on Friday, October 9, 2026. For details, see the lottery entry page.
- Entry period: 10:00 AM on Friday, October 9 to 11:59 PM on Sunday, October 18, 2026 (Japan time)
- How to enter: Enter through the YOYOYO Official Store lottery entry page (one entry per person)
- Lottery entry page: https://store.yoyoyo.work/pages/sonic-infinite-blue-lottery
