Blaze the Cat

Blaze the Cat (ブレイズ・ザ・キャット) is a fictional character in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog series of video games. She first appeared in the 2005 game Sonic Rush as a player protagonist. Her critical reception has been positive.

Design and characteristics
Blaze was designed to play similarly to series protagonist Sonic the Hedgehog, but with a dance-like style of movement. Her moves have a recurring motif of fire, mirroring her name. Blaze is a fourteen-year-old, purple anthropomorphic cat. While usually calm, reticent, and shy, she becomes violent upon losing her temper. She enjoys the company of close friends, although she does not make them easily. She is passionate about her role as a princess who is obliged to protect the Sol Emeralds, her answer to Sonic's Chaos Emeralds. She can use the power of the Sol Emeralds to attain "Burning Blaze" form, similar to Sonic's "Super Sonic" form. She is voiced by Bella Hudson in English and Nao Takamori in Japanese.

Appearances
Blaze's debut was in the 2005 Nintendo DS game Sonic Rush as the main protagonist along with Sonic. She teamed up with Sonic and Cream against Eggman and her arch-nemesis from her world, Eggman Nega. As Burning Blaze, she and Super Sonic successfully stopped Eggman and Eggman Nega from taking over the universe, and at the same time repairing the tear in the space-time continuum and once again separating their worlds. Afterwards, she and Sonic promise to see each other again and say their goodbyes as they shake hands, being torn apart by their respective dimensions being returned to normal.

On the path back to her dimension, she discovered that Sonic had given her a hologram device with a recording of Sonic, who said he felt sure they would meet again, on it. Reassured, she headed back to her world.

Blaze returned in Sonic Rush's 2007 sequel, Sonic Rush Adventure. She appears to stop Captain Whiskers, a robotic pirate, from stealing the mystical Jeweled Scepter, which is acclaimed to have the power to control her world's geological activities. Blaze bumps into Sonic, both of them surprised and slightly excited to see each other. It is revealed that Sonic has entered Blaze's dimension. In the end, after Super Sonic and Burning Blaze defeat Eggman and Eggman Nega, Tails creates a way for he and Sonic to return to their universe. Before Sonic's departure, he and Blaze shake hands once again, to signify respect and their growing friendship. Blaze also comforts Marine, who is also saddened about the heroes' departure.

She also made an appearance in 2006's Sonic the Hedgehog as the partner of Silver the Hedgehog, coming with him to the past to try and to fix the future.

Blaze appeared in the 2009 Wii game Sonic and the Black Knight in the male role of Percival, one of the Knights of the Round Table. She engages in combat with Sonic during the game's campaign, but can be unlocked once it is completed.

Blaze has made appearances outside the Sonic the Hedgehog canon. She is a playable character in the Wii (2007) and DS (2008) game Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Games and its 2009 sequel Mario & Sonic at the Olympic Winter Games, both as an All-around type. Marking Sonic's inclusion in 2008's Super Smash Bros. Brawl alongside mainly Nintendo-exclusive characters, Blaze appears as an in-game collectible trophy and sticker.

Blaze has also appeared in the American Sonic The Hedgehog comic (STH), her debut were in issues 160-161, as a back story adaption to Sonic Rush.

Later, she appeared again in the very first Sonic Universe.She helps Shadow, with aid from Marine and her ship,from having to swim to shore after being hit into the middle of the ocean by Metal Sonic

Currently, she is due to appear in Sonic Universe 20-24 as part of "Treasure Team Tango".

Critical reception
Blaze has been well-received. IGN remarked upon seeing her at TGS 2005 that she "easily earned her place in the team" amidst unremarkable secondary characters. Her gameplay has been praised as "fast-moving and fun" as opposed to slower characters introduced earlier in the series such as Big the Cat, but criticized for its resemblance to that of Sonic. Blaze has been called "a nice addition to Sonic's cast" and "one of the more complex, multifaceted characters in the Sonic canon". She has been noted by GameSpot for her "fiery disposition". IGN's Nintendo Team stated in its July 2009 list of the top 25 DS games that there is "nothing notable about a Sonic game bringing a new character into the fold, except that Blaze doesn't suck", ranking Sonic Rush 17th. She has become a favorite among fans of the series.