SEGA on the lack of "stylized characters" like Sonic, what they learned from working with Nintendo

The following comes from a Kotaku interview with Sega’s Shun Nakamura...

“Besides Nintendo, there really aren’t that many character-type games in Japan. As graphics got better, I think game companies have moved away from stylized characters to more realistic ones.

When we collaborated with Nintendo, we saw how carefully they managed their characters. Several years back, we drew up rules for how Sonic should be portrayed. These guidelines were created to strengthen the tone and identity of the character.”

I still feel like SEGA struggles a bit to understand what makes Sonic Sonic. I understand the desire to push forward and try new things, but when SEGA does that, they seem to lose some of the qualities that make Sonic enjoyable. Here's to hoping Forces can change that.