Shadow the Hedgehog is a character appearing in Sega's Sonic the Hedgehog franchise. Shadow was created by Takashi Iizuka and Shiro Maekawa, and debuted in Sonic Adventure 2 (2001). Although this was intended to be his only appearance, Shadow proved so popular among fans that developer Sonic Team decided to include him in Sonic Heroes (2003). Shadow has since featured in numerous entries in the franchise, including the spin-off Shadow the Hedgehog (2005). He also appears in Sonic film and television adaptations, comics, and merchandise.
