Sonic is going considerably higher than usual this September.
Sonic the Hedgehog will be one of the headline properties featured in ODAIBA DRONE SHOW 2026, a massive nighttime spectacle set to fill the skies over Tokyo Bay with more than 1,000 synchronized drones across eight nights in September.
The free event will take place around Odaiba Marine Park from September 4 to 6 and September 18 to 22, combining drone animation with lighting, lasers and the enormous Tokyo Aqua Symphony fountain overlooking Rainbow Bridge and the Tokyo skyline.
Sonic will not be flying alone. The event brings together six major Japanese game, anime and movie properties, with Puyo Puyo, the Persona series, Tokyo Revengers, Hypnosis Mic -Division Rap Battle- and upcoming movie Godzilla-0.0 also being recreated in the night sky. Sonic and Puyo Puyo are both being featured as part of their 35th anniversary celebrations, while Persona is marking its 30th.
The drones can reach a maximum altitude of around 125 meters, almost exactly matching the 126-meter height of Rainbow Bridge’s main towers, allowing the characters and imagery to appear at an enormous scale against Tokyo’s waterfront skyline.
There is an important detail for anyone actually planning to attend, however: Sonic is not featured in both nightly programs.
ODAIBA DRONE SHOW 2026 is divided into two different presentations, Track A and Track B. Sonic appears in Track A alongside Puyo Puyo, Persona and Godzilla-0.0, while Track B features Tokyo Revengers, Hypnosis Mic and Godzilla-0.0. One performance of each track is scheduled every event night.
That means Sonic’s scheduled appearance time changes depending on the date.
Track A is currently scheduled for 9:00 PM on September 4, 7:00 PM on September 5 and 6, 9:00 PM on September 18 and 19, and 7:00 PM on September 20, 21 and 22. The other nightly slot is occupied by Track B.
So if you are heading to Odaiba specifically to see Sonic materialize hundreds of feet above Tokyo Bay, checking the schedule first would probably be a good idea.
The drone portion itself runs for approximately 15 minutes, but that is only part of the experience. Each complete presentation lasts around 30 minutes once the accompanying fountain show is included.
And the fountain is not exactly small.
Tokyo Aqua Symphony stretches approximately 250 meters wide and can shoot water as high as 150 meters, actually exceeding the height of Rainbow Bridge’s towers. ULTRA PLANET is coordinating the spatial presentation, synchronizing the fountain with the drones while adding lighting and laser effects across the waterfront.
The entire event is themed around Otsukimi, Japan’s traditional autumn moon-viewing season. Its centerpiece is a giant “Pixel Moon” formed by the fleet of drones, with the participating characters appearing as part of what organizers describe as a technology-driven harvest festival bringing together Japanese entertainment and traditional culture.
For Sonic, that means another particularly unusual piece of his ongoing 35th anniversary celebrations.
We have seen him on stages, racing circuits, merchandise and just about every screen imaginable over the past three and a half decades.
Being drawn across the Tokyo Bay night sky by more than a thousand drones is a new one.
ODAIBA DRONE SHOW 2026 will be held at Odaiba Marine Park around the Marine House area on September 4 to 6 and September 18 to 22. Admission and viewing are completely free, with performances scheduled for approximately 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM each night. Organizers caution that performances may be changed, postponed or cancelled due to rain, strong winds or other severe weather.
Stay tuned to Sonic City for more Sonic the Hedgehog 35th Anniversary News and Updates!
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