Man of the Year (known just as Sonic in the beginning) is an over minute and a half length animated short that has been featured in the compilation game Sonic Jam. The hand-drawn animation of the short has made by TMS Entertainment (which was known as Tōkyō Movie Shinsha during that time), but the short also combines computer-generated graphics. Although character designs are close to the games counterpart, the animation style is similar to that of Animaniacs or Tiny Toons for example.
The short has no spoken dialogue, but several pieces of music play throughout the short (see below) and sound effects from early video games are included. The short's only main characters are Robotnik and Sonic.
After the logo zooms in and fades out, the screen is shown to hover over the city on the island of Robotnik's hideout, as Dr. Robotnik walks in the room in pyjamas and going to a desk with a mug of coffee and a newspaper. He spits out the coffee when he discovers that the newspaper article that states Sonic being the "Man of the Year". Robotnik balls up the paper and throws it at the TV, which sets it on, showing the same thing with people being excited. Enraged, Robotnik tries to turn the TV off, but stumbles on room trash heap, where he for a moment then comes up while swinging and strangling a Sonic doll. He then suddenly gets an idea and runs out the lab.
Robotnik as Sonic in disguise while terorizing the city.
In the city, Sonic is seen running around on the buildings and jumping from wall to wall while suddenly Robotnik appears in a Sonic suit from the corner of the street, running around (with rocket boosters on his feet), and wreaks havoc by doing things such as drawing on the faces of people who want his autograph, jumping on cars, and destroying sign posts. After his actions has causing chaos in the city, television screen then announced that Sonic was the "Worst Man of the Year", as showing Robotnik performing an akanbe. Sonic, not knowing of the crimes committed in his name, stops to talk to some civilians who watched the same television screens but, much to his confusion, they start yelling at him.
At the same time, Robotnik standing on top of the building, as he's overlooking Sonic getting yelled at, and laughing villainously, until he is shown about to fall off the building.