We’ve been here before, haven’t we.
Everytime Sonic X experiences the slightest improvement in it’s status it slips right back down into the land of suckitude faster than you can say “Sonic and the Secret of the Rings” (for the Nintendo Wii, another 2 out of 5 fare). This time maybe it’s the story’s setting that actually raises it up abit.
It’s set in a toy store admist the toys, a place where you expect abnormal things (especially when you’ve been given the “Honey I Shrunk the Kids” treatment).

Sonic is going to the toy store with his human pal Chris, Eggman is going to the toy store to rifle through the mech and robot toys for “inspiration” (because he’s been spoiled by human world life and the fact he can find all the robotic “inspiration” wherever he goes). The two meet, and wouldn’t you know it! Somebody’s got a shrinking machine on hand! The chaos goes on from there.

Chaos that extends past being chased about a toy store by Eggman’s two goofy goons.
I mean the chaos of pulling an E.T. and hiding in a line of Sonic X toys (which creeps out Tails as he seems to not like his toy “counterpart”). Also chaos in the form of Eggman’s two robot pals falling in love with a “Barbie” like girl toy… really, I didn’t know they swung human on robot. Weird.

Otherwise the title’s writing (a weakness in the past) seems to fit this time out, to an extent.
Maybe it’s the setting of the story, which makes it work a little better than in past outings.
But at least it’s once again back to being 2 out of 5.
Now if Team Sonic X can resist the urge to write campy schlock, butcher well known (or not so well celebrated) holidays with lame alsoran plots that have that been there done that aftertaste, or overall stop writing crud (Sonic in Vegas anyone? How about Sonic vs. the Transformer knockoff from last issue?)

Next issue (#22, one step closer to the now a little brighter future of Sonic X’s #25th issue), Eggman throws out his old goons with the morning trash and goes shopping for new robotic sidekicks. Actually sounds abit more decent the last several issues (except that issue a few months back I said was 2 out of 5).
For now, however, Sonic returns to being a 2 out of 5 title with a review of… 2 out of 5.
There. I said it. Happy? Sonic X #21 gets a 2 out of 5. Be happy, Sonic X, be happy.
And considering Sonic the Hedgehog (the original series) seems capable of carrying a constant 3 out of 5 score (from what I’ve seen of Sonic the Hedgehog) why do you tend to suck more often than not? Can’t you be more like your big brother?