Within some anime...

[Eredar Warlock]

I've noticed, listening to the Japanese versions of some anime, that occasionally there will be a character who tends to slip in and out of speaking English.

Sonic X is a prime example of this. The titular character, Sonic the Hedgehog, frequently speaks English words, and has on multiple occasions spoken entire sentences in English.

Is there any particular reason for it? It seems a little odd.

 

[Treemo]

Let's not forget this wonderful moment in Sonic X.

 

[MachoMonferno005]

Sonic X was AWESOME!! But the last episode was SAD. Chris yelled "SONIC!!!" Then tears fell. :,(

 

[$aturn¥oshi]

Artistic style. Sailor Moon uses a lot of English. Mostly in attack phrases and transformation sequences. But the occasional line of dialogue snuck in there, too.

 

[Snake Bandage]

English is cool, don'tcha know!

...Yeah. That's basically it. English is a foreign language and the Japanese find it to be really cool. The modern Japanese language uses a lot of English loanwords as is, so.

Sonic's seiyuu, Kanemaru Jun'ichi, is ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE with English and uses it often IRL too. He's actually really good, I recall him at a seiyuu talk trying to teach the other participants an English tongue twister. This is why some of the characters he voices (think Sonic and Harley) use a shitton of gratuitous English.

 

[Yamato-san]

English is cool, don'tcha know!

...Yeah. That's basically it. English is a foreign language and the Japanese find it to be really cool. The modern Japanese language uses a lot of English loanwords as is, so.

Sonic's seiyuu, Kanemaru Jun'ichi, is ABSOLUTELY IN LOVE with English and uses it often IRL too. He's actually really good, I recall him at a seiyuu talk trying to teach the other participants an English tongue twister. This is why some of the characters he voices (think Sonic and Harley) use a shitton of gratuitous English.

seriously? XD

I knew Sonic loved to abuse the Engrish, but I always figured Harley was either a coincidence or a tribute to, what is undoubtedly, the actor's most famous role. Ryou from Digimon Tamers never used much English (outside of the usual phrases and names already established in that series, ex. "Card Slash! King Device!"), though outside of that, I don't believe I've heard any of his other roles. This comes as a bit of a surprise.... you happen to have a link to one of his radio shows or interviews or whatever?