Theory: Sonic is aimed towards a tween audience. Around that age, kids start experiencing puberty as well as begin getting ideas about the outside world. Some wires get crossed, Sonic is used as a sort of comfort character, symbolizing adolescent rebellion and freedom, and any individual's manias get projected on the poor blue bastard.

It's like kingdom hearts. Although it's usually silly, it occasionally mixes cartoony visuals with uber-serious storytelling. For you to be even remotely capable of taking this serious, you have to 1) Have been exposed to it as a kid and had no frame of reference. and 2) Be autistic as fuck

There are some exceptions but this is usually the case.

Cough Ilikebothseries cough