INTERVIEW: ‘Unico’ awakens for a new generation of fans
Image courtesy of Scholastic / Provided by Superfan Promotions with permission.
Unico, the popular manga series, is back and ready to engage readers once again.
Gurihiru, the artistic team behind It’s Jeff, and author Samuel Sattin, co-writer of The Essential Anime Guide, have joined forces for an all-new, 224-page manga called Unico: Awakening, a most appropriate title for the return of this beloved series. For those who are new to the world of Unico, created by Osamu Tezuka, the title character is a unicorn who spreads love and positivity, but he runs afoul of Venus, an envious goddess, according to press notes.
For the new adventure, readers will meet Unico’s new friend on Earth: a cat named Chloe. They journey around the forest of this unique world, and eventually a request is made of Unico that he’s hesitant to grant. But the unicorn folds to the pressure and relents, but this bit of magic also clues Venus into Unico’s whereabouts. Uh-oh.
Recently Hollywood Soapbox exchanged emails with Sattin about Unico: Awakening and what fans can expect from this new project, which is the firs-ever manga series from Scholastic. Questions and answers have been slightly edited for style.
How important is the character of Unico in the pantheon of manga?
The word “important” is a little difficult for me to parse, but when it comes to manga, I think it’s worth saying that everything Osamu Tezuka-sensei created is foundational. Unico in particular stands out for a few reasons. Firstly, it was created in partnership with Sanrio with the explicit goal of getting young western kids into manga. The way that Tezuka-sensei approached this was to create the book in full color and have it read left to right, both of which are highly unusual for manga. Tezuka-sensei was massively inspired by Disney (it’s rumored he watched Bambi more than 800 times), so you could say that Unico was kind of a love letter to his greatest inspiration. I believe that Unico was Tezuka-sensei’s attempt to create both a Disney character and story. But because the God of Manga had a unique worldview, Unico turned out to be a complex fable about love, kindness and the nature of performing good deeds that sets itself apart from Disney stories in many ways.
How did this resurrection of Unico first start? How did you get attached?
It started in 2019, through a bit of a professional grapevine. A friend of mine (journalist Deb Aoki) introduced me to people who were working with Japanese stories — something I’d wanted to do for a long time. When it was discovered that I’m obsessed with Osamu Tezuka, I was given the opportunity to pitch a story for a character reimagining to Tezuka Productions. I’d also heard that they had been looking to do something new with Unico, so I took a deep dive, rereading the manga and watching the films. It wasn’t long before I discovered that the character wasn’t just interesting, but that a new generation of readers could truly benefit from his story. From there, an agent colleague in Japan introduced me to Gurihiru. They were hesitant at first to accept an offer to work on the project, since working on a Osamu Tezuka story was a tall order. But when they were reassured that they’d be able to bring their own artistic perspective to the project, they accepted, and from there, we launched a Kickstarter in 2022. It went well. Then, my literary agent (Dara Hyde) pitched the book to publishers, and Scholastic made our dreams come true.
What can readers expect in this Awakening storyline?
Unico: Awakening sets up a conflict between Unico and the goddess Venus, who, for reasons having to do with jealousy and genuine fear, is trying to destroy him. When Unico wakes up in a city he doesn’t recognize and with no memories of his past, he befriends a brave watchcat named Chloe, who wants more than anything to become a human being. Unico grants her this wish, but not without consequences. Overall, readers expect a lot of action, suspense and emotion as Unico tries to protect his friends, until they, in turn, must protect him. This is an adventure story, yes, and it sets the stage for the subsequent volumes to come, but it’s also a story about friendship and the importance of being oneself.
Is it a challenge to honor the character’s past for longtime fans and also craft a story that is attractive to first-time Unico readers?
It is a challenge, yes! Somewhat like walking a tightrope. There’s a desire to honor the original material, while creating something new that modern readers will relate to. Unico was created almost 50 years ago, anyhow, so Gurhiru and I both have to contend with the realities of the present, while homaging the past. That said, this is a challenge that’s wholly rewarding. The way I look at it is that we have the privilege to be able to journey down this road. And thankfully, we have support from both Graphix/Scholastic and Tezuka Productions, who make it all possible. It’s a team effort, and I feel honored to be a part of it.
What’s it like working with Gurihiru?
It’s like working with a pair of geniuses. They’re brilliant — it’s really all I can say. Well, that’s not true — I can say quite a lot. They’re incredible character designers. And they’re equally incredible at taking those characters and using them to express emotion and movement that captures your imagination and pulls on your heartstrings. We have a solid creative mind meld going, and I love to see how they bring their unique perspective to the world of this new Unico. Anyone working in comics in Japan grew up under the influence of Osamu Tezuka. Gurihiru taps into his work (and the work of other mangaka), while melding it with aspects of western comics. The result is something entirely new, and I love it.
Do you feel honor / pressure being the first-ever manga publication from Scholastic?
Both and each! I feel honored to be able to help Scholastic launch their foray into manga, as I truly do believe that something unprecedented can be done. It’s almost hard to believe at times that I’m part of the whole thing, but I embrace it and am grateful. The thing I also know, however, is that this is a collaborative project. I’m writing Unico, but I’m doing so with my co-creators and collaborators Gurihiru, and under the supervision and guidance of both Tezuka Productions and Graphix/Scholastic. It’s a team effort, and there’s a real all-for-one, one-for-all feeling that I cherish.
By John Soltes / Publisher / John@HollywoodSoapbox.com
Unico: Awakening, written by Samuel Sattin and with art by Gurihiru, is now available from Scholastic. Click here for more information.
