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Unico (Scholastic Graphix) #1
Unico: Awakening
A dynamic reimagining of Osamu Tezuka's classic UNICO manga for a new generation of readers. UNICO tells the incredible story of a young unicorn who, after enraging the evil goddess Venus, is banished from the heavens and forgets all he once was. Saved from oblivion by the kindhearted West Wind, Unico continues to help others, before having to escape Venus again and begin a new adventure. In this first manga, Unico awakes in a mysterious land and is befriended by a resourceful watch cat, Chloe, who feels protective of the young unicorn. When they find themselves near a small village in the forest, they take refuge with a kindly, but helpless, old woman. To take care of her, Chloe begs Unico to turn her into a human girl, but that act of kindness has unforeseen Unico's love has awakened Venus and her minion, Byron, who want to destroy them both! Conceived anew by author Samuel Sattin and artist team Gurihiru, and developed in collaboration with Tezuka Productions, Awakening is a groundbreaking reboot of a beloved story by Astro Boy creator Osamu Tezuka, the "God of Manga." With striking full-color artwork and reading left to right in the Western comics style to match the original manga, UNICO is a brilliant manga series featuring storytelling at its best. Join Unico on an unforgettable journey!
224 pages, Hardcover
First published August 6, 2024
About the author
Samuel Sattin
21 books80 followersSamuel Sattin is an American writer. His books include the multi-volume Unico series for Scholastic Graphix, Buzzing, Side Quest, The Silent End, and (as co-author) both A Kids Guide to Anime and Manga and The Essential Anime Guide: 50 Iconic Films, Standout Series, and Cult Masterpieces. He has also adapted the Academy Award-nominated films WolfWalkers, Song of the Sea, and The Secret of Kells to the graphic novel format. He graduated with an MFA in comics from the California College of the Arts and works as a studio writer for Schulz Creative Associates, aka Snoopy Central. Samuel resides with his wife in Northern California, and travels frequently to Japan.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews
June 29, 2024
I picked this ARC up at ALA, and I was so excited to do so! Unico was my childhood. I knew the movies front and back, and could still quote a good chunk to this day! This new series is such a beautiful reimagining of my favorite franchise. It’s familiar enough and retains the heart of the original, but still so fresh! I cannot wait for the rest of this series.
September 1, 2024
Finally got a chance to read @graphixbooks first foray into publishing manga. While this is a Westernization of traditional manga bc it reads left to right instead of right to left, it definitely has the feel and artwork of a Japanese manga book. My students will enjoy this MG graphic novel and having a 🦄 as a main character is never a bad idea!
4.25 ⭐️
4.25 ⭐️
July 11, 2024
Peerless artwork, and a narrative that is so faithful to Tezuka’s writing style (while being updated for modern readers) that I’m speechless.
July 26, 2024
Super cute! How can you not love a lil unicorn who befriends a kitten? A unicorn who’s so powerful the goddess Venus wants to kill him? It’s so cutely epic!
July 4, 2024
Created in the spirit of manga created by Japanese “god of manga” Osamu Tezuka, this unicorn story is perfect for graphic novel readers from grades 3-6. Classic good vs evil with the pure-hearted Unico and his watch-cat friend Chloe triumphing in this installment. But the young unicorn can’t remember his past or his real purpose as a mythical West Wind servant of the goddess Venus has been keeping him hidden and his memory wiped in order to protect him from her master. But Venus senses the positive energy coming from Unico and is determined to wipe him from the face of the earth and this setback just renews her determination…to be continued in book 2 Unico: Hunted.
Along with the storyline of Venus seeking to destroy Unico is a sweet story of Chloe who is abandoned in the forest by the fiance’ of her good-hearted owner and a sweet old woman who lives in the woods. The book skips back and forth between the two plots with little transition, but even young readers will easily be able to tell from the background change and the presence of Venus, West Wind and/or Night Wind (an evil servant of Venus) that the switch has occurred.
Highly recommended for libraries serving grades 3-6 who have a strong readership in graphic novels and have patrons requesting manga. This manga-style graphic novel stays free of profanity and sexual content and the gore-free violence comes from a big game hunter and the powers of Venus to control others and bend them to her will. Unlike some other manga, clothing of all human characters covers their bodies modestly.
Thanks for the print arc, Scholastic Graphix.
Along with the storyline of Venus seeking to destroy Unico is a sweet story of Chloe who is abandoned in the forest by the fiance’ of her good-hearted owner and a sweet old woman who lives in the woods. The book skips back and forth between the two plots with little transition, but even young readers will easily be able to tell from the background change and the presence of Venus, West Wind and/or Night Wind (an evil servant of Venus) that the switch has occurred.
Highly recommended for libraries serving grades 3-6 who have a strong readership in graphic novels and have patrons requesting manga. This manga-style graphic novel stays free of profanity and sexual content and the gore-free violence comes from a big game hunter and the powers of Venus to control others and bend them to her will. Unlike some other manga, clothing of all human characters covers their bodies modestly.
Thanks for the print arc, Scholastic Graphix.
June 24, 2024
I fell in love with this book on page 1! This is a graphic novel adapted from Manga for younger readers about a young unicorn who is banished from the heavens and befriends a kitten named Chloe. The two friends help others while putting themselves in danger. The start of a great new series!
August 26, 2024
I fully admit to reading this without being familiar with the original manga and anime it's based on (though I remember seeing a copy of the anime film at our local Blockbuster as a kid and not being allowed to check it out -- long story). I figured it'd be a nice primer before I checked out the source material for myself. And having read it... it's a cute story with fantastic artwork. But it does have its shortcomings, and I'm not sure if those shortcomings are inherent in the original work or if they were committed by the adaptation.
Unico is a baby unicorn who has caught the eye of the jealous, wicked goddess of love and beauty, Venus. Venus orders Zephyr, one of the winds loyal to her, to destroy Unico... but Zephyr takes pity on him and instead wipes his memory before leaving him in the city. Lost and confused, Unico ends up befriending a cat named Chloe, who helps him find sanctuary in the woods near the home of an old woman. But Venus hasn't been fooled for long... and with the aid of a sadistic big-game hunter, she sets out to destroy the young unicorn once and for all...
The art of this series is by far its strongest point -- it's gorgeous and vibrant, with great character designs and adorable main characters. The art seems to strive for a middle ground between anime and Western comic art, and in my opinion it succeeds admirably. It can be a bit off-putting to see Unico with a mouse-like nose instead of a traditional horse muzzle, but this was probably a concession to the original manga.
The story feels a little fragmented, and at times feels like it's relying on the reader to already have background information on the characters and world. Unico himself plays second fiddle to other characters, especially Chloe and Zephyr, to the point where it became difficult to care about what happened to him. Still, the story itself is generally sweet, and Venus makes a genuinely sinister villain... and it's refreshing to see a goddess of beauty be treated as the villain instead of the usual "underworld god is the Satan analog" that a lot of mythology goes for.
The book includes an afterword talking about the original manga, which can be interesting reading. Though this book makes me want to investigate the source material and see how it holds up to the retelling.
Unico is a baby unicorn who has caught the eye of the jealous, wicked goddess of love and beauty, Venus. Venus orders Zephyr, one of the winds loyal to her, to destroy Unico... but Zephyr takes pity on him and instead wipes his memory before leaving him in the city. Lost and confused, Unico ends up befriending a cat named Chloe, who helps him find sanctuary in the woods near the home of an old woman. But Venus hasn't been fooled for long... and with the aid of a sadistic big-game hunter, she sets out to destroy the young unicorn once and for all...
The art of this series is by far its strongest point -- it's gorgeous and vibrant, with great character designs and adorable main characters. The art seems to strive for a middle ground between anime and Western comic art, and in my opinion it succeeds admirably. It can be a bit off-putting to see Unico with a mouse-like nose instead of a traditional horse muzzle, but this was probably a concession to the original manga.
The story feels a little fragmented, and at times feels like it's relying on the reader to already have background information on the characters and world. Unico himself plays second fiddle to other characters, especially Chloe and Zephyr, to the point where it became difficult to care about what happened to him. Still, the story itself is generally sweet, and Venus makes a genuinely sinister villain... and it's refreshing to see a goddess of beauty be treated as the villain instead of the usual "underworld god is the Satan analog" that a lot of mythology goes for.
The book includes an afterword talking about the original manga, which can be interesting reading. Though this book makes me want to investigate the source material and see how it holds up to the retelling.
August 15, 2024
I seldom write reviews these days but Unico: Awakening absolutely ATE. I work in the children’s dept of my local library and the brand new copies of Unico arrived today. I’m pretty 50/50 about whether I enjoy books that are for children, and I tend to like the ones that are for older kids.
This book explores many different nuances of Good and Evil. Jealousy also plays a massive role, and so does Justice (in particular, what do we decide is just?). My only qualm about the book is the *borderline excessive* violence/abuse directed towards animals. It didn’t strip away from my enjoyment of the book, but it made me so sad seeing these poor creatures suffer by the hands of the heartless girlfriend, the cruel hunter, the angry goddess, etc.
I’d say this book could be a Snow White retelling (which I really enjoyed because of how loosely connected it was). Unico, of course, represents Snow White. Venus is the Evil Queen, Zephyrus the merciful Huntsman. I loved the side characters so much too—Chloe, the Sphinx, Granny, Toast, and even Byron (for being a pure, unredeemable villain).
Other than that the art style and color palette is ravishing. The story was emotional and maybe I cried during a couple scenes. Next volume can’t come soon enough. This was so much fun I highly, highly recommend!
This book explores many different nuances of Good and Evil. Jealousy also plays a massive role, and so does Justice (in particular, what do we decide is just?). My only qualm about the book is the *borderline excessive* violence/abuse directed towards animals. It didn’t strip away from my enjoyment of the book, but it made me so sad seeing these poor creatures suffer by the hands of the heartless girlfriend, the cruel hunter, the angry goddess, etc.
I’d say this book could be a Snow White retelling (which I really enjoyed because of how loosely connected it was). Unico, of course, represents Snow White. Venus is the Evil Queen, Zephyrus the merciful Huntsman. I loved the side characters so much too—Chloe, the Sphinx, Granny, Toast, and even Byron (for being a pure, unredeemable villain).
Other than that the art style and color palette is ravishing. The story was emotional and maybe I cried during a couple scenes. Next volume can’t come soon enough. This was so much fun I highly, highly recommend!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 6, 2024
I've been a big fan of Unico since the 80's, so I was very much looking forward to this new Western graphic novel, and finally it's here!
I absolutely adore the art. I think Gurihiru did a wonderful job modernizing the simple forms and lines that were Tezuka's calling card.
The storyline I found a little simple. Yes, that is in keeping with the simple original stories of the classic Unico, but I was hoping for something I could sink my teeth into a little more. (I also found some parts a little confusing, like Venus appearing to possess Byron twice for some reason. Why possess him again if she's already in control of him?) And why did the story start by establishing Unico already had adventures with other characters that were skipped over before we arrived at this one? It almost felt to me like this wasn't the first volume of the story, that there were other stories that I'm missing, despite there being a number 1 on the spine of the book.
But all in all, I really loved this volume as a good start to a fun series, and I look forward to the next!
I absolutely adore the art. I think Gurihiru did a wonderful job modernizing the simple forms and lines that were Tezuka's calling card.
The storyline I found a little simple. Yes, that is in keeping with the simple original stories of the classic Unico, but I was hoping for something I could sink my teeth into a little more. (I also found some parts a little confusing, like Venus appearing to possess Byron twice for some reason. Why possess him again if she's already in control of him?) And why did the story start by establishing Unico already had adventures with other characters that were skipped over before we arrived at this one? It almost felt to me like this wasn't the first volume of the story, that there were other stories that I'm missing, despite there being a number 1 on the spine of the book.
But all in all, I really loved this volume as a good start to a fun series, and I look forward to the next!
August 26, 2024
Omigosh! Unico was a huge part of my childhood. I LOVED those cartoons (and have since hunted them down on DVD and rewatch them from time to time). So when I saw there was a new graphic novel? I bought this thing so fast.
I was not disappointed. The art style is beautiful and adorable, but Unico is still entirely recognizable. Some details are slightly different from the cartoons, but the changes are pretty slight. One could almost think this is just a continuance of the stories from the cartoons. The West Wind, the Night Wind, and Unico are all still present in their same roles. It's Venus rather than "the gods" who has a vendetta against Unico, but after all, Venus is one of the gods, so I feel like that still tracks. And while Chloe does look exactly like Katy from the cartoons, I'm telling myself (until told otherwise) that Chloe is a descendant of Katy.
Anyway, very cute comic. Highly recommend. All the stars.
I was not disappointed. The art style is beautiful and adorable, but Unico is still entirely recognizable. Some details are slightly different from the cartoons, but the changes are pretty slight. One could almost think this is just a continuance of the stories from the cartoons. The West Wind, the Night Wind, and Unico are all still present in their same roles. It's Venus rather than "the gods" who has a vendetta against Unico, but after all, Venus is one of the gods, so I feel like that still tracks. And while Chloe does look exactly like Katy from the cartoons, I'm telling myself (until told otherwise) that Chloe is a descendant of Katy.
Anyway, very cute comic. Highly recommend. All the stars.
August 25, 2024
As someone who checked out a well-worn video-store rental copy of Unico and the Island of Magic on a regular basis as a kid, when this new manga book was announced, I knew I had to check it out.
The art is whimsical and charming, and the story equally so, without being either too cutesy or serious for adult or young readers. I've never read the original manga (which is now on my to-do list!) so I have nothing to compare it to other than the Unico movie I enjoyed as a child.
But on its own merit, or on the merit of the VHS Unico nostalgia dancing in my brain, I find it enjoyable; it has this very particular oldschool lovely earnestness that I can't quite describe but that I find appealing.
I didn't realize this was going to be volume 1 of an ongoing series, but now I can't wait to read the rest.
The art is whimsical and charming, and the story equally so, without being either too cutesy or serious for adult or young readers. I've never read the original manga (which is now on my to-do list!) so I have nothing to compare it to other than the Unico movie I enjoyed as a child.
But on its own merit, or on the merit of the VHS Unico nostalgia dancing in my brain, I find it enjoyable; it has this very particular oldschool lovely earnestness that I can't quite describe but that I find appealing.
I didn't realize this was going to be volume 1 of an ongoing series, but now I can't wait to read the rest.
August 17, 2024
Yay! It's here! I kickstarted this!!
This Unico: Awakening is a reimagined retelling to Master Osamu Tezuka's 1976 original Unico about a cute little unicorn who is pure and kind, his beauty angers the jealous Venus. By the protection of the West Wind, Unico is moved throughout time and place, always helping the people around him.
I thought it was really interesting to make Venus so villainous and I was actually surprised how emotionally invested I got into this story, with Chloe and Granny in particular.
The art is spectacular, very Studio Ghibli inspired, and a perfectly formatted comic - never too much text, easy to follow speech bubbles, natural progression of action. No notes, great comic.
This Unico: Awakening is a reimagined retelling to Master Osamu Tezuka's 1976 original Unico about a cute little unicorn who is pure and kind, his beauty angers the jealous Venus. By the protection of the West Wind, Unico is moved throughout time and place, always helping the people around him.
I thought it was really interesting to make Venus so villainous and I was actually surprised how emotionally invested I got into this story, with Chloe and Granny in particular.
The art is spectacular, very Studio Ghibli inspired, and a perfectly formatted comic - never too much text, easy to follow speech bubbles, natural progression of action. No notes, great comic.
July 20, 2024
Read the ARC, and will be excited to see the full color edition when published. Re-imagination (or revival retelling) of the character, Unico, from Tezuka's classic manga. This is Volume 1 with more planned. As the first volume, it tells the origin story and sets up future volumes against the villain, Venus. Venus, the goddess of love, is jealous and threatened by Unico's power. Venus sends Zephyrus, the West Wind, to dispose of Unico but Zephyrus instead tries to save Unico.
In the next volumes, I look forward to more Sphynx and Marusu as that is left as a teaser for more to come. The cats, Chloe and Toast, were just adorably brave that will have a great appeal for kids (especially mine).
In the next volumes, I look forward to more Sphynx and Marusu as that is left as a teaser for more to come. The cats, Chloe and Toast, were just adorably brave that will have a great appeal for kids (especially mine).
August 8, 2024
I randomly found it just yesterday (as I'm writing this review) recognizing the character since his movie is on my watchlist and immediately had a tingling sensation of "This is going to be good"
Holy shit I wasn't ready for it, I absolutely loved it, the art, the writing, the characters, the whole package and I was holding back tears for most of the time because I can't stand to see animals in danger, especially cats.
This comic doesn't hold punches, there are themes I wasn't expecting and the villain is brutal.
I cannot wait for next volumes and now excuse me, I go watch the original movie.
Holy shit I wasn't ready for it, I absolutely loved it, the art, the writing, the characters, the whole package and I was holding back tears for most of the time because I can't stand to see animals in danger, especially cats.
This comic doesn't hold punches, there are themes I wasn't expecting and the villain is brutal.
I cannot wait for next volumes and now excuse me, I go watch the original movie.
June 12, 2024
Coming soon…an incredible adventure across space & time! Meet Unico, a young unicorn who’s enraged the evil goddess Venus and been banished from the heavens. Enter the kind-hearted West Wind, who saves Unico by bringing him to a faraway land, though Unico has no memory of who is he. Once befriended by Chloe, a protective cat, they begin to help others, including an old woman in the forest. But Unico’s helpfulness has consequences, and soon evil Venus is back on his tail. The first in a new manga series, Unico is going to be a hit with middle grade readers come August.
August 7, 2024
Unico gives me cute aggression!! This refreshed adaptation of the 1970s manga by Tezuka (it's Scholastic's first foray into manga, I think) is a fun romp with excellent art by Japanese illustration team Gurihuru. Content warning for animal abuse: small animals are kicked, a kitten is abandoned, and several woodland animals are shot or wounded with visible blood. But good triumphs over evil, and the stage is set for many more episodes. Although I never saw the original manga or cartoons, this will have nostalgia appeal for those who did, and has a fun 1980s cartoons/Studio Ghibli vibe.
August 13, 2024
So, apparently this is a retelling of Unico by Osamu Tezuka, and since I'm a fan of Tezuka, I thought I'd check it out. Cute, but did not wow me. The art was excellent, but the characters felt a little two-dimensional at times and the dialogue was a bit stiff. Also, I felt like despite being the title character, Unico didn't really have much of a presence. I intend to read the original work, as well, to see if I'm missing something.
June 29, 2024
This is a cute middle grade manga for fantasy readers, the first in a series. It's like a cross between Studio Ghibli and Western fairytales and myth. It's about a young unicorn, Unico, befriending a cat named Chloe and an older woman. Venus wants him dead because he disrupts her power.
This is a Japanese classic that's been updated for new readers. It does lean into a few stereotypes, but I think readers will really enjoy it.
This is a Japanese classic that's been updated for new readers. It does lean into a few stereotypes, but I think readers will really enjoy it.
July 29, 2024
Okay! Now this brought me back. I remember being obsessed with unicorns when I was younger and while I don’t know what spawned that obsession, I know that Unico was a character I loved.
The new artwork heightens the characters bringing depth and brightening the story up even more than what I remember.
The new artwork heightens the characters bringing depth and brightening the story up even more than what I remember.
August 7, 2024
3.5 stars
Beautiful art, heartwarming moments but it may not be as suitable for kids as it initially would seem
But... also TWs for animal cruelty/abuse, torture, and abandonment, attempted murder, hunting and murder of animals for sport, kidnapping and caging of animals, shooting with guns, blood
Beautiful art, heartwarming moments but it may not be as suitable for kids as it initially would seem
But... also TWs for animal cruelty/abuse, torture, and abandonment, attempted murder, hunting and murder of animals for sport, kidnapping and caging of animals, shooting with guns, blood
August 9, 2024
TW:
animal death & injury (hunting), animal cruelty, dementia
Unico is an action packed little story of mythology and small animals- a great combo for a young graphic novel or manga. I appreciate that the danger and the casual cruelties weren't overly softened for the intended audience age, but felt real without reveling in any of it. I'm really interested to see how Unico's powers will continue growing, and what's going to happen with Chloe and Toast!
Unico is an action packed little story of mythology and small animals- a great combo for a young graphic novel or manga. I appreciate that the danger and the casual cruelties weren't overly softened for the intended audience age, but felt real without reveling in any of it. I'm really interested to see how Unico's powers will continue growing, and what's going to happen with Chloe and Toast!
August 12, 2024
I love the character of Unico but I’m so tired of the only depictions of fat bodied people being villains or the butt of jokes. Sure, the rest of the series might have a non villainous fat person somewhere down the line, but I’m reviewing this issue and I find relying on that troupe/imagery to be outdated and harmful. Do better.
June 2, 2024
Completely and utterly obsessed with Unico! This fantastical graphic novel stars both evil and heroic goddesses and cats and - of course - dear little Unico the “horse-cat.” :-)
I am already desperate for book two and book one doesn’t even release til August - however will I wait?!
I am already desperate for book two and book one doesn’t even release til August - however will I wait?!
August 19, 2024
Amazing! I loved Unico and how the story highlights the power of teamwork! Adorable illustrations and fun storyline! I recommend this to readers of all ages looking for a sweet story! I can't wait for volume 2!
Thank you to the publisher and authors for the ARC!
Thank you to the publisher and authors for the ARC!
September 10, 2024
The art is amazing! The story feels like 'in the spirit of Unico'. Definitely geared at a younger audience, so the story was a bit predictable, but that's not a bad thing! I very much enjoyed reading this, again, the art is utterly amazing.
September 10, 2024
Awesome illustrations and coloring. Unico is so freakin adorable! As are the cats!! Such an interesting story and I can't wait to see what happens next. I was so sad to reach the end. Can't wait for volume two!!
May 4, 2024
Got this for free comic book day. It's cute and very pretty and colorful. I look forward to the rest of the series :)
August 2, 2024
A little hard to follow in the beginning as a newbie to the Unico universe, but once things got going, I really enjoyed the story and characters!
August 3, 2024
A nice retelling of the story, enjoyable read, nice illustration. Look forward to reading more
August 9, 2024
So excited to see Unico get rebooted! Loved the art and the story was fun. Looking forward to the next volume
Displaying 1 - 30 of 43 reviews