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It’s the latter we’re here to discuss today.
Unico was published in manga magazine Ririka between 1976 and 1979.
Two anime films were also completed in the ’80s.
Alas, the manga was never completed, and Tezuka passed away in 1989.
Samuel Sattin:Unico is a magical creature, a unicorn, who can’t remember who he is.
Unico makes friends wherever he goes.
How did you first discover Unico?
Was it through the original manga or the anime based on it?
Gurihiru:We do not remember exactly, but we think it was the anime.
Later on, we bought the manga and we were captured by the beauty of the full color art.
That mechanical dragon and Kuruku!
The castle made from former humans turned to stone!
It was colorful and scary and it sparked my imagination.
I think Tezuka embodies the potential of comics in a way that no one else has or ever will.
Who are some of the characters that we’ll meet along the way in this story?
Unico agrees, but the longer Chloe is human, the more danger she encounters.
And looming over everyone in Unico is the vengeful goddess, Venus.
She is obsessed with destroying Unico because he is the only being that can stand in her way.
Gurihiru, which characters were your favorite to draw and why?
Gurihiru:West Wind is a character we enjoy drawing.
We made this character without legs and the lower part of the body extends forever.
It takes some thinking when she appears in the pages, but it is very challenging and very interesting.
How did this relaunch come about and how did you get involved?
My eyes went wide, and I quickly turned to Unico.
And also… Tezuka hadn’t finished it (which I’ve amazingly been given permission to do).
I pitched my idea to Tezuka Productions.
And to my great shock and eternal gratitude, they accepted it.
Things really gelled when Gurihiru agreed to work on it.
The whole thing is a dream.
What are some of the challenges that come with relaunching a beloved character like this?
So we finally said yes.
One of the many reasons I adore Tezuka’s work is that he saw manga/comics as an international language.
And he loved collaboration.
He loved reinterpreting the stories of others, and having his stories reinterpreted in turn.
Tezuka himself was working in a different era, and his work was obviously of his time.
The new Unico series is of our time, while respecting the past.
How do you go about updating the story of Unico for a new audience?
Sam, what has it been like working with Gurihiru on this project?
They’re geniuses, and the way their art combines Japanese and Western drawing aesthetics is truly groundbreaking.
I can’t imagine anyone else who could do what they’ve done with this reimagining.
And theyre really nice to work with, to boot.
Gurihiru:We feel great romanticism from Sam’s script.
We are happy to have a relationship that is more than just a writer and an artist.
How has it been working with Tezuka Productions?
We both were influenced by Tezuka’s work from our childhood.
We used to copy and draw his characters and there were many other influences from his characters and stories.
Sattin:Osamu Tezuka made me understand the power and importance of comics.
His work is humane, artful, and beautiful.
It’s something that will withstand the test of time.
Unico: Awakening Volume 1 was developed by Scholastic in collaboration with Tezuka Productions.
It’s published on August 6.
Interested in manga but unsure where to start?
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