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Unico
Unico
Unico is a little unicorn with the power to bring happiness to those who love him. But when the goddess of beauty, Venus, sees the good fortune he brings to mortals, she orders him flung across the world! On his journey, Unico meets new companions - human, animal and otherwise - and learns what a true friend really is. From Osamu Tezuka, internationally beloved creator of Astro Boy, comes an adorable adventure for kids and parents alike!
410 pages, Paperback
First published June 10, 1983
17 people are currently reading
263 people want to read
About the author
Osamu Tezuka
2,145 books1,294 followersDr. Osamu Tezuka (手塚治虫) was a Japanese manga artist, animator, producer and medical doctor, although he never practiced medicine. Born in Osaka Prefecture, he is best known as the creator of Astro Boy and Kimba the White Lion. He is often credited as the "Father of Anime", and is often considered the Japanese equivalent to Walt Disney, who served as a major inspiration during his formative years. His prolific output, pioneering techniques, and innovative redefinitions of genres earned him such titles as "the father of manga" and "the God of Manga."
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
December 18, 2014
I loved this book, but I cannot in good conscience recommend it without some pretty strong reservations. Third grade Melissa would have loved this book. Loved. Unquestioningly, uncritically, and uncaringly loved. Thirty-four year-old Melissa would have loved this book, too, except for some very problematic elements such as a stereotypical and romanticized depiction of Plains Indian cultures and a character named Tipi. Being from Japan, Osamu Tezuka probably had not been exposed to the rich realities of Turtle Island's Indigenous nations and cultures, so I cannot fault him as the creator of this work, but I can fault the publishing, distribution, and book-selling industries, and, indeed, my library profession, for continuing to allow the perpetuation of these stereotypes. There are good things in this book -- there are motifs of love and charity and doing good for others, there is some truly gorgeous art, and there are unicorns. I loved those aspects. However, those positive aspects that could have made this one of my favorite reads of 2014 don't make up for the misinformed and unrepresentative depiction of Turtle Island's Indigenous people.
April 27, 2022
It's very rare for me to rate a manga or comic five stars, because usually the ones that have the best stories don't have the best artwork and vice versa. But when I saw this beautiful volume, I immediately know it was something different. Then I saw the name of the author... Osamu Tezuka... the Godfather of Manga. For once writing something less traumatizing ahah!
This book was incredibly beautiful, and felt like reading an old fairytale with the most amazing illustrations. I think you could absolutely call this a hidden gem, because despite the author being probably the most famous mangaka ever, this one is a lesser known work, maybe because of the "cutesy" arts and themes. But I am a sucker for this kinda stuff so yeah! I absolutely loved it. Totally recommended to all fans of vintage (and not) manga!
June 26, 2023
Per quanto Tezuka sia definito il "Dio del manga", quest'opera non riesce a dare giustizia a questo termine e forse non è nemmeno la migliore dalla quale partire.
La storia parte bene all'inizio e vieni facilmente inglobato nel mondo di Unico e nella sua situazione, continuando a sperare che tutto si risolva per il meglio. I disegni e i colori ti fanno immergere all'interno di un cartone animato da sfogliare.
Ma la magia, purtroppo, termina presto.
In conclusione, l'opera appare bella grazie alla cura dei disegni e al loro colore, ma la storia è troppo semplice e lineare per essere apprezzata veramente anche da un pubblico più maturo.
La storia parte bene all'inizio e vieni facilmente inglobato nel mondo di Unico e nella sua situazione, continuando a sperare che tutto si risolva per il meglio. I disegni e i colori ti fanno immergere all'interno di un cartone animato da sfogliare.
Ma la magia, purtroppo, termina presto.
In conclusione, l'opera appare bella grazie alla cura dei disegni e al loro colore, ma la storia è troppo semplice e lineare per essere apprezzata veramente anche da un pubblico più maturo.
March 1, 2024
I loved this so much!! It was so sad and cute and really funny 🥰
June 18, 2018
Read for The Tezuka Challenge. Details can be found here.
Unico
It's safe to say that unicorns have massive appeal for children and adults who love fantasy. I prefer the Gothic unicorn over "horse with a horn" that passes for unicorns these days, but this design takes the cake because
well
look at this baby
He's like a puppy-faced Shetland pony with the hair of a newborn.
And that's a big part of What Works in Unico.
- Unico is stinkin' cute. I wanna root for him because he's a walking marshmallow of sweetness. He portrays different levels of kindness, from being overall sweet to needing to be firm in order to assure happiness to those who love him. He's a good kid.
- The Four Loves. When we think of love in the contemporary perspective, the first one we tend to jump onto is Eros, the kind of affection shared between lovers. But when exploring love in Unico, we get 'em all--
storage (the love of family), philia (the love of friends), eros (romantic love), agape (unconditional, godly love). And I like that we get to see these different loves firsthand .
What Doesn't
-Tipi. God dammit, not this again. I mean, the kid romance between him and Mary is cute, , but we got some problems here.
First thing to address, the kid's name is Tipi.
Tipi.
That's like naming a kid Cabin or Yurt. It doesn't work.
Secondly, it's pretty clear that this is a general depiction of Native Americans and their conflict with European settlers who intruded upon their land. It's...
It wasn't as simple as them not liking each other.
It's a similar problem to how indigenous peoples of Africa were portrayed in Jungle Emperor Leo, wherein the author was exposed to media imported from the West that presented a singular interpretation of a minority, and he was therefore influenced by this example when creating his own story. Probably Little Hiawatha, if Tipi's design is anything to judge by.
Again, it's an example of the author not knowing any better, especially someone from Japan trying to write a story about Native Americans without much knowledge of the people, but it's still not a good example of representation. Keep that in mind when reading this part of Unico.
If Tezuka wanted to do a similar concept with a little more dignity to it, what about the Ainu/Ezo people struggling to assimilate into Japanese society and two kids from each group hitting it off? It can be a difficult subject to broach with a story aimed at children, but the same can be said about Native American-European relations.
- Corn is a whole lot cuter . This is a problem because Unico's a cute enough boy as it is, and then I see Corn and I immediately fell in love. You can't make a one-shot character infinitely cuter than your main character and not do anything notable with her. I'd read a whole book about her adventures. That's my hot take, you can fight me on this.
-The binding in this book. It's a sturdy hardcover book, the pages aren't gonna fall out anytime soon if you handle your books with care. However, the pages have some of the dialog hidden or clipped the closer it is to the spine of the book. It got to a point where I needed to guess what people were saying when reading.
And the Sphinx's mother died in his story, so that's another one for the--
Mother Kill Count: 2
How Does It Hold Up?
The Tipi story got to me, y'all. And it's the first one in the book! But the rest of these stories are quite charming, my personal favorites being with the sphinx child and the kingdom far, far away with the princess and the cursed-faced king. And Corn's entire existence.
I weep over cute characters not getting enough time in the spotlight.
Unico
It's safe to say that unicorns have massive appeal for children and adults who love fantasy. I prefer the Gothic unicorn over "horse with a horn" that passes for unicorns these days, but this design takes the cake because
well
look at this baby
He's like a puppy-faced Shetland pony with the hair of a newborn.
And that's a big part of What Works in Unico.
- Unico is stinkin' cute. I wanna root for him because he's a walking marshmallow of sweetness. He portrays different levels of kindness, from being overall sweet to needing to be firm in order to assure happiness to those who love him. He's a good kid.
- The Four Loves. When we think of love in the contemporary perspective, the first one we tend to jump onto is Eros, the kind of affection shared between lovers. But when exploring love in Unico, we get 'em all--
storage (the love of family), philia (the love of friends), eros (romantic love), agape (unconditional, godly love). And I like that we get to see these different loves firsthand .
What Doesn't
-Tipi. God dammit, not this again. I mean, the kid romance between him and Mary is cute, , but we got some problems here.
First thing to address, the kid's name is Tipi.
Tipi.
That's like naming a kid Cabin or Yurt. It doesn't work.
Secondly, it's pretty clear that this is a general depiction of Native Americans and their conflict with European settlers who intruded upon their land. It's...
It wasn't as simple as them not liking each other.
It's a similar problem to how indigenous peoples of Africa were portrayed in Jungle Emperor Leo, wherein the author was exposed to media imported from the West that presented a singular interpretation of a minority, and he was therefore influenced by this example when creating his own story. Probably Little Hiawatha, if Tipi's design is anything to judge by.
Again, it's an example of the author not knowing any better, especially someone from Japan trying to write a story about Native Americans without much knowledge of the people, but it's still not a good example of representation. Keep that in mind when reading this part of Unico.
If Tezuka wanted to do a similar concept with a little more dignity to it, what about the Ainu/Ezo people struggling to assimilate into Japanese society and two kids from each group hitting it off? It can be a difficult subject to broach with a story aimed at children, but the same can be said about Native American-European relations.
- Corn is a whole lot cuter . This is a problem because Unico's a cute enough boy as it is, and then I see Corn and I immediately fell in love. You can't make a one-shot character infinitely cuter than your main character and not do anything notable with her. I'd read a whole book about her adventures. That's my hot take, you can fight me on this.
-The binding in this book. It's a sturdy hardcover book, the pages aren't gonna fall out anytime soon if you handle your books with care. However, the pages have some of the dialog hidden or clipped the closer it is to the spine of the book. It got to a point where I needed to guess what people were saying when reading.
And the Sphinx's mother died in his story, so that's another one for the--
Mother Kill Count: 2
How Does It Hold Up?
The Tipi story got to me, y'all. And it's the first one in the book! But the rest of these stories are quite charming, my personal favorites being with the sphinx child and the kingdom far, far away with the princess and the cursed-faced king. And Corn's entire existence.
I weep over cute characters not getting enough time in the spotlight.
September 12, 2013
While I am a big champion of all-ages titles, there are those few that are just a bit too cute, to the point where they kind of grate on your teeth. And unfortunately Unico falls under that umbrella. As a unicorn, Unico brings lifelong happiness to anyone who loves him, and when jealous Venus sees how happy the beautiful Psyche is to be with him, she snatches him from her, and whisks him away, with no memory, across time and space. Unfortunately for her, Unico is so kind and lovable that everywhere he finds himself, he manages to find someone to love him and bring happiness to, so he is continually being transplanted to a new life, with no memory of the previous ones. This gets very repetitive after awhile. The scenarios are slightly different each time, with a different era as the backdrop, whether it be the American West or Imperial Russia, but he faces the same problems time and again, and everything tends to be wrapped up with a neat little bow. And every time, Unico begs for a little more time to see his friends to happiness, which he always manages. So, the variety is really lacking in this book, especially by the end of its 400 pages. It would help if Unico was an interesting character, but he is just so passive, wanting only to be loved and be kind. This is, however, a children's book, so I want to give it props for being an enjoyable, light read with Disney-esque characters that kids will like. And the cinematic storytelling keeps you turning those pages quickly. But as a $35 omnibus aimed at collectors, this is definitely a work that fans can skip. I will say that Tezuka's art is stunning in this volume, and as it's presented here in full-color, we get some breathtaking scenes as a result.
Read
June 25, 2013Osamu Tezuka is one of the few heroes I have. In my quest to read everything from this insanely prolific writer, I sometimes read epic science fiction commentaries on life and the universe, and sometimes I end up reading a children's book about a unicorn looking for friends. I don't think that I would have ever picked up this book had it not been written by Tezuka, even if Unico is an iconic character in Japan (as are most of Tezuka's creations).
The long and short of it is that, like all of Tezuka's other books for children, this isn't dumbed down for kids. There's a real heart to this series with real morals and some heavy lessons. The basic premise is that in each chapter, Unico is taken somewhere different in the world and forgets all of his memories, so the character of Unico is really only a framing device to allow Tezuka to write a whole bunch of different scenarios in diverse landscapes, which is one of his specialties. In fact, I really liked the fact that what I got here was essentially an anthology of Tezuka's creative storytelling.
If you dig Tezuka, you'll really enjoy this. If not, you may not be able to get past the cutesy unicorn protagonist (unless thats your thing). Otherwise, its a genuinely good book to pick up for your kids (after you buy them Astro Boy, of course!).
The long and short of it is that, like all of Tezuka's other books for children, this isn't dumbed down for kids. There's a real heart to this series with real morals and some heavy lessons. The basic premise is that in each chapter, Unico is taken somewhere different in the world and forgets all of his memories, so the character of Unico is really only a framing device to allow Tezuka to write a whole bunch of different scenarios in diverse landscapes, which is one of his specialties. In fact, I really liked the fact that what I got here was essentially an anthology of Tezuka's creative storytelling.
If you dig Tezuka, you'll really enjoy this. If not, you may not be able to get past the cutesy unicorn protagonist (unless thats your thing). Otherwise, its a genuinely good book to pick up for your kids (after you buy them Astro Boy, of course!).
March 15, 2016
I Love It I Wonder I The First Boy On The 2nd Chapter Survived?? Did He Die *_* The Chapter I Liked
The Most Was That One lol They Kissed as Children
I loved it!!
im In 2nd Grade And Read It Its Like 357 Pages Though
I Rated It 5 Stars It's One Of My Favorite Books
The Most Was That One lol They Kissed as Children
I loved it!!
im In 2nd Grade And Read It Its Like 357 Pages Though
I Rated It 5 Stars It's One Of My Favorite Books
December 23, 2020
A pesar de estar de acuerdo con lo que muchos resaltan acerca del uso de estereotipos (que bien podrían interpretarse de alguna manera como "cosas de su tiempo" que hoy chirrían estrepitosamente), ha sido mi decisión verlo como una sátira. El registro fantástico con elementos de humor, anacronismos y metaficción en el que se configuran las historias hacen de esos estereotipos una especie de marco que no creo que suponga una imposición o perpetuación de valores per se. Ciertamente no es una obra realista, ni moralista y podría argumentarse que tampoco lo es "para niños". Por momentos adquiere tintes casi satíricos, está llena de asesinatos, crueldad y elementos abominables de cuentos tradicionales y culturas occidentales. ¿Acaso no pasa lo mismo con los cuentos de hadas? Este es más o menos la atmósfera de esta obra.
Entiendo que esto no impide que la obra pueda ser problemática para la utilización práctica o valoración moral y quizás esto tiene más que ver con la fallida clasificación (como siempre mal puesta) de obra "infantil". Quizás sería más interesante estudiar qué tipo de sociedad fue capaz de ponerle esta etiqueta. Tezuka es conocido por su algo que han tenido a bien llamar "estilo Disney", y quizás este ha sido el anzuelo perfecto. Y he allí su maestría.
Muchos factores podrían explorarse sorteando las también muchas trampas que nos hacen correr el riesgo de comenzar con mal pie: colonialismo, perpetuación de estereotipos de género, por nombrar algunas. Pero detrás de la otrora preciosista y odiosa obsesión de parejas que sueñan con ser "felices para siempre" y los abusos que acaba sufriendo Unico, la obra no deja de insistir en ideas oscuras de un capítulo a otro vanidad, intolerancia, depresión... todas confluyendo en una soledad patológica de modo insistente.
Entiendo que esto no impide que la obra pueda ser problemática para la utilización práctica o valoración moral y quizás esto tiene más que ver con la fallida clasificación (como siempre mal puesta) de obra "infantil". Quizás sería más interesante estudiar qué tipo de sociedad fue capaz de ponerle esta etiqueta. Tezuka es conocido por su algo que han tenido a bien llamar "estilo Disney", y quizás este ha sido el anzuelo perfecto. Y he allí su maestría.
Muchos factores podrían explorarse sorteando las también muchas trampas que nos hacen correr el riesgo de comenzar con mal pie: colonialismo, perpetuación de estereotipos de género, por nombrar algunas. Pero detrás de la otrora preciosista y odiosa obsesión de parejas que sueñan con ser "felices para siempre" y los abusos que acaba sufriendo Unico, la obra no deja de insistir en ideas oscuras de un capítulo a otro vanidad, intolerancia, depresión... todas confluyendo en una soledad patológica de modo insistente.
January 19, 2021
This manga ranks No. 1 on my favorite Osamu Tezuka works, despite the fact that this was published by Digital Manga Publishing, a terrible company that has scammed many innocent manga fans through Kickstarters (You can go to their Wonder 3 Kickstarter page to see the drama and outrage) thanks to the CEO being incompetent.
Anyways, the story revolves around a tiny blue unicorn named Unico who has the mysterious power to bring happiness to whoever gives him love and care. This catches the attention of the Goddess Venus, who is envious of Psyche, who is Unico's owner, as she believes that Unico is the reason for her beauty. One day, a national pet contest is held and after Unico is showcased to the judges, Papillon kidnaps him and takes him to Mount Olympus, where Venus instructs Lady Zephyrus to take him away over the Hill of Forgetfulness to where there is no one. This is where his adventures begin. From residing with the indians to the ends of time, with a little demon named Solitude.
It is a really good series and I am glad that Tezuka was offered the chance to make this manga as he stopped doing Shojo after the 1960s and moved to his more mature and grittier gekiga manga. My only complaint is that I wish that this series was a little longer, and I think Tezuka wanted it to be longer too but the magazine that Unico was serialized in, which was Lyrica, was cancelled presumably because of low sales or Sanrio wanted to do something different. I like to imagine that for the ending, Unico eventually regains his memories and confronts the Goddess Venus, angry at her for her vainity and for putting him through so much suffering and after battling her, he ends up being lonely, with Psyche being gone, and a little girl in contemporary times picks him up and declares him as her new pet.
Overall Rating: 10/10. A absolute must-read.
Anyways, the story revolves around a tiny blue unicorn named Unico who has the mysterious power to bring happiness to whoever gives him love and care. This catches the attention of the Goddess Venus, who is envious of Psyche, who is Unico's owner, as she believes that Unico is the reason for her beauty. One day, a national pet contest is held and after Unico is showcased to the judges, Papillon kidnaps him and takes him to Mount Olympus, where Venus instructs Lady Zephyrus to take him away over the Hill of Forgetfulness to where there is no one. This is where his adventures begin. From residing with the indians to the ends of time, with a little demon named Solitude.
It is a really good series and I am glad that Tezuka was offered the chance to make this manga as he stopped doing Shojo after the 1960s and moved to his more mature and grittier gekiga manga. My only complaint is that I wish that this series was a little longer, and I think Tezuka wanted it to be longer too but the magazine that Unico was serialized in, which was Lyrica, was cancelled presumably because of low sales or Sanrio wanted to do something different. I like to imagine that for the ending, Unico eventually regains his memories and confronts the Goddess Venus, angry at her for her vainity and for putting him through so much suffering and after battling her, he ends up being lonely, with Psyche being gone, and a little girl in contemporary times picks him up and declares him as her new pet.
Overall Rating: 10/10. A absolute must-read.
April 27, 2020
Visually stunning. While not the absolute best of Tezuka, it certainly is in the upper echelon. First, the highlights: gorgeous, full-color art, with an interesting style that has the art bleeding past the panels at the edges. Some interesting characters, including Unico himself, a kitten, a baby sphinx, and diverse realistic/historical and fantastical/mythological settings. My five year-old was enthralled as I read each chapter to him. Since each story is self-contained it makes it easy to pick up for a 15-30 minute reading session.
The overarching theme of love and the "wrapper" story bringing each each self-contained chapter together was a bit overwrought with the "true love" theme, which didn't appeal to me or my son but I guess could have an audience elsewhere. Still, this does little to detract from the fun of each new adventure. Highly recommended- a "hidden gem" in Tezuka's oeuvre!
The overarching theme of love and the "wrapper" story bringing each each self-contained chapter together was a bit overwrought with the "true love" theme, which didn't appeal to me or my son but I guess could have an audience elsewhere. Still, this does little to detract from the fun of each new adventure. Highly recommended- a "hidden gem" in Tezuka's oeuvre!
August 8, 2024
I’m definitely not in the target audience for this and to be honest I don’t think I would’ve ever really enjoyed it I just read it because Osamu Tezuka Held in such high regard I’m looking forward to reading others stuff by him this just felt kind of flat to me I think it’s because I’ve seen the movies so I kinda knew what was kind of happening already I will put a warning in here there is some characters of some Native Americans in here that are very flattering though do you keep in mind this was done in like 1970’s With somebody who probably didn’t know anything about American history or the Native Americans.
May 16, 2017
A children's manga from Tezuka that really works. Unico is a unicorn that is banished from his home, with each chapter being a new story of where he ends up before being swept off again. It's basically an episodic fairy tale, but there's a real sense of sadness in all the stories despite the humour and charm that Tezuka has. Add in the typical gorgeous art and it's worth checking out.
February 21, 2018
It's a bit different from the anime I watched (and loved ... and, after my older daughter read this REPEATEDLY, I HAD to buy the DVD) ... there are a lot more stories, and in different order. But it was really cute.
April 14, 2020
My first manga, I was ten and I loved it. I read it again a few years later and liked it. Less, though. It is not ageless (for me, at least) but it will always be my first manga. Because I liked it, I discovered other manga and therefore will always be thankful.
September 26, 2019
I love anything Unicorn,
Great job! Great Concept!
5 starts
Great job! Great Concept!
5 starts
December 23, 2020
Capolavoro
March 1, 2021
Molto carino e simpatico... anche se il finale un po' troppo aperto per me. Unico è un unicorno dolce ma molto ingenuo
March 12, 2021
Officially a big fan of Osamu Tezuka, he’s created lots of great manga with fantastic in depth Story’s and great art👍😁❤️
April 28, 2025
Unico is just the cutest thing ever but man why does the mommy unicorn have boobs ???
September 24, 2025
très mimi c vraiment pouvoir de l'amitié unico est très mignonnet
May 6, 2020
don't read this if you want to know more about love, beauty and ugliness. everything else is great.
January 1, 2021
Recensione scritta per il sito Nerd Pool e che trovate qui sotto e al seguente link: https://www.nerdpool.it/2020/11/13/un...
Unico è il piccolo unicorno di Psiche che per la sua bellezza è odiata dalla dea Venere. Per punirla la dea dell’amore rapisce proprio Unico e lo costringerà a viaggiare nel tempo e nello spazio senza potersi mai fermare. Ma soprattutto, ogni volta che l’unicorno cambierà luogo, perderà la memoria di chi era e delle persone che ha conosciuto. Però l’unicorno non perderà la sua tenerezza e voglia di aiutare il prossimo, conoscendo e vivendo molte avventure anche se poi dovrà inevitabilmente dimenticare…
Il volume si affida al mito greco come partenza della storia di Unico. Come abbiamo imparato nei libri di mitologia, Venere è bella e vendicativa, invidiosa della bellezza di altre donne che punisce togliendo ciò che più amano. Ma punire Pische tocca più profondamente il povero Unico che la ragazza. Gli stessi alleati di Venere, come il vento Zefiro che deve allontanare l’unicorno su comando della dea, prova molta tristezza per questo suo compito, ma non può fare altro.
Ecco quindi il viaggio di Unico e le sue avventure in diversi luoghi e tempi. C’è il mito greco che ritorna più volte, ma anche l’America della conquista del West, la Russia degli zar; andremmo in castelli medievali e in foreste magiche ma anche fabbriche ultra-tecnologiche dove i robot si innamorano degli esseri umani. Unico farà amicizia con bambini, adulti e vecchietti, con animali parlanti, fate e demoni. Unico sarà aiutato dalle persone che incontra e ricambierà usando la sua magia che si attiva solo quando avverte l’affetto e la gentilezza dell’altra persona.
L’unicorno con la magia e la sua buona volontà cercherà di risolvere le situazioni problematiche in cui si trovano i suoi amici e realizzare i loro desideri. C’è magia, altruismo, positività, ma in fondo tutto il volume risulta un filo triste e malinconico. Il lettore pur apprezzando i diversi capitoli sa che prima o poi arriverà il momento in cui Unico dovrà improvvisamente abbandonare i suoi nuovi amici e non gli rimarrà il ricordo di loro. Avrà regalato felicità e serenità, ma lui si troverà ogni volta solo, triste e confuso in una nuova situazione e ciò non avrà mai fine.
Il volume di Unico presenta elementi legati alle fiabe classiche e ad altri racconti e cartoni della nostra infanzia. Lo stile di Tekuza è semplice ma rende bene il movimento. C’è il giusto equilibrio nel rendere sia scene e momenti buffi, accentuando le espressioni e le reazioni dei diversi personaggi, sia quelle più serie e tristi che toccano il cuore. Anche i colori sono vivaci e accesi, sono stupendi in ogni situazione ma soprattutto nel rappresentare il cielo e i variegati paesaggi dell’opera.
Ho trovato che sia il disegno che i colori abbiano dei richiami disneyani. Sembra di trovarci in uno dei film classici o di essere finito in uno dei segmenti musicali di Fantasia, soprattutto nel capitolo, In visita al paese natale con la famiglia di unicorni che scherza e si diverte come quelli del famoso lungometraggio. Tutti questi elementi provocano un senso di dejavu nostalgico, di ricordi impressi nella nostra memoria e che ritornano quasi inconsciamente. Le vignette sono costruite in maniera particolare e spesso si rimane per parecchio ad analizzare una pagina e tutti i suoi particolari. Ogni volta si nota qualcosa di nuovo o che non si era notato prima.
Questa semplicità e spensieratezza dei disegni si trasmette nella storia di Unico. Il primo impatto è quello di una favola per bambini che possono seguire la storia di questo piccolo e tenero unicorno. Ma in realtà sono trattati temi importanti e maturi come l’ecologia, il rapporto tra uomo e natura, l’uso della violenza in ogni occasione, il razzismo sia tra gli uomini che tra le specie fatate. Tutti temi presenti nei diversi capitoli e che non lasciano totalmente indifferenti, ma anzi fanno riflettere. In Unico però si parla molto di solitudine e di amicizia. L’ultimo capitolo non chiude definitivamente la storia e anzi non è propriamente un lieto fine. Però si chiude parlando proprio di solitudine e di come spesso, stando troppo soli, non si sa più come relazionarsi con le altre persone, pesando che l’amicizia sia comandare gli altri e non un rapporto di scambio vicendevole.
Il volume si chiude però con speranza, positività. Come ho detto in precedenza, Unico non lascia indifferenti, ma tristezza, malinconia, dolcezza e fiducia nel prossimo. E’ una lettura scorrevole e dolce, solo in apparenza semplice e infantile, in realtà piena di significato e riflessioni che toccano soprattutto un pubblico adulto. Una lettura davvero indimenticabile e che lascia il segno anche a chi non si è mai prima d’ora avvicinato all’opera di Osamu Tezuka e che qui vede riassunti il suo stile, le tematiche e gli elementi che caratterizzano tutta la sua produzione.
Unico è il piccolo unicorno di Psiche che per la sua bellezza è odiata dalla dea Venere. Per punirla la dea dell’amore rapisce proprio Unico e lo costringerà a viaggiare nel tempo e nello spazio senza potersi mai fermare. Ma soprattutto, ogni volta che l’unicorno cambierà luogo, perderà la memoria di chi era e delle persone che ha conosciuto. Però l’unicorno non perderà la sua tenerezza e voglia di aiutare il prossimo, conoscendo e vivendo molte avventure anche se poi dovrà inevitabilmente dimenticare…
Il volume si affida al mito greco come partenza della storia di Unico. Come abbiamo imparato nei libri di mitologia, Venere è bella e vendicativa, invidiosa della bellezza di altre donne che punisce togliendo ciò che più amano. Ma punire Pische tocca più profondamente il povero Unico che la ragazza. Gli stessi alleati di Venere, come il vento Zefiro che deve allontanare l’unicorno su comando della dea, prova molta tristezza per questo suo compito, ma non può fare altro.
Ecco quindi il viaggio di Unico e le sue avventure in diversi luoghi e tempi. C’è il mito greco che ritorna più volte, ma anche l’America della conquista del West, la Russia degli zar; andremmo in castelli medievali e in foreste magiche ma anche fabbriche ultra-tecnologiche dove i robot si innamorano degli esseri umani. Unico farà amicizia con bambini, adulti e vecchietti, con animali parlanti, fate e demoni. Unico sarà aiutato dalle persone che incontra e ricambierà usando la sua magia che si attiva solo quando avverte l’affetto e la gentilezza dell’altra persona.
L’unicorno con la magia e la sua buona volontà cercherà di risolvere le situazioni problematiche in cui si trovano i suoi amici e realizzare i loro desideri. C’è magia, altruismo, positività, ma in fondo tutto il volume risulta un filo triste e malinconico. Il lettore pur apprezzando i diversi capitoli sa che prima o poi arriverà il momento in cui Unico dovrà improvvisamente abbandonare i suoi nuovi amici e non gli rimarrà il ricordo di loro. Avrà regalato felicità e serenità, ma lui si troverà ogni volta solo, triste e confuso in una nuova situazione e ciò non avrà mai fine.
Il volume di Unico presenta elementi legati alle fiabe classiche e ad altri racconti e cartoni della nostra infanzia. Lo stile di Tekuza è semplice ma rende bene il movimento. C’è il giusto equilibrio nel rendere sia scene e momenti buffi, accentuando le espressioni e le reazioni dei diversi personaggi, sia quelle più serie e tristi che toccano il cuore. Anche i colori sono vivaci e accesi, sono stupendi in ogni situazione ma soprattutto nel rappresentare il cielo e i variegati paesaggi dell’opera.
Ho trovato che sia il disegno che i colori abbiano dei richiami disneyani. Sembra di trovarci in uno dei film classici o di essere finito in uno dei segmenti musicali di Fantasia, soprattutto nel capitolo, In visita al paese natale con la famiglia di unicorni che scherza e si diverte come quelli del famoso lungometraggio. Tutti questi elementi provocano un senso di dejavu nostalgico, di ricordi impressi nella nostra memoria e che ritornano quasi inconsciamente. Le vignette sono costruite in maniera particolare e spesso si rimane per parecchio ad analizzare una pagina e tutti i suoi particolari. Ogni volta si nota qualcosa di nuovo o che non si era notato prima.
Questa semplicità e spensieratezza dei disegni si trasmette nella storia di Unico. Il primo impatto è quello di una favola per bambini che possono seguire la storia di questo piccolo e tenero unicorno. Ma in realtà sono trattati temi importanti e maturi come l’ecologia, il rapporto tra uomo e natura, l’uso della violenza in ogni occasione, il razzismo sia tra gli uomini che tra le specie fatate. Tutti temi presenti nei diversi capitoli e che non lasciano totalmente indifferenti, ma anzi fanno riflettere. In Unico però si parla molto di solitudine e di amicizia. L’ultimo capitolo non chiude definitivamente la storia e anzi non è propriamente un lieto fine. Però si chiude parlando proprio di solitudine e di come spesso, stando troppo soli, non si sa più come relazionarsi con le altre persone, pesando che l’amicizia sia comandare gli altri e non un rapporto di scambio vicendevole.
Il volume si chiude però con speranza, positività. Come ho detto in precedenza, Unico non lascia indifferenti, ma tristezza, malinconia, dolcezza e fiducia nel prossimo. E’ una lettura scorrevole e dolce, solo in apparenza semplice e infantile, in realtà piena di significato e riflessioni che toccano soprattutto un pubblico adulto. Una lettura davvero indimenticabile e che lascia il segno anche a chi non si è mai prima d’ora avvicinato all’opera di Osamu Tezuka e che qui vede riassunti il suo stile, le tematiche e gli elementi che caratterizzano tutta la sua produzione.
December 19, 2014
I've been exploring what I can of Tezuka in English and came across this Kickstarter funded project released recently and decided to pick it up. I've been delving into different realms of the author - Barbara and Apollo's song seem to deviate from the Astro Boy facade plastered on Tezuka by being both realist and adult oriented and Princess Knight, what would become a springboard for the shojo manga genre, was a strange blend of coming-of-age and a disney fairy tale. Then there were the earliest science fiction works (Metropolis, Lost World, Next World) that I read but did not necessarily like...
Unico fits into this scattered portrait of Tezuka that I've come up with myself closest to Princess Knight: it's definitely not as dark as his later works (Barbara, Ayako), it's definitely somewhat aimed at children but there is still enough charm to bring in adult readers and themes that aren't necessarily kid friendly (it was the blood, violence, and love affairs and kissing that made me think Unico was not so kid friendly...for Princess Knight it was definitely the gender issue!). The storytelling, in which Unico is transported to a new place in time each chapter, is definitely Tezuka - it allowed him to work with a number of different scenarios, characters, and places under the same book. Tezuka tackles that challenge with ease; his imagine is so vast. It helps the reader as well in establishing a kind of new story each time, keeping the narrative fresh and preventing it from dragging. He originally used this in his popular Phoenix series and later in Apollo's song as well...I honestly thought that Unico, with its lighthearted approach would be something written his earlier time...it's amazing how he wrote all this manga at different periods.
What else is amazing is, again, like many Tezuka's works, the ability of Tezuka to make his manga timeless. Many of the themes and places in the vignettes, from the future to the distant pass, are all still relevant in the 21st century. The themes of love, sacrifice, race, etc. are all still relevant and Tezuka's ability to create characters and backdrops for them that can still be read without an extensive glossary is amazing. In particular was the, perhaps now cliche, story about the machine falling in love with a little girl that critiques both pollution and technology over human beings.
Besides being just adorable, Unico is also a very interesting character for his humility, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. His eyes were also down cast, almost sad and pitiful, and very lonely. I felt that he embodied the traits of a character from one of Kenji Miyazawa's fairy tales, meek, very submissive, and self sacrificing.
The ending was a little troubling - it is open ended but Tezuka does close with a summation of Unico's adventures that makes a lot sense but is not something the reader (or at least, myself) was able to see in retrospect, being so engulfed in the individual struggles.
This book is a bit pricey but I suppose it makes sense that it costs three times a typical manga because it compiles about three volumes of stories (it is a thick book) and is in brilliant color all the way through to boot. if the cost is a bit off putting.
Great for kids and also for manga geeks - Unico is a visually pleasing all-color experience that has stood the test of time.
Unico fits into this scattered portrait of Tezuka that I've come up with myself closest to Princess Knight: it's definitely not as dark as his later works (Barbara, Ayako), it's definitely somewhat aimed at children but there is still enough charm to bring in adult readers and themes that aren't necessarily kid friendly (it was the blood, violence, and love affairs and kissing that made me think Unico was not so kid friendly...for Princess Knight it was definitely the gender issue!). The storytelling, in which Unico is transported to a new place in time each chapter, is definitely Tezuka - it allowed him to work with a number of different scenarios, characters, and places under the same book. Tezuka tackles that challenge with ease; his imagine is so vast. It helps the reader as well in establishing a kind of new story each time, keeping the narrative fresh and preventing it from dragging. He originally used this in his popular Phoenix series and later in Apollo's song as well...I honestly thought that Unico, with its lighthearted approach would be something written his earlier time...it's amazing how he wrote all this manga at different periods.
What else is amazing is, again, like many Tezuka's works, the ability of Tezuka to make his manga timeless. Many of the themes and places in the vignettes, from the future to the distant pass, are all still relevant in the 21st century. The themes of love, sacrifice, race, etc. are all still relevant and Tezuka's ability to create characters and backdrops for them that can still be read without an extensive glossary is amazing. In particular was the, perhaps now cliche, story about the machine falling in love with a little girl that critiques both pollution and technology over human beings.
Besides being just adorable, Unico is also a very interesting character for his humility, loyalty, and self-sacrifice. His eyes were also down cast, almost sad and pitiful, and very lonely. I felt that he embodied the traits of a character from one of Kenji Miyazawa's fairy tales, meek, very submissive, and self sacrificing.
The ending was a little troubling - it is open ended but Tezuka does close with a summation of Unico's adventures that makes a lot sense but is not something the reader (or at least, myself) was able to see in retrospect, being so engulfed in the individual struggles.
This book is a bit pricey but I suppose it makes sense that it costs three times a typical manga because it compiles about three volumes of stories (it is a thick book) and is in brilliant color all the way through to boot. if the cost is a bit off putting.
Great for kids and also for manga geeks - Unico is a visually pleasing all-color experience that has stood the test of time.
August 2, 2022
Though some dated stereotypes are employed here and there and some of the stories aren't as good as others, Unico is enjoyable from start to finish. The art, in full color (and read from left to right) is extremely pleasing on the eye, soft to the point of being soothing and features an extremely cute and likeable protagonist: Unico the baby unicorn. Drawing from myths, fairy tales and even Shakespeare, Tezuka draws a fun and sometimes silly, yet mysteriously compelling manga about love and its importance in life. While reading one can't help but wonder to which point the stories, characters and actions are allegorical, allowing for both rich interpretations and simple laughs.
I found out about this manga after readiing Kabi Nagata's autobiographical manga Solo exchange diary 2, in which she draws parallelisms between the manga and her own experiences. I'm very glad I decided to pick it up because now not only did I read a very enjoyable manga (also my first from Tezuka, who is arguably THE master of manga), I also got to understand Nagata's work a little better, and on the way I also happened to relate a lot to the main themes and the main character in the manga. Especially emotional was the final chapter (Unico and Solitude) which was very short in compraison with others but possibly the most intriguing, interesting and heart wrenching story of the lot. I suggest that, even if you don't read it all, you at least check out that story.
I found out about this manga after readiing Kabi Nagata's autobiographical manga Solo exchange diary 2, in which she draws parallelisms between the manga and her own experiences. I'm very glad I decided to pick it up because now not only did I read a very enjoyable manga (also my first from Tezuka, who is arguably THE master of manga), I also got to understand Nagata's work a little better, and on the way I also happened to relate a lot to the main themes and the main character in the manga. Especially emotional was the final chapter (Unico and Solitude) which was very short in compraison with others but possibly the most intriguing, interesting and heart wrenching story of the lot. I suggest that, even if you don't read it all, you at least check out that story.
January 20, 2014
My opinion is heavily skewed. I loved the Unico movies as a kid. Wore out the vhs tapes, loved them. Reading the manga now as an adult, all I can see are flaws.
Banished by Venus, Unico is fated to never stay long in any one place and instantly forget everything about himself, and the place he was in, the minute the West Wind comes to take him to a new place. Each chapter follows a similar format. The main character shows Unico one act of kindness and Unico attaches himself to that character, standing by them even when they bully him and take advantage of his magic for their own selfish wants. The character's selfishness lands them in trouble and then Unico saves them before being taken away by the West Wind.
Unico is incredibly co-dependent and nearly everyone he meets is a selfish bully. It's rough enough that Unico has to start over in every new place, but it's really upsetting to see all the characters he interacts with taking advantage of his passive and sweet nature. On the whole it's not a good message about friendship.
Banished by Venus, Unico is fated to never stay long in any one place and instantly forget everything about himself, and the place he was in, the minute the West Wind comes to take him to a new place. Each chapter follows a similar format. The main character shows Unico one act of kindness and Unico attaches himself to that character, standing by them even when they bully him and take advantage of his magic for their own selfish wants. The character's selfishness lands them in trouble and then Unico saves them before being taken away by the West Wind.
Unico is incredibly co-dependent and nearly everyone he meets is a selfish bully. It's rough enough that Unico has to start over in every new place, but it's really upsetting to see all the characters he interacts with taking advantage of his passive and sweet nature. On the whole it's not a good message about friendship.
October 20, 2013
I am coming out of a weirdly long Goodreads sabbatical to tell you. Guys, this book is great. It's so great. Unico is so cute. The story is totally get-into-able. AND it's in full color, people!! Pretty well done full color! Tezukaaaaa I love you! Unico is cursed by Aphrodite, so he has to keep being carried to random places by the west wind, where he does wonderful good deeds for people (and cats and baby sphinxes!) who show him kindness and love. It's ridiculous, and sweetsy, but I really like the different worlds he went to, storybooks, Midsummer Night's Dream, imperial Russia, and of course, a near-future dystopia where a factory is in love with a little girl. Yes. A factory. Lots of silly animals, fairies, flowers, weirdness, delightfulness. And happy endings, every time. Thank goodness. We could all use a story like this every once in a while.
June 15, 2017
https://101booksjapan.blogspot.ca/
I am probably not the best person to review Tezuka. No matter what I love it. Whether it's a dark title like MW or something aimed at a younger audience like Unico, I'm hooked.
I think maybe because Tezuka is always mapping out universal truths - the cruelties we perform on each other, the power of love to redeem us, and just how much good we can do by doing good.
In Unico it's a sweet baby unicorn who is the victim of a jealous and vindictive Greek goddess who offers the lesson in a number of stories in different times and places in history.
This is manga at its most uplifting - and well worth reading no matter how old you are.
I am probably not the best person to review Tezuka. No matter what I love it. Whether it's a dark title like MW or something aimed at a younger audience like Unico, I'm hooked.
I think maybe because Tezuka is always mapping out universal truths - the cruelties we perform on each other, the power of love to redeem us, and just how much good we can do by doing good.
In Unico it's a sweet baby unicorn who is the victim of a jealous and vindictive Greek goddess who offers the lesson in a number of stories in different times and places in history.
This is manga at its most uplifting - and well worth reading no matter how old you are.
September 8, 2014
This was the second Tezuka manga and I read, and I really really loved it. The art is gorgeous and fun (and full color O.O) and the dialogue is adorable and interesting. It's amazing how attached you can get to characters who are only in one short chapter. It's a testament to how well written they are. The book is a bit repetitive and very heavy on message/themes, but the characters and settings within each chapter are so creative that you can still enjoy it as an adult. Maybe I'm just partial because Unico is so cute. Excuse me, I'm off to go watch the tv series again!
August 2, 2013
Wow. The colour in this is gorgeous. Especially the skies and clouds.
The story is slightly insubstantial; the ending is open ended, which bothered me. And there's a delightful kind of absurdity, where references to modern media are made by characters living far in the past.
I'm not sure what else to say?? I really liked reading this. It's super cute and reminds me of being young, and loving stories about unicorns and myths.
The story is slightly insubstantial; the ending is open ended, which bothered me. And there's a delightful kind of absurdity, where references to modern media are made by characters living far in the past.
I'm not sure what else to say?? I really liked reading this. It's super cute and reminds me of being young, and loving stories about unicorns and myths.
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