Hunted

Unico #2

by Samuel Sattin, Gurihiru (Illustrator), Osamu Tezuka (Creator)

Still hunted by Venus, Unico befriends a sickly girl imprisoned by an evil robotic machine. Lost in space and time, Unico awakens in an abandoned factory town. Saved by the resourceful mouse, Garapachi, Unico befriends Chiko, a human girl. But he soon learns that a sinister force is at work in the town's factory, bent on killing all living things. Meanwhile, Venus unleashes a fierce hunter who will stop at nothing to find Unico. Can Unico save Chiko? Can the West Wind save Unico?

Genres: Graphic Novels, Fantasy, Comics, Middle Grade, Manga, Childrens, Fiction

224 pages, Paperback

First published June 3, 2025

About the author

Samuel 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.

Reviews

[Allyson · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t wanna wait for the third book! Grrrr

[Ruki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Just okay. it dumps a lot of lore and such with exposition that is .... kind of boring. Its at times rushed and I feel formulaic. unico goes somewhere. unico helps. big boss shows up. unico transforms into a grown unicorn. unico wins.

I appreciate the art and I do think the designs are great, but for an adult reader, its just okay.

[Ellen Stephan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bei der Flucht vor der Herrin Venus, sie möchte Unico töten, verlor der Westwind Unico in einer düsteren Welt die von einer Maschine die Mutter beherrscht wird.
Dort leben nur noch Opa Yoji, Arbeiter in der Maschine, und seine kranke Enkelin Chiko. Das Leben ist traurig und leblos. Unico kommt durch die Nachbarn/Mäusefamilie zur den beiden und möchte direkt schicke helfen.
Währenddessen wiederbelebt Venus den Krieger Iver und sein Jagdross Strigaloth und gibt ihnen den Auftrag Unico zu vernichten. Auf ihrer Reise zu Unico durchstreifen sie viele Welten und töten was ihnen begegnet.
In der traurigen Welt bei der Maschine Mutter gibt es im Untergrund noch die Fey, diese Leben im verborgenen.
Unico entschließt sich gemeinsam mit den Fey Chiko zu retten und in die Unterwelt zubringen. Dabei entführt Mutter Opa Yoji. Beim gemeinsamen Versuch ihn zu retten wird die Mutter zerstört und die Welt von ihr befreit. Während dem Fest erreicht Iver diese Welt und versucht Unico zu töten.
Um ihn zu retten, wird er von den Fey in eine andere Welt geschickt.
Ende

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one better than the first book in the series. I love Unico so I am excited to see his stories come to life for a new generation...but I still enjoy the original stories better. I'm undecided yet on how they seem to be bringing in characters from the first volume...but I'm willing to give that a chance and look forward to seeing how things come together in the next volume.

[Tricia]

This is for Abigail 🫡

[Jona Litjens❤ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,75 ☆

[Deke Moulton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Único is just too pure for this world. Which I guess works because this graphic novel takes place in another world— it got a bit overwhelming with so many new charters who talk about a LOT (tons and tons if exposition and character/species names being dropped constantly to the point of feeling exceedingly lost). I sort of skimmed the last bit of the book because I just got way too overloaded. There’s gods and goddesses with secret pasta and relationships with characters that they name drop a bunch of stuff without any knowledge what any of it is… but Unico was very sweet to spend time with.

[Chuva · Rating 4 out of 5]

J'ai beaucoup aimé cette suite. Les dessins sont toujours aussi beaux.
J'ai préféré l'univers du premier je crois mais parce que ce second tome était plus plus triste, plus lourd au niveau des émotions je pense. J'ai hâte de lire la suite.

[寿理 宮本 · Rating 4 out of 5]

So, I sort of like this better than the first volume BUT still have some reservations about giving it to the niece I mentioned in my review for the same. I don't remember how "bad" the hunter scenes were I had described before, but since finding out she likes the Wings of Fire series... MAYBE it won't be too "scary" for her? I might see how she likes this one, then.

"Why would you give her book 2 without book 1?" She started Wings of Fire from the NEWEST book and is reading the older ones as the library gets them in, and also she loved PAWS 4 without having read the first books. Why not? It'll take me less effort than hunting down book 1 again, and it's for her homework anyway (20 minutes of reading per day, graphic novels count!).

That said, I still don't LOVE this series; this volume definitely starts in the middle, occasionally referring to things that happened in book 1, but mainly focusing on how Unico is once again in a completely unfamiliar place—with amnesia—and has the Goddess of "Everything and Everyone Else Around Me Must Be Uglier Than I Am Because That Makes Total Sense" out to kill him, because reasons. This time, Unico meets and is saved by a talking mouse (Garapachi), who explains how where they live has been turned into a toxic dumping grounds that will slowly kill them, but they can't leave. Garapachi introduces Unico to Chiko, a sickly girl who forms the basis for "Mother's" toxic domain, and from there Unico attempts to save Chiko. Stuff happens—including Chiko giving Garapachi CHEESE, UGH—and the story ends on a cliffhanger with the West Wind locating Chloe the Cat to get her and Toast to help save Unico.

Also, how is the "last" fey royal only a PRINCE. By default, he should be KING!

Thoroughly "book 2" material. At least the PAWS books can more or less be read individually without losing too much!

I mean, I'm still going to read Unico, if for no other reason than the art is GORGEOUS. I just don't find myself as such wanting to keep it around vs. hand it off to a potential new fan. (Maybe you??)

[Kim Childress · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Unico series continues to be a favorite of my young customers. It’s a positive, adventurous, and completely magical story of a young, “underdog” unicorn, who is running from the evil goddess Venus, and he meets new characters and helps them out along the way.
I highly recommend this book for boys and girls ages 9-12. Great stories, fantastic artwork, and introduces young readers to the world of Manga.


Still hunted by Venus, Unico befriends a sickly girl imprisoned by an evil robotic machine.
Lost in space and time, Unico awakens in an abandoned factory town. Saved by the resourceful mouse, Garapachi, Unico befriends Chiko, a human girl. But he soon learns that a sinister force is at work in the town's factory, bent on killing all living things. Meanwhile, Venus unleashes a fierce hunter who will stop at nothing to find Unico. Can Unico save Chiko? Can the West Wind save Unico?

Conceived anew by Eisner-nominated author Samuel Sattin and Eisner-winning artist team Gurihiru, and developed in collaboration with Tezuka Productions, UNICO: Hunted is the second volume in a groundbreaking reboot of a beloved manga 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 series featuring storytelling at its best. Join Unico on an unforgettable journey!

Genre/BISAC: Juvenile Fiction / Comics & Graphic Novels / Manga

[Andrea · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hunted (Unico, #2) by Samuel Sattin is a graphic novel about a small unicorn, Unico, who befriends a sickly girl and her grandfather, who are being imprisoned by an evil robotic machine.

Lost in space and time, Unico awakens in an abandoned factory town. He is rescued by a resourceful mouse named Garapachi, who introduces him to Chiko, a young girl, and her grandfather. Unico soon learns that Chiko and her grandfather are being held captive by a machine that forces the grandfather to work in the town's factory. The factory is poisoning the town, making everyone who lives there sick.

Meanwhile, Venus is still hunting for Unico and has unleashed a fierce hunter who will travel through space and time to capture him. Will Unico be able to save Chiko and her grandfather before it's too late?

This is the second book in the series. While it can be read as a standalone, I think it is best enjoyed after reading the first book. The graphic novel is beautifully illustrated, and the story is easy to follow. It also leaves the door open for characters from the first book to make a reappearance. I'm excited to see where the series goes next and look forward to reading the next installment.

[Shiritaku · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wir gehen wieder auf Abenteuer mit Unico! Dieses Mal verschlägt es ihn an einen Ort, der alles andere als schön ist - denn die Menschen wurden durch Maschinen vertrieben und so sind nur noch zwei von ihnen in der Stadt - und der Roboter »Mutter« lässt sie auch nicht gehen. Aber Unico trifft zuerst auf »Garapachi«, der ihm aus der Patsche hilft, als er von den Maschinen gejagt wird. Er lernt seine Familie kennen und kurz darauf die kleine »Chiko«, die den Mäusen immer wieder hilft, wenn sie kann. Doch selbst ist sie leider sehr krank.. so beginnt der neue Abschnitt auf Unicos Reisen durch verschiedene Welten und auf der Suche nach seinem wahren Ich, oder was er einmal früher war. Denn er weiß auch weiterhin nicht, was passiert ist.
Auch im zweiten Band passiert wieder ziemlich viel - teilweise ganz schön böse Szenen (vor allem mit der Göttin Venus), aber auch einige sehr herzerwärmende, die zeigen, wie toll Freundschaft und Hilfsbereitschaft sein können 🫶 auch optisch wieder toll, insbesondere da der Band komplett in Farbe ist und diese regelrecht leuchten. Ich mag die Charaktere und bin gespannt, was da noch so alles auf uns zukommt! 🦄💕

[Tracy Lander · Rating 5 out of 5]

The children at school are going to love me!

Unico is back. Whilst the West Wind is trying to get him to safety, a storm brews up and he is ripped from her hands.
When the storm subsides she needs to find him but where? And she isn't the only one looking!

Unico lands in an oddly dark street, with no one around. He sees a cloaked figure, but it disappears down a drain. A mouse tells him not to be so loud! He tells Unico he is a unicorn - because Unico seems to have lost his memory. The mouse called Garapachi takes him home - his family Ozuko (wife) and four mouselings have little. Garapachi takes him to see Chiko, a littel girl who lives in the house with her Grandpa. Chiko is very ill. She gives them as much food as she can.

But they are all controlled by 'Mother'. She is a machine that wants to control everyone and everything in their land. Can Unico help break free? What is 'Mother' and why does she want to control them?

Really like this series. I am by no means a graphic novel specialist, but the story and the graphics are so good. Out now.

[La_Pal_de_la_licorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ce second tome nous entraîne dans une nouvelle aventure palpitante, rythmée par les dangers, les découvertes et des choix parfois difficiles. Unico croise de nouveaux personnages, certains bienveillants, d’autres plus ambigus, qui viennent enrichir son parcours et questionner ses décisions. J’ai beaucoup aimé la petite phrase d’introduction, très utile pour se replonger immédiatement dans l’histoire.

J’ai pris beaucoup de plaisir à voir Unico évoluer et s’ouvrir aux autres malgré ce qu’il traverse. Sa douceur, son courage et sa capacité à croire en la bonté le rendent terriblement attachant. Les thèmes de l’amitié, de la différence et de la quête de liberté sont abordés avec une vraie délicatesse.

🎨 Côté graphisme, c’est toujours un régal : une ambiance expressive, des émotions très bien transmises et des couleurs magnifiques. Chaque planche renforce l’immersion et la magie du récit.

Une suite réussie, touchante et prometteuse, qui donne envie de poursuivre le voyage aux côtés d’Unico.

[Snarhooked · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first experience of Unico, although I have learned it is based on the original manga. As this is the second in the series of the graphic novel adaptation I did wonder if I would be able to pick everything up. I needn't have worried - there is a character page at the start of the book and I felt I soon understood what was going on. It helps that Unico himself seems to have amnesia and the reader learns alongside him as he experiences flashbacks.

There seemed to be quite a few pop culture nods in the artwork such as the hyenas from the Lion King and FNAF. Just something to look out for, I am sure there are more that I missed.

I prefer text stories to graphic novels but I did enjoy this and can see it being popular with my students.

[myles ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

UNICO I LOVE YOU FOREVERRRRRRRR

ok srs thoughts time: enjoyed this one just as much as the first even though i had to wait over a year for it (and will have to wait another year for the next one 💔). i’ve never seen the second unicorn movie but i do know the basics of its plot & because of that i was pleasantly surprised how in this second novel the plot didn’t reference it at all & instead went in a more original direction instead of paying homage to the og 80s movies. this did make the introduction of so many new characters a tad bit overwhelming but they were all enjoyable so i didn’t mind. also really loved the setting & the whole human tech vs natural world set up they had going on. the furry fey were also a nice touch lol.

[lili_livreuse · Rating 4 out of 5]

J’attendais impatiemment cette suite et une fois encore j’ai adoré ! Non seulement les dessins sont magnifiques et adorables mais l’histoire devient de plus en plus prenante !
Ce tome-ci est un peu plus sombre que le premier. L’auteur parvient encore à parler de problèmes sociétales (encore présent à l’heure actuelle) et il le mène vraiment bien. On montre encore une fois le mauvais côté de l’humanité mais toujours avec une note d’espoir pour le futur.
Les nouveaux personnages qui s’ajoutent étaient intéressants aussi. La petite souris et sa famille (j’ai trouvé les souriceaux tellement adorables), le papy et la petite fille et puis aussi les fae.
Hâte de découvrir la suite des aventures d’Unico

[Anna Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A cute fantasy story that brings me back to watching Unico VHS tapes rented from the video store as a kid. The art is really vibrant and expressive, the story has some interesting themes--the format of "stuff happens, Unico remembers a few things, Unico has to flee to an entirely new place again" makes it hard to care as much about the new characters introduced here, though. Will still definitely be picking up the next book when it comes out in 2026!

[Rachel Feeck · Rating 4 out of 5]

This second volume brings Unico's signature pluck and spirit to a whole new world and cast of characters. The mouse family is adorable, and the minions patrolling town are the right amount of sinister spooky for the semi-urban dystopian backdrop. While I missed Chloe the cat and others from the first volume, it hints that she'll return in future volumes, and I soon came to love the new faces (particularly the fey - think mystical ninja foxes). I love the blend of scifi and fantasy elements, with Unico's magical powers and the colorful fey fighting against both metal drones and an alien on a giant moth from the depths of space

The conflict with Venus and her chosen hunter lurks like an ominous cloud, but it's not the main focus. It seems that Unico has many adventures ahead, so we may not be getting many answers on the celestial side any time soon.

**Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review with YA Books Central. See YABC for more reviews!**

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

This one was really cool. I liked all the characters and the hob creatures looked and they reminded me of the hyenas from the lion king. lol Especially the one who looked derp and laughed. I liked the prince and I liked the idea of mother being corrupt and driven crazy cause she was made for something and then messed with to do another task, which caused her to be crazy and such.

I just wish it wasn't so long between stories. Cause I just want to read more at the end.

[Shatiel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Questa serie mi ha proprio conquistata e incuriosita!
Che peccato non aver potuto vedere la serie originale da cui è tratta.

E' davvero ben realizzata la storia, perchè mantiene una continuità, ma adattandosi a un nuovo mondo da salvare. Mi piace, non è assolutamente noiosa e ripetitiva.

Starrow mi ha ricordato vagamente qualcuno! E' un mix tra lo scienziato di Ponyo e Malocchio Moody! Troppo forte!

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Peak

too much cliffhanger tho. Like they edged us with the lizard man, hes ON THE BACK OF THE BOOK, yet he essentially is an end credits character. Cool that the cats are back.

rip mother tho kinda looks like one one and kinda similiar to one one from infinity train like when he starts destroying the turtle world becaues hes programmed to fix things

[Nikki Mackay · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm kind of loving this series so far. The way they've been mixing in some classic elements with some new ones has been fun. This one has is very Black Cloud White Feather meets robots and fey and it works. Loved the vibrant colours, the cute and the also slightly terrifying bits near the end.

Still a couple of things I'm hoping to see again so glad to hear there is another volume coming.

[Petr Josh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hunted is a relentless thriller that plunges you into a world of survival and vengeance. Sattin’s tight pacing and dark twists grip you from page one every chapter feels like a pulse-pounding battle for life.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was just as fantastic as the first one! These are just so beautifully illustrated and I absolutely love seeing Unico's new adventures. Also, the mouse family in this one was adorable.

Can't wait for the next one!

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I liked this volume even more than the first. The story continues from where we left off, with a new cast of characters. The artwork is beautiful once again, and the story is charming. I can't wait for the next volume.

[Shelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My oldest got me into this series and it was just as interesting as the first volume. Unico lost his memories again, and is now in a dystopian world with robots that have taken over from humans, and the Fey who were forced underground. Leaves on another cliffhanger so luckily book 3 just came out.

[Echo · Rating 5 out of 5]

While the first book echoed some of the storylines from the movies, this one was a whole new adventure. I really enjoyed it, and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go from here.

[Arlene Avilez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dudes, I am in love with the Prince's design! He's so beautiful and fluffy!

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love the direction the retelling is headed.