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Unico #1
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
50 people are currently reading
436 people want to read
About the author
Samuel Sattin
28 books104 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 179 reviews
January 11, 2025
EN I approached this one with little idea of what to expect.
While clearly aimed at a younger audience, there's no reason why adults can't enjoy it as well.
The story starts off a bit slow, as it takes time to establish the world and introduce the characters, offering plenty of explanation to set the stage. However, once past that initial setup, it becomes truly engaging.
The standout feature is undoubtedly the characters and their interactions, especially Unico, who undeniably steals the spotlight.
With its adorable artwork and charming use of color, *Unico* is the kind of book perfect for anyone seeking a heartwarming and uplifting story.
--
PT Abordei este livro sem saber bem o que esperar.
Embora seja claramente direcionado a um público mais jovem, não vejo razão para que os adultos não o possam apreciar igualmente.
A história começa um pouco devagar, já que precisa de tempo para estabelecer o mundo e apresentar as personagens, oferecendo muitas explicações para preparar o terreno. No entanto, depois dessa introdução, torna-se verdadeiramente envolvente.
O ponto mais forte são, sem dúvida, as personagens e as interações entre elas, especialmente o Unico, que rouba completamente a cena.
Com ilustrações adoráveis e um uso encantador das cores, "Unico" é o tipo de livro perfeito para quem procura uma história acolhedora e reconfortante.
While clearly aimed at a younger audience, there's no reason why adults can't enjoy it as well.
The story starts off a bit slow, as it takes time to establish the world and introduce the characters, offering plenty of explanation to set the stage. However, once past that initial setup, it becomes truly engaging.
The standout feature is undoubtedly the characters and their interactions, especially Unico, who undeniably steals the spotlight.
With its adorable artwork and charming use of color, *Unico* is the kind of book perfect for anyone seeking a heartwarming and uplifting story.
--
PT Abordei este livro sem saber bem o que esperar.
Embora seja claramente direcionado a um público mais jovem, não vejo razão para que os adultos não o possam apreciar igualmente.
A história começa um pouco devagar, já que precisa de tempo para estabelecer o mundo e apresentar as personagens, oferecendo muitas explicações para preparar o terreno. No entanto, depois dessa introdução, torna-se verdadeiramente envolvente.
O ponto mais forte são, sem dúvida, as personagens e as interações entre elas, especialmente o Unico, que rouba completamente a cena.
Com ilustrações adoráveis e um uso encantador das cores, "Unico" é o tipo de livro perfeito para quem procura uma história acolhedora e reconfortante.
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.
November 7, 2024
This was a really cute middle grade graphic novel. I loved the illustrations and story of this graphic novel. I also really liked the cast of characters, especially Unico and Chloe. This was a great, feel good read, that people of all ages can enjoy. I’m looking forward to reading future graphic novels in the series.
Thank you to @graphixbooks for the gifted copy.
Thank you to @graphixbooks for the gifted copy.
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!
October 21, 2024
OMG I FINISHED IN ONE DAY!! AND ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH CHLOE THE CAT LIKE WHATTTTT!!! She too cute 🥺🥺
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.
February 28, 2025
When I saw this in my local comic store, I was so excited to see Unico was back! As a fan of the 80s movies, I really wanted to see the little unicorn in more media. The graphic novel is absolutely fantastic! It brings Unico into a modern world and has new takes on the characters, while still keeping the main theme of Unico: the power of love. The art is beautiful; inside there are many great full page spreads. The updated designs are great as well; it gives a more comic book vibe while maintaining the legendary Greek Gods ascetic. The story share a lot of points from the first movie, but expands upon the role of the Gods in the story, and makes a more grounded human antagonist. I can not wait to read the next graphic novel, and I hope this series is successful!
September 20, 2024
For more bookish opinions, visit my blog: Craft-Cycle
A modern-day Unico brings joy and kindness to all he meets while the jealous Venus is determined to destroy him.
As I have not read the original manga, my only experience with Unico before this was watching The Fantastic Adventures of Unico. However, this appears to be a mostly faithful adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's original work (specifically "The Cat on the Broomstick") with modernized elements.
The artwork is amazing. There are so many gorgeous spreads. I absolutely adored the reimagining of Venus.
Way more animal violence and cruelty than I was expecting, including kicking, abandoning, shooting at, and killing.
Teetering between heartwarming and dark, this volume provides a nice modernized version for those familiar with Unico and his adventures. For me personally, I felt a bit disconnected from the story and that at times it relied on pervious knowledge to really connect with the characters.
An interesting read overall. The abrupt ending sets up the action for the next volume.
A modern-day Unico brings joy and kindness to all he meets while the jealous Venus is determined to destroy him.
As I have not read the original manga, my only experience with Unico before this was watching The Fantastic Adventures of Unico. However, this appears to be a mostly faithful adaptation of Osamu Tezuka's original work (specifically "The Cat on the Broomstick") with modernized elements.
The artwork is amazing. There are so many gorgeous spreads. I absolutely adored the reimagining of Venus.
Way more animal violence and cruelty than I was expecting, including kicking, abandoning, shooting at, and killing.
Teetering between heartwarming and dark, this volume provides a nice modernized version for those familiar with Unico and his adventures. For me personally, I felt a bit disconnected from the story and that at times it relied on pervious knowledge to really connect with the characters.
An interesting read overall. The abrupt ending sets up the action for the next volume.
January 3, 2025
Oh, kijk deze cover nou! De kleuren spatten er van af en wat is die eenhoorn schattig!
Het is een manga, geheel in kleur en je leest hem gewoon van voor naar achteren en hij geschikt voor de leeftijd vanaf 9 jaar. Ik ben erg benieuwd!
En ik kan je vertellen, deze manga stelde mij niet teleur.
Het is zeker geschikt voor de jongere lezer, die wel wat spannends en avontuurlijks willen lezen. En er komen wijze lessen naar voren.
Maar hij is zeker ook niet kinderachtig, en ik als 36jarige lezer heb er van genoten.
De illustraties zijn mooi. En de kleuren maken het plaatje echt af!
Ze zijn nergens bloederig, wat fijn is voor het jongere publiek. Er zijn momenten dat het verhaal wel spannend is, en sommige wezens wellicht wat eng kunnen zijn.
Ik vond het verhaal goed te volgen. Het switch soms wel van de ene scène naar een totaal andere omgeving en ander deel van het verhaal maar dat komt heel vloeiend over. Eigenlijk alsof je een film kijkt.
Wat wil ik graag het tweede deel lezen! Maar het duurt nog even voor deze uitkomt. Ik hoop echt dat uitgeverij de Fontein deze ook weer gaat uitgeven in het Nederlands!
Het is een manga, geheel in kleur en je leest hem gewoon van voor naar achteren en hij geschikt voor de leeftijd vanaf 9 jaar. Ik ben erg benieuwd!
En ik kan je vertellen, deze manga stelde mij niet teleur.
Het is zeker geschikt voor de jongere lezer, die wel wat spannends en avontuurlijks willen lezen. En er komen wijze lessen naar voren.
Maar hij is zeker ook niet kinderachtig, en ik als 36jarige lezer heb er van genoten.
De illustraties zijn mooi. En de kleuren maken het plaatje echt af!
Ze zijn nergens bloederig, wat fijn is voor het jongere publiek. Er zijn momenten dat het verhaal wel spannend is, en sommige wezens wellicht wat eng kunnen zijn.
Ik vond het verhaal goed te volgen. Het switch soms wel van de ene scène naar een totaal andere omgeving en ander deel van het verhaal maar dat komt heel vloeiend over. Eigenlijk alsof je een film kijkt.
Wat wil ik graag het tweede deel lezen! Maar het duurt nog even voor deze uitkomt. Ik hoop echt dat uitgeverij de Fontein deze ook weer gaat uitgeven in het Nederlands!
January 15, 2025
3.5 stars...rounding up because I will continue in the series...but if I want to re-read a Unico story I will probably go back to the originals.
I was VERY excited for this and backed the Kickstarter for it. And I'm so happy to see Unico come alive for a whole other generation of kids. I guess I just wasn't expecting this to be so close to one of the original stories and yet...also...so different. It's similarities make it really hard to not compare it to the original and it's missing the heart that made me love the original so much. And it's hard to pinpoint exactly why I feel that way...maybe it's the emphasis on the west wind's side quest...maybe it's a lack of showing how unico made people's lives so much better...maybe it's a lack of emphasis on how Unico's powers work and how they come from love and friendship. Not sure...but as a comparison...this just falls a bit flat for me.
Without that comparison...the artwork is stunning and it's an interesting premise. I hope it finds it's audience and that people love it because I want to see more. I adore Unico and would love to see more adventures come to life.
I was VERY excited for this and backed the Kickstarter for it. And I'm so happy to see Unico come alive for a whole other generation of kids. I guess I just wasn't expecting this to be so close to one of the original stories and yet...also...so different. It's similarities make it really hard to not compare it to the original and it's missing the heart that made me love the original so much. And it's hard to pinpoint exactly why I feel that way...maybe it's the emphasis on the west wind's side quest...maybe it's a lack of showing how unico made people's lives so much better...maybe it's a lack of emphasis on how Unico's powers work and how they come from love and friendship. Not sure...but as a comparison...this just falls a bit flat for me.
Without that comparison...the artwork is stunning and it's an interesting premise. I hope it finds it's audience and that people love it because I want to see more. I adore Unico and would love to see more adventures come to life.
November 26, 2024
Really mixed feelings. Overall, I think this GN tries to do too much, mainly in terms of exposition and world building. Much of the dialogue is too wordy because of this, and the pace of the book is uneven. All of that exposition and they still don't manage to effectively explain the weird/metaphysical flower sections well.
All that said, the art is great. The sections in which the authors let the art lead the storytelling are effective; I'd read more of that.
I'm left wondering if the problem might not be first book jitters - trying to establish too much too quickly instead of pacing the story and letting it breathe. I thin that might be wishful thinking though - my bet is the second volume has the same (as I perceive them) flaws.
All that said, the art is great. The sections in which the authors let the art lead the storytelling are effective; I'd read more of that.
I'm left wondering if the problem might not be first book jitters - trying to establish too much too quickly instead of pacing the story and letting it breathe. I thin that might be wishful thinking though - my bet is the second volume has the same (as I perceive them) flaws.
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.
September 22, 2024
Overall an ok graphic novel, but not really for me. I had high hopes for the story, but the concept just wasn't working. I feel like the whole thing where Nico's memories are reset repeatedly just didn't work as a way of keeping him safe. Or I didn't really understand how it actually kept him safe. The artwork is nice and in keeping with that style. Just not sure that I would pick up the next book in the series. Ok, I will pick it up but only if I forget the first one, because if I remember book 1, then I won't want to read book 2.
October 19, 2024
Unico now finds himself in the modern world, befriending Chloe the cat and helping her take human form to help her new owner, Granny - but as Zephyrus the West Wind risks her to life to bring Unico's memories back, Venus utilizes an arrogant hunter to finally capture the unicorn's magic. Sattin and Gurihiru continue Osamu Tezuka's classic series in this colourful reimagining, decently paced though a bit clunky for newcomers, yet a charming visual treat, particularly in its fantastical designs. Will Unico be able to protect his new pals as Zephyrus races against time to aid him from afar?
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 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!
December 12, 2024
Agréablement surprise par ce manga.
Je ne tripp pas licorne, mais cette histoire mêlant mythologie grecque, et Unico, une licorne à l’allure de pégase m’a fait perdre la notion du temps.
Très heureuse d’avoir découvert ce nouvel univers, hâte de lire la suite!
Je ne tripp pas licorne, mais cette histoire mêlant mythologie grecque, et Unico, une licorne à l’allure de pégase m’a fait perdre la notion du temps.
Très heureuse d’avoir découvert ce nouvel univers, hâte de lire la suite!
March 12, 2025
This is my first manga and I loved it! 😊 read with a 9 year old and it was captivating enough to keep my attention and rooting for the characters. The illustrations are beautiful and helped enrich the story. The cutest book!
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.
December 19, 2024
I LOVE THIS BOOK!!! I love unicorns but this brings this to a new level I hope to get book two, it's just that good. I also love how there is a good versus evil element to it.
March 27, 2025
It was very cute and well-drawn, but I was not interested in the story. Unico himself did not have much of a personality and Chloe became kind of annoying.
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June 21, 2025This was an engaging and entertaining middle grade manga (graphic novel / comic). It wholly kept the attention of not only myself at thirty-eight, but also my almost seven year old who really enjoys these style of novels. I wasn’t sure what to expect but I was quite satisfied with the story itself and also the vibrant art that accompanied the story. Unico was definitely the star of the show, I think that goes without saying, but we also enjoyed Chloe and Toast a lot as well. I hope this is going to be a series because we absolutely fell in love with this book. I’m going to go preorder the next book as a surprise to my kiddo, she’ll be over the moon with excitement! Definitely recommend!
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 ⭐️
June 20, 2025
Prachtige tekeningen en supermooi verhaal. Ik hoop dat we meer van deze eenhoorn terug zien.
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August 9, 2025This one’s for Abigail🫡
Hit me up if you need Girl Scout cookies in January or a good book recommendation because Abigail got you
Hit me up if you need Girl Scout cookies in January or a good book recommendation because Abigail got you
August 29, 2025
I wouldn't normally include books that I read to my daughter but I'm genuinely loving this series.
June 19, 2025
This has some of the cutest artwork and characters EVER! It also has a final boss that's genuinely horrifying.
Ready for more!
Ready for more!
July 26, 2025
Did I finish this in less than 2 hours? Yes.
Did I love it? Yes.
On to the sequel!
Did I love it? Yes.
On to the sequel!
June 15, 2025
Hands down my favourite graphic novel! Imagine combining Sailormoon, Bambi, and Snow White into a masterpiece of storytelling arcs coming together.
The pacing is done so well, leaving you on suspense yet transiting and flowing into the next story so seamlessly.
The art style is beautiful, the colours carries the emotional storytelling.
I can’t wait for volume 2!
The pacing is done so well, leaving you on suspense yet transiting and flowing into the next story so seamlessly.
The art style is beautiful, the colours carries the emotional storytelling.
I can’t wait for volume 2!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews