Scholastic, the world’s largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, is about to embark on a new journey into the world of Manga with artists Gurihiru and writer Samuel Sattin’s Unico: Awakening.
A reinvention of creator Osamu Tezuka’s Unico (of Astro Boy, Princess Knight and Kimba the White Lion fame) will be the first ever manga publication from Scholastic and the first volume of a series that will be released in 12 languages.
The return of Unico started with a successful Kickstarter campaign 2022, which attracted Scholastic to the material.
“For those who may not know much about Osamu Tezuka, the creator of Unico, he’s known in Japan as the “God of Manga”, though in the US he’s known more for Astro Boy, who has become a global icon. I think Tezuka’s stories are incredibly important, unique, and artful, and I’ve been a diehard fan of his for a long time. All of that is why I felt so unbelievably lucky to pitch Tezuka Productions on a Unico reboot” Sattin said.
The story opens with Unico on Earth and in the company of a cat named Chloe, who feels protective of the young unicorn. The pair then find themselves near a small village in the forest, where they are helped by a sweet, old woman who is also in need of assistance.
When Chloe begs Unico to turn her into a human girl so she can help the old woman, Unico’s use of his power alerts the evil goddess Venus to his location, putting everyone in jeopardy.
Sattin praised the artwork produced by Gurihiru and said “They also have truly figured out how to blend Japanese and American comics styles, which is way harder than it might sound. The way they do so is so seamless, they’re in a league of their own. Also, like many Japanese cartoonists, Gurihiru grew up with Osamu Tezuka, so working with them on Unico: Awakening really does take on the gravity it deserves.”
While the creative team has a great love for the original Unico stories, they also made sure to expand on many of the other characters in the Unico universe.
“Our version of Unico, then, while honoring Tezuka’s vision, ventures into new territory, giving some of the original story’s characters larger roles as they attempt to break Unico’s vicious cycle” Sattin said.
Unico: Awakening is currently available to purchase at finer book stores and comic book shops everywhere.
Check out Scholastic’s trailer below and read more from Sattin right here.