Summary
Unico, a classic manga series by the legendaryOsamu Tezuka, is getting an Original English-language (OEL) manga calledUnico: Awakening, which will bring this classic tale from the godfather of manga to modern audiences.Unicohas always been one of Osamu Tezuka’s most endearing stories starring the namesake unicorn with the power to bring happiness to others.
In 2022, it was announced thatUnicowould receive an OEL, manga calledUnico: Awakening, a collaboration between Scholastic Graphix and Tezuka Productions, written by Samuel Sattin and illustrated by Guruhiru, and after two years,Unico: Awakeningis officially set to release on July 27, 2025. This will be the first officialUnicoproject since 2000’sUnico Special Chapter, and as a reimagining of the series, it’s perfect for old and new fans ofUnico.
The original story is clearlyinspired by Greek mythologyand follows Unico, whose powers of happiness earn him the ire of the goddess Venus. The kindhearted West Wind, however, keeps Unico safe by repeatedly sending him through time and space to protect him from Venus and other gods, although every trip makes Unico lose his memories of the friends he’s made.
Unico: Awakening’s Story Explained
Written by Samuel Sattin; Illustrated by Guruhiru
Unico: Awakeningfollows the classic format of Osamu Tezuka’s original story with Unico making new friends after being sent somewhere by the West Wind to protect him from Venus and the other gods. For volume #1,Unico: Awakeningwill adapt the classicUnicostory “The Cat in the Broomstick”, a notable change being that the cat whom Unico befriends will now be named Chloe instead of Chao or Katy.
However, thisUnico: Awakeningstory won’t just be an adaptation of “The Cat in the Broomstick”. Going off of the trailer and various press releases, the first volume will include elements from adaptations and later manga chapters like Unico’s family and the Night Wind, and it will even expand on the incident that led to Unico getting involved with the gods in the first place. All of that means thatUnico: Awakeningwill be a full-fledged expansion of theUnicomythos, and that’s sure to make for an interesting read for old and new fans, alike.
Unico: Awakening Can Be a Great Introduction to Osamu Tezuka’s World
Osamu Tezuka has a very expansive library of work, andUnico: Awakeningcan be a great introduction to the world of this legendary mangaka. The way it’s set to condense decades of material into a more linear narrative is already a plus, and when combined with Samuel Sattin’s writing and Guruhiru’s artwork, it givesUnicoa level of accessibility that Tezuka’s work doesn’t always maintain in modern day.
Fans of anime may already be familiar with re-adaptations of Tezuka’s works throughthe recent Netflix hitPluto, an anime adaptation of the manga of the same name by Naoki Urasawa, which was in turn inspired by what is perhaps Tezuka’s most famous work,Astro Boy. While the concept behindUnico: Awakeningis quite different, this is still a great chance for fans to dive into the incredible world created or inspired byOsamu Tezuka.
