Osamu Tezuka is a legend in the world of animation and manga. Not only is this man responsible for some of the most iconic series of all time, but his stylistic influences can still be felt to this very day. Many of his franchises, like Astro Boy, continue to persist into the modern day with adaptations or re-creations. So when I heard that one of his older series and collaborations was being revitalized in the form of a Scholastic comic for the modern day, I was very excited to see how this series would stand on its own. Unico is a very simple and enjoyable children's series that perfectly exemplifies the charm that Tezuka's original artistry became so well known for.

I want to clarify that I have not read or experienced Unico's source material. These two volumes are artistic recreations of the original comic that he worked on in collaboration with Sanrio. Thankfully, when it was first created, Unico was already tailor-made for a more western comic aesthetic, which has since been built on by Samuel Sattin and Gurihiru. I'm not aware of all the differences between this recreation and the original material outside of the clear artistic overhaul. It's possible there are also some narrative differences, but I'm here to review the product as its own. As it stands, I am very impressed with the artistry on display.

This story is like a child's imagination come to life. We have incredibly bright and vibrant colors. We have gorgeous splash pages that effortlessly flow from one scene to the other, both literally and figuratively. Almost all the character designs have this nice, soft roundness, indicative of Tezuka's original art style. While the art is redrawn, you can still see hints of what made characters so appealing in their simplicity. Unico has a very round head and a simplistic body that could easily be drawn by a child. There aren't a lot of humans in the main cast, especially in volume one. The story focuses on animals and ethereal beings that represent larger concepts like the wind and the night sky. The animals are cute yet mischievous, while these ethereal beings feel simultaneously scary and comforting, similar to how a child might look up at their parents.

The use of contrasting colors makes everything pop on the page, with noticeably dominant colors being used for prominent representations. We have blue lights to represent the senses of comfort and longing, we have bright red and yellow to represent righteous fury, and we have green to represent the sick and ill. Even when things are incredibly detailed, nothing feels too busy or without purpose. It's very easy to get lost in the presentation as we see pure color come to life.

The story is admittedly incredibly simple in its execution, albeit with a rather complicated setup. Kids might feel a bit lost during the opening sequences since the circumstances that generate the inciting incident could feel confusing. There is this tragicness to Unico's character, as he has supposedly spent lifetimes with various different friends and connections, but is cursed to forget them for huge gaps of time. He spends the majority of the story unable to remember anything about who he is or why any of this was done to him. It's sad and tragic, but the story doesn't highlight that, which I think is a bit of a missed opportunity. It's easy to grasp the emotions of every other character, whether a cat desires to selfishly become human or a little animal's desire to help protect a little girl. Unico feels the least interesting thing about the story, despite being the titular character.

He's not a bad character, and I can see people liking him. Despite his amnesia, he has a strong moral compass, his abilities invoke a natural sense of wonder, and you can tell that he wants everybody to be happy. There are some moments where you do feel bad over the fact that he doesn't seem to remember much, but it does get buried under everything else that goes on in the story. Perhaps it's because the story isn't ready to properly delve into what Unico has been through, as that is something that could be tackled in later volumes. For now, I would argue that the villain who chases him throughout the entire series so far has way more of a character and an identity than Unico does.

Despite the setback, this is a fantastic series that will hold the attention of people of all ages. You can tell that this was primarily made for children, and I think they will be drawn into the fun characters, the talking animals, and the amazing art. As an adult, it might still be a bit too simple for your tastes, but there is a lot of charm and beauty in its simplicity. It's very easy to get sucked into the vast worlds and concepts that this story creates, to the point where it feels like the entire journey can be done in the blink of an eye. I'm very glad that this exists and that there is a way for people to experience some of Tezuka's lesser-known works in the modern day. It's a valiant effort that I think has an amazing payoff, and I highly recommend you check out the series.