Interview by Rebecca Oliver Kaplan & Avery Kaplan
This week, Unico: Awakening by Samuel Sattin and Gurihiru arrives from Scholastic Graphix. A reimagining of Osamu Tezuka‘s seminal classic, the graphic novel began its journey as a Kickstarter Campaign before being catching the attention of and subsequently being acquired by Scholastic.
To celebrate the release of the book today, Comics Beat’s own power couple Rebecca Oliver Kaplan and Avery Kaplan caught up with writer Sattin and Scholastic VP & Creative Director and Unico: Awakening Editor David Saylor to learn more. Read on to discover everything we found out about this exciting new release. Plus, be sure and let us know in the comment section if you’ve received your Kickstarter edition of the graphic novel or if you plan on picking up a copy this week!
KAPLANS: With Unico launching Graphix’s new line of “kid-oriented manga,” did that impact how you reimagined Tezuka’s classic? If relevant, how were the story’s themes updated for contemporary audiences ages 8-12?
SAMUEL SATTIN: Gurihiru and I began working on the reimagining of Unico with Tezuka Productions in 2019, before we sold the series to Scholastic. It was an amazing act of fortune that the new Unico fit so well into Scholastic’s vision for a new kid-oriented manga line. Saylor, who founded Scholastic’s Graphix imprint and is the editor for Unico: Awakening, has been a great collaborator for where the story is headed.
In order to re-imagine Unico for a new generation of readers, Gurihiru and I updated certain elements of his story, but stayed true to the magic of the original. Because Unico: Awakening is the first book in a series, it has to set up Unico’s journey. We meet this magical unicorn who inspires people with his love and kindness. The problem though is that through doing that, he catches the attention of the goddess Venus. Envious of Unico, Venus tries to destroy him, and he ends up both banished and robbed of his memory. Now, he is on the run, and being chased by gods and monsters.
Tezuka originally created Unico in 1976 with a children’s audience in mind. One of the things that’s so inspiring about Tezuka, though, is that his stories don’t talk down to the audience or shy away from difficult truths. I think that’s why some of the animated Unico films that came out in the 80s were so affecting and memorable. And in our story, Unico’s themes haven’t been updated as much as they’ve been recontextualized in a larger, more contemporary universe.
KAPLANS: Do you have a personal history with Unico?
DAVID SAYLOR: Unico was new to me! I hadn’t known anything about it until I saw the first chapter on Kickstarter, but I immediately knew this was a book I wanted to publish. I felt it would be a great fit for the Graphix list, and it would be the perfect project to represent Scholastic’s enthusiasm for manga. And now I’m in love with the story and the character! I did know of Tezuka a little bit because of Astro Boy, which was on TV when I was a kid. And during the process of acquiring Unico, I learned so much more about Tezuka and what an incredible visionary he was: the founder of modern manga and anime.
KAPLANS: When we spoke in 2022, it was mentioned Unico: Awakening is based on the original’s storyline, “The Cat on the Broomstick,” centering on “notions of identity, and wanting to be something that you aren’t.” How are explorations of identity and belonging in Tezuka’s original Unico stories influenced by the era (the 1970s vs. 2020s) and culture (e.g., individualistic vs. collectivist culture) in which they were written? If any, what changes were made to Unico’s themes to resonate with global readers today?
SATTIN: That is such a good and big question. Honestly, it’s one I’ve been thinking a lot about myself, and am still working out the answer. One of the great things about Tezuka’s work is that it contains themes that I consider both timeless and universal. The notion of “wanting to be something that you aren’t” is something we see in a lot of children’s media, embodied best in classic Disney films.
In fact, Tezuka was a huge fan of Disney–and classic fairy tales as a whole. Think about Pinocchio, and the question of what it means to be a real boy; well, that’s the entirety of Tezuka’s Astro Boy, isn’t it? Instead of Geppetto’s workshop, we have Dr. Tenma’s lab. The worldbuilding changes, but the themes remain the same.
All that said, some of Tezuka’s themes are unique. One you see in a lot of Tezuka’s work that you wouldn’t really find in Western children’s media, is the Buddhist idea of reincarnation. Tezuka explores reincarnation in a lot of his stories, including Unico, where we have a character that can’t remember his past, and goes through many lives in a sense, but still draws from an endless well of kindness. Though again, while not western, that theme is also timeless.
So I think that rather than focusing on changing the themes themselves, what I find important is how those themes are interpreted throughout time. The 1970s were a time of major turmoil both in the US and Japan. Tezuka was a forward thinker, and was deeply fascinated with stories from other cultures. And like all of us, his worldview was formulated by the place he grew up in. So “wanting to be something that you aren’t” might have presented differently for readers in 1976 than it would today, both in Japan and the West. Notably, none of those readers had the internet, or social media. How does a kid today look at “wanting to be something that you aren’t” through the lens of social media? Through the lens of growing up during a pandemic? Or watching global upheaval on TikTok, and having to figure out what’s true and what’s not? These are things that I consider while writing the new Unico. Though the themes haven’t changed, the world has, and I hope readers can gain something new from our story.
KAPLANS: What’s the number one thing you want prospective readers to know about Unico?
SAYLOR: I want readers to know that Unico: Awakening is an exciting, high-stakes adventure. Not only is the artwork by Gurihiru truly extraordinary, but the reimagining of the story by Sattin carries forward the legacy of Tezuka by presenting readers with concepts and thought-provoking situations that are powerful and universal. There’s a lot of layers with Unico.
KAPLANS: A Kickstarter campaign to reimagine Unico in 2022 was funded in under 24 hours. How did the successful Kickstarter campaign turn into a multi-book deal with Scholastic?
SATTIN: Projects like the new Unico don’t happen without people working very hard to make it a reality. This started with me forging relationships with people in Japan, and that eventually led to being introduced to the good people at Tezuka Productions. I pitched the new Unico to them and, to my great shock and excitement, they accepted it. We had an entire amazing team of people helping run the Kickstarter, and after its success, my literary agent felt it was the right time to find a publishing partner for the books. Scholastic had such a strong vision for Unico, both the story and how they would publish it.
KAPLANS: Approximately two years after the Unico campaign launched (notably, a longer-than-average fulfillment period), it was announced this May that backers (like myself) were soon to be charged, with final fulfillment “on track for mid-July.” Is that still true? (Thank you for your transparency and frequent updates about delays.)
SATTIN: Yes, we are on track for that date. All of the items are arriving stateside, and will be fulfilled in the coming weeks following. And digital versions of the book will be sent out before that. We appreciate everyone’s patience. Creating a book like Unico was quite the feat, and we wanted to make sure it was perfect. And I sure learned a lot from doing a Kickstarter. Namely; that things take longer than you think they will. I’m so thankful to our backers for bearing with us.
Editor’s update for the second week of August: The Kaplans received our shipping confirmation email on July 31st, 2024.
KAPLANS: When and how did Scholastic become involved with the reboot? Did the decision to contract with, publish, and distribute via Graphix impact the crowdfunding campaign in any way? How are the two versions different (e.g., additional material, exclusive art, interviews, etc.)
SATTIN: Scholastic became involved after the book was nearly 70% complete (and the script was fully complete). They didn’t ask us for anything that affected production, as we finished the book prior to creating alternate assets. Though we had aspirations for the book turning into a series, we had no idea Scholastic would provide the framework for that to become a reality. The Kickstarter edition has its own unique cover by Gurihiru, different than the Scholastic edition will have, and of course there are all of the amazing original add ons by other artists that are only available to those that backed the Kickstarter. And of course we have some of our Backers that have been drawn into the manga.
KAPLANS: Can you tell us about what went into your role as editor on Unico?
SAYLOR: I offer editorial guidance on the series arc, the plot for each volume, and the detailed editing that polishes the final book. I also work with associate editor, Jonah Newman, who completes the editorial team. Tezuka created a rich, complicated world, and updating it for a new generation requires sensitivity and care. Sam is a brilliant writer and working with him has been a thoroughly joyful experience. His enthusiasm for the Unico stories and for telling them with drama and flair is thrilling.
KAPLANS: Did your position as VP & Creative Director at Scholastic directly affect the work you did on Unico?
SAYLOR: As the publisher for Graphix, I have an unusual background. I started my career in publishing in the production/manufacturing departments, then found my passion in design and art direction. As an art director, I have always been editorially driven, meaning that my sensibilities always formed from wanting to create a visual representation—in book form—for an author’s words. Working on illustrated novels and picture books coincided with my love for comics, so graphic novels has become the sweet spot of where of my talent and interests overlap.
KAPLANS: Which character do you resonate the most with and why?
SATTIN: My favorite character is probably the West Wind. She had so many burdens placed on her shoulders, and was forced to serve an evil goddess for eons. But when it came to Unico, she put the threat of consequences aside to do what’s right, at great risk to herself. She embodies such a powerful form of courage–the type that means being abandoned by everything one knew. I find that aspirational. One of the hardest things for humans to do is to speak up in opposition when everyone around you is afraid to.
KAPLANS: What are some of your favorite lessons and/or takeaways from Unico: Awakening? What do you hope readers will take away from volume 1 and beyond? Or why do you think this story is needed in the middle grade space?
SATTIN: Unico is a story that I truly feel is needed for new generations. It explores timeless themes like the importance of friendship, the nature of love, and being true to yourself. But as much as Unico is about celebrating what you are, it is also about celebrating what you are not. It asks questions like: “Who am I without my past to look back on?” In volume 1 and beyond, I hope readers will think about how we remember our pasts, and the pasts of others. We often shape our future by looking back at who we used to be. This is not possible for Unico, who is trying to discover where he came from.
But above all that, I hope readers will enjoy this adventure. To me, that’s the most important part.
KAPLANS: Is there anything else you’d like us to include?
SAYLOR: It’s been over a year since I first saw the awe-inspiring Kickstarter images of Unico. And now, being a part of shaping Unico for a new generation of readers will, I think, turn into a career-defining moment for me, but perhaps also an important moment that ignites a new wave of manga publishing for younger readers.
Unico: Awakening Vol. 1 is available now at your local bookstore and/or public library.
