Interview: Creative Team Behind Unico: Hunted

#interview August 01, 2025

by Kiira Fox , Tamara Lazic

The god of manga, Osamu Tezuka, passed away in 1989, but his characters still live on in Japanese and Western entertainment. One such beloved creature is Unico, currently the star of the re-imagined series written by Samuel Sattin, illustrated by Gurihiru, and supported by Tezuka Productions. With two volumes out, Unico: Awakening and Unico: Hunted, this modern take on Tezuka's original 1970s manga has found its home in the hearts of readers across the world.

Earlier this year, we reviewed Unico: Hunted, and now we had the opportunity to chat with Samuel Sattin, Gurihiru, and Tezuka Productions about this new installment of the Unico series. First up, we have Samuel Sattin.

Samuel Sattin Talks Unico: Hunted

Q: Looking back on Unico: Awakening, how did you feel about the response to the debut? Is there anything you wish you had done differently?

Sattin: The response to the debut of Unico: Awakening was truly everything I could have hoped for. When I set out to work on this reimagining, I genuinely wasn’t sure how far we would be able to go with it. Of course, I’d hoped we’d be able to put out more than one book…but never in my wildest imagination did I imagine we’d be embarking on such an adventure. Working with Tezuka Productions to adapt Osamu Tezuka’s classic was a privilege in itself, and it carries on to this day. Scholastic/Graphix has been incredible to work with. They got the word out in a big way and have been immensely supportive—not to mention editorial and design geniuses. I was and am eternally grateful to be working on this project. It’s been amazing to see all the different fans come out of the woodwork to support it. I can’t think of anything I or anyone would have done differently. We’re in dream-come-true territory, as far as I’m concerned.

Q: Were there any changes, creatively or emotionally, going into working on Unico: Hunted?

Sattin: Unico: Hunted marked the point where we begin expanding the story beyond the borders set out in Unico: Awakening. This involved delving deeper into not just the original Unico manga but also charting out a larger universe and exploring Osamu Tezuka’s Star System. We bring back characters from the past that fans will recognize, while introducing ones that are wholly original, and bringing in a few surprises that only diehard Tezuka enthusiasts will recognize. We also begin growing some of the smaller seeds that were planted in volume 1 to a point where readers will realize that a bigger story lies ahead. Each subsequent volume of Unico will be like a doorway to a larger narrative. There’s a lot of adventure in store.

Q: Unico: Hunted starts with Unico entering another world, his memories gone once again. Each world that he visits seems to have its own lore and world-building. What is your creative process in setting each world in this story apart?

Sattin: The framework for our version of Unico comes from the original manga. In it, Unico essentially awakens in a new location throughout time in each chapter. Each chapter is somewhat self-contained and tells its own story, with Unico tasked to help solve a problem, typically involving helping a newfound friend. As a writer, I am careful to adhere to this structure while at the same time reimagining it from the bottom up and tacking on a larger story in the background. The idea is to take this beautiful and thoughtful character and create a larger world for him to inhabit. Tezuka-sensei never provided a conclusion to Unico, but we’ve been given permission to do so. To do this is a huge honor, and one I don’t take lightly.

Q: Unico is a morally good character, and that especially shows in this volume. He always wants to help, and he feels that he can talk his way out of bad situations. But he almost has this blind optimism. Do you view this as a flaw in Unico or a strength?

Sattin: That’s a great question. Unico is a character who is hunted by the ruler of the cosmos. Venus’s hatred for him knows no bounds. And it might be fair to say that one of her reasons for that hatred is his hopefulness. His genuine kindness. Unico is indeed a character with boundless optimism, but I’m not sure I would call it blind. He is conscious of the world being filled with heartbreak. He just refuses to contribute to it and does whatever he can to help better things where he can. I understand how that might translate to a blind sense of optimism to some. But to me, it's resilience.

Q: Unico: Hunted seemed a bit darker than the first volume, given the conditions of the world, character illness, and things that happen to them. Was this always intended, or was it a natural progression of the story?

Sattin: It is indeed the natural progression of the story. Unico’s tale doesn’t come without its fair share of tragedy. Sometimes he comes up against true difficulties and has to figure his way through them. This dynamic was present in Tezuka-sensei’s original work, and I find it quite meaningful. I’ve always found value in stories that don’t talk down to kids but ask them to engage instead. Happiness often exists alongside heartbreak. I don’t think there’s anything wrong with acknowledging that truth.

Q: How was working with Gurihiru on Hunted? Were there any noticeable changes in the process when compared to the first volume?

Sattin: It’s like working with a pair of supergeniuses, because that’s what they are. I am constantly in awe of their ability to expand upon the framework of our story in creative and nuanced ways. They understand how to reimagine a character in a way that respects the original while creating something contemporary and standout. And they know how to do the exact same thing when it comes to original characters. There weren’t any truly noticeable changes in the process, save for the fact that their understanding of the universe we’re creating became even stronger and sharper than I could have ever imagined.

We thank Samuel for his heartfelt answers and for taking the time to chat with us at Anime Atelier. Next up, we have Gurihiru, the creative team responsible for the art.

Gurihiru and Continuing Tezuka's Legacy

Q: Continuing Osamu Tezuka's legacy is no small feat. How did you approach this task in the first place, and would you say that the second volume saw some changes in terms of your creative process?

Gurihiru: Since this is a reboot of Tezuka's works, we still feel a lot of pressure. We want new readers to enjoy Unico, so we always keep that in mind as an important factor while we work on the pages.

For the second volume, the story is still based on Tezuka's original Unico, but with Samuel Sattin's help, there are some new storylines, and we've designed some new characters.

Q: What is it like working with Samuel Sattin?

Gurihiru: Sam's script has a very interesting world, and when we touch the details, we always find something new that gives us a lot of inspiration. We appreciate working with him to create a new vision of Unico, and we can’t wait for readers to see what else is in store for Unico!

We thank Gurihiru for taking the time out of their very busy schedule to answer our questions! Lastly, we managed to get a few comments from Tezuka Productions, which has been keeping Tezuka's legacy alive and supporting the new Unico series since the beginning.

Tezuka Productions on Unico Re-Imagined Series

Q: What are your expectations for the new Unico series, now that we are two books into it?

We anticipate that this new series will bring even more excitement and wonder.
Readers will be thrilled by Unico's unexpected encounters with new friends on his journey.
Regardless of how the story unfolds, Unico's kindness will continue to inspire young readers.

Q: Were you happy with how the series was received by the readers?

Yes, we were so happy that it was well-received by readers. We were also thrilled that the core of the series resonated with them just as Osamu Tezuka's original Unico did.

A final big thank you to Samuel Sattin, Gurihiru, and Tezuka Productions for speaking with us here at Anime Atelier. Unico's story isn't over, with volume 3 slated for 2026. You can check out the thrilling trailer for Unico: Hunted below.