When I was a little girl, my best day was when my parents took me to the theatres to watch Unico for one more time or our national television showed it. I don't know what it was maybe pure magic but the movie had very strong influence on me or even my parents that lived through us to the day. A little lovely creature with a horn that care about others and when he gets back what he has given from his friends he becomes powerful in the form of the most magnificent creature I have ever seen.A few days ago when I saw this movie after 15 years the same feelings of my childhood returned to me: Love, forgiveness,friendship,happiness,excitement,and a bit of sadness in the end. I keep this DVD as a treasure though not of very good quality because Unico is my all time favourite animation.
16 Reviews
Its strongest quality is that it reminds people of their youth.
blackismylove20 June 2009
Don't get me wrong, that's a good thing. I must have been about 4 or when I first saw this movie. I don't really remember all that much of it. Just bits in pieces here and there, but I was interested enough to watch it again. Of course it was a very different experience now that I'm grown. As an adult and a movie enthusiast I've become accustomed to looking at things like quality and composition; something that no one really looks for when they're 4. Back then I just enjoyed colorful animation.
As an adult I have to rate this movie on certain things. I think that by today's standard, the quality of the animation is just OK. Although I noticed that even though it's almost 30 years old, some of it was actually quite ascetic. Personally, my favorite characters were the west and night winds. I really liked how they had been designed visually. However, there was a sort of ridiculousness in the style sometimes. Devils, unicorns, and talking animals aside, I thought it was kinda weird that the old woman had a nose the size of her entire head. There was also an odd quality to the voice acting that made it a bit clumsy.
There really wasn't too much plot. The main character just kinda got moved around against his will and tried to improve things for people wherever he went. So as an adult, this movie was a bit difficult for me to sit through, but keeping in mind that it was geared towards little children (and apparently did a good job of entertaining them as most of the comments I've read have been about how they loved this film as a child) Id have to say that this is actually a successful movie. Though not really big on production value, I did end up giving it a higher score than I would have if I had not seen it when I was a little kid.
As an adult I have to rate this movie on certain things. I think that by today's standard, the quality of the animation is just OK. Although I noticed that even though it's almost 30 years old, some of it was actually quite ascetic. Personally, my favorite characters were the west and night winds. I really liked how they had been designed visually. However, there was a sort of ridiculousness in the style sometimes. Devils, unicorns, and talking animals aside, I thought it was kinda weird that the old woman had a nose the size of her entire head. There was also an odd quality to the voice acting that made it a bit clumsy.
There really wasn't too much plot. The main character just kinda got moved around against his will and tried to improve things for people wherever he went. So as an adult, this movie was a bit difficult for me to sit through, but keeping in mind that it was geared towards little children (and apparently did a good job of entertaining them as most of the comments I've read have been about how they loved this film as a child) Id have to say that this is actually a successful movie. Though not really big on production value, I did end up giving it a higher score than I would have if I had not seen it when I was a little kid.
unico
jennysaddiction21 February 2005
Warning: Spoilers
Did everyone but me forget how morbid this movie is. I watched it a million times when I was a kid, and even then I knew something wasn't right with it. I mean come on the evil prince dopes up Katie with the magic strawberries and is going to do god knows what to her. Luckily Unico bursts in to save her. It is morbid! I watched it not to long ago and thought that the translations were probably really bad and that it was even more morbid in the original version than it is in the English version. The songs were atrocious. Bez made up for that though. The second movie wasn't as great. Even though the movies are morbid kids love them. My nephew watches them constantly.
beautiful
carnaflux19 July 2000
For the longest time, I've lived with the faintest memory of this movie and a deep emotional feeling attached to it, as I was totally moved by the movie when I saw it (at 3 or 4 years old). I was beginning to doubt it had actually been made (although my mother remembers it) as I never heard about it again. I'm glad to have found evidence of it finally! God bless the internet!
One of those unique friends that you will remember forever...
Perception_de_Ambiguity22 May 2013
Warning: Spoilers
Have you ever met one of those uniquely charismatic and seemingly selfless people where whenever you were around them all you wanted was to get their attention and whenever you got it and spent time with that person you felt carefree and everything you did seemed to come much easier? And have you ever become friends with such a person and you were so close to each other that you thought you would be best friends forever but very soon your paths parted and you never saw that person again and whenever you think back to that time it's almost like the world had a different color and flavor during that short period and in some regards it changed your outlook on the world forever and you sadly wonder "who was that person anyway"?
Uncio the "uniquehorn" is such a person. He first tries everything to befriend a grumpy loner who after meeting Unico starts to feel lonely and gradually realizes that he could need a friend until eventually he even opens up to the idea of being more welcoming to other people as well. Unico leaves and now befriends a girl whom he helps to come of age through their eye-opening friendship and when her life is threatened because the inexperienced young woman falls into the trap of a sexual predator Unico and his grumpy friend come to her rescue and through their united effort they succeed. Now Unico has to leave them both forever as he is carried away by the wind and it is a hard goodbye that nobody is happy about but what must be must be and he will not be forgotten.
Superficially 'Unico' looks and plays like a cartoon for six-year-old girls; sweet, sappy, nonsensical and pretty dully animated but its exploration of the theme is thoughtful and even if it isn't particularly profound it's a theme I hadn't really seen explored before in a film and it was focused enough on it to keep me interested throughout in what otherwise would have been an unbearable kiddie movie. Also remarkably the characters are consistently believable despite their shrillness and their character arcs ring true. Eventually one learns much less about Unico than about his friends, and that is only right. Personally I could definitely identify with the elusive Unico character
Recommended to every six-year-old girl who is reading this.
Uncio the "uniquehorn" is such a person. He first tries everything to befriend a grumpy loner who after meeting Unico starts to feel lonely and gradually realizes that he could need a friend until eventually he even opens up to the idea of being more welcoming to other people as well. Unico leaves and now befriends a girl whom he helps to come of age through their eye-opening friendship and when her life is threatened because the inexperienced young woman falls into the trap of a sexual predator Unico and his grumpy friend come to her rescue and through their united effort they succeed. Now Unico has to leave them both forever as he is carried away by the wind and it is a hard goodbye that nobody is happy about but what must be must be and he will not be forgotten.
Superficially 'Unico' looks and plays like a cartoon for six-year-old girls; sweet, sappy, nonsensical and pretty dully animated but its exploration of the theme is thoughtful and even if it isn't particularly profound it's a theme I hadn't really seen explored before in a film and it was focused enough on it to keep me interested throughout in what otherwise would have been an unbearable kiddie movie. Also remarkably the characters are consistently believable despite their shrillness and their character arcs ring true. Eventually one learns much less about Unico than about his friends, and that is only right. Personally I could definitely identify with the elusive Unico character
Recommended to every six-year-old girl who is reading this.
The Best
star8330 July 2001
This is one of the best movies I've ever seen, forget that it's a cartoon. It was wonderful, and nothing other than animation could have captured this story so well. Some things have to be cartoons, and this is one of them, it doesn't make it bad, it makes it good. This is something that anyone could watch, and I could watch this movie again and again.
Gorgeous animation and art design
billk024 August 2017
Gorgeous animation and art design, super cute characters, courtesy of Osamu Tezuka. Owes a big debt to golden age Disney, such as Snow White. Never quite reaches the heights of a Disney picture so doesn't really get beyond being a homage. But a lovely film to watch regardless. Highly recommended.
Truly impressive
silence618223 August 2004
Warning: Spoilers
*SPOILER* I was 6 when I watched this and I dare say it was the most impressive movie of my childhood. I was attracted from the first moment to the last. I loved the scenes and the story. As a child you never judge by the techniques or the technology. You just know that you like it or not. It is the impression that counts. and I tell you I loved it as a kid and so did ALL my friends then. I don't remember some scenes now but I definitely remember the winds and unico's friend (who became a unico) and the girl. I loved the scene when he became a unicorn by attracting his friend's love and pity to save the enchanted girl. I strongly recommend it for any kid around you.
A beautiful story that still makes me smile. :)
ladymulti7 October 2007
Warning: Spoilers
I love Unico. How much? Well, I loved it so much I snatched the VHS for $5 when our movie rental store went out of business. Not only that, I also have the 2nd movie somewhere on tape (even though it kinda creeps me out).
NOTE: This Review is not only spoiler laden for the movie but the Manga as well...
Unico is a dark fantasy and is actually NOT A CARTOON! It's an Anime, and there is, like, 4 movies. And these are based on the Manga by Osamu Tezuka; the manga of which I bought out of love for Unico.
The movie start with Bezel (The little devil; forgot his Jap name, sorry). This first section holds the exact plot as the manga. I always love Bezel; though the second section of the movie has a kitten wanting to be a witch. The dark fantasy aspect is still there as Katie's aspiration to become a witch leads her to being seduced by the Baron of the woods, after she is turned human by Unico, and being lured to his castle. Of course, the handsome Baron turns out to be the bad guy and its up to our very on little unicorn, Unico, to save the day. Of course, in the movie, with a little help from his friend Bezel.
The movie is NOTHING like the manga other that Katie/Chao/Cyao, Unico, the old woman, and the Baron. Actually, the movie drug it darker than the manga. The parallel is that he still seduces her and gets her drunk. Unico turns the animals of the woods into humans, like Katie, to rescue her from the Baron, who is a huntsman. With the help of the woods-folk, Unico and the animals of the woods save Chao and defeat the Baron. Of course, here, Chao gets a boyfriend, which is sweet.
...and as it goes, in both versions, Unico is fated to have to leave. To never be happy with his friends (thanks to Gods -->the Greek Gods, as the manga would have it, Venus, actually).
Eitherway, the movie is great and one of my all time favorites, even over most of the Disney movies.
It's too bad that this will probably never be released on DVD in the United States due to the legal ownership issues with anything of Osamu Tezuka works; as well as the Sanrio dealings where Hello Kitty is even shown in Katie's song about being a witch and the companies being departed from one another.
So, I bid good luck to anyone who is able to find the old VHS. The manga collection can be found a few places though, and is recommended to anyone with the love of Unico in their hearts, even if it IS in Japanese only.
NOTE: This Review is not only spoiler laden for the movie but the Manga as well...
Unico is a dark fantasy and is actually NOT A CARTOON! It's an Anime, and there is, like, 4 movies. And these are based on the Manga by Osamu Tezuka; the manga of which I bought out of love for Unico.
The movie start with Bezel (The little devil; forgot his Jap name, sorry). This first section holds the exact plot as the manga. I always love Bezel; though the second section of the movie has a kitten wanting to be a witch. The dark fantasy aspect is still there as Katie's aspiration to become a witch leads her to being seduced by the Baron of the woods, after she is turned human by Unico, and being lured to his castle. Of course, the handsome Baron turns out to be the bad guy and its up to our very on little unicorn, Unico, to save the day. Of course, in the movie, with a little help from his friend Bezel.
The movie is NOTHING like the manga other that Katie/Chao/Cyao, Unico, the old woman, and the Baron. Actually, the movie drug it darker than the manga. The parallel is that he still seduces her and gets her drunk. Unico turns the animals of the woods into humans, like Katie, to rescue her from the Baron, who is a huntsman. With the help of the woods-folk, Unico and the animals of the woods save Chao and defeat the Baron. Of course, here, Chao gets a boyfriend, which is sweet.
...and as it goes, in both versions, Unico is fated to have to leave. To never be happy with his friends (thanks to Gods -->the Greek Gods, as the manga would have it, Venus, actually).
Eitherway, the movie is great and one of my all time favorites, even over most of the Disney movies.
It's too bad that this will probably never be released on DVD in the United States due to the legal ownership issues with anything of Osamu Tezuka works; as well as the Sanrio dealings where Hello Kitty is even shown in Katie's song about being a witch and the companies being departed from one another.
So, I bid good luck to anyone who is able to find the old VHS. The manga collection can be found a few places though, and is recommended to anyone with the love of Unico in their hearts, even if it IS in Japanese only.
It Stays With You.
lalaloggins6 May 2014
Warning: Spoilers
This is a movie that, for those of us who saw it as a kid, transports you to a magical world... where you're 4-6 years old and anything can happen. Even Magic. Yes, this movie has the kind of power to bring you back in time. You Will remember songs that you long forgot... and you might end up singing them in front of your s/o if they are watching it with you.
Here's the catch: If you didn't see this movie as a child, you may not like it very much. I revisited this movie today and it was a little different from the magical movie I had remembered. Yes, it still brought me back in time, but I noticed the Voice Acting is shrill/annoying and not very well dubbed at times. It's probably because this was one of the first Anime. So, keep that in mind if you find yourself distracted by dialogue that doesn't match the words coming out of various character's mouths. The beautiful thing is that the EMOTION is still there. You can see it in their eyes, hear it in the music, feel it in your heart.
*************SPOILERS************************************** I'm not really sure how appropriate this movie is for kids nowadays, but my parents thought it was fine and they let me watch it over and over. I say let your kid watch it. There are some definite dark moments that could scare your kids. There are some parts of this movie that, as an adult, are akin to violence against women and date rape drugs. If you're super religious, you probably will not appreciate the fact that the little blue devil is a "good guy" or that there are Mulitple, doofus gods up in heaven calling for Unico to be sent to the land of oblivion. So Gods= bad, devil= good. I didn't infer that, this was something my boyfriend mentioned. I never would have made that connection otherwise. Forget about the adult themes, your kids won't pick them up. They will get that this is a movie that is about Ultimate good vs. Ultimate evil, and it's wrapped up with a cute little light blue, baby unicorn bow.
I watched this movie over and over as a kid and it was one of my favorite movies. I think we might have spent 100.00+ on Unico rental fees. It's rare when a movie you loved as a child, holds up as an adult. A lot of times the movie just isn't what we remembered, how we remembered it. Unico is different. In the movie Unico has the power to make the people around him happy. They never forget him and neither will you. I know I never did. 9/10 stars.
Here's the catch: If you didn't see this movie as a child, you may not like it very much. I revisited this movie today and it was a little different from the magical movie I had remembered. Yes, it still brought me back in time, but I noticed the Voice Acting is shrill/annoying and not very well dubbed at times. It's probably because this was one of the first Anime. So, keep that in mind if you find yourself distracted by dialogue that doesn't match the words coming out of various character's mouths. The beautiful thing is that the EMOTION is still there. You can see it in their eyes, hear it in the music, feel it in your heart.
*************SPOILERS************************************** I'm not really sure how appropriate this movie is for kids nowadays, but my parents thought it was fine and they let me watch it over and over. I say let your kid watch it. There are some definite dark moments that could scare your kids. There are some parts of this movie that, as an adult, are akin to violence against women and date rape drugs. If you're super religious, you probably will not appreciate the fact that the little blue devil is a "good guy" or that there are Mulitple, doofus gods up in heaven calling for Unico to be sent to the land of oblivion. So Gods= bad, devil= good. I didn't infer that, this was something my boyfriend mentioned. I never would have made that connection otherwise. Forget about the adult themes, your kids won't pick them up. They will get that this is a movie that is about Ultimate good vs. Ultimate evil, and it's wrapped up with a cute little light blue, baby unicorn bow.
I watched this movie over and over as a kid and it was one of my favorite movies. I think we might have spent 100.00+ on Unico rental fees. It's rare when a movie you loved as a child, holds up as an adult. A lot of times the movie just isn't what we remembered, how we remembered it. Unico is different. In the movie Unico has the power to make the people around him happy. They never forget him and neither will you. I know I never did. 9/10 stars.
a story for all ages
Dreamwalker16910 September 2002
I saw this film when I was only a boy, yet to this day I remember it with wonder and excitement. Fantasy helps us recapture our youth, and I highly recommend that this tale be seen by anyone who has ever dreamed of doing so. It truly is a story for all ages to cherish.
An awesome movie from my childhood
stararchor12 October 2002
This was the beginning for anime's of today. I strongly believe that. But I first saw this movie when I was really young. I was fascinated on why the GODS were so angry with Unico for making people happy. A five year old child doesnt see anything wrong with people being happy. But I digress. Though I strongly detested Katie, I really like the Besil (I think) and when he was mistreating Unico I wasnt to angry at him.
I was awed by Unico's transformation scene, and angry at how silly he acted sometimes. I watched this for hour's on end, till the point where my parents were so sick of watching it that they would take it away and hide it.
Though when we moved I lost alot of the old classic movies, I magically held on to Unico, along with Sea Prince and The Fire Child. I recently sat down to watch it, and none of that magic was gone for me. I would laugh when I remembered a part from so long ago. But the magic was still there. I still wish, like I had when I was a kid, that Unico would have stayed the bigger version of himself.
A must see, just for the pure cuteness of this film.
I was awed by Unico's transformation scene, and angry at how silly he acted sometimes. I watched this for hour's on end, till the point where my parents were so sick of watching it that they would take it away and hide it.
Though when we moved I lost alot of the old classic movies, I magically held on to Unico, along with Sea Prince and The Fire Child. I recently sat down to watch it, and none of that magic was gone for me. I would laugh when I remembered a part from so long ago. But the magic was still there. I still wish, like I had when I was a kid, that Unico would have stayed the bigger version of himself.
A must see, just for the pure cuteness of this film.
A Feature-Length Fable of Friendship
neddunn31 October 1999
Unico, the Magical Unicorn, is born with incredible powers that make people happy. But that angers some very jealous gods. They order the West Wind to cast the tiny Unicorn into exile- and thus begins Unico's amazing adventures.
Entertainment for the entire family, rich in lessons of love and kindness, beautifully told in high-quality animation. Original score.
Entertainment for the entire family, rich in lessons of love and kindness, beautifully told in high-quality animation. Original score.
Amazing! (Possible Spoiler)
Mantra_211 November 2004
Warning: Spoilers
I first saw this movie around the age of 5 or 6 years old, it was a beautifully done movie then, and even better now. I had originally forgotten the name to it, and had it confused with "The Last Unicorn", but recently I found Unico again, and fell in love with it all over again.
Possible Spoiler.. (doubt it) Unico the Unicorn has the amazing power to make anyone he meets happy. Whether it's because of his personality or the powers of his horn, no one knows. However, the gods become jealous of Unico, thinking that only gods should be able to decide or let people be happy or not. Unico is banished to the Hill of Oblivion, and the West Wind is ordered to take him there. She can't stand giving this fate to an innocent like Unico, so Unico's adventures begin, as the West Wind takes him from one place and time to the next, in a neverending journey to escape the wrath of the gods.
I highly suggest this movie for everyone to watch, young and old alike.
Possible Spoiler.. (doubt it) Unico the Unicorn has the amazing power to make anyone he meets happy. Whether it's because of his personality or the powers of his horn, no one knows. However, the gods become jealous of Unico, thinking that only gods should be able to decide or let people be happy or not. Unico is banished to the Hill of Oblivion, and the West Wind is ordered to take him there. She can't stand giving this fate to an innocent like Unico, so Unico's adventures begin, as the West Wind takes him from one place and time to the next, in a neverending journey to escape the wrath of the gods.
I highly suggest this movie for everyone to watch, young and old alike.
still remember
zordon4225 November 2002
I still remember the movie, or at least some parts of it. I watched it with my sisters on the disney channel and now, I wished that we knew how to work the VCR cuase we could have recorded the movie. I still remeber katie and when unico first turned into a white pegusus. and I remember the magic rocking horse and how he told him the story of that one creppy witch. and I also remeber the battle between the witch and unico and the baron who turned into a demon. and i faintly remember this one little blue dude, who tried on unico's horn which gave him the ability to run really fast. I wished that me and my sisters had recorded it.
Horned In
tedg31 March 2004
Warning: Spoilers
Spoilers herein.
What a mess! What we have is a Japanese version of the little prince. He moves from one place to another by will of the gods. He meets a devil who is not a devil, a witch who is not a witch and a girl who is not a girl.
Along the way there is some insipid "message" about getting magic when people love you. There is only one moment that has any visual power: at the end when Unico temporarily transforms. Otherwise, this is a pandering waste.
Ted's evaluation: 1 of 3 -- you can find something better to do. with this part of your life
What a mess! What we have is a Japanese version of the little prince. He moves from one place to another by will of the gods. He meets a devil who is not a devil, a witch who is not a witch and a girl who is not a girl.
Along the way there is some insipid "message" about getting magic when people love you. There is only one moment that has any visual power: at the end when Unico temporarily transforms. Otherwise, this is a pandering waste.
Ted's evaluation: 1 of 3 -- you can find something better to do. with this part of your life
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