12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Magic of Unico Lives On, September 8, 2006
This review is from: The Fantastic Adventures of Unico [VHS] (VHS Tape)
"The Adventures of Unico" is one of those nostalgic films that you'll be glad to have in your video library. There's something appealing and exceptional about watching sweet noble Anime characters like Unico. In times of trouble they don't burst out into song like Disney characters do or start talking to the trees. They persevere with great determination to face the world regardless of whatever obstacles come their way.
I found Tezuka's film straightforward and charming in contrast to some of the epic action-packed Miyazaki films like "Castle in the Sky" or "Princess Mononoke". But I must confess, I may be slightly biased for having become spoiled by watching so much Miyazaki. Nevertheless, "The Adventures of Unico" is a different and refreshing change of pace.
Brief recap for those that don't know the film. Unico is a baby unicorn blessed with the power to make people happy. The gods don't think such a gift should belong to a unicorn so they order the West Wind, a beautiful shimmering white spirit, to dispose of Unico. She is unable to do such a cruel thing and instead, leaves him on an abandoned island. There he attempts to befriend a stubborn little devil, meets a wishful cat, and has other amazing adventures. The film sounds like it should be sickeningly sweet to the point of annoying but instead, it flows with grace, gentleness, and a charm from its likeable characters.
Unico is the epitome of Anime cuteness. He's a tiny cuddly white baby unicorn with big blue eyes that make you want to just hug him all over. All he wants to do is transform unhappy souls into glad people. However, he's not completely naive or helpless. Unico gently chastises his friends when they do wrong against others or to themselves. If they are in danger, Unico charges into battle and uses his magical horn to defeat any adversary in his path.
Unico's purely righteousness behavior is in stark contrast to his new less-than-perfect friends. The prickly blue devil named Bezel has a gruff demanding attitude and a streak of selfishness that reminds me of certain stubborn five-year-olds. After much denial, Bezel begrudgingly agrees to be Unico's friend, but only if he gives Bezel his horn. When Unico consents, Bezel starts blasting rocks apart and rides Unico like a donkey. The unicorn's kindness eventually rubs off onto Bezel and he learns to help his new friend, even jumping into the ocean at the risk of his own life to save Unico.
The other newcomer is Katie the Cat, a proper and proper kitten whose ambition is to find another witch so she can become one herself. She is disappointed when an old lady they discover is not a witch so Unico turns her into a human girl with his powers. Disbelieving Unico's confession that he transformed her and not the old woman, Katie is changed back into a cat. When she sees the old woman drowning in the river and plunges in to save her, Katie magically turns back into a girl. (Got that all?) Unico confesses that his powers only work on people that he likes and Katie's selfless gesture has won her the right to remain human.
Like Bezel, Katie's personal problems are her only concern until Unico intervenes and causes her to feel remorse and compassion for others. Katie proves to be a hard worker for the old lady by cleaning the house and fetching water for her. Katie is a very lovely bishojo (Japanese for "pretty girl") in her human form. She has a delicate face, black hair, sparkling expressive green eyes, and wears a pink dress with little red slippers. But Katie's joy of becoming a human is short lived. Her innocence causes her to fall into the clutches of the sinister Baron DeGhost who lures her to his home and puts her in a trance. Unico tries to save Katie but the Baron takes her back and chains Katie to the top of his mansion. Bezel and Unico team up to rescue Katie from impending danger.
The final fight pits Katie, Bezel, and Unico against the Baron in a huge demonic-like form among a lava river that's destroying the forest. When Unico's horn breaks in battle and he falls to the ground lifeless, Katie cradles him in her arms and begs him not to die. The scene of her glimmering tears flowing down her cheeks and onto his face is just heartbreaking. Bezel offers Unico his own horn and Unico transforms into a fully-grown unicorn. He destroys the demon and rescues his friends and the forest. Just then, the West Wind finds Unico and must take him away again for his own safety. Bezel is given a new horn as a gift and Katie returns to live with the old lady. The film ends with Unico being carried away again, the West Wind seeking a new place for him to go on living.
When I was six years old, many of the "darker" cartoons used to entertain and disturb me simultaneously including "The Secret of NIMH", "All Dogs Go to Heaven", and "Batman: Mask of the Phantasm". But the Unico films never scared me. Maybe I just knew that he'd get up and save the day so I wasn't afraid of any grotesque monsters or creeping shadows that came onto the screen. But I never had to cover my eyes from watching the movie. On the contrary, I loved "The Adventures of Unico" from a very small age.
It's a magical film about the triumph of good over evil, loving-kindness over selfishness, and perseverance over despair. I recommend this movie to kids and adults alike and hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.
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17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Fantastic Adventures of Unico, July 1, 2004
This review is from: The Fantastic Adventures of Unico [VHS] (VHS Tape)
Unico is born in a beautiful forest along with a few others. He has the power to bring joy and happiness to everyone around him, which makes the gods very jealous. So the gods send the West Wind to take Unico to the Hill of Oblivion. But the West Wind is a very kind being, and cannot bring herself to do it, so she leaves him instead in a misty rocky place in hopes that the gods won't notice him.
Unico awakens all alone. He tries to make friends with the Devil of Solitude, but the devil gets angry. It knocks down a bunch of columns and one smashes him. Then Unico hears crying, so he investigates, and meets Beasel. Beasel says that he is the son of the Devil of Solitude. Unico tries to befriend him, but Beasel says that he will only be his friend if he gives him his horn. Unico refuses, so Beasel leaves. But later, Beasel gets lonely and befriends Unico, who then gives him the horn. Beasel accidentally pushes Unico off of a cliff and into the sea, and then won't go save him. But his conscience gets the better of him, and he gives himself an excuse to rescue Unico, even though he may die in the process. So he gives Unico his horn, and Unico turns into Adult Unico and saves Beasel. Unico then tells Beasel that the only reason he was able to save him is because they love each other, and gives Beasel a horn of his own After that incident, the gods realize that Unico is on the Island of Solitude, and send the Night Wind to bring Unico to the Hill of Oblivion, but the West Wind finds out and gets there first, bringing him to a river this time. He hears singing, and falls into a basket with Katy, the cat, who was also abandoned. Katy wants to be a witch, and so they go looking for a witch. They come to an old cottage with an old woman in it, and Katy tries to tell her to make her a human, but the woman doesn't understand her. Unico then turns Katy into a human, but Katy thinks that the old woman did it. She helps the old woman out, but then tires of it and leaves. Unico tells Katy that he was the one who turned her into a human, and she doesn't believe him. He says that he doesn't like her anymore, and turns her back into a cat, but when Katy the cat tries to save the old woman when she fell into the river, Unico turns her back into a human again.
One day, Katy is singing by the river, and a beautiful man asks her to come and sing at his castle. She is delighted! The next day she sneaks out, and accidentally eats an enchanted strawberry, which puts her in a trance. She goes to the Baron's castle. Unico follows her. He goes to fight the Baron, and the Baron is impaled (gross) on a spire. He then turns into a huge demon, and sends a river of fire and lava after everyone. Unico and Beasel battle the Baron, but Unico loses his horn and falls. Katy and Beasel both say that they would give up the gifts that Unico gave them if only he would live.
IF you want to know the rest then get the movie you wont regret it
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