Whether you’re a fan of Unico on the Island of Magic, or it gave you nightmares as a child, the film is certainly an interesting project. A lot went into creating the wonderful story, from its relatable characters, conflict, style, and more. Unlike the first film, where they adapted two manga chapters, this film allowed Osamu Tezuka to create a whole new story. Like several film projects, it takes a lot of work to come up with an idea and create an animation.
We wanted to focus on the beginning development and changes between the original test manuscript and what we know as the second theatrical release, Unico in the Island of Magic. While we don’t always get to see the infant stages or behind the scenes, it can be quite interesting to see the creator’s notes, drawings, thought process, and more regarding a project or story.
Before Unico in the Island of Magic went into production, Tezuka wrote the synopsis for the film. His handwritten test script titled Unico and the Kingdom of the Sun (ユニコと太陽の王国) was 43 pages, which included synopsis, rough character sketches, and setting sheets. In an interview with Tezuka for the April 1983 issue of Tezuka Fan Magazine, he mentioned they read his story, and told him the manuscript was too long. He asked Madhouse to shorten it, but Tezuka disliked the changes and wrote a new synopsis. This time, he handed the script over to Director Moribi Murano, and the story became the movie we know today, thanks to these rewrites.
While information on Unico and the Kingdom of the Sun is scarce, we’ve searched for any material to help us learn more about the original idea for the film. From interviews with Tezuka, we’ve found some information, but not a lot. Only a few official websites mention the original story, but they have released nothing further to the public. More information became available when Mandrake auctioned a copy of the original manuscript in 2021. According to the website, the person in charge said only five copies of the manuscript were made and Tezuka gave the original to Sanrio President Shintaro Tsuji. If any other copies exist, it’s most likely Tezuka Productions has them.
Overall, the original test script and what they chose are still fairly close. Designs for the Kingdom of the Sun manuscript are quite intriguing, and illustrate how even the characters and settings can get a complete overhaul from the initial idea. Cherry and Tolby look different from how we know them today, but we love being able to see what Tezuka was brainstorming when originally writing this manuscript.
The text in Cherry’s character design says she’s around 11 or 12 years old. Tezuka mentions being in a “lolicon mood” and wondered if her gentle personality would be good. If this seems like an odd statement, it’s a friendly reminder of how the lolita complex (i.e. lolicon) gained popularity in Japan during the 70s and 80s, which includes the time Unico in the Island of Magic was in development.
If you’re interested in older anime, you’re probably familiar with this trope that appears in a variety of series like Minky Momo, Dream Hunter Rem, Nanako SOS, and more. The DAICON III Opening Animation created for the 1981 Nihon SF Taikai convention featured an adorable schoolgirl as the main protagonist, illustrating the lolita popularity in 80s otaku culture. We mention DAICON in this post because after viewing the animation, Tezuka really enjoyed the short and even arrived early to see the DAICON IV animation during the opening ceremony in August 20, 1983 (a month after Unico in the Island of Magic was released in theaters).
While the term lolicon has mostly negative connotations, we believe Tezuka was referring to the aesthetic of a cute, youthful, and innocent appearance of a girl rather than anything inappropriate.
Tolby’s costume design in the concept sketch and the one we see in the film are very similar, but Murano’s style helped polish the character a little further. Tezuka mentions Tolby’s eyes are sharp looking with smaller pupils, and it’s a detail we can still see in the animation.
Without the magician costume, Tolby is an attractive yet stoic older brother who adores his younger sister Cherry.
But What About the Test Script?
Mandrake shared only a few pages containing the actual handwritten script, so we are unsure of everything that happens within it. The first page introduces us to Cherry and her family, letting us have a better idea of the setting.
Below is a translation of the first page.
Unico and the Kingdom of the Sun (Title Pending)
Once upon a time, there was a beautiful girl named Cherry. She grew up with a hardworking and honest father, and a kind mother. Although they were not very wealthy, Cherry grew up comfortably. But Cherry was sad. Three years ago, her older brother Tolby left home. The two were very close when they were young, and Tolby often played with Cherry…
Movie viewers were never told why Tolby left in the film, and only assumed something happened between Tolby and his father. When Cherry mentions her brother, the subject upsets the father, who then retires for the night. The mother’s explanation is possibly the only hint we may have concerning the Tolby and father situation. The next available script page gives us a likely reason Tolby left. In the text, Tolby has returned to his family’s home. While the mother is happy to see Tolby, the father brings up the fight they had before Tolby left. The father says that because his son liked toys, Tolby went into town and stole an expensive toy and ran. Father found out and scolded him. Shortly after the incident, Tolby ran away.
Now, we’re unsure if Tolby stole the toy for himself, for Cherry, or for some other reason. It’s implied that both siblings really loved each other, but not enough information is available from the test script, so we can only speculate on certain parts of the story. Since the family wasn’t wealthy, perhaps Tolby wanted to provide more for them. The film shows Tolby using his magic to create a doll for Cherry, a dress for his mother, and even mentioned replacing his father’s pipe. The family doesn’t accept Tolby’s new abilities or gifts, and this hurts him.
In the script, after his father mentions the past, Tolby tells his family that after he left home, he became a magician’s apprentice. He was now a craftsman who could make toys thanks to a wizard named Kukurukku. Of course, we know Tolby uses this power to turn humans into living puppets.
The next page available has the characters going against Kukurukku. The wizard has harmed Tolby and says the living dolls will never return to their original forms because only he has the magic to do so.
While the page is mostly dialogue, we see Tolby has already turned against Kukurukku and is trying to protect his sister. The last bit of information we can read is Kukurukku ordering whomever to not let the others escape alive.
The last page is a note that states the manuscript is a test draft and that he’ll add more humorous parts.
What Else do we Know About the Test Script?
From the sketches available on the Mandrake auction page, we also get a glimpse of other elements of the script. The above image is one of the background sheets and looks like a throne room or something similar. Whether it’s connected to Kukurukku or another character, we’re unsure of.
Another interesting character sketch added to the auction appears to be a guard riding a type of hippalectryon (meaning “rooster-horse” in Greek). This hybrid creature usually has the front of a horse and the back end of a rooster. While this may be Tezuka’s interpretation of the beast, only a few Greek texts mention this mythical creature, but with Tezuka’s interest in mythology, it’s fascinating to see it appear. Again, we’re unsure where this character would have appeared in the original story, but the Greek/Ancient Egyptian roots might direct us toward the sphinx Marusu.
And speaking of Marusu! From the interview with Tezuka in Tezuka Fan Magazine, he mentions in the original script that Marusu comes up with a riddle for Unico to solve. After Unico solves the riddle, the two become friends and Marusu joins Unico and Cherry in their search for the magician Kukurukku. When they finally reach Kukurukku, Cherry and Unico are turned into dolls, leaving Marusu alone. Frustrated, Marusu comes up with three riddles for Kukurukku to solve. The magician answers the first two riddles without issue. The third question was “how do you return a human being who has become a doll?” Kukurukku answers without thinking and everyone went back to normal.
In the film, Marusu appears but mainly to direct Cherry and Unico to the end of the earth. Like the original script, Marusu still joins the two on their journey, but the sphinx-like riddles are no longer present.
Also included on the website were sketches of everyone’s favorite wild cat. He looks perplexed in the sketch while wearing headphones and holding a radio. In the film, Yamaneko still wears the headphones, but a bird and frog are on each side to create music. While headphones and radios didn’t come along until much later, the cat having these items possibly represents a way of connecting to modern day viewers. We are familiar with these items, but they’re new inventions for the characters in the film.
Unico in the Island of Magic is certainly a magnificent film, and learning more about it gives us insight into what went on during production, the character changes, story edits, and more. Our goal is to continue searching and learn more so we can share with fans around the world, and show more appreciation to all those who worked on the project. Hopefully, in the future we’ll know more, but until then, we hope this article was informative and interesting!
Sources:
– ［4524］ ユニコと太陽の王国 シノプシス テスト稿［制作素材］ (mandarake.co.jp)
– Osamu Tezuka. (1983). Tezuka Fan Magazine vol. 38, April 1983, pp. 6
– THE FANTASTIC ADVENTURE OF UNICO-2｜ANIMATION｜TEZUKA OSAMU OFFICIAL
– Daicon III and IV Opening Animations – Wikipedia
– 第8回「オープニングアニメ（後編）」「ダイコン3」「祭のあと」 | GAINAX NET