If you know me, you probably know that I’m a simple gal researching and writing about Osamu Tezuka’s Unico, and I enjoy sharing things with the world. I kind of do my own thing, but I always enjoy the messages I receive from other fans who want to share their passion for this little unicorn. Everyone who reaches out is always pleasant to talk to, and I’m always happy to answer questions or provide any help I can.
I try to check my emails every day to stay on top of things, so one day while scrolling through emails, I was surprised to receive a message from the children’s publisher, Scholastic!
I’ll be honest, when I first saw the email, I thought I might have made a no-no regarding copyrights or written something the company didn’t want up, especially after Unico: Awakening was released. Needless to say, I froze for a moment, and opening the email took me longer than it should have. But I did, and it was a kind message that still means a lot to me. Like I said above, I’m just another fan doing my thing, so I don’t expect anyone to reach out, especially a company that I know is super busy.
They were also kind enough to send a box of Unico spoils which I totally love and appreciate so much. I figured some of you might enjoy a peek at what I received, so continue scrolling below.
Unico goodies! Yay! These are really cool to see and hold in person. What’s even cooler is that these are Unico related items I can use too! This is a household of readers, so we have plenty of books and cool bookmarks are fun to have on hand. These are lenticular bookmarks as well, so the image of Unico turns into his adult form when you tilt it.
The tote bag is perfect for holding more books — especially Unico ones. Haha! It has two unique designs on each side. One with the heroes, and the other with the villains. Unico appears on both sides as well in his regular and adult forms.
Check out the print they also included!
This is probably not the best photo of the print, but I was trying to keep a rambunctious kitten away while taking photos. I love the thick paper grade and texture of this print. Even though I saw them in photos, I really couldn’t tell how nice they were, and it’s such a fun action shot of Unico.
Let’s check out the book next!
This is super cool, and I absolutely love this because it’s a piece of the publishing process I don’t think many see. The letter accompanying the gifts stated that these galley books were sent to publishing industry professionals, reviewers, and to those attending certain events prior to Unico: Awakening’s official release. I believe publishers sometimes use these books as advanced copies or promotional proofs for early reviews and other publicity too.
What’s different about this book compared to the one you’d find on the shelves?
Well, for one, it’s an uncorrected proof so there could be text and graphical differences. The galley copy is mostly in black and white, but the beginning has a handful of colored pages. Unlike the books you’ll find in stores now, I noticed there is a note from Graphix Co-Founder and Publisher David Saylor addressing the readers about Unico in the beginning.
Maybe I’m cheesy, but I feel honored to have received something like this and I really appreciate everything that’s gone into making this new series. I know Samuel Sattin and Gurihiru are working hard on future volumes, and there’s also a lot of work putting a book together and promoting it, so I’m loving these goodies and hope the Unico series continues to do well. I look forward to seeing more Unico in 2025!
Thank you, thank you, thank you again, Scholastic/Graphix.