Production Story
A La Carte
★ It took a full two years to create this film, which runs just over an hour and a half. We devoted ample time to every stage of production, from the storyboard to the script, storyboards, and animation.
★ A portion of the 45,000 animation cels was created using a special effects system called “transmitted light.” As a result, the finished footage is a stunning display of light.
★ The puppet dance scene that appears midway through the film is a fairy-tale fantasy that would put even Disney to shame. It captures the joy of the puppets dancing as their movements intertwine with the light. Director Murano himself drew the original animation for this scene.
★ The scenes featuring strangely shaped obake is fun, but the obake were actually created after Director Murano drew a large number of rough sketches, showed them to his 4-year-old son, who then chose the ones his son liked best.
★ Marusu, the Sphinx’s child, is a character who appears in Osamu Tezuka’s original manga but was not included in the original story outline for this film adaptation. However, their appearance was made possible thanks to the strong request of producer Masao Maruyama.
★ To create a sense of intensity, the suspenseful chase scene between Unico and the wizard in the second half was shot using long takes. The crew was so worried about this scene that they couldn’t sleep until the rushes came in…
★ Fujio Tokita, is best known for his role in “Manga Nippon Mukashibanashi.” Perhaps because of the character’s unique way of speaking, the voice actor playing the wizard this time had the most takes during the voice recording session.
★ Emiko Shiratori, who sings the theme song “Do-Re-Mi-Fa Lullaby,” is the mother of a 6-year-old child. Both mother and child are big fans of Unico, and they’re said to be the perfect fit for the film’s image.
製作うらばなし
アラカルト
★上映時間1時間30分余のこの作品にかけた歳月は、なんと約2年。構成から脚本、絵コンテ、作画にタップリ時間をかけた。
★セル画枚数4万5千枚のうちの部分は透過光という特撮システムを使った。そのため映像の仕上りは光のオンパレードといった美しさだ。
★映画の中ほどに出てくる人形の踊りのシーンは、ディズニーも真っ青のメルヘン・ファンタジー。人形と光が交差しながら踊る楽しさ。このシーンは、 村野監督自ら原動画を描いた。
★おかしなカタチをしたオバケの登場 シーンも楽しいが、このオバケは村野 監督が大量のラフスケッチを描いて、 それを4歳になる監督の息子に見せ、 彼のお気に入りのものを選んだもの。
★スフィンクスの子マルスは、手塚治 虫さんの原作にはあるが、今回の映画 化原案にはなかったキャラクター。し かし丸山正雄プロデューサーのたって の希望で登場が実現した。
★後半の息づまるユニコと魔法使いの追いかけっこシーンは、迫力を出すため、ロングカット撮影が行なわれた。 このシーンはスタッフもラッシュが上るまで心配で眠れなかったという･･･。
★「まんが日本昔ばなし」でおなじみの常田富士男さん。今回の魔法使い役は独特のセリフまわしのためか、アフレコの時いちばんNGが多かった。
★主題歌「ドレミファ・ララバイ」を唄っている白鳥英美子さんは、6歳になる子供の母親である。親子そろってユニコの大ファンで、まさにこの映画のイメージにピッタリと評判。