We’ve put together a fun collection of ads from over the years to show Unico’s adventures in advertising. As we come upon more ads, we will update this page. Enjoy!
※ Translations are ours and may not be accurate.
Lyrica Magazine
This advertisement appeared in the Sanrio Magazine as part of the Sanrio Everything News (サンリオなんでもニュース) section. It advertised Lyrica Magazine using Unico and scenes from the Rosaria the Beautiful (うるわしのロゼリア) chapter, which was first released in February 1977.
Text:
心は、 やさしさにも、さみしさにも 同じようにふるえます。そんあこころのふるえが、わたしたちを夢と愛で、つつこむ。それが 『リリカ」の語源になったリリシズムです。 ユニコです。
『リリカ』のシンボル・マークユニコです。ユニコーン (一角獣) は, すなおな心のひとに、永遠の幸せをもたらします。 そんな祈りをこめて, まんがで見るメルヘン雑誌をつくってみました。…………………………………………ゆかいな市川みさこ先生の「ペンキンさん」, 水野英子 先生の長篇ロマン 「伝説」、 そして、手塚治虫先生の長篇アニメ「ユニ コ」 も, オールカラーで連載し ています。 もし、 まだだったら, あな たの本棚に心の友を一冊 加えてみ ませんか? 待ってます!
Translation:
The heart trembles equally with kindness and with loneliness. The trembling of that heart envelops us with dreams and love. That is the lyricism that became the origin of the word “Lyrica.” Unico is the symbol of “Lyrica.” Unicorns bring eternal happiness to those with a pure heart. With such a prayer in mind, we created a fairy tale magazine that looks like a manga…………………………………………. Amusing Misako Ichikawa’s “Penkin-san”, Hideko Mizuno’s romantic novel “Legend”, and Osamu Tezuka’s animated feature “Unico” are also serialized in full color. If you haven’t already, why don’t you add this book to your bookshelf? We’re waiting!
In 1977, a coloring book featuring Unico and Penkin-san had an advertisement for the 14th issue of Lyrica Magazine on the back cover. Besides Unico, the ad featured artwork from Ayumi Tachihara, Tomi Mutsuki (House of Wind/Fuu no Yakata), Makiko Hirata (Tears of Olympus/Orinposu no Namida), Terumi Ohtani (Daughter of the Fire Country/Hinokoku no Musume), Aiko Ito (Green Tree/Midori no Ki), Mari Hizuki (Goodbye Mr. Rock n’ Roller/Sayonara Mr. Rokkun Rouraa), Misako Ichikawa (Penkin-san), Kaoru Sako (Tenmariko Danuki), and Haruko Tachiiri (Pakobe).
Unico
When Unico was released in theaters March 15, 1981, Sanrio’s news magazine The Strawberry News (いちご新聞) had a special issue featuring the adorable unicorn. The back page featured an advertisement for Morinaga snacks featuring Unico packaging and collectible figures.
Treats include Morinaga Choco Snacks, Morinaga Mini Snacks, and Morinaga Fun Bags. The Choco Snacks and Fun Bags came with a figure or accessory.
The Fantastic Adventures of Unico
While there are plenty of Japanese ads, this one is from the US. With the release of The Fantastic Adventures of Unico, this advertised a Unico School Fun Kit in 1984, which included the movie on videocassette, pencils, sharpener, notebook, ruler and pencil case for only $39.95.
Text:
Let the Magic of Unico Surround You!
…Even at School!
Step into the animated world of Unico, the magical unicorn, with “The Fantastic Adventures of Unico” videocassette.
And, just in time for school, “The Fantastic Adventures of Unico” includes a free UNICO SCHOOL FUN KIT.* Each kit includes a Unico notebook, pencil sharpener and pencil carrying case with pencils and ruler.
All for only
$39.95
Suggested retail price
* UNICO SCHOOL FUN KIT available in specially marked packages while supplies last.
You can check out the items from this set at the Unico Collector’s Instagram!
Both Unico movies aired on the Disney Channel during the 80s, along with other cartoons. This ad appeared in the June 22 – August 2, 1986 issue of The Disney Channel Magazine, informing readers about cartoons around the world. It featured a small blurb about The Wind in the Willows, Katy Caterpillar (Katy La Oruga), The Raccoons, and The Fantastic Adventures of Unico.
Text:
Animation From Around The World
Animated movies are made all over the world. And people everywhere love them, because they’re colorful and musical. But just as people of different nationalities look different, one from another, so does animation vary from culture to culture. Two animated films currently on The Disney Channel were made in foreign countries, one in Japan and the other in Spain. In addition, our regularly schedule “The Wind in the Willows” series is from England, and “The Raccoons” come from Canada.
“The Fantastic Adventures of Unico” is Japanese animation, with all of the mystery of the Orient. The white flowing West Wind sweeps up Unico, a small unicorn with special powers, and carries him to a beautiful land of eerie blue mountains and mists, surrounded by surging seas. There he’s safe from the angry gods who fear his power.
“Katy,” the caterpillar, comes from Spain. Her land is filled with bold, hot colors and the lively rhythms of steel guitars. Katy (a beloved cartoon character in Latin America) leaves her boring home in the cherry tree, to look for excitement in the big world. She dances along to a Spanish beat, and is soon surfing with a bunch of fun0loving chameleons, using large leaves to take the waves. Her bright0colored adventures continue — some fun, some scary — until she returns to the cherry tree, where her life takes an unexpected turn.
“The Wind in the Willows” is set in a cooler clime and a gentler time — the English countryside of 80 years ago. Toad, Rat, Mole, and Badger are perfect English gentlemen, well dressed in the fine English clothes, and well spoken in dandy British accents. They enjoy picnics and boating on the river. Only Toad and his speeding motor cars disrupt the peace. But noisy or quiet, the mood is definitely English.
“The Raccoons” lead simple lives in the Canadian woods, although it’s not so simple when Cyril Sneer’s around! But live in their beautiful Evergreen Forest is rustic and filled with outdoors adventures: camping and fishing in the summer, ice-skating in the winter.
Animation takes us to far off lands, and its magical make-believe is loved the world over.
This ad appeared in the January 18 – February 28, 1987 issue of The Disney Channel Magazine showing their “Programming Just for Kids,” featuring Unico in the Island of Magic.
Text:
The beautiful West Wind, who has been carrying and protecting Unico leaves him in the island of magic to make it on his own. Then the lonely little unicorn wanders about and has many adventures that are sometimes scary and sometimes happy.