 Phoenix (1954) |  Phoenix (1981) |  Phoenix (2000) |  Phoenix (2026) |
About
Name: Phoenix
Other Names: Firebird, Bird of Fire, Fénix (Spanish), Phénix (French)
Gender: Female
Species: Phoenix, mythical creature
First Appeared: Phoenix appears in the Manga Shounen magazine in June 1954 with the Phoenix: Dawn Edition (火の鳥黎明編). Her first appearance in Unico was in the 1981 issue of the First Grader version of Unico in the Let’s Build a Birdhouse (すばこをつくろう) chapter.
Phoenix (火の鳥 Hi no tori) isn’t from the Unico series but is part of Osamu Tezuka’s Star System. Characters from the Star System are recurring and appear in many other series. Phoenix is a protagonist in her own series focusing on life, death, and rebirth. She appears in several eras, often guiding humanity and those beyond the cosmos. Osamu Tezuka was inspired to create Hi no Tori after watching Stravinsky’s ballet “Firebird.”
Voice Actors
Japanese Voice: Atsuko Tanaka (2000)
Physical Appearance
In most renditions, Phoenix has a yellow body, a black area on her head, a gem(?) on her forehead, red feathers on top, and long tail feathers. Of course, depending on the story, Phoenix may have a different appearance altogether. She is also depicted surrounded by fire or light.
Personality
Phoenix’s personality can vary depending on what type of role she’s playing. Overall, she is kind but as she has a deeper understanding of life, she can be pretty blunt.
Abilities
- Immortal
- Can travel beyond space and time
- Regeneration
- Resurrection
- Flight
- Can bestow immortality
- Omniscient
- And much more!
Timeline of Appearances
| Date | More Information |
|---|---|
| 1954 | Phoenix’s first appearance ever was in Manga Shounen magazine, though she would continue to appear in new adaptations throughout Osamu Tezuka’s life. Tezuka never finished the Phoenix manga, so its conclusion is a mystery. |
| 1981 | Phoenix appears in the First Grader version of Unico in the Let’s Build a Birdhouse (すばこをつくろう) chapter. After Esuo, Ragon, and Unico create birdhouses, Esuo asks Unico to find birds to live in them. Unico flies off to Bird Island where the Phoenix tells him that no regular bird would visit their houses. Unico then returns with strange birds that take over Esuo’s room instead. |
| 2000 | For the Saving our Fragile Earth: Unico Special, Phoenix guides us to Unico’s story. |
| 2026 | In the third volume, Unico: Lost, Phoenix appears. More information coming soon! |