Unleashing the Magic: Exploring the Spells of Unico the Island of Magic

Unico the Island of Magic is a Japanese animated film that was released in 1983. It is based on the manga series created by Osamu Tezuka. The film follows the adventures of Unico, a small white unicorn with the ability to bring happiness to those he encounters. In this film, Unico is taken to an island ruled by a demonic cat named Kuruku. Kuruku is jealous of Unico's ability to bring happiness and casts a spell on the island, banishing all adults and turning the children into immortals. Unico then embarks on a journey to save the island and restore happiness to its inhabitants.

A while back I looked at the nauseatingly adorable The Fantastic Adventures of Unico, a little film that played out like three episodes of a kids’ show. There was a talking cat, a kindly old woman and a benevolent and sentient wind. And then everything got super dark. And then it got super adorable again! Unico was a wild ride – insofar as such a product can be – and one I didn’t think I’d ever get the chance to experience again. And then Unico and the Island of Magic appeared in my life, so here we are.

It s something that I should commend the films for; they have a pretty decent imagination and if they didn t insist on being so cute all the time, there s definitely potential for some really riveting stuff. If you ve ever experienced a fever dream where you wake up from a nightmare covered in sweat feeling like someone has hollowed out your insides with an ice cream scoop, that s what it feels like whenever Lord Kuruku is on screen.

Unico then embarks on a journey to save the island and restore happiness to its inhabitants. During his journey, Unico encounters various characters, including a prince named Kukuruku who was turned into a puppet by his brother's treacherous magic. Unico befriends Kukuruku and helps him regain his human form.

No Question: Unico Is The Most Horrifying Children's Movie Ever Made

We are well aware that plenty of so-called "children's movies" are actually nightmares wrapped in candy. But no movie can compete on a sheer terror scale with the animated movies of Unico — specifically Unico In the Island of Magic, which is the most horrifying film ever created for children.

Earlier this week, the AV Club zoomed in on The Last Unicorn, calling the cartoon "nightmare fuel to a generation of kids." And while I will concur that The Last Unicorn is indeed very troubling, it doesn't even come close to the fucked-up horror that is Unico in the Island of Magic. A movie so deeply disturbing that the first time I saw it, I threw up on my babysitter's comforter. Let me show you why.

Unico the actual character was created by legendary manga artist Osamu Tezuka. The being itself is basically what a unicorn would look like if it was also a kitten. Instead of trotting, Unico leaps and bounds across the screen like he's chasing an imaginary ball of string. It's important to know this, because a lot of really terrible shit is about to happen to a baby animal with pink hair. Clearly the creators intentionally crafted the cutest animal imaginable so that every time someone kicks, hits, or tries to kill Unico kids learn the valuable lesson that the world is garbage.

And this movie comes out swinging. In the opening scene, Unico is abandoned by her caretaker, the West Wind. But before evaporating into nothingness the Wind twists the knife for our tiny hero explaining:

"Poor, innocent creature. As the West Wind, the Gods have ordered me to abandon you on the hill of oblivion. But I cannot do it. Instead I will leave you here, Unico, and pray that the Gods don't find you. Once again, you are all alone. You will remember nothing of what has happened. Goodbye, Unico."

Holy shit. Not only does the West Wind just throw Unico into a random forest, but she makes sure to tell the baby unicorn that she is both alone and basically being hunted by "the gods." Everyone wants you dead Unico, but don't worry you're not going to remember any of this anyway, the West Wind was just telling you this so she could marvel at her own gesture of kindness before abandoning you in this nightmare forest. And that's just the start of this movie!

The Wind disappears, presumably mind-wiping our hero. And Unico just starts screaming. Understandable. This is five minutes into the movie.

But don't worry soon enough, Unico meets Melvin the Magnificat, who immediately starts punching the unicorn in the face.

The cat creature Melvin threatens to kill Unico (fun!), so Unico bolts. Cut to the unicorn walking up to random woodland creatures and stating, "Hi. I'm Unico, who are you?" No one engages. Out of nowhere, it starts raining in the forest and Unico begins to cry, again. He wails, "Nobody seems to like me in this forest!" The animators then decide to zoom in on a crying, soaked Unico not once, but three times. This is anguish porn at the highest level.

And here's when things start to get dark.

After crying for three zoom-ins, Unico hears a flute. The flute, it turns out, is coming from a sorcerer's apprentice who has a fantastic cape and even better bangs. His name is Toby and his job is to lure all the animals of the forest close to his person, so he can zap them into some sort of lifeless cutout thing. WHAT? Yes, Toby is murdering all the forest creatures with magic!

But why? Why is Toby mindlessly turning all the forest animals into horrible looking paper dolls? Because that's what THE MOST TERRIFYING THING EVER CREATED wants him to do. Enter Lord Kuruku.

This terrifying floating thing Lord Kuruku, who isn't a person (more on that later) but an omnipotent floating orb that is constantly shrieking. If you've ever experienced a fever dream where you wake up from a nightmare covered in sweat feeling like someone has hollowed out your insides with an ice cream scoop, that's what it feels like whenever Lord Kuruku is on screen.

Things You Should Know About Lord Kuruku:

• He can fly.
• He has arms? I think? But mostly he exists in a red ball shape, and I'm not sure if he has legs.
• He has seemingly unlimited power.
• Kuruku has eyeballs that can move from on top of his head to the bottom of his head depending on his mood swings.
• He can turn into a rainbow, or really any shape at all.
• He can move through walls. You're never safe.
• His voice sounds like a screaming grandmother fighting for her life against Jim Henson's deathMuppet.
• He wants to kill all life on the planet.
• It physically hurts to listen to his voice with earbuds.

Lord Kuruku is, without a doubt, the most horrifying animated creation to ever exist. The most bewildering part to this character? Adult humans came up with this idea. A real live adult thought, "Kids are going to love this." And then a bunch of their colleagues agreed this thought. "What if we made his voice sounds like two cats fighting in a bag!" "Let's give his face no discernible shape" "I showed this sketch to my nephew last night and he threw up in his hand, I think we've got a winner people!"

Kids aren't going to love hating Lord Kuruku. Kids are going to see Lord Kuruku, piss on the carpet, and cover it up with an oddly placed playhouse.

Moving on. Within moments, you realize that Kuruku is the one pulling all the strings in this villain outfit. And what does he want? PEOPLE. He wants all the people and every living creature to be turned into a living puppet. That's right, you read that correctly, a living puppet. Those weird figures that Toby was zapping the animals into are actually living dolls. He doesn't want them to die, not Kuruku. He wants all humans and creatures and things to be imprisoned forever as puppets, unable to speak, unable to talk, but able to feel because this movie goes to A LOT of trouble to remind the audience that these creations are "living."

Flash forward to the aforementioned town, where Unico is taken in by a kindly girl named Cheri. No surprise here, Cheri is actually Toby's little sister. All this plotting just leads up to putting Toby and Cheri in the same building just so they can all helplessly watch as Kuruku turns their parents into puppets. BEHOLD, the most fucked up scene in a kids movie, ever.

But why? Why is Toby mindlessly turning all the forest animals into horrible looking paper dolls? Because that's what THE MOST TERRIFYING THING EVER CREATED wants him to do. Enter Lord Kuruku.

He also meets Beezle, a devil who helps Unico in his quest. Throughout the film, Unico's innocence and purity are contrasted with the dark and twisted desires of the characters he encounters. Despite the challenges he faces, Unico remains kind-hearted and determined to bring happiness to those around him. The island itself is depicted as a place of beauty and wonder, inhabited by creatures such as talking flowers and fairies. However, it is also a place of sadness and longing, as the children who were turned into immortals yearn for the love and guidance of their absent parents. In the end, Unico's kindness and compassion prevail, and he is able to undo the spell cast by Kuruku. The island is restored, and the children are reunited with their families. Unico's ability to bring happiness is celebrated, and he continues his journey to spread joy to others. Unico the Island of Magic is a charming and heartwarming film that explores themes of love, friendship, and the power of positivity. It teaches valuable lessons about the importance of empathy and understanding in overcoming darkness and bringing happiness to others..

Reviews for "The Magic of Music in Unico the Island of Magic"

1. Jane Smith - 1 star

I was really excited to watch "Unico the island of magic" based on the trailer and positive reviews, but I was extremely disappointed in the end. The animation was subpar, the storyline was confusing and lacked depth, and the characters were one-dimensional. It felt like a rushed and poorly executed film. I was hoping for a magical experience, but instead, I got a forgettable and underwhelming movie.

2. Michael Johnson - 2 stars

"Unico the island of magic" had potential, but it failed to deliver. The pacing of the film was off, with numerous unnecessary scenes that dragged on for too long. The humor was forced and fell flat, making it hard to connect with the supposed comedic moments. Additionally, the voice acting was monotone and lacked emotion, further hindering my engagement with the characters. Overall, the movie lacked the charm and appeal I was expecting, leaving me dissatisfied.

3. Sarah Thompson - 2 stars

I was excited to watch "Unico the island of magic," but it left me feeling underwhelmed. The plot was predictable and lacked originality. The animation quality was mediocre, with poorly drawn characters and simplistic backgrounds. The music was forgettable and didn't add anything substantial to the film. Overall, it felt like another run-of-the-mill animated movie with nothing remarkable to offer. I wouldn't recommend it unless you're a die-hard fan of the genre.

Art and Animation in Unico the Island of Magic: A Visual Delight