Common Sense Media Review
By JK Sooja
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Fantasy violence, peril in solid Unico reboot sequel.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 9+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Read
Parent and Kid Reviews
What's the Story?
In UNICO: HUNTED the adventures of Unico continue in another time and place. Unico finds himself in a position yet again to help those in need. Enter Chiko and her grandfather, seemingly the only remaining humans in a small factory town. While Venus continues to hunt Unico, other threats loom large on the horizon, like a control hungry robot that calls itself, "Mother."
Is It Any Good?
This sequel finds Unico in another great adventure while still trying to hide from Venus, the evil goddess of the heavens. Smartly, the environment and scenery change with Unico: Hunted, placing Unico, surprisingly, in a small factory town. The immediate threat is also different, replacing evil flying fish monsters and gun-toting humans with a fierce resurrected hunter and robots controlled by a machine that calls itself "Mother." This villain even has a logical reason for its actions, even if it is woefully misguided and wrong with its conclusions. On top of the local threat, if you will, Venus still hunts Unico through Iver and Strigaloth, as she continues to restore her lost power. Sky-high stakes again, and Unico must try (again) to figure out who he is, what his mission is, and why Venus so wants him out of the picture. With the help of new friends who will quickly endear themselves to readers, Unico's newly formed found family is loving, supportive, and communicative. In many ways, this sequel feels like a great Dr. Who episode with a great mystery at its center. What's going on in this empty factory town? What's the deal with Mother? What is making Chiko sick? Who are the Fey and why do they live underground? With characters who all have their own motivations and backstories, the world of Unico feels alive and fantastical, open to all kinds of future adventures. Some readers might be a bit disappointed that Iver doesn't make much of an impact or that Venus isn't front and center as the main villain (even though she's still a menacing presence), but most fans will adore this second lively installment.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about fantasy violence in manga style graphic novels. Do you think the fantasy violence in Unico: Hunted (Volume 2) helps make the book more exciting? Do you think you could tell the same story without the violence?
How do characters show courage, compassion, communication, and teamwork? How does Unico convince Halian, for example, to change his opinion of humans? How does Unico treat Mother, even after she tries to kill everyone? In what ways do Chiko and Garapachi show their goodness, kindness, and friendship? When does the concept of found family start to shine through?
Of the new characters introduced in this sequel, which are your favorite and why?
Were you scared of the villains in this story? Compared to the character of Venus, how scary is the character of Mother?
Are you satisfied with how this story ends?
Book Details
- Authors :
- Illustrator : Gurihiru
- Genre : Graphic Novel
- Topics : Fantasy ( Magic ) , Adventures , Friendship , Robots
- Book type : Fiction
- Publisher : Graphix
- Publication date : July 1, 2025
- Publisher's recommended age(s) : 8 - 12
- Number of pages : 224
- Available on : Paperback, Hardback, Apple Books, Kindle
- Last updated : September 18, 2025
Did we miss something on diversity?
Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by
Suggest an Update
Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.
See how we rate