Unicorn Wars Turns Pastel Cuties Into a Nightmarish, Blood‑Soaked Anti‑War Spectacle
Unicorn Wars is a 2022 animated feature by Spanish writer-director Alberto Vázquez that pairs pastel, toy-like characters with very adult themes, including graphic violence and explicit sexual content.
Overview
Unicorn Wars was released in 2022 and was written and directed by Alberto Vázquez. The film is aimed at adult audiences and uses familiar, toy-like character designs to tell a story about war, power, and propaganda. In interviews, Vázquez said he intended to communicate “the common origin of all wars.”
Plot and themes
The story follows a unit of colorful, bear-like soldiers who have been raised in a culture that glorifies military action against unicorns. Some of these bears accept the official narrative about having once been rulers of the forest, while others reject the propaganda and pursue drugs and sex instead.
Central to the plot is Bluey, a bear whose pursuit of power leads him to dominate his softer brother Tubby. Meanwhile, the unicorns face a growing, destructive threat of their own in the woods. The film frames these events as an allegory for the origins and mechanics of war.
Unicorn Wars draws a deliberate visual and thematic contrast between its cute, pastel look and its darker subject matter. For example, Vázquez has said he likes working with recognizable iconography, and many observers note that the bears are openly modeled after established toy brands.
For context on the director’s earlier work, see the short feature related to Birdboy: The Forgotten Children here:
Visual style and violence
Visually, the film blends childlike design with graphic content. It depicts explicit sexual elements (including visible genitals on the characters) and extensive gore. Consequently, the movie shifts tones: it opens with dark humor and surreal visuals, and gradually moves into sustained horror and violent spectacle.
Filmmakers and critics have compared the film’s approach to animated works that mix mature themes with stylized imagery. In addition, the finale has been described as a blood-soaked, stage-like sequence in the vein of Grand Guignol; more on the historical reference here.
Grand Guignol image and context
Characters and tone
Bluey functions as an antagonist whose decisions escalate the conflict. Tubby represents a counterpoint: gentler, less militaristic. Other bears vary between zealotry and refusal of the war narrative. The unicorns are presented both as victims and as participants in their own survival story.
Where to watch
Unicorn Wars is available for rental or purchase on several digital platforms. For example, it can be rented or bought on Amazon, and it is listed on major digital stores such as Apple.
For trailers and additional clips, see the official trailer here:
For background on the iconography the film plays with, see the official Care Bears site:
