Ultima manga
Around 1988, when Origin and FCI were creating Japanese versions of the Ultima series, the Japanese publisher JICC published four full length manga based upon the games. As Ultima became popular amongst Japanese gamers, short comics and stories about the series also began to appear in a variety of publications featuring computer game related content.
JICC Manga[edit]
These four manga are the ones primarily associated with the phenomenon of Ultima manga. The first two are very loosely connected to Ultima III and Ultima IV, but take severe liberties in changing the canon of these games. The other two manga do not follow the story of any of the games, with the fourth one having no ties to the Ultima series at all, apart from some small mentions.
Ultima: The Terror of Exodus[edit]
- Main article: Ultima: The Terror of Exodus
- Title: ウルティマ ～ エクソダスの恐怖 (Uruteima ~ Ekusodasu no Kyoufu)
- Publisher: JICC.
- Author: Seiji Tanaka
- Published: Aug. 15, 1988.
- Length: 252 pages (first 8 pages are in color)
- Original List Price: 880¥ (about US$7)
- ISBN-10: 4880634344
Summary: When the dark god of evil, Exodus, arises once more in the realm of Sosaria, it resurrects the evil magicians Mondain and Minax and with their aide threatens to plunge the land into eternal darkness. Its up to the four chosen "Dragon Warriors" of prophecy to defeat it: Genji, a futuristic space explorer; Aida, a peaceful, animal-loving cleric; Lennon, a paranoid and often disgruntled bard; and Bigelow, a mechanized robot with a capacity for human emotion.
Ultima: The Quest of the Avatar[edit]
This section is about a manga. For other uses, see Quest of the Avatar (disambiguation).
- Main article: Ultima: The Quest of the Avatar
- Title: ウルティマ ～ クエスト オブ アバタール (Uruteima ~ Kuesuto obu Abataar)
- Publisher: JICC.
- Author: Yuko Tanaka
- Published: Aug. 29, 1989
- Length: 252 pages (first 8 pages are in color)
- Original List Price: 900¥ (about US$7)
- ISBN-10: 4880635766
- ISBN-13: 978-4880635767
Synopsis: A young paladin, Deane goes on a quest to discover what has become of his older brother, the druid, Shiva, who embarked on the Quest of the Avatar some years ago. Along the way he meets a variety of new friends and eventually comes to learn the truth about who he is and what he is fated to become.
Ultima: The Fall of Magincia[edit]
- Main article: Ultima: The Fall of Magincia
- Title: ウルティマ ～ マジンシアの滅亡 (Uruteima ~ Majinshia no Metsubou)
- Publisher: JICC.
- Author: Hiroyuki Watanabe
- Published: Dec. 15, 1990.
- Length: 248 pages (first 8 pages are in color)
- Original List Price: 980¥
- ISBN-10: 479660054X
- ISBN-13: 978-4796600545
Synopsis: Britannia’s seas are being ravaged by monsters under the command of the sorcerer Vitor, head of Magincia’s merchants. The young pirate captain Susadora and his gang – accompanied by Rani Sentri, captain of Britannia's special forces – are commanded by Lord British to find arms strong enough to stop Vitor, as well as discover a mysterious truth about Susadora himself.
Ultima: The Maze of Schwarzschild[edit]
- Main article: Ultima: The Maze of Schwarzschild
- Title: ウルテイマ ～ シュワルツシルドの迷宮 (Uruteima ~ Shuwarutsushirudo no Meikyun)
- Publisher: JICC.
- Author: Seiji Tanaka
- Published: Nov. 15, 1991
- Length: 216 pages (first 8 pages are in color)
- Original List Price: ¥980
- ISBN-10: 4796602127
- ISBN-13: 978-4796602129
Synopsis: Aida and Lennon have resurfaced in Genji's outer-space "homeworld," under new identities as caretakers of a space station. But so have Mondain and Minax – as scientists who have discovered the remnants of Exodus trapped within an asteroid and seek a way to unseal the dark god.
Minori Shobo Comics[edit]
GamePlayer COMICS Vol.4[edit]
- Title: ゲームプレイヤーコミックス 4 (Geimu Pureyaa Komyukusu 4)
- Publisher: Minori Shobo
- Published: Apr. 13, 1992
- Original List Price: ¥580
This book contains a twelve page Ultima-based story by Hiroki Nakase, called "Honoo no Daido-geinin." (Burning Street Jester) [pgs 106–117]
GamePlayer COMICS Vol.5[edit]
- Title: ゲームプレイヤーコミックス 5 (Geimu Pureyaa Komyukusu 5)
- Publisher: Minori Shobo
- Published: Jun. 13, 1992
- Original List Price: ¥580
This book contains an eight page Ultima-based story by Hisokazu Shimada, called "Jitsuroku Avatar e Irasshai." (Document : Welcome to Avatar) [pgs 24–31]
GamePlayer COMICS Vol.6[edit]
- Title: ゲームプレイヤーコミックス 6 (Geimu Pureyaa Komyukusu 6)
- Publisher: Minori Shobo
- Published: Aug. 13, 1992
- Original List Price: ¥580
- ISBN-13 978-4896020359
This book contains an eight page Ultima-based story by Hisokazu Shimada, called "Kigeki Gargoyle Satsujinjiken." (Comedy : Gargoyle Murder Case)
GamePlayer COMICS Vol.7[edit]
- Title: ゲームプレイヤーコミックス 7 (Geimu Pureyaa Komyukusu 7)
- Publisher: Minori Shobo
- Published: Oct. 12, 1992
- Original List Price: ¥580
- ISBN-13: 978-4896020441
This book contains an six page Ultima-based story by Tade, called "Haniwa de Avatar."
Futabasha Comics[edit]
Famicom 4-Panel-Comic Kingdom Vol.2[edit]
- Title: ファミコン 4コマまんが王国 2 (Famicom 4-Koma Manga Oukoku 2)
- Publisher: Futabasha
- Published: Dec. 10, 1991
- Original List Price: ¥580
- ISBN-10: 4575932795
- ISBN-13: 978-4575932799
This book contains fifteen Ultima-based comic strips by Nobuyuki Ishigaki, called "Futago no Majo Ul-chan Tima-chan." (Ul & Tima: The Twin Enchantresses)
Byakuya Shobo Comics[edit]
Million People's Sleep-Avoiding Software[edit]
- Title: 100万本の徹夜ソフト (100man Nin no Tetsuya-Sofuto)
- Publisher: Byakuya Shobo
- Published: Apr. 9, 1993
- Original List Price: ¥780
- ISBN-10: 4893673173
- ISBN-13: 978-4893673176
This book a one page Ultima-based story Izumi Takemoto, called "Aruhi no Ultima -Seija Eno Michi-" (A day of Ultima -Road to Saint-)
ASCII Comics[edit]
BASIC'N Vol. 2[edit]
- Title: べーしっ君 2 (Beishikun 2)
- Publisher: ASCII
- Author: Kiyokazu Arai
- Published: Oct. 24, 1992
- Original List Price: ¥520
- ISBN-10: 4756106501
- ISBN-13: 978-4756106506
This collection of 4-panel comics includes one Ultima III strip [pg. 35] and one one Ultima IV strip. [pg. 97]
BASIC'N Vol. 3[edit]
- Title: べーしっ君 3 (Beishikun 3)
- Publisher: ASCII
- Author: Kiyokazu Arai
- Published: Oct. 24, 1992
- Original List Price: ¥520
- ISBN-10: 475610651X
- ISBN-13: 978-4756106513
This collection of 4-panel comics includes one Ultima IV strip. [pg. 124]
Road to Addiction[edit]
- Title: はまり道 (Hamari Michi)
- Publisher: ASCII
- Author: Sensha Yoshida
- Published: Apr. 22, 1994
- Original List Price: ¥880
- ISBN-10: 4756108792
- ISBN-13: 978-4756108791
This collection of 4-panel comics includes one Ultima IV strip.
External Links[edit]
- KtJ Dragon: Ultima Comics: a list of manga with some scans of Ultima-related short stories.
| Ultima Manga | |
|---|---|
| The Terror of Exodus ☥ Quest of the Avatar ☥ The Fall of Magincia ☥ The Maze of Schwarzschild | |