From Ultima Codex

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.

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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.



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Ultima: The Quest of the Avatar [ edit ]

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.



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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.



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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 ]

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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]



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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]



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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)



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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 ]

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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 ]

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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 ]

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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]



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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]



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Road to Addiction Comic from

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.

