Shounen Karakuri Douji ULTIMO by Stan Lee x Takei Hiroyuki

[kirimi]

NEWS! Serialisation will begin in Jump SQ on 4 Feb!!​

Karakuri Douji ULTIMO is the first collaboration of its kind between American comics giant, Stan Lee (creator of Spider-man, X-Men, Fantastic Four and more) and long-time Jump mangaka, Takei Hiroyuki (Shaman King, Butsu Zone). The series will combine the American style of story-telling with the Japanese style of manga we're all familiar with. It makes its debut with a 32-page prologue chapter in the inaugural issue of Jump SQ II (released 2008/04/18). Following that, ULTIMO will be serialised in Jump SQ in the future.

About the story: ~thanks to njt~
Two beings, one of pure good and one of pure evil, infused with all the knowledge and abilities of their creator, were set to awaken when the world was about to enter its final war. Shortly after his masterpieces were completed, the creator committed suicide, satisfied with the potential mayhem his creations will cause. Now, 1000 years later, a peaceful city is terrorized by a monster attack. The monster was created by the "pure evil" being named Vice, as a means to draw out his "pure good" counterpart, Ultimo. When the monster starts wrecking the city and attacking innocent bystanders, Ultimo appears to take out the monster. Finally, the two meet and their grand battle begins. Who will win? Who will lose? What do the police think about these new creatures destroying their city?! Discuss about it here!

Preview pictures of chapter 1:



Where to find
Follow this link to find raws, translations and Edited Mangas for Ultimo as they're released!

 

[Succubus]

Re: [SQ] Karakuri Douji ULTIMO by Stan Lee x Takei Hiroyuki

that old guy looks like stan lee.. O_o

I can't wait.. >_<

 

[kirimi]

Re: [SQ] Karakuri Douji ULTIMO by Stan Lee x Takei Hiroyuki

More details on the series, announced at the VIZ press event at New York Comic Con (18 Apr) here.

Summary of news:
- Stan Lee did not choose Takei-sensei. The Shueisha side of the collaboration chose him, but Stan Lee was happy with the choice.
- The nature of the collaboration is really very close. Stan Lee and Takei-sensei are working together back and forth on the project.
- The original premise/ideas were Stan Lee's. Takei-sensei deveoped the story from that. Now they are creating it together.
- It WILL be serialised in the US Shonen Jump and they will cut the lag time down as much as possible (although no definite time is given yet).

Also, a podcast interview with Stan Lee about Ultimo from a few days ago. He talks a bit about working on Ultimo behind the scenes with Takei-sensei, and its creation. Very cool. Most important quote of the entire interview, I think...

(from -14:33) "I have written the complete outline of the story on which Takei-sensei is basing his artwork. The scripted dialogue will be written in Japanese for the Japanese market, and later, I'll re-write it for the American market. So, you see, it really is a true collaboration in the strictest sense of the word."

 

[Asakura]

Re: [SQ] Karakuri Douji ULTIMO by Stan Lee x Takei Hiroyuki

Raw will be up minutes from now. Sorry about the delay.

 

[shrimpy]

i hope the stan lee committing seppuku isn't symbolic of him stepping off the story at any time in the future, lol.

 

[Midina^_^]

Thanks so much! It's so awsome that finally american comics and Japanese comics are actually crossing togeather.

 

[Rinvak]

Wow this could either be pure win, or mediocre. I want this to be pure win, as when things make me as giddy as a school girl; like this did; and don't live up to the giddiness it makes me sad in more ways then one.

 

[hayateblitz]

Hm. Somehow, it feels like a kiddie story. evil person does this, good person has a counter, evil person frustrated and counters, good person goes oh noes! and counters back.

I don't understand why they had to tell the story from a god's eye view. It doesn't really draw the audience into the story. Maybe cuz they were setting up the story for future chapters? But hopefully the next chapter isn't written in this format... I had high expectations for this series T.T

(my prediction! ultimo's going to suffer from a memory lost and live with that old guy for awhile. One hand Vice will search for his second arm while power hungry soldier wrecks havoc using Vice's glove and become a dictator or some sort. We'll learn more about the two robots from the monks and presumably rich villain)

Overall, I'll give it a 3/10. Don't really like the story line + the art is not really to my taste. I reckon they could have done better.

 

[Koen]

Hm. Somehow, it feels like a kiddie story. evil person does this, good person has a counter, evil person frustrated and counters, good person goes oh noes! and counters back.

I don't understand why they had to tell the story from a god's eye view. It doesn't really draw the audience into the story. Maybe cuz they were setting up the story for future chapters? But hopefully the next chapter isn't written in this format... I had high expectations for this series T.T

(my prediction! ultimo's going to suffer from a memory lost and live with that old guy for awhile. One hand Vice will search for his second arm while power hungry soldier wrecks havoc using Vice's glove and become a dictator or some sort. We'll learn more about the two robots from the monks and presumably rich villain)

Overall, I'll give it a 3/10. Don't really like the story line + the art is not really to my taste. I reckon they could have done better.

Takeis art is indeed abit excpetional, it isn't mainstream. And I agree: you love it or you don't love it.

The circle you say: attack, defence, frustration, stronger attack, etc is something I don't agree with you. I didn't have that feeling at all. This was just a prologue to a story about two extreme opposed creations who are doomed to fight each other. One for destroying the world, the other for protecting it

If I didn't like something: it's the typical american hero comic writing of destroying/dominating the world vs the saving world apsect

 

[Crude]

I really liked the art in Shaman King but this doesn't look too similar. The concept seems a little mediocre... It still interests me a lot though.

 

[Viewtiful]

"Karakuri Douji" has any special meaning?

 

[kirimi]

"Karakuri Douji" has any special meaning?

機巧 (karakuri) means mechanical, and more than just gears and wheels. 童子 (douji) means child/boy.

Most press releases and interviews in English have referred to Ultimo as an android anyway.

 

[Viewtiful]

機巧 (karakuri) means mechanical, and more than just gears and wheels. 童子 (douji) means child/boy.

Most press releases and interviews in English have referred to Ultimo as an android anyway.

So, "Karakuri Douji Ultimo", then, could be something like "Mecanical Child Ultimo"?
Hmmm... Thanks for your info! ^^

 

[花男★]

This 0 Chap was a let down in my opinion, lets see what happens next

 

[Succubus]

ultimo and vice character design looks pretty good actually I like it, and art is okay

I'll stick with it

btw, never read marvel comics in 4 years

 

[Vicious6]

The prequel chapter wasnt that bad, i didnt like the sudden fight, but the fighting itself wasnt bad. Cant wait for the next chapter.

 

[DarkManSharingan32]

I like this...
"Godly" characters battle... and as a consequence empower humans.
Thats where I see this thing headed anyways.

Seems pretty cool... I can see some good twists, and developments coming out of Chapter 0... and I'll definitely be reading this more as it comes out.
---

And come on guys... What did you think was going to happen when "Pure Good", and "Pure Evil" met? lol.

 

[fxu]

POWER OF WISDOM: MAJOR SUCKAGE

It's crapola. The summary didn't even make me jump in anxiety to read it, and just like I mentioned (to myself), it was bad.

 

[HikaruYami]

Someone needs to make the Wikipedia page for this version of Ultimo. As of now, he's still only a villain from Iron Man!

 

[Viewtiful]

The special (nine pages?) that came with Ultimo 0 at Shonen SQ. II hasn't been scanned?