My Manga Journal (Recent Reads #93): Ultimo

Ultimo Vol. 1 Cover Art (from MyAnimeList)

Written by Stan Lee & Hiroyuki Takei; Illustrated by Hiroyuki Takei

Score: 6

The crossover of non-Asian authors and artists into manga has been pretty common, especially with the medium’s explosive popularity over the past few decades. Manhwa and Manhua have been commonplace for a while, of course, but even western authors have shown an interest in jumping in as well. Nothing all that widely renowned, but major comic properties from DC and Marvel have already jumped into anime before.

Still, if renowned comic creator Stan Lee were to announce an attempt to make his own manga, wouldn’t you even be a little interested in something like that? Especially if it involves Hiroyuki Takei, the creator of Shaman King. The two came together in the 2000s to create Ultimo, a manga about Karakuri Doji dolls created to simulate the battle between good and evil. The dolls seek out masters, who use their bond with their Doji to fight for their side.

On the one hand, a lot of the concepts in Ultimo are pretty cool. The designs are amazing, and while the story is very outlandish, the tone and humor blends in well with it. The characters are appealing both in design and character, and while not everyone is a winner, they’re more than sufficient for a hyperactive high-tension battle manga.

On the other hand, to call Ultimo a mess would be an understatement. The pacing is all over the place as the manga jumps from new idea to new idea in a matter of chapters. While I don’t know exactly how much Stan Lee contributes to the story, I do wonder if it had an effect on how frequently bizarre turns in the story would occur. It felt genuinely rushed at the end there, and while it could have been due to cancellation woes, that’s not something I can speak to authoritatively.

At the end of the day, though, Ultimo is a very interesting experiment even if it failed to really make a splash. It’s a curio for anyone who’s aware of Stan Lee’s work, and another highlight for Hiroyuki Takei’s incredible artwork. It’s no masterpiece, but it is fun at the very least, so check it out if any of the above piques your interest.

Originally published at http://talesfromsquareone.wordpress.com on October 14, 2025.