Ape Escape - Ukiuki Big Mission!

Ape Escape - Ukiuki Big Mission! is a manga series illustrated by Hideki Gotou, published in the early 2000s to coincide with the popularity of the Ape Escape video game franchise. It was commissioned by Sony Computer Entertainment to expand the reach of the series into the shonen demographic, utilizing the slapstick humor and platforming mechanics of the games to frame a comedic adventure. The narrative centers on the familiar dynamic of catching monkeys equipped with intelligence-enhancing helmets, reimagined through the expressive, high-energy art style characteristic of the era's tie-in publications.

The series reflects the cultural push during the PlayStation 1 and 2 eras to translate gaming properties into printed media, a strategy intended to deepen brand loyalty among younger players. Hideki Gotou adopted a dynamic aesthetic that emphasized the chaotic nature of the monkeys, aiming to capture the frenetic pace of the game's gameplay. While the manga received a niche reception primarily among existing fans of the game, it remains a recognized artifact of early 2000s game-to-manga cross-media promotion.