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Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic #1
Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic, Vol. 1
Deep within the desert lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches there for the taking by anyone lucky enough to find them and brave enough to venture into the depths from where few have ever returned. Plucky young adventurer Aladdin means to find the Dungeons and their riches, but Aladdin may be just as mysterious as the treasures he seeks.
200 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 18, 2009
132 people are currently reading
2828 people want to read
About the author
Shinobu Ohtaka
234 books268 followersShinobu Ohtaka (大高 忍, born May 9, 1983 Tokyo, Japan) is a Japanese manga artist. She is best known for the creation of the manga series Sumomomo Momomo and more recently, Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic.
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November 22, 2025
Can you feel this energy? / This is the start of something great / We might... be a little late... hey / Hey, but at least we're on our way (Let’s Go – Khalid)
It's probably too early to say I'm back to liking the things I'm reading right? I don't want there to be a curling of the monkey paw or anything like that, so I'll just take it book by book for now. Manga by manga. Anyway, here’s the thing, I kind of cheated with this one because I knew there was a good chance I'd enjoy it as I have a vague recollection of reading quite a bit of this manga when I was young (like, up to the point where Aladdin goes to magic school) but I never quite remembered the exact name, so imagine my excitement when a couple days of sleuthing right here on Goodreads brought me right back to it! Now, imagine my even greater shock that a lot of the top reviews of this manga are actually quite negative, because I seem to remember that if nothing else, Magi featured an interesting Hunter X Hunter-esque world full of adventure accompanied by a fun group of outcasts brought together by friendship and… magic. Look, it’s a good manga about nice people finding each other and after realizing the world around them is flawed and unjust, then decide to making it better one act of kindness at a time. I’m just saying, as someone who’s only been consuming the bleakest horror movies and the most high stakes manga for a couple weeks now, this is more than good enough for me! Besides, between this manga, Predator: Badlands, and The Teller of Small Fortunes, I’ve found myself really enjoying the adventure genre all over again. Like, I just can’t get enough of a group of people finding each other and then going to another location together, it really is the best! So yeah, Magi’s story follows a mysterious young boy named Aladdin (yeah, that Aladdin) who’s only companion is a genie stuck in a magic flute. And after meeting a selfish camel driver with a hidden heart of gold, Ali Baba (before he had them forty thieves), they decide to conquer “dungeons” around the world that promise endless riches and secret wonders. It’s a simple story, but the dialogue is fun and energetic while the action scenes are sparse enough to help make sure the narrative compliments the world-building rather than making the whole thing too “video gamey.” Also, I always just love a good scoundrel with a soft spot type of character, so it’s safe to say that in many ways, Magi felt specifically written with me in mind. It’s the manga equivalent of those video game that have an “and you” addition at the end of the credits when they’re thanking everyone who helped the game come to fruition. Anyway, I loved how obvious it was that despite Ali Baba’s posturing about wanting people to “genuflect, show some respect, down on one knee” and all that, him looking to become rich and lead the glamorous life is actually just a smokescreen for his real need; finding friendship. It’s a cute story, and along with the cute art style, I’m honestly appreciating this manga a lot more than I did way back when.
Though the author herself said that Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic adapts almost nothing from The Arabian Nights, I still found this manga to be filled to the brim of imagination and overflowing with colorful intrigue. It allows for a lot of wiggle room on what this manga could be while also sharing the general vibe of the source material, because even though none of this is true to the script, it was fun looking for any points of familiarity. For one, I like Aladdin’s design and how he still has the magic carpet and genie along with him despite the context being changed to fit the setting of the manga. And it’s funny because when we do meet him on the first page, he’s still the same ole “diamond in the rough” that we all know and love, he’s still on that “gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat, tell you all about it when I got the time” vibe! Sorry, as you can probably tell, my only point of reference is Disney’s Aladdin, and I’m a little ashamed to admit it. Otherwise, I wasn’t too big a fan of the genie’s design, and the fact that he’s just a buff body-builder guy that occasionally jumps out of Aladdin’s flute stood out to me as the one questionably artistic choices in a manga full of unique and wonderful set pieces. Anyway, while none of the inaccuracies really bothered me, I will say that I thought it was slightly off how none of these characters have any melanin! Like, what gives? Not even a tan? There should be a “brown skin, brown skin, match the D'USSÉ, and your friends bad too, let the crew slay,” aspect to these characters, no? I don’t know, I’m getting some bad Gods of Egypt, Genshin Impact flashbacks here, and I know it's not too big a deal, but I couldn’t shake it no matter how hard I tried. I feel the same way about that live action Legend of Zelda movie that's coming out… because I just feel it in my bones that I’ll hate it no matter what. Firstly because, well, because I don’t think it can work as a movie, and I also resent the idea that something needs to have a live action movie adaption to be seen as "fully realized," but also because I truly believe in my heart of hearts that Link is Asian. Now, I know that’s probably one of my wildest opinions considering both Link and Zelda are clearly elves or Hylian or whatever, and they both have blonde hair and blue eyes, but every time I’ve ever looked at Link, from Twilight Princess to Skyward Sword, I’ve always found myself saying “now there’s my Asian brother.” Look, I’m just saying that this manga should have given Aladdin some pigment and maybe some black hair rather than blue. Nonetheless, as far as I’m concerned, I still really enjoyed Magi, and I’ll totally binge read the entire series in one sitting. Just kidding, I have much better impulse control now… hopefully. Anyway, those few hiccups aside, I’ll never actually be mad about reading a manga with a good sense of pace, imaginative folklore, and no shortage of magical wonder. I’m looking forward to this adventure! ...Prince Ali, mighty is he, Ali Ababwa! Strong as ten regular men, definitely~yy! Sorry, that's still stuck in my head.
You got too much time to waste / Focusing on what people say / They might not like that we've arrived / But we're here to stay
It's probably too early to say I'm back to liking the things I'm reading right? I don't want there to be a curling of the monkey paw or anything like that, so I'll just take it book by book for now. Manga by manga. Anyway, here’s the thing, I kind of cheated with this one because I knew there was a good chance I'd enjoy it as I have a vague recollection of reading quite a bit of this manga when I was young (like, up to the point where Aladdin goes to magic school) but I never quite remembered the exact name, so imagine my excitement when a couple days of sleuthing right here on Goodreads brought me right back to it! Now, imagine my even greater shock that a lot of the top reviews of this manga are actually quite negative, because I seem to remember that if nothing else, Magi featured an interesting Hunter X Hunter-esque world full of adventure accompanied by a fun group of outcasts brought together by friendship and… magic. Look, it’s a good manga about nice people finding each other and after realizing the world around them is flawed and unjust, then decide to making it better one act of kindness at a time. I’m just saying, as someone who’s only been consuming the bleakest horror movies and the most high stakes manga for a couple weeks now, this is more than good enough for me! Besides, between this manga, Predator: Badlands, and The Teller of Small Fortunes, I’ve found myself really enjoying the adventure genre all over again. Like, I just can’t get enough of a group of people finding each other and then going to another location together, it really is the best! So yeah, Magi’s story follows a mysterious young boy named Aladdin (yeah, that Aladdin) who’s only companion is a genie stuck in a magic flute. And after meeting a selfish camel driver with a hidden heart of gold, Ali Baba (before he had them forty thieves), they decide to conquer “dungeons” around the world that promise endless riches and secret wonders. It’s a simple story, but the dialogue is fun and energetic while the action scenes are sparse enough to help make sure the narrative compliments the world-building rather than making the whole thing too “video gamey.” Also, I always just love a good scoundrel with a soft spot type of character, so it’s safe to say that in many ways, Magi felt specifically written with me in mind. It’s the manga equivalent of those video game that have an “and you” addition at the end of the credits when they’re thanking everyone who helped the game come to fruition. Anyway, I loved how obvious it was that despite Ali Baba’s posturing about wanting people to “genuflect, show some respect, down on one knee” and all that, him looking to become rich and lead the glamorous life is actually just a smokescreen for his real need; finding friendship. It’s a cute story, and along with the cute art style, I’m honestly appreciating this manga a lot more than I did way back when.
Though the author herself said that Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic adapts almost nothing from The Arabian Nights, I still found this manga to be filled to the brim of imagination and overflowing with colorful intrigue. It allows for a lot of wiggle room on what this manga could be while also sharing the general vibe of the source material, because even though none of this is true to the script, it was fun looking for any points of familiarity. For one, I like Aladdin’s design and how he still has the magic carpet and genie along with him despite the context being changed to fit the setting of the manga. And it’s funny because when we do meet him on the first page, he’s still the same ole “diamond in the rough” that we all know and love, he’s still on that “gotta eat to live, gotta steal to eat, tell you all about it when I got the time” vibe! Sorry, as you can probably tell, my only point of reference is Disney’s Aladdin, and I’m a little ashamed to admit it. Otherwise, I wasn’t too big a fan of the genie’s design, and the fact that he’s just a buff body-builder guy that occasionally jumps out of Aladdin’s flute stood out to me as the one questionably artistic choices in a manga full of unique and wonderful set pieces. Anyway, while none of the inaccuracies really bothered me, I will say that I thought it was slightly off how none of these characters have any melanin! Like, what gives? Not even a tan? There should be a “brown skin, brown skin, match the D'USSÉ, and your friends bad too, let the crew slay,” aspect to these characters, no? I don’t know, I’m getting some bad Gods of Egypt, Genshin Impact flashbacks here, and I know it's not too big a deal, but I couldn’t shake it no matter how hard I tried. I feel the same way about that live action Legend of Zelda movie that's coming out… because I just feel it in my bones that I’ll hate it no matter what. Firstly because, well, because I don’t think it can work as a movie, and I also resent the idea that something needs to have a live action movie adaption to be seen as "fully realized," but also because I truly believe in my heart of hearts that Link is Asian. Now, I know that’s probably one of my wildest opinions considering both Link and Zelda are clearly elves or Hylian or whatever, and they both have blonde hair and blue eyes, but every time I’ve ever looked at Link, from Twilight Princess to Skyward Sword, I’ve always found myself saying “now there’s my Asian brother.” Look, I’m just saying that this manga should have given Aladdin some pigment and maybe some black hair rather than blue. Nonetheless, as far as I’m concerned, I still really enjoyed Magi, and I’ll totally binge read the entire series in one sitting. Just kidding, I have much better impulse control now… hopefully. Anyway, those few hiccups aside, I’ll never actually be mad about reading a manga with a good sense of pace, imaginative folklore, and no shortage of magical wonder. I’m looking forward to this adventure! ...Prince Ali, mighty is he, Ali Ababwa! Strong as ten regular men, definitely~yy! Sorry, that's still stuck in my head.
You got too much time to waste / Focusing on what people say / They might not like that we've arrived / But we're here to stay
March 13, 2016
A young kid steals things, destroys other people's property, and then beats them up. He's also an idiot, but that's him being seven (or whatever), not him being stupid for a child. Ever wonder what would happen if a random child unlocked the "might makes right" jutsu? Here ya go. I imagine parts are supposed to be cute. Instead I kept thinking, "well, that guy's dead... and they're all bankrupt now."
March 10, 2016
I'm not sure why, but I kind of expected not to like this as much as the other manga that I've been reading. But this was really funny! Definitely enjoyed myself while reading it. I think I like it better than the anime.
March 15, 2023
4/5
i've actually started this manga series a few years ago but life happens and i don't know where in the story i stopped, so here i am once again reading this from the beginning. i actually loved what i've read so far in the series, and this first volume is actually good enough to make me want to read all 37 volumes/369 chapters. i also loved the art in this series. it's not very detailed most of the time, but once it is, it's beautiful. the art style feels magical. and when it needs to be funny, the art would do its job.
i don't remember much what will happen next so it's like this is my first time reading this and i'm excited!
i've actually started this manga series a few years ago but life happens and i don't know where in the story i stopped, so here i am once again reading this from the beginning. i actually loved what i've read so far in the series, and this first volume is actually good enough to make me want to read all 37 volumes/369 chapters. i also loved the art in this series. it's not very detailed most of the time, but once it is, it's beautiful. the art style feels magical. and when it needs to be funny, the art would do its job.
i don't remember much what will happen next so it's like this is my first time reading this and i'm excited!
August 24, 2018
One of the best shounen series out here. The worldbuilding is interesting and the characters are colorful. I really loved how cleverly the author blended and combined the Arabian fairy-tales together and produced this kind of exciting story. The art is also nice. Recommended.
December 4, 2015
Any book where I can't even get through the first chapter before the preteen main character starts groping an adult woman is not for me.
March 26, 2018
ATTENTION
The following review discusses (in a manner as spoiler-free as possible, though there are some
things given away without a warning) the manga as a whole (at least till the volume I left it off a
while back). I hope you enjoy.
I came to have a good time, and now my life is ruined
Having gone through the five stages of grief as soon as it occurred to me that the production team was not going to go through with the third season of its animated adaption, infatuated with both characters and plot -a loose retelling of Arabian Nights (which Magi included was adapted in two of my favorite fairytale retellings, the Wraith and the Dawn being the second one), I decided to give the manga a chance.
Magi’s on-screen artwork was not particularly exciting. The animation was a bit obsolete, often sloppy, but bares the exaggerated expressions that often win my giggles. The same could be said about the manga. Though I was –by the time I started- quite familiar with the art, the fact that it was (naturally) in black and white, despite me being familiar (having watched the issues on screen) with the plot, took a bit getting used to. But as strange as it seems to someone who has read only Magi #1, you don’t stick around for the art or the fun in this one; you stay for the story.
The genius of Magi (Yes. I said “genius.” Fight me.) mostly derives from the simplicity and innocence that characterizes the admittedly generic way it starts off with: two boys and one girl (your basic anime trio) united by unexpected circumstances and each baring several quirks and secrets decide to go on an adventure with seemingly no ulterior motive but their desire to explore the world.
On their way they meet these extraordinary, mysterious, powerful and absolutely hilarious side-characters (surprisingly developed with great depth ), with whom they form wonderfully established friendships or animosities, with just the right amount of ships (. The dynamics between characters are wonderfully elegant, almost never forced , and they can carry the plot as carefree and simplistic as it initially is.
Shinobu Ohtaka does not stop there.
Issue after issue, I am not exactly comfortable with calling Magi progressively dark, but it certainly becomes unexpectedly mature. Perhaps that’s why they decided not to give a green light to the third series. While it stays absolutely PG, it slowly gets smarter and quite political in the sense that it describes the progression of an agricultural culture with hints of magic to an advanced society that relies on a magically developed technology, which, in turn, results to the transformation of conflict from battles to financial antagonism, without being stressful, boring, or any less innocent and reader-friendly than this first volume. And this, doesn’t even scratch the depth of the background story, meaning the magical events (the pre-history) that lead the characters (and the universe in general) in the state it was today.
Funny, heartbreaking and heart-warming, Magi is an emotional rollercoaster that as far as stories go, it has a lot to give and a lot to free, without abolishing its particular (well-loved) aesthetic, and I think it’s high time it got the popularity and the love it truly deserves.
The following review discusses (in a manner as spoiler-free as possible, though there are some
things given away without a warning) the manga as a whole (at least till the volume I left it off a
while back). I hope you enjoy.
I came to have a good time, and now my life is ruined
Having gone through the five stages of grief as soon as it occurred to me that the production team was not going to go through with the third season of its animated adaption, infatuated with both characters and plot -a loose retelling of Arabian Nights (which Magi included was adapted in two of my favorite fairytale retellings, the Wraith and the Dawn being the second one), I decided to give the manga a chance.
Magi’s on-screen artwork was not particularly exciting. The animation was a bit obsolete, often sloppy, but bares the exaggerated expressions that often win my giggles. The same could be said about the manga. Though I was –by the time I started- quite familiar with the art, the fact that it was (naturally) in black and white, despite me being familiar (having watched the issues on screen) with the plot, took a bit getting used to. But as strange as it seems to someone who has read only Magi #1, you don’t stick around for the art or the fun in this one; you stay for the story.
The genius of Magi (Yes. I said “genius.” Fight me.) mostly derives from the simplicity and innocence that characterizes the admittedly generic way it starts off with: two boys and one girl (your basic anime trio) united by unexpected circumstances and each baring several quirks and secrets decide to go on an adventure with seemingly no ulterior motive but their desire to explore the world.
On their way they meet these extraordinary, mysterious, powerful and absolutely hilarious side-characters (surprisingly developed with great depth ), with whom they form wonderfully established friendships or animosities, with just the right amount of ships (. The dynamics between characters are wonderfully elegant, almost never forced , and they can carry the plot as carefree and simplistic as it initially is.
Shinobu Ohtaka does not stop there.
Issue after issue, I am not exactly comfortable with calling Magi progressively dark, but it certainly becomes unexpectedly mature. Perhaps that’s why they decided not to give a green light to the third series. While it stays absolutely PG, it slowly gets smarter and quite political in the sense that it describes the progression of an agricultural culture with hints of magic to an advanced society that relies on a magically developed technology, which, in turn, results to the transformation of conflict from battles to financial antagonism, without being stressful, boring, or any less innocent and reader-friendly than this first volume. And this, doesn’t even scratch the depth of the background story, meaning the magical events (the pre-history) that lead the characters (and the universe in general) in the state it was today.
Funny, heartbreaking and heart-warming, Magi is an emotional rollercoaster that as far as stories go, it has a lot to give and a lot to free, without abolishing its particular (well-loved) aesthetic, and I think it’s high time it got the popularity and the love it truly deserves.
March 10, 2018
This was actually a lot better than I expected it to be! I really enjoyed Aladdin’s character and I think this will actually be an awesome series to follow!
I’ve been looking for a good manga with some magic and my boyfriend recommended this one. So, I’m actually quite stoked to keep reading!
I’ve been looking for a good manga with some magic and my boyfriend recommended this one. So, I’m actually quite stoked to keep reading!
May 25, 2015
Um… okay… I kinda love this manga.
I know this series is pretty popular right now, so I figured I’d check it out, and boy oh boy was it hysterical! The artwork is pretty standard, but the over exaggerated faces are so hilarious and spectacular. Like this page, for example. I busted out laughing at the guys at the bottom:
Aladdin is so fricken adorable and ridiculous, you can’t help but love him. Alibaba is a pretty hilarious character as well. And Ugo… OMG I love it every time he’s out of the flute. It’s like the ridiculous version of Attack on Titan. So funny.
I definitely wasn’t expecting to dig this so much. This is like D&D meets Alibaba and the 40 Thieves. I really want to read the rest of this series right now, but it’s not out entirely yet, and the series isn’t over. So I need to decide if I want to wait or go for it and re-read it later. If the hilarity keeps up, I might just have to read what’s out now.
I know this series is pretty popular right now, so I figured I’d check it out, and boy oh boy was it hysterical! The artwork is pretty standard, but the over exaggerated faces are so hilarious and spectacular. Like this page, for example. I busted out laughing at the guys at the bottom:
Aladdin is so fricken adorable and ridiculous, you can’t help but love him. Alibaba is a pretty hilarious character as well. And Ugo… OMG I love it every time he’s out of the flute. It’s like the ridiculous version of Attack on Titan. So funny.
I definitely wasn’t expecting to dig this so much. This is like D&D meets Alibaba and the 40 Thieves. I really want to read the rest of this series right now, but it’s not out entirely yet, and the series isn’t over. So I need to decide if I want to wait or go for it and re-read it later. If the hilarity keeps up, I might just have to read what’s out now.
March 24, 2025
iniziamo questo viaggio
March 19, 2015
Der erste Band der Magi-Reihe und ich muss wirklich sagen, obwohl ich den Anime bereits kenne, wurde mir beim Lesen des Mangas niemals langweilig. Ich finde, es gibt einige Unterschiede zwischen dem Manga und Anime und auch der Witz kommt im Manga deutlich mehr zum Ausdruck und ist noch besser gelungen als im Anime.
Ich liebe die Neuinterpretation der Geschichte von 1001 Nacht im actiongeladenen, magischen und vor allem humorvollen Manga-Gewand. Mir sagt der Zeichenstil vollends zu. Die Mischung ist einfach hervorragend in diesem Manga und ich kann die Fortsetzungen kaum noch erwarten.
Aladin und Ali Baba sind ein tolles Gespann und auch die „Antagonisten“ wissen zu gefallen. Die Story entwickelt sich von Kapitel zu Kapitel stetig mehr und man merkt jetzt schon, dass das noch etwas ganz Großes wird.
Freue mich schon sehr auf Band 2!
Ich liebe die Neuinterpretation der Geschichte von 1001 Nacht im actiongeladenen, magischen und vor allem humorvollen Manga-Gewand. Mir sagt der Zeichenstil vollends zu. Die Mischung ist einfach hervorragend in diesem Manga und ich kann die Fortsetzungen kaum noch erwarten.
Aladin und Ali Baba sind ein tolles Gespann und auch die „Antagonisten“ wissen zu gefallen. Die Story entwickelt sich von Kapitel zu Kapitel stetig mehr und man merkt jetzt schon, dass das noch etwas ganz Großes wird.
Freue mich schon sehr auf Band 2!
March 28, 2023
this was really fun to read as a break from a long day of classes and studying. i did not have very high expectations going into this and i was pleasantly surprised because this managed to hold my attention as well as entertain me from beginning to end. i initially thought it was going to be full of fluff but it had some pretty dark themes as well and the adventure aspect was pretty well done in this volume.
will definitely be continuing with the series!🩵
will definitely be continuing with the series!🩵
November 22, 2014
I gotta say, I'm pretty surprised at how quickly this series became so serious. You'd think with the adorable and colorful main characters there would be more of a One Piece feel of fooling around and being happy-go-lucky, but I don't think I remember laughing once after the first few chapters. That's not to say that every manga, or indeed every story, needs to have you laughing every chapter (although even the few parts that were supposed to be funny were only marginally so), after over fifty plus chapters (what I've read so far) of never-ending conflict, strife, misery, and battle I got kind of tired out.
Also I can't help but feel like this story has been done before - the roles these characters play, the setting, the conflict - they all seem almost too familiar. There's the boy growing up in the slums who turns out to be a prince; the childhood friends who become bitter enemies; the selfish king who... well God I don't need to go into that one, you'll know him; all the villains who just sit around and give orders (or believe they are) are either ugly or fat (or both). I do love the blend of different 1001 Nights stories, but I wish the magical element of the plot could be more cohesive. Characters ask multiple times what a Magi is and we still feel like we don't get it. Also I don't like the 'power-up' method of winning a fight, although that's not implemented too much her (so far).
However, I do adore the characters, particularly the main trio, and Judal is my favorite kind of villain - cheeky, in it for the kicks, easy to piss off; almost like an overgrown child with more power than is good for him (or anyone else) - and despite being familiar I do love the friends-become-enemies plotline. In fact the sole driving force for me to keep reading chapter after chapter is just to watch these characters play off each other and interact. Aladdin and Ali Baba, while again probably not the most original of characters, get great character development, and their emotions and reactions feel genuine. Now that I've finished with the Balbadd arc I'll definitely be continuing, eager to see where the story will go next now that this particular crisis is over. As a side note, I also love the fact that the anime is more fast-paced and still manages to keep everything in (sasu ga A-1 Pictures - please take over One Piece!). Although I think Shinobu-sensei's artwork is more beautifully detailed (as is usually the case when comparing manga and anime) it's great to see this world in vibrant color.
September 1, 2013
A playful manga series based on the stories from Arabian Nights! A fantasy adventure with a good blend of comedy. Great for older youth (ages 12+), teen and adult based on stories most readers should recognize! We have the ever famous Aladdin starring in this series With a magical flute that summons his friend, Ugo. Ugo is a shy, headless djinn. Aladdin is trying to help him recover his head and this book begins their adventures. Another famous name is given to us Alibaba who is hand for hire who wants to make it rich.
Aladdin can appear as an adorable little boy one minute, an intelligent youth the next or can seem to be a very pervy child. This gives Aladdin an interesting depth that leaves me curious to learn more about the real him in volume 2. Alibaba befriends Aladdin so that he will explore a dungeon for treasures with him. The way the dungeons are described remind me of old-school video game play.
Again, I love the various portrayals of Aladdin. In one scene he can be overly snuggly with some girl, the next, saving the day! While I love the different sides to him, they ways he can be drawn varies a bit too much. He can look 4 years old on one page, 10 on another and around 14 on the next! Too many styles were used in this manga, making difficult to decide if I like the art style or not. And for graphic novels, artistic style is just as important as the story in my opinion! Also there is unnecessary narration that I could have done without.
There is a character we meet you seems to know something about Aladdin but we don't learn much in this volume so I am eager to learn more of him in volume two. Overall, the book has some amusing parts and a playful yet beloved storyline that I am curious to see where it leads. Fans of the original Dragon Ball series will likely enjoy this series as well
Aladdin can appear as an adorable little boy one minute, an intelligent youth the next or can seem to be a very pervy child. This gives Aladdin an interesting depth that leaves me curious to learn more about the real him in volume 2. Alibaba befriends Aladdin so that he will explore a dungeon for treasures with him. The way the dungeons are described remind me of old-school video game play.
Again, I love the various portrayals of Aladdin. In one scene he can be overly snuggly with some girl, the next, saving the day! While I love the different sides to him, they ways he can be drawn varies a bit too much. He can look 4 years old on one page, 10 on another and around 14 on the next! Too many styles were used in this manga, making difficult to decide if I like the art style or not. And for graphic novels, artistic style is just as important as the story in my opinion! Also there is unnecessary narration that I could have done without.
There is a character we meet you seems to know something about Aladdin but we don't learn much in this volume so I am eager to learn more of him in volume two. Overall, the book has some amusing parts and a playful yet beloved storyline that I am curious to see where it leads. Fans of the original Dragon Ball series will likely enjoy this series as well
August 13, 2013
I enjoyed this alot...probably more than I should have, actually. It's a retelling of Aladdin's story, and if you grew up on the Disney version of this classic fairy tale, then get ready for something different.
Aladdin is a young traveling boy, who has a Djinn named Ugo. Ugo has a problem. He can't seem to get his head out of the pipe that he is stuck in. However, he can get his body and neck out, so he is always there to help whenever Aladdin is in a pinch.
Some of the people Aladdin meets up with are not quite as trustworthy as Ugo, though. Laylah, who seems like a fine and upstanding young lady, actually turns out to be a bandit. Happily, she ends up redeeming herself by helping when people get caught by bandits. Alibaba is a young guy, whose heart is in the right place, but whose mind seems to be deadset on clearing dungeons.
All I can say is that Aladdin's travels will end up being anything except boring as he keeps encountering all these interesting characters among his way.
----------------------------------
This volume was provided to me as an eManga by VIZ Media, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
Aladdin is a young traveling boy, who has a Djinn named Ugo. Ugo has a problem. He can't seem to get his head out of the pipe that he is stuck in. However, he can get his body and neck out, so he is always there to help whenever Aladdin is in a pinch.
Some of the people Aladdin meets up with are not quite as trustworthy as Ugo, though. Laylah, who seems like a fine and upstanding young lady, actually turns out to be a bandit. Happily, she ends up redeeming herself by helping when people get caught by bandits. Alibaba is a young guy, whose heart is in the right place, but whose mind seems to be deadset on clearing dungeons.
All I can say is that Aladdin's travels will end up being anything except boring as he keeps encountering all these interesting characters among his way.
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This volume was provided to me as an eManga by VIZ Media, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed here are my own.
July 20, 2023
Reading the manga of the first anime I ever watched resurged my nostalgia for the world and characters. The volume introduces them in a fun and well-paced way, but it ends very awkwardly mid-action. It is clearly targeted towards a younger audience given the simplified political understanding of an ancient (?) middle east-esque world, i.e. the author has to explain to the reader that slaves were indeed commonly used to maximise profit. I was also surprised to learn that the mangaka is a woman considering the occurring sexualisation of women that is typical in shounen manga, which, quite understandably, should deter many readers. I am nonetheless inclined to see what happens in the upcoming volumes as, compared to some other manga (such as Seven Deadly Sins..), this one actually has a compelling plot and characters.
December 13, 2025
Magi es una de esas series manga de la cual no puedo salir, siempre regreso a ella para cualquier cosa, por eso la tengo que tener a la mano.
Después de releer el primer volumen, no me cabe duda que es un buen tomo que te introduce los personajes principales y la historia del presente, mencionando personajes clave (Que amo) y, sin dejar de lado, todos esos momentos graciosos con Ugo que, en mi opinión, son los mejores.
Después de releer el primer volumen, no me cabe duda que es un buen tomo que te introduce los personajes principales y la historia del presente, mencionando personajes clave (Que amo) y, sin dejar de lado, todos esos momentos graciosos con Ugo que, en mi opinión, son los mejores.
October 15, 2015
It is a quick read, because it is a manga, and they are graphic novels, so they don't have many words and don't take to long to read. But aside from finishing it in one day, it is and interesting series and I might read the others!! but first I want an actual chapter book first.
December 24, 2012
Un manga magnifico, excelente y original historia y un estilo particular en el dibujo que, sin ser muy estilizado cumple su función perfectamente
December 31, 2013
This one's good. Like, really good. It's hysterical.
I honestly can't think of anything that I didn't like about it. It's got adventure and puzzles, so what's not to love?
I honestly can't think of anything that I didn't like about it. It's got adventure and puzzles, so what's not to love?
March 11, 2017
Why is this so popular? It's so dumb. With most things, I can at least find a character or concept that I liked, even if it wasn't developed or used well...there's nothing here worthwhile.
January 19, 2022
I decided to get this book just go get a quick, fun and light read.
I got all those things and even more, a new fave serie of mangas ♥
I got all those things and even more, a new fave serie of mangas ♥
April 10, 2021
Plot - 4.5 ☄
Character - 4 ☄
Writing Style - 4 ☄
World Building - 4.5 ☄
Art - 4.8 ☄
Cover - 4.8 ☄
Overall - 4.43 ☄
This is the first 1001 Night inspiration manga I've read and I'm enjoying it!
Character - 4 ☄
Writing Style - 4 ☄
World Building - 4.5 ☄
Art - 4.8 ☄
Cover - 4.8 ☄
Overall - 4.43 ☄
This is the first 1001 Night inspiration manga I've read and I'm enjoying it!
April 29, 2019
Go on a quest through dungeons with a silly boy called Aladdin.
I have bought this one some time ago for my fiance's birthday, I thought it would make a wonderful present for him as it was right up his alley in regards to genres. He still hasn't read it, but I couldn't resist this one any longer and had to try out. Normally it isn't my genre, I am not too much of a fan of shounen, but I read that this one also had plenty of magic and silly humour.
And now that I finished this book I can say that I quite enjoyed it... however, I would have enjoyed it more if Aladdin was less of a chibi all the time and just stayed his normal mode. Now it was quite disorienting to see him as a chibi 90% of the time and then poof grown up or teen mode activated. Plus, I liked his attitude more when he was in the normal mode, his chibi/kid-self was just way too childish and annoying. Constantly eating things, acting like a dumb little eh, fondling boobs whenever he has the time (and making up stupid excuses for it often, one such scene was when he just bared the boobs of a "sleeping" girl and was saying he was just doing it for warmth, sure sure).
But other than those annoying moments and wishing he would grow up, the rest was hilarious and fun. I just loved seeing how dedicated Aladdin was to finding a vessel for his djinn Ugo, and how much he cares about that djinn. Not to mention I laughed out loud each time the djinn made its appearance. Since he has no head... you can imagine how that looks. :P Everyone is scared crapless each time Aladdin summons Ugo and it had me in stitches. Then again, I would probably also be scared to no end seeing Ugo pop up (especially since he has no head).
We meet several new characters, learn about this place the characters live in, see that people are very curious about Aladdin, learn about dungeons and what they do and how they seem to disappear when someone clears them, and we even go to such a dungeon and see all the chaos that happens there (so much chaos).
The art is pretty decent, with the exception of Aladdin's tiny mode, I do love most of the character designs, and also the backgrounds are pretty nicely done.
There are still plenty of things I want to see, and I am curious to see if Aladdin and Alibaba will have luck finding treasure without dying. So I will be buying other volumes soon-ish.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I have bought this one some time ago for my fiance's birthday, I thought it would make a wonderful present for him as it was right up his alley in regards to genres. He still hasn't read it, but I couldn't resist this one any longer and had to try out. Normally it isn't my genre, I am not too much of a fan of shounen, but I read that this one also had plenty of magic and silly humour.
And now that I finished this book I can say that I quite enjoyed it... however, I would have enjoyed it more if Aladdin was less of a chibi all the time and just stayed his normal mode. Now it was quite disorienting to see him as a chibi 90% of the time and then poof grown up or teen mode activated. Plus, I liked his attitude more when he was in the normal mode, his chibi/kid-self was just way too childish and annoying. Constantly eating things, acting like a dumb little eh, fondling boobs whenever he has the time (and making up stupid excuses for it often, one such scene was when he just bared the boobs of a "sleeping" girl and was saying he was just doing it for warmth, sure sure).
But other than those annoying moments and wishing he would grow up, the rest was hilarious and fun. I just loved seeing how dedicated Aladdin was to finding a vessel for his djinn Ugo, and how much he cares about that djinn. Not to mention I laughed out loud each time the djinn made its appearance. Since he has no head... you can imagine how that looks. :P Everyone is scared crapless each time Aladdin summons Ugo and it had me in stitches. Then again, I would probably also be scared to no end seeing Ugo pop up (especially since he has no head).
We meet several new characters, learn about this place the characters live in, see that people are very curious about Aladdin, learn about dungeons and what they do and how they seem to disappear when someone clears them, and we even go to such a dungeon and see all the chaos that happens there (so much chaos).
The art is pretty decent, with the exception of Aladdin's tiny mode, I do love most of the character designs, and also the backgrounds are pretty nicely done.
There are still plenty of things I want to see, and I am curious to see if Aladdin and Alibaba will have luck finding treasure without dying. So I will be buying other volumes soon-ish.
Review first posted at https://twirlingbookprincess.com/
July 17, 2019
The manga is fantasy in the world of Arabia. I like the character's complex costume. We can feel the culture of the costume from each country. At the beginning, it is not so interesting, but it I can enjoy that while continuing to read that book. Therefore, I want you to read until vol.3 even if you don't feel fun. I want to recommend the manga who like fantasy story.
June 2, 2017
My first Manga!
My closest friend is a total anime/manga addict. She has recommended I start Magi because it's her favorite.
I have enjoyed this volume a lot. It made me laugh. The story is building up, and it's quite interesting so far.
Let's see how it goes!
My closest friend is a total anime/manga addict. She has recommended I start Magi because it's her favorite.
I have enjoyed this volume a lot. It made me laugh. The story is building up, and it's quite interesting so far.
Let's see how it goes!
March 9, 2019
I’m hooked after reading the first volume, looks to be another great adventure manga😻😁And like most other top Shonen manga, the main character seems to be an idiot;I don’t mean that in a bad way! It’s a bit funny 😂😁👌💕
March 1, 2022
A series where I loved the anime so much I've needed to get the manga and read how it ended. The art is so nice especially the deliberately bad ones, which are so funny.
I'm looking forward to reading all this series!!!
I'm looking forward to reading all this series!!!
June 20, 2018
Aladdin - Ali Baba - Manga.. it was a lot of fun to read.. hilarious and full of adventure!!! Thoroughly enjoyed this!!
December 15, 2018
I’m already hooked on this manga. Aladdin is so amazing. Really loving his character. Alibaba is also really great.
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