Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Cover of the first Magi tankōbon, featuring main character Aladdin.
マギ
(Magi)
Genre Adventure, fantasy[1]
Manga
Written by Shinobu Ohtaka
Published by Shogakukan
English publisher
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday
Original run June 3, 2009October 11, 2017
Volumes 37
Anime television series
Directed by Koji Masunari
Written by Hiroyuki Yoshino
Music by Shirō Sagisu
Studio A-1 Pictures
Licensed by
Original network JNN (MBS)
English network
Original run October 7, 2012 March 31, 2013
Episodes 25
Manga
Adventure of Sinbad
Written by Shinobu Ohtaka
Illustrated by Yoshifumi Ohtera
Published by Shogakukan
Demographic Shōnen
Magazine Weekly Shōnen Sunday (April – June 2013)
Ura Sunday (September 2013 – April 2018)
Original run April 8, 2013April 25, 2018
Volumes 19
Anime television series
Magi: The Kingdom of Magic
Directed by Koji Masunari
Written by Hiroyuki Yoshino
Music by Shirō Sagisu
Studio A-1 Pictures
Licensed by
Madman Entertainment
Aniplex of America
Viz Media Europe
Original network JNN (MBS)
Original run October 6, 2013 March 30, 2014
Episodes 25
Original video animation
Adventure of Sinbad: The Capture of Dungeon Baal
Directed by Yoshikazu Miyao
Written by Taku Kishimoto
Music by Tomohiro Ōkubo
Studio Lay-duce
Released May 16, 2014 July 15, 2015
Episodes 5
Anime television series
Adventure of Sinbad
Directed by Yoshikazu Miyao
Written by Taku Kishimoto
Music by Tomohiro Ōkubo
Studio Lay-duce
Licensed by Netflix (streaming rights)
Original network MBS, TBS, CBC, BS-TBS
Original run April 16, 2016 July 2, 2016
Episodes 13

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (Japanese: マギ, Hepburn: Magi) is a Japanese fantasy adventure manga series written and illustrated by Shinobu Ohtaka. It was serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday from 3 June 2009 to 11 October 2017,[2] with the individual chapters collected and published into 37 tankōbon volumes by Shogakukan. A spin-off titled Adventure of Sinbad (シンドバッドの冒険, Shindobaddo no Bōken), written by Ohtaka with drawings by Yoshifumi Ohtera, began serialization in the same magazine in April 2013, before being moved to Shogakukan's website Ura Sunday. As of 2013, the manga had received the Shogakukan Manga Award for the shōnen demographic.

An anime television adaptation by A-1 Pictures aired in Japan from October 2012 to March 2013 and a second season titled Magi: The Kingdom of Magic aired from October 2013 to March 2014. The manga is being released in North America by Viz Media, while the anime has been licensed by Aniplex of America in North America, by Viz Media Europe in Europe and by Madman Entertainment in Australia. An original video animation (OVA) based on Adventure of Sinbad was also produced, bundled with some volumes of the manga, before an anime series was announced, to start airing on April 2016.

Synopsis

Setting

The series is largely based on numerous stories from 1001 Arabian Nights, most notably the tales of Aladdin, Ali Baba, and Sinbad the Sailor.

The story is set in an alternate recreation of the ancient Old World with several regions and nations having some resemblances with real-life counterparts from that time. In this world, all living beings possess an essence known as Rukh (ルフ, Rufu) and when they die, this essence returns to the huge flow (also known as "guidance") of Rukh that gives life to all subsequent beings in an eternal cycle of rebirth called "Fate". Once a person is overcome with sadness, anger, and hopelessness, their Rukh becomes corrupted, unstable, and black, and deviates from the main guidance in a process known as "Fall into Depravity" (堕転, Daten).

There are also several magic castles full of treasures and traps known as "Dungeons" and each of them is the lair of a powerful magic being, a Djinn (ジン, Jin). Individuals that manage to overcome the trials of a Dungeon and earn the allegiance of its Djinn are known as Dungeon Capturers (迷宮(ダンジョン)攻略者, Danjon Kōryakusha), gaining the ability to use its powers infused in a personal item of theirs known as a "Metal Vessel" and create less potent "Household Vessels" for their companions as well.

People can use the Rukh in their bodies to create an energy known as Magoi (マゴイ) to power their magical weapons and abilities. This energy must be used with care, as despite the fact that an individual's magoi can be restored with feeding and rest, once fully exhausted it causes their death. Among those that can perform magic with their own Magoi there is a rare class of magicians known as Magi (マギ), that can also use Magoi from the Rukh around them, greatly increasing their capabilities. A Magi usually chooses Dungeon Capturers to offer guidance and protection making them into their King Vessels (王の器, Ō no Utsuwa). There are several nations in history that were founded or improved by the rule of such individuals.

Plot

Main series

After being secluded for his entire life, a boy called Aladdin travels the world with his "friend" Ugo, the Djinn contained within Aladin's flute, until he meets Alibaba Saluja, a young man aiming to one day explore the nearby dungeon Amon and claim its treasures. Aladdin and Alibaba eventually become friends, and conquer Amon together, despite facing the opposition of the ruthless Jamil and his slave warriors: Morgiana and Goltas. After a desperate fight, the two protagonist fend off Jamil and assist Morgiana in breaking the mental chains that bind her to her former master. Alibaba claims the dungeon while the Djinn Amon appears in front of Aladdin to briefly explain that he is a Magi and that Alibaba is his king's candidate. However, they are interrupted by an outside force trying to close the dungeon off. Alibaba, Aladdin, and Morgiana escape the dungeon while Goltas resolves to die to atone for his sins along with broken former master, but not before cutting Morgiana's shackles. For some reason, Aladdin ends up teleported to a distant land, far away from the others, where he learns what a Magi is, and that he is one. Having no news of his friend, Alibaba uses the treasure he obtained in Amon to free all slaves in the city, including Morgiana and returns to Balbadd, his homeland.

After having their own adventures in separate locations, Aladdin and Morgiana encounter a naked Sinbad, a famous king of the island country of Sindria, who has been stripped of his metal vessels. They eventually reunite with Alibaba in Balbadd, where they learn that he has joined the Fog Troupe, a cadre of thieves opposing the tyrannical rule of King Abhmad, Alibaba's half-brother. Helped by Aladdin, Morgiana and King Sinbad, Alibaba manages to have the monarchy dissolved and establishes a republic in Balbadd. However, Balbadd ends up annexed to the Kou Empire, a powerful Eastern nation that plans to conquer the entire world under the pretense of putting an end to all conflict between the nations.

Following the events in Balbadd, Aladdin, Alibaba and Morgiana are brought to Sindria, where they train under members of Sinbad's household to increase their abilities and help him with his mission to stop the mysterious organization, Al-Thamen, that works in the shadows to spread chaos throughout the world as part of an unknown agenda. The trio ends up befriending Hakuryuu Ren, a prince of the Kou Empire visiting Sindria and whom they help to conquer the dungeon Zagan. After confronting members of Al-Thamen, Aladdin and his friends go separate ways for personal reasons, promising to rejoin together in the future. Aladdin enrolls in the Magnostadt Academy, a place where magician are treated as higher tier citizens than their normal human counterparts, to study magic and investigate the country's ties to Al-Thamen, Alibaba leaves to train with the Yambala Gladiators in the Reim Empire in order to improve his swordsmanship and learn magoi manipulation so he can achieve his complete Djinn Equip, Hakuryuu returns to the Kou Empire, and Morgiana departs to the Dark Continent to fulfill her dream of visiting her homeland.

One year later, Aladdin and Alibaba are reunited during Reim's campaign to conquer Magnostadt. After having helped defend the city, the Kou Empire launches a surprise attack. Hoping to prevent anymore magicians from falling in the battle, the city's leader, Matal Mogamett, summons an army of Dark Djinns with a huge mass of Black Rukh stored in its deepest level to defeat the invaders for good. However, Aladdin reveals that by doing this, Mogamett unwillingly helped Al-Thamen to get closer to their main objective, which is to summon their god, Ill Ilah, whose advent will cause the world's destruction. To prevent it from happening, Aladdin and his friends join forces with the Kou Empire, the Reim Empire and Sinbad's confederation, the Alliance of Seven Seas, to stop the summoning.

A few months later, representatives from Kou, Reim and Sindria gather for a summit organized by Sinbad. At the summit, Aladdin reveals that mankind was originally several distinct species transformed by magic into humans whose origin was the world of Alma-Torran, located in another dimension. The former god of this world being Ill Ilah who had its magoi stolen by Alladin's father, King Solomon, in order to create a destiny favorable to the people of Alma-Torran. Resisting this change, the members of Al-Thamen summoned Ill llah to the world so it could reclaim its magoi. This sapped the world of all life and forced Solomon to give his life to seal away Ill Ilah and Al-Thamen along with it. Solomon gave his magoi to Ugo, and Ugo stored all the magoi within the Sacred Palace and used it to create the current world, the Magi system, and transport everyone from Alma-Torran to this world.

However, the summit is interrupted when Hakuryuu Ren and Judar start a civil war in the Kou Empire. Aladdin and Alibaba fly to the center of the Kou Empire to talk sense into Hakuryuu, however, they realize that he has fallen into depravity. The two duos fight and Alibaba and Judar end up as casualties. Hakuryuu fights most of the war by himself using his newly obtained Djinn, Belial, but eventually runs out of magoi and is forced to rely on Sinbad's assistance. After the war ends, Sinbad realizes his plan of having almost all the world's main powers assembled into a supranational union, the "International Alliance", and ushering a new era of peace and prosperity to the world, while Aladdin, Morgiana and Hakuryuu take separate ways. Meanwhile, a revived Judar and Alibaba meet on the other side of the Dark Continent, where they encounter the Mother Dragon who decides to assist them in traveling back to the mainland, however this would be a long journey. While traveling back, the Mother Dragon reveals that Ill Ilah's persona has been corrupted by David, the father of King Solomon and grandfather of Aladdin. He is also revealed to be connected to Sinbad and wants to become God of all.

Three years later, Alibaba reappears and reunites with his friends after they defeat Arba, apparently destroying Al-Thamen for good. However, Arba's spirit turns to Sinbad, and together, they reach the Sacred Palace where Ugo resides. By defeating Ugo and claiming ownership of the palace, Sinbad declares that the souls of all living things on Earth will be sent back to the Rukh, ending the cycle of life and death, certain that there is no other way to attain eternal peace and happiness for all. Aladdin, Alibaba, Hakuryuu and Judar join forces to confront Sinbad, but just after they reach a compromise with him, David appears and takes control of the Sacred Palace, as returning all souls to the Rukh was his original plan. After joining together to defeat David and destroy the Rukh system, the world suffers massive changes and magic disappears, leading the nations to unite their efforts to create a better future.

Adventure of Sinbad

The spin-off/prequel manga titled Adventure of Sinbad follows the origins of Sinbad, years before he becomes the King of Sindria. Originally living in the Parthevia Empire with his father Badr, a war veteran and his mother Esra, Sinbad loses his father due to the war against the Reim Empire, and spends his youth helping the local villagers and tending to his ill mother until he meets and shelters the mysterious Yunan, unaware that he is a Magi. By request of his mother and learning of his determination to change the world for the better, Yunan decides to guide Sinbad and instructs him to challenge the Dungeon "Baal" that appeared in the border between Partevia and Reim, and whose treasures were still unclaimed as thousands of warriors from both empires had challenged it, but none of them survived, except by Sinbad himself and a Parthevian noble whom he nicknamed "Drakon". After defeating Drakon in battle, Sinbad conquers Baal and gains the allegiance of the Djinn residing there, thus becoming the first ever Dungeon Capturer. Sinbad returns home in time to have one last encounter with his mother at her deathbed and leaves Parthevia to start his own journey to change the world.

Media

Manga

Magi began serialization in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine on June 3, 2009[3] and was serialized until October 11, 2017.[4] The first tankōbon volume was released on December 18, 2009; 37 volumes have been published as of November 2017.[5] All chapters of the manga and episodes of the anime series are labelled as "Nights" in an allusion to the tales of the One Thousand and One Nights which served as a primary source of inspiration to the story.

Adventure of Sinbad was released as an additional material with the first volume of the anime series. It was later expanded into a regular series, which began serializing in Weekly Shōnen Sunday, and later moved to Shogakukan's webcomic site Ura Sunday, from April 2013 to April 2018[6]. Written by Shinobu Ohtaka, but illustrated by Yoshifumi Ohtera. It follows the origins of main character Sinbad, from his childhood in the Parthevia Empire to his rise as the king of Sindria.

Anime

During the Shogakukan's Jisedai World Hobby Fair '12 Summer event, an anime television adaptation was announced on the event's official website.[7] The anime series, produced by A-1 Pictures began airing in Japan on October 7, 2012, replacing Mobile Suit Gundam AGE in the MBS/TBS's 5:00 p.m timeslot.[8] It also debuted in North America on October 10 on Crunchyroll and Hulu.[9] It has been licensed by Aniplex of America in North America,[10] by Viz Media Europe in Europe[11] and by Madman Entertainment in Australia.[12] The English dub is planned to be streamed on Viz Media's Neon Alley service.[13] For the first twelve episodes, the opening theme song is "V.I.P." by SID and the ending theme song is "Yubi Bōenkyō" by Nogizaka46.[14] From episode thirteen onwards, the opening song is "Matataku Hoshi no Shita de" by Porno Graffitti and the ending is "The Bravery" by Supercell.

Just after the end of the anime series, a second season was announced. It was later titled as Magi: The Kingdom of Magic. The series started airing on October 6, 2013 at the same timeslot of the first season, replacing Space Battleship Yamato 2199.[15][16] For the first thirteen episodes, the opening theme song is "Anniversary" by SID and the ending theme song is "Eden" by Aqua Timez, while from episode fourteen onwards, the opening theme song is "Hikari" by ViViD and the ending theme song is "With You/With Me" by 9nine.

An OVA based on Adventure of Sinbad was released with the manga's third volume on May 16, 2014. An anime television adaptation based on the Adventure of Sinbad manga was originally scheduled to begin airing on April 15, 2016,[17] but due to breaking news regarding the Kumamoto earthquake that hit the Kumamoto Prefecture in Japan on April 14, 2016, it was delayed on TBS.[18] Instead, it began airing on April 16, 2016 on BS-TBS.[19]

Game

Magi: Hajimari no Meikyū (マギ はじまりの迷宮 Magi: The First Dungeon) is a video game adaption of the Magi manga and anime series for the Nintendo 3DS platform. The game is produced by Bandai Namco Games and was released in Japan on February 21, 2013. This game is getting an update with more playable characters, a new dungeon, and more story content in the future.[20] On January 20, 2014 Anime News Network[21] reported that Bandai Namco Games began streaming the second game called Magi: Aratanaru no Sekai (マギ 新たなる世界, Magi: A Whole New World) for 3DS. The game was released on February 13 of the same year.

Reception

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic has proven popular upon its debut. In his review of the first volume, L.B Bryant noted "not only is it a shonen title but it's a GOOD shonen title" and recommended it be picked up.[22] It won the award for best Shōnen manga at the 59th Shogakukan Manga Awards.[23] In Japan, it was the 9th top selling manga series for 2012;[24] 4th top selling manga series in 2013;[25] 8th in 2014;[26] 20th in 2015[27] and 2016;[28] and 10th in 2017, its final serialization year.[29]

References

  1. "Magi Manga & Anime". Viz Media. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
  2. "Shonen Manga Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic officially ended after 8 years of serialisation". QooApp. 11 October 2017. Retrieved 14 October 2017.
  3. "Sumomomo's Ohtaka Launches Magi in Shōnen Sunday Mag". Anime News Network. Retrieved February 3, 2012.
  4. "「マギ」今号のサンデーで完結、次号「MAJOR 2nd」重大発表". Natalie (in Japanese). October 11, 2017. Retrieved June 15, 2018.
  5. "マギ / 37" [Magi 37] (in Japanese). Shogakukan. Retrieved October 1, 2017.
  6. "Magi: Adventure of Sinbad Spinoff Manga Ends". Anime News Network. Retrieved May 30, 2018.
  7. "Shinobu Ohtaka's Magi Fantasy Adventure Manga Gets TV Anime". Anime News Network. June 18, 2012. Retrieved October 6, 2012.
  8. "Magi - The Labyrinth of Magic Anime's 1st Preview Streamed". Anime News Network. Retrieved September 5, 2012.
  9. "Crunchyroll to Stream Magi Fantasy Adventure Anime". Anime News Network. October 3, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012.
  10. "Aniplex USA Adds Sword Art Online, Blast of Tempest, Magi Anime". Anime News Network. 2012-10-12.
  11. "Viz Europe Licenses Magi Anime in Europe". Anime News Network. 2012-10-25.
  12. "Madman Entertainment Loads Up On New Anime Acquisitions". Madman Entertainment. 2012-11-12.
  13. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-07-04/viz-neon-alley-to-stream-magi-anime
  14. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2013-04-10. Retrieved 2013-03-30.
  15. "Magi Anime Gets Sequel This Fall". Anime News Network. 2013-03-31.
  16. "Magi Sequel to Premiere in October on Sundays at 5 P.M." Anime News Network. 2013-07-08.
  17. "Magi: Sinbad no Bōken TV Anime's Theme Songs, April 15 Debut Revealed". Anime News Network. 2016-02-25. Retrieved 2016-02-25.
  18. "The Lost Village, Magi: Adventure of Sinbad Episodes Delayed Due to Quake News Coverage (Updated)". Anime News Network. 2016-04-15. Retrieved 2016-04-15.
  19. "project-magi @sinbad (@project_magi) on Twitter". Twitter (in Japanese). Retrieved 2016-04-16.
  20. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-09-24/magi/aratanaru-sekai-3ds-game-promo-streamed
  21. http://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2013-09-24/magi/aratanaru-sekai-3ds-game-promo-streamed
  22. "Review: 'Magi' Vol. 1 TP (manga)". ICv2. August 27, 2013. Retrieved September 4, 2013.
  23. "Magi, Kano-Uso, Zekkyō Gakkyū Win Shogakukan Manga Awards". Anime News Network. January 21, 2014. Retrieved January 22, 2014.
  24. "10 Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2012". Anime News Network. December 3, 2012. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
  25. "Top Selling Manga in Japan By Series: 2013". Anime News Network. December 1, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2014.
  26. "Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2014". Anime News Network. December 1, 2014. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  27. "Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2015". Anime News Network. November 30, 2015. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  28. "Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2016". Anime News Network. December 1, 2016. Retrieved May 31, 2018.
  29. "Top-Selling Manga in Japan by Series: 2017". Anime News Network. May 31, 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-31.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.