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Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic #1

 

By: Shinobu Ohtaka
Release Date: December 18th 2009
Publisher: 小学館
Rating: 3 out 5
Summary: Deep within the deserts lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches open 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. Together with the Djinn Ugo and his friend, Alibaba, Aladdin sets out to find his fortune in the depths of the endless dunes.

Review:

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic manga series based on the stories from Arabian Nights! A fantasy adventure with a blend of comedy. It stars Aladdin 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 volume begins their adventures. Aladdin encounters another famous name, Alibaba, who is head of hire who wants to make it rich.

Despite being based on Arabian Nights’ influence on the setting and characters. The author’s creation simply uses the name. The story and situations are not really that complex. Art has too, it used many styles in this manga, making it difficult to decide if I like the art style or not. And for graphic novels, artistic style is just as important as the story! Also, there is an unnecessary narration that I could have done without.

The first volume feels like a generic shōnen manga. A good drip on your toes in the shōnen genre. A solid three stars.

Onward to the next volume!

Favorite Quote

If losing a friend’s trust, this one time makes you so sad... then doing this over and over... will kill you.

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