Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Cover of the first Magi tankōbon, featuring main character Aladdin.
Genre	Action, Adventure, Fantasy
Manga
Written by	Shinobu Ohtaka
Published by	Shogakukan
English publisher	NA Viz Media SG Shogakukan Asia
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Sunday
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	June 3, 2009 – present
Volumes	27
Anime television series
Directed by	Koji Masunari
Written by	Hiroyuki Yoshino
Music by	Shiro Sagisu
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Original network	JNN (MBS)
English network	NA Neon Alley
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
Magazine	Weekly Shōnen Sunday (April–June 2013) Ura Sunday (September 2013 onwards)
Demographic	Shōnen
Original run	April 8, 2013 – present
Volumes	8
Anime television series
Magi: The Kingdom of Magic
Directed by	Koji Masunari
Written by	Hiroyuki Yoshino
Music by	Shiro Sagisu
Studio	A-1 Pictures
Original network	JNN (MBS)
Original run	October 6, 2013 – March 30, 2014
Episodes	25
Original video animation
Adventure of Sinbad
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
Original network	MBS, TBS, CBC, BS-TBS
Original run	April 2016 – Scheduled

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (Japanese: マギ, Hepburn: Magi) is a Japanese fantasy action adventure manga series written and illustrated by Shinobu Ohtaka. It has been serialized in Weekly Shōnen Sunday since June 2009, with the individual chapters collected and published into 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.

A television anime 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 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 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 article: List of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic characters

Main series

After being secluded for his entire life, a boy called Aladdin travels the world 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, with only Alibaba, Aladdin and Morgiana, the lone survivor of Jamil's party, escaping with their lives. For some reason, Aladdin ends up teleported to a distant land, far away from the others, where he learns that he is a Magi. 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 end up reuniting 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 Sinbad, a famous king of the island country of Sindria, 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 some 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 to study magic, Alibaba leaves to improve his swordsmanship and learn magoi manipulation in order to complete his Djinn Equip with the Yambala Gladiators in the Reim Empire, 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 and after they help defend the city, the Kou Empire launches a surprise attack. To defeat the invaders for good, the city's leader Matal Mogamett summons an army of Dark Djinns with a huge mass of Black Rukh stored in its deepest level. 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 all the truth regarding Al-Thamen, their role in the destruction of Alma-Torran, which is the original world of mankind, among several other species with intelligence, each having their own civilization, and their exodus to the current world. However, the summit is interrupted when a civil war starts in the Kou Empire. 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.

Three years later, Alibaba, who was supposed to be killed during the war, reappears and starts to look for his friends, despite being warned that Sinbad's body also contains the rukh of David, Aladdin's grandfather whose essence is directly connected to Ill Ilah, and thus he is seeking for Aladdin, who took shelter in the Dark Continent with Morgiana and Hakuryuu.

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

Main article: List of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic chapters

Magi began serialization in Shogakukan's Weekly Shōnen Sunday magazine on June 3, 2009. The first tankōbon volume was released on December 18, 2009; 30 volumes have been published as of July 2016. 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 on April 2013, and later was moved to Shogakukan's webcomic site Ura Sunday. It is also 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

Main article: List of Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic episodes

During the Shogakukan's Jisedai World Hobby Fair '12 Summer event, an anime television adaptation was announced on the event's official website. 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. It also debuted in North America on October 10 on Crunchyroll and Hulu. It has been licensed by Aniplex of America in North America, by Viz Media Europe in Europe and by Madman Entertainment in Australia. The English dub is planned to be streamed on Viz Media's Neon Alley service. 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. 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 and scheduled to start airing on October 6, 2013 at the same timeslot of the first season, replacing Space Battleship Yamato 2199. 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. A television anime adaptation based on the Adventure of Sinbad manga was originally scheduled to begin airing on April 15, 2016, 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 until further notice. Instead, it began airing on April 16, 2016 on BS-TBS.

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. On January 20, 2014 Anime News Network reported that Bandai Namco Games began streaming the second game called Magi: Aratanaru no Sekai for 3DS.

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. It won the award for best Shōnen manga at the 59th Shogakukan Manga Awards. In Japan, it was the 4th best selling manga series for 2013, and in the first half of 2014, it was the 5th best selling manga series.

External links

• Anime official website
• Anime official website
• Manga official website
• Magi - The Labyrinth of Magic (manga) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia
• Magi - The Labyrinth of Magic (anime) at Anime News Network's Encyclopedia

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic
Media	Chapters • Episodes
Characters	Aladdin • Alibaba Saluja • Morgiana • Hakuryuu Ren
Locations	Sindria Kingdom • Heliohapt Kingdom • Artemyra • Imuchakk • Sasan Kingdom • Reim Empire • Kina Kingdom • Kou Empire
Groups and organizations	Al-Thamen • Dungeon Capturer • Eight Generals • Fanalis Corps • Fog Troupe • Kouga Clan • Magi • Magician • Seven Seas Alliance • Umm Madaura's Crew • Yambala Gladiators
Other	Desert Hyacinth • Djinn • Magic •Rukh

Weekly Shōnen Sunday: 2000–2009
2000	Itsumo Misora • Dan Doh!! Xi • 'Togari
2001	Konjiki no Gash!
2002	Katsu! • Shijō Saikyō no Deshi Kenichi • Ueki no Hōsoku • Yakitate!! Japan • Midori Days • Kimi no Kakera • D-Live!!
2003	Wild Life • MÄR • Kekkaishi
2004	Hayate the Combat Butler • Dan Doh! Next Generation • Kurozakuro
2005	Cross Game • Ai Kora • Zettai Karen Children • The Law of Ueki Plus • Saikyō! Toritsu Aoizaka Kōkō Yakyūbu
2006	Cirque du Freak • MÄR Omega • Bakegyamon
2007	Maoh: Juvenile Remix • Dive!! • Marine Hunter • Kunai Den • Kongō Banchō
2008	Lost+Brain • Hyde & Closer • Onidere • The World God Only Knows • Artist Acro • King Golf • Arata: The Legend
2009	Rin-ne • Defense Devil • Itsuwaribito • Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic

Shogakukan Manga Award – Shōnen
1970s	Poe no Ichizoku and They Were Eleven by Moto Hagio (1975) • Captain and Play Ball by Akio Chiba and Ganbare Genki by Yū Koyama (1976) • Galaxy Express 999 and Senjo Manga series by Leiji Matsumoto (1977) • Dame Oyaji by Mitsutoshi Furuya (1978) • Toward the Terra and Kaze to Ki no Uta by Keiko Takemiya (1979)
1980s	Urusei Yatsura by Rumiko Takahashi (1980) • Dr. Slump by Akira Toriyama (1981) • Miyuki and Touch by Mitsuru Adachi (1982) • Musashi no Ken by Motoka Murakami (1983) • Futari Daka and Area 88 by Kaoru Shintani (1984) • Hatsukoi Scandal and Tobe! Jinrui II by Akira Oze (1985) • Ginga: Nagareboshi Gin by Yoshihiro Takahashi (1986) • Just Meet and Fuyu Monogatari by Hidenori Hara (1987) • B.B. by Osamu Ishiwata (1988) • Ucchare Goshogawara by Tsuyoshi Nakaima (1989)
1990s	Mobile Police Patlabor by Masami Yuki (1990) • Ushio and Tora by Kazuhiro Fujita (1991) • Ghost Sweeper Mikami by Takashi Shiina and Yaiba by Gosho Aoyama (1992) • YuYu Hakusho by Yoshihiro Togashi (1993) • Slam Dunk by Takehiko Inoue (1994) • Major by Takuya Mitsuda (1995) • Firefighter! Daigo of Fire Company M by Masahito Soda (1996) • Ganba! Fly High by Shinji Morisue and Hiroyuki Kikuta (1997) • ARMS by Kyoichi Nanatsuki and Ryōji Minagawa (1998) • Monkey Turn by Katsutoshi Kawai and Hikaru no Go by Yumi Hotta and Takeshi Obata (1999)
2000s	Detective Conan by Gosho Aoyama and Cheeky Angel by Hiroyuki Nishimori (2000) • InuYasha by Rumiko Takahashi (2001) • Konjiki no Gasshu!! by Makoto Raiku (2002) • Yakitate!! Japan by Takashi Hashiguchi and Fullmetal Alchemist by Hiromu Arakawa (2003) • Bleach by Tite Kubo (2004) • Wild Life by Masato Fujisaki (2005) • Kekkaishi by Yellow Tanabe (2006) • Ace of Diamond by Yuji Terajima (2007) • Cross Game by Mitsuru Adachi (2008) • Sket Dance by Kenta Shinohara (2009)
2010s	King Golf by Ken Sasaki (2010) • Nobunaga Concerto by Ayumi Ishii (2011) • Silver Spoon by Hiromu Arakawa (2012) • Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic by Shinobu Ohtaka (2013)

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Works by A-1 Pictures
Television series	Zenmai Zamurai (2006–2010) • Robby & Kerobby (2007–2008) • Big Windup! (2007) • Persona: Trinity Soul (2008) • Birdy the Mighty: Decode (2008) • Black Butler (2008–2009) • Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens (2008) • Birdy the Mighty: Decode 2 (2009) • Valkyria Chronicles (2009) • Fairy Tail (2009–2016) • Sound of the Sky (2010) • Ōkiku Furikabutte ~Natsu no Taikai-hen~ (2010) • Working!! (2010) • Night Raid 1931 (2010) • Black Butler II (2010) • Occult Academy (2010) • Togainu no Chi (2010) • Fractale (2011) • Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2011) • Blue Exorcist (2011) • Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 1000% (2011) • The Idolmaster (2011) • Working'!! (2011) • Space Brothers (2012–2014) • Tsuritama (2012) • Sword Art Online (2012) • From the New World (2012–2013) • Chōsoku Henkei Gyrozetter (2012–2013) • Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic (2012–2013) • Oreshura (2013) • Vividred Operation (2013) • Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love 2000% (2013) • Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai. (2013) • Servant × Service (2013) • Silver Spoon (2013) • Magi: The Kingdom of Magic (2013–2014) • Galilei Donna (2013) • Silver Spoon II (2014) • World Conquest Zvezda Plot (2014) • Nanana's Buried Treasure (2014) • Aldnoah.Zero (2014–2015) • Sword Art Online II (2014) • Persona 4: The Golden Animation (2014) • Black Butler: Book of Circus (2014) • Magic Kaito 1412 (2014–2015) • The Seven Deadly Sins (2014–2015) • Your Lie in April (2014–2015) • Saekano: How to Raise a Boring Girlfriend (2015) • The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls (2015) • Magical Girl Lyrical Nanoha ViVid (2015) • Gunslinger Stratos: THE ANIMATION (2015) • Ultimate Otaku Teacher (2015) • Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love Revolutions (2015) • Gate (2015–2016) • Working!!! (2015) • The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls: 2nd Season (2015) • The Asterisk War (2015–2016) • Subete ga F ni Naru (2015) • Erased (2016) • Fairy Tail Zero (2016) • Grimgar of Fantasy and Ash (2016) • Ace Attorney (2016) • B-Project: Kodou*Ambitious (2016) • Qualidea Code (2016) • The Seven Deadly Sins: Signs of Holy War (2016) • Uta no Prince-sama: Maji Love Legend Star (2016) • The Seven Deadly Sins II (2016) Saenai Heroine no Sodatekata Flat (2017) • Blue Exorcist: Kyoto Impure King Arc (2017) • Eromanga Sensei (TBA) • Granblue Fantasy (TBA) • WWW.Working!! (TBA)
Feature films	Welcome to the Space Show (2010) • Fairy Tail the Movie: Phoenix Priestess (2012) • Blue Exorcist: The Movie (2012) • Saint Young Men (2013) • Anohana: The Flower We Saw That Day (2013) • The Idolmaster Movie: Beyond the Brilliant Future! (2014) • Persona 3 The Movie: #2 Midsummer Knight's Dream (2014) • Space Brothers #0 (2014) • Persona 3 The Movie: #3 Falling Down (2015) • The Anthem of the Heart (2015) • Garakowa: Restore the World (2016) • Persona 3 The Movie: #4 Winter of Rebirth (2016) • Doukyuusei (2016) • Black Butler: Book of the Atlantic (2017) • Sword Art Online The Movie: Ordinal Scale (2017)
OVAs/ONAs	Kannagi: Crazy Shrine Maidens (2009) • Birdy the Mighty: Decode - Cipher (2009) • Night Raid 1931 (2010) • Sound of the Sky (2010) • Fairy Tail (2011–present) • Valkyria Chronicles III (2011) • The Idolmaster Shiny Festa (2012) • Saint Young Men (2012–2013) • Ore no Imōto ga Konna ni Kawaii Wake ga Nai. (2013) • Sword Art Online: Extra Edition (2013) • Black Butler: Book of Murder (2014) • Moments (2015) • The Idolmaster Cinderella Girls (2016) • Brotherhood: Final Fantasy XV (2016)

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