MAGI: THE KINGDOM OF MAGIC

DESCRIPTION

CAST

ANIME ActionMagi: The labyrinth of magic
MANGA ActionMagi
OVA ActionMagi: Sinbad no Bouken OVA

REVIEWS

• 

  MidnightSerpent

  74/100
  Magi: A jack of all trades, but a master of none.

  

  Before I get into this, keep in mind that this is a review for all of Magi up to this point, not just season 2.

  When I was first introduced to Magi, I could only think, "great, an anime ripoff of Disney's Aladdin." Like come on. It's in an Arabian desert setting, it has magical blue wish-granting genies, and to top it off, one of the main characters is even named Aladdin. How they didn't run into copyright issues for this I will never know. But the more I watched Magi, the more I saw it grow into its own. I watched it meet, and often exceed, all of my expectations of what constitutes a good piece of entertainment. But looking back, I can't say I can pinpoint any aspect of the show that truly wowed me.

  STORY - 7.7/10
  There's no doubt that Magi has a very good storyline. It follows a journey through a surprisingly well fleshed out world filled with both dream-like fantasy and well-defined realism. Through this world, some genuinely interesting ideas about fate, class, and friendship are explored, and it's not afraid to get into the darker side of things. One of its most impressive features is its vast number of kingdoms, each with fully functioning governments and economies that really help showcase all the major themes of the show. But in general, the storyline seems to just wander around its world without any major focus or backbone, and it's often hard to see what it's really trying to accomplish. This also lets it drag at times, like in the middle of season 1 and and the beginning of season 2, where the pacing takes a hit. But overall, Magi tells a very impressive story, especially in the second half of season 2 where all its strengths culminate.

  CHARACTERS - 7.5/10
  Characters are a bit of a mixed bag for the show. On one hand you have characters like Titus, Hakuryuu, Morgiana, and Matal, who all have very engaging arcs and motives over the course of Magi. But on the other, main characters like Aladdin seem to pale in comparison. Aladdin, while fun for a lot of comic relief, doesn't really have much depth to his character at all. Side characters are similarly mixed, with some being really interesting, like Gyokuen, and others being comically bad, like Abhmad. All in all though, there's definitely much more good than bad going on in the character department, with solid characterization and development across a very wide range of characters.

  ART - 6.4/10
  As far as the art goes, it's pretty good. Like I said earlier, the world has some interesting settings which look nice and colorful. There's nothing mind-blowing going on here though. The fights generally look pretty average, with some being better and some being worse. It does the job and it's more than good enough.

  SOUND - 5.3/10
  The soundtrack also does the trick, but it definitely leans towards a more average quality. It isn't very memorable at all and listening to it alone doesn't do much for me. I'll give it some points for matching the Arabian aesthetic and for combining a lot of different instruments and voices. The voice acting is also sufficient, but nothing really stood out there either. Same for its openings and endings.

  OVERALL ENJOYMENT - 7.4/10
  So in the end, did Magi end up being a diamond in the rough? (Heh, see what I did there Aladdin fans?). I'd certainly say so. It really has no bad aspects, and for what little it may lack in art and sound, it more than makes up for with its gripping storyline and broad range of well developed characters. While I can't say that its ideas changed my life or that its moments moved me to tears, I'm confident that it'll satisfy anyone who's looking for some high quality entertainment.

  Continue on AniList

SIMILAR ANIMES YOU MAY LIKE

• ANIME

  ActionDungeon ni Deai wo Motomeru no wa Machigatteiru Darou ka
• ANIME

  ActionNanatsu no Taizai: Kamigami no Gekirin
• ANIME

  ActionFAIRY TAIL
• ANIME

  ActionNanatsu no Taizai: Imashime no Fukkatsu
• ANIME

  ActionHUNTER×HUNTER (2011)
• ANIME

  ActionKimetsu no Yaiba
• ANIME

  ActionBLEACH
• ANIME

  ActionWorld Trigger
• ANIME

  ActionMagi: Sinbad no Bouken
• ANIME

  ActionArslan Senki (TV)
• ANIME

  ActionWorld Trigger 3rd Season
• ANIME

  ActionORIENT