Finally available on Blu-ray, Magi the complete box set of season 1 and 2 are available now in english dub June 27th.
Season 1 – The Labyrinth Of Magic
Alibaba is a young carrier who dreams of venturing into a “Dungeon,” where secret treasures lie deep within its labyrinth, to gain enough money to buy an entire country. One day, Alibaba meets a mysterious boy named Aladdin, who can summon a mighty blue spirit from his flute. Hoping to harness Aladdin’s magical power, Alibaba invites him on his dungeon-capturing expedition. Along the way, through numerous encounters and farewells, both of them will come to learn the truth about their destinies.
Season 2 – The Kingdom Of Magic
Equipped with a charm to mask his powers as a Magi, Aladdin arrives to Magnoshutatt to study magic, with another goal—to investigate the nation’s relation with the Al-Tharmen, the power behind the “Abnormalities of the World.” While training at the academy, Aladdin meets Titus Alexius, a prodigy from the Leam Empire, who also has the same charm as Aladdin’s. An all-new adventure big enough to change the world begins now.
The Story
Based on the popular Manga, Magi starts out following a young boy named Alibaba. He meets another young boy named Aladdin who turns out to be a Magi. He has the ability to summon a Djinn from his flute. The two go on adventures clearing Dungeons. Alibaba wants to start a country of his own. He soon finds out that the forces at work behind the dungeons have other plans. He ends up involved in a plot that could effect the world. It also turns out that Alibaba is a lot more than he seems.
As Aladdin continues to learn about himself and who he is we find out that Alibaba is in fact a prince. Once he and Aladdin beat the dungeon, Alibaba now has his own metal vessel and a Djinn to control. King Sinbad also shows up when it turns out that Alibaba is fighting to win his country back. Thats when things get a bit more complex. A mysterious organization called Al-Thamen is working behind the scenes with fallen Magi to turn back the flow of destiny.
As Alibaba, Aladdin, Morgana and Sinbad fight back against the group, they find themselves struggling and growing as individuals. As the story continues into season 2, the mystery deepens as they learn that the school in Mangostadt may be involved with the origination. Aladdin’s role to play in this world becomes bigger than he ever dreamed of.
The Blu-Ray Release
Fans of the manga and the anime have been waiting for a blu-ray release for some time. The advantage of this release is also the fact that each season is in a single complete box set. When compared to the price of the DVD sets, the blu-ray box sets come out slightly cheaper per season at $120. Still a rather steep price for a 25 episode anime.
The sets lack any special features from a collectors stand point. You will get all 25 episodes for each season, textless openings and endings, and english version of the trailers. Still having the series on blu-ray is worth it. There are those out there that dislike dubs, we get it. However, I was rather pleased with the dub. However, if you are not a dub fan, the blu-ray release will have both English and Japanese with english subtitles for those who prefer subbed.
Our Review
I won’t jump into any spoilers of the story but as first time watchers of the series (not having read the Manga), I greatly enjoyed it. Aladdin is a fun main character. He is a child, so you get the typical behavior you might expect from a child. However, you also get to watch him grow as a Magi. The pervert side is one of those things I hate as an anime trope. The rest of the characters are likable and you get vested in them, some times the minor characters are more interesting than the main ones. Judar is an example of one that I enjoyed interactions with.
It is rare to find such a unique story with familiar mythologies and characters from folklore mixed into such a unique world. The series provides great character building and expansive world building for 25 episodes a season. I am certainly upset by the ending of season 2. Not that it is a bad ending, but that the status of a third season is up in the air. They caught up to the manga at the time. And while its been several years its not impossible to see more. Just look at Attack On Titan or Blue Exorcist. For now, I think I will pickup the manga. As a shōnen series, we give this an A as a must buy for any shonen fan.
You can pick up the blu-ray release of Magi The Labyrinth of Magic Complete Box Set Blu-ray and Magi The Kingdom of Magic Complete Box Set Blu-ray over at RightStuf.com June 27th.
