Title: Magi Volume 4

Author: Shinobu Ohtaka

Distributor: Viz Media / Shonen Jump

American Release Date: Feb. 11th, 2013

Format: Traditional Manga

Genre: Shonen, Action, Adventure, Comedy

Publisher Age Rating: T (for Teen)

Personal Review Rating: C

Synopsis:

After many adventures, Aladdin finally reaches the great city of Balbadd. There he reunites with his friend Alibaba hoping to once again capture a dungeon together. However, a more cruel destiny lies ahead. The road to Balbadd is fraught with plenty of trials and the fist of which is Morgiana dealing with the bandits and slave traders who stand in her way.  The one they didn’t expect was someone with her stubbornness and desire to help others. Once she frees Aladan he is able to find his flute and then they all learn a very hard lesson.

As they get back on the road to Balbadd they meet a fellow traveler who was robbed of all his possessions. There kindness ends up paying off once they reach their destination and in a way they would have never expected. Will they be able to locate their old friend Alibaba or are there more forces that stand in their way?

Commentary:

Blending the Arabian Nights into a fanciful manga series is fun and somewhat entertaining, but that is where it begin to fall apart. The imagination that created the 1001 Arabian Nights used the stories to weave fanciful tails of heroism and the darkness of the human condition. For the series Magi it becomes more of a weak premiss for a series that could have some very powerful potential. Volume 4 of Magi doesn’t so much other than set up a more interesting confirmation to come, or at least I hope so. The characters come across rather shallow and a little simplistic. There was something interesting that began to happen when Morgiana confronted the Slave Trader, but it was over before it could ever really begin.

This quick hit plot pacing might be the reason why I was left a little flat while reading it. The story moved so fast that I was wondering why this section needed to even happen. I guess that it is possible that some of the characters that where involved  in the first half of this volume can come back later, I just don’t see how they would add any meaning to the story.

Overall Grade: C

I guess that there are plenty of shonen jump series that only exist to provide a quick hit of action and lack any real meaning or essence. I have a felling that Magi is one of those series. It is a shame that there isn’t more to this series when it is using  and blending some rather beloved characters from other great story tellers from around the world. This is something that the Japanese constantly try to do and constantly miss the point when it comes to context and meaning. Maybe just maybe the Magi would have come across with richer characters and a more interesting story line if it would not have drawn its characters from the literary history of the Middle East. It is very possible that I am wrong about this series and there is some potentially rich entertaining story to come, but with it coming across this flat this early in the series makes it hard to keep following along. I am an open reader and will continue to follow Magi and hope for more. So, bring it on amaze me I always love a surprise.