It Took 10 Volumes For Me To Warm To The Magi Manga

This is a story about the flow of fate and the battle to keep the world on the right path. Aladdin is a boy who has set out to explore the world after being trapped in a room for most of his life. His best friend is a flute with a djinn in it named Ugo. Soon enough, Aladdin discovers he is a Magi, a magician who chooses kings, and he was born to choose kings who will follow the righteous path, battling against those who want to destroy fate. (Source: MU)

I'm kind of tired of people telling me that mediocre manga "gets better" the further you get into it. I don't have a lot of time to invest in lower quality storytelling and art when I already read a lot of good-and-above manga series. Magi, for the longest time it seems, was one of those titles. However, the person telling me this about Magi is one of my best friends, so for him, I persevered, as sempai often do for their kohai.

Well, kohai, I am here to report that ten volumes into Magi (I follow the Viz releases, so sue me) I have not fallen in love with the series but it is so much of a bearable story than it was at the beginning.

Manga Review: Magi GN 2

Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic volume 2
Author: Shinobu Ohtaka
Viz Media/Shonen Sunday
192 pages

Aladdin and Alibaba have entered the Dungeon of Qishan hoping to find hidden treasure—but danger's found them! A horde of slimes closes in on them, while Lord Jamil and his slaves head into the dungeon looking to intercept Aladdin and grab any riches he may have found! But these rivals have more to worry about than each other, and new friends, new enemies and amazing riches are yet to be discovered!

Some spoilers for the Magi series so far are in this following review. 

I did not love Magi's premiere volume. I found a lot of it really obnoxious and annoying and I wondered what the point of this series would be. But, for some reason, I vowed to continue reading it. Its second volume didn't blow me away, but it entertained me in a way the first book never did, and the last chapter has me actually looking forward to the next part of the story of Alibaba and Aladdin.

Here Be Djinn: On Magi's First Volume

Deep within the deserts lie the mysterious Dungeons, vast stores of riches there 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... (Source: Viz Manga)

Spoiler alert: Post contains spoiler for the first seven chapters/book one of Magi by Shinobu Ohtaka.

I have to admit, I didn't love the first book of Magi, but I want to read more. Is that strange? I gave the book two stars on Goodreads, and I don't give books in a series a second chance with a low rating like that. But I've been told Magi has promise, that Magi has character development and gets better with each volume. Honestly? With the way it starts, it better. Or I'll be done with it by book two.

I have a bias for shonen manga by female manga-ka, since shonen is such a male dominated demographic. Manga-ka like Arawaka Hiroku and Toboso Yana are terrific at what they do. But I can't love Shinobu Ohtaka's Magi with the same fervor I love Full Metal Alchemist and Black Butler. Those two titles had amazing stories, heartbreaking plot twists, and characters someone could really care about. At the end of Magi's first volume, I couldn't find much of the same elements and I was left wondering what the point would be. Endless dungeon grinding for treasure? I'd rather watch my mom play Diablo II.

PR: Viz's Neon Alley Expands And Adds New Anime Series

VIZ MEDIA ANNOUNCES WEB INTEGRATION FOR NEON ALLEY DIGITAL ANIME CHANNEL AND PREMIERES NEW CONTENT FOR SUMMER AND FALL

Mac And PC Users Now Have Access To Innovative 24/7 Anime Channel; New Anime Series “K” Launches This Summer, Followed By The Debuts Of PUELLA MAGI MADOKA MAGICA And MAGI In The Fall

San Francisco, CA, July 8, 2013 – VIZ Media, LLC (VIZ Media), the largest publisher, distributor and licensor of manga and anime in North America, has expanded the interoperability of its Neon Alley anime channel to give members seamless online web access from Mac and PC devices beginning July 5^th. Mac and PC users can now enjoy 24/7 anime content with the same functionality and features that have been available to Neon Alley members on the Xbox 360^® and Xbox LIVE^® and the PlayStation^®3 (PS3™) gaming system and the PlayStation^®Network.

VIZ Media also continues to expand the programming offered on Neon Alley with the announcement of several new shows that are set to debut on the channel beginning this summer. The new anime action series, “K,” will premiere on Friday, July 12^th, along with new ONE PIECE episodes (starting with Episode 53). These will be augmented by the Neon Alley premiere of NARUTO SHIPPUDEN THE MOVIE 4: THE LOST TOWER on July 28^th and the highly anticipated broadcast of TIGER & BUNNY THE MOVE: THE BEGINNING on August 11^th.