Volume: 16 (of 27+)
Creator: Shinobu Ohtaka
Format: Right-to-Left
Original Publisher: SHOGAKUKAN
US Publisher: VIZ
Release Date: 2/9/16
Pages: 200
ISBN: 1421577925
MSRP: $9.99
Genre: Shonen Sunday
Rated: T (Teens)
Description: Deep within the desert 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.
Aladdin’s studies at the Magnoshutatt Academy are going well, and he continues to advance. Among the upper-ranked students is another young sorcerer whose power seems to rival Aladdin’s. The two become friends and continue their climb up Magnoshutatt’s caste system. But the dark secret they discover among the downtrodden people of the city takes them into even more danger…
Contains Nights 149-158:
- Night 149: Titus Alexius
- Night 150: Aladdin vs. Titus
- Night 151: Unnatural Magic
- Night 152: The Truth About Titus
- Night 153: Mission
- Night 154: Cooperation
- Night 155: The Fifth District
- Night 156: Cattle
- Night 157: Magoi Reactor
- Night 158: Thought Education
Review:
Cover Art: The character featured on this cover is Kouen Ren. There is a lot of reds, oranges, and blacks coloring a majority of the image as well. The background appears to be some kind of war happening behind him. The series title is across the top in a lighter orange. The volume number and mangaka are on the bottom.
The spine from top-to-bottom contains the Shonen Sunday brand logo, the series title, the volume number, the mangaka, an image of Ren taken from the front cover, a magic lamp image, and the VIZ company logo.
The back cover has an image of Aladdin dressed in his Magnoshutatt Academy uniform. Under that is the volume summary.
I honestly don't get this cover at all. Typically we have some type of relation to what is going on with that volume referenced on the cover, especially with how many characters this series has it should have some type of character in the volume on the cover. Kouen Ren isn't present in a single page in this book. There isn't even a mention to him. I know there was a bit of him in the previous volume but this volume is focused on Aladdin entirely. There was plenty of characters that they could have put on this cover that were new to this volume as well, but none of them were used. Also the orange and reds kind of blend a bit to much making it a bit bothersome with the text and everything else on this cover. The only thing I liked was the image of Aladdin on the back. The white background with the glyph behind him was a really great choice; the colors work well and seeing Aladdin in an outfit that isn't his usual vest and turban was pretty cool.
Artwork: This volume features a lot more action and drama then previous volumes had. The humor is a bit less due to the content that this story focuses on; there is still a small bit of comedy but its barely noticeable with the scene changes since this volume has such a huge impact with the current story arc.
One thing to note too is at the beginning of this volume the action sequences are cleanly drawn out. Towards the end they seem a bit more rushed almost like the artist began to rush the story to get through the current arc which will most likely end with the next volume.
Translation: Cultural references, character names, weapons, attacks and plot are left intact. Sound Effects have been changed to English, which as one of my pet peeves is something I don't really care for since it destroys the original art at times.
Extras: There is a two-page bonus manga chapter that is about the Kou Empire. The artwork is a bit bad. It also does not advance any of the story related to the Kou Empire. Moving on...
Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): For this volume, our story has finally shifted back to our main character, Aladdin the Magi, and it actually focuses on him for the entire volume this time as well. When we last left off with him, he had just entered a wizard academy school to learn how to control his powers more, as well as see why these magic users are so hateful towards normal humans. Several months have passed since he started learning and he is now the top of his current class.
For the first part of this volume, Aladdin takes on another student in a match of to see who is a stronger magic user. His opponent is Titus Alexius, another magician who has power that is on an equal level to Aladdin's. The two fight it out, both having secrets to hide from one another which they both eventually uncover, but still hide it so they won't be punished and removed from the school.
With the match over, it is revealed that Titus is working for the Leam Empire and he is at the school to learn better ways to help defend it. Aladdin reveals to Titus his own plan and the two decide to help each other to find out more about a recently discovered inaccessible 5th District to the academy where humans live that can not pay their living expenses. When Aladdin and Titus ask about going to the 5th District, they continuously get denied, until they hatch a plan to transform themselves into their teachers and sneak into the district themselves.
When they finally reach the 5th District, they learn that the Magicians are draining the life from all the citizens in the lower levels to help power the machines used in all of the other districts. These machines are what help the magicians produce there own sources to make food and to live, so the humans are basically cattle for the magicians. Aladdin wants to try and stop this Magoi Reactor project, but a new enemy, Lord Doron arrives to put a stop to Aladdin and Titus, as well as bring them back to the leader of Magnoshutatt for punishment for going to the 5th District without permission. Just as our heroes are about to be finished off, Aladdin's teacher comes to their aid and defends her pupil.
The volume ends when Aladdin is eventually brought to the headmaster, where he tells Aladdin he will finally reveal to him why Magicians exist in their world.
This volume was actually probably the best I have read from the series in quite some time. It was paced extremely well, not too fast and not too slow. The new characters introduced wasn't too overwhelming this time as well; last volume we got a whole family practically thrown at us. I am also really intrigued at the whole almost Hitler-esque views of the Magicians, as they keep humans in an underground area just to use them for power as they are slowly drained of all their life force. It will be quite interesting with the next volume to see why the Magicians do what they actually do and the need for them in this world. I highly recommend this volume!
Objectionable Content:
Cover Art: The character featured on this cover is Kouen Ren. There is a lot of reds, oranges, and blacks coloring a majority of the image as well. The background appears to be some kind of war happening behind him. The series title is across the top in a lighter orange. The volume number and mangaka are on the bottom.
The spine from top-to-bottom contains the Shonen Sunday brand logo, the series title, the volume number, the mangaka, an image of Ren taken from the front cover, a magic lamp image, and the VIZ company logo.
The back cover has an image of Aladdin dressed in his Magnoshutatt Academy uniform. Under that is the volume summary.
I honestly don't get this cover at all. Typically we have some type of relation to what is going on with that volume referenced on the cover, especially with how many characters this series has it should have some type of character in the volume on the cover. Kouen Ren isn't present in a single page in this book. There isn't even a mention to him. I know there was a bit of him in the previous volume but this volume is focused on Aladdin entirely. There was plenty of characters that they could have put on this cover that were new to this volume as well, but none of them were used. Also the orange and reds kind of blend a bit to much making it a bit bothersome with the text and everything else on this cover. The only thing I liked was the image of Aladdin on the back. The white background with the glyph behind him was a really great choice; the colors work well and seeing Aladdin in an outfit that isn't his usual vest and turban was pretty cool.
Artwork: This volume features a lot more action and drama then previous volumes had. The humor is a bit less due to the content that this story focuses on; there is still a small bit of comedy but its barely noticeable with the scene changes since this volume has such a huge impact with the current story arc.
One thing to note too is at the beginning of this volume the action sequences are cleanly drawn out. Towards the end they seem a bit more rushed almost like the artist began to rush the story to get through the current arc which will most likely end with the next volume.
Translation: Cultural references, character names, weapons, attacks and plot are left intact. Sound Effects have been changed to English, which as one of my pet peeves is something I don't really care for since it destroys the original art at times.
Extras: There is a two-page bonus manga chapter that is about the Kou Empire. The artwork is a bit bad. It also does not advance any of the story related to the Kou Empire. Moving on...
Content (Warning: May Contain Spoilers): For this volume, our story has finally shifted back to our main character, Aladdin the Magi, and it actually focuses on him for the entire volume this time as well. When we last left off with him, he had just entered a wizard academy school to learn how to control his powers more, as well as see why these magic users are so hateful towards normal humans. Several months have passed since he started learning and he is now the top of his current class.
For the first part of this volume, Aladdin takes on another student in a match of to see who is a stronger magic user. His opponent is Titus Alexius, another magician who has power that is on an equal level to Aladdin's. The two fight it out, both having secrets to hide from one another which they both eventually uncover, but still hide it so they won't be punished and removed from the school.
With the match over, it is revealed that Titus is working for the Leam Empire and he is at the school to learn better ways to help defend it. Aladdin reveals to Titus his own plan and the two decide to help each other to find out more about a recently discovered inaccessible 5th District to the academy where humans live that can not pay their living expenses. When Aladdin and Titus ask about going to the 5th District, they continuously get denied, until they hatch a plan to transform themselves into their teachers and sneak into the district themselves.
When they finally reach the 5th District, they learn that the Magicians are draining the life from all the citizens in the lower levels to help power the machines used in all of the other districts. These machines are what help the magicians produce there own sources to make food and to live, so the humans are basically cattle for the magicians. Aladdin wants to try and stop this Magoi Reactor project, but a new enemy, Lord Doron arrives to put a stop to Aladdin and Titus, as well as bring them back to the leader of Magnoshutatt for punishment for going to the 5th District without permission. Just as our heroes are about to be finished off, Aladdin's teacher comes to their aid and defends her pupil.
The volume ends when Aladdin is eventually brought to the headmaster, where he tells Aladdin he will finally reveal to him why Magicians exist in their world.
This volume was actually probably the best I have read from the series in quite some time. It was paced extremely well, not too fast and not too slow. The new characters introduced wasn't too overwhelming this time as well; last volume we got a whole family practically thrown at us. I am also really intrigued at the whole almost Hitler-esque views of the Magicians, as they keep humans in an underground area just to use them for power as they are slowly drained of all their life force. It will be quite interesting with the next volume to see why the Magicians do what they actually do and the need for them in this world. I highly recommend this volume!
Objectionable Content:
- Language: No
- Violence: Yes
- Nudity: No
- Sexual Situations: No
Score:
Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 4/19/16
- Cover: 4/10
- Artwork: 6/10
- Translation: 7/10
- Extras: 1/10
- Story: 8/10
Where Purchased: Barnes and Nobles
Original Review Date: 4/19/16
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