Previously on Magi:

Morgiana is once again put in chains, but she quickly escapes and beats her captors while accepting her heritage. She meets up with Aladdin again and the two head to Balbadd hoping to find Alibaba. Spoilers Ahead.

Aladdin & Morgiana continue their journey to Balbadd. Morgiana anxious to visit her homeland while also sharing Aladdin’s desire to see Alibaba again. Along the way they meet a man named Sinbad (not the comedian) and arrive in the wondrous city of Balbadd. Morgiana hopes to get on the earliest boat to the Dark Continent, but her hopes are dashed when it is a revealed that a group known as the “Fog Troop” are causing upheaval in the city, cutting off travel. Hoping that this might help them track down Alibaba, Aladdin & Morgiana agree to help Sinbad take down the Fog Troop, but when they confront them, things take a turn for the worst.

This episode gives us intro to a few new characters as well as give us an assessment on more places in the world. Sinbad is obviously the main guy introduced here. He is apparently a legend (being the king of Balbadd and having conquered SEVEN dungeons, even though Aladdin doesn’t know who he is), but he is a carefree and often careless individual (as evident by him being robbed by some roaming travelers in a valley when they found him sleeping) but he does have a strong sense of honor and duty and he does care for the people of the city. We also meet his retainers: the no nonsense advisor Jafar (think of him as the Alfred to his Batman) & the strong silent Masror (who is Fanalis like Morgiana). Each of them have their own unique personalities and balance out with Sinbad well, making them an effective tandem.

Left to Right: Jafar, Sinbad, & Masrur

Balbadd itself is a huge and beautiful city, but that is only on the surface. As with any major city there is an underbelly full of criminals and poor that not too many people besides the citizens know about. The rich live on one side and the disenfranchised live on the other praying for their next meal. This is shown no more blatant than when Masrur & Sinbad encounter a group of starving people while standing guard against the Fog Troop. One heart wrenching scene is when a woman holding a baby charges at Sinbad looking for food to feed her child, who is extremely malnourished and possibly dead. The Fog Troop themselves are basically Robin Hoods stealing from the rich giving to the poor giving the title of “chivalrous thieves” by the public whose support they seem to have. They also possess mysterious powers pertaining to fog: One can cause hallucinations if breathed in, another can melt through objects like acid, and another can weigh down those it touches.

Fog Troop

Magi are also given more fleshing out, as they possess Magoi (magical energy stored within peoples body) and can use Rukh to use it however they wish. Mgi have unlimited Magoi as they can utilize the Magoi stored within other people and the Rukh.

“His Name Is Sinbad” is another good episode with some character intros and slight world expansion. There are also some good action scenes, funny moments, and a few dramatic moments to keep you hooked. The animation remains pretty fluid and environments great to look at. The magic continues next week as Aladdin & friends take on the Fog Troop.

3.5/5