Magi: Sinbad no Bouken (TV)

In the small, impoverished Tison Village of the Parthevia Empire, a boy, Sinbad, is born to the jaded ex-soldier Badr and his kind-hearted wife Esra. His birth creates a radiant surge throughout the rukh, a declaration of a singularity to those who stand at the pinnacle of magical might: the "Child of Destiny" is here. Despite his country being plagued by economic instability and the repercussions of war, Sinbad leads a cheerful life—until a stranger's arrival shatters his peaceful world, and tragedy soon befalls him.

Years later, mysterious edifices called "dungeons" have been erected all over the world. Rumored to contain great power and treasures, these dungeons piqued the interest of adventurers and armies alike; though to this day, none have returned therefrom. Sinbad, now 14, has grown into a charming and talented young boy. Inspired by the shocking events of his childhood and by his father's words, he yearns to begin exploring the world beyond his village. As though orchestrated by fate, Sinbad meets an enigmatic traveler named Yunan. Stirred by Sinbad's story and ambitions, Yunan directs him to a dungeon which he claims holds the power Sinbad needs to achieve his goals—the "power of a king."

Magi: Sinbad no Bouken tells the epic saga of Sinbad's early life as he travels the world, honing his skill and influence, while gathering allies and power to become the High King of the Seven Seas.

[Written by MAL Rewrite]

Sinbad Main

Ono, Daisuke Japanese

Ja'far Main

Sakurai, Takahiro Japanese

Hinahoho Main

Fujiwara, Keiji Japanese

Drakon Main

Sugita, Tomokazu Japanese

Yunan Supporting

Ishida, Akira Japanese

Scheherazade Supporting

Sakamoto, Maaya Japanese

Mogamett, Matal Supporting

Cho Japanese

Ren, Gyokuen Supporting

Itou, Miki Japanese

Leoxses, Mystras Supporting

Hatano, Wataru Japanese

Dikumenowlz du Parthevia, Serendine Supporting

Kayano, Ai Japanese

Maeda, Toshihiro Producer

Yonai, Noritomo Producer, Planning, Executive Producer

Okamoto, Junya Producer

Miyao, Yoshikazu Director

Reviews

Nov 24, 2025

anime_w4tch3r

Recommended

Good Things (Strengths)

1.STRONG PROTAGONIST AND CHARACTERIZATION

Sinbad is charismatic, ambitious, and likable. In this adaptation, his motivations are clear: he wants to change the world, not just seek power.
His character growth is meaningful: we see his past, his drive, and how he balances idealism with realism.
Supporting characters are also nicely fleshed out for the space given. According to reviews, they “get adequate narrative and psychological characterization.”

2. AMBITIOUS WORLDBUILDING AND THEMES

... The anime sets up a political and economic world: dungeons are mysterious, there is inequality, and Sinbad’s goal of uniting nations is not just “beat up bad guys,” but deeply rooted in a vision.
The show explores deep themes: power, destiny, and leadership. Several reviewers note how Sinbad’s ideals aren’t naive – he understands complexity.
The “rukh” and magical system are present, giving a mystical fantasy flavor consistent with the Magi universe.

3. ANIMATION AND SOUND

The animation is praised: clean, colorful, with good attention to character design.
The soundtrack and OST are solid; according to some reviewers, they match the emotional tone well.
Voice acting is also good: in particular, Sinbad’s seiyuu conveys his determination and charm.

Bad things (weaknesses)

1. RUSHED STORY AND LIMITED EPISODES

Many critics and fans say 13 episodes aren’t enough to cover all the interesting parts.
Because of this short length, character development for side characters can feel shallow or rushed.
Some plot threads are introduced but never fully explored, making the narrative feel incomplete.

2. INCOMPLETE ADAPTATION

Some specific arcs are skipped entirely: for example, some people who watched this show point out that the anime ends around chapter 55 of the manga, leaving out important stories.
Because of the gaps, the anime may feel like just a teaser rather than a full-fledged story.

3. PACING ISSUES

While some like the fast pace, others criticize it: there isn't always enough time devoted to worldbuilding or explaining the magic system, politics, or power mechanics.
The balance between “adventure” and “politics/economy” is debated: some viewers wanted more classical adventuring (exploration, dungeon crawling), but felt the show leaned more into political themes.

4. DESING CRITIQUES

While the animation is generally good, some say battle animation (especially dungeon fights) could be more dynamic.
A few characters are not deeply developed due to screen time constraints, which may leave them feeling more like archetypes than fully realized personalities.

** SINBAD
In Sinbad no Bouken, Sinbad is presented not as the legendary King of Sindria, but as a boy turning into a leader. The prequel focuses on how trauma, talent, and ambition shape him into one of the most influential figures in the Magi universe. This version of Sinbad is more vulnerable, more emotional, and more morally pure than the older Sinbad—but his darker traits are beginning to form.
He underestimates political complexity, the darkness of people, and how power corrupts.
This naivety often creates conflict and pushes him into dangerous situations. He trusts too easily, risks too much, and assumes he can handle everything. His courage is impressive, but also dangerous. Sinbad is ridiculously quick at learning new skills such as: navigation, negotiation, combat, diplomacy. He understands people fast, reads situations well, and can make decisions in dangerous environments.

Reviewer’s Rating: 9

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Aug 23, 2020

Laulaula

Mixed Feelings

There's no spoilers here, don't worry.

Well well, i don't remember clearly what i saw first, the manga or the adaptation.

Anyway, GO AND READ THE MANGA, the experience is defintetly superior. But, do it after you read Magi, i made the mistake of reading it before and well, i gave myself some interesting and not totally wanted spoilers lol.

The adaptation is decent to say at least. They chopped a few parts of important information along the series, parts that i considered important for all the people that didn't read the manga (Such as Sinbad's very first negotiation). Those parts helped greatly to understand the setting and ... the actions of the characters.

Also, because of some extra fighting scenes they added in certain capthers, i felt that Sinbad seemed even stronger and bolder than in the manga.


That was at least my perception of the 5-6 first episodes. In the other half of the anime, things got better and the adaptation feel sincronized to the manga. The last caps were my faves, it left me hanging for more! Because, boi, all the sagas that came next until the end, are worth an adaptation.

Reviewer’s Rating: 6

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May 26, 2021

DeividK3

Not Recommended

Funny

The worst anime I have ever seen (out of 130+).

This is the typical generic adventure anime with a protagonist who is recruiting people to fulfill his objective. The problem is that the characters are flat and with little charisma, and the plot is nothing to write home about.

- The story is uninteresting (except for the first chapters). There is a turning point where it goes from being a more or less decent anime to a boring anime.
- The protagonist is very poorly built, without evolution and almighty. Some other characters may be interesting, but nothing to highlight.
- There are no villains as such (or at ... least they do not make an appearance), which impoverishes the plot.
- The universe in which it is set seems more that of a video game.

It is certainly an anime that I would NEVER recommend.

Reviewer’s Rating: 3

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