Ali Baba, whose full name is Alibaba Saluja, is one of the two main protagonists of the anime Magi: The Labyrinth of Magic. He is a young man with golden-yellow hair and matching golden eyes, standing at approximately 177 centimeters tall. He is the former third prince of the Balbadd Kingdom, though he was not born into a life of privilege. His mother, Anise, was a former palace maid who worked as a prostitute after leaving the palace, and Alibaba spent his early childhood living in the slums of Balbadd. During this time, he formed a deep, brother-like bond with a boy named Cassim and his sister. His life changed when King Rashid Saluja of Balbadd came to the slums to reveal that Alibaba was his illegitimate son. Alibaba then left his friends behind to live in the palace, where he was educated in royal etiquette, swordplay, and other princely disciplines. This decision created a painful rift with Cassim, who felt abandoned. After a tragic incident involving Cassim and the death of his father, Alibaba fled his homeland and began working as a simple cart driver in a distant town, hiding his royal identity and harboring a secret ambition to conquer a dungeon called Amon to gain fortune and power.

Alibaba’s personality is a complex mix of insecurity, earnestness, and hidden bravery. On the surface, he can be a bit of a coward, often worrying about the future and complaining about his circumstances. He is known for being somewhat awkward, especially in his dealings with women, where his boasts and attempts at charm frequently backfire in humiliating ways, earning him a reputation for being unlucky in love. Despite this, he possesses a strong moral compass and a deep-seated desire to do the right thing. When a situation becomes truly dire, his hesitation vanishes, and he acts on his own code of honor, often rushing recklessly into danger to protect others. This duality is a core part of his character; he doubts himself constantly, yet his actions are consistently noble and self-sacrificing. He is also highly social, positive, and empathetic, capable of embracing the feelings of people from all walks of life, a trait that naturally draws others to him.

Initially, Alibaba’s primary motivation is a simple one: to conquer a dungeon to gain a vast treasure that will allow him to live a life of leisure without ever having to work again. This goal is born from his years of hardship and the drudgery of his life as a laborer. However, as he begins his adventures with the Magi named Aladdin, his motivations evolve significantly. He becomes driven by a desire to atone for his past and to liberate his homeland of Balbadd from both foreign control and its own corrupt systems. He seeks to become a person worthy of being a leader and a king, not for the sake of power, but to genuinely help his people. His role in the story is that of a King Vessel, a person chosen by a Magi to wield the power of a Djinn and destined to become a great ruler. Unlike the legendary king Sinbad, Alibaba’s journey is one of a reluctant leader who grows into the role through his profound personal struggles, making his character arc one of the most central and important in the series.

His key relationships are the foundation of his development. His bond with Aladdin is the most important, as the young Magi recognizes Alibaba’s latent kingly qualities and chooses him as his King Vessel. Aladdin’s unwavering support and magical power give Alibaba the push he needs to face his fears. Another critical relationship is with Morgiana, a former slave from the powerful Fanalis tribe. She becomes his first Household Member, gaining a portion of his Djinn’s power out of loyalty and affection. Their relationship deepens throughout the series, moving from mutual respect to a tender, if awkward, romantic tension. Alibaba also shares a complex friendship with Cassim, whose descent into darkness and eventual death serves as a major source of guilt and motivation for Alibaba. Finally, he looks up to Sinbad, the charismatic and overwhelmingly powerful king of Sindria, who serves as both an inspiration and a foil, showing Alibaba a path of kingship that he must learn to walk in his own way.

Throughout the series, Alibaba undergoes significant development. He begins as a selfish and insecure fugitive prince but quickly matures into a responsible and decisive leader. A major turning point occurs during the events in Balbadd, where he is forced to confront his past and the consequences of his flight. Later, after suffering a crushing defeat, he undergoes intense training in the Reim Empire, where he learns to master his Magoi, the life energy used to perform magic. He also experiences a profound, time-altering journey to the other world of Alma Torran, where he lives for over a hundred years in a different body, honing his skills and wisdom. By the time he returns to his own world, he has transformed from a capable but anxious boy into a calm, focused, and supremely competent warrior and leader, finally able to stand on equal footing with the series' most powerful characters.

In terms of notable abilities, Alibaba is a highly skilled swordsman. He was initially trained in the Balbadd Royal Swordplay style, a technique that emphasizes speed and precision. Later, he trains under Sharrkan, one of the Eight Generals of Sindria, to further refine his technique. As a Dungeon Capturer, he holds a contract with the powerful fire Djinn, Amon. His Metal Vessel, the focus for his power, is a sword. Using it, he can perform a Djinn Equip, where he merges his body with Amon’s power. In this form, his body is wreathed in flames, he gains the ability to fly, and his sword transforms into a massive black blade capable of immense destruction. His signature technique is a powerful fire-based attack. A unique ability he develops later is Magoi Manipulation, which allows him to precisely control the flow of magical energy within his body. This is particularly challenging for him because he possesses not only his own Magoi but also the residual Magoi of Cassim, which he eventually learns to harmonize and use effectively. His extreme magic, the ultimate technique of his Djinn Equip, is called Amol Al-Bador Saiqa, which manifests as a gigantic being of fire that wields a sword of the same element.