Movie
Description
Ali Baba originates from Middle Eastern folklore, specifically the tale "Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves" within *One Thousand and One Nights*. The story portrays him as an impoverished woodcutter who discovers a thieves' treasure cave accessible by the phrase "open sesame." After taking a modest amount of gold, his greedy brother Cassim learns the secret but is trapped and killed by the thieves. Ali Baba, aided by the clever slave-girl Morgiana, repeatedly outwits the thieves as they mark his house for retaliation, hide in oil jars for an ambush, and infiltrate his home disguised as a merchant. Morgiana foils each plot, ultimately killing the thieves' leader during a sword dance. In gratitude, Ali Baba grants Morgiana freedom and arranges her marriage to his son, retaining sole knowledge of the treasure cave.
In the 1971 anime *Ari-Baba to yonjuppiki no tozoku*, he is reimagined as "Ali Baba the 33rd," a tyrannical ruler with a fear of cats. His regime faces opposition from a peasant boy leading 38 cats, culminating in a climactic rebellion. The film emphasizes chaotic, cartoonish action and musical sequences, diverging significantly from the original folktale.
For adaptations like the *Magi* series, Ali Baba (full name Alibaba Saluja) is depicted as the third prince of the Balbadd Kingdom. After his mother Anise's death, he lived in poverty in the slums alongside friends Cassim and Mariam. His father, King Rashid, later brought him to the palace, where he endured scorn from his half-brothers but received rigorous education in swordsmanship, economics, and languages. Following Rashid's death and Cassim's theft of the palace treasures, Ali Baba fled Balbadd. He became a woodcutter and later a merchant cart driver in Qishan. There, he met Aladdin and Morgiana, conquering the Dungeon of Amon to gain the djinn Amon and a fiery sword weapon.
Ali Baba co-founded the Fog Troupe with Cassim to abolish Balbadd's monarchy, establishing a republic later annexed by the Kou Empire. After Cassim's death, Cassim's spirit fused with Ali Baba's, altering his personality and granting him access to enhanced magical abilities (Magoi), though initially causing physical instability. During dimensional displacement, he trained with Alma Torran magicians, developing the power to perceive time as slowed, allowing near-limitless combat speed. He later served as Prime Minister of the Kou Empire, revitalizing its economy and thwarting world-recreation schemes. He married Morgiana, founded the Alibaba Trading Company, and retained his signature weapon, Amon's sword.
Physically, Ali Baba has blond hair, golden eyes, and an ahoge (cowlick). Early attire included an Arabian tunic, striped boots, and dual earrings; after Cassim's death, he added red earrings containing Cassim's spirit. Post-training scars from a creature bite marked his arm, and he adopted a dark blue tunic. Personality-wise, he evolved from cunning and obsequious—flattering wealthy patrons while pursuing self-interest—to compassionate and principled. He values loyalty, rescues civilians from monsters, and advocates for societal equity, though his naivete toward authority figures like Sinbad and stubborn self-reliance persist. He enjoys socializing, particularly clubbing, albeit with comically poor romantic luck.
In the 1971 anime *Ari-Baba to yonjuppiki no tozoku*, he is reimagined as "Ali Baba the 33rd," a tyrannical ruler with a fear of cats. His regime faces opposition from a peasant boy leading 38 cats, culminating in a climactic rebellion. The film emphasizes chaotic, cartoonish action and musical sequences, diverging significantly from the original folktale.
For adaptations like the *Magi* series, Ali Baba (full name Alibaba Saluja) is depicted as the third prince of the Balbadd Kingdom. After his mother Anise's death, he lived in poverty in the slums alongside friends Cassim and Mariam. His father, King Rashid, later brought him to the palace, where he endured scorn from his half-brothers but received rigorous education in swordsmanship, economics, and languages. Following Rashid's death and Cassim's theft of the palace treasures, Ali Baba fled Balbadd. He became a woodcutter and later a merchant cart driver in Qishan. There, he met Aladdin and Morgiana, conquering the Dungeon of Amon to gain the djinn Amon and a fiery sword weapon.
Ali Baba co-founded the Fog Troupe with Cassim to abolish Balbadd's monarchy, establishing a republic later annexed by the Kou Empire. After Cassim's death, Cassim's spirit fused with Ali Baba's, altering his personality and granting him access to enhanced magical abilities (Magoi), though initially causing physical instability. During dimensional displacement, he trained with Alma Torran magicians, developing the power to perceive time as slowed, allowing near-limitless combat speed. He later served as Prime Minister of the Kou Empire, revitalizing its economy and thwarting world-recreation schemes. He married Morgiana, founded the Alibaba Trading Company, and retained his signature weapon, Amon's sword.
Physically, Ali Baba has blond hair, golden eyes, and an ahoge (cowlick). Early attire included an Arabian tunic, striped boots, and dual earrings; after Cassim's death, he added red earrings containing Cassim's spirit. Post-training scars from a creature bite marked his arm, and he adopted a dark blue tunic. Personality-wise, he evolved from cunning and obsequious—flattering wealthy patrons while pursuing self-interest—to compassionate and principled. He values loyalty, rescues civilians from monsters, and advocates for societal equity, though his naivete toward authority figures like Sinbad and stubborn self-reliance persist. He enjoys socializing, particularly clubbing, albeit with comically poor romantic luck.