Alakazam the Great facts for kids

Alakazam the Great (西遊記, Saiyūki, lit. "Journey to the West") is a fun Japanese musical anime film from 1960. It's based on an old Chinese story called Journey to the West. This movie was one of the first anime films ever shown in the United States! Osamu Tezuka, a famous manga artist, was linked to the film by Toei Company. Even though he mostly helped promote it, this movie sparked his interest in making animation.

The Story of Alakazam

A Monkey King's Journey

The movie is about a young and brave monkey named Alakazam. All the other monkeys look up to him. They encourage him to become their king. After he becomes king, Alakazam starts to act rude and bossy. He believes he is better than everyone, even humans!

Learning Magic and Trouble

Alakazam then tricks Merlin the magician into teaching him magic. Merlin is not happy about this. He warns Alakazam that these new powers will bring him sadness later. But Alakazam doesn't listen. He becomes very proud and uses his magic for bad things.

A Challenge in the Heavens

Alakazam decides to go to Majutsu Land, which is like the Heavens. There, he challenges King Amo, the ruler of that land. King Amo defeats Alakazam. As punishment, Alakazam must become a bodyguard. He has to protect Prince Amat on a long journey. This journey is meant to teach Alakazam to be humble.

Becoming a True Hero

During his adventure, Alakazam slowly learns his lesson. He understands that being truly strong means being kind and humble. In the end, he becomes a real hero.

Main Characters

Here are some of the main characters in Alakazam the Great: