Board Thread:Questions and Answers/@comment-4616791-20130312211017/@comment-6532078-20130527125149

My thoughts exactly. Maybe the Pirates Arc isn't important to Magnostadt (at this point at least), but it has many very important plot points and characters development. Besides Hakuryuu's goal, we'll also kinda learn Alibaba's goal (and I always thought that 5th Level's citizens are similar to Olba and the rest, and knowing Alibaba, they may be treated similarly by him). Oh, and you're not alone when it comes to thinking about Alibaba's Household, ManikWorld. I think that Olba will play a big part in the future (Balbadd's future, probably?).

Magi's plot is furthered in its every story arc, and skipping even one of them won't do any good. Now I feel sorry for anime-only watchers, they won't get what's going on at all.