Alakazam, a young and brave monkey, convinces his fellow monkeys to elect him king. Once crowned, he learns magic but becomes vain, prompting him to challenge the gods in heaven. He is defeated by King Amo and sentenced to guard Prince Amat, a role that teaches him humility. Although Osamu Tezuka was credited as director by Toei Company, he later admitted that his only studio involvement was posing for publicity photos; his participation in promoting the film nevertheless sparked his interest in animation.