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Summary: Tokyo Babylon Vols 01& 02
Review: This was a very well writen and animated pair of stories. The DVD is a great format to buy this in because it allows you the flexability of watching it in Japanese with English subs or English Dubbed. The voices used in both cases were quite good. This story keeps you glued to the set. It has enough action to hold your attention and more then enough story to keep you intellectually stimulated. Well worth the price of admission.
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Summary: Great color, and a super-good intro in the trilogi....
Review: This was the first Manga-movie I bought. I had some money left in my wallet that I did'nt know what to do with, so I bought "TOKYO BABYLON". I had been interestet in manga-anime-movies before but I had never bought one before. When I got home i slottet the movie (VHS) in to the player. I was about to witness the best anime-movie I've almost ever seen. This is the beginning of a trilogy that you will never forget. This movive is just the great start of a super trilogy. You won't regret that you've seen this. The colors are sharp and clean, short said, extra-ordinary. =) Everythings fits, and works just as in a real good manga, the story line is great... SE THIS MOVIE..
Rating:
Summary: A bit of the manga...
Review: Tokyo Babylon is a good portion of the anime, but sadly if you have no background whatsoever on the story (which is hard to find, unless you are able to find scans of the un-released manga, can pick up whatever you can in watching/reading X/1999, or the like) or the characters for that matter, the anime seems quite useless. I suggest finding out information beforehand in order to appreciate the anime a ton more. ^_^
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Summary: Tokyo Babylon is arguably CLAMP's greatest tale!
Review: Tokyo Babylon is a magnificent, heartbreaking CLAMP story (and a personal favorite) about young Subaru Sumeragi, his twin sister, Hokuto, and their friend, Seishiro Sakurazuka. Together, the three explore Tokyo City, commenting upon the hypocritical and unthinking masses and the damage group mentality can cause the individual. Subaru Sumeragi, as an onmyouji (a Japanese medium and exorcist), is privy to things that a normal sixteen only imagines. In Tokyo Babylon, Subaru is the protagonist of a tale that interweaves an existentialist Tokyo with traditional Japanese mysticism. Unfortunately, the seven-volume CLAMP manga series will probably never be commerically released in the United States, as it is primarily a societal criticism with some male-male romantic underpinings between Seishiro and Subaru. Combining the knee-jerk reaction in the US toward any suggestion of homosexual romance and the culture-bound nature of the criticism makes for a story that is unlikely to sell. However, the anime demonstrates neither of these (despite the cover art's insinuation), so this two-part anime certainly the most assessible manner in which to enjoy Tokyo Babylon. Unlike many anime OVA series based upon manga titles, the anime comprises original stories, which, incidentally, were not created by CLAMP. The first volume details Subaru's confrontation with Negumo, a young businessman with uncanny good luck that seems to leave anyone in his way dead. After Negumo's luck leads to the death of a colleague, the man's sister seeks revenge, using spiritual means that endangers everyone. Subaru must help this woman, but how can he reach a woman in deep mourning? In the second volume, Subaru witnesses a grisly murder on the subway. A postcognitive woman also witnesses the murder with her powers, and Subaru immediately feels a connection to her. Caught up in a horrifying web of murder and madness, Subaru is forced to meet the serial killer face to face. This episode also includes a beautifully interpreted animation of the famed "Sakura Barrow" scene. Thus, though the anime contains many of the surface features and motifs of the CLAMP creation, it lacks much of the depth and passion that made Tokyo Babylon so great. For example, in both parts 1 and 2, Subaru needs physical rescuing. In the manga, he is a onmyouji of great competence and professionalism; when he needs rescuing, it is typically from himself, not others. Also, the anime is open-ended. None of the underlying story arcs are resolved or explained. US Manga Corps changed the dub significantly to try to resolve these issues, undoubtedly appalling purists, but, in the sub, the ambiguity has been preserved. In either case, though the complex relationship between Seishiro and Subaru is sublimated and not at all well-represented. This relationship between the two is explained and developed in another CLAMP title, X. For this reason, this anime is a must for those familiar with X (X/1999 in the US). Why, then, is the series called, "Tokyo Babylon"? Such a question is not necessarily made clear even upon repeated viewings of the videos but is essential to truly understanding the story. The title is a metaphor, likening the city of Tokyo to the Biblical city of Babel and criticizing the hubris of the modern populace. Their selfishness and arrogance is compared to the purity and innocence of Subaru. The Tokyo of the anime is dark and oppressive; buildings loom high overhead, threatening those under them and people brush past without a second glance. Nonetheless, the Tokyo Babylon anime is a delightful story, subtle and impressive. It has a provocative, if disturbing message, one that will surely move any who take the time to view it. I highly recommend it to anime lovers interested in a story that transcends super-powered robots and big-breasted women and definitively label it a must for all CLAMP fans.
Rating:
Summary: Very Good but not as good as the manga
Review: Tokyo Babylon is one of Clamps best, if not the best, works. It is about a 16 year old boy named Sumeragi Subaru who is an onmyoji (or medium, as they say in the American version), who takes on jobs dealing with the supernatural (curses, spirits, that kind of thing). His sister, Hokuto and his friend Seishiro, accompany him throughout the series.
In the first episode, Subaru has to confront a businessman trying to make his way to the top of a company with mysterious deaths surrounding him. In the second episode, he must solve a murder case which is comitted by a guy who walks onto the subway late at night, and kills someone.
I thought that the anime was well done with a few exceptions:
1. Subaru's voice actor. He made Subaru sound like a pathetic 12 year old when in fact Subaru is powerful and strong, and yes a little childish (he is only 16). If you watch this and then X/1999, you will notice a huge change in the voice.
2. They didn't follow the storyline of the manga. this may not bother most people, but I think the manga had a very good storyline.
3. The annoying theme song. It is sung by a guy with a very nasal voice, it sounds like he has a cold.
4. No indication of Seishiro hitting on Subaru or Hokuto trying to get them together, which is just about all they talk about in the manga.
Other than that, I think it was very well done and I proudly give it 4 stars (one of my favorite anime's ever!). If you liked this, definatley watch X, and get the manga for Tokyo Babylon.
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Summary: Clamp magic strikes again.
Review: Tons of iron and cement; kilometres of asphalt and tubeways; millions of people with apparentaly no identity. Big cities seem like a hell made by the hand of the man that had replaced the ancient evil kingdoms from old history. Among so much technology and so much artificial light it doesn't seem to be space for the spirits and, nevertheless, these exist, like Subaru and Hokuto, the Sumeragi Twins know well. Descendants of a family of wise spiritists, the Sumeragi twins live in the biggest city of the Pacific shore. A proud metropolis that not only boasts of having reborn from it's own ashes but that aspirates to rule the world. A city very parallel to the biblic Babylon. A city that seems to be waiting for some god to punish it for it's pride and it's inhabitants 'sins. Because each one of the many millons of citizens of Tokyo city has his dreams, his yearnings, his anguishes and his pains. Everyone of them are easy preys of despair and feel tempted to turn to magical methods to escape from their little dramas. Methods that, if wrongly used, can bring about the destruction and misery of everyone that surrounds them. Sumeragi Subaru is a young Omnyouji, Thirteenth Head of the powerful Sumeragi Clan. His duty is to unsummon the painful spirits that still walk the world of the living. He lives with his twin sister, Hokuto, whose main occupation seems to laugh at his shyness and his deep relationship with Seishirou, descendent of another ancient family, the mysterious Sakurazuka Clan. Seishirou is also an Omnyouji, though he dedicates his life to veterinary, and seems as well to be hidding a darker side of his personality from the twins as romantically interested in Subaru. But, is there any shadowy bond that links the couple appart from their relationship? This anime is well worth watching even for those who haven't heard of Tokyo Babylon. The relationship between Subaru and Seishirou is a thing to watch out and the constant annoying Hokuto adds to the lack of humor in the anime. The plot in the anime are quite typical though but nevertheless entertaining and thrilling. Also, this anime have a very mild Yaoi touch to it so becareful those who don't like this stuff.
Rating:
Summary: Subaru is cute, but what really happened?
Review: ^.^() The anime form of this tale really doesn't explain everything, and I find that a real pity. Also, those who aren't famaliar with manga might not get it. It never really explains Seiishiro's relationship to Su-chan, or either of their powers. When I first rented vol 2 I had no clue what was going on, though I still found myself enjoying it. Later I found out much more about the story and bought both the tapes. Anyone who already knows the manga, or at least knows the cast, will most likely love this tape. (Come on, it has Subaru! You gotta love it!)
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