Tokyo Babylon
東京BABYLON (Tokyo Babylon)
Genre	Fantasy, Shōnen-ai
Manga
Authored by	Clamp
Publisher	Shinshokan
Other publishers: TOKYOPOP Editora JBC Carlsen Comics
Serialized in	Wings
Original run	1990 – 1993
No. of volumes	7 (completed)
OVA
Directed by	Kōichi Chigira
Studio	Madhouse
Licensor	U.S. Manga Corp
No. of episodes	2
Released	1992
Live Action/Video
Tokyo Babylon 1999 (1993)
Related works
X

Tokyo Babylon (東京 BABYLON, Tokyo Babylon^?) is a manga series created by CLAMP. In 1991, it was made into a two-part anime OVA series. The OVA series was directed by the then up-and-coming Kōichi Chigira, and the character designs and animation direction were handled by veteran animator Kumiko Takahashi. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (532x800, 50 KB) This image is a book cover. ... For other uses, see Fantasy (disambiguation). ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... “Original manga” redirects here. ... Clamp (officially typeset as CLAMP) is an all-female Japanese mangaka group. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Shinshokan ) is a Japanese publishing company. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... For the music movie, see Tokyo Pop. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Brazil. ... Editora JBC(known as JB comunication, JBC) is a company that publishes the book related to Japan in Brazil. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Germany. ... The Carlsen Verlag is a subsidiary of the homonymous Danish publishing house which in turn belongs to the Swedish media company Bonnier. ... Wings is a manga magazine published by Shinshokan. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 1993 (MCMXCIII) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display full 1993 Gregorian calendar). ... Tankōbon ) is the Japanese term for a compilation volume of a particular series (such as a manga or a novel series, magazine articles, essays, craft patterns, etc. ... Original Video Animation ), abbreviated OVA ), is a term used for anime titles that are released direct-to-video, without prior showings on TV or in theaters. ... Koichi Chigira is an anime director who has directed several anime series, usually working with GONZO studio. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_Japan. ... Madhouse ) is a Japanese animation studio, founded in the early 1970s by ex-Mushi Pro animators including Masao Maruyama, Osamu Dezaki, Rintaro, and Yoshiaki Kawajiri. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Central Park Media is a distributor of East Asian cinema, television, and comics. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... In film and video, live action refers to works that are acted out by flesh-and-blood actors, as opposed to animation. ... This article is considered orphaned, since there are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... X (エックス, Ekkusu), an early work of the hit all-female manga-ka group CLAMP, details the apocalypse in a very literal adaptation of the Book of Revelation. ... “Original manga” redirects here. ... Clamp (officially typeset as CLAMP) is an all-female Japanese mangaka group. ... “Animé” redirects here. ... Original Video Animation ), abbreviated OVA ), is a term used for anime titles that are released direct-to-video, without prior showings on TV or in theaters. ... Koichi Chigira is an anime director who has directed several anime series, usually working with GONZO studio. ... Kumiko Takahashi ) is Japanese animator and character designer, born on February 20 in Saitama Prefecture. ...

There was also a live action movie entitled Tokyo Babylon 1999 made in 1993, which has never been released in the United States. The English manga has been licenced by TOKYOPOP. The OVAs are now available in the United States in both DVD and VHS. This article is considered orphaned, since there are very few or no other articles that link to this one. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... For the music movie, see Tokyo Pop. ... Size comparison: A 12 cm Sony DVD+RW and a 19 cm Dixon Ticonderoga pencil. ... Bottom view of VHS cassette with magnetic tape exposed Top view of VHS cassette with front casing removed The Video Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS is a recording and playing standard for analog video cassette recorders (VCRs), developed by Victor Company of Japan, Limited (JVC) and launched...

Plot

The plot is told in a series of substories, 2-3 per volume. While it begins with a monster of the week approach, with somewhat independent running chapters, the plot gradually becomes continuous and backstory is introduced. The focus throughout the manga is on the development of the characters and the relationships between them. Villain of the week (or, depending on genre, monster of the week) is a concept that describes the format of certain television shows. ...

The main characters are the onmyouji (lit. "yin-yang master", also translated as spirit medium or shaman) Subaru Sumeragi, his twin sister Hokuto Sumeragi, and the veterinarian Seishirō Sakurazuka. The plot involves Subaru and Hokuto protecting Tokyo from spirits by exorcising them, aided by Seishirō's somewhat subtle interference. The Onmyōji (陰陽師, lit. ... Tokyo ), the common English name for the Tokyo Metropolis ), is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan and, unique among the prefectures, provides certain municipal services characteristic of a city. ...

It also involves Seishirō's love for Subaru and the development of Subaru's reaction to it; from rejection through acceptance to a growing romantic attachment; until the tragic twist in the final two volumes.

The OVAs are similar in content to independent stories taking place in the middle of the manga series. The second OVA gives hints toward the overall plot line.

In terms of plot timeline, the live action movie takes place after the ending of the manga and before the beginning of X.

Main characters

Names are in Western order, and are romanized according to TOKYOPOP's spelling.

• Subaru Sumeragi (皇昴流, Sumeragi Subaru^?)

Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi (Japanese), Ben Fairman (English)

Subaru is an extremely talented onmyouji (also referred to as a yin-yang sorcerer or spirit medium) and the 13th Head of the Sumeragi clan. He tends to be rather shy, but is extremely kind hearted. He constantly wears gloves over his hands even in a sleep. His grandmother told him not to take off the gloves even infront of his sister, Hokuto. Actually, there is a "X" mark on both his hand which left by Seishiro when Subaru still a child. In the latent story, Subaru discovered that the "X" marks represented "Sakurazukamori's prey", where he is Seishiro's prey.

In the story of X/1999, Subaru is also a Dragon of Heaven and in Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE is a dimension-wandering vampire along with his twin brother, Kamui. Kappei Yamaguchi ) (real name: Mitsuo Yamaguchi )) (born May 23, 1965) is a male seiyÅ« from Fukuoka, Fukuoka, affiliated with GokÅ« and 21st Century Fox. ... X (エックス, Ekkusu), an early work of the hit all-female manga-ka group CLAMP, details the apocalypse in a very literal adaptation of the Book of Revelation. ... 天(てん) の 龍(りゅう) The Dragons Of Heaven Ten No RyÅ« The Dragons of Heaven 七(ななつ) の 封(ふう) 印(いん) The Seven Seals Nanatsu No FÅ«in In the manga series X created by the popular mangaka circle CLAMP, the Dragons of Heaven are a group of seven individuals who are fated to stand against the Dragons of Earth... Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (ツバサ－RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE－) is a manga made by CLAMP which is running in Shonen Magazine in Japan. ...

• Hokuto Sumeragi (皇北都, Sumeragi Hokuto^?)

Voiced by: Miki Itō (Japanese), Jenny Baker (English)

Hokuto is Subaru's eccentric twin sister. She is quick-witted, bold and impulsive, the polar opposite of Subaru. While she lacks most of Subaru's strong spiritualistic abilities, she is still able to cast spells unique to her. She always means well and acts in Subaru's best interests. Hokuto is the designer of the outrageous outfits she and Subaru often don.

In X/1999, she appears in flashbacks of the memories of Subaru, Seishirō, and Kakyou Kuzuki. Miki Itō (伊藤 美紀 Itō Miki), née Miki Hirano (平野 美紀 Hirano Miki, born October 21, 1962) is a well-known veteran seiyÅ«, born in Tokyo, Japan. ... This is an index of characters in the anime series X/1999. ...

• Seishirō Sakurazuka (桜塚星史郎, Sakurazuka Seishirō^?)

Voiced by: Takehito Koyasu (Japanese), Dean Fenton (English)

While he works as a friendly veterinarian who happens to hit on Subaru a lot, Seishirō is actually the current Sakurazukamori; an assassin who uses onmyoujutsu (yin-yang techniques) to kill. The name "Sakurazukamori" ("Cherry-Tree Barrow Guardian") refers to a Japanese folk legend according to which cherry trees' white blossoms are dyed pink from the blood of bodies buried beneath it (something similar to this is used in xxxHolic). The question to be answered is how will this knowledge affect Subaru...

Seishirō also appears in X/1999 as a Dragon of Earth and in Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle as a dimension-hopping hunter. Takehito Koyasu (子安 武人 Koyasu Takehito, born May 5, 1967) in Yokohama, Kanagawa, Japan is a seiyÅ« (voice actor). ... Serialized in Weekly Young Magazine Original run February 24, 2003 – No. ... The Dragons of Earth (with Shōgo) In the manga series X created by the popular mangaka circle CLAMP, the Dragons Of Earth ), also known as the Seven Angels ), are a group of seven individuals who are fated to stand against the Dragons of Heaven in the apocalyptic battle on... Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (ツバサ－RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE－) is a manga made by CLAMP which is running in Shonen Magazine in Japan. ...

Tokyo Babylon to X

Even though the story has an ending, it is still a rather open-ended conclusion that allowed for the possibility of more stories to be told. Based on early artwork found in the Tokyo Babylon Photographs artbook, which showed older and more mature versions of Subaru and Seishirō with the text Tokyo Babylon 1999 behind them, speculation has long existed in the fan community that the plotline that would eventually become X had its routes in a direct sequel for Tokyo Babylon. X/1999, an early work of the hit all female manga-ka group CLAMP, details the apocalypse in a very literal adaptation of the Book of Revelation. ...

Ultimately, X became a separate story, which incorporated ties to several past CLAMP manga rather than being a direct sequel, and neither Subaru nor Seishirō appeared for a significant length of time in the manga. However, in the fifth tankōbon of X, a direct reference to Subaru was finally made, at last establishing the link. From this point in the manga on, the story and characters "crossed-over" into X, which is set 9 years after the events of Tokyo Babylon. Tankōbon ) is the Japanese term for a compilation volume of a particular series (such as a manga or a novel series, magazine articles, essays, craft patterns, etc. ...

Thus, the unfinished business between Seishiro and Subaru continues as they cross paths again and it is suggested that even the events in Tokyo Babylon are something long foreordained by destiny.

The mystery that was left by Hokuto concerning her special "power" was also explained in X in volume 16. Considering that the last volume of Tokyo Babylon was published in 1993 and X volume 16 was published in 2001, CLAMP has managed to keep the mystery a secret for nearly 8 years before revealing the answer.

Artbook

There is also an artbook released in Japan.

• TOKYO BABYLON PHOTOGRAPHS (ISBN 9784403650086)

- Published by Kadokawa Shoten in year 1996. Kadokawa Shoten Publishing Co. ...

Crossovers

Characters from Tokyo Babylon make significant appearances in other CLAMP works, including X (a.k.a. X/1999) and Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle. Furthermore, Yuko Ichihara makes a reference to Subaru Sumeragi in Volume 1 of the xxxHOLiC manga. This reference is not seen in the anime. Serialized in Monthly Asuka Original run May 24, 1992 – ON HIATUS No. ... Tsubasa: RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE (ツバサ－RESERVoir CHRoNiCLE－) is a manga made by CLAMP which is running in Shonen Magazine in Japan. ... Information Aliases YÅ«ko Ichihara The Dimension Witch The Far Eastern Witch Witch lady Species Human Gender Female Age Unknown Occupation Sorceress Wish-granter Portrayed by Sayaka Ohara Created by Clamp YÅ«ko Ichihara ) is a fictional character from the manga, xxxHolic, created by the manga team Clamp. ... Serialized in Weekly Young Magazine Original run February 24, 2003 – No. ...

References

• [1]
• [2] (Japanese)

External links

• Tokyopop Official site
• geneSIS (general fansite)
• Thanatos (a more recently updated fansite)