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, also known as ''Tokyo Babylon: A Save Tokyo City Story'', is a Japanese
manga Manga (Japanese: 漫画 ) are comics or graphic novels originating from Japan. Most manga conform to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century, and the form has a long prehistory in earlier Japanese art. The term ''manga'' is u ...
series created by mangaka group Clamp. The series follows
Subaru Sumeragi is the fictional protagonist of Clamp's manga series ''Tokyo Babylon''. The head of the , Subaru is a young ''onmyōji'' in charge of exorcising demons and helping spirits reach the afterlife, while living with his twin sister Hokuto and love ...
, the head of the Sumeragi clan, and his sister Hokuto, as they work to protect Tokyo from a myriad of supernatural perils while living with a man named
Seishiro Sakurazuka is a fictional character that was created by Clamp and first appeared in the manga ''Tokyo Babylon''. He appears as a kind veterinarian who shows romantic affection for the young exorcist (referred as ''onmyōji'') Subaru Sumeragi. During the ...
.
Shinshokan is a Japanese publishing company. It was established on June 14, 1961. In April 2009, the US publisher Digital Manga Publishing announced a co-branding operation with Shinshokan, to license and manga from Shinshokan's ''Wings'', ''Dear'', and ...
serialized it in ''South'' and ''
Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expresse ...
'' ''shōjo'' manga magazines from 1990 to 1993, and it was collected in seven ''
tankōbon is the Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' volumes.
Tokyopop Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...
first distributed the English-language version of the manga; this is now handled by
Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
. The series is based on a self-written work, ''
dōjinshi , also romanized as ', is the Japanese term for self-published print works, such as magazines, manga, and novels. Part of a wider category of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, ''doujinshi'' are often derivative of existing works and created ...
'', writer
Nanase Ohkawa is a member of the all-female manga-creating team CLAMP. She is the director of the team and is primarily responsible for writing the stories and scripts for CLAMP's various works. As part of CLAMP's 15th Anniversary, each of the four members ...
created. Clamp decided to add dark social themes to the serialization because of the chapters' lengths. Clamp found it difficult to write the manga because it was being serialized alongside their first work, ''
RG Veda is a manga created by Clamp, consisting of ten volumes in all. It was first published in Japan in 1989 as Clamp's debut manga. The story features elements of Vedic mythology; the title itself is pronounced ''Rigveda'', the name of one of ...
''. Between 1992 and 1994, Madhouse studio adapted ''Tokyo Babylon'' into a two-part
original video animation , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
series focused on the original storylines. PDS also produced a live-action feature film sequel, ''Tokyo Babylon 1999'', which was released on August 21, 1993, which is set after the events of the manga. A full
anime is Traditional animation, hand-drawn and computer animation, computer-generated animation originating from Japan. Outside of Japan and in English, ''anime'' refers specifically to animation produced in Japan. However, in Japan and in Japane ...
television series adaptation, ''Tokyo Babylon 2021'', was announced in 2020, but was cancelled in the wake of accusations of plagiarism. The series has been well received for its focus on occultism and social themes. It is also famous in the West for including one of the first homosexual relationships portrayed in a manga as explored through the characters of Subaru and Seishiro. The writers' heavy focus on Subaru's character development stood out alongside the art produced by Clamp. However, the manga was criticized for its earlier comical style and expositions. The manga is notorious for its open and tragic ending which is followed in Clamp's next work, '' X''.


Plot

Sixteen-year-old
Subaru Sumeragi is the fictional protagonist of Clamp's manga series ''Tokyo Babylon''. The head of the , Subaru is a young ''onmyōji'' in charge of exorcising demons and helping spirits reach the afterlife, while living with his twin sister Hokuto and love ...
is a very powerful Japanese magician, often referred as a modern ''
onmyōji was one of the official positions belonging to the of the Ministry of the Center under the ritsuryō system in ancient Japan, and was assigned as a technical officer in charge of divination and geomorphology based on the theory of the yin-a ...
''. He is the thirteenth head of the foremost family of ''onmyōji'' in Japan, which has served the Emperor for centuries. As a result, he is called upon to solve various occult mysteries. He sometimes stumbles on people his kind nature compels him to help. He lives in Tokyo with his twin sister Hokuto, an exuberant girl, whose chief occupations are designing eccentric clothing for herself and her brother, and their mutual friend
Seishiro Sakurazuka is a fictional character that was created by Clamp and first appeared in the manga ''Tokyo Babylon''. He appears as a kind veterinarian who shows romantic affection for the young exorcist (referred as ''onmyōji'') Subaru Sumeragi. During the ...
, a kindly, 25-year-old veterinarian, who often declares his love for Subaru. There are early hints of Seishiro's true nature. Hokuto jokes about him being a member of the family of ''Sakurazukamori'', a clan of assassins who use onmyōjitsu to kill and are said to be the Sumeragis' opposite. Seishiro met Subaru as a kid and was impressed with the child's purity. Rather than killing him, Seishiro made a bet with him instead: He would meet Subaru again, and would spend one year with him, protecting him and trying to love him. If, at the end of that year, he felt something for Subaru which distinguished him from a thing he could easily destroy (as he could not with any other person), then he would not kill him. To recognize him, he marked him with inverted pentagrams on both hands, the sign of the Sakurazukamori's prey. When Seishiro loses an eye protecting Subaru, the teenager realizes he is in love with him. As the year is over, Seishiro declares himself the winner of the bet. He breaks Subaru's arm and tortures him, but fails to kill him, as Subaru's grandmother breaks his spell - an action which leaves her crippled. Subaru's shock leaves him in a
catatonic Catatonia is a complex neuropsychiatric behavioral syndrome that is characterized by abnormal movements, immobility, abnormal behaviors, and withdrawal. The onset of catatonia can be acute or subtle and symptoms can wax, wane, or change during ...
state. Hokuto feels guilty for promoting Seishiro, whom she knew to be dangerous, but believed to be the only one who might touch Subaru's heart. As a result, Hokuto asks Seishiro to kill her instead to protect her brother. Seeing her in a dream, Subaru is shocked out of his catatonia by her action. He vows to find Seishiro and take revenge for his sister's death, abandoning his present life. The manga ends with an adult and distant Subaru still searching for Seishiro.


Characters

; : :The 13th Head of the Sumeragi clan, a family of ''
onmyōji was one of the official positions belonging to the of the Ministry of the Center under the ritsuryō system in ancient Japan, and was assigned as a technical officer in charge of divination and geomorphology based on the theory of the yin-a ...
''. He tends to be rather shy, but is extremely kindhearted. He constantly wears gloves over his hands for reasons known only to his grandmother. ; : :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 spiritual abilities, she is still able to cast unique spells. She always means well and acts in Subaru's best interests. Hokuto designs the outrageous outfits she and Subaru often don. ; : :A veterinarian who claims to be romantically interested in Subaru. He is secretly the ''Sakurazukamori'', a murderous ''
onmyōji was one of the official positions belonging to the of the Ministry of the Center under the ritsuryō system in ancient Japan, and was assigned as a technical officer in charge of divination and geomorphology based on the theory of the yin-a ...
'' who first met the teenager seven years ago.


Production

''Tokyo Babylon'' is based on a one-shot that Clamp head writer
Nanase Ohkawa is a member of the all-female manga-creating team CLAMP. She is the director of the team and is primarily responsible for writing the stories and scripts for CLAMP's various works. As part of CLAMP's 15th Anniversary, each of the four members ...
wrote for a magazine that featured ''
dōjinshi , also romanized as ', is the Japanese term for self-published print works, such as magazines, manga, and novels. Part of a wider category of '' doujin'' (self-published) works, ''doujinshi'' are often derivative of existing works and created ...
''. After Clamp got to illustrate the cover of the same magazine, ''Wings'', with Subaru and Hokuto, the magazine proposed Clamp turn it into a series for their special edition ''South''. Initially, the series was going to be called "Tokyo" but Clamp wanted to change it to give a more modern tone with the inclusion of Babylon according to them; The series was titled ''Tokyo Babylon'' reflecting how the city of
Babylon ''Bābili(m)'' * sux, 𒆍𒀭𒊏𒆠 * arc, 𐡁𐡁𐡋 ''Bāḇel'' * syc, ܒܒܠ ''Bāḇel'' * grc-gre, Βαβυλών ''Babylṓn'' * he, בָּבֶל ''Bāvel'' * peo, 𐎲𐎠𐎲𐎡𐎽𐎢 ''Bābiru'' * elx, 𒀸𒁀𒉿𒇷 ''Babi ...
resembled Tokyo, according to Clamp. The one-shot's characters, most notably Seishiro, were changed slightly when the series began. Subaru and his twin sister Hokuto, and Seishiro, were conceived by the series' creator Ohkawa for a ''dōjinshi'' novel about an ''onmyōji'' who hunts
elves An elf () is a type of humanoid supernatural being in Germanic mythology and folklore. Elves appear especially in North Germanic mythology. They are subsequently mentioned in Snorri Sturluson's Icelandic Prose Edda. He distinguishes "ligh ...
. Only its beginning remains. The characters were drawn twice for covers, and when ''South'' asked Clamp to create a new series for them, these characters were used. Originally, the twins were conceived more as mascots, with Subaru being a penguin called Leone, named after the
Subaru Leone The Subaru Leone is a compact car produced by the Japanese car manufacturer Subaru from 1971 to 1994. The word ''leone'' is Italian for lion. It was released as a replacement for the Subaru 1000 and was the predecessor of the Subaru Impreza. Al ...
car. Both Subaru and Hokuto were modified from the original art, whereas Seishiro was completely redesigned. Ohkawa remembers having trouble writing Subaru as she was not used to writing kind-hearted characters. Like Kero from their other manga ''
Cardcaptor Sakura , abbreviated as ''CCS'', is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by the manga group Clamp. Serialized monthly in the ''shōjo'' manga magazine ''Nakayoshi'' from May 1996 to June 2000, it was also published in 12 ''tankōbon'' ...
'', the staff thought about drawing a pet, with Subaru and Hokuto originally being considered as one. Since Subaru and Hokuto were the protagonists, whenever the magazines required an image for ''Tokyo Babylon'', both Subaru and Hokuto were used together."Interview with Clamp: Tokyo Babylon)" in ''
Clamp no Kiseki ''CLAMP no Kiseki'' (, ''CLAMP's track'' or ''CLAMP's miracle'') is a twelve volume series of anime books celebrating the 15th anniversary of Clamp in 2004. It is published in America by Tokyopop and in Spain by Norma Editorial. Each volume is a ...
'', Volume 3.
Egmont Manga & Anime Egmont Manga (EMA, formerly ''Egmont Manga & Anime'') is one of the largest publishers of manga in Germany. It was founded in 2000 as a daughter company of Egmont Ehapa, after the manga boom in Germany became apparent around the turn of the mil ...
, 2005. .
When ''Tokyo Babylon''s serialization began, Clamp was also writing ''
RG Veda is a manga created by Clamp, consisting of ten volumes in all. It was first published in Japan in 1989 as Clamp's debut manga. The story features elements of Vedic mythology; the title itself is pronounced ''Rigveda'', the name of one of ...
'' for the monthly magazine ''Wings''. While the authors found this complicated, the series' quarterly publication of sixty pages resulted in the authors making several changes. The length of each chapter led the authors to write a darker story rather than a soft one as originally planned. Based on their experience in Tokyo, Clamp incorporated dark social themes, making the series realistic despite its focus on occultism. This also gave each chapter its own theme. Ohkawa believes their young age when writing the manga also influenced most of the series' negative messages. Although when the series began, the ending was already planned, it was not until the
Tokyo Tower is a communications and observation tower in the Shiba-koen district of Minato, Tokyo, Japan, built in 1958. At , it is the second- tallest structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and i ...
chapter that Clamp set the general atmosphere, with the pilot being perceived as a comedy. The next chapter involving Subaru's past meeting with a man, later revealed to be Seishiro, then sets the stage for the series' future. Since his introduction, Seishiro was written with the idea of him having a different agenda in contrast to his actions and dialog with the other leads. Seishiro was the easiest cast member to write while Subaru was the most challenging based on his good nature. In retrospect, Ohkawa believes that while ''RG Veda'' was their first series, ''Tokyo Babylon'' was their most original first work as they did not use other people's materials for this manga and it was influenced by their way of living. Though a 1990s manga, the narrative was influenced by the 1980s. In creating the art, colored weft and light colors were used for the main illustrations. This proved to be difficult for the authors. Ohkawa believes the art was influenced by the years when the manga was published. This is reflected in how Clamp's artwork changed, particularly the clothing and, most notably, Hokuto's dresses. Mokona's works have been drawn with increasingly thicker lines across the serialzation of the manga. The character's faces have much thicker lines in the third volume of ''Tokyo Babylon'' compared to when the story first got serialized in South. This was made because the story had a serious, heavy theme, fine lines simply cannot bring out enough power to convince readers of the gravitas, so we make thicker lines when it fits the work. Such work caused Mokona to rely more on her stamina to properly draw the series.


Themes

The series focuses on several social themes, such as faith, organ donation and the treatment of middle-aged men. However, the main philosophy seen across the storyline is
individualism Individualism is the moral stance, political philosophy, ideology and social outlook that emphasizes the intrinsic worth of the individual. Individualists promote the exercise of one's goals and desires and to value independence and self-reli ...
, the stance that emphasizes the moral worth of an individual. Subaru and Hokuto believe that nobody can fully understand another person's suffering. Despite his belief in this philosophy, Subaru is a resigned individual who worries more about others than himself. Subaru believes he can hurt others because he will never understand them. The same problem comes from Subaru and Hokuto being twins and trying to see each other as different people. Across the plot, Subaru develops as an individual. Seishiro deems his actions as arrogant for assuming the guilt. In addition, Subaru begins to take actions he believes are immoral, despite his good intentions, such as lying to a mother about her daughter's wish to stop her from taking revenge. Zona Negativa stated that despite the series being a ''
shōjo manga is an editorial category of Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent females and young adult women. It is, along with manga (targeting adolescent boys), manga (targeting young adult and adult men), and manga (targeting adul ...
'' aimed at young women, Subaru's
hero journey In narratology and comparative mythology, the hero's journey, or the monomyth, is the common template of stories that involve a hero who goes on an adventure, is victorious in a decisive crisis, and comes home changed or transformed. Earlie ...
felt more like that of a manga aimed at young men, ''
shōnen manga is an editorial category of Japanese comics targeting an audience of adolescent boys. It is, along with manga (targeting adolescent girls and young women), manga (targeting young adult and adult men), and manga (targeting adult women), ...
'', due to the many types of enemies he faces while finding his foes' deep nature. Due to the dark nature Seishiro hides from Subaru, the two can be regarded as the
yin and yang Yin and yang ( and ) is a Chinese philosophy, Chinese philosophical concept that describes opposite but interconnected forces. In Chinese cosmology, the universe creates itself out of a primary chaos of material energy, organized into the c ...
as the former contrasts his the latter's kind self even when interacting about his job. Subaru's hidden romantic feelings towards Seishiro become obvious as the manga progresses as he becomes astonished when Seishiro keep professing his love towards him. The character's relationship with Seishiro led novelist
Yoshiki Tanaka is a Japanese novelist. Early life and education He was born in Hondo, Kumamoto, Hondo, Kumamoto Prefecture and took his doctorate degree in Japanese Language and Literature in the Graduate School of Gakushuin University, Gakushūin Universit ...
to call it tragic and striking, despite his early thoughts it was a typical use of a relationship to appeal to female readers. When Subaru realizes his feelings towards him, his state can be compared to that the one of a hatched bird egg as a result of the maturity he shows in the process. Anime Feminist claims that while Subaru's characterization heavily relies on empathy, Clamp appears to send a message to the readers using Subaru as an
audience surrogate A narrative technique (known for literary fictional narratives as a literary technique, literary device, or fictional device) is any of several specific methods the creator of a narrative uses to convey what they want —in other words, a stra ...
that it is important for everybody to value themselves too although empathy on itself does not qualify as a negative trait. Manga Bookshelf focused more on how Subaru lost part of his identity as he saw Hokuto as another part of him leading to his lonely finale persona.


Media


Manga

The ''Tokyo Babylon'' manga was published by
Shinshokan is a Japanese publishing company. It was established on June 14, 1961. In April 2009, the US publisher Digital Manga Publishing announced a co-branding operation with Shinshokan, to license and manga from Shinshokan's ''Wings'', ''Dear'', and ...
in ''South'' and ''
Wings A wing is a type of fin that produces lift while moving through air or some other fluid. Accordingly, wings have streamlined cross-sections that are subject to aerodynamic forces and act as airfoils. A wing's aerodynamic efficiency is expresse ...
'' magazines from 1990 to 1993 on a quarterly basis. Its chapters were collected in a total of seven ''
tankōbon is the Japanese Japanese may refer to: * Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia * Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan * Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or cultur ...
'' volumes. The series has been re-released in two different formats; five volumes in '' bunkoban'' format by Shinshokan and three volumes in '' aizōban'' format by
Kadokawa Shoten , formerly , is a Japanese publisher and division of Kadokawa Future Publishing based in Tokyo, Japan. It became an internal division of Kadokawa Corporation on October 1, 2013. Kadokawa publishes manga, light novels, manga anthology magazines su ...
. Another Japanese re-release will be made in 2022 by Kadokawa Shoten. A manga artbook entitled ''Tokyo Babylon Photographs'' was released on April 25, 1995. (
Shinshokan is a Japanese publishing company. It was established on June 14, 1961. In April 2009, the US publisher Digital Manga Publishing announced a co-branding operation with Shinshokan, to license and manga from Shinshokan's ''Wings'', ''Dear'', and ...
: ).
Tokyopop Tokyopop (styled TOKYOPOP; formerly known as Mixx Entertainment) is an American distributor, licensor and publisher of anime, manga, manhwa and Western manga-style works. The German publishing division produces German translations of licensed J ...
announced they had licensed the series for a North American release in September 2003. They published the series in North America between May 11, 2004 and May 10, 2005. The manga was re-released in omnibus format by
Dark Horse Comics Dark Horse Comics is an American comic book, graphic novel, and manga publisher founded in Milwaukie, Oregon by Mike Richardson in 1986. The company was created using funds earned from Richardson's chain of Portland, Oregon comic book shops known ...
in 2011.


Anime


Original video animation

The
original video animation , abbreviated as OVA and sometimes as OAV (original animation video), are Japanese animated films and series made specially for release in home video formats without prior showings on television or in theaters, though the first part of an OVA s ...
s (OVA) series are two episodes with original stories animated by Madhouse. They are written by Tatsuhiko Urahata and directed by
Koichi Chigira is a Japanese animator and director who has directed several anime series, usually working with Gonzo and formerly worked at Madhouse. Chigira is best known for directing ''Full Metal Panic!'' and ''Last Exile''. Career Chigira joined Tatsu ...
, with characters designed by Kumiko Takahashi. The first episode has Subaru investigating the meaning behind several accidents in the construction of a building, while in the second he meets another ''onmyōji'' who is helping the police find a serial killer. Producer Yumiko Masujima remembers how difficult it was to recreate the manga's atmosphere in the OVAs. While originally released on VHS, the OVAs were re-released in Japan in DVD format on June 21, 2000.
Central Park Media Central Park Media, often abbreviated as CPM, was an American multimedia entertainment company based in New York City, New York and was headquartered in the 250 West 57th Street building in Midtown Manhattan (on the corner of Central Park, hence ...
distributed the OVAs in Australia, the UK and France. US Manga Corps released the two OVA episodes on April 4 and July 11, 1995.


TV series

On October 25, 2020 at 15:00 UTC (October 26, 2020, at midnight Japan Standard Time), a trailer was released for a new anime adaptation of ''Tokyo Babylon''. The series, titled ''Tokyo Babylon 2021'', was to have been produced by
GoHands is a Japanese animation studio established by Satelight's former Osaka studio in 2008. Animation production Television * ''Princess Lover!'' (2009) * ''Cheburashka Arere?'' (2009) * ''Seitokai Yakuindomo'' (2010) * '' K'' (2012) * ''Coppelion'' ...
, and was originally scheduled to premiere in April 2021. On November 19, it was confirmed that Shingo Suzuki and Susumu Kudo would have directed the series, Jun Kumagai would have overseen the series' scripts, Makoto Furuta would have designed the characters while serving as chief animation director with Keiji Tani, and
Noriyuki Asakura is a Japanese composer and vocalist, best known for composing the soundtracks to the anime series ''Rurouni Kenshin'' and the video game franchises ''Tenchu'' and ''Way of the Samurai''. He is well known for combining traditional Japanese musi ...
would have composed the series' music at King Records.
Shouta Aoi , is a Japanese singer and actor. Under the stage name Showta (stylized as "SHOWTA."), he debuted as a singer with the song "Negaiboshi" in 2006 and released his first studio album, ''Eve'', in 2008. In 2009, he left his agency and briefly releas ...
would have performed the series' opening theme song, while
Nana Mizuki is a Japanese voice actress, singer and narrator from Niihama, Ehime. She is represented by the agency StarCrew. Mizuki was trained as an enka singer, releasing one single under her birth name, Nana Kondō, in 1993 and made her debut as a voice ...
would have performed the series' closing theme song. On the same day, however, the anime production was accused of plagiarizing outfit designs for Subaru and Hokuto. After an investigation, on December 4, 2020, the anime producer apologized on their official website and announced that they would be changing the designs. Due to the necessary changes to be made, on December 24, 2020, the anime production committee announced that the series was delayed to an unspecified date. After more cases of plagiarism surfaced through an internal investigation, on March 29, 2021, the production committee announced that the current TV series would be canceled, while a new anime production would be produced by a different studio. On August 3, 2021, it was reported that GoHands was suing King Records for for failing to pay the expenses they previously agreed to pay. In the lawsuit, it was revealed the GoHands series was planned to have run for 21 episodes. According to the same lawsuit, the first 13 episodes were completed by November 2020.


Feature film

A
psychological thriller Psychological thriller is a genre combining the thriller and psychological fiction genres. It is commonly used to describe literature or films that deal with psychological narratives in a thriller or thrilling setting. In terms of context and co ...
live-action film called ''Tokyo Babylon/1999'' was based on the series. It takes place five years after the end of the manga and its plot is based on the ''Tokyo Babylon'' story "Call.A" in volume three. Director
George Iida is a Japanese film and television director, screenwriter, manga author, and novelist. Iida has worked continually in Japan's film, television, anime and manga industries since the early 1980s, predominantly in the genres of horror and science fi ...
requested the help of the OVA producer Yumiko Masujima in casting the main characters. The film is famous for being the first live-action production based on a Clamp series and the film's director,
George Iida is a Japanese film and television director, screenwriter, manga author, and novelist. Iida has worked continually in Japan's film, television, anime and manga industries since the early 1980s, predominantly in the genres of horror and science fi ...
, expressed his satisfaction with the positive fan response. Following the end of the production of ''Tokyo Babylon'', Iida asked Clamp to help with a sequel movie. The main idea was for Subaru and Seishiro to clash again. For this live-action sequel, ''Tokyo Babylon/1999'', Toshihide Tonesaku played Subaru, his first role as a leading man. The plot has Subaru investigating the death of a former enemy of the Sumeragi clan, Kaneyama. Before his death, Kaneyama had undertaken a new project: teaching seven teenage girls how to use dark magic to take revenge on those they deem "guilty," beginning with an abusive teacher. One of the girls, Kurumi, starts to feel remorse; however, she is convinced by the others to continue with their plans. When Subaru attempts to stop them, they declare him to be their enemy and attack him. Subaru learns that his former friend-turned-enemy, assassin Seishiro, was the one who killed Kaneyama, and he has now turned his sights on the girls. The girls grow increasingly sick as a result of using the spells, and Subaru tries once more to save them. Seishiro appears, claiming that none of the girls can be saved. Subaru and Seishiro fight, only to be stopped by the appearance of the ghost of Hokuto, who asks them to stop for her sake. Seishiro leaves, and the fight is unresolved.


Other media

Subaru and Seishirō return in Clamp's apocalyptic manga ''X''. The story, set nine years following the end of ''Tokyo Babylon'', has the two ''onmyōji'' on opposite sides during the final battle for humanity's future. Despite having no relation to ''Tokyo Babylon'', Clamp's manga '' xxxHolic'' is also focused on social pathologies but with a different approach. Alternative versions of Subaru and Seishiro also appear in the crossover manga '' Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle'', with Subaru appearing as a
vampire A vampire is a mythical creature that subsists by feeding on the Vitalism, vital essence (generally in the form of blood) of the living. In European folklore, vampires are undead, undead creatures that often visited loved ones and caused mi ...
and Seishiro as a
vampire hunter Vampire hunter or vampire slayer is a fictional occupation in history and fiction which specializes in finding vampires, and sometimes other supernatural creatures. A vampire hunter is usually described as having extensive knowledge of vampires a ...
pursuing him.


Reception

The ''Tokyo Babylon'' manga has been popular, with its English releases often appearing on
Diamond Comic Distributors Diamond Comic Distributors, Inc. (often called Diamond Comics, DCD, or casually Diamond) is an American comic book distributor serving retailers in North America and worldwide. They transport comic books and graphic novels, as well as other po ...
' lists of best-selling comics. It received generally positive critical response with the writers from Manga Bookshelf and Mania Entertainment referring to it as one of Clamp's best works based on the social themes reflected in the main cast whose traits, while found stereotypical at first, are developed across the story. Besides its focus on supernatural events, the series is famous for exploring young homosexual romance, '' shonen ai'', seen in the interactions between Subaru and Seishiro. In '' Manga: The Complete Guide'', Jason Thompson commented the manga is well known in the West for being one of the most famous and first portrayals of a homosexual relationship.
Comic Book Resources ''Comic Book Resources'', also known by the initialism CBR, is a website dedicated to the coverage of comic book–related news and discussion. History Comic Book Resources was founded by Jonah Weiland in 1995 as a development of the Kingdom Co ...
regarded ''Tokyo Babylon'' as one of Clamp's most famous works despite lacking an anime. They also cited the tragic relationship between Subaru and Seishiro as one of its biggest strengths. When the series was reaching its climax, ''Wings'' editor Miki Ishikawa remembers receiving several letters from fans asking for a happy ending. Once the series ended, more letters expressed sadness and shock over the tragic ending; fans wanted more explanations of Hokuto's fate. Regarding this character, Ishikawa considered her popularity an exception, considering most readers tend to be more attracted to the series' male characters. The writers from Manga Book Shelf noted that the series' open ending has also been a subject of criticism with fans, but Seishiro's dark revelation, despite how obvious it seems, had a major impact on the reader. The tragic ending portrayed in the ending made ''
Anime News Network Anime News Network (ANN) is a news website that reports on the status of anime, manga, video games, Japanese popular music and other related cultures within North America, Australia, Southeast Asia and Japan. The website offers reviews and oth ...
'' comment that Subaru is, "treated like absolute crap despite being one of the purest boys in anime and manga". Regarding Subaru's darker characterization in the finale, Rebecca Silverman from ''Anime News Network'' says he "became" Seishiro. Silverman commented that this change is paralleled in their next work, '' xxxHolic'', where its lead character
Kimihiro Watanuki is a fictional character introduced in the manga '' xxxHolic'', created by the group of manga artists known as Clamp. Watanuki is a high school student plagued by his ability to see spirits. In order to lose such powers, Watanuki begins to work ...
, began to act like his former boss
Yuko Ichihara is a fictional character in the manga '' xxxHolic'', which was created by the artist group Clamp. Yuko is a witch who owns a shop where people come to have their wishes granted, and most of her jobs involve dealing with supernatural beings. A ...
. The artwork was praised for its appeal despite ''
Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of B ...
'' reviewing it nearly twenty years after its original release. Most of the reviewer's compliments referred to the landscapes and the atmosphere, while Mania Entertainment also praised its simple state created by
Mokona is the pen name of the lead artist, colorist, and composition designer of the all-female manga-creating team Clamp. She was formerly known as ; she dropped her last name because it sounded too "immature". Clamp has had a huge impact on the "man ...
. ''Anime News Network'' liked the clothing the cast wears. Jason Thompson enjoyed the background details. The city of Tokyo is well illustrated, giving it a realistic look. Manga News, however, felt the artwork lacked the appeal of other Clamp series, most notably ''RG Veda'', even though both series were published at the same time. Nevertheless, the characters designs were praised for their uniqueness. In another overview of the series, ''Manga News'' felt that while the artwork felt dated, there was charm in the way it was executed through the storyline's style such as how different the secondary characters are from the main characters . The OVAs were the subject of positive response thanks to its animation, which has been called "stunning" though critics were divided on its dark images. They have been recommended to '' X'' fans for Subaru's appearances as well as to female viewers. Although the story has been described as "nothing complex" or "ingenious," it has been praised for its focus on horror even though the violent imagery may bother viewers.


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External links

* (in Japanese) * * {{Madhouse OVAs 1990 manga 1990s LGBT literature 1992 anime OVAs 1993 films Anime and manga controversies Central Park Media Dark fantasy anime and manga Dark Horse Comics titles Exorcism in anime and manga Japanese LGBT-related animated television series Live-action films based on manga Madhouse (company) Manga adapted into films Occult detective anime and manga Shinshokan manga Tokyopop titles Unaired television shows Works by Clamp (manga artists) Yaoi anime and manga