Tokyo Babylon, book 1 vol.1, BABEL version 1, 990802 Artwork and story by CLAMP Translation by Ronny Hedin (thark@mangakai.org) With some help from that by VAZ (vaz@videotron.ca) --- Page 047 Vol.1, BABEL --- Page 048 Babylon Mesopotamia's ancient capital. Ever since Hamurabi, the king of Babylonia, made it the capital in the 0800th century BC, it flourished as center of civilization in the orient. However, not satisfied with that splendor and luxury, the people built a tower named "Babel" reaching to heaven. The absolute God would not allow this, and as his penalty on downthrowing the tower the people had built, he removed the shared language. That humans always try to repeat this is proof that they are foolish. -The catastrophe that befell Babylon The city that fell to the wrath of God --- Page 050 Tokyo Babylon Vol.1 BABEL Tokyo Tower Second Floor Cafe 3:01 PM Sumeragi Subaru, 16 years old Subaru: There's tremors only on the viewing platform ? --- Page 051 Man: Tokyo is certainly a place with a lot of earthquakes. Man: Since Tokyo Tower is high, it vibrates quite a bit even with a slight quake. Man: But it's only the big viewing platform! Man: Only the big viewing platform, 150 meters above ground, always meets great shakes. There's nothing at the special viewing platform a hundred meters above that. --- Page 052 Subaru: ... Man: Umm... Subaru: Yes? Men: Can I have your autograph? (I'm very passionate about parapsychology!) Tokyo Tower Viewing Platform --- Page 053 Man: It's this way. --- Page 054 Man: A... Are you OK? Subaru: S, sorry. Hokuto: Subaruuuu! Hokuto: EH! SUBARU ! Subaru: Oh, Hokuto-chan and Seishirou-san, why'd you come here? Hokuto: Since I heard you were going to Tokyo Tower, I decided it would be a good date. Sumeragi Hokuto, 16 years old. Sakurazuka Seishiro, 25 years old Subaru: Whose? Hokuto: Yours. Subaru: With whom? Hokuto: Seishirou-chan! Subaru: Wh... what are you saying, Hokuto-chan! --- Page 055 Hokuto: You idiot! What Tokyo couple hasn't gone to Tokyo Tower! Rather than returning at high speed via the MZA or the bridge and run into major traffic jams, you should stay up all night and be intoxicated by the night view from Tokyo's traditional highest viewing platform. Subaru: That's not what I was speaking of... Seishirou: I'm sorry! Seishirou: You're still working, aren't you. Seishirou: Hokuto-chan, let's go eat a parfait as we wait. Hokuto: You're paying, Sei-chan! --- Page 056 Seishirou: Of course! You know I can't let my future sister pay for the parfait! Subaru: Waah, Seishirou-san! Man: ...exuse me Subaru: Uh, uhm, since I'll take the job, I'll return tonight... Man: No, it's not that. Man: Can we really not have your autograph? We could boast about it when you get on TV! Seishirou: Here you are! --- Page 057 Subaru: Th- thank you. Seishirou: The weather is so nice today, you can even see Shinjuku City Hall well. Hokuto: Oooh! You're eating something nice, Sei-chan! Let me have some, let me have some! Seishirou: But when I asked before, didn't you say that a young lady who eats too much won't go to Nirvana? Hokuto: What people are eating always seems so tasty! Seishirou: Shall I go buy one? --- Page 058 Hoktuo: No, that's fine, I'll get some from you, Sei-chan. Seishirou: You want some too, Subaru-kun? Subaru: N... no, that's fine. Hokuto: You're so stubborn, Subaru! Hokuto: Can't you just... Hokuto: ...be more natural, like this? --- Page 059 Subaru: I... It'd be weird if I did something like that! Seishirou: Hahahaha! Hokuto: Idiot, in these times, that much is perfectly natural for lovers! Subaru: Hokuto-chan!! Subaru: Well then, let's put the entertainment aside. Subaru: It's present, here. (Seishirou: Ummm umm) Hokuto: Well, that's fine. Subaru Sumeragi, thirteenth leader of the Sumeragi family, the utmost of the masters of Yin and Yang that have come to spiritually protect Japan since ancient times. Hokuto: I trust you because I know that you are one of the best mediums of our family. --- Page 060 Hokuto: Right, Seishiroun-chan? Seishirou: Yes? Hokuto: ...actually... Hokuto: Are you really of the Sakurazukamoir, Sei-chan? Hokuto: Don't you find it odd that the heir of the Sakurazukamori, the group of assassins that have come to protect Japanese history from the shadows, is an ordinary veterinarian in Shinjuku? Hokuto: Right, Sei-chan! Seishirou: Yes? Hokuto: ...for someone from such a hardboiled world, you're a bit distant. (Seishirou: Hahahaha!) Hokuto:Nobuhiko Ochiai, who I am a great fan of, said that "the era when we can laugh is over!" --- Page 061 Seishirou: Seems like the Tower will be closing soon. Hokuto: Hey, are you trying to change the subject? Hokuto: The love between the head of the Sumeragi and a Sakurazukamori! If you keep up this setting and situation, there'll be no progress! Sei-chan, as a man, don't be so shy! Seishirou: I keep trying to set things in motion, but... Seishirou: I'm sure I don't have any charm at all! Subaru: Th... that's not true! Seishirou: Subaru-kun. Subaru: Y... Yes! Seishirou: Am I sexy? --- Page 062 Hokuto: Sei-chan, you're fine as the paradise-dragonfly, but Subaru-kun has been drilled by grandmother since he was small, and had a quite miserable time as a boy! Hokuto: Like these gloves! They're unfashionable, but since grandma told him, he never takes them off! (By the way, mine are quite fashionable.) Hokuto: It's fun to match his clothes to his gloves, but, Seishirou: They suit you well! --- Page 063 Hokuto: Ooohohoho! I choose all Subaru's clothes! (Hokuto: For today's concept, I'm kyon-kyon and Subaru is Tumiki Miho-chan!) Seishirou: You look nice as well, Hokuto-chan! Hokuto: Oohohohohoho! Crowd: Waah! Crowd: Earthquake! --- Page 064 Seishirou: Subaru-kun!! --- Page 066 Hokuto: Subaru! --- Page 067 Seishirou: Are you all right? Hokuto: Yeah, that's my little brother allright. Subaru: Wah! Hokuto: Oh my, even though you finally got a good mood and all. Subaru: Waaah! --- Page 068 Seishirou: Are you planning to wait until tonight and excorcise it? Subaru: Y- yes. Seishirou: Is it OK if I come along? Subaru: Huh...? --- Page 069 Seishirou: Oh, I just thought it might be nice with us two alone in Tokyo Tower at midninght, hahahaha! Hokuto: Woo woo! Sei-cahn! That's the spirit! 1:10 AM --- Page 070 Seishirou: Subaru-kuuuun, why don't we eat onigiri? Seishirou: Subaru-kun, is this the first time you've visited to Tokyo Tower? Subaru: Y-yes. Seishirou: ...3 million people visit Tokyou Tower each year. All in all, it's 333 meters high. Seishirou: Since it was opened in Showa 33 {ie 1999}, it's become a fameous part of Tokyo, but most visitors really are from elsewhere. --- Page 071 Seishirou: To the people who come to Tokyo, whether it's for travels or for work, Seishirou: this Tokyo Tower certainly is the symbol of Tokyo, isn't it. Subaru: Seishirou-san... Seishirou: Back around when I was in Highschool, you could find the Pink Lady in the wax musuem on the third floor of Tokyo Tower, but, Seishirou: When I went to look with Hokuto-chan today, Madonna, Michael Jackson, etc had taken her place. Seishirou: The flow of time is cruel, isn't it? Subaru: Yeah. --- Page 072 Seishirou: It's come. --- Page 073 Subaru: Seishirou-san, please get away from the barrier. Seishirou: Sure, sure. Subaru: Om Sanmaji Handomei Kiriku Subaru: Om Sanmaji Handomei Kiriku --- Page 074 Subaru: Om Sanmaji Handomei Kiriku Subaru: Om Sanmaji Handomei Kiriku Woman: I hate it... Kazue: I hate Tokyo! --- Page 075 --- Page 076 Subaru: Waaah! Subaru: Seishirou-san! Seishirou: Sorry for getting in the way of your work. --- Page 077 Seishirou: Noumaku Samandra Basra Dankan Seishirou: Noumaku Samandra Basra Dankan Woman: Gyaaah!! Seishirou: I'm sorry for interfering. --- Page 078 Seishirou: Please continue. Subaru: ...Rin Subaru: Pyo Tou Sha Subaru: Kai Chin Retsu Zai Subaru: Zen Woman: Gyaaaah! --- Page 079 Subaru: Om Bazara Dharma Kirisohaka Subaru: Please calm down. I didn't come to take you away. Subaru: I came to talk. Subaru: Can't you at least tell me who you are and where you're from? Subaru: Maybe I can help you somehow... --- Page 080 Subaru: My name is Sumeragi Subaru. Woman: And he? Seishirou: I'm just an ordinary assistant, so don't mind me. Woman: An ordinary assistant blew flames at me? Seishirou: Oh, I did it to protect the one I love, hahaha! Subaru: Seishirou-san! Woman: That's nice. Having a lover... Subaru: We're not lovers! Seishirou: Since we'll be standing around talking at a place like this, why don't you come over here? --- Page 081 Subaru: Seishirou-san! Seishirou: Look, the Tokyo neon is beautiful! Subaru: Om Kirikyara Harara Futaranbasossohaka --- Page 082 Subaru: If it's OK, can you tell me your name? Kazue: My name is Katou Kazue. Seishirou: The same as the deceased Misora Hibari-san's real name, isn't it. Woman: You seem to know her well! Seishirou: I was secretly a fan. Subaru: Why are you at Tokyo Tower? Kazue: I don't know. Kazue: I was also an actress. Though really, I was just a self-styled actress. --- Page 083 Kazue: I came to Tokyo when I was 18, you see. I'm originally from Fukuoka, but... Kazue: There, I was told I was very charming. And I also had confidence in myself. Kazue: But reality was very different. Kazue: I worked hard every day. Kazue: Since I'd come running away from home, I couldn't ask my parents. I seldom got enough to eat. I ate boxed lunches from the convenience store every day. Kazue: But I'd decided myself to come. So that was OK. Kazua: Someday, surely, I'll become famous... I thought. --- Page 084 Kazue: Someday, surely, someone will recognize me, I thought... Kazue: I guess everybody thinks that. Kazue: But I appeared on TV a couple of times! Subaru: Oh, really? Kazue: I was only some passerby or a customer in a coffee shop, but. Subaru: I think that's great in itself, getting a proper role. Kazue: You're a nice boy, aren't you. Kazue: The apartment I was renting was in a old two story high building. Kazue: The neighbourhood was full of sex shops and Yakuza offices, you couldn't see the stars or anything. It was so gloom and painful and sad, I came here often. --- Page 085 Kazue: The 0720 yen fee hurt, but if I came here, even if I couldn't see the stars in the sky... Kazue: I could at least look out over those on the ground. Subaru: Kazue-san... Kazue: I didn't have any many. I wanted so badly to return home. Kazue: But, I thought I'd try just once more, just once more. Kazue: Then, finally, a bit of luck came to me as well. Subaru: What happened? Kazue: I was offered a role in a movie. Kazue: It was just a bit part, but. Subaru: That's great! --- Page 086 Kazue: Thanks. Yes, I wagered everything on that. Kazue: Since it was the last time, I figured if I don't get this one, I'd give up, so I wanted that role no matter what... Kazue: I even whent so far as to sleep with the producer, the oldest trick in the book! (Kazue: Hahahaha!) Seishirou: That's a classic, isn't it! (Subaru: What does he mean, classic?) Kazue: And that producer wasn't a bad guy like on TV or in novels. He gave me that role. Subaru: Then why did you committed suicide ? Kazue: It was cancelled. The movie. Subaru: Why!? --- Page 087 Kazua: The actress who played the main role suddenly changed her mind. From the beginning to the last moment before photographing, she said she didn't feel like doing it, but Kazue: On the actual day, she finally officially resigned. Subaru: Kazue-san. Kazue: It's not fair. They said she had talent. Kazue: Just because of that, me, an average person, didn't get a chance. --- Page 088 Kazue: Even though I'd fought so hard, with blood and sweat, to finally get a chance. Kazue: Because a person with talent didn't put any effort and placed herself on a pillar. Kazue: Even if she she had been blessed with talent, selfishly destroying somebody else's life, It's not fair! Subaru: But you shouldn't kill yourself over taht! Kazue: Thanks, but, as the idiot I am, I'd already told all my friends. --- Page 089 Kazue: I called my mother for the first time since I ran away from home. Kazue: When I told her I'd appeard in a movie, Kazue: she cried of joy... Kazue: Remembering that, I couldn't help but throw myself from a nearby apartment. Kazue: I knew. That actress surely also had various problems. Because of divorce trouble, she was chased by journalists from gossip magazines every day, and because no matter where she went, people would know her face, she could never have a private moment. Kazue: She couldn't have done the main role of that movie in the state she was in... Kazue: But! --- Page 090 Kazue: Why'd she take the role!? Why did she have to cause trouble for everybody!? Kazue: Did she have the right to make other people unhappy because she was unhappy herself? Kazue: Are you allowed to cause any trouble you want if you have fame and talent!? Seishirou: That's right. Subaru: Seishirou-san!? Seishirou: If humans were all equal, the world wouldn't have developed this far. --- Page 091 Kazue: Why... Why only me? Seishirou: It's not just you. The same thing happens to a lot of people. Kazue: Why do only I have to face these eyes!? Seishirou: Aren't you causing trouble, as well? Kazue: !? Seishirou: Do you realize there are people who had to pick up your corpse? They probably couldn't eat anything that day. Kazue: I hate it! I loathe Tokyo... It's brilliant... Kazue: And filthy! --- Page 092 Subaru: Seishirou-san! Seishirou: Do you think Tokyo is such a bad city? Isn't there at least one good thing about it? Seishirou: Did nobody ever treat you well? Kazue: There was nobody, nobody was nice to me! Kazue: Nobody! Nobody!! Seishirou: Then why are you here? --- Page 093 Seishirou: Why do you remain here even though you're dead? Subaru: I may not understand Kazue-san well, but! Subaru: I understand that since you liked this place, Kazue-san Subaru: you left your heart here! Kazue: I liked seeing night-Tokyo from here. Subaru: Since I was born and grew up in Tokyo, Subaru: I'm glad you at least like Tokyo Tower, Kazue-san. Kazue: Li..ke... --- Page 094 Kazue: I've hated it for a long time, Tokyo... Kazue: Though it welcomes everyone, you're never really accepted. I truly hated this Tokyo. --- Page 095 Kazue: But if I look back on these four years, maybe they were quite fun... Kazue: However, looking back away from the four years I spent in Tokyo, I must admit that I had some good moments... How sad Even though I could have had more fun Kazue: Even though I might have learned to like more than Tokyo Tower... --- Page 096 Seishirou: You can't just say you're sad or weak and pressure other people. Seishirou: But no matter how hard you try, if you live, you'll cause trouble to someone. Seishirou: Life is so far from dreams and ideals. Seishirou: You couldn't forgive that actress and took your own life. You yourself caused trouble for various people. Subaru: Kazue-san hasn't done anything wrong! You shouldn't take your own life, but! Kazue: I guess I've caused trouble to you as well. --- Page 097 Kazue: Yes... Maybe if I, too, forgive, it will be allright. Maybe that actress also thought she'd failed in her life... Kazue: Will you... forgive me? Subaru: Yes. Kazue: Thank you... Seishirou: Let's send Kazue-san off. Subaru: Om Bazaradharma Kiri Sohaka Kazue: Subaru-kun, I had a dream once. --- Page 098 Kazue: Someday, when I become rich, I'd pay the extra 520 yen and go up to the Special Viewing Platform! Kazue: But I'm going higher. Kazue: Farewell. Thanks to you, I've come to like Tokyo just a little. Subaru: Om Bazara Dharma Kiri Sohaka Seishirou: Shall we go see the Special Viewing Platform? In her place. --- Page 099 Special Viewing Platform Seishirou: Subaru-kun Kazue-san said that because she could meet you, she learned to like Tokyo justa little. Seishirou: Because of that, she'll surely be able to return to her hometown at Obon. Fukuoka, wasn't it? Seishirou: It'll be day soon now. Seishirou: It's very unreasonable, but there's so much I like about Tokyo. No matter how hard I think, I don't know what to do. Seishirou: There's place in this world where people who try hard are rewarded. --- Page 100 Subaru: We... well, why do humans have sentiments like "liking"? If it's not of any use, why do we like things? Seishirou: It's because we're lonely. If we just have the feeling of liking, we can dream. Seishirou: There's no human so strong he can live without dreams. Seishirou: But I really do love you, Subaru-kun. Seishirou: I'm not such a fool I'd try to force the same feeling on you, Subaru-kun... Subaru: I... --- Page 101 Seishirou: Subaru-kun Subaru: Seishirou-san... Seishirou: Am I sexy? --- Page 102 Morning, 9:23 AM Hokuto: Hiho! Sei-chan, Subaru! Subaru: Hokuto-chan. Seishirou: Good morning! Hokuto: So? Hokuto: Did you make at least a little progress? Seishirou: Since we couldn't get out because the exits and entrances were all closed until morning, we two spent the night here alone... (Subaru: *cough cough*) Hokuto: Great! So, how'd it go, Sei-chan!? Seishirou: I'll leave that up to your imagination. (Subaru: Ughghghgh) (Subaru: W-water!) Hokuto: That's not fair! I'm your only sister-in-law! You can tell me! Subaru: I- I'm going ahead! Hokuto: Uh- not fair! Even you, Subaru! What's happened here. Seishirou: Actually. Subaru: Seishirou-san! --- Page 103 Subaru: Farewell. Subaru: Kazue-san. Hokuto: Wait a minute, Subaru! Tell your sister! Seishirou: Hahahaha! Hokuto: Uh! Hey, wait! --- Page 104 Subaru: Do you hate Tokyo? Vol.1 BABEL - END