Tokyo Babylon 7
June 26, 2005
Theoretically I read volume 6… I know I did. For some reason, I didn’t write it in here, though. Maybe I didn’t read the English one, just thought I did.
The thing about the ending to this series is that it is great. I know it is. However, the impact is absolutely ruined for me in this edition. Whenever I imagine the end of this series and how good it is, I think of what a huge twist it is, and how its handled, and what it must’ve been like going into it unaware and reading it for the first time. However, not only was I spoiled before I even read the series (not only by the internet, but also admittedly by reading X), I’ve read it in Japanese as well, so I was completely aware of what was going on. I think the ending loses almost all its impact if you know what’s going to happen so well, and this time through I was just reading it to get through it. I was hoping reading it in English would help me find some nuances I hadn’t picked up on before, some new angle… but that wasn’t quite the case. The scenes with Hokuto were still most heartbreaking, though.
Overall, as the conclusion drives completely and totally home, it is almost entirely character-based. On one hand I like it, because they’re all three very good characters, on the other hand there is no action. But I guess that’s two different audiences, though. It doesn’t have to be great at both to excel at one.
I don’t know how I feel about this series, though. I don’t think time has weathered my opinions of it well… I thought it was kind of boring this time through, which was disappointing, but again, not only had I read it twice in Japanese, I had entirely spoiled myself on it before even setting eyes on volume one the first time through, so that could have a lot to do with it.
January 11, 2008 at 7:53 pm
Yeah, I agree on your feelings about this series. I still haven’t read X (though I’ve seen it) except for the first volume, and would like to do that soon. I had initially thought I’d reread TB first, but the thought of enduring those slow early volumes put the kibosh on that notion.
I too was spoiled on it before ever even reading it, and am jealous of those who got to go into it all unknowing.
January 12, 2008 at 3:51 am
It really is a great series based almost solely on the strength of the conclusion, but if that’s ruined… it can be hard to get through. It always gets high marks when reviewed, and I do remember liking it the first time through, but it just doesn’t seem like one of CLAMP’s stronger series.
I think X is much better, but you have to really want to like X in order to follow the plot and all the characters. I probably wouldn’t forgive it that if I read it now just because I wouldn’t have the patience to keep everything straight. On the other hand, I still remember all the character’s names and can probably do a pretty fair summary of each volume if pressed, so it’s still good enough to have left an impression after all these years.