Babel II
Babel II (Japanese: バビル2世, Hepburn: Babiru Ni-sei) is a Japanese 1971 manga series by Mitsuteru Yokoyama. It was translated into an animated format in 1973 as a television series, in 1992 as an original video animation series and in 2001 as a thirteen-episode television series. Yokoyama's sequel to the series, set in a parallel universe, is entitled His Name Is 101 (その名は101, Sono Na wa Wan-Zero-Wan).
| Babel II | |
Cover of Babel II volume 1 as published by Akita Shoten | |
| バビル2世 (Babiru Ni-sei) | |
|---|---|
| Manga | |
| Written by | Mitsuteru Yokoyama |
| Published by | Akita Shoten |
| Magazine | Weekly Shōnen Champion |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Original run | July 1971 – May 1973 |
| Volumes | 12 |
| Anime television series | |
| Directed by | Kozo Morishita |
| Written by | Shun'ichi Yukimuro Masaki Tsuji |
| Music by | Shunsuke Kikuchi |
| Studio | Toei Animation |
| Original network | NET (now TV Asahi), RTV (now ATV) |
| Original run | January 1, 1973 – September 24, 1973 |
| Episodes | 39 |
| Manga | |
| His Name Is 101 | |
| Written by | Mitsuteru Yokoyama |
| Published by | Akita Shoten |
| Magazine | Monthly Shōnen Champion |
| Demographic | Shōnen |
| Original run | 1977 – 1979 |
| Volumes | 5 |
| Original video animation | |
| Directed by | Yoshihisa Matsumoto |
| Produced by | Hiroshi Ichinohe Hiroyuki Yonemasu Norihisa Abe |
| Written by | Masashi Namiki |
| Music by | Katsunori Ishida & Takayoshi Hirano (Japanese) Dave Tolley (International dubs) |
| Studio | J.C. Staff |
| Licensed by | |
| Released | March 21, 1992 ― October 10, 1992 |
| Runtime | 30 minutes (each) |
| Episodes | 4 |
| Anime television series | |
| Babel II: Beyond Infinity | |
| Directed by | Takeshi Ushigusa |
| Written by | Takahiko Masuda |
| Music by | Tetsuya Komuro |
| Studio | Vega Entertainment |
| Original network | TV Tokyo |
| Original run | October 6, 2001 – December 29, 2001 |
| Episodes | 13 |
| Manga | |
| Babel II: The Returner | |
| Written by | Takashi Noguchi |
| Published by | Akita Shoten |
| Magazine | Young Champion |
| Demographic | Seinen |
| Published | February 23, 2010 - 2017 |
| Volumes | 17 |
Plot edit
The series follows Koichi, a Japanese schoolboy, who learns that he is the reincarnation of the alien entity, Babel. As such, Koichi is entrusted with Babel's powers and joined by three protectors: Rodem, a shape-shifting black panther; Ropross, a pterodactyl-like flying creature; and Poseidon, a giant robot that always rises from the depth of the ocean when summoned. The boy hero commands his newfound powers and companions in order to defend the Earth.
Babel II (manga) edit
Characters edit
- Babel II
- The main character's real name is Koichi Yamano. (His family name differs by version, including Furumi, Yamano, and Kamiya.) Koichi lives an ordinary junior high schooler's life, until one day when the computer of the Tower of Babel authorizes him as a master of the tower. Koichi is actually a distant descendant of the space alien Babel, who was cast ashore on Earth 5000 years ago and who tricked the people of Earth into building the legendary tower to signal to his friends where he had landed, only for one of the tower's computers to malfunction and explode, destroying the entire structure. Koichi inherits Babel's superhuman intellect, physical strength and other various supernatural powers. He leaves the Tower of Babel with three servants following him; with their help, he confronts Yomi for disturbing the world's peace.
- Yomi
- Yomi is a vicious monarch who conspires to rule over the world. He is a distant descendant of Babel and has supernatural power equivalent to that of Babel II. He owns secret bases across the world and is accompanied by miscellaneous subordinates, including scientists, engineers, psychics, and cyborg agents. Because Yomi sends remodeled men to each country as VIPs in the government, he can manipulate many nations at will. He produces various robot weapons to counter Babel II's three servants and challenges him to a fight. He had been invited to the Tower of Babel as a candidate for heir-apparent of the tower before. However, since the computer judged that he did not suit as successor, this memory was erased from him. Yomi is known to command combat robots called Baran that use iron ball-and-chain maces as weapons.
- Yumiko Furumi
- Yumiko is a daughter of Dr. Furumi and a classmate in Koichi's junior high school. In the anime version (1973), she is Koichi's cousin, and since Koichi lost his parents when he was young, Dr. Furumi took him in.
- Igarashi
- Igarashi is a head of the National Security Bureau and a supporter of Babel II.
- Igano
- Igano is a skilled investigator for the National Security Bureau.
Three servants edit
- Rodem
- Rodem is an intelligent living being of indeterminate form. It can transform itself into various forms, but prefers a black panther's figure. It also often chooses a female figure.
- Ropross
- Ropross is a huge robot in the form of a pterodactyl. It can fly in the sky at supersonic speed and has a rocket launcher and the Supersonic Wave Generator in its mouth.
- Poseidon
- Poseidon is a giant humanoid robot. It has a laser gun in one finger and a torpedo launcher in its abdomen. Poseidon shows its abilities most in the sea, but it can be active and powerful on the land as well.
Sono Na wa 101 (Manga) edit
Plot edit
There is a boy called registration number "101" (one-zero-one) in a secret laboratory which is administered by the CIA. The boy is Koichi Yamano, who was once called Babel II and saved the world. Koichi discovers that his blood has the ability to save lives, and he provides the laboratory with his blood after fighting with Yomi.
However, he notices that the laboratory transfused his blood into subjects and produced supermen like him artificially. He escapes from the lab and decides to exterminate the supermen produced by his blood that are scattered all over the world.
As a result, the enemy sends espers to fight him one after another. Unfortunately, the three servants of Babel II, Rodem, Ropross, and Poseidon are confined in an underground nuclear test site by the CIA, so Koichi is forced to fight alone.
A sequel to this series, called Babel II: The Returner, has Babel once again fighting despite many years passing since his capture. Here, Ropross and Poseidon have received powerful upgrades and the entire USA has declared war on Babel. It is even revealed that Yomi has recovered from his battles and joins the war
Anime television (1973) edit
Cast edit
| Character | Japanese voice actor |
|---|---|
| Koichi Furumi/Babel II | Akira Kamiya |
| Babel I | |
| Lodem (Black Panther) | Keiichi Noda |
| Lodem (Woman type) | Nana Yamaguchi |
| The computer of the Tower of Babel | Kouji Yada |
| Yumiko Furumi | Michiko Nomura |
| Furumi (Yumiko's father) | Kunihiko Kitagawa |
| Furumi (Yumiko's mother) | Akiko Tsuboi |
| Yomi | Chikao Otsuka |
| Taro Watari | Shingo Kanematsu |
| Yuki Watari | Tamaki Taura |
| Chii-bou | Keiko Yamamoto |
Original video animation (1992) edit
Helen McCarthy in 500 Essential Anime Movies stated that "this compressed version leaves some holes in the story, but the original concept is strong, and the animation is crisp".[1] Streamline Pictures released this OVA on dubbed VHS in the 90s. Image Entertainment put this version of the anime on DVD in 2001. Discotek Media announced the acquisition of the title in 2017.[2]
Cast edit
| Character | Japanese voice actor | English voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Koichi Yamano/Babel II | Takeshi Kusao | Steve Bulen |
| Babel I | Hiroshi Naka | Steve Kramer |
| Emperor Yomi | Akio Ōtsuka | Michael McConnohie |
| Juju | Kotono Mitsuishi | Mari Devon |
| Wang | Shinichi Ishihara | Kerrigan Mahan |
| Yuka | Ai Orikasa | Wendee Lee |
| Yamazaki | Ikuya Sawaki | Jeff Winkless |
| Hammer | Kōji Tsujitani | Dan Woren |
| Nicola | Toshihiko Seki | Kirk Thornton |
| LaShelle | Kumiko Watanabe | Juliana Donald |
| Leah | Kumiko Nishihara | Lara Cody |
| Griffin | Toshiyuki Morikawa | |
| Psychists | Wataru Takagi, Masaki Aizawa, Hikaru Midorikawa |
Beyond Infinity (2001) edit
Media Blasters released this show on DVD.
Cast edit
| Character | Japanese voice actor | English voice actor |
|---|---|---|
| Koichi Kamiya/Babel II | Kenichi Suzumura | Dave Wittenberg |
| Babel I | Hiroya Ishimaru | Lex Lang |
| Lodem | Kenyuu Horiuchi | Lex Lang |
| Yumiko Furumi | Shoko Kikuchi | Michelle Ruff |
| Reika Saeki | Satsuki Yukino | Julie Pickering |
| Yomi | Mugihito | Abe Lasser |
| Hikari Homura/Leon | Showtaro Morikubo | Dave Mallow |
| Hikari Homura (child) | Masayuki Kimura | Brianne Siddall |
| Ryoko Kirishima | Yurika Hino | Karen Strassman |
Legacy edit
Japanese manga artist Hirohiko Araki said that he paid homage to Babel II by letting Jotaro Kujo wear a Japanese school uniform in Part 3 (1989–1992) of the JoJo's Bizarre Adventure manga series.
Video game developer Yu Suzuki of Sega says Babel II was his main inspiration in the creation of the arcade fighting game Psy-Phi.[3]
The music video for the Michael Jackson and Janet Jackson song "Scream" (1995) features clips from Babel II.[4]
References edit
- ^ McCarthy, Helen. 500 Essential Anime Movies: The Ultimate Guide. — Harper Design, 2009. — P. 45. — 528 p. — ISBN 978-0061474507
- ^ "Discotek Adds Babel II OVA Series". 9 August 2023.
- ^ . Kikizo Ltd. official page. Kikizo Ltd. 2006-02-15. Archived from the original on 6 January 2009. Retrieved 3 January 2009.
- ^ Ledoux, Trish; Ranney, Doug (1997). The Complete Anime Guide: Japanese Animation Film Directory & Resource Guide. Tiger Mountain Press. p. 82. ISBN 978-0-9649542-5-0.
Interestingly, Babel II literally screams his enemies into submission (shades of X-Men's Banshee), which goes a long ways toward explaining why footage from this particular anime video was used in Michael Jackson's "Scream" video.
External links edit
- Babel II (manga) at Anime News Network's encyclopedia