I always add CLAMP works to my manga list for reading; the artwork is amazing, the stories are intriguing, and the way CLAMP touches on feelings that people in everyday life endure all the time is astounding. Tokyo Babylon is not an exception, though I must confess that I've never heard of this title before. It's one of CLAMP's oldest series and despite its age, still delivers exactly what CLAMP is well-known for; timeless manga that people of many ages can enjoy.

What's wonderful about this plot is the way it is character-driven. Subaru's responsibility as a powerful exorcist puts him in dangerous situations all the time as he takes odd jobs. He meets a slough of characters that are battling some demon or another, emotions of extreme hatred and sadness, past ghosts that refuse to leave, etc. I found myself relating to some of the victims that Subaru met, and it's a little sad to see that the issues plaguing Tokyo in the 90s are still relevant in today's society. Justice can't always be served, murder and death will always exist, and the world isn't a nice place.

I've seen a few of these characters before because I read Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle first, which features a host of characters from CLAMP's earlier works. But just in case you haven't read that manga, either, I'll just say that Subaru and Seishirou appear in it :)

Anyway, the main characters in Tokyo Babylon all for the most part have strong attributes:

The protagonist Subaru has that cool power to exorcise ghosts and demons using a variety of spells passed down from his grandmother and earlier generations. He's a pretty level-headed person, but even his emotions can get the best of him. I find that to be a good flaw, though, considering how powerful his abilities are. His limitations are in his mind.

It is unclear what Hokuto's true strength is, but as the more lively and less serious twin sister of Subaru, she can still be quite ferociously protective of her younger brother. She doesn't get as much attention in the manga as Subaru, but she's still an important character. She looks out for Subaru all the time and repeatedly encourages him to pursue a romantic relationship with Seishirou.

The most mysterious character of the trio, Seishirou happens to be a veterinarian with some powers of his own that even Subaru is not sure of. He takes an unusual interest in Subaru, though, and makes a lot of flirtatious advances. He has a habit of changing the subject not too subtly and innocently when he wants to. It's a little tiring seeing him act suspiciously all the time without an explanation, which is dragged out until the very end of the manga, but it makes his character seem very cool.

As usual for CLAMP, there is not one flat character in this manga. Subaru learns a lot through his work about how the people of Tokyo suffer every day, and his ideas of the world change. Hokuto becomes more mature when she meets others that suffer in ways she can't understand. Seishirou was never an ordinary person from the beginning.

While the artwork in this manga is rougher than in their newer works, it still has that shine that unique style that only CLAMP possesses. Even small eyes are detailed. That passive emotion that I remember well from CLAMP is in here. Splash pages are illustrated with incredible detail, clothing, strands of hair, eyes, everything. Their chibi art is also endearing. If you've read CLAMP works already, you know what I'm talking about.

It goes without saying that I enjoyed this manga immensely. I've read XXXHolic before reading this, and the fact that every chapter was a side story reminded me of it. That kind of progression helps the reader understand Subaru's abilities fully without having to go through a lengthy explanation beforehand. Each subplot is unique and captures the reader's attention. Now, I wasn't very happy with the ending, but that's because I was expecting something a little different, missing the tragedy tag before reading. Otherwise, it's still a magnificent piece years after it was finished.