Babylon: Anime Thoughts and Review
| Genre: | Mystery, Thriller, Philosophical (Ethics) |
| Recommend: | Recommend but with a strong caveat |
Finished watching Babylon (バビロン)… and wow…I honestly can’t say if it was good or bad because while it definitely had me at the edge of my seat throughout the entire series (I was entirely focused on watching the show. No fiddling with the phone!), it has been a long while since I have watched such an unsettling anime.
The first half of the series was absolutely thrilling (and horrifying in a psychological manner), and you can totally see a live-action adaptation of this arc. It is honestly pretty good. The second half of the series is really where the split in opinions comes in. If you google this series, I’m pretty sure you can find a lot of intense discussions and comments, especially about the ending. (So to avoid spoilers, I suggest you only look for them AFTER you have watched the anime).
Unlike many of the comments online, I could appreciate the second half of the anime and the sudden deep-dive into the whole ethics philosophical debate. However, I totally agree with all the criticisms that there were honestly too many plot-lines and devices which were introduced or set-up since the beginning that were unexplained or ended up abandoned half-way and it was such a waste, you know? They weren’t even red herrings or anything… it was like the author/production team just decided to abandon the initial direction they were going for and changing it to something else. This was a pity because the first half was executed really well. The change in tone midway was also a tad jarring but it was still pretty interesting to me. The ending though…I am one of the many that honestly didn’t like it. Or rather the ending was still okay with me, it was the post-credit scene that upended all that.
Nevertheless, the plot twists (especially in the 1st 7 episodes) were superbly done. The entire build-up and unraveling of the conspiracies was smart, exciting, thrilling and absolutely suspenseful. Unfortunately, the ending really leaves you unsettled (and not in the good TV/film way). Unless they were planning for a sequel, the ending isn’t satisfying and really controversial.
Babylon is definitely an anime that will make you think hard about the perennial philosophical question: What is Good? What is Evil? And where does one fall in the spectrum between good and evil?
Things don’t wrap up neatly and remains controversial till the end.
Babylon (Anime): Final Thoughts
So do I recommend this anime?
It’s really hard to say. This is certainly not an anime for everyone. It starts off really engaging and thrilling and you definitely will be at the edge of your seat watching this mystery unfold but you are equally likely to walk away feeling unsettled and unsatisfied at the ending as well.
Or rather… the post-credit scene amplifies that feeling 100 times. It might have been better if they just ended it without the post-credit scene, to be honest. I’m pretty sure quite a few viewers were left aghast at the implications of that post-credit scene.
Chances are you either like this anime or hate this anime. It’s really that divisive. However, regardless of which camp you are in, the first 7 episodes of the series is pretty much agreed by most viewers to be really well-done and super engaging. The split really comes in the back half of the series and the controversial ending. The entire run is 12 episodes.
So I would say I recommend a watch, at least for the 1st half of the series which is really good, but be prepared to feel completely hog-washed and unsettled for the second half. Frankly, it is because of the post-credit scene that I can’t straight out recommend a definite watch. If it was just the first 7 episode (or the first arc), it’s a definite recommendation.
Anyway, no spoilers so I’ll let you be the judge of it yourself once you get there. This is definitely not an anime for kids. I don’t say this often, but I think it is better to watch this if you are of a post-secondary age and up, i.e. preferably 18 and above.
If you have watched it, let’s discuss! What are your thoughts? Do you like it? Hate it? Let me know in the comments.
More Information
Babylon (Anime) was adapted from the Japanese novel of the same name by Nozaki Mado (野崎まど) and illustrated by Zain. There is a manga adaptation by Takishita Nobuhide. Revoroot is the anime studio for the anime adaptation.
To find out more about the anime/novel, you can visit these pages:
Official Anime Website: https://babylon-anime.com/
Official Anime Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/babylon_anime
Babylon (Anime) is available on Amazon Video.
*Geeky Travels and Fandoms might earn a small commission (at no cost to you) when you click on some of the affiliate links in the post and subscribe to the services.
for me babylon is the best anime. like you, i literally focused while wathcing this show. and i am that one who thinks the ending is nice. i love how the first half anime talk aboout is suicide good or bad. i think that,s only a big premise to gather audience to the end half anime that talk deeper. what is good and what is bad. then some plot hole in the first half is understandable for a premise. at first, honestly me too, can’t accept the cliffhanger ending. but after 3 weeks contemplation, i realized the ending is the most safe/neutral. from there the producer leaves to the audience to make their own final argument, is suicide i bad?, what is bad, what is good.
because of that, now i have a reason for my life, to seek the meanings of bad and good. from there i can make a statement is suicide good or bad.
sorry for my bad english. i just want to discuss about this anime so bad. since i have no opportunity to discuss it with people around me. hpoe you can understand me 🙂
have a good day 🙂
Hi, thanks for sharing your thoughts and comments about “Babylon”. I think what made Babylon so controversial and such an interesting anime to watch (especially the first half) is that it never shies away from the heavy and hard questions. It really makes you think about certain subjects and the philosophical discussions about ethics and morality. I agree that the cliff-hanger ending was actually pretty fitting for the series, all things considered. I guess most viewers needed time to contemplate and think about the ending to accept it.
It was indeed a clever way to have the ending in the anime left ambiguous and up to the viewer to reach their own conclusion. My only problem was the end-credit scene and the implications it had for the main character. I really did not like how they ended it that way. I would have preferred the anime without that end-credit scene after the ending before the credits and song. (Just my personal opinion, of course)
Next, regardless of what one might conclude about ethics and/or suicide in this anime, in real life, if someone you know or you are feeling depressed and having suicidal thoughts, please reach out and speak to someone. Speak to a friend, a loved one, or even a colleague. There are also national hotlines in every country that you can speak to. Speaking to someone about it will help and hopefully provide some comfort and positivity.
I hope everything is okay for you. Am glad that you found a reason for your life. Think of all the Animes you can watch with time too! So, do take care.
Have a great day too. And do not worry, your English is not bad. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts on the anime and in English! 🙂
P.S: If you like Babylon, I recommend you try watching “91 Days”. It is not as controversial but the story is pretty good and it also delves into some good philosophical discussions on ethics and morality as well which you might find interesting.