Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo

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Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
Trouble in Tokyo.jpg
DVD cover art featuring the main characters names in Katakana.
Genre Superhero
Action
Science fantasy
Comedy drama
Romance
Based on Teen Titans
by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani
Teen Titans
by Glen Murakami
Written by David Slack
Directed by Michael Chang
Ben Jones
Matt Youngberg
Starring
Music by Kristopher Carter
Michael McCuistion
Lolita Ritmanis
Composers
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer Sander Schwartz
Producers Glen Murakami
Linda Steiner
CinematographyPepi Lenzi
Tak Fujimoto
EditorJoe Gall
Running time75 minutes
Production companies Kadokawa Shoten
DC Comics
Warner Bros. Animation
Original release
Network Cartoon Network
Kids' WB
ReleaseSeptember 15, 2006 (2006-09-15)
Related

Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo is a 2006 American made-for-TV animated superhero film adaptation of the DC Comics superhero team Teen Titans. It is set in the milieu of the animated series Teen Titans that ran on Cartoon Network from 2003 to 2006, with the film serving as the series finale. It premiered on Cartoon Network, Friday, September 15, 2006, and premiered on Kids' WB the following day. Teen Titans head writer David Slack wrote the film.

Contents

Plot

The ninja Saico-Tek, under orders from his master Brushogun, attacks the Teen Titans's hometown of Jump City before mysteriously vanishing. Subsequently, the Titans head to Tokyo, Japan, to search for Brushogun. There, they meet the Tokyo Troopers, a supernatural defense force led by Commander Uehara Daizo. When questioned on Brushogun, Daizo claims that he is merely an urban legend. Left with no villains to pursue, the Titans decide to enjoy Tokyo.

Robin and Starfire express their feelings for each other until Robin starts to focus on Brushogun again, upsetting Starfire. Investigating alone, Robin is attacked by Saico-Tek and supposedly kills him, subsequently being arrested by Daizo. Elsewhere, Starfire meets a little girl who helps to overcome her depression and make her realize that despite Robin's earlier objections, their feelings for each other are indeed mutual.

Just then, the Mayor of Tokyo announces Robin's arrest and orders that the other Teen Titans must either turn themselves in or leave Tokyo. Starfire calls the other Titans, but as they attempt to regroup, Brushogun sends his minions to destroy the Titans. Meanwhile, Robin escapes the truck transferring him to a more secure facility, and is eventually found by the Tokyo Troopers. Starfire rescues him and takes him to a shrine, where they attempt to kiss again until they are interrupted by Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy's arrival. There, Raven relates from a book she found that Brushogun was an artist who dreamed of bringing his drawings to life using dark magic, which transformed him into a being of paper and ink. Robin realizes that he did not kill Saico-Tek because he was an ink creature, and that he had been framed to look like a criminal.

The Titans track Brushogun to a comic book publishing factory and discover him trapped in a cursed printing press that harnesses his powers. He reveals that he had sent Saico-Tek to bring them to Tokyo and stop Daizo, who had used his powers to create the Tokyo Troopers and the monsters that they battled and gain a reputation as a hero.

Daizo drops in on the Titans and forces Brushogun to create an army of animated ink minions. Ultimately, Robin corners Daizo, who takes control of Brushogun's magic and transforms into a mechanical ink monster with Brushogun at the center. As the other Titans battle Daizo's creatures, Robin frees Brushogun, who dies peacefully in his arms, dissipating his creations and depowering Daizo. With the battle concluded, Robin and Starfire finally confess their feelings and share a kiss.

Later on, with Robin's name cleared and Daizo imprisoned, the Titans are awarded medals of honor for their heroic actions. Robin then allows the group to stay in Tokyo a little longer and enjoy a well-earned vacation.

As the end credits roll, the Titans sing a literally translated version of their Japanese theme song in celebration for the defeat of Daizo and their award ceremony. [1]

Voice cast

Reception

Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo received generally positive reviews from critics.

Filip Vukcevic of IGN said in his review: "Something's missing here. Teen Titans the television show is a fun, vibrant series that's a lot more entertaining than it looks. Following the show's recent cancellation, it seems like Trouble in Tokyo is the last we'll get of our intrepid heroes. Unfortunately, as a swan song or otherwise, when squeezed Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo reveals itself for what it really is: a suspiciously average direct-to-DVD movie that looks good, but doesn't do anything to conceal the fact that underneath it's fake". [2]

Rafe Telsch of Cinema Blend wrote: "Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo is a decent follow up for the cancelled series that should make fans happy to see their favorite characters again, although a few of the characters seem to get the shaft on screen time". [3]

Soundtrack release

A soundtrack to the movie was released on July 22, 2008, through La-La-Land Records. [4] The track listing is as follows.

All tracks are written by Kristopher Carter, Michael McCuistion and Lolita Ritmanis

Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo
No.TitleLength
1."Meet Saico Tek"5:18
2."Interrogation"1:23
3."Main Title"2:36
4."Tokyo Arrival"1:28
5."Monster Attack"4:36
6."Troopers Tour + Robin's Disappointment"1:46
7."Titans Watched"1:52
8."Starfire Videogame"1:18
9."Moment Lost"2:39
10."Tokyo Skyline + Robin Blots Out Saico Tek"4:11
11."All You Can Eat / Boy Troubles"2:01
12."Titans Attack"1:51
13."The Note"0:51
14."The Fight Continues"2:43
15."Raven Finds Books / Robin Goes Underground"1:19
16."Play It Louder"0:55
17."Bar Fight"1:18
18."Motorcycle Chase"1:57
19."Brushogun Origin"2:17
20."Chasing Titans"1:58
21."Meet Brushogun"3:48
22."Villains Makin' Copies"2:16
23."Final Battle"4:20
24."The Kiss"0:55
25."Tokyo's Newest Heroes"1:58
26."End Credits"1:59
Total length:53:33

Home media

The DVD release date was February 6, 2007. The special features included are "The Lost Episode", featuring the villain Punk Rocket, and a game entitled Robin's Underworld Race Challenge. [5] Trouble in Tokyo was also released on Blu-ray through the Warner Archive Collection on December 3, 2019. [6]

Sequel

A stand-alone sequel serving as a crossover between Teen Titans and its successor series entitled Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans premiered at San Diego Comic-Con 2019 in July, [7] followed by digital release on September 24 and physical release on October 15.

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Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans is a direct-to-video animated superhero comedy film and crossover between the television series Teen Titans Go! and the original Teen Titans, both of which are adapted from the DC Comics superhero team of the same name. It is also the second movie of both the Teen Titans Go! series and the regular Teen Titans series, after both Teen Titans Go! To the Movies (2018) and Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo (2006). The film premiered at Comic-Con on July 21, 2019, followed by a digital release on September 24, then followed by a DVD and Blu-ray release on October 15. The events of the film take place during the fifth season of Teen Titans Go! and after the finale of the fifth season of Teen Titans. The film premiered on television on Cartoon Network on February 17, 2020.

References

  1. ↑ "Puffy Amiyumi: The Iconic and Multifaceted Duo". Yattatachi. June 21, 2017. Archived from the original on September 14, 2018. Retrieved September 14, 2018.
  2. ↑ Vukcevic, Filip (February 2, 2007). "Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo". IGN. Archived from the original on February 10, 2018. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  3. ↑ "Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo DVD Review". cinemablend.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2016. Retrieved March 14, 2016.
  4. ↑ "The World's Finest". Worldsfinestonline.com. Archived from the original on August 9, 2011. Retrieved January 30, 2011.
  5. ↑ "The World's Finest – Teen Titans". Archived from the original on August 21, 2019. Retrieved July 22, 2022.
  6. ↑ "Teen Titans: Trouble in Tokyo Blu-ray (Warner Archive Collection)". Archived from the original on April 16, 2022. Retrieved April 16, 2022.
  7. ↑ Whitbrook, James, The Original Animated Teen Titans Will Return for Teen Titans Go! vs. Teen Titans, i09, archived from the original on July 30, 2019, retrieved October 25, 2018
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