Summary
Tower of Godcrashed onto the anime scene with the 2020 adaptation of its first volume, bringing a unique visual flair to a mysterious world of Regulars and Bam trying to ascend the titular Tower. The series develops into something far greater to become the definitive “Tower” genre manhwa, with the anime beginning to catch onto this in season 2. WhileTower of Godmay have traded some of its unique style and charm in season 1, it’s in exchange for the increasingly valuable worldbuilding in season 2.
The webtoonTower of God’sanime adaptation has been running since 2010,with over six hundred chapters since then. It has established itself as chief amongthe best long manhwa to read right now. Its series is unique compared to other webtoons, as it occasionally dances along the line between shonen and seinen.
But with so many unanswered questions aboutTower of God’sworldbuilding,season 2 is an excellent remedy for curious, anime-only viewers.
Tower of God’s Triumphant Return Works Despite Slow Start
Tower of God: Return of the Prince understandably but unfortunately focuses too much on its new protagonist before getting to what fans care about.
Tower of God Changed Studios After Season 1
Much of the Original Season’s Charm Isn’t Present in the New Season
After over four years between seasons,Tower of Godreturned with season 2 streaming on Crunchyroll, butthe studio swapped from Telecom Animation Film in season 1 to The Answer Studio in season 2, and it’s still taking time to adjust. Season 1 felt like the show pulled its animation cels straight from a webtoon, quite different from the somewhat static array of visual aesthetics found in most popular anime in 2020. Not only did the visuals stand out inTower of Godseason 1, but its presentation of the webtoon’s narrative was also slightly tweaked.
Season 1 felt like the show pulled its animation cels straight from a webtoon, quite different from the somewhat static array of visual aesthetics found in most popular anime in 2020.
Much of the Tower’s mystique in season 1 is played differently than in the webtoon, like Yuri’s choice to give Bam her sword, Bam’s relationship with Rachel, and how participants enter and ascend the Tower. Much of the story inTower of Godis practically omitted in season 1. Still, it’s hard for anime-only viewers to look past the distinctive and charming visual style alongside excellent animation from the studio behindBlue Box’sanime adaptationalongside classic shows likeLupin III.With season 2,the society and hierarchy of the Tower is already getting a deeper look.
Season 2 Explores the World and Factions of the Tower
Tower of God Will Keep Less of Its Story in a Vacuum
Instead of focusing entirely on the protagonist, his pool of allies, and Rachel in season 1,Tower of God’sworldbuilding in season 2 teases these and much more inthe first two episodes.
The season 2 premiere ofTower of Godintroduces plenty of new characters while keeping much of the first season’s cast in reserve, at least for now. But the choice of characters brought on, as well as the closeness to the webtoon, is noteworthy, includingJa Wangnan’s ring referring to his connection to Jahad, other elite groups like the Yeon family, and FUG. Instead of focusing entirely on the protagonist, his pool of allies, and Rachel in season 1,Tower of God’sworldbuilding inseason 2 teases these and much more in the first two episodes.
Viewers shouldn’t be too concerned, though, as previous characters are slated to return as the story progresses. Still, it’s undeniably fascinating to see how much Bam, now going by Jue Viole Grace, has changed. His identity as a FUG slayer will be explored asTower of God’sfirst season also skipped the explanationfor why he joined. So, whileTower of Godseason 2 lacks the charm of season 1, this may be for the best, as it has refocused the series canon into a greater mystery to unfold.
Tower of God
Cast
Tower of God is an anime series based on the South Korean webtoon by SIU. It follows a young boy named Bam who embarks on a perilous journey to ascend a mysterious tower, where each floor presents unique challenges and tests. The tower promises to grant the deepest desires of those who reach its top. Along the way, Bam forms alliances and confronts adversaries while uncovering hidden truths about himself and the tower.
