TOWER OF GOD
STUDIO: Telecom Animated Film (in association with Crunchyroll)
Genre: Action, Adventure, Dark Fantasy
Hey Guys.
Welcome to another anime review.
Here, I am going to do very special, for I am going to review one of the many Crunchyroll Originals that were just released a couple of days ago.
And boy… What an experience.
Having said that, I present you…
(Probably the first of many)
But before I continue, I must ask the typical question in the midst of the quarantine:
Are you guys ok? Washing your hands? Maintaining social distancing?
If the answer is yes, then I am very happy, and also, I will continue with the same message that I left in my previous reviews.
DO NOT UNDERESTIMATE THE CORONAVIRUS
With that said, let’s continue with Tower of God.
PREMISE
Based on the webtoon written and illustrated by Lee Jong-hui, Tower of God tells the story of a kid called Twenty-Fifth Bam, who has been living with his best friend, Rachel, after he was freed from a vast cave. Suddenly, she decided to go inside the mysterious Tower of God, so Bam goes inside to find her.
Now inside the tower itself, Bam must faces the challenges and consequences of being in the tower, while discovering the deep secrets of the latter.
Now, there is something that I want to point out; it is not a big detail, but still some interesting trivia. Tower of God is a Manhwa, or the Korean equivalent of the manga (In China, the comics are called Manhua). Needless to say that Korea has been released light novels too, here is one of my favourites:
DUNGEON DEFENSE (YOO HEONHWA)
Also, I think this 2020 is the Year of the Manhwa. Yeah. Because I have been in contact with many interesting concepts, realising the great talent that many Korean artists have and that can become pretty good cartoons.
This is an excellent example of the power of the Manhwa
I think that, right now, the world is realising the great potential to be found in Korean cinema and Korean comics, especially after the amazing success of movies like Oldboy, Train to Busan, The Host, and Parasite.
And it is good that Crunchyroll is taking opportunity of that market, especially because in a few days, they will release The God of High School.
But now… How is the…
STORY
«What do you desire? Honour and pride? Power and influence? Money and riches? Revenge? Or to transcend all such things?»
With these words, we start the very first episode of Tower of God, and then we see a pretty cool image that resembles the ziggurats of Mesopotamia, stating that if anyone climbs the Tower of God, he/she shall receive everything. And in the case of Rachel, she wanted to climb the tower so she can reach the stars.
And all what Bam wants is to find her. Nothing more and nothing less. Immediately the intro song, TOP, performed by Stray Kids, appears as an amazing ear candy.
Overall, the intro sets the tone of the quest of Bam, along with the pretty dark animation from studio MAPPA, which made me realise how good this studio have become in adapting all these stories that have these unique elements that create a dark atmosphere, even through the story that is being adapted isn’t necessarily of horror or thriller; case in point, we got Kakegurui and Zombie Land Saga, where the animation really shines while making enough suspense and comedy, respectively. Moreover, every time I see this animation, I remembered the same kind of opaque colours used in The Simpsons between season 14 and season 17 (before the release of The Simpsons Movie), although in Tower of God those colours actually work.
On the other hand, when I reach the part where Bam meets Headon and the White Steel Eel, it could not stop thinking about The Hunger Games; all these trials, fighting each other for the sake of survival and the achievement of a better life, or a really wonderful, timeless reward to say the least.
But the feeling here is more of a mystical level regarding the trials of the Tower, and the purpose of Bam.
Back to the story, episode 1 introduces more concepts, such as «Irregular», or someone who enters to the Tower by his/her own merits, instead of being invited by the guardians of the floors. And a new character, Princess Yuri Zahard, who gives pretty good advices to Bam, and a shot that really made me laugh.
SHIPPING MATERIAL, READY FOR ACTION
The lesson being… The cuter, the better. (Just kidding!!!)
Then we got the challenge of the White Steel Eel and the second one. But Hey! I think that is enough from me.
I think the story got a very good start; the rhythm is well balanced, a bit calm when it is about the action, and paused for the kind of exposition that is pivotal for world building. Of course, when the second test comes, the anime does not stop regarding blood and violence. Ok. It is not gory, but it is on the level of The Hunger Games, or that Manhwa Leviathan that I mentioned before.
(Read that story too. It is pretty good. And it will make a real good anime)
Finally, before I wrap up with the story, I must say that perhaps Tower of God is one of those dark fantasy anime that proves how versatile this genre really is. Probably it will become another dark fantasy classic, like Demon Slayer, Goblin Slayer, and The Rising of the Shield Hero. There has been so much controversy regarding Crunchyroll trying to release their own original content, especially from High Guardian Spice.
But I think there is still potential regarding these Crunchyroll originals, as long as both story and characters are well-constructed, there is no problem with Crunchyroll releasing their own series.
And forgive my friends. I am going to skip the section of Characters, for it is only the first episode, and I think I extended too much.
But I want to say that… Saori Hayami as Rachel is really good!!!
CONCLUSION
I really enjoyed the first episode of Tower of God, and I am looking forward for the second one, while I read the original Manhwa. From my viewpoint, Tower of God has pretty good potential; I really hope Crunchyroll and MAPPA knows to exploit its story and characters.
Hopefully The God of the High School is as entertaining and complex as Tower of God. But one thing is for sure…
KOREAN WEBTOONS ARE FANTASTIC!!!
Jainituos Presents 