
a review by AnimeDweeb

a review by AnimeDweeb
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“For what do you risk your life to climb the Tower?”
For our protagonist Bam, his goal is to reunite with his close companion Rachel. With little explanation as to why she’s embarking on such a mysterious quest, Rachel leaves him, vanishing into the unknown. Suddenly, Bam is also offered the chance to enter the titular Tower and take part in series of trials, with the promise of incredible power should he make it to the very top. He agrees and sets off to reunite with Rachel, not knowing what lies ahead on his journey. As the story progresses, he is pit against various competitors who are all vying for the prize at the top of the Tower. These individuals, known as Regulars, grew up in a society governed by the rules of the Tower; some have dedicated their entire lives to successfully completing this arduous challenge. While the many tests are conducted, the show shines light on how these characters’ lives have been hardened and conditioned to outlast the competition, showcasing their upbringing and circumstances surrounding their inclusion in the games. Expect some high-octane action and plenty of big-brain strategical plays at every turn, as the obstacles are specially designed to put our cast’s might and intellect to the ultimate test.

In my opinion the one aspect ToG absolutely nails is its soundtrack, my GOD it’s amazing! Kevin Penkin brings his A-game to the show, with several bangers that ratchet the tension up to 11. The soundtrack has everything, from choral arrangements reminiscent of his work in Made in Abyss to tense, electronic beats. I’m no music expert but I really can’t help but gush over how exceptional this soundtrack is; it absolutely elevates the show’s big moments and is easily my favorite offering from the show. That’s not to say that ToG doesn’t have anything else worth praising, far from it!
We see this realm through the eyes of the Regulars, with glimpses into their lives before they stepped in the Tower. We’re constantly teased the backstories of these characters, learn how they came into the game, and see how their past experiences manifest themselves in their beliefs and actions. We as the audience never step outside the confines of the Tower and thus can only grasp the concept of the surrounding environment through the lens of the Regulars. The plot sometimes necessitates clunky exposition to breeze through material, but for the most part I like this approach to worldbuilding here. Seeing the world the way the Regulars do endears us to them while keeping the outside world shrouded in mystery. The many cast members also keep the games feeling fresh, as their various strategies and incredibly powerful abilities come into play. It seems like the author was aware that these competitors were a vital component to the story’s success, as the tests introduced are written to complement them. What I mean is that some of the more exciting games grant the competitors plenty of room to figure out their own solutions.
Now although ToG has plenty of things going right for it, there are a few issues that I’d like to bring to light here. Granted, these shortcomings may be attributed to either the short series length or SIU’s relative inexperience as a writer when these initial chapters were released. I figured these circumstances could affect the overall experience and tempered my expectations accordingly going into the series. I want to preface this section by letting you know that I’m not sure whether or not my preconceptions are accurate or if the following criticisms apply to the rest of the webcomic. I am simply sharing my takeaways based solely on the anime, so make of this what you will. With that, let’s begin.
As mentioned prior, one of the strengths of the show lies in its cast. Khun, Endorsi, Anak, Shibisu, and Rak are bound to be fan-favorites; and other Regulars have strong moments as well.
at least in this stage of the story. There’s no easy way to say this, but Bam is a paper-thin audience surrogate and the worst element in ToG. The world of the Tower is just as alien to us as it is to Bam, so it makes sense that he is the focal point of our story. However, when lined up against his peers Bam feels underwritten, with every fiber of his being seemingly built solely around Rachel (That’s a WHOLE other story, check it out in the spoiler-filled “Stray Ramblings” section^). He represents a couple of problems in the narrative and is typically framed in contrast to his Regular counterparts to balance things out, for better or for worse. You like interesting and charismatic characters that actually get involved in the games? Bam’s bland and mostly just sits back while the others participate in the challenges. Throughout the series I never learn a single thing about Bam that isn’t related to his friends or Rachel; he’s a blank slate in every sense of the word. What annoys me the most however, is how OP he can get. Due to the competitive nature of our story and the need for our main character to, y’know, survive; he’s a magnet for plot contrivances and is constantly buffed with little explanation. Rey Skywalker may be the new Mary Sue, but Bam looks set to take over her throne soon. He may have been completely unfamiliar with the magic systems in place, yet his power scaling is borderline ridiculous and puts other Regulars to shame. With his bland personality and effortless wandering through the narrative, ToG gives me a hard time rooting for its lead. With all that being said, the later arcs do attempt to course-correct by giving him a little more agency within the narrative. Further addressing this problem in future instalments by adding more personal conflict and developing his character growth would go a long way to justifying why us fans should cheer Bam on.

ToG does take time to slow down and set up some really clever sequences, but occasionally expects the audience to accept certain moments happening without adequate explanation. In one instance the show very nearly conveys the WRONG information^^, which I only realised after a manhwa reader pointed it out. The tests are also worth bringing up, as most of them feel rather inconsequential. A couple of these games amount to rudimentary tasks (which is made all the more boring ‘cause Bam is OP), and only exist for the show to provide exposition. Meanwhile, two of the show’s biggest arcs end on slightly-sour notes, making the incredible build-up behind it fall a little flat. My guess as to why these writing problems persist is that 13 episodes just weren’t a whole lot for the show to work with. ToG manages its pacing well but cuts a few corners so that all the big story moments to land. Speaking of large moments I think it’s time to talk about the art and animation, and how they factor into the show’s setpieces.
I’m not the one to tell you whether or not it was a deliberate artistic direction, but ToG has a tough time meeting art standards set by other anime in recent years. Personally I don’t think it’s too much of an issue, but if your mind is still reeling from the "sakuga" in Demon Slayer you’ll want to take note of this. ToG’s action sequences still feel fresh thanks to that fantastic score, and director Takashi Sano does the best with what he’s given with some good shot compostition^^^. I certainly can’t fault the show for trying to polish its presentation, but there is room for improvement.

Tower of God has the makings of something truly special. ToG has given me several reasons to stay invested long-term, delivering a strong cast of characters and countless creative ideas alongside its solid premise. A masterful soundtrack by Kevin Penkin enhances the experience and is a stellar highlight. At its peak, ToG brings out some of tensest action setpieces all season. However, this show looks like one still finding its feet; a disappointing main protagonist, inconsistent writing, and subpar art present issues that need resolving ASAP. ToG’s short episode length also needs to be taken in account, because a lot of relevant material seems to have been left on the cutting floor as a result. Compared to its webcomic counterpart, I can only wonder whether or not this story got the adaptation it deserved. But from I’ve seen so far, this show is glowing with promise and I’m intrigued to find out what new tales might come our way in the near future. 6/10~



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