Tower of God

Episodes 1-2-3

Even before it aired, Tower of God stood out among the Crunchyroll Originals lineup: after all, it would be the first South Korean property the streaming service ever adapted. It's based on a webtoon of the same name (which you can read legally and for free) that has acquired 4.5 billion views worldwide. Its source material is particularly unwieldy (it spans hundreds of chapters over 10 years of updates), but with only 13 episodes in the anime adaptation, this show is going to have to move quickly. Three episodes in, I'm loving the show's tight narrative and quick pacing. Just like with the early chapters of the webtoon, fantastic characterization and masterful use of shonen battle tropes almost make up for the scratchy linework and rough, simple art.

The story centers around Bam, who is jarringly referred to as “Yoru” in the spoken dialogue. (Crunchyroll editor Kyle Cardine explained why the subtitles and dub differ on whether to use the Japanese or Korean word for “night.”) In the grand tradition of shonen manga protagonists, Bam is a cheerful ray of sunshine even when facing the direst odds. In episodes two and three, he forms fast friendships with the boastful Rak and calculating Khun. The story is a masterclass in contrasts; in episode three it's clear that Bam is the innocent one, Khun is the jaded one, and Rak is the straightforward one. I'm already seeing parallels, like the way both Bam and Khun have a special lady in their pasts; though in Khun's case it's already over. At the same time we realize there's much more to unpack about each of these three, their easy rapport with one another makes them feel familiar already. Another team of three stands out as well: Anaak and Hatz are serious and strong, Shibisu is obviously the comic relief—but we already can tell he's not a one-note character. Combine these contenders with some eccentric test masters, and the tower is packed with personality.

Of course, the most fascinating presence in this story isn't a character, but the tower itself. I'm not the first person to compare Tower of God to Hunter X Hunter, in particular, the Hunter Exam arc. Bam and his friends jump from trials to puzzles with their lives on the line. It's going to take their strength, their wits, and no small amount of luck to keep themselves alive and climbing the tower. And much like the Nen of Hunter X Hunter, the world of Tower of God runs on Shinsu, a sort of magic that can do everything from creating a wall to mimicking an artificial sky. But while Hunter X Hunter has always looked polished, Tower of God is decidedly rough—from its linework to its flat backdrops to its simple, sparse color palette. The animation isn't particularly smooth, either. Some of its most pivotal scenes feel choppy, exactly like the manga panels they are trying to adapt, like when Lady Yuri leaps into the picture in episode one.

At the same time, this is the kind of anime where every episode feels like it's five minutes long. It's one puzzle after another for our heroes; the fun comes from trying to find the solutions along with them. At a brief 13 episode run, this isn't going to be the next epic shonen battle anime, but it's sure to be a lot of fun while it's airing.

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Lauren writes about geek careers at Otaku Journalist and model kits at Gunpla 101.

Tower of God is currently streaming on Crunchyroll.