The latest game news from IGN - one of my fave channels ever - check it out The move to adapt a Korean webtoon into an anime series is both somewhat groundbreaking and one that has fairly far-reaching implications, for both the international popularity of manhwa and for the anime industry itself. Combined with the immense popularity of original creator SIU’s work, Crunchyroll’s new original series Tower of God has a lot to live up to. Thankfully, it seems as though it won’t disappoint. Directed by veteran animator Takashi Sano, written by Erika Yoshida, and adapted by Telecom Animation Film (Lupin the Third Part IV and Part V), Tower of God’s setup will feel familiar for anyone who has indulged in fantasy storytelling – a girl named Rachel is somewhere in a mysterious tower, and a young boy Bam (called Yoru in the Japanese version but not in the subtitles, both names mean “night”), wants nothing but to find her. However, to do so, he must fight through different tests on every floor. The simplicity of this premise is complicated by the sheer unpredictability of the tower itself, which appears in an anonymous setting that appears to be in the modern-day, but one where feudal law and giant, fantastical creatures still reign supreme. [ignvideo url="https://www.ign.com/videos/2020/03/31/anime-you-should-binge-watch-on-netflix-in-april"] It’s unclear what lies both within and around the infinitely tall tower, and the writers do well to keep that ambiguity compelling rather than alienating. Setting up such an expansive world (especially in a story with 10 years of mythology) is no easy task for 20 minutes, and Tower of God handles that pressure well. From the very beginning, this world is given a magical allure, a vague promise of whatever fantasy you could imagine, and of course, this fantasy seems perpetually out of reach, kept at a distance by deceptive tests and the clashing ambitions of all who would pursue it. The showrunners know just what to reveal and what to withhold – the top of the tower only glimpsed in childlike drawings, already given a legendary air. Once Bam has entered the tower the show quickly introduces a brief outline of the terminology and rules of the world through Headon (voiced by Naruto and Demon Slayer’s Hochu Otsuka), so-called caretaker of the tower. Soon joining him is Yuri (Mariko Honda), a princess dressed in a suit jacket and tie, as well as her vassal, both of whom assist Bam with an initial test of will. Newcomers (like this reviewer) might find themselves a little swept up by the speed with which concepts like “Pockets” and such are introduced, but best to just roll with it. The main thing that’s important to know is that Bam is a “Non Regular,” an outsider to the tower, the denizens of which are called “Regulars.” What that means beyond the fact that he is simply different is still unclear, though of course the characters are only vaguely defined at this initial stage. His motivation for risking his life is also rather vague, other than his connection to Rachel (Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba’s Saori Hayami). The depths of their relationship are yet to be revealed, outside of the fact that he would cast himself into the jaws of death for her (at one point doing so quite literally). A quick flashback hints a little at the nature of their relationship, one that carries a slight maternal energy as Rachel discovers and teaches the amnesiac, orphaned Bam. There’s a knowing and self-aware approach to Bam as a well-meaning, fairly standard shonen protagonist, one of great untapped potential and steadfast bravery and will. That said, there’s also something in that Bam has, in the space of 20 minutes, found three maternal figures not just in Rachel, who first found him, but in Yuri and also the spirit of the “Black March,” the sword she lends him (it’s… complicated).
Bam is not a very vocal protagonist as of yet – the other characters do the talking (and the world-building) for him, everything we learn about the tower is from his perspective, with little in the way of narration to handhold the viewer through this introductory episode. Still, there’s solid vocal work on display from Taichi Ichikawa in his efforts as Bam, effectively conveying his desperation and resilience with few words. As Yuri, Mariko (best known as chaotic character Yūko from Nichijou) gets to show off a little more, disguising her obvious concern and charitable nature with a brash, devil-may-care attitude. The visuals of Tower of God take advantage of its ever-shifting setting. There’s an exciting, modern edge to the world design, existing in an almost timeless space with a mixture of gothic, high fantasy architecture and more abstract sci-fi entities. Masashi Kudo and Miho Tanino's character work is similarly outside of any defined time period, with sleek, contemporary designs finding a home among more traditional outfits. They’re all drawn with the same rugged linework that defined the studio’s prior work, creating a satisfying element of roughness and tactility amid its fluid, clean movements.
The peculiar style extends to even the coloring, which in places is made to be purposefully flat (particularly with the characters), shifting from the green luminescent light of a shadowy chamber to the bold primary colors of an expansive open field, with a seemingly alien observation platform hanging above it. This unique, changeable look is the greatest strength of this opening episode, lending to its overall sense of mystery. Just as versatile is the score by Kevin Pankin (acclaimed for his work on the series Made in Abyss), providing both delicate, classical sounds and pulsing electronic rhythms. When it comes to the story, there’s clearly a lot being held back for the season to come, but what glimpses there are of the wider implications of this world are intriguing enough for those coming into this with little prior knowledge of the story. It defies a typical fantasy template with a strange and unpredictable setting – one where it’ll be exciting to see how many rules Tower of God will break on its (presumably long) journey to the top.
from IGN Reviews https://ift.tt/2Jt2G6q
This could be a real lead forward for personal gaming...
Revolutionise gaming
Bam is not a very vocal protagonist as of yet – the other characters do the talking (and the world-building) for him, everything we learn about the tower is from his perspective, with little in the way of narration to handhold the viewer through this introductory episode. Still, there’s solid vocal work on display from Taichi Ichikawa in his efforts as Bam, effectively conveying his desperation and resilience with few words. As Yuri, Mariko (best known as chaotic character Yūko from Nichijou) gets to show off a little more, disguising her obvious concern and charitable nature with a brash, devil-may-care attitude. The visuals of Tower of God take advantage of its ever-shifting setting. There’s an exciting, modern edge to the world design, existing in an almost timeless space with a mixture of gothic, high fantasy architecture and more abstract sci-fi entities. Masashi Kudo and Miho Tanino's character work is similarly outside of any defined time period, with sleek, contemporary designs finding a home among more traditional outfits. They’re all drawn with the same rugged linework that defined the studio’s prior work, creating a satisfying element of roughness and tactility amid its fluid, clean movements. 
The peculiar style extends to even the coloring, which in places is made to be purposefully flat (particularly with the characters), shifting from the green luminescent light of a shadowy chamber to the bold primary colors of an expansive open field, with a seemingly alien observation platform hanging above it. This unique, changeable look is the greatest strength of this opening episode, lending to its overall sense of mystery. Just as versatile is the score by Kevin Pankin (acclaimed for his work on the series Made in Abyss), providing both delicate, classical sounds and pulsing electronic rhythms. When it comes to the story, there’s clearly a lot being held back for the season to come, but what glimpses there are of the wider implications of this world are intriguing enough for those coming into this with little prior knowledge of the story. It defies a typical fantasy template with a strange and unpredictable setting – one where it’ll be exciting to see how many rules Tower of God will break on its (presumably long) journey to the top.
No comments:
Post a Comment