Kami no Tou: Ouji no Kikan

TOG is one of my favorite manhwa, and the S1 was good, the visual style was unique, the animation was good but not outstanding.
And after years of wait we get S2 of TOG and at the first moment of EP1 I can already see the most generic visual style. The animation quality is also bad, like PowerPoint presentations. TOG deserves a big studio like Bones, Madhouse etc even mid-size studios would have been great, instead the producers decided to give this project to this no name Answer studio who has not done any major projects. In EP3 & 4 the number of super closeup shots ... were literally unbearable. I think even previous studio Telecom Animation would have done a much better job than this. What bugs me the most is that most mid manhwa like SL getting super animation and budget and TOG is getting pennies.

Don't know how will future episodes look, but as an avid TOG manhwa lover I will watch through remaining episodes, and only hope that future arcs like Hell train arc, Floor of Death arc get the type of budget and animation they deserve.

I can only speak for myself: The first seasons animation was kinda weird at first but after 3-4 episodes I started to love it with the thought that it really suits tower of god but the new animation style is just common for slice of life animes or even worse compared to the slice of life animes these days. I hope they improve the animation - ofc I would wish the old one for myself back but I also do know that the manhwa also changed the art style between the seasons but it was a quality improvment and not, again it´s my opinion, a ... down grade.

What do you desire? Fortune? Glory? Power? Revenge? Or a second season with the same mood, same intrigue, same mystery factor as season one? Turns out you can't climb the tower to ask for that...

The first episodes of both seasons are incomparable. What grabbed the viewer in season one is completely lacking this time around. And even though season one was far from perfect, there was some mysterious factor which made it all just work. But this magical ingredient is missing; it's no longer the same Tower.

For those who did love season one, I am sure you empathise with the hope things will turn around ... next week. Even the music that loomed so large in season one - occasionally reused in season two - feels abandoned with such a lacklustre new soundtrack. The story feels slow yet rushed. The tests feel pushed. The characters feel... random rather than intriguing.

And sure, the Webtoon promises a slow start to the season. That's okay, but boy is it slow. This would be fine if the other factors were there to keep it interesting, but the fact is, they're not. A slow burn story won't sustain the missing elements season one just had. We want to like season two. We want to like the characters. We want to like the music. Hell, we want to like the art! But we're still looking for what the magic 'thing' is that will hook us; weave together the frayed threads. There's currently nothing to carry this production. Nothing to make up for it's shortcomings except history and possibility. And that's what keeps us helpless-season-one-fans watching.

Disappointment lies somewhere behind the twin illusions of hope and loyalty. Not sure even the Tower's fans will wait for the illusion to fade to be disappointed with the reality...

TL;DR Preliminary Review Summary:
Animation: 6/10; Serviceable. There's worse this season. SHOULD have been better.
Sound: The OST is gorgeous... but they're not letting any of it play. The S1 OST is God-tier/10.
VA: JP VA, 9/10. Eng VA, 7/10.
Story: 15/10 🙏please🙏 stay for the story.

Listen, if you're a fan of the manhwa, watch it. If you've already read it you'll enjoy the attention to detail and easter eggs, seeing things in motion, and wonder why they cut this and that, but at least you have the full context and know Team Sweet and Sour are the best team despite what all these confused haters that miss the ... second floor team say.

If anything, I beg people to stay for the story. It's amazing, it's just in a major build-up phase right now and people need to learn patience. Let it cook, it will reveal all its secrets in time. The characters are unique and fleshed out with their own motivations and aren't just Generic MC Support Character #39382; they slowly unravel themselves to you, and everyone introduced is here to stay. The worldbuilding is unique, and now that we're past episode 5, the true world of the tower is finally going to open up.

The problem we're facing with this anime right now is that there is friction between the source material and the adaptation. ToG is an incredibly dense story full of context clues, inference, and an absolute shitload of foreshadowing, and adaptations always make cuts. Worse, ToG is famously known for having miles-long individual manhwa chapters, often running 2x-3x the length of a typical Japanese manga chapter, *every week*. It's impressive. It's also bad for adapting into the modern anime format where shows only run for 12-13 episodes per cour, unlike back in the day where 26~56+ episodes was standard, and creators were allowed to pace story beats out in a more digestible manner.

So, like any other adaptation, you'll hear it from me as well: if you're impatient, read the manhwa. If you want full context of everything, read the manhwa. The art is ehhhh at this point - it was drawn ~12 years ago so give it some slack, I promise that it improves tremendously. It's the One Piece of Korea for a reason.

Now, as someone who was drawn in by season 1 of the anime who subsequently binge-read the entire series, then hoped for a season 2 for four years straight, this is a stab to the heart to see the animation quality and sound direction being fumbled so badly. The OST isn't allowed to play and the animation is choppy. They say they did a more faithful adaptation of the artwork but then cut out several iconic designs (RIP girl scout Khun, at least Tanino Miho-sensei drew it for us) and some of the colors are off. But alas... the fact that it got a second season is a blessing, and I kinda pray for a third, but with the reactions from the anime-only viewers and fans alike, that seems like it's going to be a pipe dream. Quite unfortunate that it's something out of the fans' control due to the production management's poor direction.

I'm going to watch it anyway because its one of my favorite manhwa. Episode 1 and 5 are probably the best directed ones thus far. The next two weeks' episodes will cement my impression of the adaptation as they are critical story beats with action and plot in equal shares, and as such, will determine whether I genuinely continue to defend it with my life like I have been, or lay this poor thing to rest and stick to the source material.

I think Tower of God is simply not compatible with an anime adaptation. I'm not criticizing the animation (which is decent), the music (which is actually pretty good), or the voice acting (which I can't comment on yet). In the end, like in season 1, the story and dialogue cuts for the sake of pacing are simply too damaging to the story and characters to be worth it. In my opinion, almost every single line of dialogue from the first arc of Chapter 2 is essential, whether it be for developing characters, enhancing world-building, or simply providing more context for the rules of the game. ... Cutting out these lines of dialogue makes characters like Wagnan and Goseng, and even Love more shallow and less interesting. However, I can't think of a way to solve this issue and still keep a regular anime season's pacing for the show. Thus I have concluded that the two formats are simply incompatible. It's probably why the Hell Train arc could never be adapted in a million years, there is simply too much shit going on and not enough time to animate it all. When you begin to think about it that way, you are way less disappointed in how things turned out.

Appalling is the right word to describe what has been done to this "once-in-a-lifetime" anime with this second season. The feeling is going to the cinema to watch a hype movie, the trailer of which grabbed you so deeply, only to leave the movie theatre beyond disappoint. "Trailer" aka Season 1 being made by one director and "the actual movie" aka Season 2 being made by a totally different person. The art style difference and direction is outrageous. The drop in quality is disastrous and the new characters look like they might only ever have the potential to excite some 12 yearold. No matter this ... though I shall be finishing this anime and updating my score afterwards.

God, season 1 was so good. Rewatched it in anticipation of season 2.

I was incredibly confused for the first few episodes of season 2, at times questioning if I was even watching the right show. All the tonality of season 1 has been replaced with a very generic anime vibe. Season 1 was dark, strange, and had such an intensity to it. Season 2 feels like such a departure from that.

Yes the animation was very different, but I think more importantly was how different the show felt. The mystery of the tower gone. The suspense of everything trivialized. Felt like a completely different ... show.

This season noticeably slows down compared to its predecessor, impacting its overall pacing. While the intention to expand the world through supporting characters is clear, the execution feels excessive. This approach detracts significantly from the main storyline, leaving little screen time for the central characters in each episode. If this trend persists until the finale, it could jeopardize the show's chances for a third season. As it stands, the series risks receiving a lower overall rating, estimated between 6.80 and 6.50, primarily due to this imbalance.

On a positive note, the art style stands out with its above-average quality, earning a solid 2-star rating. The animation ... also impresses, receiving another 2 stars. However, the current storyline progression falls short, warranting a negative rating of -6 stars. For viewers seeking a balanced mix of world-building and character development, adjustments in the series' pacing and focus could significantly enhance engagement and satisfaction.

*Tower of God*, Season 2 is a good continuation of the series, but it has its ups and downs. I really liked the unique style of Season 1, especially its art and character design, even though some of my friends thought it looked old-fashioned and didn't like it as much.

For Season 2, the action sequences are above average, which is a strong point. However, it feels like the background music isn't as impressive as in the first season. The characters designs and art seem a bit generic this time, and the animation quality doesn't stand out compared to other recent anime. It seems like the ... studio might have had tight budget or time to work on this season.

On the positive side, the voice acting is very good, and the intro song is quite enjoyable. The anime stays true to the source material, which is something I appreciate. Overall, it’s a solid season, not top-notch but not dull either. If you enjoyed Season 1, you’ll likely enjoy this one too. It's worth watching, especially if you're a fan of the series.

That’s just my opinion, and others might have different views. It’s a good season, and I’ll update my thoughts as I watch more episodes.

After watching 4 episodes. I take my words back for fight sequence being a plus point, after episode 1 it's a let down in fight sequence like almost every shots are face closeups.

I Also think a bad writing i can see after 2nd episode, side characters are not that felt that connected.

But anyways I am still going to complete it, but I hardly see any chances of this anime getting another season.

Such a bad adaptation and a greatly let down from season 1.

I will update after watching more episodes i might once again improve my scores, but for now it comes under mixed feelings with 7 points.