Summary
Tower of Godis a captivatingKorean webtoon seriescreated by SIU that follows the adventures of a young boy named Bam as he embarks on a perilous journey up the enigmatic Tower in search of his friend Rachel. Throughout his ascent, Bam encounters a diverse array of challenges, forges alliances, and unravels the mysteries of the Tower.
However, following the series' first season asan anime adaptationand the newly released second season, this piece seeks to unravel insights from its first season that are known only to the reading side of the series by pointing out the not-so-obvious patterns and developments that stayed with the manhwa series and not the anime adaptation. So, here are some things only readers of the Tower of God series know.
5Yuri’s Introduction
Manhwa Chapter 01 - 06
The character Yuri’s introduction to the series inboth the manhwaand anime appears to be of different circumstances; as in the anime, Yuri is introduced as though she is unaware of who Baam is and the type of person he is supposed to be.
However, in the manhwa, Yuri is introduced more precisely. She appears aware of Baam’s existence as an irregular even before meeting him, explaining and categorizing different things about him andirregulars in generalbefore finally meeting him as he enters the Tower, which explains her behavior of familiarity towards him in both the manhwa and the anime. Also, unlike the anime, Yuri extensively explains her purpose and objective regarding why she had to help Baam at that moment.
4Black March’s classification
The first weapon Baam uses in the series is given to him by Yuri and is called the ‘Black March.’ In the anime, it appears as though it is a sword, and there is no further clarification on whether it is indeed a sword or something else. Evidently, this detail is crucial, as it emphasizes its specific properties and how it functions in battle. However, it is also later revealed to have a soul.
However, in the manhwa, it is expressly stated to be a needle, not a sword, and said to be the ‘Greatest of Needles,’ to stab and pierce, among the other weapons of the 13-month series. Also, the manhwa specifically states that Black March is to be ignited, which explains why Baam did not use it to slash anything in the anime or the manhwa.
3The Lore of the Tower
Part I
The series anime adaptation does a poor job of explaining the concept,history, and purposeof the Tower, as there is hardly any mention or reference to any of these in the anime. However, in the manhwa, all vital information about the Tower, its origins, and its inhabitants are carefully explained and discussed.
Things like how the Tower came to be, the first climbers of the Tower, the importance of the rankers within the tower, the Zahard family, the Ten Great Families, and the different species and races within the tower, to mention a few. All of this proffered a better understanding of the story’s plotline in the manhwa, which is absent from the anime.
2Baam’s Origins and Internal Monologues
The series protagonist, Baam, seems to go through a hurried introduction in the anime adaptation of the series, unlike the manhwa. In the manhwa, Baam introduces himself as the “Twenty-fifth Baam,” which is not the case in the anime.
Also, the manhwa introduces Baam’s origins correctly, stating that he is not a regular human but a unique entity created by the mechanics of the Tower. This further clarifies why he had been living outside of the Tower as a child withno family whatsoever, aside from Rachel finding him. The manhwa further expatiates on Baam’s personality and nature through his internal monologues, which are absent from the anime.
1The Training Montage In Part I - The Aftermath of the Final Test
Manhwa Chapter 57- 74
The training montageis another crucial event that only happens in the manhwa and not in the anime. After Baam meets with the floor’s administrator, readers are kind of speed-rolled through some events, which consist of the training mini-arc like Ho’s funeral, which also happens only within the manhwa, Rak’s training with Aleksai, Baam’s training with Endorsi, Ship Leeso, and Khun trying to deepen their relationship, the big party they all have afterward.
Cut straight to Anak and Endorsi’s fight with the Bull in the anime, which happens that both Anak and Endorsi fight the Bull. However, in the manhwa, Anak actually fights the Bull because it runs away after facing off against Endorsi. Further, after passing the final test, in the manhwa, the entire group gets rings from Yu Han Sung to commemorate their passing of the Test, even though Han Sung didn’t believe that Baam was dead. It follows up with a panel of Han Sung discussing with an unknown person the possibility of Baam’s whereabouts in the Tower.
