Heading into Tower of God season 2 episode 7’s release, fans were incredibly excited to see exactly how the apparently upcoming fight between Urek Mazino and Bam would play out. Officially released on Sunday, August 18, 2024, the latest installment was unfortunately a letdown in this regard, as the two’s encounter amounted to little more than a brief skirmish.
That being said, Tower of God season 2 episode 7 supplements this fight with two anime-original scenes, which manhwa readers will likely be able to tell the meaning of. For those anime-only fans, such directorial choices serve to set up later developments and help to make up for what was otherwise a fairly disappointing introduction to the #2 active High Ranker in the Tower.
Tower of God season 2 episode 7 review: Art style and animation shine through and a forced focus on the future
As aforementioned, one of the biggest positives of Tower of God season 2 episode 7 is the two anime-original scenes that come in the aftermath of Bam’s fight with Urek.
The first sees Urek realizing he had a cut on his face, remembering the moment in which Bam must’ve hit him, and viewing him as being surrounded by a giant, red skeletal torso. Bam is also given vibrant glowing eyes like the skeleton behind him, both flanked by red lightning bolts.
It’s an unnerving scene that reminds fans why Urek is so impressed by Bam and why FUG is so interested in him— he is a monster of an Irregular who is truly capable of surpassing Jahad.
This decision is especially impressive as it makes up for the lack of fight against Urek itself, and the relative lack of display of Bam’s talents in the season thus far. While fans are right to still be disappointed by the anticlimactic conflict, this is a great first step to make up for it.
Tower of God season 2 episode 7 takes the next step in remedying this issue immediately thereafter, showing an injured Bam lying on the ground and barely conscious.
As he remembers that the fate of his friends rests on him, a crimson ribcage and spine made of Shinsu suddenly manifests around him and begins healing him to full health. These two scenes in combination are possibly setting up the reveal of Bam’s true powers and potential later on in the series.
However, the second scene in particular also deserves praise for having the flashback set up this reveal. It establishes that Bam’s greatest desire is to no longer have to say goodbye to his friends, wanting to become strong only to achieve this goal.
In turn, this both implies that Bam’s love for his friends is what’s manifesting this power in the present, and is what will drive him to become the monster that Urek saw within him.
Tower of God season 2 episode 7 also takes advantage of the first scene, as well as the brief skirmish with Urek, to let The Answer Studio’s art style and animation finally shine through.
The first anime-original scene is sakuga-laden and leaves a lasting impression on fans, with a clear look at the giant skeleton in all its tiny details. The smeared background also works great here, providing a foreboding sensation that elevates the otherwise plain and generic art style.
The skirmish between Bam’s team and Urek also elevates this, featuring a few moments that stand out, like Kang Horyang’s transformation and attacks, and Urek’s activation of his Shinsu.
It’s also worth mentioning that less flashy aspects of the fight are consistent and well-animated, such as Prince’s use of his lighthouse. Again, while the encounter is underwhelming on the whole, it’s made up for by the art style finally shining and foresight for the future.
To go back to Tower of God season 2 episode 7’s anime-original scenes, they’re particularly relevant and significant given the series’ unofficial title as the One Piece of manhwa.
SIU’s webtoon-turned-anime is a series that viewers should be in for the long haul, and with how slow season 2 has been thus far, this hasn’t been well-communicated. The inclusion of these scenes helps to remind viewers just how much they don’t know, and to get them excited for what’s ahead.
The installment further drives home this point by nature of the workshop battle, which Hwaryun introduces at the end of the episode while setting up a two-year timeskip.
Likewise, the episode deserves praise for staying true to its obvious intent to the end— from the reveal of Urek’s true goal for being in Zygaena to the timeskip, and everything in between, it’s clear that the series plans to make up for its slow pacing in these final episodes.
Beyond this, Tower of God season 2 episode 7 does a solid but not remarkable job in other significant areas. One particular highlight from these general adequacies is Hikor Takashi’s performance as the voice of Urek Mazino.
His performance in the episode is enough to leave a lasting and favorable impression of the character on fans, and is perfectly fitting to the cocky attitude Urek as seen within the manhwa.
Tower of God season 2 episode 7: Hoodwinking fans with Bam vs Mazino is the only major negative
Given the positives described, it’s right to question exactly what it is that the latest installment does wrong. Unfortunately, for all the good the fight does, it’s Bam’s encounter with Urek Mazino which serves as the major disappointment. A major reason why this is considered the only significant negative is because of the build the fight got by nature of being a cliffhanger from the last episode into this one.
Realistically, the conflict didn’t need to bleed into Tower of God season 2 episode 7, and likely wouldn’t have needed to if the season as a whole were paced just a bit quicker. This could’ve then led to a much more favorable reception and satisfying handling of the pair’s encounter, in turn providing a true cliffhanger moment in just barely starting the timeskip.
This issue also serves as a microcosm of the biggest issue with the second season so far, which is that Bam no longer feels like the focus of his own show.
While Wangnan Ja is at least being acceptably flushed out as season 2’s dual protagonist, it’s extremely disproportionate to the point of Bam feeling like an afterthought. In this way, the issues with the Bam and Mazino fight highlight larger, ongoing problems which will hopefully be addressed after the timeskip.
Tower of God season 2 episode 7 review: Final thoughts
On the whole, Tower of God season 2 episode 7 does much more good than bad that it can truly and reasonably be faulted for. Even if it wasn’t what fans wanted, there was a clear plan concerning the focus and style of the episode in mind from the directorial staff.
This plan also emphasized the series’ strengths, which are its potential as a long-term story and the depth of its worldbuilding, power system, and more.
Likewise, the only major negative is the mishandling of Urek and Bam’s presumed first of many encounters, which could’ve been extended briefly to further satiate viewers. That being said, even this has its silver linings, as described. While they aren’t quite significant enough to rid all of the wrongs, they do a great job of making up for most of them.
Related links
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- Tower of God season 2 episode 6 review: Urek Mazino's unnverving introduction handled perfectly as the plot thickens
- Tower of God season 2 episode 5: Rachel returns as Khun plans to avenge Baam’s death
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