Now, I'll admit, the premise sounds a bit typical from the getgo. I have a deep general dislike for characters like Rachel and Bam (the archetypal manic pixie dream girl and boy who willfully follows her around like a lost puppy without a character trait of his own to be seen) and I was certain what they appeared to be was what I would get. In fact, I only started this in the first place to support the band that made the opening and closing theme songs for this show. And I wasn't immediately invested after the first episode, or the first three episodes. But the entire arc of the story is vital to fully understanding and enjoying it. I started off this show rating it a 7/10 and now rate it a 9/10 - that's how important watching every episode is.
In terms of story, I'm really excited for the second season, if there will be one. I think this show did a great job of weaving the Tower's secrets throughout the show's arc without revealing too much nor too little. My curiosity has definitely been piqued but I'm still coming away from the show with enough of an understanding of the world of the Tower and the various characters to not feel confused and disheartened. I like the mystery of who Bam is - indeed, the mystery of who almost every character is. The world is unapologetically magical - the story doesn't coddle the audience, nor does it condescend to give us some cheap narrated explanation of every type of person and species that belongs to the world of TOG, beyond a vague description of the Tower and King Jahad and his princesses. We're dropped into TOG and told 'take it or leave it' from the very beginning, but because Bam only cares about the Tower and Rachel initially we don't need people to explain how the world works beyond the necessities and it's easier to 'take it'. This is part of the reason why watching the entire show is so important - the worldbuilding is done through the secondary characters' backstories and the tests themselves. I may be in the minority here, but I really prefer this type of simplistic and gradual worldbuilding as opposed to being force-fed tons of clunky, narrated information, especially in a relatively somber show so far removed from reality and walking the delicate line between sci-fi and fantasy.
I think the characters, however, are TOG's strongest point - I know I stated above that neither Rachel nor Bam are my kind of character, but they both revealed hidden depths throughout the course of the show that left me feeling either great adoration or deep hatred for them (watch the show and find out which of them is endearing and which is hateful). In my opinion, the secondary characters are all incredibly lovable and intriguing with stories of their own - Khun and Endorsi are two of my personal favorites and never let me down once throughout the series. I think the women in the show are especially interesting and strong and not once grotesquely objectified which, for me at least, was an added bonus! Every character has an arc and the connections feel genuine, which only makes the knowledge that they may all have to kill each other at some point even harder to bear.
The art style seemed to leave a lot of people disappointed, but I'm honestly not sure why? Not every anime has to be detailed and unique to within an inch of its life - the beauty of TOG is in its raw and simple style. Character designs are plainer than some, but in a way that reflects the surroundings and suits each character's personalities well. The style feels like its meant to harken back to the original webtoon and the bleak coloring contrasting with the bright amber and azure hues of one character's Shinsu versus the rest of the Tower's Shinsu is deeply visually striking. Perhaps the animation doesn't always necessarily add to the show, but it certainly never detracts. I'm not an expert when it comes to sound in anime nor do I pay much attention to it in general, but I thought the music, especially the shrill violin that would play over the most shocking moments throughout the show, was well-done (and come on - TOP and Slump have to be two of the best OSTs of 2020).
Overall, I really enjoyed this show - it surprised me, intrigued me, and, by the final episode, had me firmly riveted to the characters and the story. I think a helpful mindset to have when going into this show would be holding onto the idea that a lot of it is setting up for the rest of the story. Looking back on it, I can almost think of it as a prequel for what's to come because so much of it is delicately setting up characters, relationships, and questions in the viewers' minds about the Tower and King Jahad and the entire world within TOG. And that might irritate some, I completely get that - but I still stand by my opinion. I think it's great that this first season spends so much time on details because I think that practically guarantees even better seasons to come. Even if the first episode doesn't grab you right away, I strongly urge you to keep watching - it's worth it.
