REVIEW: ‘Tower Of God’ Season 2 Episode 7 — “Mazino Magic”

To both its credit and detriment, Tower of God Season 2 refuses to pull its punches regarding its rapidly expanding world. In Episode 7 of the second season, “Mazino Magic,” we’re introduced to a new threat: a massive conspiracy is unveiled, and the target painted on the backs of Bam’s friends expands exponentially. It also ends with a moment that suggests a significant event happening in two years that could determine the fate of Bam/Viole (Taichi Ichikawa, Wangnan (Yuma Uchida), Khun (Nobuhiko Okamoto), and more, depending on the outcome. It’s a lot. For the most part, this aspect of the series makes for engaging storytelling, but it also results in some whiplash.

A lot has happened since Episode 5, when we checked in with Khun and his team. Viole is making friends with his new team and, therefore, has become a greater liability to FUG. Wangnan learns in Episode 6 that Viole had no desire to become a Slayer. He was forced into being one. Through Wangnan’s talk with Hwa Ryun (Yoko Hikasa,) he learns that the Ranker, Hansung (Daisuke Kishio,) forced Viole’s hand. If Bam didn’t adopt the name Viole and become a trained Slayer, Hansung would have his friends killed one by one. The threat deepened when he also threatened their lives if he were ever to fail a test.

All of this builds to a crescendo in Tower of God Season 2 Episode 7 as they’re faced with one of their strongest threats to date with Urek Mazino (Hiroki Takahashi.) Urek has no desire to climb the Tower but simply wishes to escape it and see the outside world. This is a fascinating foil for Viole and co., all of whom desire to reach the top of the Tower for one reason or another. Despite the stakes and the friction between their ideologies, the animation of this fight sequence falls flat. So much of the drama is built in through the score by Kevin Penkin, which does a lot of the thematic heavy lifting.

However, while the fight is limited, the outcome offers Viole a significant moment as he chooses to protect Miseng over the battle with Urek. As Viole lay bloodied and broken, Urek allows them to walk away free, having retrieved what he wanted from the belly of the beast they reside in. It’s almost too easy of an outcome until remembering Urek’s realization. Viole’s team was sent in as collateral damage, a last-ditch option after Urek killed many Rankers. This was yet another instance of the Tower and its political deceit using the players as pawns.

The battle also has consequences for Yihwa, who realizes her family was part of a more extensive cover-up regarding the babies of Zygaena, the Deep Sea Fish, a creature revered as a God by the 21st floor. This realization pushes her forward, motivating her to climb the Tower, become a ranker, and undo all the damage her family has done. This at least gives her more characterization beyond a spoiled rich girl. However, perhaps the most exciting moment of Tower of God Season 2 Episode 7 comes at the end.

Wangnan is faced with a choice to leave Viole behind and find another member, something that FUG operative Jinsung is pushing. Viole will only bring more trouble, but Wangnan and the rest of their team can’t bring it in for them to abandon him. Instead, Wangna reaches out to Hwa Ryun once more for help. He wants to find Viole’s friends. She points him in the right direction towards an event dubbed the “Workshop Battle” that will take place on the 30th floor in two years. If they make it in time, they’ll meet them.

This seems too convenient, aside from Jinsung’s meeting with the mysterious Karaka, who warns the former of becoming emotionally attached to Viole. Jinsung tells Karaka to tell the higher-ups that Viole having more friends is for their benefit, which means there are more bargaining chips. The scene best sums up the Tower — both those working for and against it. Because while FUG wants to overthrow Jahad, they’re just as manipulative of their chosen warriors, seeing Viole as a weapon rather than a person.

While Tower of God Season 2 Episode 7 has plenty of narrative intrigue, it lacks visual substance, which isn’t helped by poorly rendered bouts of attempted comedy. The latter takes us straight out of the drama with animation that gets even flatter to accommodate the visual gags. It’s a shame because there’s a lot of general intrigue and melancholy that provides the backbone to the series—it just loses itself in bits and pieces.

Tower of God Season 2 Episode 7 is fantastic when it leans on its expansive world-building. However, it continues to stumble with the animation and smaller, character-driven moments of downtime. With Wangnan’s newly gathered information, the series seems poised to enter a new chapter with more danger along the way.

Tower of God Season 2 Episode 7 is available now on Crunchyroll.