Highlights
- Shinsu, the mysterious energy in Tower of God, is integral to life and flows through the tower, with characters harnessing it for various abilities.
- Shinsu manipulation can be done through direct control or via conduits like lighthouses and observers, with some characters having a natural affinity.
- Shinsu manipulation requires a contract with the floor’s Administrator, except for the 43rd floor and Irregulars like Bam, who can freely use it without approval.
The second season of SIU’s Tower of God is upon us after four years since the end of the first season. One of the major elements introduced into the universe, aside from the tower itself, is the mysterious force known as Shinsu, which the characters all need a decent level of control over and to be able to withstand its effects.
Series protagonist Twenty-Fifth-Bam is revealed to have an amazing affinity for Shinsu. What exactly is this substance, and will it be playing just as big a role in season 2?
The Energy of Life Itself
Shinsu’s Undeniable Influence
Throughout various ages and cultures, people have believed there to be an energy that is integral to life and flows through all living things. For some, this commonality is how they assume a connectedness not just to other sentient beings, but to the planet itself. Shinsu has a similar role in the Tower of God universe as concepts like Tao, Qi/Chi (Ki), aether or prana. Shinsu flows only within the tower and is produced by it, but the origin thereof, or what it even consists of, is unknown. Written 신수 using hangeul, Shinsu can be translated to “Divine Water”, and it flows around the tower like air. Shinsu has universal applications, and while it is the “Divine Water”, it can assume a multitude of other forms and even exist in a vacuum. Through mastery over Shinsu, one can achieve various extraordinary feats, from halting the aging process, extension of their lifespan, controlling the elements and even flight. Some areas of the tower have a greater concentration of Shinsu than others, and in these parts, the Shinsu can become visible to the naked eye.
How Shinsu Is Harnessed
Direct Control vs Control Via Conduit
There are two main ways in which Shinsu is manipulated, and generally, characters will make use of what’s called “Direct Control”. While this is absolutely necessary for Regulars to be able to do in order to climb the tower at all, there are varying degrees of mastery over this ability and it is extremely rare. All the Positions, from Wave Controller to Scout, require some level of Shinsu control; however, it is the Wave Controllers who are the most skilled at it, as they specialize in direct Shinsu control. Direct control is necessary for one to become a Ranker. On the other hand, there are many who lack the ability to skillfully manipulate Shinsu directly, like Hoh from the first season. Hoh’s inability to develop mastery over Shinsu made him jealous of Bam, who, as an Irregular, had a natural affinity to direct Shinsu manipulation. Those who can’t control Shinsu adequately will make use of an item to help them do so. Lighthouses and Observers are examples of items that characters use to this effect; however, Shinsu manipulation items are varied in their form and function.
The Required Contract
Natural, But Not Guaranteed
While Shinsu flows freely throughout the tower, the ability to manipulate the substance is granted through permission from the Administrator of the relevant floor. Otherwise, everyone would need an item to manipulate Shinsu. Headon is the first Floor Administrator we meet in Tower of God, and prior to King Jahad’s conquering of the first 134 floors of the tower, it was up to the Administrators to test the resolve of potential tower scalers. None of the Administrators can leave their floor except for Headon, the most experienced of them all. Regulars are taught to make the Shinsu contract on the 2nd floor, all the w ay up to the 134th floor – the last one explored by King Jahad himself. Only one floor does not require Regulars to enter a contract to use Shinsu because, due to extenuating circumstances, the 43rd floor does not have an Administrator with whom a contract can be forged.
When Bam forged a contract on the 2nd floor, he was cryptically told that the act would not be his strength, but a hindrance. While contracts are necessary, it is still possible for small levels of Shinsu manipulation to take place. It is possible for people to have a natural affinity to Shinsu due to genetics, which is the case with those from the 10 Great Families. Irregulars are people who are an exception to the rules of the tower, and can freely use Shinsu without approval from an Administrator. This is why Bam was able to easily pass Lero Ro’s test, as well as enter the White Steel Eel nest when he first entered the tower as part of Headon’s own test.
Let’s Talk About Measurement
More In-Depth Explanations
At this point, we’re fully going into the realm of details not yet revealed in the anime or explained. Shinsu is measured according to three different parameters that better describe the Shinsu being manipulated or observed. “Baang”, written 방, is translated to “release” and serves as the basic unit of Shinsu. A Baang will further be described by its “Myun” 면, translated to “surface”; a description of the surface area over which the Shinsu is spread, and by its “Soo” 수 (literally “water”), which is its “mass”, a description of the concentration of the Shinsu. If Myun is the amount, Soo is the purity. Controlling several Baang is difficult as the number increases, and just because a Myun is wide does not guarantee a greater Soo because the concentration of Shinsu is the greatest at the centre. The more Baang one can control, the more skillful at manipulating Shinsu they are thought to be; however, overdoing it can have a detrimental effect on the manipulator. Usually, configuring one aspect can have a negative effect on the others. For example, if one wants to control more Baang, there will be decreased Myun and Soo per unit. These elements will most likely be elaborated upon over the course of the currently-airing second season of Tower of God.
Tower of God is available on Crunchyroll.
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