Tower of God: Who is Enryu and What Led to His Legendary Status? (2025)

For someone who has barely been shown in the Tower Of God manga, the strength Enryu possesses as a character is completely undeniable. Enryu is the second strongest Irregular to have set foot in the Tower, stronger than even the likes of Zahard, the famed “King of the Tower”. Famous for his achievement of slaying a Guardian, beings thought to be immortal, his very presence shakes even the foundations of the Tower. He even got nicknamed “Administrator Murderer”.

Despite such a reputation, he is also merciful, giving all of Zahard’s rankers the chance to abscond before he begins his massacre on the 43rd floor. In a class of his own, Enryu’s name is echoed in awe and fear, and the mystery surrounding him only amplifies his legend even further in the Tower Of God manga.

Enryu’s Ascent

An Irregular Of Unmatched Power

Irregulars have always been known to defy the natural order of the Tower, causing absurd changes in its power structure, and Enryu is the crème de la crème of his kind. Like all the other Irregulars, Enryu entered the Tower without the permission of Headon, the Tower’s first Guardian. Though the details of his ascension in the Tower remain, for the most part, unknown, one thing for sure is that he has always been an overwhelming character. His rise in the Tower was most likely a swift one, considering his otherworldly abilities and control of Shinsu.

It is beyond one's imagination how high up the Tower Enryu has gone. Fans speculate that he might have even cleared the 134th floor and beyond, long before it was sealed. The phenomenal rise in his ranking as well is worthy of note. After achieving the seemingly impossible, Enryu’s ranking in the Tower shot up to first place, pushing down Zahard into second place. Since then, he has vanished into thin air, with no hint as to his whereabouts or activities. He is currently the second in ranking, as a phenomenal character, Phantaminum, took his place with the Zahard Palace Intrusion incident.

Shinsu Mastery

One With The Tower

Enryu’s control over Shinsu is so phenomenal, he is not bound by the restrictions of the Tower and does not require the permission of the Floor Guardians to freely utilize it. In fact, his control over Shinsu is a cut above the Guardians themselves, rendering the Guardian’s control of Shinsu useless. Wherever he appears, the Shinsu in the area turns red, earning him the nickname “Red Tower”. Enryu can shape this now Red Shinsu into tools of mass destruction, like his signature red spears. He creates these spears in thousands and launches them down at his foes, hence referred to as Red Rain. A burst of this Red Rain was able to completely obliterate all the rankers of Zahard that had been opposed to him.

It is not just about his control, but also his capacity. Currently, Enryu holds the record for the most amount of Shinsu controlled simultaneously, boasting over a massive nine thousand Baangs, as heard from a lighthouse who had the chance to witness it. Although the numbers were not recorded, his record clearly surpasses that of any other character before him. Even the feared Urek Mazino can not hold a candle to this level of proficiency. Enryu does not just use Shinsu as a tool, he personifies its very essence. It seems as if he is able to bend the Tower to his will. He is even rumored to be capable of creating life from Shinsu itself.

Enryu’s Motive

Zahard’s Nemesis

Irregulars usually have reasons for disrupting the established order of the tower. For Baam, it was his friend, Rachel. For Urek Mazino, it was his thirst for power. So, what drives Enryu? What made him challenge its most feared ruler, Zahard? The most generally accepted theory is his hatred for Zahard and the empire he built in the tower. Zahard, after ruling for many years, had built a stratified system that not only restricted the Regulars but also Shinsu itself. Enryu is not the only one who despises Zahard and his system, but the actions he took towards it make his hatred special, showing that Zahard’s supposedly unshakable order can be disrupted.

This theory sets the stage for another common theory, that Enryu is destined to defeat Zahard. There is a prophecy circulating the tower that Zahard’s reign will come to an end, and it will be the doing of an Irregular. While Baam is envisioned to be the said Irregular, Enryu may have a crucial role in its fulfillment. Defeating the Guardian of the 43rd floor sets the stage for an uprising, and his silence since then has left the inhabitants of the tower in a state of uncertainty. Whatever his purpose may be, Zahard seems to be a stumbling block in his path that he needs to clear.

The Death Of A Guardian

Enryu’s Wrath Unleashed on the 43rd Floor

The death of the Guardian was one of the most monumental and mysterious events ever in the Tower. The Guardians are beings that govern each floor of the Tower. These beings were said to be omnipotent on their floors, setting rules for ascending the Tower, controlling the flow of Shinsu, and giving permission for the usage of it on their respective floors. That anyone could kill such a character was beyond unthinkable, and Enryu did it alone.

Enryu, upon reaching the 43rd floor, had been angered at the manner in which the land that Arlene had cherished was desecrated. The first words that left his lips were “Only those who believe in the false king will remain here and face death”. From there, it was all Red Rain. The Guardian enraged, engaged Enryu in combat. However, his abilities were rendered useless against Enryu. The Guardian was ripped apart viciously, exposing the mortality of supposedly immortal beings. This feat, the only one of its kind to date, has forever changed the course of history.

During their battle, the attacks they used completely destroyed the landscapes of the 43rd floor, leveling mountains, crushing buildings, and turning the ground red. The floor later came to be known as the “Floor of Death”. For a long time after their fight, it is said that a rain of Shinsu fell, with the corpse of the Guardian being the only thing that remained.

Without a Guardian to maintain the current of Shinsu, the floor became uninhabitable. Rumors about a huge thorn capable of killing Zahard began to spread and Zahard himself later sealed off this floor and the people in it, most likely in fear of his weakness. Fortunately, an unknown person created an artificial life support system for the floor, using the blood vessels of the dead Guardian. The destruction not only changed the structure of the Tower but brought a huge change in the power dynamics, shaking the very system that the Tower was based on.

A Catalyst For Change

Enryu’s potential return

The fact that Enryu was able to kill the 43rd Floor Guardian, creatures considered invisible, opens up the Tower to a number of changes. The very rules that governed the Tower can now be questioned, or better still, overcome. Enryu serves as a precursor for all further conflicts, particularly witht Irregulars like Baam who challenge the Tower’s status quo the further they progress. He is not currently an active player, but his mere presence and previous actions cast a shadow on many events in the Tower. Characters such as Zahard are constantly reminded of his existence, a potential danger to their reign, should he ever resurface, which he most likely would.

His mastery of Shinsu also makes him a key character in discovering the secrets of the Tower. Being able to give life using only Shinsu is not a common technique, or something one can just learn. With such abilities in his arsenal and his unprecedented control of Shinsu, fans speculate that Enryu is potentially aware of things about the Tower that nobody else knows. He might even be connected with the ancient history of the Tower. Who built the Tower? Who are the Irregulars? What is the outside world like? The answers to these questions and more could be in the hands of our mysterious character. Enryu’s return, guaranteed by the author, could drastically alter the course of history.

Tower of God is available to stream on Crunchyroll.

Tower of God

Action

Adventure

Fantasy

Mystery

Tower of God is an anime series based on the South Korean webtoon by SIU. It follows a young boy named Bam who embarks on a perilous journey to ascend a mysterious tower, where each floor presents unique challenges and tests. The tower promises to grant the deepest desires of those who reach its top. Along the way, Bam forms alliances and confronts adversaries while uncovering hidden truths about himself and the tower.

Studio

Telecom Animation Film (Season 1); The Answer Studio (Season 2)

Creator

S.I.U. (Lee Jong Hui)

Number of Episodes

23+

Streaming Service(s)

Crunchyroll