Taichi Ichikawa’s biggest role so far is playing Bam, the protagonist in Tower of God. He was first cast in 2020 in season 1 and continues to portray the same character who goes by a different name in season 2.
This big change and time gap are fundamental to Tower of God’s narrative. After the life-altering events at the end of season 1, Bam was forced to make a choice. In order to protect his friends, he chose to serve the infamous organization that saved him and assume a new identity as Jue Viole Grace.
Bam experiences many changes during the time gap. This adds immense complexity to his character in season 2 as he navigates new levels and new challenges climbing up the tower.
ONE Esports had the chance to speak to Bam’s Japanese seiyuu (voice actor) Taichi Ichikawa to find out how he approached the character going into season 2 at Anime Festival Asia 2024 in Singapore where he was joined by costar Saori Hayami who plays Rachel.
Bam’s Japanese seiyuu Taichi Ichikawa on how he adjusted his voice for Tower of God season 2
From the get go, many things become apparent to the audience at the start of season 2 — Bam has grown up, he’s taken on a new name, new identity, new appearance, and has new powers.
“I kept in mind that there were two different characters rather than like one being the same. I act as if it’s two different people,” Ichikawa-san told ONE Esports on how he approached Bam in the second season.
“The transition was not only physical. Of course, with time, he got a little taller, but the biggest change is internal. His personality has changed. When he was younger, there was that purity. He didn’t think about life too seriously,” Ichikawa-san continued. “But with age he’s become a little bit more complex internally.”
As Jue Viole Grace, Ichikawa-san’s voice is also notably lower. Perceiving Bam as an “introvert” who keeps to himself, he explained that apart from the character’s natural physical development, the change in range is also due to personality shifts.
“The younger version of him was more positive, where he took things as they are. As he got a little older, he is a little bit more, let’s say, calculative,” Ichikawa-san said. “And his friends were taken away, so he has some resentment. I wanted to show that difference by toning his voice a little bit lower.”
It’s not just the character who has matured, but also his voice actor. In a 2020 Crunchyroll interview, Ichikawa-san said that he was very nervous working alongside veteran Hayami-san but feels less nervous and less intimated as he has gained experience overtime.
As the cast expands in season 2, even more veterans have come onboard, including Yuuma Uchida (Ja Wangnan), Ayumu Murase (Love Mule), and Katsuyuki Konishi (Ha Jinsung).
The most memorable recording session for Ichikawa-san was with returning champion, Kenta Miyake, who plays Rak Wraithraiser, Bam’s nakama from season 1. “He had a really particular way of performing in front in the mic so I remember it really well,” he said.
Overall, playing Bam holds a special place in his heart. “It’s a very unpredictable story from beginning to end. All the characters have a reason to climb the tower but for Bam, it was more about chasing Rachel. That’s the reason why he climbs the tower in season one,” shared Ichikawa-san.
“But in season two, his purpose starts changing. His purpose goes through a transition as well. It’s not to chase Rachel, but more about protecting his friends. As a result, I used more of my imagination while performing,” he said.
As to which two characters Ichikawa-san would want to climb the tower with if he had a choice, he would pick Rak and Khun Aguero Agnes simply because he voices Bam.
READ MORE: How many episodes are in Tower of God season 2? Episode count revealed
